Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

3 Secrets to not letting social media get overwhelming

Social media can get overwhelming for the best of us. From building a strategy to creating content, daily engagement, keeping up with trends, and everything in between, there is a lot to manage.

While some brands have a full team of social media experts and content creators to keep the wheels turning, a lot of small businesses and solo entrepreneurs struggle to find the time to build and execute a successful social media strategy. And sometimes even figuring out what a successful strategy might look like can be challenging if you don’t quite understand all the ins and outs of social media.

It can be easy to just give up when social media gets overwhelming. However, here are three things you can do to help ease that overwhelming feeling and get your social media strategy on the right track for your business.

#1: Only do what you can handle

I have said it before, and I will say it again a thousand times over… You don’t need to be on every social media platform. You don’t have to start up on a new platform just because it’s new… You can have a successful social media strategy with just ONE social media platform. You can only do what you have time to do, and it is better to pick ONE social media platform and be great at it than be on five social media platforms and be mediocre at all of them.

The best thing to do in this case is figure out where your audience hangs out and create a prioritized list of those platforms with the most important at the top and the least at the bottom. Figure out what your time and financial budgets are and then start cutting from the bottom up. You should make sure you are keeping the highest priority things on your list and cut out the things that are lower priority. That way you can get the best return on your social media efforts. (You could even do this for your whole marketing strategy!)

#2: Schedule your social media time

When it comes to social media and community engagement, it can be easy to get sucked in. Before you know it, you’ve been scrolling through social media for hours without a purpose and you haven’t gotten to the million other things you have to get done for the day. The response to this is usually any mix of panic, guilt, feeling like you have accomplished nothing, and a vow to never have this happen again. Most people either keep doing the same thing or just avoid engagement altogether. On the one hand it keeps eating into your day and you feel like you never have enough time to get things done and on the other hand you are not using social media to be social (as it was intended!). Both outcomes can be incredibly frustrating.

I suggest building your social media time into your schedule. If you are batch creating content, do it the same time each week. For engagement, build it into your morning routine. I find that mornings are a great time to get this kind of thing done because sometimes the day can get away from you and you might forget. The other thing is that you don’t need to do hours of engagement every day. Schedule 15 or 20 minutes and scroll through social media with a purpose. When that time is done, then close it down. If you can spare more time than that, then do it. But the point is that you don’t need to be on there hours a day – unless you have that kind of time!

Note: you should make sure you are at least checking once or twice every day to respond to new comments and messages!

#3: Hire an expert when you need it

There is no shame in asking for help. Most of us have our strengths and it’s very hard to not have weaknesses. You either need to educate yourself (and I am talking about more than watching a 10-minute video) or you need to find someone who can fill that skills gap for you. While some people are great at figuring things out on their own, you also need to consider how long it will take to learn things yourself and how much it might cost you.

If you are having some trouble and are at the point where you are making this decision, it’s best to do a cost-benefit analysis to help you make the decision. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to try to do it all on your own!

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Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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4 reasons not to give up on your digital marketing just yet

Now that everything is opening up, business is going to look VERY different than it has in the past year and a half. During the pandemic, digital marketing strategies were a lifeline for so many businesses. So what happens now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Don’t give up on the digital strategies that you built!

Here are four reasons why you should maintain the digital footprint that you created at the beginning of the pandemic. It’s not time to give up your digital marketing just yet.

#1: Your customers won’t all have the same comfort level

While patios are packed and long line ups are still forming at certain stores (Homesense, we’re looking at you), not everyone is as eager to rub elbows with strangers. The pandemic might be physical, it also affected people psychologically. And there are people who are more comfortable getting “back to normal” at a slower pace than others. Those tactics you put in place like online ordering, curbside pickup, optional shipping, etc. are still things that some of your customers will want to take advantage of – and they are still very much active online.

#2: You invested time into building it

Starting anything new can be daunting. If you have spent the past year and a half driving online engagement and creating great content to build awareness, why give all of that up? Sure, it’s a bit of extra work, but why not create more efficiencies instead of throwing it all away? For example, how many times have you checked out a brand’s social media only to find they haven’t posted in a year… Don’t be that brand.

#3: Digital strategies can be cheaper to execute

With so many businesses cutting back costs, marketing budgets are still getting smaller and smaller as the reality of opening sinks in for many. Let’s be honest… A well-executed digital event will likely cost you much less than a well-executed in-person event. You will be able to cut back on venue costs, food costs, etc. However, there are certain ways for you to keep costs down, go digital with your events, and still get people out and exploring. You just have to get creative with your approach!

#4: You don’t want to be caught off-guard again

If there is one thing we have all learned in the past year and a half it’s that anything can – and will – happen. As a business owner, you need to try to anticipate what could happen and put supports in place to ensure that risks won’t affect you or, if it does, it will have minimal impact on your business.  No one (unless you are a disease specialist) could have seen something like this coming. And even if you did see something like the pandemic coming, it would have been hard to know in advance how much it would have affected businesses. In Ontario, there were businesses that were closed to in-person sales for the better part of a year. For many, introducing a digital aspect to their operations meant staying open rather than shutting down. Because there is so much uncertainty regarding what could happen right now, it is better to mitigate your risk.

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Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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6 ways to come up with unique marketing ideas

Marketing has been a “thing” for a long time. The big question is how do you keep everything fresh? How do you keep coming up with those million-dollar ideas? (Or at least hundred- or thousand-dollar ideas that will get you to where you want to go. And it’s not just coming up with marketing ideas, it’s coming up with unique marketing ideas to showcase your brand in the best possible way.

If I am being honest, you can make ANY marketing idea unique by adding in a little bit of flare and brand personality to it. But if you are really stuck, here are 6 ways you can come up with some unique marketing ideas. Use these methods as the foundation and build from there!

