Instagram. Facebook. Twitter. TikTok. We all know them and the amazing impact they've had on this current generation. With so many people plugged in on the daily, the impact of influencer marketing is huge right now.
Let me help you get your products, services, and experiences the exposure they deserve!
The SECRET
Don't regram. Create.
It's not just about creating content, it's about creating a strong brand identity, a branded community, and brand loyalty. It's not just about posting content, it's about posting content that's going to resonate, entice, and engage your target market ensuring that you don't just gain followers, you actually gain customers.
THE GAME PLAN
Showcase your you
Highlight your brand
Generate Qualified Leads
Optimize social media use
Attract New Customers
Share Current Content
Create New Content
Generate Brand Awareness
I work in GLOWS and GROWS - so GLOWS, things you’re already doing great at, and GROWS, things that could be improved, or areas I could see you growing from.
Since you’re obviously just starting out it’s kinda basic at this point, but it’s a good way to think of things and an easy way to try to track what you’re doing and plot where you want to take things.GLOWS:
You be great: AKA. You’re a rockstar
You’re Backed by Passion and a mission almost everyone can align with: parents will love the message, it’s inclusive enough to include everyone hitting lots of markets and not alienating anyone, it’s authentic but not lame (so kids wont be reluctant to wear it if their parents buy it for them)
Reputable Backing: You’ve got fantastic friends who aren’t just going to support you, they’re going to promote you - the aim of the game is to make you their humble rockstar
The brands relevant and Sellable: The brand plays into the upper/middle class psyche well - family market - inclusive morals - play on that - play on your own family, the diversity of your models. Play on your family man image and the notion of instilling good morals and values on kids. It’s like presidential campaigning.
Your Logo: The logo is good - it’s easy, it’s clear, it’s recognizable but not overpowering.
GROWS:
Everything else: Ha, ok well not EVERYTHING - you’ve got the OVERALL brand part down pat - but since we’re essentially starting from scratch, we’ve got to work on everything - which is actually a HUGE advantage as we can build a consistent presence!
Focusing: You’ve got to focus your messaging/mission/vision. The overall idea is there, but I feel like a lot of what’s going to tie people to brand (loyalty wise) is kind of being lost. You’re great at telling people to be themselves, but WHO should be themselves? LGBTQ? Mental Health? Diversity? Nurses? It applies to all, but without stating to which you’re reference it’s easy to get lost. (You can pick all too, that’s ok, but each one needs a shoutout kinda so that people know - and it needs to be clearly outlined what you’re encouraging people to embrace. The slogan you have is catchy, but I’m not sure it’s something people could recognize themselves in - which is the core of most brands' ultimate successes - like the “why” by Simon Sinek.
Sell the movement, then the shirts: Right now the focus seems to be on the apparel - I don’t get the sense that you’re trying to rally people around your cause. Sell the cause, encourage people to align, and then provide them with a way to show their pride (the apparel). - (**NOTE - focusing on selling for a cause is fine, but the ones that focus on the consumerism of it are more so doing it by selling more generic items that are less branded, and that happen to do go as well - appealing to the socially conscious consumer - yours are heavily branded and movement oriented, so I’d suggest sticking to that.)
Bio: We need to hammer out a simple way to break down who you are and what you do. I typically tell people to come up with three versions, a 3 second “elevator pitch” version of who they are, a minute “this is a bit about who I am, this this is why my mom thinks I’m great” mid-way version (Good for community walls, brand features, etc.), and then an hour/couple paragraph long “Ms America” one talking about all the actual things you’ve done, or you would like to do, what your philosophy is etc. (You’ve got 3 second one, but I get the sense we still have to hammer out the rest)
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TWITTERTwitter’s basically the brains of the social world - you post mainly words- in 140 characters or less.
I’d get on a schedule where you don’t use this super regularly but like once a week maybe post up a fun fact about authenticity, a cause or issue that’s taking off right now that you align with, a fact or joke (Shows you’re relatable), a neat article about something new in the non profit/authentic movement community (shows you’re current and up to date), and then maybe something for any major holiday or Toronto event that comes up - you know, just to keep ya relevant. You honestly don’t have to put too much time in to twitter as it’s less about regular engagement and content than the others… also, the demographic is kinda older and the appeal is kinda dying out - still worth having though.
