3M™ Window Film Dealer Marketing KitHow-to

ProgramCommunicationGuide

How-To Program | Page 2

3M™ Window Film Communications Guide

Using 3M Content

Use 3M Pre-Approved Ads• All files on Extranet.

• Work with your local vendors to customize print ads, videos, banner ads and radio ads.

• Work with Staples® to customize mailers and flyers.

Get Your Name in PrintA press release can be a quick and easy way to get coverage in your local papers. Often a publication will take a portion of your press release and use it without any further action required by you. Best of all, any press you generate is free!

1. Check Your Area. 3M™ Window Films actively promotes media coverage using content that may be similar to the content in your press release. To avoid duplication, contact your 3M representative to determine what, if any, public relations efforts are currently happening in your area.

2. Select. Make a list of potential publications and call them or look on their websites to determine who the automotive and/or home reporters are. Send the press release directly to these people.

3. Distribute. Send the press release via fax or email. For email, copy and paste the text into the body of the email.

4. Follow-Up. Follow-up isn’t required for the press release, however, it’s a good way to help you get coverage. Allow 2–3 days to pass, and then call each reporter you contacted to ensure that they received the release. Ask if they have any questions or would like additional information.

Timing is Important: Know When to Approve

an Editor.

• Responding to local weather events

• High profile building

Press Releases

How-To Program | Page 3

3M™ Window Film Communications Guide

Media Type Tips

eBlastsTips and Getting Started Ways to Measure Success

• Use vendor to send, not personal email

• Always keep CAN-SPAM act in mind, must have: – An opt-out (unsubscribe) and act on opt-out request in 10 days – Physical address listed – Non-misleading subject line, clearly indicate it is an ad – Accurate sender

• Consider how your email looks on mobile devices and different email providers

• Use HTML with option to view as web page

• Spend time on the subject line: make it exciting and use simple words, but avoid all caps and lots of exclamation points

• Use the right email list for your objective, possible list sources: – Build your own lists from web forms on your site – Tradeshow list collection – Customers who have purchased from you (great for cross promo

to auto or home) – Purchase lists from vendors of potential customers in your area

• Do not email the same email list every day; consider monthly campaigns, special promos can be more frequent

• Open Rate: – Number of emails opened/number of

emails sent – 15% open rate is common, don’t expect

a 90% open rate

• Click Through Rates (CTR): – Number of clicks on action/number

of emails sent – Should have clear call to action for user

to click on

• Bounce Rate: – Number of emails that could not

be delivered/number of emails sent – Want to keep this rate low

• Improve these with: – Valid email addresses – Good subject lines – Clear calls to action in body and subject – Exciting Promotions

Cost Considerations*• Size of list

• Vendor used

*Costs vary by publication, geography, distribution, list and many other factors.

How-To Program | Page 4

3M™ Window Film Communications Guide

Media Type Tips (cont.)

Banner AdsTips and Getting Started Ways to Measure Success

• Use 3M banner ads in your campaigns — need to work with vendors to run as they own ad space (e.g., Adwords)

• Use both static and dynamic ads and different sizes so you can reach most sites

• Different strategies to try with your banner ads: – Retargeting: Someone who comes to your site, but doesn’t convert,

you follow them around online where ad space available – Prospecting: Using cookie data, target users who haven’t been to

your site, but hit your target audience – Buy ad space on specific sites – Can geographically focus your campaigns (good idea for local operations)

• Make the URL you want to drive traffic to as the clickthrough URL on banners (just give developer the URL)

• Pixel your site or certain page you want to retarget

• Put conversion tags on thank you page to track form submissions

• Click Through Rates (CTR): How many clicks you’re getting vs. how many are served

• Impressions: How many times ad is displayed to user

• Actions: The conversion you want to track (e.g., forms submitted, document downloaded, etc.)

• Cost Per Thousand (CPM): Dollars you pay per thousand impressions, this is usually the unit you buy ad space in

• Reach: If buying ad space on specific sites

Cost Considerations*• Can set daily limits

through Adwords

Radio AdsTips and Getting Started Ways to Measure Success

• Use 3M content for your ad spots

• Consider Internet radio like Pandora® or Spotify® – Can localize messages as well as local radio spots

• Choose the right show and time to best reach your target audience – Station should have listener reports

• Consider sponsorships of certain shows in addition to between show ads

• Reach: How many listeners you’ll reach in time slot

• Cost Per Point: Cost to reach 1% of your target population

• Frequency: Number of times a member of your target group will hear one of your ads

Cost Considerations*• Time spot

• Station type

*Costs vary by publication, geography, distribution, list and many other factors.

