Proposal: K9 Booth at Futurist Conference, Eth Miami

Synopsis: This proposal requests authorization for the K9 Finance Marketing Sub-DAO to use up to $7,500 USDT from its existing operational budget to sponsor an informational booth at the ETH Miami 2025 conference. The goal is to increase K9 Finance’s brand visibility, attract new users to Bonecrusher, and cultivate potential partnerships within the broader DeFi and Ethereum communities through direct engagement and promotion.


Proposal: K9 Finance Sponsorship of a Booth at ETH Miami 2025

(1) Introduction and Objective

This proposal recommends that K9 Finance DAO, through the Marketing Sub-DAO, allocate funds to sponsor an informational booth at the Futurist Conference: ETH Miami 2025. Highlighting the strategic benefit of a physical presence at a major Ethereum conference, the primary objectives are to increase brand exposure within the broader DeFi and Ethereum communities, attract new BONE stakers and Bonecrusher users, and foster potential partnerships and collaborations. This initiative aligns directly with K9 Finance DAO’s goal of driving ecosystem growth and user adoption on Shibarium and beyond.

(2) Benefits to K9 Finance Community

• Enhanced Brand Visibility: Presence at a major Ethereum conference significantly increases K9 Finance’s visibility among key target audiences.
• Direct User Acquisition: Face-to-face engagement provides opportunities to educate potential users about Bonecrusher and the benefits of liquid staking with K9, potentially converting them into active participants.
• Partnership & Collaboration: Networking at this event can lead to valuable connections with other projects, developers, and potential investors, fostering cross-chain collaboration opportunities.
• Ecosystem Leadership: Demonstrates K9 Finance’s commitment to the Shibarium ecosystem and the broader DeFi space, reinforcing our position as a key infrastructure provider.
• Community Representation: Allows dedicated DAO members and team representatives to directly engage with the wider crypto community, strengthening our presence.
• Consistent Marketing: Maintains momentum and consistency, building brand recognition over time.

(3) Proposal Details

(a) WHAT:
Sponsor a small informational booth at ETH Miami 2025. The booth will feature:
• K9 Finance branding (banner, potentially tablecloths).
• Informational pamphlets detailing K9 Finance, Bonecrusher liquid staking, KNINE token utility, and the benefits for Shibarium.
• A secured iPad with WiFi access for live demonstrations of the Bonecrusher dApp.

(b) WHO:
• Execution Lead: K9 Marketing Sub-DAO will be responsible for the planning, budget management, logistics, and execution of the sponsorship.
• Booth Staff: Representatives from the K9 Mod team and/or Marketing Sub-DAO members. Community volunteers may supplement staffing if available and vetted.
• Target Audience: DeFi users, potential BONE stakers, investors, developers, and potential ecosystem partners attending the conference.
• Beneficiaries: The K9 Finance DAO community through increased platform usage, potential partnerships, and enhanced brand reputation.

(c) WHERE:
• The conference floor of Futurist Conference, ETH Miami 2025.
• Promotion will also occur on K9 Finance official social media channels (X, Telegram, etc.) before, during, and after the event.

(d) WHEN:
• Approval: To be included in the next feasible Roundtable of Dogs review cycle and subsequent Snapshot vote to allow sufficient planning time.
• Execution: During the official dates of ETH Miami 2025.
• Reporting: The Marketing Sub-DAO will provide a post-event summary report (including metrics, leads, and budget reconciliation) to the community via the forum within 30 days after the conference.

(e) HOW:
• Funding: Request authorization for the Marketing Sub-DAO to allocate up to $7,500 USDT from their existing operational budget for this sponsorship. This breaks down approximately as:
• ~$5,000 for the booth fees and materials (pamphlets, banner).
• ~$2,500 for travel and accommodation expenses for two K9 representatives for the conference.
• Logistics: The Marketing Sub-DAO will manage booth registration, vendor coordination, design and printing of materials, equipment rental/setup (iPad, WiFi), travel bookings, and staffing schedules.
• Engagement: Booth staff will proactively engage attendees, answer questions, provide Bonecrusher demos, and collect contact information for potential leads (partners, investors).