IG
Regular posts: posts don’t have to be every day - heck, they don’t even have to be once a week. Truthfully, while engaging regularly on IG is a great way to interact with your community/clients/friends/new leads, it’s also just a place to showcase what a freakin awesome professional you are. So long as you have SOME sort of presence, even if you uploaded a whole bunch of great, branded, consistent content all at once and then never really did it again, it would be worth it
You Get What you Give: That being said - you kinda get what you give with this stuff -so if you put a decent amount of effort into it, odds are, a decent amount will come back to you. Whether that’s actively engaging (which means commenting or liking) your community, colleagues, family or friends things from the account, posting in your stories, posting on your page, or just replying to comments, people appreciate reciprocity, and the more engaged you are on their pages, the more they will be on yours (most of the time). (*** Obvious explanation that probably doesn’t need to be explained but just in case it helps break it down: Engagement (which is how often people “engage” or interact with your page is good because it’s tracked and often showcased (people can see how many likes or comments you have under your photos) the more you get, the more popular you look, the more popular you look, the more people will want to see you/talk to you/ work with you/be like you - humans are sheep, I know - but it’s proven true for centuries so we might as well roll with it.) :)
Stay Relevant: A huge part as to why I think many people have success online is because they invest a lot of time trying to post content regularly, staying current on people’s pages, and always keeping themselves top of mind. It’s like being that annoying fly in the room that’s always there buzzing around saying… “And we do this… and we do this… oh yeah, and remember, we do this!” You don’t have to always explicitly state it - just a silent, funny, or relevant humble brag is often enough - but it’ll keep you top of mind was someone they have a connection with the next time they need someone or want to recommend someone. You don’t have to be there all the time - literally just take 15 minutes a day to make one story post, one page post, and maybe like/comment on a few people’s things and you’ll already be off to a running start.
Highlights: there’s a way to turn your standard stories into ‘Highlights’ on instagram - great way to showcase key posts or relevant info - utilize it and separate them into folders or sections- I’d also recommend uploading specific cover pages for them just to keep your main page looking uniform
Quotes/recommendations: Don’t be afraid to incorporate words/recommendations/references/quotes/or any of your informative tweets here. - while statistically speaking posts with words get significantly less engagement, they can also act as great motivators, engagers, and humble brag parts.
Location in check: Put your location in the bio - even if you’re just specifying which part of town you’re in.
1-a-days: posting 1 a days really help your page seem relevant, up to date, and current. It also increases daily engagement, tipping the algorithm odds in your favour
Story posts: Post images or info on the stories, and try to showcase what’s happening at the various highlighted locations in real time. Tag the location in question where you’ll be at for the day, talk about some upcoming opportunities/sales, maybe post some inspiring quotes, do some surveys or polls, and just get people reading.
Find your voice: Find your voice - every person or company online has a sort of digital “voice” it takes a while to find it, but once you do it will help ensure all your posts have the same vibe/feel
#’s: use strategic and relevant hashtags to make yourself “findable” by others who are either following the hashtag itself (so flagged it as something they’d have interest in) or who are using #’s to find something specific. Ex. #BeYou #Toronto #MadeInCanda. I typically avoid using too many of them myself, or, if you choose to use lots, put them at the end of your post so it doesn’t seem overwhelming. Technically you can have up to 30.
Highlight Cover Pages: A big part of looking professional is giving the illusion of organization and uniformity (think team uniforms). Your IG should have an organized visual. So when it comes to posting segmented highlight albums, give each an album cover/face that reflects what’s inside, but matches the collection around it. Don’t underestimate the power of strong fonts and simple but tailored creatives.
Lifestyle Shots: You’ve got these already - which is great.
STORY FONT: Don’t be afraid to experiment with fonts. The standard one is fine, but the more polished you seem online the more polished you’ll seem in real life.
UTILIZE STORY FEATURES: Polls, surveys and questionnaires are one of IG’s newest features and ones that a lot of influencers are really into these days - if you’re able to, take advantage of those. Have “Ask us anything” questionnaires where you answer commonly asked questions (*Tip, you can post them from your other accounts and they look like they’ve been anonymously asked"))
IG LIVES: Also take advantage of IG Lives - where you can film yourself live and people tune in - do an “Ask the Doc” session maybe and have you patients, friends or family log on to ask relevant industry questions that you can help answer - for these it’s less about being formal and more about being relatable and building community - you can either delete them after so they disappear forever, or save them and have them be something people can rewatch later.
