INSTRUCTION:

1. Develop a new section (a microsite) on ShapeMaster's main website devoted to storytelling and client education for those aspiring makers and inventors who want to take their inventions to the next step. You must complete the following steps.

• a treatment or sketch for EACH of the following three content types
• An expert blog
• A testimonial/success story
• An instructional video you will use for storytelling and client education
• Note: You don't need to develop the content. However, you should provide a "treatment" (under one page) for each of the content types.

2.Provide a detailed strategic analysis (justification) explaining why you proposed those ideas for each type of content.

3.In relation to the resources, budget and in-house expertise that ShapeMaster possesses, pick one content type, and come up with an implementation plan that will allow ShapeMaster to actualize the content from concept inception to delivery.

Client Profile:

Our client is ShapeMaster Inc., a company that specializes in vacuum forming, thermoforming, drape forming, plastic/metal fabrication, injection molding, and CNC machining. It has provided quality goods made of plastic, metal, wood, foam, and various resins since 1990. The company fills a gap between large suppliers of manufacturers and boutique workshops by working closely with engineers and product designers to find customized and creative solutions for their prototyping and molding needs. The company also has the capacity to meet the production needs of small- to medium-sized manufacturers.

Here is the link to their website: https://www.shape-master.com/

Case Background:

Over the last 30 years, ShapeMaster has steadily built the capacity to meet a variety of production and prototyping needs. It is among the few companies in this market that specialize in many different types of forming techniques and is able to handle sizable orders from major manufacturers. Because of the diversity of its machinery and breadth of its expertise, ShapeMaster is faces a unique challenge to fully utilize its diverse production capability while maintaining its ability to handle orders of large quantities. Currently, the company is generating a healthy and steady revenue stream from its matured product lines for several regional manufacturers. However, the company is looking to leverage its existing production capability to cautiously grow its business by targeting a new client base.

The "maker movement" is an umbrella term for a new generation of hackers, artisans, designers, artists, and entrepreneurs, who are all part of the rise of a worldwide technology-enabled extension of DIY culture. Makers are now empowered to entirely design, model and fabricate what they want themselves. The rise of this so-called "maker culture" has provided a perfect opportunity for ShapeMaster to grow because it is uniquely positioned to help inventors and makers to turn their ideas from concepts to prototypes to products.

Targeting the growing makers community through conventional marketing and advertising tactics can be difficult. The potential revenue that can be generated from this market is also uncertain. As such, the company is not yet ready to shift its main sales and marketing strategies and commit a large amount of its resources. Instead, it wants to discover, cultivate, and engage this new target client base through a low-budget, organic, and content-based digital marketing campaign.

Here are the three broadly defined goals:

1. Discover and reach a new client base of professional engineers, makers, and inventors in need of support in product prototyping,molding, and small-scale production.
2. Educate and engage this target client group and establish ShapeMaster as a domain expert.
3. Generate and convert new sales leads.

To achieve these goals, you are asked to compose content marketing campaign. You will help ShapeMaster conceptualize and develop a new section under the company's website. The section will be populated with a series of original content (e.g., blogs, videos, and stories). The content will be promoted on social media platforms targeting makers, inventors, and DIY enthusiasts with an entrepreneurial spirit. The objective is to engage the prospective clients while seamlessly capturing emails and retargeting data.