Bus100: Building Software Products From Strategy to Sales

1. Bus100: Building Software ProductsFrom Strategy to Sales Web Marketing and Advertising Jon Kaiser – Digital Marketing Strategy, Analysis and Training 2008 Co-President, Bay Area Interactive Group (SFBIG) Tony Pribyl – VP Sales, Technorati.com

2. Agenda • Introductions • Your goals and the communications landscape • Identifying appropriate audience and media targets • What you can expect from media providers • Campaign measurement and optimization • CRM • Case Studies • For Further Study

3. First: Establish Clear Goals • The development of a campaign strategy is driven by specific business, campaign and learning goals as detailed below Business Goals • Increase revenue to $xxMM, or by Y% • Increase usage and success of products through subscription and online content products Campaign Goals • Decrease customer churn rate by ZZ%, Acquire AA new customers • Establish performance benchmarks and gain better understanding of audience to positively impact the success of future campaigns Learning Goals • Target: What segmentation data points enable better targeting, response and conversion? (e.g. demography, income, geography, etc.)? • Channel: Which channel is most efficient and effective at generating revenue? How can the channels work more effectively together? • Product: What product types or features appeal to which segments? • Purchase: What is the preferred purchase enviornment by which segment (online vs in-store vs bundled w/other products)? • Creative/messaging: Which creative message/offer drives the highest response/most qualified responders? • How do current fulfillment channels impact acquisition through external channels? • Determine thresholds for success in each channel over time

4. The driving principles Spend Smart (money, time and energy) Every communication vehicle has a focused role Drive Profitable Results Clearly define success for each vehicle and measure against it Replicate and Scale Success Generate insights that enable you to adapt and improve results

5. Internal/ customer lists Channel/OEM/ Partners 5 Traditional Media Venues: Print, TV, Direct Mail Ad Agencies Ad Sales Digital Media Venues: Search engines, contextual targeting, audience targeting (demographic, geographic, professional, behavioral) The marketing comm’s landscape YOU Your Customer Research: 3rd party, internal data

6. Identifying Appropriate Audience and Media Targets

7. Define, Size and Prioritize • Who is your best customer? • Demography, Behaviors/Interests, Geography • How large is the opportunity? • Target universe size • Where do you have access to them? • What do they consume • Can you effectively reach them and get them to do what you want them to do at an efficient cost? • Within all possible channels, which give you the greatest access with greatest opportunity for success?

8. Customer Segmentation • Who are you key target audience segments? What are their key characteristics and behaviors? What makes you relevant to them? Mature and Frisky Earliest Adopters • A45-54 • Retired or in peak career • Seek advice from others • Most brand loyal • 23% upload photos online • 11% download software online • 37% purchase software at retail • M25-34 • Highly educated (80% college grads) • HHI $100k+ • Online primary source of news • Key influencers • 69% download software online 11% 31% Small Biz Owner Wired Moms • M35-44 • HHI $50k+ • Have children at home • Active in digital photography, music • Willing to try new brands • Preferred channel: Online • W25-44 • Mean age of 31 • Impulsive online buyers • Value driven • Concerned about security • Preferred channel: ISP/OEM 32% 22%

9. Channel Selection Criteria • The following details rationale behind the choices for channel selection criteria Criteria Rationale Cost Efficiency/ROI • The prospecting campaign’s objectives are to drive a maximum volume of subscriptions at minimum cost Targetability/ Target Composition • Higher response will be driven by using channels whose audience best aligns with the TechNet audience • Channels which are able to reach the TechNet target without wasting media on less desirable/responsive audiences will generate higher ROI Media Usage • Reaching the target audience requires focusing on channels that the audience uses frequently Speed to Market • In order to achieve the short term TechNet goals, channels which allow for a fast campaign implementation will be prioritized Roll-out Potential • In order for benchmarks and learning to contribute to long-term TechNet business goals, channels which exhibit scalable roll-out potential will be utilized