(4) Impact Assessment

• Short-Term Impacts:
• Increased brand awareness and visibility within the Ethereum/DeFi community during the conference period.
• Direct engagement leading to potential immediate sign-ups or follow-up interest.
• Heightened social media activity and mentions related to K9 Finance’s presence at the event.
• Long-Term Impacts:
• Measurable growth in new Bonecrusher users and overall TVL potentially attributed to conference outreach over the following months.
• Formation of strategic partnerships initiated at the event.
• Solidified reputation of K9 Finance as an active and engaged project within the DeFi landscape.
• Risks and Mitigation:
• Risk: Booth location or low conference traffic limits engagement.
• Mitigation: Marketing Sub-DAO to secure booth location early if possible; employ proactive engagement tactics rather than passive presence; utilize social media heavily to draw attendees to the booth.
• Risk: High cost-per-acquisition if immediate user conversion is low.
• Mitigation: Focus on the long-term value of brand building and partnership leads, not just immediate sign-ups. Track leads and measure long-term conversion. Ensure cost-effective travel and material choices.
• Metrics for Success:
• Number of meaningful interactions or leads collected at the booth.
• Specific increase in Bonecrusher unique users or TVL within a defined period post-conference.
• Growth in social media mentions and engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments) during and immediately after the event.
• Number of follow-up conversations initiated with potential partners or investors met at the conference.
• Analysis of cost-per-lead or estimated cost-per-acquisition based on trackable outcomes.

7 Likes

I fully support this thought out proposal! Let’s put some of those sub-DAO funds to work baby! With so much traffic at these events, I see this as a win for the K9 Finance DAO as a whole.

4 Likes

I volunteer as tribute!

4 Likes

I fully support this as I was just talking about this yesterday. I think we need to also include a smaller budget for K9 stickers.

1 Like

Great proposal, visibility is key to keep on growing!

1 Like

100 percent in favour of this proposal very well written and thought out

1 Like

What is a tribute? It made me type 20 characters LOL

1 Like

While I think it’s a great proposal and I totally support the idea - since the funding comes from existing Marketing Sub-DAO budget - it doesn’t require Roundtable or main DAO approval.

It is within Marketing Sub-DAO rights to execute such campaigns if they deem it to provide the bang for their budget’s buck.

It would be nice to hear the opinion of the Marketing Sub-DAO on the proposal though as well.

1 Like

Support this & agree that its approval could fall under the Sub DAO. I think this budget is prudent, but what I’ve learned with conferences is lower cost the better for ROI. It’s hard to actually convert someone seeing a booth to becoming a user, but it’s a great way to engage the community and do brand building both digitally and in person.

From the last ETH Toronto K9 got the most “value” in my eyes out of the content that was taken at the conference and planning out an announcement to make on stage to have a “reason” for the excitement of being there. There is a longer lasting impact on social than the 2 days of the event.

I’d encourage campaign building for the event if approved and to have a “call-to-action” at the booth. Even something as simple as a QR code to collect Telegram handles to be able to contact people after and give them $5 worth of KNINE to bring them into the community and help them use the product for the first time. Too may times I’ve seen people come to a booth, learn about the project, then forget about it and there’s no way to ever contact them again and build ROI for the DAO.

In regards to swag, stickers, etc. I’d spend low on this personally as the costs can go out of whack. Perhaps special items for K9 whales who want to attend or for people who join our Telegram. Swag hunters will steal all the merch if just giving it out for free and it can be costly

Ultimately the sub DAO’s call but these are just my general recommendations if this is approved

5 Likes

I completely agree. I’d like to keep swag if any cheap. Maybe stickers and magnets, or just stickers. I also agree maybe some special SWAG for any whales who show up (include a shirt they can wear perhaps)

1 Like

I would be all for see a k9 booth in Miami. Great idea.

1 Like

Approve this this I am ( if I can join :sweat_smile: )

1 Like

Yes! Definitely support and encourage more face-to-face networking. Increasing visibility during in-person events can significantly contribute to the growth of K9, which, in turn, supports the broader ecosystem, particularly Shibarium.

A concern, as mentioned, is ensuring active participation rather than passive attendance. It is common for attendees to share contact information (such as phone numbers or emails) without responding to follow-ups—something I have experienced firsthand.

Would recommend keeping costs as low as possible, given the uncertainty of the event’s outcome. The initial target could to secure 1-5 sign-ups. Although modest, this goal is realistic.

Implementing a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goal may also help drive participation. By focusing on a clear metric, we can better evaluate the event’s success—for example, asking, “Did we achieve the SMART goal we set?”

Overall, this is an excellent idea!

Seizan would be GREAT to have there… I’m just saying.