In the fall of 2021, the MRC de Matawinie launched the Fabrique Matawinie, a web platform offering training for entrepreneurs in the region wishing to embark on a digital shift. The aim was to support these entrepreneurs in a clear, simple and accessible way.
As the target audience was entrepreneurs at the starting point of their marketing shift, we proposed a marketing strategy involving both digital and traditional communication channels.
The Mission
1.
Creating Fabrique Matawinie's brand identity
2.
Make the Fabrique Matawinie known to all entrepreneurs in the region
3.
Produce and distribute weekly training courses for 12 weeks
3.
4 Raise awareness and visibility of the program all fall long
1. Develop an attractive, modern brand image
First, a brand image had to be created for the project. To represent entrepreneurship in all its forms and the concept of training on the subject, the logo had to represent creativity, creation and concrete action. So we came up with the name Fabrique Matawinie, and our keywords for creating this brand were business, world, atmosphere and tools.
Inspired also by current trends in online training aesthetics and the idea of collective entrepreneurship and creativity, we commissioned Les Damoiselles, a graphic design firm whose work we really appreciate, to produce the following logo.
The resulting brand image was used as inspiration for the ambience of the studio layout, which featured two sets. The first was used for Expert en direct sessions, where a trainer who was an expert on his or her subject delivered a 50-minute training session, while the second was more relaxed and comfortable, used for On en jase sessions, where the tone was more like a conference.
2. Create recognizable content that demonstrates the relevance of a digital shift in the company
Second step: the creation of video content to be used to promote the project and demonstrate the importance of digital entrepreneurship. We travelled to the Matawinie region to shoot video vignettes.
The first concept was a series entitled On se démêle. These short capsules aim to demystify basic digital concepts, and include clips shot in vox pop mode and humorous explanatory excerpts with host and comedian Chantal Lamarre. To introduce the project, we asked questions like “What is digital marketing?
The second concept was a series of ambassadors featuring 4 Matawinie entrepreneurs who had already embarked on a digital shift. By using real industry cases, we increased the credibility and relevance of the project to our target audience and offered concrete examples of how the digital shift applies to all kinds of businesses, such as :
- Emporium Safran, which has increased its profile and geographical customer base thanks to its website.
- Guilbault Électrique, which used digital tools to improve its administrative processes.
- Yvanne Fleurs Paysannes, who uses social networks to connect with her customers.
- Terre des Bisons, which created a new website to sell its products online and manage its agrotourism visitors during the pandemic.
3. Deploy a strategy combining digital and traditional communication channels
How can we reach Matawinie entrepreneurs to let them know about this resource?
A digital strategy was put in place to broadcast the capsules produced on Facebook. A dedicated advertising budget was set aside to reach people in the Matawinie region with entrepreneurial interests. In three months, we had more than 278,000 impressions on Facebook for the content we broadcast, as well as 15,400 interactions with it – very interesting statistics for a Facebook page created specifically for the project.
However, as our target audience consisted of entrepreneurs who were at the very beginning of a digital shift, we chose to use traditional communication channels to reach them directly.
A direct mail, local radio advertising and cold emailing campaign was launched, which enabled us to obtain 156 Fabrique Matawinie registrations out of the 800 entrepreneurs contacted in the region at the start of the project.
We also hired a telemarketing company for a call campaign, which also added 60 companies to the list of subscribers in mid-autumn.
Other channels used include newsletters to announce upcoming training courses and provide reminders, and text messages to remind registrants of the start of training at the beginning of the day and 30 minutes beforehand.
4. Adjust the strategy along the way and promote rebroadcasting
After 6 weeks of broadcasting training courses out of 11, we have reoriented our promotional strategy to emphasize replay and accessibility. Indeed, live events offer many advantages, but there will always be those interested who have availability issues. We’ve made all the training sessions and conferences available on the Fabrique Matawinie website, where you can still access them if you’re interested in going digital!