Create a challenge

EVERYONE wants to go viral. Period. However, there is no magic formula to make that happen. What you can do is try to create content that will entertain and encourage your audience to interact with your brand. A great way to encourage interaction is to create a social media challenge. It seems like there is a new challenge popping up on various social media platforms every day. Why not create one for your brand?

It’s rarely obvious where challenges originate, but you can make it a bit more brand specific and include your product or service at the core of the challenge. Doing this will mean that your branding will be the focal point of any consumer videos or images to come. One of the most memorable challenges like this is the #VogueChallenge where creators posted their own mock-up magazine covers. Also consider the #InMyDenim challenge that Guess did for inspiration.

Not everyone has a ton of money to throw into ads to boost visibility, but remember that even if you have 20 people participate and half of them buy from you because of it, then it can still be successful!

Build exclusivity with a limited access offer

Exclusivity will often foster a feeling of FOMO (Fear of missing out) in people. If you are nearing the launch of your business, consider doing a limited launch where only a certain number of people have access to your product or service. (Hello, Clubhouse, we’re looking at you…)

Another way to create exclusivity even if you are past the launch phase is to create VIP access for your most loyal customers or those that have signed up. VIP access could include things like early access to a new product launch or access to premium level services free of charge for a certain period of time.

Share your expertise

I am a big fan of doing thought leadership in a strategic way. I don’t think that every business owner is cut out for a place in the media spotlight, nor is every business a great fit for something like that. However, there are so many things you can do to build a thought leadership strategy to establish your footing as a go-to, trusted expert in your industry. What really matters is when customers trust you enough to buy from YOU and not your competitors. Your thought leadership strategy could include things like blogging, social media, speaking engagements, media relations, and guest posts. The goal is to share so much information that you are bordering on uncomfortable. Chances are if someone wants to go the DIY route, you likely won’t change their mind right away. And someone who wants to hire you will know that you know your stuff if you share what you know.

Riff off other campaigns

Taking an idea that you already know works and making it bigger, better, or just adding a little more personality is a great way to recycle old ideas. There are a few different ways you can do this:

  • Your own ideas: Refresh your old ideas with new content or even a different approach.
  • Competitor ideas: Make them your own by adding your brand personality into the mix and speaking directly to your customers. It’s not about copying an idea it’s about taking the framework and making it uniquely you.
  • Other industry ideas: Adapt an idea from a completely different industry to your product or service.

Have a little bit of fun

OK, this one isn’t really a tactic, but more of a nudge to showcase your personality a bit and have fun with your marketing. When you think about it, viral marketing content most often goes viral when it is entertaining and a little bit out of the box. Where your marketing will truly shine is when you can step into your own brand character and connect with your audience when you are being uniquely you. So be silly, show those funny behind the scenes team conversations, and share your celebrations.

Find a mentor

Again, not really a strategy, but finding a mentor is definitely helpful when you are looking to build up a strong marketing strategy. I have been lucky to be both a mentee and a mentor at various points in my career so far. Having someone you can bounce ideas off of is priceless. Find someone who just “gets you” and your business. They will ask you the questions you need to be asked and help you fill in the blanks where you need to. In improv theatre, there is a game called “Yes, And!” where actors are not allowed to shoot an idea down. No idea is a bad idea. Every statement is always met with “Yes, and…” followed by adding something more to the idea. It is always full of excitement because it builds and builds. A great mentor relationship is like a rousing game of “Yes, and!”

Coming up with new and unique marketing ideas can be challenging, but if you approach it in the right way, you can make the process work for you. When it doubt, don’t get discouraged. You don’t need to come up with something people have never seen before, but you do need to create a marketing strategy that has your unique brand stamp on it.

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Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Top 4 things to NOT cut from your marketing budget

A couple of weeks ago I talked about how you can cut from your marketing budget without losing momentum… While it’s never good to cut out marketing completely, sometimes you just need to tighten things up until you have more money to play with. If you are considering cutting your marketing budget, as you are making decisions on what to cut out there are certain things that you really just shouldn’t cut out of the budget.

Here are four things that you should not cut from your marketing budget.

Channels that are working

This should go without saying, but if you know something is working to bring in new customers, find any way you can to keep it going. After you have done your marketing audit and prioritized your marketing tactics, it should be clear what is working and what isn’t working. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And, I should add, don’t cut it out.

I was talking to one entrepreneur who actually said to me that they know if they stop blogging the leads they are getting will stop coming in, but because it was the biggest expense below payroll they were considering stopping. When you are going through a rough patch, you want to invest in the things that will help to get you out of it. You should also not just cut for the sake of cutting.

Digital presence

If the past year has taught us anything it’s that you need to have SOME sort of online presence. While social media may not be the right thing for you, you do need to at least have something like a website to act as an information hub. You need somewhere for people to learn about you and see that you are a legitimate business. It also gives you a chance to showcase your expertise and tell your brand story in a controlled way. We all know that once it’s out there on social media, in the media, with influencers, or even with customers, you have to give up a bit of control when it comes to your brand and the messaging you have developed.

Audience engagement

Ongoing dialogue with your audience (aka customers and potential customers) is important. If they have no way to interact with you then how are they supposed to get to know you? Not only that, your interactive channels can also serve as effective customer service channels. Any marketing strategy you implement for your business should be designed to build relationships with your customers. And to do that you need to be able to have a 2-way dialogue. It’s those interactions that create intrigue and let people get to know that brand personality.

Expertise

There are a few different resources that come into play when it comes to your business. Expertise is one of them. If there is something you don’t know how to do yourself, it makes sense to hire someone to do it for you. The alternative is learning how to do it, but then you have to invest both time and money to learn – and it can take time to become an expert. In these situations, you need to weigh the cost against the benefits of each option. Where your marketing strategy is concerned, there are so many different skillsets that go into building and executing a successful strategy that it can be hard to be able to do everything. Figure out what you can handle and work with an expert to get the rest done. The right expert will help you figure out a great middle ground. It should never have to be all or nothing.

