a field guide to grassroots marketing...a field guide to grassroots marketing how to thrive &...

A F I E L D G U I D E T O

G R A S S R O O T S M A R K E T I N GHOW TO THRIVE & PROSPER WITH THE

UBIQUITI WORLD NETWORK

You are very fortunate. Every business needs a story to tell. And as a WISP, you have a

very good one. You just need to make sure as many people as possible hear it. Inside these pages

you will find many great ideas to help you reach out to new customers. Some are old standbys.

Some you may not have heard of. But they are all here to help you get the most out of the

Ubiquiti World Network marketing tool kit. Take what you need. Use what you like.

But don’t just sit there, get out and spread the good word.

N E T WO R K I N GYO U R N E T WO R K

U B I QU IT I WO R LD N ET WO R K GOU B I QU IT I .CO M

THE BASICS

Getting off on the right foot means starting with these first steps 4

GETTING ON AIR

Using television broadcast to cast a wide net in your community 9

NOW HEAR THIS

The proper use of radio to be more effective in your local market 11

GET IT IN PRINT

Tips on how to use and place more productive newspaper ads 13

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

How to get and where to place billboards and other outdoor ads 15

BE DIRECT

Targeting your mailing list and other efficient ways to use direct mail 7

HITTING THE STREET

Using flyers to reach more customers right in your area 17

DOOR TO DOOR

How door hangers can target customers that are right for you 19

USE THE ONE’S YOU’RE WITH

Building a strong referral network with your current customers 21

IT WORKS

But don’t take our word for it, this is what other WISP’s are saying 24

I N S I D E

U B I QU IT I WO R LD N ET WO R K GOU B I QU IT I .CO M

“Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” We’ve

all heard this, and in this case it couldn’t be more

true. And in order to get your marketing right we

suggest you simply take a step back and make

sure you have a few of the basics in place. It will

make all the difference in the end. We promise.

TH E B A S I C S

U B I QU IT I WO R LD N ET WO R K GOU B I QU IT I .CO M4

O B J E C T I V E S A N D TAC T I C S

There are a lot of tactics to choose from but having a clear objective will go

a long way towards helping you decide on the right one. The Ubiquiti World

Network has provided you with a wide range of tactics free of charge – all

you have to do is run them. They are built to work together and support each

other. We suggest using as many as of them you can afford.

Visit ubnt.com to see how they work and everything we have to offer.

TA C T I C The action you take

to reach your objective

O B J E C T I V E What you want to achieve

Right off the bat we suggest you set some goals. And above all it’s important that they are realistic ones. Anything else will be a recipe for disappointment.

Having an appropriate goal will help you plan the appropriate budget. Are you prepared to spend the time and money it takes to own the whole city? Or should you start with a neighborhood and go from there?

Answering these types of questions will set the pace for everything going forward.

Setting Goals


Track It Ask customers where they

heard about you. Use different Google phone numbers on each of your ads and have calls transferred to your main sales line. Then pull reports to see what ads are doing the best.

Do It AgainTake what worked

and do it again … and again and again (at different times, markets, etc.)

Check ItHow did the campaign

meet the goals? What would you do different?

G E T O U T T H E R E A N D P U T YO U R TA C T I C S I N T O A C T I O N


The beauty of direct mail is that it is just that: direct.

Done correctly you can easily and economically get

your message in front of just the right prospects.

With that in mind we have developed a 4-color,

professionally produced postcard with plenty of space

for your information, as well as provided access to a

national printing and solutions company to help you

make things simple and affordable.


B ED I R E C T

January March April July September October November December

Pass out withlottery tickets

Pass out with

Mardi Grasbeads

Send withseed packs

for Spring planting

Attach toflags and

place in yards on July 4th

Bundle with

back-to-school items

Attach tonew

batteries for smoke detectors

Hand outwith hot

chocolatepackets

Hand out with pocket

hand warmers

D I R E C T M A I L

In marketing there are two different approaches to hitting a target: the shotgun

approach and the rifle approach. The shotgun approach is just what it sounds like.

