management communications - capgator client project

capgator

DIRTY NOZZELSJordan Altman, Jameson Cook, Mackenzie Gauden and David Mandile

ContentsExecutive Summary..............................................................................................................................................4

Lack of Brand Awareness..................................................................................................................................4

Need for Relationships in the Promotional Item Provider Industry.................................................................4

Tripartite Plan/Solution....................................................................................................................................4

CapGator Communication Strategy..................................................................................................................5

Client Industry Report...........................................................................................................................................6

Client Description.............................................................................................................................................6

Background...................................................................................................................................................6

Product.........................................................................................................................................................6

Value Proposition.........................................................................................................................................6

Audience...........................................................................................................................................................6

B2C................................................................................................................................................................6

B2B................................................................................................................................................................6

Communication................................................................................................................................................7

Website.........................................................................................................................................................7

Video.............................................................................................................................................................7

Social Media..................................................................................................................................................7

Product Packaging........................................................................................................................................8

Kickstarter.....................................................................................................................................................8

Competition and Challenges.............................................................................................................................9

U-Glove.........................................................................................................................................................9

Non-Fueling Specific Alternatives.................................................................................................................9

Audience Profile.................................................................................................................................................10

Summary of Target Audience.........................................................................................................................10

Promotional Item Providers........................................................................................................................10

Secondary and Tertiary Audiences (Concerns of PIPs)...............................................................................10

Demographics.................................................................................................................................................11

Psychographics...............................................................................................................................................11

Contributing Factors for Decision Making..................................................................................................11

Client Relations...........................................................................................................................................11

Altman, Cook, Gauden, Mandile 1

Motivators..................................................................................................................................................11

Deterrents.......................................................................................................................................................12

Other Factors..................................................................................................................................................13

Network development................................................................................................................................13

Overwhelming Choice of Products.............................................................................................................13

Conclusion......................................................................................................................................................13

Communication Strategy....................................................................................................................................15

Recommendation – Personal Outreach..........................................................................................................15

Vehicle – Direct Mail.......................................................................................................................................15

Appeal.........................................................................................................................................................15

Messaging Strategy and Tone.....................................................................................................................15

Costs...........................................................................................................................................................15

Metrics........................................................................................................................................................16

Feasibility....................................................................................................................................................16

Obstacles....................................................................................................................................................16

Expected Results.........................................................................................................................................16

Examples.....................................................................................................................................................17

Recommendation – Target industry events.......................................................................................................18

Vehicle – Events..........................................................................................................................................18

Appeal.........................................................................................................................................................18


Cost.............................................................................................................................................................19

Metrics........................................................................................................................................................20

Feasibility....................................................................................................................................................20

Obstacles....................................................................................................................................................20


Example......................................................................................................................................................21

Recommendation – Build Digital Presence.....................................................................................................22

Vehicles – LinkedIn and Website................................................................................................................22

Appeal.........................................................................................................................................................22


Cost.................................................................................................................................................................23


Metrics........................................................................................................................................................24

Feasibility....................................................................................................................................................24

Obstacles....................................................................................................................................................25

Expected Results.............................................................................................................................................25

Examples.....................................................................................................................................................26

Recommendation – Follow Up to Seal the Deal.............................................................................................28

Vehicle – Phone Calls..................................................................................................................................28

Appeal.........................................................................................................................................................28


Costs...........................................................................................................................................................28

Metrics........................................................................................................................................................28

Feasibility....................................................................................................................................................28

Obstacles....................................................................................................................................................28


Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................................30

Overview.............................................................................................................................................................30

Works Cited........................................................................................................................................................31


Executive SummaryThis account intends to examine CapGator’s current disposition and offer potential solutions to bolster the fledgling company’s consumer base.

Lack of Brand AwarenessCapGator is a new product in a virtually unsaturated market, many people are unfamiliar even with the necessity for automotive refueling hand protection.

Need for Relationships in the Promotional Item Provider IndustryCapGator does have connections in the automotive industry, but not in the promotional item provider industry. Lacking a PIP executives network serves as a barrier to entry into our recommended industry, which is heavily relationship based.

Tripartite Plan/Solution Strengthen Digital/Social Media Presence

o Join four PIP networking groups on LinkedIn and post a discussion starter in a different networking group each week.

o Develop “Custom Orders” tab for the current CapGator website, and maintain the website by updating the site with relevant info as needed.

Utilize Personal Outreach

o Send out one piece of direct mail in each of the first three months to establish connections with relevant players in the industry.

o Make Cold Calls to follow up with all connections made in order to seal the deal.

Capitalize on Industry Events

o Attend PPAI Expo as an exhibitor.

o Schedule increased promotional presence at the event.

o Distribute brochure and formulate “elevator pitch”.


Strategy Vehicles Feasibility Cost Expected Results

Digital Presence

LinkedIn, Website High Low LinkedIn followers + increase in web traffic will raise brand awareness

Personal Outreach

Direct Mail, Cold Calls (if necessary)

Mail - Moderate

Calls - High

Low Establish connections, expand professional network.