If you’re looking to have a big impact with your marketing, but you just don’t have the budget, don’t give up. You can make smart choices when cutting into the budget!

 

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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8 ways to cut down your marketing budget

It’s no secret that the marketing budget is the first thing to get cut when revenues go down. It’s ironic that marketing is the one thing that will help you build awareness and get your product or service in front of the right people to buy it. In a perfect world, you should actually be spending more money when revenues are down so you can find new ways to connect with your audience.

In reality, most businesses are working with a finite budget and you have to find ways to stretch it as far as possible. So what happens when you actually need to cut down your marketing budget?

Here are 8 things you can do to cut down your marketing budget without losing everything you have already worked hard to accomplish.

Do a Marketing audit

You should never start by making cuts. You need to start by looking at what’s working and what isn’t working. This is something you should do every year so you can start fresh, but it also helps in times where you need to figure out where to save money.

Start by writing down all of the different marketing channels you have. Once you have that list, look at the metrics associated with each channel to see how well they are performing. Take note of the customer flow – from the point they learn about your brand to the point where they click buy. Identify the things that are helping you reach your overall goals and the things that aren’t.

Ask your customers

Unless you are starting from the very beginning, chances are you have at least a few customers. Ask them what attracted them to you in the first place. Ask them what they want from a business like yours when it comes to marketing. Equally important to finding out what made them make their final decision to buy is what was holding them back (if anything).

While you are at it, why not ask them where they like to get their information and hang out online. It will give you a better picture of your audience and how to connect with them on a deeper level.

Focus on what’s trending in marketing

While it can be hard to keep up with everything that is going on in the world of marketing, try to take advantage of things where you can. For example, now that video has become “the future of content,” try building it into your strategy.  Or if a platform is favouring certain content over other types, consider adding that to your strategy where possible. Instagram Reels are a great example of this. Not only does the platform favour this type of content, if your audience is on Instagram they are likely watching Reels on a regular basis already.

Adjust your target audience niche

Make sure you are trying to reach the right people. Sometimes we can get ourselves off track thinking that we are marketing to the right audience, when in reality, there may be someone better we can connect with. This may require you to have a deeper look at your brand strategy and the buyer personas you have created. If you haven’t created those things yet… better late than never!

Create efficiencies across channels

BIG fan of this one. One of the reasons so many small businesses struggle is that the strategies that are being created are all separate pieces. If you are a solo entrepreneur or you are operating with a small team, then you will likely wear many different hats. It can be hard to stay on top of things. So, you have to work smarter, not harder with your marketing strategy. A great example of this is writing your blog content with your social media content in mind. One blog, written in the right way, can translate into multiple social media posts.

Focus on a referral or loyalty program

So nothing is ever really free, but word of mouth is pretty close to it. If you have to cut back on your marketing spend, why not get your customers who love you to spread the word? While it might cost you a discount or product for giveaways, you could also expand your customer base with your existing customers acting as brand ambassadors. Keep it simple. Don’t over-complicate it. You don’t need fancy technology to run a great referral or loyalty program!

Prioritize and then cut things

If you are, in fact, cutting things from your strategy, take everything you learned from your marketing audit and your conversations with customers and organize your list of marketing channels/tactics. Put the most effective ones at the top of the list and the least effective at the bottom. You also need to consider factors like timing. If you are looking to see faster results, then consider putting the longer-term strategies lower on the list.

Once you have your prioritized list, cut the things that are towards the bottom – or at least put them on hold (if they are long-term strategies).

Work WITH your agency

Find an agency or freelancer that understands tight budgets. There should always be a way to make it work to stretch your budget further. A great option would be to create a bit of a hybrid workflow situation where you can do some of the work and your agency can do some of it. That way you can cut back your budget, but not stop everything completely. And you still have the support of an expert team to help you get things done at a smaller budget.

If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that entrepreneurs can pivot – and we will pivot and adjust until there is nowhere to go anymore. The challenge is finding ways to work within your parameters. And that sometimes means cutting your marketing budget. So before you just blindly slash everything and burn the business you love to the ground, have a deeper look into where you should be cutting to do it with purpose.

 

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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4 reasons we need community over competition in entrepreneurship

It’s no secret that choosing to be an entrepreneur is both rewarding and stressful. As entrepreneurs we are faced with what can feel like a never-ending roller coaster in the difficult times. And it’s during those times that you need the support of like-minded individuals to lean on. “Community over competition” embodies that concept. The idea that we can all win makes the roller coaster much less daunting.

Here are five reasons you need to put community over competition when it comes to your business.

There is power in numbers

Unless you are Chuck Norris or my toddler, it can be hard to walk into a difficult or unknown situation on your own. As an entrepreneur, we are often faced with tough decisions or even times where we just can’t make a final decision. Surrounding yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs gives you the opportunity to bounce ideas off someone else or even just go to someone for sound advice.

Beyond getting through a tough situation, though, building a network of peers and collaborating with other entrepreneurs is a great opportunity to lift each other up. Even simple things like engaging with their content on social media can go a long way.

There is enough business to go around

While you may have direct competitors who offer the same services as you, chances are there are things that are different such as how you provide services, the nature of your customer relationships, your ideal customer profile, etc. And in terms of products, the same thing can be said. If something isn’t quite right for you, don’t be afraid to refer people to a competitor who would be able to offer them something perfect. It could even be that you have too much work at the moment and can’t service them because you are at capacity. Whatever the reason, creating a referral network will only benefit everyone involved. Customers will get to work with someone who is a better fit for their needs, businesses won’t be trying to change who they are to fit needs that are out of their product/service offerings, and businesses can even be more selective within the sales process so you don’t always feel like you have to say yes all the time even if it’s not right.

