Social media grants every business the chance to be a rock star; to realize those grandiose dreams of insane success, capped by legions of fans. Since the digital landscape is so ubiquitous, however, the competition is fierce. Thanks to advances in technology and the immense power of social platforms, there are more brands in existence than ever before. The internet is an incredibly noisy, elbow-jamming space. So how does a brand manage to rise above the deafening commotion to become the next corporate phenom?
On January 26th, Mark Fidelman, Fanatics Media CEO, sought to answer that question via Blab.im with the help of David Brier and Justin Matthew, two individuals who know exactly how to differentiate a brand from the competition and build it into a force to be reckoned with. Check out this energetic and dynamic conversation in its entirety below:
David Brier is a branding guru that has amassed loads of recognition and accolades with his company DBD International, which sets companies up for success through unparalleled strategic design and branding. David is also a speaker and author for Fast Company, along with various features in major publications such as INC. magazine and The New York Times.
Justin Matthews is the founder of iBoom Media, Monopolize Social Media, and JM Consulting Inc. Justin is one of the individuals on the forefront of social media as he has achieved viral status on nearly every platform, helped transform HouseholdHacker into one of the most respected science shows on the web, and holds the World Record for the #1 circle share count of all time.
Check out some of the highlights from these two business geniuses.
Question #1: How Specifically Can Brands Get Their Message Out There and Rise Above the Noise?
Justin:
“You need to be a king of the information, research, and the data that’s out there and utilize that.”
This is a task that every brand is trying to accomplish, so your company’s message needs to be something really special; completely unique and exceptionally creative. Once that has been cultivated, you must have a processes and tools in place and a strategy for each social network. Figure out which networks are most advantageous for your company and dive in to creation and domination. Identify your audience and drill into the related data. Once accomplished, you can create custom audiences, engage with them daily, and watch word-of-mouth magic start to propel your company forward.
David:
Companies have a tendency to become extremely myopic and lose sight of the bigger picture. When posting to social, brands need to be consistent and have a common thread running through their posts. This way, previous posts can be mentioned and continually cross-referenced, which creates a web of interconnectivity. Because of the interrelated nature of these efforts, people will begin to connect the dots and a growth happens naturally.
Question #2: How Do You Leverage a Channel for Distribution When You Are Just Starting Out?
Justin:
One of the first things that should be done is to establish all of the brand’s social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram) with all of the necessary icons, banners, and handles; the handles should all be the same if at all possible. From there it is about identifying a very specific audience and smart methods to target them. Additionally, create a list of similar companies and target their followers as well. Be sure to filter out any inactive or spam profiles to get to the best of the best and engage these folks on a daily basis.
David:
“If I am providing value consistently, people will come to know me as that person to go for.”
The focus for David is to make sure his posts contain a high percentage of valuable information for the audience (he aims for 80% of each post). This is a ratio that most brands fail to get right. If you are constantly pushing out material that is beneficial for your audience, you will come to be recognized as a “go-to” source, and therefore build your reputation and distribution.
David came to know Daymond John of Shark Tank, and wrote an article on the program which was so good he received a package from Daymond with a gift of recognition inside for consistently reaching out and providing value. Value is the not-so-secret sauce.
Question #3: What Specific Things Have You Done for Clients to Rise above the Noise?
Justin:
“You have got to really let your clients know that you care. That they’re not just a business transaction for you.”
It really helps to bring a new dimension to your work if you insert yourself into the company and be on site with them; go the extra mile. Getting personal and immersed in a company really shows them that you are invested. Additionally, it is crucial to be bringing new ideas to clients all the time, stay in constant communication, and keep them updated on systems and happenings.
David:
As an example, David had a 64 year old entrepreneur come to him with his love of burgers and trains that he wanted to build into a branded burger restaurant. This gentleman had a great name for his brand, the look was spot on, but the problem was figuring out why anyone should care about another burger restaurant among all the national chains. After contemplating long and hard on, “Burgers and trains” David came up with the branding slogan of “Chew. Chew.” The grand opening was a smash success and people went crazy over the branding concept.
This is just a sliver of the insights these two shared during the conversation. Watch the video in its entirety to gain the full scope on how to get your brand to rise above the noise.
Think you’re ready to set your brand a part and really punch through the digital cacophony? Call us at 760-262-4252 or send an email to info@fanaticsmedia.com and we will love your brand as if it were our own.
