Our Focus
We are a marketing planning team, creating our clients’ springboards for action.
From beginning to end, our focus is deducing and presenting strategies (documented and in person). With that being said, we believe that strategy and creative, while dependent on each other, should be performed independently of one another. When doing so, it is our belief you are able to foster conditions that reap the greatest marketing potential.
Specifically, conditions that free the client from all possible constraints and pitfalls when giving their honest opinion, given that they are not at risk of disagreeing with the same team that they would have to continue to work with (i.e. the “strategy and creative” shop). Secondly, conditions that “concentrate focus” per one area, planning then creative. Meaning that, thinking and discussions become more revealing: “cornering clarity.” Strategic consensus prevails, and springing into action is done so with aplomb.
In short, conditions that afford the client maximum control is more than just, greater peace-of-mind: It is the girding to initiate and sustain optimal marketing journeys.
View planning and services for more details.
Our Leadership
Journeys that progress can generally be a matter of having a diverse set of skills.
Think Gilligan’s Island.
Our leadership, while not quite the Captain, Skipper etc., in a manner of speaking, we are them. We have a range of skills (from strategy to tactical planning) that overlap and are complementary that ensure your journey’s progress with us. Moreover, while its outside of our “core offering” of planning, we are, in fact, practiced in executing on the varied communication channels in which we may recommend.
Allen Draper, M.A.
CEO & Founder
What Bronze Marketing Means to You and its Clients
In one word, what strongly connects Bronze Marketing to its clients is “client empowerment.” Meaning that, we created such an environment or product (if you like) that supports this goal. Aside from devising a plan for a client’s ideal vision, client empowerment is more than that. It means that our clients freely and easily speak their minds.
Why? Our planning team is expecting, and, better yet, ready to accept and implement feedback, given that this is our sole endeavor: our intent and purpose. In other words, there is no “pressure” to rush through one facet to get to another. Whereas, on the contrary, with a “one facet shop,” or a shop unwilling to entirely separate the oversight of these endeavors (planning and creative), said shop or organization is “encouraged” to readily start creative.
Why? The “creative group” generally sees a significant increase on their “return on time” in doing creative over that of planning work. In short, creative work is where the clients’ dollars are largely (if not entirely) realized.
Marketing Background
Allen’s marketing tenure began in 1995 working as an advertising partner for 3 years to then continue thereafter for the next 10 ten years as a high-level marketing planner. Around 2008, Allen conceived and led two web ventures: the second was a “pivot” from the first. During this time, Allen, in addition, instructed Emerson College’s core IMC graduate course, aptly named: Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication. Also, having graduated from this same graduate program.
However, it was when working both at the client and agency-side, these diverse experiences proved to be instrumental in gaining a deeper appreciation for the differences in these “groups” marketing vantage points. Yet, it wasn’t until teaching as an Adjunct Teacher, coupled with this deeper appreciation that his true passion “resurfaced”: Marketing Planning.
Allen missed getting “nose-deep” in marketing research and then tailoring objectives and strategies, accordingly. Hence, Bronze Marketing took root, but not just to provide a “broader and deeper” space that specifically revolved around marketing planning, but also, to provide a means to empower its clients. Empower, in the sense, that clients could envision and equally so anticipate outcomes from the marketing and advertising arenas that, ultimately, could actualize a “bold and grand” destination. In contrast to, seeking and achieving outcomes not previously thought of as truly feasible. Why? Strictly planning shops are generally unaffordable or not easily found nearby, or, working with a “semi-vetted” / non-inspiring plan is the only option.
Sum up what planning means to you, and to your clients
Lacking enough planning means to justify any type of creative endeavor is never justifiable, nor truly rousing, for that matter. Allen, instead, sums-up marketing planning this way: Persevering Inspiration equals Achieving Actions.
Bottom line Advice
Focus intently on one facet of marketing at a time. Translation: Feel encouraged to speak your mind, and not the opposite of being led to believe that you may be “slowing-down” progress, if you were to do so.
Sage Lewis
Digital Marketing Strategic and Tactical Planner
What Bronze Marketing Means to You and its Clients
I met Allen Draper as one of our attendees (a regular) at our weekly shows regarding “all things” online. Eventually, we met outside of the show – “virtually,” that is – and I felt his customer-first approach to marketing seamlessly meshed with my company’s values at Sage Rock.