It’s just a better way of doing business

One of the main goals when I launched SongBird was to create an agency that put relationships over the focus on profits. We all need to make money to grow our businesses, but why would you want to do it at the expense of clients, suppliers, employees, etc.? It’s not a sustainable model to strive to blow through everyone without a care in the world. Not only that, it would be a pretty lonely existence as an entrepreneur.

Beyond business practices in action, an unhealthy competitive mindset can wreak havoc on your own mental health. It is very easy to fall into the jealousy trap rather than focus on your own growth at your own pace in your own way. You have to remember that most people only talk about the good stuff, not the stuff that is going wrong. So even if you are keeping tabs on your competitors you likely don’t have the big picture!

It’s great for personal growth

Focusing on community doesn’t mean we can’t give (and receive) criticism. One of the most amazing things about having a supportive community is the ability to learn from each other. If you want others to value your time and your expertise, you need to value theirs as well. If you have the opportunity to be on the receiving end of constructive criticism or suggestions for your business… LISTEN and ACT on the advice. If you have the opportunity to give advice, genuinely give it.

Community over competition is more than just a hashtag – and it should be valued beyond friends and wellness communities. As an entrepreneur, there are just so many reasons why this mindset is good for your business. But always remember two things:

  1. You can be supportive and competitive at the same time. No one said that you shouldn’t strive for excellence and growth with your business.
  2. Like respect, the feeling of community needs to be earned by all parties involved.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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4 types of customer relationships and how they affect your brand

Your business – regardless of what industry you are in – is based on relationships. Relationships with suppliers, relationships with your team. Relationships are all important, but the relationship with your customers will ultimately decide the success of your business. Everything you do should centre around building strong relationships with your customers. The type of relationships you build will determine the long-term success of your brand (and how much fun you have building it!)

Here are a few different types of relationship you can build with your customers and the effect they will have on your efforts to build your brand.

Transactional Customer Relationships

A transactional relationship focuses solely on the exchange of money for goods/services. Every interaction a brand has with the customer begins and ends with that transaction. A brand who focuses on the transaction is likely not looking for loyalty, nor do they care about building trust and credibility. Focusing on one transaction means that you are also not looking at the long-term prospects of building your business nor are you looking to win hearts and minds with your brand story. Transactional relationships often attract customers based on price alone who are looking to fill a short-term need without building a long-term relationship with a brand. As a brand you are also less likely to focus on personalization and are only looking at short-term gains.

Emotional Customer Relationships

Emotional customer relationships look to tap into the way customers are feeling at any given time. From Nostalgia to sad, happy, hopeful, and everything in between, the goal is to focus on building campaigns and content that creates a conscious or subconscious connection to your brand and what you are selling. It goes deeper than wants and needs and humanizes the brand. Emotional relationships also often end in impulse-buyer behaviour. Brands who look to build relationships based on emotions are often focused on creating individual campaigns to create waves of interest. Think “going viral” for a campaign. It is also common for brands in this relationship category to look to cause marketing from an emotional connection standpoint.

Community-based Customer Relationships

Community-based relationships are generally multi-faceted. While you are obviously looking to move customers through to purchase, the focus lies more on engaging with customers and potential customers to create a positive and lasting impression at all stages of the customer relationship. Building a community of supporters leads to high referral rates and participation in loyalty programs. The community acts as a group of brand advocates who are both loyal to the brand and generally willing to tell your brand story in their own ways. Brands who choose to focus on this type of relationship are usually focused on building trust and long-term relationships that take time to nurture and establish. The brand is more humanized, focusing on both the customers and the people behind the brand rather than just the business. Because there is a focus on community-building, your brand will not only attract people to the brand, but also bring customers together who all share the same interests, values, and ethics. There is a level of genuine care for customers and what makes them tic.

I should note that with this type of relationship, if you aren’t careful you can get caught in the superficial spiral of thinking the community growth is the most important metric. Size is a vanity metric, what you really want to focus on is engagement, reach, sentiment, etc.

Value-add Customer Relationships

Similar to community relationships, in this type of customer relationship there is a focus on creating brand loyalty and customer retention, trust, and credibility. Personalization and customer experience play a huge role in building this type of relationship because you are always looking to fill a need for your customer and brands will find that customers in this case will always seek the best value rather than just brand loyalty. A brand who focuses on value add will be able to build loyalty over time by providing value and an honest way of doing business, working to truly understand customer needs and to educate customers on the solutions. While engagement is important, it is a bit different than trying to rally a community around the brand itself. It is more about creating 2-way dialogue to ensure you are providing value. Keep in mind that value does not always mean lowest price!

What kind of customer relationships do you currently have? What kind of customer relationships do you wish you had? While the nature of customer relationships is often defined by things like the business model and the brand personality, it is ultimately up to you how you want to connect with your customers.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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How to build your marketing strategy without feeling overwhelmed

It’s no secret that I strongly suggest that solo entrepreneurs and businesses with small marketing teams should start small and grow their strategy as you gain traction. This can be beneficial for a number of different reasons:

  1. It gives you a bit more time to test your product and tweak your strategy before hitting “the masses” with your glorious brand story.
  2. There are only so many hours in the day to get things done. If you are stretched thin and overworked, you will likely be even less productive and your entire strategy will suffer leaving you exhausted, six months into your launch, and nowhere close to hitting your short term or long-term goals.
  3. You don’t know what you don’t know. While you should do market research before launching your brand and/or marketing strategy so you get to know your market, sometimes, you just can’t predict how well certain strategies will work (or not!). Plus, with new skills and platforms, you will need to take into account the learning curve and time it takes to really build processes that you are comfortable with.

