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Over the last few years, marketing, especially social media marketing, has EXPLODED. It seems like every kind of marketing is done digitally nowadays. What was marketing like before social media? What changed the game in terms of marketing? How can I apply this to my business? Let's talk about it. In 2005, only 5% of people were on social media. Digital marketing did in fact exist, but it was mainly through email marketing and even then, it wasn’t very effective. The main forms of marketing at the time was telephone marketing, TV ads, radio and print advertising (such as newspapers and billboards) Marketing was really cut and dry, and was often not very effective since business's ads were being shown to a general audience instead of a target audience. It was the put-your-content-out-there-and-hope-it-reaches-the-right-audience game, which was more often a waste of time. Reaching a wide audience was also trickier, since print media was often limited to local assets. The budget to pay for ads in several magazines, several newspapers, while also doing commercials and radio ads was tricky to fit in with small businesses. Not longer after 2005, the spark of social media marketing was created with Facebook, with Facebook opening up ad options soon after its beginning. This then sparked the usage of social media as marketing for businesses. Adding the option to run ads on social media was relatively inexpensive, and could reach a wider audience. And if you didn't have enough money for ads, that's okay. Social media accounts are free to make, This really opened the door to new possiblities with marketing. Digital Marketing Now Now in 2023, above 70% of people are on social media. Businesses are able to run ads on various kinds of social media platforms, and email marketing is becoming increasively more effective as almost everyone is online. With the advance in techniology, we are also able to see more data as to what ads are working and what ads aren't online. You can see who is seeing your ads, what content produces the most traffic, what posts lead to the greatest sales, etc. Having this data at our fingertips make it easy to know how to adjust and produce content that meets the people you want to sell to. But knowing this, why is digital marketing such a big deal, especially social media? In an article titled, "Social Statistics for 2023", it gives these stats as to why you should include social media in your marketing: 78% of salespeople engaged in social selling are outselling their peers who aren’t. Companies with consistent social selling processes are 40% more likely to hit revenue goals than non-social sellers. Social media has a 100% higher lead-to-close rate than outbound marketing. 66% of marketers that spend at least 6 hours on social media per week have gotten more leads. 90% of all marketers say social media marketing has increased their business’ exposure. 49% of people in the 18-29 age range report purchasing something after seeing a social media ad for it. The fact that these statistics about selling over social media are so high should speak for themselves. Digital Marketing, and Social Media Marketing specifically, is not something to be ingnored. This is now the marketing of the future. Take a look at your business and find better ways to utilize Digital Marketing in your office today. Source: https://optinmonster.com/social-selling-statistics/

Everyone wants to go viral to get exposure from their brand. We see day after day different brands go viral and sell out of their product overnight. What that to happen for your brand? Don't know where to start? What's the Instagram Algorithm? Keep reading to learn more! 1)Understand what the Instagram Algorithm is What even is the Instagram algorithm? The algorithm is the function built within most social media platforms to suggest content to others who are interested in that content. Say you are a baker and constently interact with content about baking, the algorithm is going to show you more content about baking. Knowing that their is a funtion build into Instagram to put your content in front of more people will help you be more aware of the content you are making! 2) Use trending sounds, NEVER original audios! Trending sounds are a major factor within the algorithm. If you tap on a sound, you see how many videos were made to that sound. The more uses, the better, because it means more people like it! And if more people like it, the more Instagram will show people that content. Whereas, why would Instagram show people a video using a sound that no one has ever heard before? Using sounds is an easy hack to increase exposure. 3) Follow the trends While TikTok dances may not be your thing, or following the trends seems fake, it is actually a great way to get your video in front of more people. If something is trending, it means that people like it and are familiar with it. But then you might be thinking, 'But Brooke, none of the trends fit my business'! This is simply not true! Muster up all your creativity to find ways to make the trends apply to your business. It will make the content even funnier and your followers will appreciate it! 4) Make your content shareable Shareable content is the funny video you want your friend to see, or an Instagram post with information about cheap flights to the destination you and your family are looking into visitng. Make your content with the question in your mind of 'would I want to send this to people I know?' Pro tip: both tips listed above are ways to make your content more shareable! 5) Never stop researching! This is a fancy way of saying scroll through Instagram and Instagram Reels more often! You won't be able to have any ideas for content if you can't see what is inspiring and being shared by other people. Set aside time each day to see what's popular and see how you can apply it to your business! Thanks for spending some time with me learning how to make the Instagram algorithm work for you! Have you applied these tips? Comment down below your experience!

