Experience

Category: Experience

Business-to-Business

Lead generation is the lifeblood of business to business (B2B) companies. At The Matters Group our core team is well versed in the intricacies and complexities of longer B2B sales cycles. We understand the customer journey can have multiple players with differing degrees and areas of influence. We work with B2B marketing teams to understand the motivations of their key audiences. We collaborate with your team to develop plans for sustainable lead generation or ecommerce customer acquisition and revenue growth.

A strong foundation for a lead generation program incorporates inbound and outbound marketing tactics. Inbound programs leverage content to attract your audience to solutions they’re seeking on your website. The development of quality content pieces becomes an opportunity to share your firm’s insights and knowledge generating interest resulting in great lead volume and quality.

Inbound lead generation assets take the form of ebooks, webinars, whitepapers, infographics, and case studies. Digital interactions are tracked and coupled with marketing automation and CRM tools, programs can be optimized to deliver the performance you need. Our expertise emphasizes digital inbound lead generation but we are strong proponents of integrating with outbound marketing activities such as tradeshows, account targeting, and traditional advertising tactics delivering the full power of your brand's message to the target market.

Category: Experience

Cannabis/CBD/Hemp

In late 2014 The Matter Group, then going by Canna Ventures, released groundbreaking research on the motivations of cannabis consumers in seeking out brands. Mind you, there were no brands at the time as Colorado and Washington State had just gone legal. Since then we've released 3 national research studies and conducted dozens of proprietary research for clients. From boutique brands to public MSOs, we've examined the market and provided strategic direction for these emerging organizations.

Research is one of the cornerstones of marketing. Unfortunately many newer marketers, particularly in cannabis, feel it's a luxury or not necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth. Entry into a new market or launching a brand is fraught with opportunity to make company or career-killing mistakes. Quality market research by experts is an essential tool to mitigate risks and maximize your opportunity for success. Ask any CPG (consumer packaged goods) marketer worth their salt and they'll tell you there is no substitute for market insights that drive strategic positioning and guide tactical execution.

Cannabis Advertising

The emerging legal cannabis market is uncharted territory (hence the need for research!). There are no established norms, playbooks or blueprints. Those entering the market need an experienced guide like the Matters Group. We know the cannabis consumer and B2B environment like few others. From research to brand development to market entry and campaign execution we are your trusted guide to success.

If you've entered this market and attempted to launch a go-to-market campaign you've no doubt encountered trouble. From Google and Facebook to traditional advertising channels, often cannabis brands are left with few options if they don't know where to look. That said, things are changing. Google and Facebook are still as frustrating as ever in terms of running standard paid media on those platforms. Yet even within Google and Facebook there are options emerging. Instagram is a viable option for many cannabis brands and the visual aspect of the platform can be well suited to showcase your product. Multiple display networks can deliver exposure on many mainstream sites but be mindful of the creative used. While many a media rep will tell you anything to try to win your business, be suspect. Advertising cannabis is the wild west: unpredictable, under developed and always changing.

Marketing Cannabis

There isn't an industry that should not have content marketing at the core of it's Go-To-Market planning and cannabis is no different. Developing genuine content that informs, educates or entertains an audience is essential. Nothing conveys the experience brands and products deliver like quality content. Dozens of formats encourage creativity from the written word to short and long-form video. Quality content as your nucleus will drive search engine optimization, social media, influencer marketing, sponsored content, newsletters, and communicate your brand story to those seeking experiences and a relationship with a brand. The days of blasting out untargeted messages en mass to whomever will listen are over. Perhaps more than any other consumer market brand builders in cannabis need to connect with audiences authentically and avoid the hyperbole.

CBD and Hemp Marketing

Though related to the cannabis market, CBD and hemp markets carry their own unique challenges. The legalization of CBD and hemp with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill opened the gates to CBD brands. Not unlike the cannabis market, consumer confusion and restrictions on what claims can be made requires a deep understanding of consumer needs and motivations. The environment CBD and hemp products operate in necessitates a clear and understandable brand story to convey benefits and speak to your audience. As with research, this is not the time to cut corners. Some of your competitors will and they'll succumb. Those that don't will become leaders in a space that holds tremendous promise to shake up the alternative health and wellness markets.

Category: Experience

Finance & Banking

Matters Group and our partners have extensive experience with financial and retail banking marketing program management. Today’s financial services customers are savvier, they do their research and aren’t looking for “$100 to open a checking account” messaging. They want to know the institution’s values align with theirs and they expect financial brands to be digital-first.

The financial sector isn’t always viewed as the most cutting edge but the reality is different. Being in a heavily regulated industry has its burdens but from Wall Street to regionals, investments are being made in digital technology to better connect with and serve customers.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are making headway in bank operations. Whether it’s improved fraud prevention, streamlined application reviews, or developing new products, the financial sector is adopting technology quickly. Consumers have changed as well. The retail brand is no longer the consumer's primary touchpoint nor are ATMs. Consumers now expect a bank to deliver a full suite of services to both mobile and desktop devices.

Our team has serviced multiple financial institutions with a variety of services to efficiently acquire customers, identify risks, and streamline operations.

Category: Experience

Sustainability

You cannot debate the facts. The earth is changing and not for the better. There is a climate crisis that if unchecked will do more damage to our way of life than any other factor. If you don’t believe this, go look elsewhere for a marketing firm. We not here to debate facts.

Technology is a major part of the solution. The emergence of cost-effective B2B solutions for energy storage, management, and distribution coupled with consumer interest in renewable energy sources and earth-friendly products is in motion and not reversing. Most major automotive producers are investing in electric vehicles, battery cell technology, and infrastructure to support a transportation future where combustion engines are minimized. The world is changing and so are attitudes about green solutions. We can help deliver your message of progress and change.

Our experience includes supporting initiatives with digital marketing and communications programs for Seattle City Light, Mobilizing Solar Energy, The Lighting Design Lab, E5 Environmental, The Institute for Energy Efficiency, JWC Environmental, Green Living Project, and others producing sustainable products, goods, and services. Green is changing from a “nice idea” to a sustainable business strategy for growth.

Category: Experience

Health & Wellness

Consumers and organizations are more than ever are aware of the importance of good health. The health and wellness industry is diverse as it is large. From consumers taking proactive steps to manage care options to startups creating new devices that empower with insights and data, digital health and wellness is here to stay.

There is a multitude of options for marketers to attempt to find digital consumers. We bring knowledge and insights of what works to help firms transition to a digital-first approach or identify the best options for experienced brands.

As with the other highly regulated industries we have experience in, your brand story needs to ring true with consumers as well as regulators. We’ll help hone your story and deliver it with compelling user experiences that connect with your best audiences.