[BIP-XXX] Fund Guac & Doc Marketing: January - June 2025

PR with Payload

Service Provider Name: Guac & Doc Marketing

Leader(s): lazyguac, DocMuscle

Pledge to abide by [BIP-702] Balancer DAO Service Provider & Grantee Standards: Yes

Introduction and Domains of Operation:

The decision to switch marketing service providers at this critical juncture—immediately following the v3 launch—carries significant implications. However, it’s also an opportunity to redefine Balancer’s marketing strategy and address gaps in the current approach. Our proposal expands the scope of marketing while reducing costs, ensuring continuity and progress during this pivotal moment.

As contributors at Aura, Doc and I bring a deep understanding of the Balancer ecosystem and its unique challenges. We aim to ensure that Balancer not only meets its immediate needs but is strategically positioned for long-term growth as the industry expands.

General Marketing Strategy

We believe the majority of Balancer’s marketing efforts should focus on lead generation, widening and refining the funnel for the Business Development (BD) team. This approach aims to increase the number of assets traded on Balancer, fostering sustainable, long-term growth for the protocol.

Having said that, Balancer is a multi-faceted protocol and we’ll still need to support developers and LPs. Our roles at Aura will enable the protocols to operate more synergistically in reaching LPs, and we’ll make the benefits of building on Balancer exceptionally clear to devs.

Priorities & Success Metrics:

This section outlines what we believe should be the current priorities rather than a definitive 6-month plan. These priorities are not set in stone; we’re open to feedback and expect them to evolve. We’ll share updates on what we’re working on each month and the rationale behind those decisions.

Smooth Transition

With the v3 launch ongoing, ensuring a smooth transition is our top priority. Over the past year, we’ve met nearly every week with the current service providers, gaining a deep understanding of the Balancer ecosystem and its marketing methodology. Although there will be shifts in content style and strategy, we anticipate achieving similar, if not better, metrics with comparable or greater output.

We’re ready to hit the ground running on day one.

Media Catch-Up

It’s important for us to broaden our reach so that those outside the Balancer community understand the significance of v3. Our approach will focus on earning media coverage and strategically using our discretionary funds for impactful placements.

The current service provider received $60k in funding through BIP-738 on December 1st to support the v3 launch, part of which was allocated to a PR agency. While we hope to collaborate, our goal is to secure at least four additional media appearances.

Expand Beyond X and DeFi-natives

The current marketing strategy for Balancer primarily relies on X, supplemented by occasional articles. While we will maintain a consistent presence on X, our goal is to reduce reliance on a single platform and connect with audiences beyond the existing DeFi-native community. This will become increasingly important as Balancer’s user base becomes more institutional.

We’ll start by publishing more content in a newsletter format and explore additional distribution channels.

Attracting Developers to Build on Balancer

Balancer’s success is intricately linked to the success of protocols that build on top of it. Therefore, we must devise a strategy to effectively onboard new developers. We’re still exploring the best approach for this and need further discussions to understand the available opportunities better.

Onboarding Partners

There’s an opportunity to refine the onboarding flow for businesses interested in deploying assets on Balancer. Enhancing this process could significantly boost conversion rates and strengthen our infrastructure to support increased demand.

One potential solution is the creation of an onboarding dashboard. This tool would centralize important information and resources—such as gauge status, calculators, and other tools—delivering them at the right time to simplify the onboarding experience.

Length of Engagement & Budget:

This proposal is for six months with $18.5k/mo USDC funding.*

Contributor Salaries: $13.5k/mo

Discretionary Capital: $5k/mo

Each month, we will allocate $5k as discretionary capital. This fund is designated for variable expenses that may arise, such as:

  • Contractor Fees: Payments for services including design, video production, development, etc.
  • Software Subscriptions: Costs associated with essential software tools.
  • Media Appearances: This will likely be where most discretionary capital goes in the early months.
  • Misc.

We’ll submit detailed spending reports monthly per BIP-742. The DAO can claw back unused funds at the end of the service term.

ETH address to receive funds: 0x59e6749Dc4FF4375B30316cD0d34B15BEFc6c652

*Due to the delayed funding vote, marketing services would begin around January 15th and run until June 30th, 2025. The first month’s funding will be pro-rated to reflect the starting date.

ETH Address to Receive Funds: 0x59e6749Dc4FF4375B30316cD0d34B15BEFc6c652

Team

lazyguac

I’ve been deeply involved in DeFi since 2021, including launching a crypto content aggregator as a side project. My digital marketing expertise comes from founding, operating, and selling a media company in the language learning niche. I handled all aspects of the business, including building funnels and automations, hiring and leading a team, and partnering with dozens of companies to oversee advertising campaigns.

DocMuscle

I got my start in internet marketing in 1997 when I set up an eBay store for a car audio shop I was managing while I worked on my undergraduate degree. I’ve founded and exited two businesses, one a multi-location car wash chain and the other a successful Amazon fulfillment store. As the founder, I was intimately involved in every aspect of running the businesses from hiring and accounting to marketing and product procurement/sales. I’ve been in crypto as a trader and investor since 2019, and was fully engulfed by DeFi summer in 2020. I’ve worked as an ambassador, or as a team contributor in marketing for a variety of DeFi protocols since 2021.

Conclusion

We believe this proposal positions Balancer for success during this pivotal moment following the v3 launch. By prioritizing BD lead generation, we’ll drive meaningful, long-term growth for the protocol. With our deep understanding of Balancer’s ecosystem and its challenges, we’re ready to hit the ground running and deliver tangible results.

We look forward to collaborating with the DAO and community to build on Balancer’s strengths and shape its future. Thank you for considering our proposal.

Hey folks, a needed adjustment here, the Balancer DAO Service Provider & Grantee Standards was updated on [BIP-702]. Sorry it wasn’t on the template.

There’s a non-zero chance that none of the marketing proposals reach the 1M upvote threshold, given there are competing proposals for the same service. In this case, the Foundation would work on transitioning the marketing account back to itself (including social media, ongoing contracts and official comms) until the community can reassess the path forward.

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Hello! Can you guys provide some work samples for those unfamiliar with your work?

Yes, of course. Apologies for the foresight. We’ve managed the Aura X account since around March/April of 2024.

A few recent posts:
GYD Video Clip
V3 Launch
E-CLP Video Clip
Balancer Revenue, auraBAL APY
vlAURA Expanded Utitlity

Thanks for the new version and extra details. We agree and will make any necessary adjustments to the proposal in the morning.

We’ve decided to withdraw our proposal based on conversations with the Balancer Foundation and others. We aim to ensure all teams are aligned with a new marketing effort.

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