 Creating a strong brand identity can make or break your company's success. Here is why it is so important, along with a few tips and suggestions to make yourself stand out!
Hello, Summerville! We hope you're doing well. The smell of pumpkin spice abounds, all of our favorite stores here in the square are starting to put out decorations. We also might be a tad embarrassed about the number of baked fall goods from Swank that we've already sampled. To say the least, we are pretty excited about fall! Celebrating Summerville, supporting our fellow local businesses, and creating exactly what our clients want is a part of our brand. The bright orange color we use in our logo is a part of who we are. We are quirky, hardworking, and usually a little over-caffeinated. This is who we are and what makes us unique as a company. All of these are traits that we are proud of and what we want our current and future clients to know about us. All of these elements are a part of our branding. It's the part of our company that you see online, what you see when you drive by our office, and what you hear about us when you ask about us around town. Brand identity is the unique fingerprint that people will see and look into before they meet the people behind the business. This is why having a strong branding identity is so important. More Than Just A Logo Granted, yes. Your company needs a logo, a color scheme, and fonts that you'll use consistently. There is something very special in seeing your signage, window decals, business cards, website, social media, and stationary all decked out in your logo, colors, and fonts. All of these tools are necessary because you'll use them to catch the eye of your future clients. When it comes to the whole of your brand identity, this is a very small part of the whole story. Your brand identity is so much more than your meticulously created logo. It is your reputation, how you want people to perceive you, your unique and individual voice, and what you want to be known for. It needs to stand up to the challenge, support your business, and get your message across.
What It Does For You Now that you've established what brand identity is what can it turn around and do for you?
It takes work to create your brand identity. Creating your logo didn't happen overnight, and your brand identity won't provide these amazing benefits to you overnight either. The steps to creating a strong brand identity aren't overwhelming, they're actually very straight forward. The challenge is implementing them into your workflow and your company's everyday life. How To Get Started As we said, strong brand identity doesn't happen instantly. It takes time, research, and doing all of those necessary tedious things that arent the glamorous side of owning a business.
The list goes on with the many ways you can create, strengthen, and grow your brand identity. This blog is just a peek into everything that is available to you. We did mention that this took time, right? Every company and business is different. You need to find what works for you. We just wanted to provide a little foundation for you to build on. The long and short of it is that brand identity is important and it's worth your time. If you need help or would like to learn more, please contact us! We look forward to talking to you soon!
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 Get to know the hilarious, hard-working, and creative individuals that make up the Creative Consulting family one blog at a time.
Welcome back to another team member spotlight, Summerville! We hope you've been doing well, and are slowly getting settled into the school year. Even though this school year does look different for many of our friends and family members, there are still a lot of things happening that make this time of year special. Pumpkin and apple-flavored goodies are showing up in all of our favorite Summerville businesses, the smell of fresh school supplies greets us where ever we go, and the chill of 80 degrees is a wonderful reminder that fall is right around the corner! This week we will be featuring our second Creative Consulting team member, Stephen Slappey. I've had the pleasure of working with Stephen for over a year now, and I am thrilled to share his interview with you. As a creative being who has lead a very different career path than many of my 9-5 friends, coming into a business like Creative Consulting was an interesting transition for me. As an independent contractor, musical theater actor and singer (spoiler for my spotlight!), and writer, I haven't had the greatest luck when it comes to a normal 9-5 schedule or experience. I have waited tables, catered, and paid my dues in retail. Working with a company that does work on a 9-5 schedule was a big change for me, and even though I still work on my own schedule, it's taught me quite a bit. A lot of this education is thanks to Stephen. I've not met someone so passionate about learning more about the people he's talking to, even if he will only have one conversation with that individual. I've not met someone so inspired to learn more about his industry and to apply it right away. I have personally watched him single handily turn a meeting from a difficult situation into an atmosphere of joy in a matter of minutes. He always puts others first and is dedicated to the growth of his company and to his friends, family, and co-workers. Also, his excitement over learning new things, the latest update in his favorite videogames, and life, in general, is refreshing. He can be a goofball and strictly professional in one sentence, and I still don't know how he does it. He was also very kind to take the time to sit down with me