All reasons lead to a “slow and steady wins the race” type of attitude. Often, that is not what people want to hear. The prospect of going viral and having explosive growth seems attractive, but it also comes with challenges. And if you speak with most entrepreneurs who are “overnight successes” most will tell you that it didn’t happen overnight. Success is generally a product of hard work, experience, and learning from your mistakes so you do things differently the next time.

So, what happens if you decide you want to grow your marketing strategy – take it to the next level. Here are a few things you can do to help you adjust to the extra workload.

Make sure you are taking calculated risks

Any new tactic you add to your overall marketing strategy should be carefully planned out and researched. While there will be a certain level of trial and error to get it just right, you should always start with a baseline of knowledge so you aren’t going in blind. For example, if you are adding a new social platform to your digital marketing strategy, is your target audience on that platform and how do they use it? If you are planning a brand experience, what kinds of things have your audience experienced before from competitors?

Plan out your resources

Your resources budget is an important factor, and you know I’m not just talking about financial budgets. You have to consider all resources such as financial budget, time, skills, people, etc. Where time is concerned, consider the time it will take to execute the strategy – because that will take away from other things you are working on. Skills and people are often wrapped up together. Do you have anyone on your team (if you work with a team!) who has the skills to do the extra work and how many people will it take to carry out your plans?

Create a timeline

While it is important to know how much time you need to dedicate to your new additional tasks, you should also plan out what the entire strategy looks like with an overall timeline. This will force you to set goals and identify what success will look like so you have something to work towards. Once you know the end goal, figure out what happens leading up to that. What is the launch timeline? What do you want to accomplish in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, etc. Building milestones into your timeline will allow you to stay on track (and celebrate every. Single. Win along the way). You should also identify whether you have a make-or-break point where you can decide if the new strategy isn’t working for you. If you do have a timeline in mind for that, give the strategy enough time to breathe.

Make sure you have the right skills

When building a marketing strategy, we often start out with things we are most familiar with, which is why you hear so many people talking about stepping out of your comfort zone (myself included!). If you plan on adding something you aren’t fluent in, can you take a course? A workshop? Read articles (how to guides)? Watch YouTube videos? Give yourself time to learn the skills you will need to execute the strategy properly and remember that if you are learning a new skill, it will take longer to get to your end goal.

Hire an expert

Sometimes, you either just don’t have the time to do something or you don’t have the time to learn how to do it – no shame in that. In these cases, consider hiring an expert. A great agency will be willing to work with you to the level you are at, whether that is building a strategy for you to execute after some training, full implementation, or somewhere in between.

​​Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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How to stay on track with your 2021 marketing

We are almost two weeks into the new year… How are those New Year’s Resolutions going? Or did you jump on the trend of not setting New Year’s Resolutions – instead opting to choose a word to drive your actions this year. Regardless of your approach, you need to make sure you stay on track with your 2021 Marketing strategy. If you took the time to build a 2021 marketing strategy, wouldn’t you want to do everything you can to stay on track for the year?

Here are four things you can do to help you stay on track with your 2021 marketing strategy.

Set clear annual goals

When December 2021 rolls around, how will you know if you have been successful with your marketing efforts? How will you figure out what held you back if you aren’t working towards something specific? As we get further into 2021, make sure you set SMART goals for both your business and your marketing strategy. If you are not familiar with SMART goals, it stands for:

  • Specific: Get as detailed as you can about what you want to accomplish
  • Measurable: How will you quantify success?
  • Attainable: It is good to have big goals, but make sure you can actually achieve them
  • Relevant: Set goals that make sense for your business
  • Timely: Give yourself a timeframe for completion

Set milestones

Creating an implementation timeline is equally as important as figuring out what strategies and tactics you are going to do throughout the year. You would have set an overall timeframe for success. However, I find that looking at that overall timeframe and those overall big number goals can be a little daunting. I like to break it down into mini milestones throughout the year to help keep myself accountable. Whether you set quarterly, monthly, or weekly mini milestones for yourself, it allows you to celebrate even the small wins throughout the year and adjust your strategy if something doesn’t seem to be working as well you would like.

Track everything

If your goals are measurable, you can track your success. If you’re not tracking, then how are you supposed to know if what you are doing is working? Tracking your success throughout the year can help you stay motivated. You just need to select your metrics based on your goals and then decide how often you are going to create reports. Your reporting should also coincide with your milestones so you can look at your strategy objectively.

Hire an expert

When it doubt… Hire someone to help you out! The right expert won’t try to get you to buy a bunch of things you don’t need. Find someone who understands your target audience, your industry, your brand – and someone who really takes the time to understand your challenges. Sometimes a little strategic coaching nudge is all you need and other times you might need someone to do the work for you. Regardless, find the right person.

 

​​Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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How to get your 2021 marketing strategy ready

Every year we talk about getting ready for the next year like someone is going to flip a switch and all of a sudden it is going to be a new year, fresh start, clean slate… The reality is, when the first seconds of the day happen on January 1st, the fresh start isn’t a magical reset. It is whatever you make of it.

On December 5th, Canadian Small Business Women had a workshop about planning for 2021. So how do you make the most out of the new year when it comes to your 2021 marketing? Consider these five things:

Resolutions don’t have to happen at the beginning of a year

You should be setting goals throughout the year. Period. If the new year allows you to be more specific with your timelines, then great! But remember that you have the whole year to accomplish what you need to accomplish.

You have to look back to move forward

The successes (and failures) you had throughout the previous year should help to shape your marketing strategy moving forward. If you didn’t have the proper tracking in place throughout the year, perhaps it’s time to think about tracking your 2021 marketing success so you can use what you learn for the following year (I know, it seems crazy to think THAT far ahead, but here we are…).

Your mindset will affect your marketing

How you approach building your strategy will have a profound effect on the outcomes you achieve throughout the year. You have to look past your product or service offering to see the story behind what it is you have to offer.

