Behind the Scenes of 2019 Black Friday / Cyber Monday
Behind the Scenes of 2019 Black Friday / Cyber Monday

Holiday shoppers spend an average of $1,007.24 each during the Thanksgiving weekend, making it the largest shopping weekend - especially online shopping, accounting for over $7.9 billion of online sales in 2018 - of the year.

For most marketers, preparation for Black Friday and Cyber Monday campaigns takes place weeks in advance. 

Setup asked a few retailers from all industries and backgrounds about their experience preparing for the big day(s) - giving us a behind the scenes look into a marketer’s preparation for Black Friday and Cyber Monday…

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Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersretail, cyber monday, black friday, retail marketingComment
Fintech Disruptors + the Banking Revolution: How Retail Banks are Meeting the Challenge
Fintech Disruptors + the Banking Revolution: How Retail Banks are Meeting the Challenge

88% of legacy banking organizations fear losing revenue to financial technology companies in areas such as payments, money transfers, and personal loans. How can traditional retail bankers rise to the challenges that emerging fintech companies present?

We asked fintech experts from eVestment, Flywire, Swarm Agency, and Response Media for advice on what marketing leaders in the banking industry can do to stay relevant. Here’s what they said…

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Marketing Industry/Trends, Industry BlogsSetup - marketing matchmakersfintech, financial industry, retail bankingComment
Ads that Capture the Importance of #InternationalMensDay
Ads that Capture the Importance of #InternationalMensDay

November 19th marks International Men’s Day - a day focused on men’s and boys’ health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting male role models.

The following ads from AXE, Bonobos, and Gillette capture the gravity young men face in society by challenging relevant stereotypes and encouraging a community of responsible men with humanitarian values. 

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Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersInternational Mens DayComment
The Benefits of Inbound Agency Marketing
The Benefits of Inbound Agency Marketing

There is a lot of talk amongst agencies about being a “thought leader.” However, thought leadership requires time, resources, and intentionality in order to impact agency goals. Ironically, while agencies are the de facto “experts in marketing,” few devote the energy to “eating their own dog food” and wind up poorly positioning themselves.

If agencies want clients to trust them with their brand, then agencies need to take a taste of their own medicine. Joe Koufman, CEO of Setup, lists the improvement areas for agencies.

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For AgenciesSetup - marketing matchmakersmessagingComment
No One is Superman - Finding a Work Life Balance During Q4
No One is Superman - Finding a Work Life Balance During Q4

According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, 69% of people are stressed by “lack of time” during the holidays. The lack of time can negatively impact personal relationships and lifestyle choices which ultimately bleeds into work productivity. 

How do you find the time to attend to what is most important to you when work is pulling you in every direction?

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Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakerswork-life balance, work life balanceComment
To App or Not to App?
To App or Not to App?

To app or not to app, that is the question. While increasing visibility and consumer loyalty is important, not all brands may benefit from developing a mobile app. 

We asked Moira Vetter, CEO of Modo Modo, and Brandon Butler, the Executive Director at Butter.ATL, for their thoughts on mobile app development. 

What are the benefits of building an app and how do you know if your company should build one?

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Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersapp, mobile appComment
#MarketersBreakfast - Getting C-Suite Buy-In
#MarketersBreakfast - Getting C-Suite Buy-In

At our most recent #MarketersBreakfast, marketing leaders from Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Salesforce, and many others joined us to discuss the challenges marketers face when getting buy-in from the C-Suite.

What common objections do you encounter when presenting marketing initiatives to company leadership? How can marketers build a business case for more budget?

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Setup News/EventsSetup - marketing matchmakers#MarketersBreakfastComment
SPARKsouth - Navigating a Digital Marketing Career
SPARKsouth - Navigating a Digital Marketing Career

SPARKsouth, is an annual conference designed to connect college students with digital marketing professionals who can help highlight different paths to digital marketing careers. This year’s event was sponsored by Nebo Agency, the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, Setup™, Simpli.fi, and 22squared. 

The conference exposes attendees to multiple marketing career paths by offering three distinct conference tracks - brand, agency, and entrepreneur - with a career development break out room. An entire day dedicated to mentoring and developing students’ professional skills and mindsets, SPARKsouth gives marketers at every level the opportunity to connect. 

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Marketing Industry/Trends, Marketing Career AdviceSetup - marketing matchmakerssparksouthComment
Agency Business Development Infrastructure
Agency Business Development Infrastructure

As marketing matchmakers, Setup is often asked how agency leaders can best position their agency for growth.

We recommend to start by 1) differentiating your agency’s positioning, then 2) build a culture of business development where the business development team encourages growth, and 3) invest in the tools that prepare the agency for success.

While leads that come from referrals are the best, they are not scalable. At the end of the day, agencies need to generate leads, create a sustainable pipeline, then nurture that pipeline to convert the leads into clients.

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For AgenciesSetup - marketing matchmakersComment
The Power of Seasonal Marketing Trends 
The Power of Seasonal Marketing Trends 

Some people are usually ecstatic about the return of seasonal items because it brings a sense of familiarity and celebration. Shall we remind you of the pumpkin-spice craze that marketers have definitely embraced in every product (including spam)? 

Others, however, feel bombarded by the overly seasonal activity especially when Valentine’s Day decorations are popping up as soon as the New Year ends. 

Marketers will embrace any trend if it means attention - this is why there are a number of unofficial holidays. Do consumers care about these holidays? How should brands integrate seasonal marketing into their overall marketing strategy?

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Marketing Industry/TrendsSetup - marketing matchmakersSeasonal MarketingComment