Marketing in the digital age: How DMAD helps companies find their voice and tell their story
Thursday, June 27, 2024
In today's digital world, a compelling digital marketing strategy is critical. Often it is a company’s one chance to make a positive impression as customers research and make buying decisions online.
Unfortunately, many small businesses struggle with the costs and complexities of developing and executing an online presence. They may understand the importance of digital marketing and the potential of outsourcing, but struggle to bridge the gap between their needs and the capabilities of an agency.
The Digital Marketing Asset Development (DMAD) program aims to bridge that gap. Companies work with an agency to receive a range of high-quality digital assets, including video and social media templates, and perhaps more importantly, they come away with a clear value proposition document. This comprehensive toolkit will help you capture attention, build trust, and ultimately drive sales.
“DMAD removes the burden of agency selection and communication. We pre-vet a qualified Nova Scotia agency, eliminating the need for you to manage a lengthy selection process,” said Carolyn Clegg, Business Growth Executive at Invest Nova Scotia. “Invest Nova Scotia also handles preliminary communication and project management, ensuring your needs and desired outcomes are clearly conveyed to the agency.”
There are several factors that contribute to the marketing gap companies experience in their digital marketing search. For starters, hiring a marketing agency can be expensive, with ongoing fees and a selection process that takes time and resources. There are also communication challenges; clearly articulating your brand vision and desired outcomes to an agency can be difficult, potentially leading to mismatched expectations. Lastly, there’s the lack of expertise. Small businesses might not have the internal team to manage the project or understand the intricacies of digital marketing asset creation. DMAD helps fill these gaps by delivering an expertly-guided, cost-effective, streamlined process to clients.
“The program offers project management support throughout the process, giving you peace of mind and access to expert guidance,” said Carolyn. “Invest Nova Scotia covers a portion of the program’s cost, making professional digital assets more accessible for small businesses. DMAD also pre-selects a qualified Nova Scotia agency, eliminating the need for a lengthy selection process. Finally, Invest Nova Scotia handles communication and project management, ensuring clear communication between you and the agency.”
Aqua Production Systems (APS), an engineering company that designs, manufactures, installs, and maintains long-term live storage and shower systems for all phases of seafood processing, participated in the 2024 DMAD program. Wayne Carter, COO for APS, found the program enlightening, giving him valuable insights into the company’s customers and services. He believes that any business, regardless of size or age, can benefit from this program by learning how to properly brand their company and broaden customer reach.
“One of the primary advantages of the program is that it helps you become more aware of how your company's key messages are being received,” said Wayne. “Sometimes, your customers may interpret the message you think you're conveying differently. This program presents an opportunity for any business to ensure that the message they are trying to convey about their products and services is understood as intended.”
Halifax-based Clever Fruit Products, a manufacturer of fermented natural health ingredients for nutraceutical, supplement, and functional food brands, also took part in the latest DMAD cohort. Clever Fruits’ CEO Sean Sears spoke to the program’s ability to help tell their story clearly and reach their target audience.
Clever Fruit Products Executive Chair, Sean Sears (left) and President, Liam Tayler.
“We had just finished a detailed and fundamental positioning exercise and we struggled with how to characterize something that was a typical biotech sequence of hard-to-pronounce 4-5 syllable words into something digestible,” said Sean. “DMAD came at just the right time and provided multiple ideal answers that led to a great final outcome.”
Pixels & Pieces was the selected vendor to help companies with their digital marketing assets in the latest DMAD cohort. Founder Amy Harrison – a graphic designer with 20 years experience working with all sized businesses, governments, and non-profits – noted, "What's powerful in this partnership with Kelford Inc. and Invest Nova Scotia, is that we created a strong and sustainable marketing foundation for the DMAD participant companies – solid visual branding standards and value proposition language. This gives them a leg up in the market, and ensures they can communicate their value effectively. This also empowers participants to not only create their own digital assets going forward, but to effectively respond to any opportunity that comes their way."
Leah Sanford is principal and co-owner of Kelford Inc., an agency that helps entrepreneurs and founders with complex marketing challenges define and articulate their unique value. Working with Pixels & Pieces, they helped companies with their digital marketing positioning and language needs.
"Helping entrepreneurs and organizations in our region demonstrate their unique and extraordinary value at a distance was an exceptional experience,” said Leah. “The depth and breadth of innovation and ambition was a joy to support and contribute to. Being part of the DMAD program was creatively fulfilling as marketers, and inspiring as entrepreneurs.”
To learn more about DMAD and how it can enhance your digital marketing presence, visit our website for more information.