Here at SageRock, we go out-of-our-way to put the client first, whether it’s our “pay what you want” programs, our online weekly seminars where we answer questions throughout the show. In essence, we want everything to be “for the client,” if you will: Making the show as interactive, and “immediate” as possible. These are two words that I felt Allen was tackling with Bronze Marketing: immediate and interactive.
Bronze Marketing solely concentrates on planning to give the client the freedom to “not hold back” for fear of jeopardizing the execution process, immediate and interactive – if you will. The company’s vision is to “fix a problem” that seems rampant in the advertising world, when clients feel less than empowered: being led, corralled even, from strategy to tactics – not necessarily being fully “aligned” with the proposed strategy. So while the agencies continue to make money, the clients are caught between continuing, or stopping things and starting over – neither, as you can imagine, leave the client with ideal choices.
With all above being said, I am glad to be connected with Bronze Marketing, and to be working under the same pretenses as I currently do so with my clients at SageRock.
Marketing Background
While Sage Lewis is the CEO of SageRock, he is busy leveraging his talents beyond the walls of his company. He also is a Professional-in-Residence at the University of Findlay, Cleveland State University Social Media and SEO instructor, ClickZ Expert Columnist, Microsoft Advertising Community Guest Blogger and President of SageRock Digital Marketing.
-Sage speaks nationally with Search Engine Strategies and other prominent Web marketing organizations.
-Sage is also “The Web Marketing Video Guy” with over 600 Web marketing videos published.
-Sage writes as an expert for com in the Search Engine Marketing section of the site.
His social media training and speaking include places such as:
– The Social Media In-depth trainer at Search Engine Strategies conferences nationwide.
– Cuyahoga Community College as a regular instructor.
– National Speakers Association
– American Chamber of Commerce
– Duck Brand Duct Tape
– Development Dimensions International
– Monsanto
– COSE Small Business Conference
– eMarketing Techniques Conferences
Sum up what planning means to you, and to your clients
Planning for me simply means “thinking” before “acting,” to do otherwise, can mean a big waste of time. It’s like going to the beach without a bathing suit.
With that being said, I feel as an unbiased planner, meaning, I have no incentive to rush you through the process to “start making money,” I believe that as “this person” (an unbiased planner) that I am being a “force of light and good.” Which means, helping you, truly helping you. In turn, I am fulfilling my purpose in life; whereas, my actions (supported by my credentials, of course, given this is business) and together with you: We are changing the world. This is my sole intent in working with you.
Our working relation goes from one where stakeholders are getting ready or are, at least, aware of possibly being betrayed to that of feeling loved. I know this is business, but, feeling loved in working relations when “set-up and acted upon” correctly is more than possible and realistic. I get love all the time from my clients and viewers.
Bottom Line Advice
We all have something we can do to push our life’s purpose further ahead. Even the smallest act towards that goal is great.
David J. Bradley, MBA
Digital Marketing Planner
Background
David Bradley is CEO of BBG, a digital marketing firm, best-selling author, speaker and consultant. He has also contributed to dozens of books and publications related to digital marketing.
David’s expertise is in the development of a digital strategy at the executive level. This means creating an actionable plan that incorporates the right set of elements to best reach, nurture and convert your digital consumers.
Sum up what planning means to you, and to your clients
In reality, consistently getting high value customers is not as hard as you think. The secret is to match the right message with the right people at the right time — something that many find extremely difficult to do. But, with the right planning process, businesses can thrive with a smart, strategic and systematic approach.
Bottom line Advice
The data doesn’t lie. Always invest in learning through data, rather than relying on intuition and assumptions alone, an all too common practice. This will provide exponential results and cost-savings in the long-term.
Alex Bungener
Digital Marketing Planner
What Bronze Marketing Means to You and its Clients
Digital planning considers all potential “touch-points” that range from SEO, website design, online reputation, video optimization & social media. Optimizing these outlets can solve problems and expedite meeting corporate and, in turn, marketing objectives. This largely entails knowing how the channels can effectively work alone as well as together. Once knowing your goals we can assemble the ideal mix and messaging to progress your marketing efforts.