When I sit down with a company and evaluate their current social media presence, there are 5 mistakes that I almost always see. Read more to avoid these mistakes in your own business! 1) Using too many graphics A consistent across social media platforms is that graphics never perform well. They are hard to interact with and create a sense of inauthenticity. The accounts I see do the best add a human and real connection to their followers that keeps them coming back. Posting graphics instead of other creative ways to advertise is an easy way to lose followers and engagement in one fair sweep. 2) Inconsistent posting Nothing is worse than following an account because you like the content, and then never hearing from them again. Or even hearing from them inconsistently. The best acccounts (for both exposure and the algorithm) are those who post consistently. The consistency of posting (no matter the social media platform) helps strengthen brand image, encourages engagement, and makes your business seem more reliable. 3) Aren't using Calls to Action when posting CTA's (or 'Call to Action') are what pushes your audience to do something, such as "Comment down below!" or "Visit the link in our bio to learn more". CTA's should be included on everything you post to encourage engagement with your followers. Even if it is something small like commenting their favorite color. Content without CTA's is just wasted information. 4) Not using trends to increase exposure I have worked for a lot of business owners who refuse to do trends because it doesn't fit their 'brand voice'. While you want to stick with your brand, there are always trend to participate in that can boost exposure. The trick is to make the brands work for you instead of working with whatever trends are current. If this isn't your forte, it might be time to hire a social media specialist to help you out! 5 ) Aren't catering to your audience There is nothing more cringe-worthy than looking at a page that does not fit the target audience. As a college student, I work with a lot of brands that are trying to cater to people my age, but posting like it is a Facebook page for my Mom and Dad's neighborhood. Or promoting a product using TikTok dances when the only people that could afford the product are high class businessmen. Make sure to do your research on what content works for your target audience! Honorable Mention: Using QR codes on your social media graphics A big factor of Instagram especially is the look and feel of your whole feed, and there is nothing worse than looking at a feed and seeing QR codes everywhere. How is your audience going to scan that QR code when their phone is in their hand? It's not possible. If you are trying to guide your audience to a link, put the link on a button in your story and in a link in your bio. It's a waste of space and aesthetics to put QR codes on your graphics! I hope these mistakes got you thinking about how you can avoid these in your brand. Follow along with my blog for more tips and tricks on how to elevate your business's content strategy!

https://youtu.be/nOzg1vpCcEk?si=SBVip3CWiSut_8CK Attached above is a podcast from Colin and Samir with Emma Chamberlain titled "Unfiltered Conversations with Emma Chamberlain". Throughout this video, they ask her a variety of questions about her life, her coming up in the spotlight, and running a business. Emma Chamberlain is a YouTuber that I have been following since I was a junior in high school. In a way I felt like I grew up with her. I follow her because she is relatable, and has also seen a level of success that I want to see for myself. She is someone who inspires me and has been influenced by. During the past 7 years as I have followed Emma Chamberlain, her and her content has evolved extremely. She went from being a fun, out-there entertainer, to a vlogger of normal day activities, to a more reserved, sparse content creator. But during this time of morphing content, she started to focus on other things such as her podcast and her business. But somehow she was able to keep her same audience. Those who loved her then, still love her now, despite the changes in content and personality. Why? Something that Colin and Samir highlight in this podcast is the face that Emma Chamberlain is the same person on and off camera. That she has created the same sense of realness as she sits in front of a lens as she is in person. This is something that has connected her with her audience for a really long time. In any content she makes, she carries a level of consistency, and in a lot of moments on her own platforms, such as YouTube and her podcast, she is very vulnerable. Being so vulnerable and being so open with your audience can create the human connection that everyone so desperately wants to feel. Now with that in mind, with Emma being so real, how has she been able to keep the same audience through so many changes? Changes in personality, changes in consistency, changes in style even...it's because she was real with us through all those changes. She told us things that she was thinking about throughout her content, she is open about where she is currently at with Colin and Samir...it creates a friendship with her and her audience that is unconditional. So what kind of code has Emma really cracked in marketing? What sets her apart from other creators that are similar to her? While she may have had a compelling editing style that originally caught her audience's attention, people really started to fall in love with Emma for who she is. The realness of it. And in this digital age, it can feel hard to find something that is real. Like things that are real are very limited. But through Emma Chamberlain, her viewers were able to relate to her and find human connection even through the screen, which is what sets her apart in such a big way. Thank goodness to Emma Chamberlain for helping us crack the code.