and answer these questions so that you can get to know the other half of the Creative Consulting founding team and owners. Meg and he make an amazing team. Working for them has been the easiest thing I've ever done. It's rewarding, it continues to teach me, and pushes me in all the right ways. I'm proud to be a part of their team, and I'm thrilled for you to learn more about Stephen! Name: Stephen Slappey How long have you been working at CC: Around six years. How did you hear about the positions: I invented it. What do you do for CC: Marketing, planning, management, customer relations, pricing, and sales. What is your favorite part about working for CC: The ability to help set people on the right path. What have you learned since you worked at CC: Too many things to count. What is your favorite part of your workday at CC: Teaching our clients. Favorite memory at CC so far: When I was able to help one of our long-standing clients avoid a $10,000 scam. Favorite Summerville Small Business (besides CC): Coastal Coffee! What is your education background: Marketing, Graphic Design, and Computer Science. What are your hobbies: Board games and games in general, reading, learning, spending time with people, deep conversations. What is your favorite book, color, song, movie: Book: Marvels Civil War Color: Orange Song: Too many to count Movie: Marvel Avengers Interesting Facts: CC is just the beginning. There is so much coming for everyone to see. Favorite Food: Anything Asian! Favorite Restaurant in Charleston/Summerville: One specific one doesn't come to mind. Anywhere I can make a memory with the people I'm with. Favorite things to do in Charleston/Summerville: Be with the people I love Make sure you are following Creative Consulting on all of our social media platforms. Stephen has recently started a new vlog series discussing everything you want to know about business, social media, and more. If there is something more you want to know, reach out and tell him! His love for learning more about the industry is equally matched with his love of teaching. So make sure to give Stephen a shout out on his new videos and to watch all of them. I guarantee that you'll learn at least three new things every time you watch! Until next time Summerville, stay safe and be well. Take a moment to enjoy the things that make fall in the Lowcountry special. Things might be tough, but you and your coffee are strong enough to take on anything!  Get to know the hilarious, hard-working, and creative individuals that make up the Creative Consulting family one blog at a time.
Summerville! I feel like we know you so well, but in the hustle and bustle of our everyday business life - you might not know us as well as we'd like. Introducing your team and acknowledging their creative and unique skills is such an important part of your day to day business. These are the people who are helping your company grow and succeed every day. As the blog writer for Creative Consulting, I see this in our company and all the companies we work with daily. We love celebrating the small businesses of Summerville and watching others celebrating their employees and what makes them unique and special. If you've had the chance to walk into the Creative Consulting office on any given day, it isn't strange to find a bunch of smiling faces, a pug named LuLu, and empty coffee cups from Coastal Coffee Roasters or a box from Swank Bakery sitting around. It's a small creative universe that each of the employees helps to fill with laughter, problem-solving, unique ideas, and hard work. I spend a lot of time in our blogs talking about business tips and strategies that can help your company and its marketing strategy grow. But, I thought it the appropriate time to throw in a new kind of blog into the mix. Over the next few weeks and months, I want to introduce you to each of my coworkers in a fun and unique way. I want to thank each of my coworkers for being such team players, as always, for participating and helping me create this series of blogs. I am so thankful to my fellow team members and the Summerville family. It's thanks to these incredible individuals, who teach me something new every day about the marketing world and life in general, that Creative gets to do what it does every day. I created a series of questions that turned into a fun and informal interview. I wanted it to sound like the whos who of the creative world of Summerville. Thankfully, there were no annoying paparazzi or embarrassing pictures that any of them will be subjected to. We are a family company, after all. To kick off this new blog series, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Meaghan Thompson, Co-Owner of Creative Consulting. But that's not the only hat Meg wears. She is also Office Operations Manager, and the Art and Media Director. She is one of the hardest working women I've ever met, and one of the kindest. I by no means am a graphic artist, and to work with someone so talented at her job and her craft is inspiring. Also, spoiler alert, she is Lu's mama! How long have you been working at CC: 6 years! I created it with Stephen before we both graduated college. It was a way for us to test the waters in our field and make a profit as well. To be honest, when we first started I told Stephen we wouldn't get very far, that at most we'd have a couple of projects and then graduate to find other positions. He convinced me to give it a try and it picked up speed fast, we've been running it ever since. How did you hear about the positions: We made them over time. When we first got started, nothing was really set in stone and a lot of things have changed over the years. We used to have our social