• Forum has been upgraded, all links, images, etc are as they were. Please see Official Announcements for more information

Proposal: Alt Thirty Six + Dash Sponsorships 2018

ThirtySix

Active member
We posted our pre-proposal on March 20th and based on the feedback we have decided submit the proposal requesting payments over two months vs. one.

Manual voting (DashCore - Tools - Debugconsole):
gobject vote-many 28fdc490aca8bdf5148dd5d61b2288f12d226559077834eb0e29fad59dfef595 funding yes

Here is the link to our pre-proposal discussion:
https://www.dash.org/forum/threads/pre-proposal-alt-thirty-six-dash-sponsorships-2018.32146/

Here is the post to our official proposal on dash central:
https://www.dashcentral.org/p/AltThirtySix_DashSponsorships2018

Official proposal content:

Based off the responses received in the pre-proposal, we have decided to submit the 2018 Alt Thirty Six + Dash Co-branded Sponsorship Proposal.

With respect to community feedback, we have revised the funding schedule to payout over two months and will cover any immediate costs up front.


The revised proposal is as follows:

Please select dropbox file link to view formatted version of proposal and hyperlinks: click here!

1. Executive Summary
This business case outlines how the Dash + Alt Thirty Six co-branded marketing proposal will address current business concerns, the benefits of implementing the strategy, recommendations for implementation, and overall justification of the proposal. The business case also discusses detailed goals, performance measures, assumptions, and constraints.

1.1 Background/Problem
Given the current political, social, and economic climate, facilitating the adoption of Dash via the Alt Thirty Six platform faces several unique challenges. As we begin our initial go-to-market strategy in the cannabis industry, it is extremely important for Dash and Alt Thirty Six to maintain a strong and unified presence that is integrated into each and every one of our various marketing efforts. This is important now more than ever as several blockchain based payment solutions have popped up overnight claiming to solve the cannabis industry’s cash crisis, but very rarely have a reliable infrastructure capable of doing so.

Understandably, many within the cannabis space are now weary of entertaining new blockchain based payment solutions as it can be difficult to differentiate the good from the bad. Unlike its competition, however, Alt Thirty Six does not face the same limitations based on a platform supported by a large network with proven transactional capability. Although we know this to be true, the concern arises that without a strong push to showcase the Dash + Alt Thirty Six co-branded partnership, the platform’s true potential to be adopted and solve the cannabis industry’s cash problem may never be realized.

1.2 Anticipated Outcomes
Showcasing the Dash + Alt Thirty Six partnership through a series of strategic marketing efforts will empower both organizations to be seen as serious contenders within their respective spaces: cannabis and digital currency. Given the exclusive nature of Alt Thirty Six’s partnership with Dash, we believe mutual brand awareness will be key to the overall adoption and success of the currency. Through a unified effort, we aim not only to facilitate the adoption of the currency, but increase the rate exponentially by strategically promoting both the vehicle (Alt Thirty Six) and medium (Dash) as one single-entity in a $20+ billion cash-intensive industry.

1.3 Recommendation

In order to achieve the desired results, various alternatives were analyzed to determine the best co-branded marketing strategy. The approach described herein will not only allow Alt Thirty Six to leverage many of its current assets, but do so in a manner that promotes Dash as the top transactional cryptocurrency. If approved, the recommended marketing proposal will be methodically deployed to optimize exposure across several platforms. The proposed marketing initiative is as follows:
  • Maintain a strong Dash + Alt Thirty Six presence via continued sponsorship of the largest, most reputable cannabis conferences throughout 2018
  • Become supporting members of all the leading national and local cannabis industry associations under the co-branded Alt Thirty Six + Dash name
    • National Cannabis Industry Association
    • California Cannabis Industry Association
    • Canada Cannabis Association
    • Women Grow;
  • Maintain a strong local presence within the AZ cannabis community through continued sponsorship of MITA and SWCC events.
1.4 Justification
Implementing each of the suggested recommendations we can ensure the Alt Thirty Six payment platform powered by Dash will gain the traction and competitive advantage needed to become the primary payment solution for the cannabis industry. This co-branded marketing proposal also aligns with the Dash mission, vision, and DAO fundamentals. It will be used to promote economic freedom in an unbanked industry constantly under threat from administrative regulation; AND it will highlight Dash as the only viable transactional cryptocurrency with the backing, governance, and speed capable of handling cannabis payments. When comparing this to the alternative, maintaining the status quo, we are faced with a very real risk that neither Alt Thirty Six nor Dash will be able to differentiate itself amidst an ever-growing body of competition. As new blockchain based payment solutions pop up overnight, with unfathomable marketing budgets funded by their ICOs, a failure to act (and soon) would result in an inevitable loss of market share. Conversely, with the full faith and backing of Dash, we are confident we would capture most, if not all, of North American market awareness by end of Q4 2018.

