Small Business Marketing Challenge

Welcome to the 2020 Small Business Marketing Challenge.

Client Invitation Letter

Please download and read the following letter in order to familiarise yourself with the programme:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NBARTDaDZf_iP6PbhXeVCt-TqvscGWmv/view?usp=sharing

Client Testimonials 

If you would like to read about the value that this programme has had for other small businesses please see the following short document:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hk2rfar5pohIrToQiY3zXhMALRHk_WE8/view?usp=sharing

Client Registration

Finally, in order to participate in this programme please complete the client registration form:

https://forms.gle/pmH4gLBzxVjFx78h8

Launch Video 

https://youtu.be/jSCgpY-__Go 

Coming soon. 

Due date: 16 October 2020

You need to have all the following completed by the due date. Make sure that you follow the instructions for each chapter carefully. 

Evaluation: After this date I and your client will evaluate the work you have done and give you feedback. Then we will continue with Part 2 of the programme. 

Checklist

Use the checklist to check whether you have completed everything required for Part 1 of the programme. 

1. Client Registration (Ch1)
2. Agency Registration (Ch1)
3. Business and Marketing Audit Worksheet (Ch 2)
4. Customer Research Survey Designed (Ch2)
5. Customer Research Survey Administered with 50+ customers (Ch2)
6. Brand Identity Analysis (Ch3)
7. Logo redesign (Ch3)
8. Website Home Page Worksheet (Ch4)
9. Website Home Page built with Divi (Ch4)
10. Website Admin Pages Worksheet (Ch5)
11. Website Admin Pages Built (Ch5)
12. Website Offerings Pages Worksheet (Ch5)
13. Website Offerings Pages Built (Ch5)
14. SEO Blogging Worksheet (Ch6)
15. SEO Bog posts x 3 written and published (Ch6)
16. Ecommerce option chosen (Ch7)
17. Ecommerce option integrated into website (Ch7)

Download checklist here: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1koD7K-GuJq8NOkE32anGBpEiEH-ZqaQn/view?usp=sharing 

Client Registration

Find a client and ask them to register for the programme. 

Your client can by any small business, whether a long established business or a start up. You can even use this programme to take your own existing business online. However, if you do not have an already established business and have little experience with business it is recommended that you rather work with an existing business.

Once you have secured a client please ensure that they register for the programme at the following link: 

https://forms.gle/86YKWyviokaMetRv5 

Agency Registration

You also need to register your agency in order to participate. Make sure that each of your group members has a Gmail account and that you submit these details when you register.  

https://forms.gle/BEhfm9gXQuNxzkH97  

A. Business and Marketing Audit

Goals

1. Complete the B&A Audit with your client
2. Make an arrangement to do research with 50 of your client’s customers.

B&A Worksheet (Word)

In order to complete the business analysis, sit down with your client and complete the following worksheet in person or via the phone.

Ask them questions and then fill in their details.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ysz1JnxqIfA876-6_qJzuiMQF1kMWbyG/view?usp=sharing

B&A Worksheet (Google Form)

After completing the Word document, transfer all the answers to this Google form, put in your email address and click “Submit.”

https://forms.gle/1cgcczXDZMw4chrUA

Video example

Here you can watch a video example of how I worked through the worksheet with one of my clients.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdQv2fccZlY

MS Teams Meeting Video

Unfortunately the system did not record the meeting that was held via MS Teams. In it I simply went through the Smul Lekker example above and gave some pointers.

If you watch the video example above you should get a good feel for how to complete the worksheet properly.

Pointers

• Do not simply send the document to them and ask them to complete it. You are the consultant so you must guide them through it. The worksheet is designed to help you ask the right questions.
• Try and get as much info from your client as possible. You will be using this info in your written marketing plan document.
• Think with them through new ideas and jot down those new ideas in the audit for later use.
• Try and understand their business as well as possible so that you an function as an effective consultant.

B. Customer Research Survey

Goals

1. Create a questionnaire with which to survey 50 customers. 
2. Make arrangements with your client and group to administer the survey. 

Questionnaire Template & Examples

In your Agency’s Google Folder I have placed a copy of a questionnaire template that includes a number of different example questions. You need to chat to your client and determine which questions you want to use in your questionnaire. Then you need to modify them to relate to the client’s business. 

