overview know who you are marketing to the first audience marketing outside of first engaging in the...
TRANSCRIPT
Overview
• Know Who You Are
• Marketing to the FIRST Audience
• Marketing Outside of FIRST
• Engaging in the Conversation
• Benefits of Good Imagery
Know Who You Are
Start with a Mission Statement Discuss what you want to do Include values, inspiration, strengths Be real and specific. Be short, sweet and to the point….
Our Mission StatementOur mission is to inspire youth using 4-H principles along with the tenets of gracious professionalism to explore science and technology through a mentor based program, which develops leadership and life skills and encourages innovative, creative solutions to engineering and technical challenges.
Business Plan
• Team Direction– Organization Structure– Future Plans– Goals– Sustainability– SWOT/Risk Analysis– Budget
• Useful for – Entrepreneurship Award– Sponsors– Grants
Rookie Teams
Choose a •Team name
– School – Area– Random Name Generator
•Colors•Logo•Shirts
Branding your Identity
• Resources available to your team– Software– Talents
• Maintain control of your image– Digital, Print and Merchandise– Taglines
• Logo Guidelines– Pantone Colors and versions in RGB and vector– Fonts
• 1902 Imagery & Branding Recommendations– http://www.explodingbacon.com/image-and-branding/
• FIRST Branding Guidelines(www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/marketing-tools/brand)
Why is Your Image Important?
Know who you are,so others will know who you are.
This becomes evident when you are:• Marketing Within the FIRST Community• Marketing Outside the FIRST Community
What is Marketing?
Marketing is anything you create or share
that tells your story. Ann Handley
Marketing to the FIRST Audience
• Marketing to Judges
• Marketing to Teams
• The FIRST Community at large
Communicating with Judges
• Know your message– Judge’s Packet– Supporting documentation
• Robot cards or design manual• Outreach documents
– Students talking to the judges
• Gracious Professionalism on and off the field – judges are everywhere
Judges Packet
• Business Plan• Marketing Packet• Community Outreach Information
– Press Releases and Articles– Flyers & Marketing Materials– Thank you letters
• Digital Media Award Submission• Team Handbook• Brochure• Chairman’s Submission
Judge Whispering
Prepare your students to talk about all aspects of your team:•Pit Test•Practice Sessions•Games, like jeopardy•Presenting Chairman’s to your Team•Make sure they know what awards your team is pursuing
Marketing to Other Teams
• Robot Cards• Giveaways (clappers, pens, bandanas, aliens)• Peer Awards• Use your strengths to help other teams • Developing relationships with other teams• Workshops and Seminars (like this)• Off-Seasons• Mentoring year around (FRC, FTC or FLL)• Trading Shirts• Pins/Buttons• Team Cheers
Pit Identity
BRANDING YOUR BOT!
Shirts/Uniform
Pins and Buttons
Mascots
We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!
Giveaways
The FIRST Community
• Chief Delphi• Reddit• Off-Seasons• FIRST Outreach – professional
conferences and events• Behind the Lines and GameSense
Marketing is the ongoing process of engagement
whereby strangers are nurtured into advocates. Trey Pennington
Marketing Outside FIRST
Marketing Outside FIRST
• Sponsors• Potential Students and Mentors• Community Outreach
– Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts– Libraries– Science Centers– Schools– Farmer’s Markets– Professional Conferences
• Local Media
Outreach and Sponsors
• Know FIRST– What FIRST stands for– What FIRST is about
• Know your team– Story– Budget, mission and goals– Organizational structure– Are you a 501c3
Outreach and Sponsors
• Show the benefits of your team to your audience
• Practice elevator speeches with one another
• Knowledge will show through with confidence
Fundraising Best Practices
• Fundraising Toolkit– http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/
first-fundraising-toolkit
• Understand the restrictions you work within.
• Research • Document your submission materials for
future grants
Fundraising Examples
• Corporate Sponsors• Local Small Business• Parent Contacts• Restaurants/Spirit Nights• Crowd Funding• Summer Camps/Science Nights• FLL/FTC Tournaments & sell concessions• Catalog and traditional fundraising sales• Activity Book• Car washes, storefront solicitations, FIRST lightbulb
sales, etc…
Marketing to Potential Sponsors
• Unique Image• Marketing Packet
– Business Plan– Budget
• Presentations and demos• Sponsor Levels• Show how sponsoring you, benefits them
1K-5K - Big Bacon Company name of Logo (Small) on T-shirt and Robot Company name on marketing materials Link on team website
500-1K – Squealer Company name on T-shirt Company name on marketing materials Link on team website
0-500 – Piglet Listed on website Our un-dying love and gratitude
10K and above - Boss Hog Company name or Logo (Large) on T-shirt and Robot Company name on promotional materials Link on team website Logo displayed in pit
5K-10K - Power Pig Company name or Logo (Medium) on T-shirt and Robot Company name on promotional materials Link on team website Logo displayed in Pit
Sponsor Levels
Sponsor Retention
Sponsor Dinner
Newsletters/Emails
Invitations to events
Support their outreach
Marketing is the messages and/or actions
that cause messages and/or actions. Jay Baer
Engage in the Conversation
Social Media Strategy
• Target Your Audiences • Select your channels• List your Goals and Objectives for each• Identify key persons responsible for
managing sites and creating content• Review the FIRST Digital Media
Submission rubric
Engage your audience
• Content: create, engage and be relevant – Produce the content for your audience– Communicate with your audience, not to your audience
• Use good video and pictures• Spelling and grammar MATTER• Keep a casual tone when writing for social media• Post about build season, outreach, sponsors, FIRST and
STEM news • Schedule release of posts to maximize message impact• Consistent Image and Branding of your team
In addition…
• Educate your team– Share - Retweet– Message
• Private and Public Facebook Channels• Employ numerous admins to share the
responsibility• Watch for up and coming channels• Experiment to see what works best for
you
Use Video!
• Build/Competition Season Vlogs • YouTube and Facebook • Schedule video releases for consistent
message impact• Videos are shared 12x more on Facebook• Get video releases signed, if needed
Print Media
• Brochures• Flyers• Business Cards• Marketing Packets• Sponsor Thank You’s• PowerPoint
Presentations• Press Releases
Benefits of Good Imagery
• More Memorable• Leave a Good Impression• Press• Fundraising• Member Recruitment
Gracious Professionalism