Industry Events

Networking, Pamphlet High Moderate

Boost in brand recognition, establish relevant relationships.

CapGator Communication StrategyOur strategy is to explore the most feasible ways for CapGator to boost brand awareness, establish connections, and (consequently) launch itself into relevancy as a hot, new promotional product within the PIP marketplace. Our communication vehicles include the following: strengthening digital presence, utilizing personal outreach, and capitalizing on industry events.


Client Industry ReportClient DescriptionBackgroundCar Webster is an automotive enthusiast turned entrepreneur and is the founder of CapGator. Carl is a former race car driver and currently works at KIA motors. He is no stranger to what drives auto enthusiasts, and he is well versed in the automobile world.

The idea for CapGator came to fruition when Carl’s wife thought of the idea, while pumping gas. She grew upset thinking about the prospect of cleaning her hands with filthy paper towels that weren’t stocked half of the time at gas stations. How can so many sanitary products exist, yet none of them easily address the issue of filthy gas handles?

ProductCapGator is a proprietary, first-to-market automotive refueling hand protection device. The product is a rubber disc that fits over a car’s gas cap. Every time a user goes to fill the gas tank they slip their hand into CapGator and perform all the operations required at a station. Once the user is finished fueling up, they rest CapGator back on the gas cap and slip their hand out of the product. CapGator is made of durable, machine-washable rubber and comes in 4 different colors. The product retails at ten dollars and costs around sixty cents to product a unit.

Value PropositionThe basic value proposition of CapGator is to provide an easy to use and convenient product that provides strong protection against germs and bacteria. The real value being sold is the convenience of the product. Once placed on the gas cap, it should fit seamlessly into a consumer’s gas pumping experience. The user of CapGator will not give a second thought to keeping their hands clean, while pumping gas.

AudienceB2CCapGator is currently targeting a business to consumer (B2C) market but is still looking to define its core consumer group. Webster is trying to capture the female audience, who will go the extra mile to protect themselves from bacteria. An opportunity in the UK exists, where according to a friend of Webster’s, many people are more conscious of germs than they are in the U.S.

B2BCapGator does not have any business customers, but Webster expressed interest in attempting to market to businesses. The CapGator product has tremendous advertising potential for automotive and healthcare related businesses. An advertisement could easily be printed on the top of the CapGator product and would get weekly exposure every time a user went to fill up their car.


CommunicationWebsiteCapGator currently has a live website which provides information on the product, the problems it addresses, step-by-step instructions for use, a live contact form, and a platform for consumer purchase (Flugwerk Design, LLC). CapGator can be purchased in sets of one, two, three, or in bulk by phone, with price breaks occurring at each level. The website provides abundant information on the product and features a video summarizing that content and promoting the product.

VideoThe video featured on CapGator’s website excellently displays the problem addressed by the product and its ease of use for the consumer. The video contains several suggestive phrases, such as, “grip your nozzle,” and features a young, objectively attractive female reporter (Flugwerk Design, LLC). Therefore, it is a safe conclusion that, although clever, the messaging tactics of this video actually appeal more to male and younger female consumers. However, the product may carry greater appeal for older female consumers, such as mothers with children still living at home or elderly consumers.

Social MediaFacebook

CapGator’s Facebook page is an important vehicle for reaching out to a massive base of online users. It allows for bridging social media accounts and provides the opportunity to share relevant articles and product information. There are a couple improvements that could be made to help the page even more effectively reach consumers. Although the page is currently

underdeveloped, Facebook will be an effective way to provide brief information, keep consumers up to date, and share photos and videos categorically.

The page title is the same as that of the website, providing ease and consistency to the consumer. However, it is also long and unlikely to be processed easily the first time. The page contains a profile picture, which is a photo of the product in use rather than the company logo, a brief description posing a shocking question to consumers, and a link to the website. The page has three likes, is categorized as a “community,” and does not feature a cover photo (CapGator vehicle refueling hand protection device). With the addition of content, information, and user likes, the Facebook page will eventually be a mechanism for advancing product awareness.

Twitter As far as social media accounts for the product go, Twitter is reaching the greatest number of people, but is still underutilized as a source of daily updates for followers of the company. Business twitter accounts can be used to constantly update followers with relevant information. The CapGator page has only made a couple posts and most of them direct


people to the website (CAPGATOR). Following pertinent businesses and people in the industry is important for generating marketing press. If there is no updated information on the company, Twitter posts should be made about information within the industry.

Pinterest Pinterest is a rather unconventional form of marketing for a business and is surprisingly the most fleshed out of all of CapGator’s social media pages (CAPGATOR by Flugwerk). Pinterest provides a simple way for product users to share the device on any of their health and wellness boards. Pinterest is growing in popularity as users flock to photo based social media platforms. Women far outweigh men as account holders and its popularity spans

generations (Guimaraes). This indicates that Pinterest is well suited for reaching CapGator’s targeted users.

