Holding it all together with Rivet…

At Rivet we believe that there should be no separation between online and offline marketing strategies and platforms.  We work with clients to provide  the tools and the creative content to make integrated marketing really work.

Start with some basic marketing theory

We think the model of the classic marketing cycle is still pretty helpful, even in the digital age – especially in the digital age.  We have noticed that folks in the digital space have forgotten about the utility of this model and, as a result, they have us running around chasing our digital tails.  If you can fit Twitter, Facebook and the Next Big Digital Thing into a simple channel framework and map it against the traditional marketing cycle, we think you have a great starting point to a fully integrated marketing strategy.

Your recollection of the traditional marketing cycle may be a bit different, but across the top of the matrix we put our version of the cycle.  Down the vertical axis of the matrix we provide a list of channels.  There really isn’t much that is unique about building a matrix like this.  What is unique, is that we have broken out the digital channels in a way that we feel makes a lot of sense.  You won’t see “Digital” as a channel, nor will you see “Twitter” as a channel.  The first is too general and the second is too specific.  You can count on the fact that there will be a new Twitter or Facebook by this time this year.  At Rivet, we recommend you fit Twitter, Facebook and whatever comes next into one or more of 6 digital channels.

Define which channels (digital and offline) you should leverage

Yes – we believe there are 6 distinct digital channels worth talking about – and planning around.  Each is unique because it can reach audiences at different stages of the marketing cycle, each can demand different messaging and each digital channel can be one-way, two-way or community-based.  These are just some of the variables that go into framing marketing strategies from this model.   At Rivet, we don’t develop traditional marketing strategies – but we do provide the platform and approach for thinking it through and extending it, in a coordinated way, into the very complicated digital space.

Here is a peek at our matrix:

Introduce a technology platform that supports cross
channel marketing communications

In our experience, marketers have struggled to develop coordinated and creatively integrated cross-channel strategies and campaigns.  We hope to help clients – not only with our methodology, which ensures proper digital integration – but also with our technology recommendations.  CMS, DAM, ECM are a bunch of three-letter acronyms that can come together to leave you with a great technology platform for marketing strategy execution and consistent brand expression.

We understand technology that helps marketers do their best work and – get this – most of it is free.

Build a blueprint that unifies digital and offline channels

When you go as far as to invest in a new model and technology infrastructure for integrated marketing, you really ought to have a plan.  At Rivet, we help clients build 3 year plans that we call Blueprints.  Like blueprints used to build a structure, our blueprints are grounded, practical and result in specific job responsibilities for marketers.   The Blueprint unifies online and offline channels and provides a phased approach to move from the middle of the pack to a market leader.

Execute, measure and refine

While we do good work with our clients – our plans aren’t always perfect – so our Blueprints are living documents.  For each area of activity we provide a set of measures that tell our clients whether they are on track and, if not, what needs to be done to course-correct.

We never stop at the plan.  Rivet is about execution – in print and online – we develop marketing creative that works.