There are example questionnaires in each agency folder you can look through to get an idea of what to include. See video for how to edit the questionnaire: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya0Jcdc_0UI

Survey Administration

Once you have finalised your survey you need to run it with about 50 customers. You can use your phones to facilitate the survey. Google forms will automatically capture the responses and create graphs that you can use in your final strategy document. You can also immediately show your client the results of the survey by sending them the graphs.

If your client has a new business then you need to survey 50 potential customers instead and gather information about their preferences and perceptions of other similar businesses. So, if it is going to be a hair salon in Mowbray then you need to walk around the main road of Mowbray and survey people who resemble the target audience of the client’s business.

This week you need to help your client establish their Brand Identity.  To do this, make an apointment with your client and work though the Brand Identity Worksheet.

Your goal is to come to a point where you and the client are agreed on the best direction for:

• The Brand Logo
• Brand Website URL
• Brand Positioning and Promise
• Brand Messages

Once you have agreed you can use Canva or another logo development programme to design a new logo for them. This you will need to submit to me to check as well. 

The video explains everything you need to do in depth.

https://youtu.be/NEVKXMQdP5k

A. Brand Identity Worksheet

Brand Identity Worksheet (Word)

You are welcome to use this Word file when sitting with your client. But thereafter you should transfer the info to the Online worksheet below and submit. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1afqlc6CIum_dtmwv_3ImhbVybT4thOO6/view?usp=sharing 

Brand Identity Worksheet (Online)

Once you have completed the Word document please full out the online worksheet and submit.

https://forms.gle/yHcZVZZEAZBoW52t6

B. Logo (re)design 

So if you have come to a point where you and the client have decided to either design or redesign the logo you can do so using a number of different ways: 

1. Canva (https://www.canva.com/) 
2. Any other online design platform (https://www.format.com/magazine/resources/design/online-graphic-design-software)
3. Photoshop ($11.49 per month with Adobe Photography plan – https://www.adobe.com/africa/creativecloud/plans.html) [requires a good computer and knowledge of Photoshop]
4. Get a professional designer to create one (Use a local designers or use Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/) 

In this chapter you need to develop a new Home page for the website of your client’s business.

To do so you need to complete a worksheet with your client and then develop a Home page on the demo website I have created for you on brandshepherd.net.

You can watch the meeting video of this chapter where I explain everything you need to do:

https://youtu.be/OG3wWPRxH-c

Goals: 

1. Complete the Website Homepage Worksheet

2. Design a Website Homepage

A. Website Homepage Worksheet

Website Homepage Worksheet (Word)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pUbYnat8nwTGW9O-mMLiSPIv-XhS4UOr/view?usp=sharing

Download this worksheet in Word when you are with your client to fill in the various answers. Then complete the Google form below and submit.

Website Homepage Worksheet (Google Form)

https://forms.gle/YEggYRXYT5vr3JJTA

Once you have completed the Word Worksheet, submit your answers to this worksheet and click submit.

Worksheet Videos

There are three videos that you need to watch with your client in order to effectively complete the worksheet. Make sure that when you meet with your client you:

• Are meeting in a place that has wifi, or
• Have enough data to stream the videos, or
• Have downloaded the videos to your phone before the meeting.

If you want to download the videos to your phone you can access the videos here:

• https://youtu.be/HFergI0UOAs (business one liner – 30 min)
• https://youtu.be/Oj9Nsz1Ij2w (website 1 – 5 min)
• https://youtu.be/AILkmbHdRWc (website 2 – 5 min)
• https://youtu.be/G1YQCmv4t80 (website 3 – 5 min)

Do not send the videos to your client. Watch the videos with your client and then complete the necessary sections in the worksheet together.

B. Website Building with WordPress and Divi

Once you have completed the Website Homepage Worksheet you will have all that you need to start building the Homepage of the website.

For those groups that have a registered Agency and registered Business I have set up a demo website at brandshepherd.net. Your job is to take the information from the website worksheet and then develop a homepage.

You will only get access to your demo website once both your Agency and Business have registered!

