Introducing: The HoloWatch
Presented By: Abubakr Elsayed 11380031 Benjamin Che 14207582 Nehal Sethi 14207573 Mohd Shazwi Mohd Shafie 11107995
Word Count: 5355
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Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS 4 THE PRODUCT: HOLOWATCH 4 HOLOWATCH AT A GLANCE 4 THE MARKET 6 SWOT ANALYSIS 6 PORTER’S FIVE FORCES 7
OBJECTIVES 8 LAUNCHING THROUGH CROWDFUNDING 9 THE 5S FRAMEWORK OF DIGITAL MARKETING 9
STRATEGY 12 MARKET SEGMENTATION 12 TARGETING 12 POSITIONING 12 ONLINE VALUE PROPOSITION 13 R.A.C.E. FRAMEWORK 13 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGY 16
TACTICS & ACTION PLAN 16 THE E-‐MARKETING MIX 16 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES 19 ELECTRONIC CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (E-‐CRM) 19
CONTROL -‐ MEASURING HOLOWATCH’S SUCCESS 20 TIMEFRAME 20 PRE-‐CROWDFUNDING LAUNCH 21 POST-‐CROWDFUNDING LAUNCH 21 POST-‐CROWDFUNDING 21 REPORTING 22
APPENDICES 23 EXHIBIT A – MARKET SHARE OF SMARTWATCHES 23 EXHIBIT B – AGE OF SMARTWATCH CONSUMERS 23 EXHIBIT C – PORTER’S FIVE FORCES 24 EXHIBIT D – HOLOTECH WEBSITE HOMEPAGE 24 EXHIBIT E – PERSONAS 25 EXHIBIT F – SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE 26 EXHIBIT G – PERCEPTUAL MAP 27 EXHIBIT H – R.A.C.E FRAMEWORK 28
REFERENCES 30
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Executive Summary
Our company HoloTech has developed a smartwatch that is intuitively smarter than the
products currently in the market. The product is called HoloWatch, a creatively designed
smartwatch that allows its user to project their smartphone interface onto a surface to be
used similar to how a smartphone is used. The projected interface can be placed on the
users forearm or even a flat surface such as a table.
Through the use of creative digital marketing, HoloTech plans to launch HoloWatch
exclusively in the US market through a crowdfunding campaign that will last one month.
The goal of the campaign is to raise $1,000,000 through offering the HoloWatch at $300
each. This results in a minimum 3334 of backers. The key target market for the
HoloWatch are Gen-Y Yuppies that fall in the 25-35 age range and are looking for the
newest technologies to make their daily workflow more efficient. With limited resources,
the HoloTech team plans to use purely digital marketing for the campaign and focus
towards sharing meaningful content through various digital channels, sparking
conversations on social media, and using the element of suspense to reveal HoloWatch to
the world. The marketing campaign will be executed in three stages: pre-crowdfunding
launch, post-crowdfunding launch, and post crowdfunding. Each stage will have its own
key measurements of success and tactics that help bring out the optimal results. The total
timeframe for this strategy from start to finish will be two months, excluding fulfillment
of crowdfunding orders.
The launch of HoloWatch is meant to be simple, precise, and effective for a boutique
company. This approach allows the brand to increase interaction with potential customers
to build brand awareness and equity, which is key to the success of the HoloWatch and
future HoloTech products.
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Situational Analysis
The Product: HoloWatch
Our product is called the HoloWatch, a smartwatch that is an extension to smartphones.
HoloWatch projects an interactive screen on the user’s arm, and enables its user to have
the same experience that they would on their smartphone through the projected display. It
is built to be self-sustainable as it can generate its own energy through electromagnetic
charging that stores kinetic energy. This eliminates the need for users to constantly
recharge the Holowatch; just strap it on, perform everyday tasks and the smartwatch will
keep on running for days on end. We believe the product will revolutionize and
modernize the wearable technology market.
HoloWatch at a Glance
Below is a visual example of the HoloWatch, with each element of it’s exterior
explained:
I - The shell of the HoloWatch will be made with a single piece aluminum. This gives it
the strongest protection for long periods of wear and a luxury feel.
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II - The connectors on the ends of the HoloWatch are what the interchangeable straps
will be latched onto.