It’s a strategy that covers as wide an area as possible, while the rifle approach is

concentrated on a narrowly defined target. The approach you take depends on the

mailing list you use. One example of a shotgun approach is the post office program

called Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). This tactic will send your message to every

home in a zip code or even specific carrier delivery route. This is a good way to

introduce your services to a new area. But for finding customers in an existing area,

a rifle approach makes more sense — this approach can be done by using many of

the direct mail rental lists. You can also develop your own mailing list. Your county

recorder or a title company can help you obtain addresses for new homeowners.

You can also hold drawings at local events, contact local publications, or hold a

referral contest with current customers.

Hand out your postcards paired with these ideas: There is no rule that says you can only mail the postcards–they also make great handouts. We suggest working around the calendar and pairing your postcards with these ideas:

M A K E T H E M O S T O U T O F YO U R P O S T C A R D M A I L I N G S

Split your campaign and try different offers.

Use a multitude of Google phone numbers on different postcards to see which postcard works best.

Assign separate offer codes and track which ones do better.

Use standard bulk rates to lower your costs if you don’t need to reach homes immediately.

Test It

Google It

Track It

Bundle It



Getting your story out to as many people as

possible is important. So much so, that we

developed a national-quality, customizable TV

commercial for you to use. It comes in 60-second

and 30-second versions — both with ample space to

add your company’s logo, phone number and URL.

G E T TI N GO N A I R

B R OA D C A S T

The commercial we’ve developed works best when it’s combined with other

pieces in the UWN marketing kit. Our broader message of the TV spot offers you

‘air coverage’ which is then followed up with more specific details and offers on

our customizable flyers, postcards and/or door hangers. The idea is that people

will already be familiar with your company when they receive these follow-up

pieces and be more open to your pitch. Ideally you would run your customized

commercial on television in your area. But we realize this can be expensive.

Fortunately the Internet is ripe with free opportunities to run it. You can post it

on your Facebook page, or put it on your YouTube channel. Even if you don’t

have a channel, post it on YouTube anyway. You can also post it on your own

website. Regardless of where you run it, your customized commercial is a great

way to introduce your technology to prospective customers.

O T H E R O P P O R T U N I T I E SI N YO U R L O C A L M A R K E T

Bowling Alleys

Gas Stations

Local Sporting Events

This is a cost-effective way to speak to a captive audience. Run the spot before the previews. Plus, your logo will look spectacular up on the big screen.

These family-friendly places are littered with big screen TVs. Twenty lanes means twenty opportunities for potential customers to see your message.

Post it at the pump. More and more gas stations are using TVs on top of the pumps to help drivers pass the time as they fill up.

If you’re lucky enough to have a local team, they could be looking for local sponsors. Place it at minor league baseball and hockey games and high school sporting events.

Local Movie Theaters



Radio is a highly effective way to reach customers,

particularly in smaller markets where airtime can

be less expensive. That’s why UWN has provided

scripts for DJ ‘live reads’ as well as a fully produced

60-second spot for you to customize with your

name and information. This gives you the flexibility

to utilize radio as it best fits your needs.

N OW H E A RTH I S

R A D I O

An effective radio buy should be considered in terms of a balance between

two factors: reach and frequency. We suggest your minimum reach and

frequency levels should be to reach 70% of the market, at least 3 times a

week. Talk to your local radio station, their rep should be able to help you

decide how to best reach this goal. But as a general rule of thumb, you should

be running a minimum of 18 radio spots per week, per station.

F R E Q U E N C Y Reach is the number of people or households exposed to a program

schedule over that time period

R E A C H Frequency is the average number of times people have a chance to hear your ad during a specific time period


Nothing says that you have to use the ‘live read scripts’ only on radio. They can be re-purposed anywhere you have an announcer and a crowd of potential customers:

Note:

High School Sporting Events

College Sporting Events

Minor League Baseball

Rodeos

Racetracks



Even in the digital age, newspapers are a great way

to reach local customers — there’s a good reason

this form of advertising has been around forever.

To help you make the most of it, the Ubiquiti World

Network provides customizable ads in different

sizes for virtually any newspaper anywhere.

G E T ITI N P R I NT

P R I N T

Understanding a publication’s rates and sizes can be complicated. Don’t be shy

about talking to a sales rep in order to really understand it. But in general, ad

space is sold by column inch and many papers have different rates for different

industries. Learning what to buy and how to purchase ad space can save you

time and money. If there are multiple local newspapers focus your advertising

in only a few publications to have a consistent presence. This will help you build

frequency with its readers and make you appear as a major advertiser.