Think bigger and better

What is the point if you aren’t focused on doing things better next year? If you want to grow your business, then you need to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. If things have worked in the past, that is great, but you should always think about what happens next and how can you freshen up your approach.

Find the efficiencies in your marketing strategy

If you are a small business owner, chances are you are wearing multiple hats. Most entrepreneurs I work with feel overwhelmed by everything that has to get done on a day-to-day basis let alone putting together a full strategy that outlines the big picture of where and how you will get your goals accomplished. What will help is to figure out how all of your marketing tactics fit together so you can find efficiencies. For example, find ways you can repurpose content across multiple channels creatively.

While New Year’s doesn’t have to be the only time you set goals for your business, it is a good reminder that you need to start somewhere. If you aren’t sure how to take your 2021 marketing to the next level, check out the workshop replay in the CSBW Shop!

 

​​Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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3 things every small business should do before marketing

It can be tempting to “just get started” marketing your product because you “need to make money.” However, chances are, you aren’t going to be happy with the results you are getting because you haven’t taken the time to actually do the foundational work to set yourself up for success. If you are going to compete with the big guys, you need to do the work. And doing the foundational work will actually help you to stretch your marketing budget further and get the biggest return on your investment.

So how can you get started?

Here are 3 key things you need to do before you launch your marketing strategy.

Get your [brand] story straight

It will be pretty hard for you to market your business if you don’t really know who you are and what value you bring to the table. If you take a minute to create your value proposition, you will be forced to figure out what you specialize in, how you are different, who your target audience is, and what benefit you bring to them. Once you have your value proposition, you can create your brand messaging to help you identify more details about who you are as a business and brand, how you fit into the industry, and more specific things that make you stand out.

This will help you figure out the best ways to connect with your target audience and really make your customer the hero of your brand story. Remember, the most important thing is to ensure that all of your decisions are made based on what is best for your target audience. The type of content you create, the channels you choose to communicate, the benefits you focus on – all of it!

Write down your short and long-term goals

I have said it before, I will keep saying it…  You won’t know if you’re successful unless you identify what success is. You should have set goals for your business, but you also need to set marketing-specific goals for your campaigns. And those goals should tie into your overall business goals. For example, you may want to increase your revenues by 50% for the business. Your marketing goals could then be things like:

  • Increase traffic on product pages by 100%
  • Increase customer inquiries by 60%
  • Get 10 customer reviews every month
  • Book a new client every month

Your business will have specific goals that will make sense for your industry, current operating status, resources, target audience, etc. The important thing is to try to make sure your goals are measurable so you can track them along the way. A good reminder is to set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

Once you have set your goals, you know what you are working towards, so create a timeline with milestones along the way. Basically you are giving yourself a chance to celebrate a bunch of little small wins until you reach your overall goals. It also helps you to figure out if what you are doing is working or not so you can tweak your strategy if necessary.

Identify direct and indirect competitors

I can’t tell you how many times we have spoken to small business owners who say they are the only ones offering a specific service only to do a quick search to find a bunch of companies offering the same or similar products/services. You don’t need an expensive market research firm to tell you if there are competitors out there. Use your search engine of choice or start listening on social media and following certain hashtags. Keep in mind that your indirect competitors (those selling to the same audience or who offer similar products/services) are also important to keep track of.

When it comes to your marketing strategy, looking at competitor strategy is a great way to see if there are certain things that are working and ones that aren’t. What are they doing to reach their customers? A great marketing strategy can sometimes be like a great jazz improv solo. It’s OK to riff off of something that is out there as long as you make it completely your own and you don’t copy it.

Figuring out who the major industry players are can also help you to identify how you are different. In business, different is great because it allows you to leverage those differences to make stronger connections with your target audience.

Small businesses don’t have to see their size as a disadvantage. If you do the foundational work, you will set yourself up for a marketing strategy success.

 

​​Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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10 things to ask before hiring a marketing agency

The decision to hire a marketing agency vs doing things on your own is a decision that causes a lot of grief for many business owners and experts. There are a lot of factors that go into making this decision. In the end, you need to do what is best for your business. This will often boil down to what will help you reach your goals more efficiently.

Once you have decided to work with a marketing agency, the next challenge is finding the right one for you. There are a lot of marketing agencies out there. While they may offer the same or similar services, it’s important to know how to figure out what makes them different and what factors are important for your business.

Here are 10 things you should ask before you make your decision about working with a marketing agency.

What are their core capabilities and skill sets?

While some larger agencies may be able to offer a truly full-service marketing agency, most agencies choose to specialize in a core offering of services. In order to provide more of a one-stop-shop, many of these agencies will either partner with third parties to fill out their services or they will hire contract workers on an as-needed basis. None of these three options is a bad option, however, it’s best if an agency is transparent with you so you know how they operate.

Working with a larger agency comes with a higher price tag, so working with a small or mid-sized marketing agency can be a more attractive option in terms of budget. You just need to make sure you know how they operate.

Who will be working on your account?

How many times have you heard that someone hired a marketing agency because they initially spoke with someone senior only to have a junior person put in charge of their account once you signed a contract. You should know who you will be working with before you even sign a contract. Find out who your main point of contact will be, who will be running point, and who will be executing the day-to-day management of your account.

How well does the marketing agency know your industry and target audience?

Everyone has to start somewhere, but sometimes you want to hire someone who is an expert in what you need. Find out whether the marketing agency you are speaking with has ever worked with clients in your industry or even complementary industries.

Perhaps even more important, how familiar are they with your audience? Do they have experience connecting with them using different strategies and techniques?

What client successes do they have?

You will be hard-pressed to find any legitimate marketing agency that won’t provide you with case studies so you can see some of the work that they have done. Most are also not shy about talking about awards and nominations if given the opportunity. That is how you know they will take pride in the work they do for you!

Have there been any client setbacks in terms of not meeting outcomes? Why?