III - A simplistic aluminum roof will be placed on top of the projection lens of the
HoloWatch to prevent disruptions and damage to the laser projection.
IV - This is the lens for the projection of the smartphone interface. The lens is
strategically positioned to project an optimal image to any surface it detects once
activated. Similar to a virtual laser keyboard, the smartwatch will project the image along
with an infrared light (from an infrared laser diode). The CMOS (complementary metal-
oxide semiconductor) measures the finger’s position within the interface area and a
sensor chip (Virtual Interface Processing Core) analyzes the movements and the
information/command gets sent to the device. From there, the command becomes
recognized and is performed.
V - A small screen that separates the lens and the projection surface, this allows the
image to be focused and allows for zoom if necessary. In addition, it helps protect the
lens from dust and unwanted particles.
VI - The original strap for the HoloWatch is simplistic in design and is made to conform
to any wrist with the highest level of comfort.
VII - The screen of the HoloWatch is made with high-quality gorilla glass that will
prevent scratches and protect the core of the smartwatch during impact.
Moreover, the HoloWatch and smartphone will be connected via the cloud in order to
sync all data between devices. From today’s technology, this is a feasible task and allows
all information to be displayed in real-time. The smartphone and smartwatch can be used
simultaneously as well. This allows the user to avoid disruption when performing actions
such as media consumption or if they’re occupied by an in-app experience. With that
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though, the user will not be able to access the same app or functions simultaneously on
both devices.
The Market
The global smartwatch industry has multiplied tenfold within a year from 2012 to 2013
with recorded sales of 0.3 million to a staggering leap of 3 million (Smartwatch Group,
2014). According to Koenig (2014), the Smartwatch market has reached a volume of
$700 million as of 2013 since 2012, of which 82% of the market share is made up of the
top ten companies within the industry – Samsung, Nike, Garmin, FitBit, Sony, Pebble,
Shanda, Mio Alpha, Yingqu and Casio (Exhibit A). It is anticipated that the growth will
climb at a 3-digit rate in the upcoming years. Although the smartwatch market is still
small, current empirical data dictates promising growth within the market.
In addition, according to Smartwatch Group’s 2014 report. The two highest categories in
terms of age group belong to the male and female of the 25 to 34 year old age bracket
(Exhibit B). This insight will guide us in determining a particular market segment in
which to target for the HoloWatch.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
HoloTech boasts internal strengths that assist in battling the goliaths in the consumer
electronics market. First, the HoloWatch is a creatively designed device that helps
differentiate the company from competitors. Secondly, the team is passionate and lean
with a horizontal organization structure that fuels collaboration. Lastly, the team
understands how to make the most out of limited resources, which is valuable for early-
stage companies such as HoloTech.
Weaknesses
HoloTech lacks brand equity compared to its competitors. Moreover, the lack of both
human and monetary capital leaves HoloTech with limited options for immediate growth.
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Traditional marketing efforts will be limited due to this. Beyond that, HoloTech is also
lacking the distribution channels to expand the HoloWatch globally.
Opportunities
The smartwatch industry is growing at a rapid speed, which is a great opportunity for
HoloWatch to be introduced. Current smartwatches in the market are primarily focused
on health and integrated apps, whereas HoloWatch focuses on empowering users to more
dynamic approaches to stay connected.
Threats
Immediate threats are the goliaths within the consumer electronics industry such as
Samsung, Google, and Apple. They too, are competing for large shares in the smartwatch
market. Beyond competition, HoloTech faces possible backlash from the market if the
HoloWatch is indeed too different from what they expect from a smartwatch. Lastly, the
company would be in trouble if HoloWatch does not take off as expected due to limited
capital to keep the company going.
Porter’s Five Forces
Porter’s Five Forces is very important in drawing insight on the potential for profitability
within an industry. Supplier Power denotes the influence of prices of ones input. Buyer
Powers relates to consumers’ ability to drive down prices. Competitive Rivalry
demonstrates competitors’ strength within the industry. The Threat of Substitution shows
the extent to which consumers can swap ones product with another. The Threat of New
Entry illustrates how easy it is for new competitors to enter the market. Analyzing each
component of Porter’s Five Forces will allow us to see whether or not HoloWatch will
thrive in the current smartwatch market (Exhibit C).
