As the anticipation builds for GatorCon2018, we’ve been getting increasingly excited for all our talks, especially all of our keynote speakers. PR Smith brings a wealth of extensive knowledge with him, set to share his insights in his talk on Digital Marketing Trends for 2019. Not just the Founder of the SOSTAC® Planning System, PR Smith is author of 6 marketing books, renowned for their ‘edutainment’ style, as well as an international speaker, including at TEDxTalks.

As the founder of SOSTAC Planning System, how did you come up with the model originally?

PR Smith: When I did my masters, (part-time) at Cass Business School, I asked all my friends to send me just the contents page of any plans they would be working on in the years to come. I was frustrated at how unnecessarily complex most plans were. So over a period of years, I collected planning frameworks (contents pages) and then tried to create something that was (a) more logical, (b) easier to remember, and (c) separated strategy from tactics. It actually took me almost 10 years to come up with SOSTAC® Planning framework.

The model was voted in the top 3 marketing models in the CIM poll. Why do you think so many marketers like your model? 

PR Smith: It’s easy to remember. It is perfectly logical. It develops a strategy so that it drives tactics (not the other way around). It can be applied to any type of plan – a business plan, a marketing plan, a digital marketing plan, a campaign plan, a project… Health & Safety Plans, Security Plans, Personal Plans and even, recently, a wedding plan! Really any type of plan, it can accommodate!

You’re also an award-winning author, would you recommend our customers read anything in anticipation of your talk? 

PR Smith: SOSTAC® Guide to your Perfect Digital Marketing Plan is a very short and crisp book. It’s packed full of colourful examples & useful tips. I am very proud of this book. Perhaps my blog www.PRSmith.org/blog  & my LinkedIn Pages & Facebook Pages: PR Smith Marketing will give an insight into how I believe in edutainment. A style trying to be interesting, provocative and occasionally entertaining whilst delivering serious messages.

What can we expect from your talk at GatorCon this year?

PR Smith: A 45-minute explosion of logic & creativity carefully harnessed into the SOSTAC® Planning framework. I’ll also explain where Marketing Automation fits into a SOSTAC® Marketing Plan.  If delegates do everything I talk about, they will be well on their way to being world-class marketers.

You can see PR Smith talk about where Digital Marketing Automation is heading in 2019, as well as how it all ties into his SOSTAC® Planning framework on day one of GatorCon2018. Thursday 22nd November, 10am sharp. This really is one you won’t want to miss. If you’re not already, book on to attend here.