media managers create graphics for themselves, and the SEO specialists wrote their own blogs but we've been able to fan out those responsibilities as we've grown. What do you do for CC: I am the office manager and designated Mom-Friend. I communicate directly with the clients and the team, help plan out the ads for each month, review all of the blogs and social media posts for edits and updates, schedule meetings with clients or walk-ins, keep updated on current marketing and digital media standards, attend potential client meetings, and regularly attend local networking events. What is your favorite part about working for CC: I love that our environment is built around comfortability, respect, and creativity. We created a place that's easy and fun to work at, and we're very transparent with each other in the goals and work within our business. At the end of the day, it feels less like a 'job' and more like a team project that we're all a part of in different ways. What have you learned since you worked at CC: Since creating CC, the biggest thing I've learned is to protect my time and how to respectfully delegate. I often have the issue of taking on more than I can handle for the sake of people-pleasing but as we've grown, I've learned to relax my grip and trust others to take care of certain aspects of the business. Still learning how to be a better leader for my team each and every day. What is your favorite part of your workday at CC: I love taking breaks around lunchtime and going for walks around the square, it's the perfect place to get some fresh air and maybe even eat lunch outside. Favorite memory at CC so far: My favorite memory for CC so far would probably be our Christmas party once we moved into the office in 2018. We had the entire office decorated with Christmassy things, there was great food, and we even had a local guitarist come and play some music for us. It was such a successful and busy Open House, all of our business friends and family came to support us and it was a really great time. It was a really defining moment too because we now had our 'own' place to grow into. Favorite Summerville Small Business (besides CC): You don't even have to ask me this one! My second home is Coastal Coffee Roasters! What is your education background: Graphic Design Bachelors Degree, minored in Computer Science- and a graduate of Charleston Southern University What are your hobbies: Ceramics, Painting, and Video Games What is your favorite book, color, song, movie:
Interesting Facts:
Favorite Food:
Favorite Restaurant in Charleston/Summerville: Five Loaves, NICO, and Red Pepper Favorite things to do in Charleston/Summerville: Go to the Summerville Farmers Market, Walk around Azalea Park and play Pokemon Go, Sit at Coastal Coffee Roasters and read or paint If you'd like to learn more about Meg's artwork, and to read her brand new blog "Pinky Promises" visit her website here: http://iampickledtink.com/ I have loved working for Meg in the little over a year I have been with Creative. I am not a native to Summerville or even South Carolina for that matter, but I know a true and wonderful Summerville woman when I meet one, and Meg is the definition. Thank you for helping me grow, and to help me continue to learn about what we get to do every day! Meg loves this town and she loves the company that she and Stephen built together. That love and dedication is one of the many joys in working for them.  Curious about lead generation and exposure for your business? Not sure what the difference is between the two or what they can do for your online marketing? We are here to answer all those questions and more!
Hello, Summerville! We hope this blog finds you happy and well. This has been a very exciting few weeks for us, and if you've been following our social media pages (which if you're not - catch up!) you'll understand why! We've started a new local business feature, we've started a brand new video series answering all your business questions, and more! Stephen was also a recent guest on Invest Local!, a fantastic local podcast. Visit their website to hear Stephen give the insider scoop on what it's like to run a top-tier, full-service agency that handles client's brands from a hands-on and personal approach! We have so many exciting things coming our way, and we are so thankful for the amazing community of Summerville for helping us make it all possible! One of our most recent posts on social media was dedicated to Lead Generation vs. Exposure. Did you know that there are two main types of digital marketing? That's right! Lead Generation and Exposure are those two main types. Lead generation seeks out new leads or sales and exposure grows your audience and brings awareness to your business. We wanted to dig a little deeper into these ideas and talk a little more about how both can help your company grow and why they're so important. If you want to know which focus is best for your business needs, reach out to us! We can help you understand the strategies used in each type of marketing, and help you create your custom system. Lead Generation One of the most important things for businesses to gain through their marketing is to convert followers into clients. You don't want to waste time or money into an advertisement plan that doesn't get attention or any conversion. That goes against the whole purpose of why you have an advertising plan in the first place. With the way that the market is right now, and with so much up in the air, you want to make the most of your advertisement right now. Your goal, as always, is to attract the highest quality followers and leads that are going to turn into consistent and supportive customers.