Threat of New Entry: Low
Newcomers will find it difficult to penetrate and participate in the smartwatch market, as
the market requires a high level of technological expertise, experience and financial
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backing; to date, the market is mostly explored by established companies. Furthermore,
acquiring patents and securing proprietary knowledge is time consuming.
Competitive Rivalry: Moderate
We believe that the competitive rivalry within the smartwatch industry is moderate. This
is because smartwatches are still in its early stages of integrating itself into society,
resulting in a battle between large tech companies. Beyond that, HoloWatch differentiates
itself amongst the competition through its interface projection, simplicity, and ability to
recharge through kinetic energy. Also, it is easy for users to switch to HoloWatch
because the device supports all operating systems and connect easily with any
smartphone. However, we must note that HoloTech is fairly new compared to the
competition, thus giving us a disadvantage in regards to brand equity.
Buyer Power: High
The consumers in the smartwatch market are tech savvy, intelligent, and particular about
wearable tech. Majority of the market will do their research prior to making a purchase,
thus having enough product knowledge to gauge whether a product is right for them. This
gives the consumers power to choose. In addition, due to competition, consumers are
given opportunities to test products and return them if it doesn’t suit their needs.
Threat of Substitution: Low/Moderate
Currently, there is no direct substitution for the smartwatch as a wearable technology.
However, there may be new technological advancements to smartphones or wearables
that can substitute the convenience of smartwatches.
Supplier Power: Moderate
Currently, there are a very limited number of suppliers for dedicated smartwatch
processors; Texas Instruments, STMicroelectronics, NXP semiconductors (Morgan
Stanley, 2014). In March 2014, Google announced Android Wear (open source OS)
specifically for wearable devices. This serve as an incentive to push the smartwatch
industry further by helping manufacturers to cut cost and not be dependent on OS
suppliers (Shah, 2014). Eventually, we believe that as supply for smartwatches rise, the
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number of suppliers in the smartwatch manufacturing industry will also rise to meet
demand.
Objectives
Launching Through Crowdfunding
Our objective with HoloWatch is to launch it via crowdfunding within the US market.
The US market is perfect for this launch as crowdfunding is a popular concept there and
also smartwatches are more widely accepted. The reason for crowdfunding is that it helps
HoloTech test to see if the market is truly ready for this technology. In addition,
crowdfunding is a great way to create early brand equity without large investments. Our
minimum goal for the crowdfunding campaign will be to raise $1,000,000. This equates
to about 3300 backers when each HoloWatch is offered at a fair market price of $300
each. Due to the nature of crowdfunding campaigns, our digital campaign will be
primarily focused on the pre-crowdfunding launch and post-crowdfunding launch stages.
The 5S Framework of Digital Marketing
To plan and set our digital marketing objectives, we are applying Chaffey and Smith’s
(2008) effective and simple 5S framework of digital marketing in addition to applying the
SMART framework for goal setting.
Sell
To create initial sales and awareness pre-production, we will launch a crowdfunding
campaign. Crowdfunding is the optimal option for our product launch, as it will help us
test the market demand before we dive into investing in production of the HoloWatch.
Our campaign will be launched through Kickstarter, as they are the market leaders of
crowdfunding platforms. Furthermore Kickstarter is focused on the US and UK market
and enjoy the highest site traffic, which allows for greater visibility of our project
(Taylor, 2013). We will offer several pledge packages that range from simple supportive
packages to pre-order pledges, the reward that a backer will receive is dependent on the
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pledge level that they commit to. Once the crowdfunding meets its goal, we will then
begin production and fulfilling our orders. In addition, the HoloWatch will be available
on the HoloTech website once all orders are fulfilled. We will provide our customers
with a simple step-by-step process to finalize sales, reassuring them along the way of
security, flexibility and convenience to boost trust (Chaffey, 2010).