Product Packaging CapGator’s Product packaging features logos and pictures of the product in use alongside step-by-step instructions on how to use the product. The first word on the product packaging is “Introducing,” which may convey to the consumer that the product is new or underdeveloped. This can imply the product is new or its effectiveness hasn’t been proven. The packaging very thoroughly explains to the user how to use CapGator and why it is an essential item for frequent

car users. The instructions may be too thorough. For example, the back of the package begins with a rhetorical question and then answers this question. This is a great convincing tactic but may unnecessarily take up space.

KickstarterKickstarter is used to generate funding, and CapGator could use it as a vehicle to generate some serious capital. Kickstarter campaigns tend to only generate traction if they go viral. To go viral, a Kickstarter campaign needs to be crazy or feature a genuinely revolutionary product. A good example of a viral campaign is the exploding kittens game that easily exceeded its target number. A CapGator Kickstarter page does exist, but it is currently private. For the campaign to be successful, it will have to include some sort of crazy video that places emphasis on the germs at gas stations.

Competition and ChallengesU-Glove


U-Glove is an established competitor to CapGator. U-Glove has a slightly different business model to CapGator as it primarily targets gas stations to buy the product. The communication channels for U-Glove are similar, however, because consumer demand for the product is what drives a gas station to keep it stocked.

U-Glove has a slightly stronger social media presence than CapGator, but it still isn’t that great. The U-Glove twitter page is constantly updated and contains tweets about the industry (U-Glove). The U-Glove Facebook page is similar to

CapGator’s, but does have the logo as its profile picture and a more distinct cover photo that depicts how the product is used (U-Glove, Inc.).

The U-Glove website features a lively orange and white layout. Animated infographics display information about how germ-ridden gas station handles are (U-GLOVE, INC.) . The key difference is the lack of filthy gas handle pictures. Although pictures of dirty gas handles convey the benefit of the product, they can also leave a negative image in a consumers mind.

Non-Fueling Specific AlternativesConsumers can also choose to use items which they own for other purposes, such as gloves or hand sanitizer, or paper towels that they find at the pump. Although they don’t have specific marketing, the argument that these products are easier to use will always exist.


Audience ProfileSummary of Target AudiencePromotional Item ProvidersPromotional item providers, which we will refer to as PIPs, that specialize in working with companies in the automotive and healthcare industries are our recommended target audience. PIPs have an assortment of products that can be imprinted with any company logo. Distributing companies purchase a specific product from the PIP in bulk, have their logo imprinted on the item, and give them away at trade shows, conferences and events as company advertisement.

PIPs offer a vast array of product choices ranging from entertaining trinkets to products that complement a company's product offerings, such as a Geico slinky or a Bud Light coaster. The promotional item business is heavily relationship-based. Therefore, a strong initial target audience would include PIPs that already have an established clientele base of automotive and healthcare companies.

Secondary and Tertiary Audiences (Concerns of PIPs) PIPs are the mediums in distributing items like CapGator, and the distributing companies are effectively our secondary target audience. Furthermore, the end users of the product are essentially our tertiary audience. When deciding to carry or purchase CapGator, each audience analyzes their subsequent audiences’ demographics, psychographics, motivators, and deterrents. Using such rationale, our target secondary audience will include companies that are in the automotive or healthcare industries as the values these companies want out of a promotional product will align with CapGator’s distinct differentiators.

Below is a table of the PIPs that we have decided to focus on, and their respective areas of expertise:

Company Area of ExpertiseRush Imprint Broad, Healthcare4Imprint HealthcareStaples Promotional Broad, AutomotiveEmpire Promos AutomotiveBranders.com Broad epromos Automotive

Below is a table of example distributing companies that would be particularly interested in purchasing CapGator as a promotional item and their respective industry:


Company Respective IndustryBMW AutomotiveGM AutomotiveBarnes-Jewish Hospital HealthcareSt. Louis Children’s Hospital HealthcareTylenol HealthBlue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare InsuranceGeico Automobile Insurance

DemographicsOur target PIPs have already established connections to distributors in the automotive and healthcare industries. Environmental targeting is the act of selecting promotional items that complement your company’s business, such as an internet provider giving away mouse pads. Since this is a key tactic in selecting which promotional products to use as marketing devices (Marketing), companies in the automotive and healthcare industries will be most interested by CapGator.

The promotional product market is limited and is dominated by a few major players cited above in the table. Based on second hand information from Mary Webster, choosing a promotional product is not a critical decision for most companies. For this reason, younger employees are most likely the ones making the relatively insignificant portfolio decisions.

PsychographicsContributing Factors for Decision MakingWhen trying to sell CapGator to PIPs, it is important to remember that these businessmen only have one thing in mind: profits. Because PIPs and the distributors are primarily profit driven, CapGator must clearly portray how placing a logo on the product will increase that distributor’s brand awareness, revenue, and profits.

Client RelationsCapGator is an easier sell to PIPs that have existing clients within CapGator’s relevant industries. CapGator has very clear ties to the automotive and healthcare industries, which is why we have decided to focus on building business relations with PIPs that target companies in these areas.