T E L L YO U R S T O R Y Here’s another thing to think about: You have a unique story. There’s a good chance a local paper would want to do a piece on your business and what you are doing to bring

everyone in your community the Internet they deserve. It certainly can’t hurt to ask.


T H I N G S T O K N O W W H E N TA L K I N G T O A N E W S PA P E R S A L E S R E P

Don’t run an ad smaller than a 1/4 page

Consistent placement next to a relevant section or column is key

Ask for a right-hand placement as it is seen the more often

Run small ads at the top of the page

Consider printed ad space and online ads for a combination rate

When buying ad space, negotiate for a list of the publication’s subscriber’s email or direct mailing addresses

See if you can have your postcards inserted into the newspaper

Size

Consistency

Placement

Other Opportunities


Billboards are one of the most effective options out there

for your businesses — they’re relatively inexpensive and

an enormous amount of people see them every day.

Take a look around your community and you’ll find that

outdoor ads come in many different sizes and shapes, so

we have developed several templates with ample space

for your logo and information just to fit your needs.

THE GREATOUTDOORS

O U T D O O R

Buying a billboard is pretty simple. Most boards are owned by one of three

companies: LAMAR, CBS Outdoor and Clear Channel. Regardless, the name of

the owner is usually posted at the bottom of the sign. Just visit their website

and contact the advertising or sales team. They can answer your question

about availability along with anything else you may want to know. There are

a few things to keep in mind. Billboards are sold based on the number of

impressions they receive each day — the more eyeballs that see it, the more

expensive it will be. As a general rule of thumb, a board on the right hand

side of road is preferable as it is easier for drivers to see. When contacting the

sales people they will probably quote you a posted rate card price. These are

the prices that the media sellers hope to sell the ad space for and not what

you have to pay. Think of the rate card like suggested manufacturer’s list price,

everything is negotiable.

T H I N G S T O K N O W W H E N TA L K I N G W I T H A B I L L B O A R D S A L E S R E P

The average number of persons who are likely to notice an ad. The more people who see your ad, the more the ad will cost.

A printed list of advertising rates charged by media companies. Rate cards, usually, are for guidance only because the actual charges vary greatly.

Billboards on the right side of the road gets more impressions than ones on the left.

Lamar Advertisinglamar.com • 800 235-2627CBS Outdoorcbs outdoor.com • 800 926-8834Clear Channelclearchannel.com

Impressions

Rate Card

Placement

Media Companies



Sometimes it’s the simplest things that work the best:

your message, logo and contact info displayed in a

popular spot. That’s why we’ve provided you with

old school customizable flyers complete with phone

number tear-offs. They cost very little to print and with

a little elbow grease you’ll be surprised how many

leads you can get from them.

H IT TI N GTH E S TR E E T

F LY E R S

Putting up flyers is a great way to let your audience know you’re a trusted

neighbor. Keep some in your truck and post them when you find a good

spot. We suggest the community boards where your target audience would

be: laundromats, churches, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. But keep in mind,

there is a certain amount of etiquette involved. Don’t just assume you can

put them up; politely ask the owner first — who knows, it might even turn

into an install. Try not to cover up someone else’s flyer, you wouldn’t want

that happening to yours either. And keep in mind that many towns and cities

restrict where flyers can be posted, such as city streetlight and telephone

poles. Check with your local ordinances first. But flyers aren’t just for posting

on walls. Get creative and you’ll find many options.



Wrap them around a newspaper and give them away

Place them on car windshields in parking lots

Dustin Surran of Aurex Broadband bought all of a local Girl Scout troop’s cookies and gave away them away with a flyer attached

Spread the News

Get the Show

Think Outside

On the Road

the Box


It’s important to talk to customers when your service

is top of mind. Many times this is when they first

arrive home for the day, so why not greet them at

the door? UWN provides door hangers as a cost-

effective tactic that’s also a little unexpected —

and way more likely to be read.

D O O RTOD O O R

D O O R H A N G E R S

Door hangers work because they’re a little unexpected and are placed right where

you can’t ignore them. Your customers won’t be able to help themselves, they’ll

have to take a look. One piece of advice though. Distributing door hangers can be

a time consuming task. We suggest you save yourself some time and hire a few

local teenagers to put them out. Your time is better spent setting up new towers.