We will be using WordPress and Divi to build the websites. WordPress is a content management system that runs most of the websites in the world. And Divi is the number one WordPress theme because of its drag and drop functionality.

In order to set up your website using Divi and start building you need to follow the instructions in this video:

https://youtu.be/qIEArb0L7VU

Divi Information

Divi Authentication Details

Username: Aureopoy

API Key: de27832a8a25f9aee6eaa93f6b9f5bd8e01702c7

Divi Beginner Tutorials

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF17V-5878mVyBXimMVpi5aOLH7bsCWUn

Divi Advanced Tutorials

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF17V-5878mUv34-W4hudk76RYqGL6t-3

Even more Divi Tutorials

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF17V-5878mWNmsKzA0-dmw4TL8uEhHdL

The entire MS Teams recording for this chapter can be found on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/Tybki6RrJtg

In the first 35 minutes of the video we discuss the administrative aspects of the programme such as the sign up of agencies and clients.

A. ADMIN PAGES

Goals: 

1. Develop all the admin website pages.

2. Design them in such a way that converts potential customers and leads to sales

YouTube Video section 

The Admin pages are discussed from this point in the YouTube Video (35:33)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tybki6RrJtg&t=2133s

Admin Pages Worksheet (Word)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18dKsChioDSEYXadOSBwUk-Wf2rLfI4TE/view?usp=sharing

Admin Pages Worksheet (Google Form)

https://forms.gle/uBMhdQGqf4YYhMtt7

B. OFFERINGS PAGES

Goals: 

1. Design packages that can be sold on the website

2. Develop all the offerings website pages

3. Design them in such a way that converts potential customers and sales

YouTube Video section 

The Offerings pages are discussed from this point in the YouTube Video (1:50:50)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tybki6RrJtg&t=6650s

Offerings Pages Worksheet (Word)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yxQv5GfULM3JES6dwEeYnZa0dgoovx3F/view?usp=sharing

Offerings Pages Worksheet (Google Form)

https://forms.gle/xWKhpsZVAAHafMX18

The entire MS Teams Meeting Recording can be found here:

https://youtu.be/GfciXUwIbQA 

Goals: 

1. Gather information needed to write SEO Blog posts.

2. Write three blog posts that establish your client’s brand as an authority in their field.

3. Optimise each blog post using the Yoast SEO plugin.

A. Bloging worksheet

Use the worksheets to gather information needed to write SEO Blog Posts. Follow the part of the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfciXUwIbQA&t=1874s 

SEO Blogging Worksheet (Word)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15N7BBSOLMSjBxH6d0xAijL7K3d8PxJMT/view?usp=sharing 

SEO Blogging Worksheet (Google Forms)

https://forms.gle/i88X3v8wNT1tT9QR9 

B. WordPress Blog Writing & Yoast SEO 

Once you have gathered all the information you need you can use the Guternberg Editor inside WordPress to write your blog posts and the Yoast SEO plugin to optimise your posts for search engines.

You can watch this section of the video for how to do this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfciXUwIbQA&t=3780s 

Remember the following for each blog post:

• Keyphrase & Yoast SEO optimisation
• Blog post must be original (can get ideas from others websites but article must be authentic)
• Author (Owner, staff member, or brand)
• Category
• Tags (10+)
• Excerpt (Same as Meta descrption)
• Featured Image
• Images within Blog post (remember alt description)
• Links to other relevant sites
• All other things Yoast asks for…

A. Brand Shepherd Digital Marketing Framework

Goals

1. Understand the entire digital marketing framework

2. Understand what needs to be done to complete Part A of the programme

Watch the video to understand where all the various elements of this programme fit in and what you need to do the next two weeks. We also discuss the evaluation that your client will be doing on your website in two weeks time. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U55n76mZ1rY

EVALUATION NOTE: on Friday the 16th of October your clients will evaluate your websites and I will give you official feedback on your progress. So you need to have your entire website done by Friday the 16th of October. You have 2.5 weeks to complete everything from Part A of the Programme (Ch 1-7).

B. Ecommerce Options

Goals

1. Choose an ecommerce option for your client

2. Set up the website to facilitate ecommerce for your client

There are three different ways to facilitate Ecommerce through your client’s website. I would like you to pick one and set up the website accordingly. You will pitch this to them as well as an option to help their business be more efficient. 