12) TREAT YOUR INNER CHILD, FEED INTO THE NOSTALGIA There is nothing like doing things your younger self always wanted to do. Don’t be afraid to indulge in things that bring back the ever-present feeling of nostalgia. I have been able to accomplish and do things I have always wanted to see myself do. Doing that has not only served my present self, but it heals my inner child, bringing a next level of peace. 13) NOT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO WORK OUT, COME TO PEACE WITH THAT This goes along with the previous bullet of not trying to control everything. Accepting that everything isn’t going to work out, and you can’t control that, allows for you to go with the flow and learn what you need to from whatever situation. It allows for less stress, less anxiety, and a more positive look on life. 14) "IT AINT ABOUT HOW HARD YOU'RE HIT, IT'S ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU CAN GET HIT AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD" ROCKY BALBOA While not everything is going to work out, the punches are still going to hurt when they come. And as much as you keep the positive attitude, some of the things that will come will just knock the wind out of you. Discourage you. Make you lose hope. But if you are able to take all of these hits with grace and KEEP GOING, that is where success is going to come for you. 15) AMBITION IS HARD TO FIND I’ve always been a person that has had extremely high goals for myself. I remember being 16 and looking for internships at Nike corporate. It is something I have always admired about myself, and it has carried me to places I never thought that I would see for myself. As I get to know different people, I have found that ambition and drive is really hard to find. And in the workforce, it is a really great quality to have. But I was only able to find that through finding what I was passionate about. Find what you are passionate about, put your blinders on and channel your ambition to become who you want to be. 16) IT'S OKAY TO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING Wanting to be perfect at everything immediately and always knowing everything is denying you your humanity. If everyone knew everything, we would all be the same, and that just takes away everything society is. Accepting that knowing all is something beautiful that makes us human will bring curiosity into the things we know instead of anxiety. 17) COME TO KNOW YOURSELF Really finding who I was is an ongoing process, which is normal. There have been so many different versions of me throughout the years, even multiple versions in a year, which has been hard on my self esteem. As I focused on really finding what is important to me, what my strengths are, what my weaknesses are, what my goals are, etc, it has given me a certain sense of confidence. Knowing who I am without input from anyone else has allowed for me to become less sensitive, more aware of where I can apply myself, and so much more, that have really helped me find success. As you continue that process with yourself, you will really be able to see real growth. 18) HARRY POTTER AND MARVEL ARE TIED FOR THE BEST MOVIE FRANCHISE I have always appreciated a great story, and the way that these two franchises have tied their stories together was just a work of art. Harry Potter’s sequels always built on each other in a great way, had a great story but also played a crucial role in the ending conflict. It also helped that the British accents were amazing. Marvel has the similar feel to it, but on an even more complex level. How can you tie together so many different stories of separate superheroes with their own villains to come together to resolve the great issue. And the way that Marvel was really able to tie all those stories together and work through every single detail just created a story that captivated me. In the best ways. 19) COOKIE DOUGH WILL FOREVER AND ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE FLAVOR OF ICE CREAM It has never changed, and there is just no argument here. The blend of ice cream with smooth cookie dough just brings a certain flavor and texture that has become a constant in my life. 20) IT'S OKAY TO CRY CRY! CRY ALL THE TIME! Crying is such a great way to feel your feelings. It allows you to process what is happening. Surround yourself with people who help you feel safe with crying and feeling your feelings. Crying is a source of strength of recognizing your humanity and moving forward with the punches. 21) LISTEN TO UNDERSTAND INSTEAD OF RESPOND One of my greatest values, listen to understand instead of respond. Trying to understand someone instead of jumping to conclusions has helped me to see so many different people in different lights. It has allowed me to love deeper and understand how to help others. It has helped me work with people more effectively. If you are a person that helps people feel safe and understood, you will be able to create more connections and loyalty than you ever thought before. And people will pay you that same respect. 22) DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF With all of the other things in mind, realize that it’s all of our first time here on earth. We’re all learning and growing, and it’s okay to allow yourself to learn and grow too. Give yourself a little grace, take a breather and realize that you are doing better than you think that you are. With that, that concludes the most major life lessons that I have learned in my short time here on earth. Make sure to check out my last blog post for the first of the 22 lessons I learned. I hope that reading through this helps those who are my age or beyond understand that life can be changed and improved constantly.