2. The Breakdown
The following proposal and associated costs will be best defined by breaking down the above recommendations in two distinct parts. The first part of this proposal will outline the costs of attending and sponsoring some of the largest industry conferences throughout 2018. The second part of the proposal will summarize the 2018 membership costs associated with joining several of the most reputable trade associations within the cannabis industry.
2.1 Cannabis Conference Sponsorship
Hyperlinks in dropbox link:click here!

Events
GardaWorld Banking 2018 Forum; # Attendees 500, Travel $ 2,800, Sponsor $ 0Miami, Fl 4/12-13

4th Semi Annual Crypto Cannabis Conference; # Attendees 500, Travel $ 2,480, Sponsor $420Denver, CO 4/23

MJ Biz Con Next; # Attendees 15000, Travel $ 3,500, Sponsor $ 40,000New Orleans, LA 5/9-11

California Cannabis Awards; # Attendees 3,000, Travel $ 1,500, Sponsor $ 5,000Los Angeles, CA 5/18

South East Cannabis Conference; # Attendees 7,000, Travel $ 3,280, Sponsor $ 15,000Miami, Fl 6/8 -9

NCIA 5th Annual Cannabis Business Summit and Expo; # Attendees 6,000, Travel $ 2,640, Sponsor $ 20,000San Jose, CA 7/27-28

MJ Biz Con INTL; # Attendees 17,000, Travel $ 3,280, Sponsor $ 40,000Toronto, ON 8/14-16

Southwest Cannabis Conference; # Attendees 3,000, Travel $ 0, Sponsor $ 20,000Phoenix, AZ 10/3-4

SWCC Dash /Alt36 Private Event; # Attendees 300, Travel $ 0, Sponsor $ 50,000Phoenix, AZ 10/4

New West Summit; # Attendees 1,000, Travel $ 2,460, Sponsor $ 7,500Oakland, CA 10/11-13

5th Semi Annual Crypto Cannabis Conference; # Attendees 500, Travel $ 2,480, Sponsor $ 420Denver, CO 10/20

CannMed 2018; # Attendees 1,500, Travel $ 2,480, Sponsor $ 20,000Los Angelos, CA (UCLA) 10/22-24

NCIA CA Business Conference; # Attendees 3,000, Travel $ 2,480, Sponsor $ 20,000Anahiem, CA 10/22-23

MJ Biz Con; # Attendees 25,000, Travel $ 3,120, Sponsor $ 75,000Las Vegas, NV 11/14-17

TOTAL # Attendees 83,300, Travel $ 32,180, Sponsor $ 313,340

2.2 Conference & Sponsorship Selection
Although there are several cannabis conferences held throughout the year, only a handful were determined to have positive benefit to cost ratios when it comes to event sponsorship and attendance. After careful analysis, the conferences listed above were deemed to have the highest potential return for both Dash and Alt Thirty Six based on several weighted factors. These factors and their associated weights are as follows:
  • Overall Attendance = 20%
  • Overall Reputation = 25%
  • Geographical location = 10%
  • Partnership Opportunities = 30%
  • Organizational Alignment = 15%
2.3 Travel Cost Breakdown
The total travel cost for each event was based on the average Expedia price for airfare and accommodations for four at the time of this writing (3/09/18). Alt Thirty Six reps will share two rooms to reduce this cost. In addition, a food budget was calculated per the GSA.gov travel standards at the median rate of $60/rep/day.
Pre-proposal Continued in post below...

The remainder of the proposal content in below post.....
 
2.4 Cannabis Trade Associations
Similarly, there were a large number of cannabis trade associations to choose from for potential 2018 membership. Yet again, after an extensive amount of research only the largest, most credible, and applicable were selected for further review. Premium membership to these associations includes, but is not limited to: Board membership and voting rights, exclusive networking opportunities, and private conference sponsorship opportunities. A list of these associations, a brief synopsis of their mission, and sponsoring membership dues are as follows:

ASSOCIATIONS

National Cannabis Industry Association$5,000
To promote the growth of a responsible and legitimate cannabis industry and work for a favorable social, economic, and legal environment for that industry in the United States.

Marijuana Industry Trade Association (MITA)$8,000
We are Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Educators, and Advocates united to build a strong and sustainable future for the cannabis industry in Arizona. Our work focuses on helping Arizona businesses stay informed, network, and thrive.

California Cannabis Industry Association$10,000
CCIA was formed to unite the cannabis industry in California and to allow it to speak with one voice at the state and local levels. We strive to educate and act as a resource to lawmakers regarding all areas of the cannabis industry. We are also dedicated to addressing issues related to driving under the influence, unlawful diversion to minors, and substance abuse.

Cannabis Canada Association$4,000
Our mission is to promote national standards and best practices by supporting the development, growth and integrity of the medical cannabis industry. We will act as a national voice for our members, and serve as a credible and trusted resource on issues related to medical cannabis industry.

Women Grow$5,000
Women Grow connects, educates, and empowers diverse leaders in all segments of the cannabis industry. Together, we’ll start over 1,000 women-owned businesses in the marijuana industry. Founded in 2014, Women Grow is now the largest national network of cannabis professionals with Monthly Events for women & men in 45 cities across the US & Canada.