Speak
We will generate opportunities for potential customers to interact with our team over
various digital channels to build trust and credibility. The main hub for obtaining
information on HoloTech and HoloWatch is through the website, which includes a
‘Contact Us’ section. In addition, Facebook and Twitter will be utilized to interact with
stakeholders and potential customers. Through these social media platforms, we can also
track statistics such as the number of interactions, shares, likes, and views on posts. This
will be realized by using social CRM tools such as HootSuite. The goal is to create
meaningful content that our customers can take interest in and engage with. The website
itself will be responsive to both desktop and mobile viewing. To assess the performance
of HoloWatch and our brand, we will perform a simple email satisfaction survey one
month after all HoloWatch orders are fulfilled. This will help us improve how we
approach both future products and our customer support strategy.
Serve
We aim to provide our customers with a user-friendly interface through our website
(Exhibit D). This will consist of a well-integrated navigation bar atop our homepage; an
FAQ page, and an easily accessible page for visitors to contact the HoloTech team. Our
goal is to utilize the HoloTech website as much as possible to deliver information,
receive inquiries, and actively engage with the visitor through striking images and simple
and effective content.
Save
A key benefit of e-marketing is cost saving. We will work towards building a loyal fan
base by involving them in certain processes of creating future products through
continuous conversations. By achieving this we can avail of the full potential of the
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electronic word of mouth (eWOM), both reducing marketing costs and increasing
customer loyalty and satisfaction.
HoloTech products will initially be sold directly from the HoloTech website. This gives
us exclusivity and control over the quality of the service that we provide. By removing
steps in the distribution process, we also reduce distribution costs that can pass as cost
savings for customers. Also, it allows us to price the HoloWatch competitively against
competitors in the market. After fulfilling crowdfunding orders, we will explore the
option of opening pop-up shops to further showcase our product and build brand equity.
Sizzle
We believe that communicating the experience and benefits of the HoloWatch is much
more important than solely highlighting the technical specifications of the product. While
specifications are important to our customers considering that Yuppies are tech savvy,
ultimately it is the perceived functional, aesthetics (psychological) and social benefits that
bring pure satisfaction. To highlight the experience of using a HoloWatch, visual content
on our website will be centered on simplistic images and the copywriting used will be
focused on benefits that the HoloWatch will bring the to-be customer.
In addition, we plan to invite prolific tech savvy online celebrities and tech reviewers to
test our product and create independent online content and reviews to be viewed and
shared on social media platforms. This is a risky tactic as some reviewers may give it a
poor review, but we strongly stand behind our product and believe that it will hold up
against tough criticism. The reason for applying the above-mentioned techniques is due
to social customers tendency to listen to their peers as opposed to companies and happy
customers spread the word (Baldacci, 2013).
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Strategy
Market Segmentation
Considering our product is a technologically advanced wearable, this requires our target
audience to have several shared characteristics such as being tech savvy, active web users
and adopters of new technology. Our initial strategy for launching the HoloWatch is to
focus on the US market, specifically targeting the Gen-Y group. This includes people
within the 25-35 age range, earn an income between $45,000 to $100,000, and live in
urbanized cities. In other words, we are aiming to target Yuppies. According to the
Oxford dictionary, a Yuppie is an informal way of calling a fashionable young middle-
class person with a well-paid job. From our observation, we believe that this group of
people has the interest and the ability to use HoloWatch to its optimum level.
Targeting
Under the Gen-Y Yuppies, we want to target three specific markets that will make up
majority of our sales; business professionals, techies and trendsetters. All of them have
different demographics and psychographics (Exhibit E), but share the passion for
acquiring the newest tech products. Gen-Y comes with an intuitive understanding of
technology and are plugged in 24/7 with smartphones, laptops and other gadgets
(Munroe, 2014). We will target our selected markets with a blend of online
advertisements on social media, especially Facebook (51%) and Twitter (26%), which
according to the global web index enjoy the highest usage rate among millennials
(Exhibit F) (Bennett, 2014). About 90% of the Gen-Y use their smartphones to check
their social media accounts before stepping out of bed in the morning (Gibson, 2013).
This makes social media an effective platform for us to reach our target customers.
Positioning
HoloWatch is a superior product compared to the competition in the market in terms of
technology. Though the usage of our product and the competitors’ are more or less
similar, there are some differentiating factors, which make HoloWatch stand out;
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Functionality convenience and battery life. From the perceptual map (Exhibit G), we can
compare HoloWatch with competitors against these two factors. People are constantly
connected online and one thing that really annoys them is the “Battery Low” notification.