MotivatorsNovelty CapGator is a new and unique item that PIPs would be able to offer to their clients to create a factor of differentiation from other PIPs. CapGator is far more intriguing than a pen, for example. Someone might want to get a good look at the unusual device covering someone’s hand while fueling a car, but may be unlikely to stare at the pen used to sign a check. People are inundated with advertisements on a daily basis with relatively low levels of engagement (New Research Sheds Light on Daily Ad Exposure), and novelty can be a selling point for PIPs as something that will get distributors’ brands noticed.


Brand Exposure for Clients/Permanence The average American commuter pulls up to the gas station 5 times per month, which adds up to 60 times a year (Marketing at the Pump). Additionally, drivers spend between 4.5 to 5 minutes refueling their gas tank, where the consumer’s primary focus will be on their hands; therefore, their eyes will be pointed directly at a company’s logo featured on the CapGator for over 270 minutes steadily throughout the year (Advertisers).

Based on a study of consumer and buyer reactions, integration of a product by users has more to do with usefulness than the company it came from, regardless of how favorably users view a company (Consumer and Buyer Reactions). As evidenced by the prior paragraph, CapGator’s repeated and frequent use is unbeatable by almost any other promotional product. This repetition and frequency of brand engagement is also compounded by the CapGator’s long, useful product lifetime, which is a motivator for making a promotional product selection (Marketing). End users will have a steady reminder of the distributors brand every time they fill up their gas and PIPs can use this as a compelling argument in selling CapGator to their clients.

Corporate Social Responsibility PIPs market extensively to organizations related to health and wellness. An item that actually promotes user health and wellness can have significantly higher appeal than other typical promotional products such as pens, t-shirts, or backpacks. Companies looking to promote their brand at health conventions, dental/medical offices, and informational speaking events have the opportunity to pick a product that is both suited to the venue and promotes brand health.

ProfitabilityThe factors listed above can all be used as selling points for PIPs which will contribute to an overall increase in sales. This increase in sales combined with the margins per CapGator sold multiplied by the significantly large bulk orders will contribute to an increase in profitability, marking the CapGator as a lucrative product for these PIPs to offer.

DeterrentsLess Expensive Substitutes Distributors give away promotional products for free, thereby expensing the products as a marketing cost. Distributors predict that giving away the promotional products will directly increase brand awareness and sales, but they take the risk that the cost will outweigh the increased revenue from distributing these products for free. Convincing the PIPs that CapGator has a superior price-to-value ratio for the distributors is important for combatting this deterrent.

When manufacturing the CapGator, the price comes in at $4.95/unit with a printed special ink logo or $0.62/unit with an embossed logo (plus a one time fee of $300 for new plate). (Webster, Word of Mouth) However, CapGator and the PIPs will want to markup the price in order to get a margin of profit per unit sold.

Many widely used promotional items are available to distributors at a significantly lower base cost. The cost savings when choosing a lower cost item is compounded when thinking about the sizes of bulk orders that companies buy from PIPs. Although CapGator can be sold to distributors at a higher price than some popular promotional items, the providers may be making lower margins on the product due to the high production


cost with the special ink. Example base prices for several popular promotional products are included below (Top Promotional Items):

Some Key Popular Promotional Items Price to DistributorsBackpack Cooler $24.99Bobble $8.99Lambswool Throw Blanket $17.95Ballpoint pen and stylus $2.65Tea Gift Box $6.59Fruit Infuser Bottle $10.99CapGator ????

Limited Product AwarenessA possible deterrent for PIPs is the challenge of educating distributors about the benefits of CapGator. Distributors may consider purchasing the product risky due to uncertainty surrounding integration of the product by the end users. Therefore, limited general knowledge about the CapGator product constitutes an obstacle for PIPs considering adding the item to their inventory of promotional product offerings.

Other FactorsNetwork developmentAs a startup, CapGator has to focus on developing connections with larger corporations looking to put together a package of promotional items. Because of CapGator’s current lack of exposure, making business deals with companies may be difficult.

Overwhelming Choice of ProductsCapGator’s primary audience of PIPs must select the promotional items that they want to feature in their catalogs of inventory. The executives that pick which products to add or drop from their collection get contacted about hundreds of new ideas every month.

Additionally, CapGator’s secondary audience, the companies that buy from these PIPs, have thousands of promotional items featured in several catalogs to choose from. Therefore, both the primary and second audience have a vast array of products to pick from that makes the process of buying promotional products overwhelming and stressful.

In order to combat this, CapGator must focus on having a clear, concise, and immediately compelling message to capture the audience’s attention and counteract the audience’s ability to choose any other of the thousands of promotional products available.

ConclusionPromotional item providers, PIPs, with preexisting ties to the healthcare and automotive industries would serve as CapGator’s ideal target audience. These PIPs specialize in maximizing sales of unique products on which companies can place their logo. Distributors may then give away these products at trade shows, conventions, or as a promotional giveaway.


Companies choose to buy and distribute these promotional products in order to maximize brand awareness, which drives the company's sales.

CapGator is an effective promotional giveaway due to its long longevity, uniqueness, and frequency of use.

In our communication strategy, we want to directly address the audience’s motivators of maximizing brand awareness and originality while minimizing deterrents, such as costs and limited customer education.