1. Selling Products Online via Woocommerce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-blBIs0mi4 

Customising products with Divi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osIkwFsge1o 

2. Booking Services via Woocommerce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-blBIs0mi4&t=2780s 

More info about the plugin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-FKrr7wtwk 

3. Booking Services via Payfast & WordPress Appointment Plugin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-blBIs0mi4&t=3912s 

More details about how to use Simply Schedule Appointments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oNNvSfX89c 

Entire MS Teams Video: https://youtu.be/1nwGAiW3-DE

A. Lead Generation Research

Goals

1. Gather information relating to lead generation in your industry

2. Complete the Lead Generation Worksheet

Lead generation worksheet

Google Form:  https://forms.gle/AcLjQneRUbbkHdv17

Word: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mmDWwY4V2yAM-0EM6-CJ9v–iWmskKCB/view?usp=sharing

Make an appointment with your client and complete the worksheet.

 See video from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nwGAiW3-DE&t=763s 

B. Lead Magnet & Lead Capture

Goals

1. Create a lead magnet

2. Set up the lead magnet on the home page of your website

Create the lead magnet

Canva is a great tool to create lead magnets

Download the magnet as a pdf and upload the file to the media section of your wordpress website. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nwGAiW3-DE&t=4985s 

Set up lead capture on home page

Follow the instructions given in the video to set up the lead capture section on the home page of the site.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nwGAiW3-DE&t=5550s 

Entire MS Teams Video: https://youtu.be/jiDKnzB_i_w 

A. Lead Nurturing

Goal:

1. Create a lead nurturing campaign that starts with the lead magnet on the home page of your website. 

Lead Nurture Worksheet

Google Form: https://forms.gle/Jo8qi9EE3XK17upH9 

Word form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xUyR6igBxJevufUHHNeBaUpyDmyXur0F/view?usp=sharing 

Make an appointment with your client and complete the worksheet. 

B. Mailchimp

Goal: 

1. Connect Mailchimp to your lead capture form on the website. 

Mailchimp connection in video starts here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiDKnzB_i_w&t=6000s 

Entire MS Teams Video: https://youtu.be/dJSpSHBke1s 

A. Lead Promotion Campaign Planning

Goals: 

1. Understand all the elements of a lead promotion campaign and brainstorm ideas. 
2. Develop a Lead Promotion Campaign Plan

Lead Promotion Worksheets

Google Form: https://forms.gle/BkzUwpbWLnA1MDDF9 

Word Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UIpAMtn6oL80HsgUCWuwSRYqwmNUMdNv/view?usp=sharing 

Make an appointment with your client and complete the worksheet. Then create all the elements needed for your Lead Promotion Campaign. 

Entire Video: https://youtu.be/oAOAUqVX9JU 

A. Lead Promotion Advertising

Goals: 

1. Develop an advertising strategy to promote your lead promotion campaign.
2. Develop all the elements needed to advertise the campaign.

Lead Promotion Advertising Worksheets

Google Form: https://forms.gle/EABDRtbgXne7ZWcHA

Word Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hEO0K0ThGclqcYk4301SEWlOY3pidk8g/view?usp=sharing 

Make an appointment with your client and complete the worksheet. Then create all the elements needed for your Lead Promotion Advertising. 

A. Project Plan

Project Plan Video Briefing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRheYFKuPsQ

Goals: 

1. Put together a project plan by collecting all the information you generated through the project.
2. Create a budget and timeline and add it to your plan.

Project Plan Worksheet

Word Form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k3SjVQtkoN5b2N-6M2HiL_0uU4x4ORwo/view?usp=sharing 

B. Pitch

Pitch Video Briefing: https://youtu.be/Hty54uVP0JI 

Goals: 

1. Put together a pitch PPT to present your work to your client.
2. Create a video of your pitch and share it with you client.
3. Set up a meeting to discuss the pitch with your client and the way forward.

How to record your pitch: https://youtu.be/JMw0nCIFsv0

NB: Make sure your first page (after the front page) includes your group member details. After uploading the video to YouTube, include the video link on this page before uplading it to BB.