Keeping that in mind, our solution is embedding a kinetic recharging component that will
help charge the device using kinetic energy during usage. Many people want things to be
instant and easy so that no time is wasted on learning and adapting. This makes our
product suitable since we have ensured that the functionality of HoloWatch is as
convenient as it can get.
The HoloWatch will be launched and branded as a luxury item for Yuppies simply
because we want to set the foundation for future products. Our primary selling point is
creative use of advanced technology, which also translates to a premium price tag for
new and innovative solutions. By staying one step ahead of the technology curve,
HoloTech will be able to bring constant value to its customers. Therefore, positioning the
brand above most mass-market brands is the optimal solution for a boutique company
such as HoloTech.
Online Value Proposition
Our webpage will align with our branding, with simplicity being the focal point. The
interface is user-friendly, navigation is clear, and contains links to various sections within
the site to further educate potential customers (Exhibit D). We aim to create a website
that acts as a central space for people to learn more about HoloTech and the exciting
things that the company will bring into people’s lives.
R.A.C.E. Framework
We used the R.A.C.E. Framework to plan out our strategies for the pre-crowdfunding
launch and post-crowdfunding launch stages of the HoloWatch. The key difference
between the two is that the pre-launch focuses on building awareness and hype, whereas
after the official launch, the focus shifts to selling and engaging customers. The following
will highlight some aspects of the R.A.C.E Framework, where more details can be found
in the exhibits (Exhibit H).
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Reach
During the pre-crowdfunding stage, our aim is to boost awareness for our product by
bringing traffic to our website as it serves as a hub for information. We will use SEO as
well as Facebook and Twitter to drive traffic to the website. The website will display a
countdown to the launch of the crowdfunding for HoloWatch. Our plan is to strategically
and incrementally release information on the HoloWatch to the public, influential online
tech bloggers & online celebrities. This strategy will help build hype and suspense for the
crowdfunding launch, directing all interested parties to our website.
Once we launch our crowdfunding campaign, we will use all the anticipation built pre-
crowdfunding to direct traffic from our website and social media platforms to the
crowdfunding page. Essentially, the crowdfunding page becomes the main landing page
as that is also where we can convert visitors into customers.
Act
During the pre-crowdfunding stage, we will interact with our customers primarily
through our website and social media. Interactions with potential customers will come in
the form of releasing images, product specifications and videos of the HoloWatch. This
will create speculation and hype that will be echoed to social networks. During this time,
we are looking to convert visitors into potential customers through our opt-in newsfeed
where they can receive more information on the upcoming HoloWatch.
Once our Kickstarter campaign is launched, we will share galleries and specifications of
the HoloWatch available on our social media platform to further engage people.
Throughout the campaign, we will monitor the results carefully and optimize our strategy
according to the channels that provide the most effective results. Our team will also
answer any inquiries people have about our Kickstarter page and pledges in a timely
manner. Acknowledgement of pledges will be continuously communicated and updated
to show HoloTech’s appreciation for the support that people give.
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Convert
Once we generate enough awareness to gain the market’s attention, it’s time to convert
the leads and curious potential customers into sales. Once we launch the crowdfunding
campaign, our aim immediately shifts to converting potential customers, subscribers to
our newsfeed, and unique visitors into ‘backers’ of the HoloWatch.
Kickstarter is a great platform for our HoloWatch campaign because it’s easy to use and
simplistic in nature (Perreau, 2015). We will be able to monitor all activities on the
crowdfunding page via a mixture of Google Analytics and our social media platforms.
From the number of visitors and bounce rate, to converted ‘backers’ and time spent on
the page, this will all be valuable statistics to optimize the crowdfunding page as the
campaign continues.
Engage
Prior to the crowdfunding campaign, our goal is to keep conversations going about the
launch of the HoloWatch. To ensure that HoloWatch is consistently on the minds of
potential customers, we will strategically create conversations on social media through
tech discussions and reinforcing the countdown for the crowdfunding campaign. We will
also leverage email marketing to notify subscribed members of the launch so that we
receive the most awareness at the beginning of the campaign.