Exposure Marketing According to Forbes, most new small businesses fail because they didn't have enough exposure in the beginning, to get the clientele needed to get them off the ground. Early exposure can help you get ahead of the game, ahead of your competitors, and help keep your head above water. The main focus is to grow your audience at a steady and productive rate. You need to understand and know your product and what demographic will be most likely drawn to your goods and services to make this a successful campaign. Once you understand that, you can begin to expose them to what goods and services your company offers, and why you're the experts in the world of your industry. It's an important process that needs to be seen in the early stages of your company and throughout its entire lifetime.
What is very important to remember is that both types of marketing are not only important to your business, but also to one another. Someone might be introduced to your company due to your exposure, and thanks to the efforts of successful lead generation, could become official clients. It can be difficult to pick and put either practice of marketing into successful action. We are here to help you make those decisions and to make that marketing dream become a successful reality. Have any questions? Please feel free to reach out, we'd love to hear from you! If you would like more in-depth training and someone to help you walk through your issues, we can help you with that. We offer individual social media training to walk you through on how to use each platform. If you or your company wants to take another step up in your online business world, we are here to make that happen. Don't hesitate to reach out. We are here and excited to help your company grow. Thank you for continuing to follow us, learn with us, and support us. We are here for you Summerville, no matter what!  Social Media has more tools than many of us realize. We've talked about a lot of them here in our blog, and enjoy using them for our own company. IGTV - Instagram TV - is one of the last platform resources that we have yet to talk about!
We have talked in-depth and at length about using social media platforms and their analytical tools to your business' advantage. There are so many different and unique ways of using social media to your advantage, as long as you know what all they offer and you're brave enough to take the leap to implement them. There is one aspect that we haven't jumped into yet, and that is Instagram TV - or IGTV. We aren't sure about you, but when IGTV became popular and prevalent in our Instagram feeds, we kept thinking it was HGTV. Which was perfect because we love those creative shows! Who doesn't want to spend hours watching a show about tiny homes?! But, no. This is a new tool all on its on that one of our favorite social media platforms is now offering to its users. IGTV videos are different from your stories and highlights on Instagram and they are different from going live on Facebook. You can use it as a stand-alone application or through Instagram itself. It allows you to make much longer videos than what your feed or highlights allow in one video. You can make videos that are up to 15 minutes long! You are also able to have verticle and horizontal videos when you use IGTV, which is exciting for viewers and users alike. Unlike your Instagram highlights, these videos will appear in your feed, just like they would if you posted a picture or video. If you want, they can appear in your story highlights as well. With this new advantage of having longer videos and another tool to use on Instagram, there must be an advantage available to your company by using this new tool, right? That is what we are going to be discussing in this next two-part blog. According to Instagram, they estimate that by 2021 mobile video will make up 78% of all total mobile traffic. Younger audiences are now being drawn towards these more amateur viral videos than more professional and polished ones. Just with that information alone, you can only imagine what power IGTV could hold your business and its growth. One of the many reasons why we love IGTV is that it allows the user to reuse and repurpose already created content on a whole new platform. Just seeing your already created content in a whole new light can make such a huge difference! You can now show your videos in much bigger and vertical fame, giving your followers a much bigger and in-depth view of what was created. It also gives you another platform to post your YouTube videos. Before the introduction of IGTV, you could only give a small teaser preview of your videos on Instagram. Having 15 minutes to play with is huge! Gone are the days of the call to action of asking your followers to visit your YouTube channel! As important as we consider calls to action, we recognize that social media users want to stay on one platform at a time. Hopping from platform to platform can lead to a loss of interest or not following through. Having the video right there guarantees a much higher rate of views. Also, if your Instagram audience is much bigger than that of your YouTube channel, a brand new audience will now be introduced to excellent already made content. You also don't have to worry about your Facebook live posts getting lost or only being seen by a limited amount of your followers. This can be a new home for them as well, along with any videos or interviews you made for your blog or advertisement purposes. Plus, it helps your videos stay organized while maintaining a professional look within your Instagram feed. Have you started to use IGTV in your own business workflow or platform? Have you been having fun with so much freedom at your fingertips? Let us know! We want to know what you think of this extended and exciting arm of Instagram. Make sure to follow up with the second half of this blog the next time we post, we can't wait to share more wonderful information about IGTV with you!  There are so many working pieces of a successful company and workflow. Is keeping up with trends one that you have to do? We believe it to be one of the most important things to stay on top of!