Communication StrategyRecommendation – Personal OutreachVehicle – Direct MailAppealDirect Mail is a simple way to:

Establish a connection with Promotional Item Providers Explain the use and purpose of the CapGator product Communicate CapGator’s value as a promotional item Leave the audience with a tangible item promoting CapGator

Messaging Strategy and ToneSince direct mail is mainly an informational tool, it will need to communicate a heavy amount of content in as little space and words as possible. It is essential to communicate the severity of germs on gas station pumps, how CapGator addresses that problem, and the five components that make the item valuable as a promotional item (novelty, industry appeal, permanence, exposure, and corporate social responsibility).

The two main factors for success of direct mail are differentiation and longevity. CapGator is already well positioned to differentiate itself from other companies’ direct mail advertisements because it is such a curiosity provoking item and logo. CapGator can sustain attention by sending the mail on at least three occasions. Three is the minimum amount of times a target audience needs to receive a direct mail advertisement for it to make an impression (Powell).

Include a call to action and link your audience to your other communication channels. In order to get the most out of each strategy, it is important that they all tie together in some way. Direct mail is an opportunity to direct your target audience to both the company LinkedIn page and the Custom Orders tab on the CapGator website.

CostsLow – Costs associated with direct mailing stem from time investment and product production.

Time investment is very low since promotional item providers are such a narrow audience. Time consumption comes from ordering and waiting to receive the items from a printing company and then the physical act of addressing and sending the items.

Product production is somewhat dependent on the number of promotional item providers that can adequately be targeted at a time. This number is going to be small at first, but grow as product awareness increases with overall cost/mail being about $0.10. For example, to target 100 different people associated with selecting promotional items with three pieces of mail (postcard sized, two-sided, full color) would only cost about $30 ( (DirectMail.com).


MetricsSuccess of direct mail is going to be somewhat harder to measure since it is likely to be accompanied by the efforts of the other communication vehicles. With that in mind, you will be able to keep track of which targeted promotional item providers follow up and connect with CapGator through the website after receiving mail.

FeasibilityFeasibility for this recommendation is high, especially when executed in conjunction with the other strategies. Since its purpose is to make an initial connection, introduce the product, and communicate its value to item providers, it’s up to the other vehicles to actual hit it home and move the product.

ObstaclesOne of the major obstacles is capturing attention. Print is a dying medium and it is very likely that the item could get glanced over without really being read. Therefore, it’s essential that the direct mail grabs attention at first glance.

Expected ResultsDirect mail is expected to achieve three major goals.

Introduce promotional item providers to the CapGator company and product Make a lasting impression on promotional item providers Connect item providers to online platforms

After receiving the three direct mail items, the promotional item providers should know what CapGator is and why offering it to clients can be a major benefit to them.


ExamplesFront

Back


Recommendation – Target industry eventsVehicle – Events Industry events present a unique opportunity for companies with low exposure to get recognized by major players in the promotional products industry. While a host of different expos with any range of products exist, it is only worthwhile to attend the Promotional Products Association International Expo. By devoting the majority of time to just the PPAI Expo, the chance of making important business contacts is increased. Preparing a brochure and aggressive product pitch strategy will play a major role in generating connections. In ensuing years, purchasing a station at the PPAI expo will help CapGator gain more legitimacy in the eyes of the PIPs.

Additionally, casually attending consumer automotive and health expos will play a small role in generating some interest with the companies looking to purchase the promotional items for distribution.

Appeal The major appeal of attending the PPAI Expo is the personal connections that can be made from brief, pointed conversations. The prospect of meeting an employee of a PIP that has the power to add CapGator to the company’s promotional portfolio is more than worth the money and time that will have to be put into attending the convention. A single connection could mean a ten year partnership providing thousands of dollars in revenue. Marketing to the PIPs has to be personal. CapGator will become a necessary product in a PIP’s portfolio.

Messaging Strategy and ToneGeneral Tone

Humorous Friendly Determined Passionate Health Conscious

Because there are over one thousand other promotional item companies that attend the PPAI Expo, a friendly but aggressive outreach strategy should be adopted while attending the event. Aggression will be incorporated into the three major communication channels at the expo.

Brochure: The brochure should be designed to emphasize the advantages of CapGator over its competitors. The products novelty, longevity, frequency of exposure, and health conscience approach all should be prominently displayed in large letters on the handout. Other than that, the only additional information should be explanatory product information and contact info. To a PIP employee looking for new products, the only question they are looking to answer is: why should I add this product to my portfolio?


Exhibit/Personal Contact: Carl should implement a HAND communication strategy. HAND, or humor, amiability, networking, and determination, uses Carl’s unique personality to make positive and lasting business relations. If the pitch comes off as genuine, funny, and passionate, a PIP person, and a human in general, is more likely to be convinced by the brand than if the messaging is too serious and trite.

Examples of the tone that should be used in the personal messaging include:

Humoro “Let me teach you how to grip your nozzle!”o “CapGator will help millions around the world grip their dirty nozzle.”o “You look like a man/woman who has gripped one too many dirty nozzles.”