How-To Program | Page 5

3M™ Window Film Communications Guide

Media Type Tips (cont.)

Print AdsTips and Getting Started Ways to Measure Success

• Use 3M content for your local/national publications – Work with graphic designer to customize to size you need

• Consider different media (e.g., magazines, newspaper, billboards and mailers)

• Understand the audience you are reaching – Does it line up with your target audience? – Publication (pub) should have media kit describing their readers

(e.g., demographics: income, gender, education, family and interests)

• Buy home lists for your mailers where applicable or partner with Valpak® for homeowners

• Cost Per Thousand (CPM): Dollars you pay to reach 1,000 households/readers

• Consider using vanity URLs on your print ads (URLs that are custom to the campaign) so you can track if consumers interact with that specific ad

• Include call to action or coupon to help drive interest and action

Cost Considerations*• Large range

• Size of ad

• Reach of publication

Video AdsTips and Getting Started Ways to Measure Success

• Use 3M videos for your media buys: consider TV, online TV providers (e.g., Hulu)

• Consider pre-roll videos (ex: beginning of YouTube video, your ad appears) – Another retargeting tactic or new traffic

• 15–30 seconds are common ad time purchase lengths

• Pre-Roll: Click Through Rates (CTR), impressions, Cost Per Action (CPA)

• TV Ads: Cost Per Thousand (CPM) — should get report from provider

Cost Considerations*• Viewer size

• Time spot

• Frequency

*Costs vary by publication, geography, distribution, list and many other factors.

How-To Program | Page 6

3M™ Window Film Communications Guide

Across All Marketing Campaigns

Success of Ad Involves More than Your AdContent of your ad is important, but you should experiment with timing and positioning to see if results differ (as well as different messaging).

Know Your AudienceTarget your message to a specific audience and their specific needs. Base this on insight you’ve learned from your past customers, psychographic information you may have and details from successful ad campaigns.

Timing MattersDay of week, time of day, month, year, etc. could drive the success of your campaign. Look at other ads in publications you’re considering or traffic that comes during a certain day of week or time to understand more about what time is effective.

Positioning Matters

You can usually tell what premium spots are in a publication or premium times to be on television. Pricing is different based on position (publication knows the highest read/watched spots). If you’re advertising in a publication for the first time, consider purchasing a less premium position and evaluate the returns.

Repetition Matters You will most likely have to run your ad many times across different media for best results.

Set Goals for Your Campaign and Track SuccessConsider how your ads, campaigns or calls to action would look on different devices — this may influence a consumer’s intent to buy and impression of your company. Possible goals could be: product trials, purchase, general awareness, referrals or promotions.

Tie Ads/Campaigns to a Trackable Action

If your campaign is online you’ll have the clearest visibility if you drive the target audience to your call to action (e.g., visiting a website, emailing a rep, etc.). For print ads, use a vanity URL or special code if they can purchase online to track your goals.

Track Promotions with Special URLs

Put specific URL (e.g., www.kanasawindowtint.com/15percentoff) on print ads that will drive people to either a promotional page or any page on your site. You can view traffic in your web analytics tool. Use Google URL builder for custom campaign URLs.

Get Customer Feedback

Outside of online tracking, ask every customer how they heard of you and keep a record — try to be specific to ads you know you’ve run. Consider QR codes for offline campaigns, but have a mobile site that the user will land on.

Know your campaign goalsand how to track success

3M™ Window Film Communications Guide

Across All Marketing Campaigns (cont.)

Experiment, Learn and Improve• Try to set up your ads so you will have data to review and refine your actions based on that data.

At first, you may have to do some experimenting, but make sure you try to learn from each campaign.

• Experiment online, it’s usually a fast, relatively inexpensive way to learn what messages work or what audience types are most effective for you to reach.

• Define a number goal, work from past info on any campaigns to form the appropriate benchmark or discuss with peers to get a good grounding on what numbers you should expect.

• Stop doing the marketing that does not work very well for you. If you learn there’s a certain ad, audience or media type that is working the best for you, stick with it.

Co-Op Program

3M Supports Your Local Advertising • Use your co-op dollars.

• Submit your ad campaigns to 3M for reimbursement.

• Use 3M material in ads as they will more likely qualify for reimbursement.

3M is a trademark of 3M Company. Used under license in Canada. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Please recycle. © 3M 2014. All rights reserved. 98-0150-0530-3

3M Renewable Energy DivisionWindow Films3M Center, Building 235-2S-27St. Paul, MN 55144-10003M.com/windowfilm

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