The business world, just like any industry, changes rapidly. The right thing to wear, the cool things to do, where to eat, and the latest catchphrases can grow in popularity thanks to one viral Instagram post in a matter of seconds. It can be exhausting to follow and keep up with. It's even more exhausting when you're trying to run a business on top of staying aware of these changes. We get it. It's part of what we do for our clients and is something we deal with every day. Is it really necessary to stay on top of and to follow trends? Or do you just find what works for you and your company and stick with that? In all reality, as much as we hate to say it, not staying on top of these fast-paced trends can endanger your company. Sticking to your very traditional means of business can be very damaging and will leave you in the dust of your competitors as they take the lead, your customers, and your business.
Also, remember to identify if the changes in your industry are true trends or if they're just fads. Fads will disappear overnight and can lead to a lot of frustration. A lot of money and time can be spent on implementing a fad. If it's mistaken for a trend, it can lead to a lot of frustration and money and time lost. Make sure you know the difference between the two, and how to spot both. What we want you to take away from this blog is to make sure that you are staying on top of trends. We do recognize that it can be a lot of added work, but it needs to be added to your workflow. We want to hear how you've encountered and implemented trends in your business! Comment below and share your experiences. If you want to learn more about trends, let us know! It could appear in future blogs.  When Instagram becomes a regular part of your workflow, make sure you know what resources they offer and where you can find out more information when you run into a dead end.
Now that you've become more comfortable with using Instagram, Instagram Stories, and IGTV after reading our last few blogs, it's time to check back in and take a moment to refresh. Instagram, just like any business, has a dedicated (albeit a very long and detailed) page for all of its frequently asked questions. Sometimes, these pages can get frustrating because they don't answer what you need to know outright. Sometimes you have to go digging into the provided list of FAQs to see if someone has already asked your question before or not. As we know, Instagram has become very popular since its introduction and it is now one of the most popular social media platforms out there. But, even with its popularity and the basic ease of using it, you can still run into a lot of questions and loose ends. Thankfully, Instagram has now been around long enough that your questions have probably already been asked. Luckily for you, this blog is going to be dedicated to five of the most frequently asked questions. So, you can start your search here, and hopefully find all the answers you need.
Instagram has a fantastic support system, and almost every question imaginable has been asked. If you are still stumped after reading our blog, don't hesitate to visit their FAQ page. If you would like some more in-depth training and someone to help you walk through your issues, we can help you with that. We offer individual social media training to walk you through on how to use each platform. If you or your company wants to take another step up in your online business world, we are here to make that happen. Don't hesitate to reach out. We are here and excited to help your company grow. Thank you for continuing to follow us, learn with us, and support us. We are here for you Summerville, no matter what! To visit Instagram's FAQ page, follow the link below: https://help.instagram.com/  There are so many incredible tools to help grow your business. Some of them are waiting right under your fingertips. Do you know about Facebook Business Manager? Have you begun to use it? It's time friends, and here's why!
Hello Summerville! Here is a toast to each of us for taking the next steps towards a sense of normalcy. We are hanging in there together, and we continue to appreciate your support. Let's keep loving our little town, and continue to move towards the future. Business management is so important to keep any company running smoothly. Keep up with your clear communication and a positive and decisive workflow. Did you know that Facebook offers business management to its users? In this blog, we are going to be discussing all the great things Facebook Business Manager can do for you and your company. We will also be discussing how it can make things much easier for you and your company. Facebook business manager was developed to help keep you organized and to help you stay in contact with your employees. It is a tool that Facebook developed to help any business that uses it to manage and maintain all of their company's pages, ad accounts, pixels, catalogs, and more all in one centralized location. This tool allows this information to be used, utilized, and attainable to your employees who need access to it. It also doesn't require you to share yours or your client's personal or login information. Of all the tools available to you on Facebook, it is one of the best there is. You can track results and optimize your work as a team. Best news of all, it's a free platform to use. If you don't already have or use Facebook Business Manager, you need to begin looking into it. No matter the size of your company, if you are running a business along with maintaining your personal Facebook page and its safety, it's a must-have. If you fall into these categories, you should begin setting up and working with the Facebook business manager.