Amiabilityo “How has your day been so far? I bet my product will brighten it up.”o “I’ve worked in the auto industry for many years and believe I have a product that is

perfect for the promotional industry. Networking/Determination

o “What company do you work for? o “How can I stay in touch with you? I am very interested in working with you.”o “I am interested in the way your company operates, and I believe your product portfolio

is perfect for CapGator.”Sponsorships: Again, an aggressive approach should be taken with the sponsorships. In the first year, CapGator will only purchase carpet space with an imprinted logo. People looking to add promotional products to their portfolio are not going to stop at every single station; almost everyone, however, will walk over a high traffic carpet space. In years two and three, more and more sponsorship opportunities will be acquired e.g. space on the PPAI Expo brochures, email sponsorships, education sessions, space at product pavilions. The aggressive sponsorship plan will increase the subliminal messaging and improve the chance of a PIP company picking up CapGator as a portfolio product.

CostYear: CapGator Exhibit Sponsorships Total1 $3,095 ~$1,000 ~$4,0002 $2,945 ~$5,000 ~$8,0002 $2,945 ~$10,000 ~13,000

(PPAI), (PPAI)

The costs associated with attending the PPAI expo encompass two major categories: 1) the cost of the exhibit, 2) the cost of any sponsorships purchased. In the first year, the exhibit is priced slightly higher and then a discount rate is offered for repeat attendees. The sponsorships are the biggest financial expenditure and will be variable from year to year. In the first year, CapGator will makes its presence known with simply a printed carpet graphic. In subsequent years, more sponsorships will be purchased.


The thinking behind this is simply with increased exposure, there will be increased interest in the CapGator brand.

Metrics The success of Carl’s time at the PPAI expo will be determined by the number of legitimate business contacts he makes. Quite simply, if Carl is able to garner the interest of a single PIP company, his attendance at the event will be a success. For each year, the number of contacts he gains will be tallied. Additionally, success can alternatively be measured by the acumen bestowed upon CapGator. Winning the PPAI Best in Show award would mean a lot for the efforts put forth by CapGator.

FeasibilityMedium – It shouldn’t be a problem to attend the expo, but communicating in an interesting way to the PIP providers could prove to be a daunting task. The thousand other promotional items at the expo will make it difficult to differentiate. Sponsorships are a capital expenditure and will vary in feasibility based on the company’s budget.

ObstaclesThe biggest obstacle is the size of the exposition and the amount of companies looking to do the exact same thing as CapGator. Getting noticed will be the number one priority when attending the expo. Since the cost of attending the expo is high, there is a big risk of capital expenditure that ends up turning into an unnecessary cost. The industry is highly saturated, so the possibility that all the time and money put into presenting CapGator goes unnoticed.

Expected ResultsUsing this approach to targeting the PPAI expo, CapGator should expect to generate a host of relevant PIP contacts. Within three years, it is estimated that CapGator will generate around 200 new contacts, increasing exposure by more than 10 fold. CapGator will turn into a company that markets to PIPs, and one that will have a well-recognized name within the industry.


Example

(Webster)


Recommendation – Build Digital PresenceVehicles – LinkedIn and WebsiteLinkedIn is the primary social network that business executives use to network with professionals within their industry and learn about new trends, information, or products that are relevant to their job. LinkedIn has become a very common and standard form of professional networking and development, making it the de facto social media strategy for most B2B businesses. CapGator will increase their presence within the PIP industry on LinkedIn by joining and becoming an active member within 4 PIP networking groups, sharing long form posts on current industry topics, and establishing a company page that includes recent company news.

Websites are the culmination of any company's overall brand. A company has complete control of the content, design, and features offered on their website; therefore, it’s very important that the messaging and content present on a website is exactly how you want your target audience to see it.

By adding a new Custom Orders tab to CapGator’s existing website, CapGator will be able to demonstrate why it's the perfect product for every PIP to carry in their catalog. Additionally, by allowing any company to place their logo on the CapGator and order it in bulk directly from this new page, the Custom Orders tab will capitalize on all the new digital connections and views from LinkedIn to increase overall sales.

AppealLinkedIn is an incredibly important social media and networking tool for business professionals in the 21st century. For a business that uses a B2B model, the role of LinkedIn is even more prominent as 62% of marketers believe that LinkedIn is the most effective platform for connecting and marketing to B2B companies (Pulizzi and Ann). Additionally, CapGator’s posts on recent PIP industry trends will be an especially powerful method to solidify its’ presence in the PIP industry, because over 73% of professionals use LinkedIn “to keep up with industry news” and “discover new ideas within the industry” (Baker).