This is a tricky one because no one likes to talk about failure. However, a great agency will tell you when they have worked on a similar campaign and found things that didn’t work. For example, we have done a few media campaigns where after pitching, we found that the spokesperson wasn’t as readily available for comment as we thought. This made it challenging to secure as much media coverage as we had intended. To ensure that this doesn’t happen moving forward, we are always very clear on

Do you like the people you would be working with?

This one is pretty subjective because it is based more on your gut feelings about a person. The reality is, if you feel uncomfortable with someone, you likely won’t have great communication with them. An agency – client relationship should be based on trust and transparency, so it’s important for you to feel comfortable with the team you will be working with. A great marketing agency should be able to push you outside of your comfort zone to get you the best results possible. In order for you to take those steps, trust is a key factor.

How well do they listen to do you?

Taking things a step further from the previous question, your relationship with a marketing agency should be a give and take. You want to make sure that the agency you choose listens to you and makes suggestions based on your conversations and overall business goals rather than taking you in a completely different direction with no explanation. We have also spoken to countless clients who worked with agencies in the past that have just asked what services they want rather than making suggestions based on what they need. A great marketing agency will listen to your overall goals and point you in the right direction so you can get their more efficiently.

How often will the agency do status updates?

Certain projects will require a more hands on approach while others won’t need as much ongoing communication. Talk to your agency to clarify how often you will be connecting with them for updates. For some, weekly updates are great, while others a monthly report and clarifying call works fine. It is a balance between what you are comfortable with and what the agency feels is necessary for your project.

What extra costs will there be?

Always beware of hidden costs. From printing to shipping, fees for paying expenses internally vs paying yourself, and everything in between, always ask if there will be extra fees that could come up. Some projects are more obvious than others.

How will results be measured?

Each project is so different, so it is good to make sure you are on the same page as your marketing agency when it comes to defining success and how you will figure out when you get there. KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) should be seen as a guide, realizing that some projects are harder to measure than others.

BONUS: RED FLAGS TO WATCH FOR

When it comes to working with a marketing agency, you should always steer clear of people that will say anything to make the sale. A few things that make me cringe are:

  • “We can do everything” or “we are good at everything” – chances are, they likely excel in certain areas and don’t do other things well. You don’t want to be caught hiring them for the things they don’t do well.
  • “We can guarantee results!” This one is one we hear often. Nobody can really tell you what the future looks like. Most professionals make educated guesses based on known audience behaviour. You also want to make sure that they aren’t just going for the “low hanging fruit” to get you “results” rather than putting together a robust strategy for you.
  • “We charge based on results.” This is a tricky one. As someone who is extremely results driven, I absolutely understand the sentiment behind this. However, there is a lot of work that goes into getting those results. You are paying for the strategy, the expertise, and the hours of work that will be put into achieving success. Do you want to work with someone who doesn’t even value their time?

Hiring a marketing agency can be a tough decision, but there are factors that can make it easier for you to move forward.

​Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Holiday Marketing During a Pandemic

The weather is starting to turn colder (I not-so-secretly love fall and winter, so I am one of the few that is super excited). Kids have started back at school. And business owners need to shift into the holiday marketing mindset. If you haven’t already started thinking about it, now is the time to get going on your holiday marketing planning!

2020 has thrown a wrench into so many of the best-laid plans. Most of your customers likely have the pandemic in the back of their minds (or at the top of mind). They have spent 2020 celebrating birthdays and other milestones via Zoom (or not at all) and they are grasping for some shred of normalcy in a world that is far from normal.

It’s going to be different this year. There is no getting around that. The big question is: How are you going to adjust your approach?

Focus on your loyal customers

Customer loyalty is everything. If you already know someone knows and loves your brand isn’t that worth focusing on? Half of the work to make a sale has already been done. There are three ways you can tap into your existing customer loyalty.

  • Revamp existing loyalty programs: Do something new that is a direct response to customer behaviour during the pandemic.
  • Offer exclusive deals: If you don’t have a loyalty program, that’s ok! But you likely have a database of existing customers or a community of followers that you can offer exclusive deals to.
  • Launch a loyalty program: If you are looking to launch a loyalty program, this is as good a time as any. Keep it simple and keep your customers’ interests at heart.

Keep your messaging consistent

There is a lot going on in the world right now. Keeping your marketing messages consistent will ensure that your customers and potential customers keep you top of mind. Competition among brands for customer attention will be different and more intense this year as businesses try to offset losses from early in the year when so many things were shut down.

Your customer needs will be different this year

Across various industries, brands will need to adapt to changing customer behaviour when it comes to the path to purchase and how they will be most comfortable shopping with you. Will your customers want to have the option to do curbside pickup or a call ahead service (The Body Shop has recently added this service as they adjust to reopening during COVID-19), a robust online shipping platform, or will they feel completely comfortable shopping in person.

In general customers will likely spend more time online this year for holiday shopping. While many customers were already doing online research before shopping in-store, many customers may try to limit time spent in-store. As a result, you will likely need to put extra effort into digital strategies so customers can easily discover what you have to offer while they are conducting online research – and shopping.

Let others tell your story

While it is important for you to connect to your audience through storytelling not selling in your own content, it’s equally as important to have other people talk about how great you are. There are a couple of ways you can plan for this:

  • Influencer marketing: Whether you run a largescale campaign with multiple different influencers or you only work with one or two influencers who are really into your brand, influencers will share your brand story in their own unique way to a large audience.
  • Customer reviews: Every time a customer reviews your product/service, they act as a brand ambassador for you. It could be tied into a larger loyalty program or simply asking for honest feedback, but customer reviews are priceless when it comes to your marketing strategy.