After the launch, we will monitor people’s reaction to HoloWatch and the crowdfunding
campaign, followed by bursts of new content relating back to the HoloWatch in various
social networks. Also, independent content creators such as online celebrities and tech
reviewers who have received HoloWatch would have had time to review the product.
This engagement will provide us with valuable feedback to help us better understand
customers and how to best serve them in the future. Giving voice to our dedicated
customers will also increase their level on the ladder of engagement and eventually
converting numerous customers to becoming brand advocates and ambassadors (Smith &
Zook, 2011). To summarize, engagement results in loyalty and loyalty dramatically
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increases the chances of repeat purchases and advocacy of the product and overall
HoloTech brand.
Social Media Marketing Strategy
As our strategy with launching HoloWatch is predominantly focused around word of
mouth and sharing the product through blogs, community websites, and social networks,
our social media strategy must compliment that. Based on our target audience and our
needs, Facebook and Twitter will be the main platforms we will use. We will leverage
Facebook’s page function to share and engage with people about HoloWatch. Twitter on
the other hand, will be used to initiate and join in on conversations regarding wearable
tech. Essentially, we want to post more permanent and newsworthy information on
Facebook and use Twitter as a real-time conversation starter to build brand awareness
and equity. The usage split for the two would be about 70/30, with Facebook taking the
larger share of our resources.
Tactics & Action Plan
The E-Marketing Mix
Product
HoloWatch is the beginning of many technological products that HoloTech will release to
the world. Beyond the fact that the smartwatch brings users a new experience to what
they currently perceive smartwatches can do, the HoloWatch acts as a promise that
HoloTech is a brand worth investing in. Customers are buying more than the HoloWatch
itself. They are receiving the opportunity to jump ahead of the technology curve, astonish
their peers with the simplistic design of the HoloWatch, and legendary customer support
from the team at HoloTech. The experience starts from the moment a person is aware of
HoloTech till they receive and integrate our product into their life and beyond. Users of
the HoloWatch will also receive software updates to the device as necessary in order to
keep up-to-date with software advancements.
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Price
Based on SpecOut’s comparison of smartwatch price lists, resulting in 106 individual
devices, the price for a smartwatch ranges from as low as $42 (Vtech Kidizoom
Smartwatch) to a staggering high of $10,000 (Apple Watch Edition) that offers a slew of
functionalities for different age groups and demographics.
The HoloWatch will be strategically priced at $300, this allows it to fall below the Apple
Watch and above or on par with other competitors. The reasoning behind this is that
HoloTech is still in its early stages and will need to build its brand equity through
delivering high-quality products at competitive prices. This pricing strategy will also put
HoloWatch in a sacred space, as it becomes a luxury product that differentiates users
from the rest of the crowd. Once we gain a foothold in the industry, we can then begin to
adjust pricing based on brand equity in addition to the costs of producing the products.
Overall, we believe that HoloTech will be a premium brand, delivering innovative
technologies that will bring efficiency and effectiveness to their everyday lives.
Place
HoloWatch will follow the disintermediation distribution model, where customers will
deal directly with HoloTech to purchase the product through the website. This is
advantageous for us because it’ll help solidify the website as a hub for information and
purchasing point, thus, giving us more opportunities to interact with potential customers
along the way. During the crowdfunding stage though, people will be directed to the
crowdfunding page to ‘back’ the HoloWatch.
Promotion
The HoloWatch will be promoted purely online to increase reach in a cost-saving
manner. In addition, we plan on creating meaningful content that is exciting, suspenseful,
and easy to share. Using a mixture of incrementally revealing visual images, product
specifications, and highlighting the benefits of the HoloWatch, we will narrowcast this
content to community websites, popular technology bloggers, forums, and popular social
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networks. Essentially, we will promote in digital spaces where our target market
frequently visits.
There will be an opportunity for potential customers to opt-in on a newsfeed list where
we update them on HoloTech. This mailing list will also be used as a promotional
channel, allowing us to send members incentives to purchase the HoloWatch and also
convert them from a customer to a champion of the HoloTech brand through referral
marketing. The referral marketing aspect can ome in the form of unique gifts from
HoloTech or monetary credit for future purchases once the customer successfully refers
someone to purchase a HoloWatch. The referral marketing initiative will utilize a unique
link that will be sent out where people can share with others to encourage them to ‘back’
the HoloWatch. Once the transaction is complete, the original owner of the unique link
will receive the reward.