By targeting 4 specific PIP networking groups that already exist on LinkedIn, CapGator will have a clear target market on LinkedIn that it can approach, reach out to, and gain leads from. A table below displays the name, number of members present, and discussions hosted within each of the 4 most popular and relevant PIP networking groups for CapGator:

Group Name Number of Members Number of Discussions

Promotional Products and Advertising Specialty Forum (Muratore)

6,970 4,249


PSI Promotional Products Networking Group (Bartelniewöhner)

512 102

Buy USA Made Promotional Products (Ropfogel)

1,736 32

Image Matters Promotional Products Ltd (Carter)

422 120

As you can see above, LinkedIn will not only be a very good vehicle to reach a large, but relevant target audience, but also an effective tool of networking. By attracting more attention, gaining legitimacy and respect, and establishing relationships, CapGator’s new LinkedIn inbound marketing strategy will increase traffic to CapGator’s website by 54% (HubSpot). This increased website conversion rate is very important as websites are still ranked as the #1 channel for marketers to advertise their product and for professionals to learn about companies (Murphy). The new Custom Orders tab will be CapGator’s primary method to convince and explain to PIP’s why to include the CapGator as part of their product portfolio.

Messaging Strategy and ToneBecause CapGator is attempting to position itself as a prominent and respected industry player, the messaging strategy must be very focused towards its’ target audience. For this reason, we will continue to highlight and play off of CapGator’s five differentiating factors that make it a great promotional product. These five factors that are crucial to relay to PIPs and promote as CapGator’s comparative advantages are: novelty, permanence, frequency, niche, and corporate social responsibility.

CapGator is a very unique and new company; it’s the first product to enter its market! For this reason, CapGator already has a very special and different tone and messaging approach. It’s important to stay in line with this original edgy startup culture that CapGator possesses in order to stay authentic, but it’s also highly critical that CapGator represents itself in a professional way to PPI executives. In the end, PPI executives are the ones that make the decision whether or not to carry CapGator in their product catalog, and they have thousands of other choices. Therefore, CapGator must keep in mind the balance required between catchy advertisements and a heightened sense of professionalism in all marketing materials moving forward.

CostCosts for the digital presence recommendation are very low. All marketing on LinkedIn is completely free; however, if Carl would like to create a Sales Navigator Professional account to be able to see more


statistics on profile views, get suggested leads, and improved industry-wide search, it would cost $779.88 per year (Sales Navigator Professional). We do not recommend that he purchases this premium account at this time, but if he finds that LinkedIn plays an even bigger role in gaining leads than previously expected, the reward of the account would greatly outweigh the cost.

To assist in social media account management, Carl mentioned that he was interested in hiring a social media intern. This intern would most likely work for free to gain experience, but Carl may have to pay for work space and some sponsored food, snacks, or drinks.

The cost for the website would be the exact same as it is now, because he is simply just adding a new tab to his existing website, which would be free through his current website editing tool. We do not know the terms of the price for his domain name and cost of traffic, but the cost may increase marginally in the long run due to higher traffic.

MetricsFor discussion starters within the PIP networking groups, the most important metric will be the number of views that Carl’s posted conversation gets and the number of responses that it receives. With high metrics, Carl will know that these questions and debates are being well received.

When thinking about the metrics for long form posts, the most important data will be the number of views and numbers of shares that each long form post attains. Shares will increase CapGator’s exposure within LinkedIn, lead to more views, that will then hopefully convert to a significant number of connections.

For CapGator’s LinkedIn company page, the most important metrics to take notice of are the number of followers, connections, and content pieces present. The number of followers and connections that CapGator receives will represent the network within the PIP industry that Carl has been able to accumulate by being more involved in the LinkedIn community. Increasing the number of personal stories and exciting updates will demonstrate to all of these followers how dedicated the company is to achieving their goal of putting CapGator in the hands of a billion motorists and the steps that CapGator has taken to getting there.

To take advantage of CapGator’s prominent LinkedIn presence, the website should be able to provide important statistics on the amount of increased web traffic and sales from the Custom Orders tab. If implementation goes as expected, we expect to see a drastic increase in web traffic as well as a good stream of smaller orders, while Carl will need to make deals for larger, bulk orders with PIPs over the phone.

FeasibilityThe feasibility for all recommendations within the digital presence recommendation is high. Joining the 4 PIP Networking Groups will only take 5 minutes of time; if he is not accepted to one of the groups at first, Carl can first establish his company page and beginning posting 2 long form posts per month to establish a baseline presence and legitimacy and then reapply 2 months later. Creating CapGator’s page, which includes a logo, banner, and company profile, should only take a week to create. Then, Carl simply


can use the example content that we’ve provided to create a new Custom Orders tab on his current website, which will be very simple.

To have the most effective LinkedIn presence, Carl will need to continually add new content in the form of long form posts, status updates on the company page, and discussion topics in PIP networking groups. This may seem like an overwhelming obstacle at first, but when diving deeper into each category the feasibility increases significantly.

Carl only needs to post 2 long form posts per month at the minimum; he can get inspiration on what topics to write about by reading about the industry or from any of the meetings he will inevitably have with many players in the industry. If Carl is ever too busy, he can also simply share other people’s content on industry trends and add a thought or opinion on the article to serve as an important medium for relevant industry content.