While I’m still young, and still have a lot of my twenties left to live, I’ve still been able to learn a lot of lessons that I know I will carry with me throughout my life. I wanted to share them with you in case you needed these tips too! 1) "YOU MISS 100% OF THE SHOTS YOU DON'T TAKE" -WAYNE GRETSKI This is my life long mantra, and it has helped me progress in ways I couldn’t imagine. It’s helped me have courage to do things that I wouldn't have had the confidence to do in the first place, like applying for and receiving a job with an NBA team. A job I never would've expected if I hadn't tried!  A mantra that I will stick to, and everyone needs in life! 2) TIME HEALS Everyone has bad things happen to them. Through my hard times, I’ve wanted to fix it right then. But some things just take time. Find your niche and allow yourself to feel your feelings, and it will work out in the end. 3) CONTROLLING IS NOT COOL I’ve always been a control freak. One big thing happens in my life, I’m already planning my next year around it. Almost never does that one-off plan end up working. When I try to take control of my life, I most often end up disappointed. But letting go and trust the process is when I can find I celebrate and thrive most. 4) FIND YOUR PEOPLE After years of draining friendships and relationships with the wrong people, I feel I have finally found the people who uplift me, encourage me, and match my energy. This has brought a lot of relief and energy in my life that I’ve been needing, and I really found the importance of finding and keeping those people. 5) BEREAL. Nobody likes someone who is two-faced. No one likes someone who changes themselves based on who they are with. No one respects someone who is constantly fake. I’ve been able to appreciate those who are real and genuine right off the bat. Everyone should Bereal, no one likes someone who is Befake. 6) NOBODY CARES ABOUT WHAT THE COOL KIDS ARE DOING Those high school cliques are so over! No one really cares about what you do or what you wear, so find your niche. Find what makes you happiest, and run with it. Life will be much more fulfilling as you run with what makes you happy than instead of trying to impress the cool kids. 7) MOVE Moving my body has done wonders for me and my mental health. Making time each day to move my body and clear my head has helped me become more focused and happier each day. 8) PUT YOURSELF IN TIME OUT Needing some alone time can be really good. Taking time for yourself can give you time to reconnect and set goals for yourself that being constantly busy won’t let you do. Taking a Time Out is a good thing! 9) SELF CARE Whether it’s during your Time-Out time, or during your 30 minutes lunch break, take time to appreciate yourself. Take yourself on a date to the Barnes and Noble and buy a new book, get an extra hour of sleep, anything that helps you feel loved and gives you the break you need! 10) HYPE YOURSELF UP IN THE MORNING Getting out of bed is the Bane of my existence. Is it that way for you too? So creating a morning routine has been the best thing for me. My wake-up routine is something that I now look forward to in the mornings. Putting on hype music and creating a new outfit are surefire ways to get me excited to start the day right! 11) IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS Going along with finding a way to hype yourself up in the mornings, sometimes your days can start blending together because they’re so uneventful. Create little moments each day of things that bring you joy. Being able to identify the little things like picking up a Starbucks drink or going to lunch with a friend, can change the course of your days.