Do you fall into these categories? Remember, switching to using Facebook Business Manager will allow you to share only what your employees need. It helps them to stay up to date, in communication, and you can still keep your personal account separate. You also need to claim permission to your business page. As Facebook and Instagram continue to change, if you don't claim and control the permission of your business pages, you could lose your Facebook Business Page. Having a Facebook Business Account will also allow you to create custom audiences, which is half the battle of getting your product or services out there. You need to know and understand your demographic to create effective ad campaigns and to get your service/products in front of the people who will buy it. Finding and targeting these groups can take a lot of time. Having these groups created for you and being able to connect with them quicker is amazing. The platform allows you to run multiple ads and accounts (or assets) at one time, too. You can stay organized in all branches of your company. Truly, the only disadvantage you could be facing is having to take the time to learn about how this platform works and how best to utilize it. Which, considering how much it offers you and the time it saves, is worth it! In short, the Facebook Business Manager allows agencies that run the business side of companies on Facebook to link to their client's pages without having employee accounts linked as administrators. It will give those who use it unrestricted access to all of the features within the business manager itself. They will be able to post to their client's account, customize their pages as desired, and even be able to link apps to the account. No employee would be able to use any account inappropriately. If you still aren't sure about using Facebook Business Manager, now might be the time. Facebook has been pushing it so hard, especially in the last year, that it might turn out that you'll end up being made to use it. Facebook could automatically change your account for you. Don't fret, it's not as daunting as it seems. It is a lot easier to use and work with once you understand it. It is a great tool that we use and recommend. You got this! Also, don't forget! We offer individual social media training to review these features. So, if you or your company wants to take another step up in your online business world, we are here to make that happen. Don't hesitate to reach out. We are here and excited to help your company grow. Thank you for continuing to follow us, learn with us, and support us. We are here for you Summerville, no matter what!  In our most recent blog posts, we've talked about the importance of why you should be using stories and live streaming in your company's workflow. This blog is going to be dedicated to actual tips on how to make these videos and what you need to be thinking about while you do!
We've made it to May, Summerville! Our quiet little town turned into a ghost town as the pandemic set it, but it is turning back into a vibrant and beautiful city as we all slowly open our doors again. We are so thankful to see so many of our fellow small businesses open their doors again and return to full operation. We know this has been a difficult time for our amazing town, but getting back to a sense of normal proves just how tough Summerville is! While we work to get back up to speed, we do encourage you to continue to stay safe and smart. We are still in this together! Have you been playing with adding Facebook and Instagram videos into your workflow since we shared so much information on why you should be doing so in our last few blogs? Have you been even more daring and tried live streaming on either platform? Remember, now is the perfect time to use these tools to your advantage. You can stay in touch with your followers, keep them up to date with when you might be reopening, what safety precautions are going to be taken, what might be changing, and check-in them in real-time! This gives them a true sense of connection when they get to see the real you in a very real, not directed or perfectly edited, live video. Let them fall in love with all the reasons why they love your company and brand all over again! So, throw away your fears and worries that your videos or live streams won't look right, that they won't look good enough, or you'll look funny. That will never be the case. You are a professional who is passionate about your company and brand. The rest just takes a little planning, practice, and care. Follow these tips and suggestions to make seamless and effortless Livestream videos that you will be proud of and will no longer dread doing them!
Livestreaming is accessible for everyone and is an incredible tool to connect you with your audience in seconds. You want to inform them, connect with them, and converse with them on a real human level. You need to put in a little work and practice before you press record, making sure that your phone is charged and that your mom's call won't disrupt the video. But if you follow these simple steps, your Livestream videos will be outstanding. Don't hesitate! We are starting to make moves towards some sort of normalcy, so get back to what you're good at - running your business! Use this tool to show off what you do best, and why you enjoy doing it. We are here for when you need us, Summerville! We are so impressed with your resiliency and are proud to be apart of the Summerville family. Stay safe and be well everyone!  We promised more information on the importance and joys of adding Facebook Stories to your workflow, and so we are going to deliver!