Sharing news on what is current within CapGator will be very simple for Carl as we are positive that he will have many milestones along his exciting journey that he will want to share with all stakeholders of the company. Thinking of a new discussion starter for each group every week may be a little stressful, so if Carl has a busy week he can reuse a question he had previously used in a different group or simply ask something that he’s currently interested in hearing feedback on.

ObstaclesThere are two risks associated with the digital presence recommendation: maintaining the thin line between a personal but professional tone, and maintaining a continuous stream of content.

It’s important to represent yourself and your company honestly on all forms of social and digital media, however companies will expect any person that they buy products from to maintain a certain level of professionalism. It will be very important to be aware of this paradigm in order to have the most unique and edgy company, while garnering respect within the industry.

The biggest risk is that Carl will be too busy maintaining client relationships or developing new connections through personal outreach methods to focus on developing new content to further his LinkedIn presence. This would undermine the entire digital strategy as PIPs would not have a reason to look back at CapGator’s company page without keeping the name and logo at the “top of their mind.” We do not expect this to happen as we fully believe that Carl will be able to implement the recommendations for the reasons stated in the feasibility section above and due to Carl’s desire to eventually hire a social media intern.

Expected ResultsCombining all of the recommendations for the digital presence strategy, we expect that within 6 months CapGator will have accumulated over 2,000 views on all conversation starters and long form posts, over 500 connections and followers on LinkedIn, over 50 very plausible leads, and over a 75% increase in web traffic. Combining all of these impressive numbers together, the digital presence vehicles will lead to a massive increase in awareness for CapGator and a sizeable number of bulk order sales.


Examples


Recommendation – Follow Up to Seal the DealVehicle – Phone CallsAppealThis is an incredibly personal communication vehicle. It allows for CapGator to specifically tailor its approach to the needs of each individual client. Every promotional item provider is going to need convincing on a different front about why it’s a great item to carry, and phone calls allows for an entirely individualized approach to securing deals.

Messaging Strategy and ToneThe phone call is occurring in the final stages of communication with promotional item providers. At this point it, is crucial to be both helpful and accommodating. The targeted item provider has some trepidation over carrying the product (otherwise they would have pulled the trigger already) and is looking toward you to put them at ease. You know your product the best out of anyone, and are the best vehicle for communicating its unique value.

Some essential keys to success in this vehicle include (19 B2B cold calling tips for sales success in 2015):

Talking value, rather than focusing on price or numbers Having prepared responses to likely questions Focusing on what you already know about the receiver from previous interactions Avoiding multi-tasking to give the receiver all of your attention

CostsLow - Time investment is the only major cost associated with phone calls. Even this can be minimized by using the previously discussed vehicles to do all the major grunt work.

MetricsThe success of phone calls is relatively easy to monitor. At completion of the call you will be able to know one of three things: (1) the conversation secured a deal (2) the conversation did not secure a deal or (3) the conversation requires follow-up to secure a deal.

FeasibilityHigh – About one in ten cold calls results in a follow up appointment or conversation. One in ten of those follow ups results in a secured deal, making the overall success rate 1% (Atwood). This is a pretty typical figure across any industry and is still a strong proportion of calls. Even one successful phone call can result in huge financial gains for CapGator. However, making a call to a nurtured lead improves your odds by 47% (Atwood), and by combining all four vehicles, your sales calls will be even more effective than standard cold calls.

ObstaclesThis vehicle has relatively few obstacles. The only problems are the possibility that promotional item providers don’t answer the phone, or the possibility that they are still unsold on CapGator after the conversation. These are further reasons why developing a relationship before making the call is crucial.


Expected ResultsCapGator will capture the deal of promotional item providers on the fence about adding the product to their arsenal. Consequently, this will increase the number of promotional item providers that offer CapGator.

Additionally, this a great way to gain industry connections. Even if a phone call doesn’t result in a closed deal, it may provide you with other people that could be interested in the CapGator product, as well as provide you with general insights about promotional item providers to be applied in future calls.


ConclusionCapGator essentially faces one challenge, and that’s getting the word out about the extreme health hazards that inevitably comes with refueling one’s car. CapGator is a thoughtful, first-to-market idea that has the potential to gain traction as an incredibly useful and unique promotional item. If CapGator has the ability to implement our proposed suggestions, we believe they will able to spread the word effectively and, in turn, greatly expand the company’s consumer base. Boasting a stronger digital presence, utilizing personal outreach, and attending industry events will afford CapGator an increase in web traffic and crucial connections to relevant players within in the PIP industry. These strategies in aggregate will substantially increase CapGator’s brand awareness, which should ultimately result in a significant boost in sales. If all three aspects of this strategy can be implemented to their full capacities, we believe that “gripping your nozzle” will be a fixture in fueling activities for years to come.

OverviewStrategy Vehicles Feasibility Cost Expected Results

Digital Presence

LinkedIn, Website High Low LinkedIn followers + increase in web traffic will raise brand awareness

Personal Outreach

Direct Mail, Cold Calls (if necessary)

Mail - ModerateCalls - High

Low Establish connections, expand professional network.

Industry Events

Networking, Pamphlet

High Moderate Boost in brand recognition, establish relevant relationships.


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