CMA Smallbiz

“No money. No time.” Four little words that come up every time we talk to a small business about their marketing strategies. And here are the four words we always counter with: “You’re already doing it.”

You developed a product or service: that was a marketing activity. You tracked down customers: that was a marketing activity. You convinced them to buy your product or service: that was a marketing activity. You’ve been marketing since day one, doing it yourself and doing a good job. But at what point do you decide to do a better job, and how will you go about it?

Agency59 has decades of experience working with both national brands and small businesses. Speaking from their collective experience, A59’s Marc Cooper (Partner) and Jason Dojc (Director of Strategy) will take you through marketing tactics that small businesses can do themselves (there are more than you might think), and discuss how ad agencies can further help entrepreneurs grow their businesses when the time is right.

Joining Marc and Jason on stage will be a panel of small business owners who will share the successes they’ve had with DIY marketing, and when they’ve benefited from agency expertise.

Meet Marc Cooper

For over 20 years, Marc Cooper has been helping businesses of all sizes build and market their brands effectively and coherently across all media. Along with his partners, Marc runs an independently owned advertising agency that specializes in creating strong, emotional connections between companies and their customers.

He’s always been passionate about helping businesses in general, and small businesses in particular. So much so that for the past two years he’s offered his agency’s services as one of the prizes in a national small business contest. To date, this has helped half a dozen start-ups get noticed at the earliest stages of their business.

When you can’t find Marc at his office, you might find him guest lecturing about the virtues of marketing in today's complex media environment, or putting his advertising expertise to work for the Georgian Bay Association, which promotes, protects and preserves the greater Georgian Bay environment.

Meet Jason Dojc

Ever since Jason Dojc first heard the crackle, hiss and bing of a 56K modem, he’s been living a digital life. Thankfully, with the rise of Facebook, Twitter et al, he’s also started living a social life.

Enamored by cool technology and fascinated by human behaviour, Jason draws from both areas to help clients understand how digital, social, mobile and other ‘geeky stuff’ can have a direct impact on their business, no matter what line of work they’re in.

Jason, who’s worked with clients across a wide variety of sectors – including retail, CPG, automotive, financial services, entertainment, real-estate and health – makes it a point to never stop at an insight or conclusion, without knowing how it will translate into an effective marketing strategy.