10. Overall Media Approach • Evaluate all considered channels against specific criteria Channel Selection Criteria Web E-mail Wireless DM OTM Magazine NewsP Radio TV Events Cost Efficiency/ ROI Targetability/ Composition Time To Market Media Usage Scalable for Rollout Key Potential = 100% = 75% = 50% = 25% = 0%

11. Other factors in media selection Primary Strategic Considerations Inputs Outputs Media Research Buy Type/Model Media Category/Site Consideration Allocation Strategy Objectives Budget/Timing Target Audience Success Measures Media Placement Type Creative Delivery

12. Research Tools

13. Syndicated Research Plays a Critical Role“Identify & Justify” Define and refine target audience(s) Demography, geography, psychographic, behavior Understand how various media (categories/sites) connect with the target Reach, composition, time spent, audience duplication Track competition Spend, sites, creative

14. These tools enable you to filter this down to a categorical strategy:

15. Ad Agency Environment

16. Ad Agency Structure/Functions Brand Expression Functional Insight Technology Creative Ever-increasing Role In Driving Insights Account Mgmt Analytics Account Planning Media Channel Insight Customer Insight

17. What to expect from Media Providers

18. Types of partners (I) Portals • What is a Portal? • Online platform that offers an array of resources and services under one brand • Pro’s of buying from a Portal: • High reach • Premium content • Depth of services, integrated ad buys • High SOV against key aud segments • Con’s of buying from a Portal: • Cost • Customization difficult--inflexible • Inventory shortages or long lead times 18

19. Types of partners (II) Search • Pro’s of buying search: • Higher reach • Great return on investment—self funding • User mindset to take action • Targeting is the name of the game • Con’s of buying search: • Popular categories are priced relatively high • High level of management/maintenance • Not the ideal platform for product introduction/association • How do I buy search? • Major players have regional representation; but large buys require assistance • Highly specialized compared to display buying; requires knowledge of many data-related and technical aspects 19

20. Types of partners (III) Ad Networks • What is an ad network? • A collection of online advertising inventory • Comes in many difference forms, inventory can be found on: vertical sites, instant messaging, adware, emails, mobile, intl, etc. • Pro’s of buying from an ad network: • Highly efficient – one buy can deliver substantial reach with targeting layer • Same consumers as on premium sites • Attractive pricing • Targeted channels and sites • Con’s of buying from an ad network: • Non-transparency of site list • Quality of network sites can be low or UGC • Limitations to targeted channels • Few premium sites and integrated placements • How do I buy from an ad network? • Many have regional support 20

21. Types of partners (IV) Publisher sites • What is a Publisher Site? • Began as content-focused but has expanded to include any published site that is ad-supported • Pro’s of buying from a publisher site: • Higher Quality Content • Brand/Marquee Names • Integrated Sponsorships • Contextually relevant placements and extended networks • Con’s of buying from a publisher site: • Higher cost • Lack of reach • Lack of technology, targeting layer and campaign optimization • How do I buy from a publisher site? • Large publishers have regional sales contracts; for medium to small sites, you should expect phone sales and support 21

22. Types of partners (V) Affiliates/Lead-Gen/Co-Reg • What are they? • Affiliates: networks of smaller sites • LeadGen: specialists in acquiring real-time leads through own creative and landing pages • Co-Reg: piggy-back on another’s sign-up process • Pro’s of buying from these companies: • Quick way to generate a lead db • Often vertically-focused (mortgage, auto, education, travel) • Turn-key solutions • Con’s of buying from them: • May not know where ad will run (Quality?) • Bombarding users can damage brand • Click fraud (higher than industry average) • How do I buy from them? • Most work online from central organizations – use websites for contact 22

23. Types of Partners (VI) Email • Pro’s of buying from these companies: • High volume • User experience – catches people when they are engaged in email • “Push” vehicle • Turnkey solutions (lists, distribution) • Con’s of buying email: • User experience – may be too invasive? • List quality – not sure where your message will go • Blocking and low conversion rates • How do I buy from them? • Most work online from central organizations – use websites for contact 23