How progressive brands are considering and prioritizing digital integration in their 2014 plans. This deck shares key considerations throughout the planning process, discussing research and strategy, digital tactics v. integrated programs, and full-funnel analytics. American Marketing Association event, sponsored by ethology, presented by Mike Corak of ethology and Tina Hodson of Conn's Home Plus.

2. Gut Checking Your 2014 Integrated Digital Marketing Plan
How progressive brands are considering and prioritizing digital integration in
their 2014 plans. Webinar will share key considerations throughout the planning
process, discussing research and strategy, integrated tactics vs. programs, and
full-funnel analytics.
Use the hashtag #gutcheck to extend the conversation and enter to win a
signed copy of Jay Baer’s Youtility mentioned in this webinar.
Go to www.slideshare.net/mcorak to view a copy of this presentation, and
check back for the recorded version.
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3. Today’s Presenters
Tina Hodson, Digital Marketing Consultant | Conn’s Home Plus
Tina Hodson serves as a digital product and marketing consultant for
Conn’s, based in Houston, Texas. She has also worked for GDD Interactive
Agency, Match.com, Mate1.com, and True.com. Tina began her career in
marketing in education and telecommunications, working for such ventures
such as Verizon Wireless, Southern Methodist University (SMU), and Excel
Communications. Tina earned her Masters in Computer Science
Engineering (MCSE) from SMU and a Bachelor of Arts at University of
Texas - Arlington.
Mike Corak, Executive Vice President, Strategy | ethology
As Executive Vice President of Strategy, Mike Corak leads the strategic
planning and agency services teams. Mike has developed and implemented
winning digital and integrated strategies for hundreds of companies;
including Coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, ConocoPhillips, FedEx, Fujitsu, Nike,
Office Depot, and Walt Disney. He has led strategy teams at Off Madison
Ave and iCrossing. Mike is Graduate of University of Arizona and serves on
the SEMPO board.
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4. About The Companies
About Conn’s
Conn's was founded in 1890 in Beaumont, Texas, and became a specialty furniture
and home appliance retailer that operates 69 stores across Texas, Oklahoma,
Louisiana, New Mexico and Arizona. The retailer. is a publicly traded company and
offer consumers appliances, electronics, furniture, mattresses, as well as quality
customers service, distribution, financing, insurance and other related services. T o
learn more about Conn's, visit conns.com.
About ethology
Ethology is the integrated digital marketing agency for evolving consumer brands.
Ethologists come from top-tier agency and online industry leaders, such as
Omnicom, Google, Facebook, Edelman, McCann and others. Its team of digital
marketer are experts at research, strategy, planning, organic search, paid
search,
display
media,
social
media,
email
marketing,
content
strategy, analytics, web development and design. Ethology is based in
Phoenix, Arizona, and a portfolio company of Tallwave, a lean business
accelerator and venture management company. For more information about
ethology, go to www.ethology.com
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5. First and Last Plug: The ethosystemTM
Our integrated approach leads to robust digital marketing strategies and plans
that influence and engage your customers. Our satisfaction comes from helping
brands listen, adapt, and resonate with their audiences. It’s not just what we do,
but how we think.
1. Research: market assessment & customer insights
2. Planning: strategic & tactical programs
3. Execution: development & implementation
4. Analysis: data & reporting
This year: +80 Digital Marketing Plans, and +200
Tactical Audits Created
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6. “Gut” Checking Your 2014 Integrated Digital
Marketing Plan
Top 6 Considerations
1. Planning Process
2. Tactical Level-Setting
3. Evolving to “Programs”
4. Resource Alignment
5. Cross-Channel Measurement
6. Budgeting
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7. #1 Planning Process
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8. Plans and Budgets
Hey Tina, I have a
budget, is my planning
done?
Mike, you’re doing it
wrong…and what are
you going to buy me?
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9. Pro Tip: Budgeting…
But Still LAST!
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10. Ethology (Annual) Integrated Planning Process
Business Goals
• Definition
• Map digital
KPIs
• Audit ability to
efficiently
measure and
tie back to
business
goals
Audits & Inputs
Strategy
• Consumer
Insights
• Content
Demand
• Personas
• Tactical
Audits
• User
Experience
Audits
• Resource
Audit
• Competitive
Analysis
• Share of Voice
• Offline
Marketing Plan
Review
• Tool
Assessment
• Funnel
Definition
• Opportunity
Assessment
• GAP Analysis
• Brand
Taxonomy
• Tactical
Strategy
• Integrated
Strategy
• Content
Strategy
• Resource
Assignment
• Projections
Plan
Budget
• Ops Design
• Tactical
Calendar
• Content
Calendar
• Technical
Roadmap
• Usability
Roadmap
• Resource
Roadmap
• Innovation
Roadmap
• Integrated
Processes
• Roles &
Responsibilities
• Cost Estimate
Against
Program &
Outcomes
• Feasibility
Assessment
Adjust and Repeat Until Approved
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11. Other Pro Tips
• Not all digital goals should be financial
• Don’t leave estimation to finance
• A strong planning process iterates
• Try combining online and offline planning
• Fluctuate results with resource allocation
• Educate the organization
• Employ 3rd party consultation
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12. Planning Process Q&A
Hey Tina?
• How often do you go through your planning process?
• Who does the main planning team consist of?
• How do you integrate online and offline programs?
And local needs?
Yes Mike?