Marketing Background
My background has been as a business owner over 25+ yrs. Digital+, LLC is my 4th business – founded in 2011 -when local SEO was starting. Local SEO delivers the highest ROI of any ongoing marketing efforts. This is true for a couple of reasons: it’s cost-effective and the massive popularity of prospects searching for goods and services online. Therefore, my desire to learn local SEO was ignited and Digital+, LLC founded.
Sum up what planning means to you, and to your clients
Planning means first analyzing the optimization of your business online. From there, we understand where “online” you are strong and where you are weak in order to enact an actionable plan. Our plans can be taken one step at a time. That’s up to you and your overall strategy.
Bottom line Advice
Make sure that your website is mobile responsive. Without that you really shouldn’t start any marketing efforts. Over 50% of searches are on mobile devices so ignoring mobile responsiveness is killing your growth opportunities.
What Bronze Marketing Means to You and its Clients
Optimizing businesses online to attract and capture new customers. This means making sure your prospects develop a feeling of knowing, liking, and trusting your business when they see your digital assets. Our areas of expertise are SEO, website design, online reputation, video optimization & social media.
Our Capabilities
Over the “horizon-blocking ideas,” What do you see?
When “bobbing in the sea of today’s tactically-driven marketing ideas,” your vision and thinking becomes upended, so to speak. Our capabilities start when you find “dry land,” seeking a clear vantage point. That is, where you can see and point to a unique and distant “dot” on the horizon – your vision.
Our Capabilities, in essence, is the planning required to start to move from your gained “vantage point” towards your vision. Specifically, we define the optimal business direction, necessary brand image, and objectives and strategies for said client’s brand. From here, we cull the “optimal mix” of tactics that will reinforce, leverage and complement one another. Ultimately, “all of these things” address and contribute to the topline (corporate) objective – maximizing “speed and control at every turn.”
- Market Overview / Situational Analysis
- Competitive Analysis
- Consumer Analysis
- Brand Positioning Strategy
- Creative Strategy
- Objectives and Strategies
- Tactical Marketing Plan
View Planning and Services for more details.
- Phone Access
- On-site meeting(s) with Company Stakeholders*
- Overview / Assessment of Internal Processes
- Overview / Assessment of Your Company’s Market Position
- Online Marketing Tools (Situational Selection & Training)
View Planning and Services for more details.
*If you are out-of-state, and in-person meetings are not viable, whether it is with you or your clients, we can renegotiate our fees, accordingly.
Other skills “downstream” of those listed under “Initial Deliverables” may be able to perform, once we are able to discuss specifics. These include (but are not limited to): copywriting, act as liaison (client and agency or vice-versa), Project Management (Website Development) etc..
Any other items you may have in mind?
View Planning and Services for more details.
- Access to information not readily available to the general public.
- “Tools” that allow us to collect data on a market, consumers and competitors, as well as, your own company. Tools generally not known to many.
- 20+ years per our strategic planners in collecting and culling, and gleaning from data, and then organizing said information into an easy-to-read and logically concluded “planning document.”
- 20+ years per our strategic planners of going from methodical “strategic conclusions” to creative leaps-of-faith in the form of positioning and / or marketing strategies.
- Knowing tactics optimal suitability for said marketing objective and, subsequent, communications strategy.
Based on our clients’ situational needs, individualized for both agencies and directly to businesses, there are several Plan Levels (for each aforementioned group) to choose from and leverage. Or, even, bypassing the levels options altogether, choose exactly what is needed with no extras (i.e. no strategic services).
Our Process
Once knowing your Vision is “bold and grand,” our process begins.
Our ultimate destination, together, is to improve your market position and / or advance your competitive position. Advancing your competitive position (planning should be done an annual basis) requires all the exact same planning as improving your market position. With that in mind, we could review your current market position and decide from there: optimal area(s) of focus.
With an “ironclad” market position, this now becomes your brand character – it can, now, be forever “left alone.” It’s rare that after having gone through a well vetted exercise that a brand’s positioning strategy changes. What does change is the marketing strategy, on an annual basis – generally speaking.
View Planning and Services for more details.