Build a safe in-store experience

While there are many government guidelines set out for businesses to re-open, can you go the extra mile to ensure your customers’ safety while shopping in-store? Customers will appreciate the brands that do go the extra mile. Think of creative ways you can do a little extra like exclusive shopping times for loyal customers and high risk groups or even staggered shopping times to minimize the number of people in-store and waiting in line outside as the weather turns colder.

Focus on getting attention, not selling

It should go without saying that you need to focus on building awareness for your brand. With so much noise out there now that everyone is trying to get customer attention, your customers will appreciate if you cut back on the urge to SELL, SELL, SELL! Put relationship-building first.

Social media isn’t a strategy

Social media for the sake of social media isn’t going to cut it. You need to put some planning into it and build out a content strategy that is tied into your overall marketing strategy. If you focus on great design and providing value rather than simply adding to the digital noise, you will see better results from your efforts.

Surprise and delight

Never underestimate the power of surprise and delight around the holidays. Tap into emotions, create memorable moments, and just find ways to do something unexpected.

Remember to have fun with your holiday marketing, especially during the pandemic as tensions and emotions are running high. If you have questions, feel free to check out SongBird’s upcoming FREE Masterclass on Holiday Marketing During a Pandemic to answer all of your specific questions!

 

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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5 ways to reach Millennials on social media

At the start of 2020, over there were over 3.8 billion active social media users in the world. While 90% of Millennials consider themselves active social media users, 79% of Millennials use social media multiple times per day, choosing to spend their time on multiple platforms. Instagram and Facebook are the most popular social media platforms, but how can you use this information when you are marketing to Millennials on social media?

Here are 5 ways to use social media to connect with Millennials.

Focus on what they care about

Causes and brand values have become even more important in today’s socioeconomic climate. The fact that over 60% of Millennials want their actions to make a difference because they are worried about the state of the world says it all. Every day there are renewed calls for brands to step up and support causes that are important – and do it in a way that isn’t performative. Performative means that you are doing it because it’s something your brand believes in, not just because you think it will sell more products. If you are trying to connect with Millennials, note that 8 in 10 Millennials want their beliefs and values to align with brands they buy from. Social media is a great way for you to connect with them on a deeper level.

Focus on creating a great brand experience

It’s well documented that Millennials are generally more interested in investing in experiences rather than owning things. You need to take this into account when you are building your social media strategy. Think about creating great brand experiences whether it’s through unique and interactive content, interactive contests, or even great takeovers with their favourite social media creators.

Be present. Be social

If you are going to be on social media and you want to connect with Millennials, you need to make sure that you are consistently present and interacting with your community. It’s never a good approach to ignore comments and messages as a brand, but Millennials will lose interest even more than other age groups if you don’t respond in a timely fashion. And the idea is that you should keep it social. While the majority of Millennials are on social media, one third feel that it has a negative impact on their lives. You need to find ways to add value rather than add to the negative feelings.

User Generated Content

If nearly half of Millennials are more likely to trust a complete stranger over your ads on social media, you should consider implementing both an influencer strategy as well as a strategy to share User Generated Content (UGC). If you are concerned that your followers won’t be interested in posting content that features your brand, consider that 44% of Millennials are interested in promoting brands on social media – especially in exchange for some sort of reward. Your challenge is how to introduce UGC into your strategy in a meaningful way.

Social Commerce

Retail is constantly changing and it was only a matter of time before social media created more robust ways for brands to sell through each platform. Judging by the way Millennials interact with brands and discover and perpetuate trends on social media, I’m only surprised it didn’t come sooner. Millennials have huge buying power and are expected to spend $1.4 trillion in 2020. Paired with the fact that almost 60% explore trends on various social media platforms, social commerce has huge potential.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Social Media: 4 things to focus on other than follower count

If you have 10,000 followers, but no one is buying from you, then who cares if you have 10,000 followers? If you have 100 followers and 100 people are buying from you, doesn’t that seem better? It’s time for businesses to start prioritizing engagement over follower count when it comes to social media. Follower count is a vanity metric that really doesn’t do much to drive your business unless it is paired with high engagement.

We have to retrain our brains to think differently when it comes to social media. Here are four things to focus on instead of follower count.

#1: Quality of followers

High quality followers are highly engaged and even loyal customers. They will be the first to act as brand ambassadors because they know you and they believe in what you have to say. This will help to increase brand awareness so you are top of mind. Overall, focusing on building a community of high quality followers will lead to more meaningful and relevant interactions.

#2: Engagement metrics

Increased engagement usually means higher visibility and a more interactive social experience within your community. It is also indicative of how much your audience likes your content. A few of the engagement metrics you can track are likes, comments, shares/retweets, and saves. Certain platforms favour different metrics over others. For example, Instagram algorithms favour saves and shares. The key to tracking engagement is that you should identify your overall social media goals first so you can choose which metrics you want to focus on most. Your content strategy may vary based on different metrics.

#3: Content value

Everything you do should be centered around the needs of your audience. If you focus on providing value for your audience you will find that your connection becomes stronger. It will also increase overall engagement. You can provide value through various different content strategies. A few to try are:

  • Long captions: More information sharing, and encourages people to save/bookmark your posts
  • High impact visuals: This will increase sharing and help to draw people to your content
  • Giving away almost too much information for free: Especially good for professional services, it showcases your expertise and separates those that want to do DIY from those that would prefer to pay for a professional.
  • Video: Your audience is consuming more and more video online because it is easy to digest information.

Test what content resonates best with your audience or, better yet, ask them what they want to see. If you’re really listening, you will get some great insight into the types of content you should create.

#4: Timing

Timing is everything on social media. While many social media platforms have built in analytics to show you when your audience is online or when they are most active, it takes a bit a trial and error to find what works best for you. Plan ahead and track when you are posting so you can see what works best.

Stop looking at social media as a popularity contest and start getting more social with your strategy. The more emphasis you put on your relationship with your followers, the more successful your strategy will be.

Candace Huntly is Founding Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

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A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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