Hello again, sweet Summerville! Welcome back. We hope you and yours are staying safe and healthy. Keep washing those hands and practicing social distancing! If you have the chance, we also encourage you to support local businesses as much as you can right now. So many of the staples we love that are Summerville through and through need your love and support. Get carry out, pick up some coffee, and visit your favorite local artist's websites or Etsy pages! Every little bit helps right now, and we encourage you to pay it forward. If you'd like some recommendations about some of our favorite local businesses, please don't hesitate to reach out to us! We have been enjoying our fair share of our favorite Summerville things thanks to delivery and pickup! Now, let's jump back into some work. Our last blog kicked off our blog series discussing the importance of Facebook Stories. We just had so much to share - we couldn't limit it to just one post! Even though we are all smartly practicing social distancing, one of the many ways we can all stay connected is social media. We can stay close and remain in contact with as many people as our hearts desire thanks to social media. This is why it is so important. You can remind your audience that you're still here, you still care about how they're doing and that you and your company will still be here when all of this is finally over YOUR CUSTOMERS; THEIR NEEDS We've touched on the topic of customer experience and service multiple times throughout our blogs in the last few months. The importance placed upon it needs to become one of your top priorities. Good customer service is one of the top digital trends for 2020. How to listen and connect with your clients needs to evolve and grow over time. We love being heard, and we all love when our opinion is valued and listened to. Stories, videos, and going live on Facebook gives your client an in-person opportunity to give and voice their opinions. It opens up the floor to more of your followers to join in on the conversation and to agree and disagree with their peer's needs or opinions in a safe and productive environment. Take what your followers say to heart. If they aren't opinions or needs that you feel are in your companies best interest, that's ok. But acknowledging them means a lot to your customers. You can create images and stories to hype up announcements, new products, sales, and exciting events they can all attend - either online or hopefully soon, in person. When you go live on Facebook, you can see the comments your follows are making in real-time and you can physically respond to them. What an instant connection! You can answer questions, solve issues, express gratitude, and connect with your audience in real-time. This frees up time that you would be spending answering these questions and concerns via email or phone call, allowing you to get back to work. ANOTHER CHANNEL Being consistent is an excellent tool in branding and leading a successful company. Being consistent creates a subconscious connection between you and your clients and a sense of safety and trust that they can depend on. But, that doesn't mean that everything you post has to be the same. This can draw more of your follows to check out other platforms that you run your social media on, and is another tool you can use to get your customers excited. For example, you might only make announcements about new products, deals, and giveaways on your Facebook stories. But, you hint on all of your social media platforms that to view and learn about these announcements you have to view it on Facebook stories. This can then bring your Instagram or other platform's audience to your Facebook page and vice versa. This is a great way to cross-promote your social media platforms and to keep up traffic to all of your pages. Also, different audiences prefer different types of social media platforms. When creating any story, tailor them to the platform and the audience that prefers it. Not only are you speaking to your audience through your Facebook videos, but you are also speaking to a very specific group and demographic. IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING Just like Instagram, Facebook Stories live right at the top of your followers' Facebook feeds. They are the first thing that pops up once the app is loaded on their phone or computers. Staying at the top of their page and in their minds' eyes is very important and effective for your business. This is very similar to putting in the much needed time for SEO and getting your company in the top few results in Google searches. This is why you need real and in the moment, not perfect, videos. The more honest they are and the more you draw in your audience, your stories will remain in a consistent spot in their feeds. Are you getting excited about the potential Facebook stories can bring to you and your company? We hope so. Even if you're still a bit skeptical, now is a great time to try out the many features Facebook stories can give you. Have fun, be bold, and be honest. Your audience, customers, and fans love and support you for a reason. Let that reason shine through your posts! Don't let your audience forget about you, and don't forget about them. We hope you're doing well, Summerville. We miss seeing you and look forward to enjoying our town together very soon. Stay safe, stay smart, and stay home! |
AuthorThe Creative's Archives
September 2020
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