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Schedule of Activities
The entire digital campaign for launching HoloWatch follows a strategic chronological
order of activities. Each activity adds value to the overall product and helps set the stage
for the following activities to come.
Electronic Customer Relationship Management (E-CRM)
For people who have committed to the HoloWatch through the crowdfunding campaign,
we will compile a mailing list to update them on the status of the HoloWatch along the
way. From the end of the crowdfunding to production and delivery, our goal is to make
sure that the customer is well-informed and understand that HoloTech values
transparency and trust.
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In addition, inquiries regarding the HoloWatch and future products will be answered in a
timely manner. Beyond that, our team will participate in social media discussions
regarding technology and what is trending in the market in order to constantly build
brand awareness and engagement. It is important that any insights that we can gather
through the crowdfunding experience and social media platforms are noted and used for
future projects and digital campaigns. Moreover, the partnerships created through the
digital campaign will be recorded, as they are valuable assets moving forward.
Control - Measuring HoloWatch’s Success
Timeframe
The crowdfunding time frame that we have set out is one month. The digital marketing
efforts leading up to the launch will also follow a one-month timeframe. This leads to a
two-month digital marketing strategy that will be extended upon the success of the
crowdfunding campaign.
The one-month marketing hype leading up to the crowdfunding launch is critical in
giving us enough time to reach out to selected social media partners, bloggers, and
technology reviewers. In addition, it allows us to strategically reveal information on the
HoloWatch to create suspense and anticipation. If the timeframe was shortened, it may
rush our strategy, and if it were prolonged, it would lose the hype effect we want.
The one-month crowdfunding campaign for the HoloWatch is also an optimal time frame
because it gives time for potential customers to review and discuss about the product via
social networks. We understand that this purchase decision is one that requires ample
research, so we want to make sure that HoloTech can provide that sense of trust during
that timeframe. If the campaign was shortened, we may not reach our goal. On the other
hand, if the campaign was prolonged, the decision process would take much too long,
losing any sense of urgency that may be there.
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Using crowdfunding as a digital marketing strategy to launch a product also means that
there are multiple stages where success can be measured. With that, we will elaborate on
how we will monitor and measure the activities through three stages: Pre-Crowdfunding
Launch, Post-Crowdfunding Launch, and Post-Crowdfunding. More information on the
KPIs can be found in the exhibits (Exhibit H).
Pre-Crowdfunding Launch
This stage is primarily centered around building hype and awareness for the HoloWatch
and the HoloTech brand. The main KPIs for this stage are unique visitors for the website,
time spent on website, subscriptions for the newsfeed, shares of our content on Facebook,
and the amount of conversations we generate on Twitter. Succeeding in these KPIs will
help propel the reach of our crowdfunding campaign. These KPIs will be measured
through a mix of Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and HootSuite.
Post-Crowdfunding Launch
From the launch of the crowdfunding campaign till the end, all our marketing efforts will
be used to direct traffic to the crowdfunding page and also convert leads into sales or
‘backers’ of the campaign. We will measure success in this stage through the reach we
receive from all digital channels and most importantly, the number of ‘backers’ we
receive as they are considered to be a sale. In addition, we will also measure how
effective our referral marketing strategy is during the campaign. The measurements for
this is through the crowdfunding campaign, Google Analytics, and tallying the number of
views our content receives in all the channels we publish with.
Post-Crowdfunding
Once the campaign ends and we can move onto the fulfillment stage, we will measure our
success based on the continued demand of the HoloWatch via inquiries, the time it takes
us to satisfy an inquiry, and the time it takes us to fulfill the orders. Moreover, the
engagement level between HoloTech and customers are key to our continued success
during this period.
22
Reporting
During the campaign, we plan on releasing crowdfunding results to the public every week
in order to thank existing ‘backers’ and generate hype for potential customers. In terms of
internal reporting, we would like to create reach and engagement reports on a weekly
basis during the digital campaign. Once the crowdfunding is complete, the reporting will
move to a twice a month or monthly schedule. As opposed to larger companies,
HoloTech is lean and nimble enough to generate quick reports on the go for our
stakeholders.
30
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