Have you ever been the victim of hierarchy of a leader, perhaps not treating you as well because they're in a place of power? So have I. I have been involved with leadership since I was about 13 years old, so for about 9 years. I've worked for a variety of different leaders throughout my life, and I have definitely seen a difference between those who are there for power and those who create a real environment that I actually want to work in, that I can build and grow in. And as I was thinking about this throughout my years, I came up with the solo cup leadership method. Now, I know it probably sounds a little crazy, but I feel like and as I've seen, leadership can be seen as a hierarchy, one that's like a pyramid, right? Everybody's trying to get on top of the pyramid. Everybody's trying to be the best and build their way up and see everyone else below, which I believe is not the way true leaders should treat those they lead. So I thought of the solo-cup leadership method. What is that you might ask? Imagine a tower made out of red solo cups. Imagine each row of cups is a level of leadership. In this example, it is structured after higher education. At the bottom we have the need for  education. In the row above we have  students, then  student leaders and then administrators. The  administrator's purpose is there to assist the student leaders and also assist the students to have the best experience that they can while gaining their education. Student leaders responsibility is to  give a voice to the students, to serve them and to help them have the best college experience that they can. And then the students are there for education.So how imagine if you were to remove one of the cups along the bottom row. What would the pyramid do? It would fall.  Let’s think about this from a leadership standpoint. in this example, if there was no need for education, then there would be no need for students. If there is no need for students, there would be no need for student leaders. And if there was no need for student leaders or for students, then there would be no need for administration. So with that in mind, it can really change the mindset of leadership to one of, “I’m here  to serve, because without them, I wouldn’t be here”.. This mindset helps us to see that we need the people that we serve.  We need them quite frankly, more than they need us. We're there to serve them and to help them to grow and to learn and to progress. So why is it so important? It's important so that you can create that environment for those that you're serving. It's important because it helps those be inspired to build and to grow and to create just your quality of work just a little bit more. So now I ask you, how can you apply the Solo Cup leadership method into your own life, into your own work environment?

As I have worked in marketing, I have worked with a lot of small businesses who were struggling with developing their brand. These businesses would approach me and ask me to do their marketing, but marketing cannot happen without a stable brand. If you are wondering why your business's marketing isn't gaining traction, maybe it's time to reflect on the solidity of your brand. Here's 5 simple ways to create a name for your business: 1) Brand's values Who are you? What do you stand for? Why do you do what you do? These are all questions to consider as you are developing your brand. Questions like these are important not only for your audience, but also for you. Clearly defining your brand's values will help your customers relate to you more and also have more respect as you show who you are and who you stand for. It will also help you as you are developing your brand, recenter on what is important to you, and why you started your business in the first place when times get hard. 2) What makes your business different? Finding what sets your business apart is so important. Why would someone buy from you if they could buy it from Walmart for cheaper? Why is your product/service worth it? Setting your business apart will help you create a name for yourself and make your marketing easier as you know what to focus on. What sets you apart will be your selling point. 3) Develop a brand guide Nothing is worse then working with a brand who is all over the place. Just looking at their social media feed give you anxiety because of the all over words, inconsistent colors and old style. Setting a brand guide will change the look and feel of your brand almost immediately. Choose a set color palette that works for you and represents your business well. Do the same with a typeface. Find templates of designs that fit in with what you want to advertise. Scroll through Pinterest to get inspiration! Creating a mood board is a great place to start. 4) Find your voice Along with having a brand guide, having a consistent brand voice is just as important. Do you want to communicate mostly through graphics, or do you want to be the face of your company? How do you want to speak to your audience? What do you want them to know? Having a brand voice that is consistent with your brand guide and values will give you the brand recognition you are needing. 5) Consistency After determining all of these things, BE CONSISTENT! Nothing is worse that putting together a whole brand kit to change it the next day or never use it again. Make sure you are consistent with your designs, but also when you post. Give your audience a  chance to get to know your new brand a little more. Let them find ways to relate to it, and keep them coming back for more. By following these tips, I know your business will stand out immediately. Implementing these things will help you feel strong and ready to tell the world about who you are and what you stand for and why you stand out!