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13. #2 Tactical Performance Audits
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14. Common Tactical Deficiencies Upon Audit
• Misalignment with target audience behavior / desires
• Lack of centralized content strategy
• User experience inconsistencies across channel
• Suspect mobile experiences
• Devolved SEO strategy (link building v. content)
• Local listing claiming v. local marketing
• Dated direct programs (email)
• Inefficient media spends (under funding)
• Improper analytics tagging
• Under-resourced social executions
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15. Pro-Tip: Fix the Foundation Conversion Up
OTHER
PAID
REFERRAL
DISPLAY
CLICK
THE PATH
TO
PURCHASE
SOCIAL
EMAIL
3.1
1.9
1.4
ASSIST INTERACTION
2.2
DIRECT
PURCHASE
Acts more as an
LEGEND
ORGANIC
SEARCH
PAID
SEARCH
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.5
Acts more as a
LAST INTERACTION
A channel’s position on the chart is defined by the
“assist/last interaction ratio”
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16. Tactical Performance Q&A
• What tactical improvements did you take on last year?
• Knowing there’s a never ending list, how do you
determine priority?
Hey Tina?
Yes?
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17. #3 Planning for Programs
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18. “Programs” vs. Tactics
Advertisers are prioritizing
integrated tactics or “programs”
to solve business problems
Program success is highly
dependent on true integration
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19. Common Integration Deficiencies Upon Audit
• Search: SEO, PPC, content, social
• Retention: CRM, Email & Social (Offline Direct)
• Media: PPC + Display + Social Media (+ Content/Native)
• Local: Beyond listing claiming, content, search, social
• Full program analytics
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20. Baseline “Programs” For All Plans
Content Marketing:
Content
Strategy, Search, Social,
Content
Cross-Channel User
Experience & Technical
Roadmaps
Integrated & Predictive
Analytics
Consumer
Insights, Integr
ated Marketing
Plans &
Consultation
Local: Content, Search,
Social
Cross-Channel Media:
Search, Display, Social
Retention: CRM + Email
+ Social + Direct
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21. Tactical Integration: Content Strategy at
the Core
content
creation
paid media
promotion
content
strategy
futurefriendly
lifecycle
marketing
(email)
social
promotion
and
discussion
tacticallyagnostic
search
analytics
lenses: local + mobile
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22. Program Q&A
• What programs did you prioritize for 2013?
• How will they evolve in 2014?
Were you saying
something?
Hey Tina?
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23. #4 ResourceCapabilities
Alignment
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24. #1 Impediment to Tactical Integration: Silos
You brought them in, you can take them out!
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25. Cultural Shifts That Break Down Silos
• Reimagine your marketing organizational
structure, processes, and operations design
• Rally teams and partners around programs
• Assign common success KPIs across teams (incentives)
• Create a senior level content position
• Include cross-channel teamwork in performance reviews
• Celebrate group successes
• Educate!
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26. Staffing Model Extremes
In-house
Delivery Partners
• Tactical execution with internal
staff
• Tactical execution with
external staff
• Consultation from tactical industry
experts
• Partnered planning
• Examples: CPG
• Examples: Intuit, Amazon
Benefits: Tactical accountability,
Benefits: Cost effective, activity
oversight, integration control (in
theory)
Risks: Planning ability, talent, ability
to tactically stay cutting edge, team
management, knowledge for
program evolution and integration
Risks: Direct tactical oversight
and staffing, cost, multiple
agency management and
integration, ability to understand
where to make bets (partner
competition)
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27. The “In-Housing” Trend
In-housing trends come and
go, is it here to stay?
Regardless, most
companies outsource
creative, media, and highly
technical needs
Trends also show increased
usage of consultants, tactic
up to business planning and
program management
In the end, the right answer
is the ecosystem that works
for you. Plan for it!
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28. Resourcing & Integration Q&A
• What efforts do you staff internally vs. with partners?
• Why have you developed this structure and how do you
see it evolving?
• How do you ensure integration among internal
resources, tactics, and partners?
Were you saying
something?
Hey Tina?
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29. Pro Tip: Integrated Management Documents
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30. #5 Cross-Channel Analytics
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31. The Value of Marketing Mix Modeling
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32. Measurement Q&A
• Are you effectively examining attribution?
• Do you measure online and offline interaction?
• How are you planning to evolve analytics in 2014?
Predictive modeling?
You promised an
hour…
Hey Tina?
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33. #6 Budgeting
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34. Digital Investment Trends
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35. Budgeting for Digital
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36. Aligning Budget with Opportunity:
Where Our Clients Are Investing
• Foundational Tactical Improvements
• Content Strategy, Content, and Content Marketing
• Mobile Experience Improvements (Responsive)
• User Experience and Technical Roadmaps
• Metrics Analysis
• Infrastructure: Systems, Tools, and Staff (Content
Managers, Program Managers)
• Efficient Media Expansion with Demand/Quality
• Direct Improvements: CRM, email, sms, integration
• Integrated Digital Marketing Plans
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37. Funding Q&A
• Who is involved in your budgeting process?
• How do you justify your resource models from a
budgetary standpoint? Do you tie in potential plan
outcomes against cost?
• Do you create slush funds for experimentation and
industry developments?
You owe me…
Hey Tina?
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38. Autographed Book Giveaway!
Audience members who give us
a shout will be entered to win an
autographed copy of Jay Baer’s
latest NY Times Best Seller –
Youtility (the book includes
comments from Mike Corak,
EVP @ethology)
Include the hashtag #GutCheck
in a tweet, let us know what you
thought!
Find this presentation at slideshare.net/mcorak
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39. Mike Corak
EVP of Strategy
@mikecorak
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