O T H E R W AY S T O U S EYO U R D O O R H A N G E R S

Hang one on each outgoing set of clothes

The rear-view mirror is a perfect spot

Each pizza box gets one attached

Dry Cleaners

Car Washers

Pizza Shops


Since the dawn of time, word of mouth has been the

best form of advertising. People tend to trust their

friend’s advice over everything else. And that can work

particularly well for our industry — happy customers love

to brag about how fast their Internet is. One simple way

to tap into this is by rewarding them with a free month of

service for every successful referral they send your way.

U S E TH E O N E S YO U ’ R EW ITH

L AW N S I G N S

It’s often hard to find someone wants to be first to switch their Internet service. But

when they do, they love it and it spreads throughout the community. That’s why

we’ve developed a lawn sign that helps speed up the process. Our customizable lawn

sign will let the neighbors know that the household has made the switch, and who

helped them do it. It’s surprisingly simple and effective. Many new customers are

happy to let you put one in their yard for free, but you could also entice the holdouts

with a month of free service or other discounts if you need to.



Lawn signs aren’t just for lawns anymore – there are plenty of other places you can put your signs. Hey, if it works for politicians and real estate agents, it will work for you. Check the local laws in your area and ask first with property owners, but here are other placements you should consider:

Busy Street Corners

Local Sporting Events

Schools

Parking Lots

Parks

B U T WA I T, T H E R E ’ S M O R E !

The UWN marketing kit is just the beginning. There are many other ways to reach your

customers and we urge you to find what works best for you. To help you do that we have

also provided customizable banners so you can get the word out wherever you want.

People are using the Internet in more places than ever. Set up a small hot spot in a public space to help meet that need, and make a name for yourself at the same time. Don’t forget to put up a sign letting visitors know who’s bringing them this free service.

Many smaller, family-run businesses are always looking for ways to bring in more people. Offer them free Wi-Fi in trade for an ad placement on the access page. It’s simple and everybody wins.

What’s a local event without a local sponsor? It’s a tried and true way to show your pride and support of your community. Take it up a notch and show the crowd the power of your service by offering free Wi-Fi at the event.

Public SpacesTrades / SponsorshipsSponsorships

Little League Teams Coffee Shops Parks

Youth Soccer Fields Doctor Offices Playgrounds

High School Events Laundromats Town Squares

Fairs & Festivals Bars & Restaurants Lakes


C I T Y LI N KJ O H N B R O W NA L B U Q U E R Q U E , N M

Thanks to the UWN marketing plan, John grew his WISP from 500 to 700 customers in less than two months on a 3.3% return on his campaign. He’s now planning to expand CityLink throughout the Albuquerque area as well as other parts of the country.

D I X I E I PF R A N K I G LE S I A SH U R R I C A N E , U T

Frank found his leads go from non-existent to ringing off the hooks the moment the direct mail campaign went out. Dixie IP has even expanded their network coverage with two new towers, they are now starting another round of their marketing campaign.

W I S P E R I PN ATH A N S TO O K ES T. LO U I S , M O

Wisper doubled their leads year-over-year with the Future Can’t Wait campaign. Nathan is finding that every month the campaign goes out is another record month for the company. In fact, they have returned 206K from their 18K investment so far this year.

See the entire case studies at ubnt.com/uwn

A E R U XD U S TI N S U R R A ND E N V E R , CO

Dustin was on the brink of closing his doors until the UWN marketing plan helped turn his business around. Aerux was able to immediately double their customer base as a result and are now rapidly expanding their network.

IT ’ S WO R K I N G ! B U T D O N ’ T TA K E O U R W O R D F O R I T


Consider this guide as just a start to the many ways you can successfully market your company.

We urge you to get out and be active in your community — even more great ideas are out there

waiting to be discovered. Keep a notepad and jot them down, sketch them out, and put them into

action. And when you come up with something, don’t keep it a secret. Share your great ideas

with others in the network. Remember, we’re all stronger when we work together.

PA R TI N GTH O U G HT


J O I N !GET ACCESS TO ALL THESE ASSETS AT: GOUBIQUITI.COM/ADVERTISING

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a field guide to grassroots marketing...a field guide to grassroots marketing how to thrive &...

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