TOTAL $32,000

3. Assumptions, Goals, & Constraints
In order to ensure the success of the marketing strategy, it is extremely important to identify the assumptions, goals, and constraints of the proposal. By doing so will allow us to create a realistic plan of execution that can be implemented immediately upon approval. Furthermore, through elaboration of each variable we can proactively plan for any contingencies which will increase agility/reactivity in a rapidly evolving environment.

3.1 Assumptions
As with any new project, the basis of goal realization is built on the foundation of a few critical underlying assumptions. To maintain a strong and transparent relationship with the project stakeholders it is imperative that these be voiced prior to project approval. Therefore, the main underlying assumptions we anticipate executing under are as follows:
  1. Regulatory Environment:
    1. Continues to favor the acceptance of both cryptocurrency and cannabis
  2. Pooled Resources:
    1. Dash Core and Alt Thirty Six will continue to benefit from combined resources
  3. Community Support:
    1. Alt Thirty Six continues to receive broad support from Dash Community
3.2 Goals
Ultimately, as with any marketing campaign, the end goal is market penetration and consumer adoption. However, this can be difficult to achieve without breaking down the fundamental steps along the way. Therefore, based on the underlying assumptions, a detailed list of SMART goals can be extracted that will be used to guide us along the path to increased market penetration. These goals are as follows:
  1. Increase Brand Awareness
    • Increase organic leads by 20% per quarter starting in Q2 of 2018;
    • Measured quarterly through direct website traffic analytics provided via Hubspot CRM;
    • Accomplished through event sponsorship showcasing Dash + Alt Thirty Six as the premier payment solution to over 83,000 entrepreneurs and business leaders.
  2. Grow Channel Partnerships
    • Grow number of channel partnerships by a minimum of 15% per quarter starting in Q2 of 2018;
    • Measured by calculating quarterly increase in integration/channel partners tracked via Hubspot CRM;
    • Accomplished through access to exclusive B2B networking opportunities gained through premium association membership, and sponsorship of top tier industry conferences.
  3. Become Trusted Authority
    • Increase perceived trust in the Dash + Alt Thirty Six payment solution by 200% year end 2018;
    • Measured by quantifying and comparing results from initial industry feedback survey (Q1) with Q4 2018 industry feedback survey;
    • Accomplished through increasing industry influence by actively participating in speaking engagements, board discussions, and tactfully exercising trade association voting rights.
3.3 Constraints
In addition to breaking down proposal goals and understanding assumptions, it is equally important to identify any constraints that could potentially impact project performance. The following list of the constraints which apply to the Dash + Alt Thirty Six marketing proposal will be used to define a risk management strategy that optimizes the probability of success. The known project constraints are as follows:

  • There are a limited number of sponsorship packages available;
    • In most cases must be reserved & paid for far in advance
  • There are a limited amount of membership spots available;
    • First come; first served
    • Contingent upon application approval and payment
  • There are a limited amount of Alt Thirty Six resources;
    • Only four dedicated team members
    • Educational materials + promotional materials not included in proposal
  • Sponsorship of some events are contingent on association membership;
  • Maintaining integrity of integral partnerships is contingent on event sponsorship.
4. Proposal Summary
If approved and executed according to this proposal, we intend to put the Dash + Alt Thirty Six co-branded name in front of every major player within the North American Cannabis Industry by year end 2018. Conference sponsorship alone will showcase us to over 83,000 attendees, but the real value is derived from exploiting the various marketing channels and networking opportunities exclusively offered to conference sponsors and trade association members. The total cost breakdown of the proposal is as follows:

CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP + TRAVEL $345,520
ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP $32,000
USD TOTAL $377,520
DASH MARKET RATE $410.32 (calculated via coinmarketcap on 3/22/18 at 5:19pm)
DASH EQUIVALENT 920.06
DASH PROPOSAL FEE 5
DASH TOTAL 925.06

Requested payout schedule;
To be funded in April, 462.53, To be funded in May, 462.53

Team
Ken Ramirez, CoFounder + CEO
Lauren Murphy, CoFounder + President
Don Schroeder, Chief Architect
Alex Glueckler, Chief Financial Officer
Ognjen Ikovic, Sr. Engineer
Phyo Kyaw, Jr. Engineer
Shelly Du, Market Research Analyst
Fan Wu, Senior Accountant
Josh Long, Account Executive
Richard Thorne, Project Manager
Lexi Gallagher, Executive Assistant
Board Advisors
Nitin Gaur, Director, IBM Blockchain Labs
Jeff White, Head of U.S. Acquiring, MasterCard Worldwide
Dragan Boscovic Ph.D., Director of CASCADE, Arizona State University
Jared Bodnar, VP of Marketing, Attendify
Joseph Ciccolo, Founder + President, BitAML
Cory Skaaren, Principal + Creative Director, Skaaren Design
Daniel Berg, Regulatory Policy Analyst and Strategic Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office
Rick Oglesby, President, AZ Payment Group
Brandon Willey, CEO, FetchRev​
 
Back
Top