Follow Geo-Tags: On IG people can “Tag” or list where they are - ex. Toronto, Cabbagetown, Leslieville - and as a result, you can actually search up an area on it and see who has posted there or about there recently. I’d use this to your advantage and find people who are posting either regularly, or maybe even just at all, in the area where you live/work. Bait them a little (so liking or commenting on their photos) get them to notice you - maybe even send them a DM about your clinic - invite them for a free trial - it’s all about peaking interest and this is a great way to do it in a very targeted way (Just maybe don’t tell them that you stalked where they were posting… that would be weird) :P
Influencers: Influencers are people online who have a decent “influence” or following - there are macro influencers, so people with millions of followers, or micro influencers, people with typically between 5000-40,000. (Don’t knock the small ones though, they often have more actual local pull than the bigger ones). The idea behind influencers is that they supposedly have influence over their following, they can vouch for people or products, endorse them, and just promote them - some charge for the service of posting or endorsing, others are happy to do it for trade - the key is that they opinion will likely be respected and by having them come in and post about it they inadvertently give you their stamp of approval - which is a great way to get additional testimonials, referrals, and just widen your net (so to speak)
Use the hook of free trials/swag/profiles. This is your golden hook for new customers, as it not only allows you the chance to help existing individuals find community but it provides you with the opportunity to potentially swipe great people from other organizations and clubs and networks and turn them into ambassadors for yours.
Target your audience. For this one I’d start targeting anyone who posts about Toronto, Doing Go, Originality, social justice, inclusivity
Sweep the gram. If you’re doing this over social media, find people who use #’s that apply to the clothing/movements Think #giveback #represent #beoriginal #originality #pride #swag #showyourpride #beyou etc.
Once you find those - lure em - that can be through a series of direct ‘likes’, liking their posts consecutively (6 likes in a row tends to get people’s attention and peak their curiosity), or shooting them a DM saying you love what they’re doing to give back, stand out, or be themselves. You offer them a free complimentary piece maybe, or profile on your site (even if it’s just a shoutout on the story) as a hook, even if you offer those anyways, people always feel special being offered something they know has a value for free and odds are they probably will be so excited they wont notice that that’s actually pretty standard practice.
If you’re posting on peoples images who might be interested in becoming customers, try commenting under the shot or sending a DM like “Love the energy, let’s keep that rolling.” and just see what happens.
Support those in the volunteering/toronto/giveback/pride/adoption community. Community support is huge these days and everyone is all about posting words of encouragement. Use this to your advantage by engaging with community members who are doing great things and encouraging them to keep it up. Even if it’s your direct competition, if it’s shown that you are looking like the bigger person, being supportive, and leading by example, you’ll stand out as an industry leader by a mile - one that isn’t scared of competition but who embraces it (besides, you already know you’re the best, so why compete)
Tag Those Friends. Utilize the “Tag a friend who needs to see this” hook - a lot of people use it with motivational quotes, funny memes, or useful information. Encourage engagement from your audience, and generate more leads while you do it.
Some also use this as an avenue to do giveaways - whether it’s simple swag, a feature profile, an in class presentation or something more. Ex. Tag 3 friends for your chance to win.
Tag the ambassadors/members. Use the tags yourself to flag your posts for prospective ambassadors/members. Just like tagging a friend can help draw someones attention to what you do, same goes for you actually tagging the clients/partners/members you know. Tag people who have been there, tag the people who have booked and are waiting for an adjustment, tag the vendors you’re collaborating with or work with regularly, tag your staff/colleagues, tag everyone! While you’ve definitely already got a full house, more attention also means more clout, more clout means better reputation, and so then even if all you’re looking to do is boost the awareness in the community to secure future influence, you’ll be able to get it easily.
Make friends, find perks. Everyone loves free perks, bonuses, or exclusive rates. If you’re not already - Make friends with some local venders for exclusive BU Rates - whether that’s wellness focused, corporate focused, or just social focused - think of it like a corporate discount if they’re a member of your movement. Even Goodlife fitness has partnerships with restaurants, insurance companies, banks, clothing stores, spas, etc. Even if you’re only offering 5%-10% off something, the token of good faith and seemingly exclusive perk will really help plump up your brand/movement =.
Go old school. Flyers might be old fashioned, but put em in the right place and they totally work. Hipster coffee shop bulletin boards, cool local fashion stores, book shops, or shared workspaces etc. Don’t underestimate the power of the paper and help appeal to those who may not be quite so tech savvy - same goes for door to door cheap fliers (they dont have to be super fancy/expensive - just well done)
Rep it up. You’ve definitely got some, but I’d recommend inviting some proper micro influencers to a campaign (perhaps your next official promo this month) - You show them what it’s all about, how it works, and what it can offer them, and then use them to develop a proper referral program with them. That way they do the ground work for you, spread the word, help link people they know with opportunity, all while getting a little shoutout.
Tweak your site a bite: While your site looks absolutely wonderful (Hurray Shauna) there are a couple things that I would personal re-tweak a little just to really help those who are there navigate it and have the best user experience.
Ex. Launch promotion kind of gets confusing as it’s really similar to your SHOP page - so the two kind of seem redundant
Don’t flaunt flaws: I would probably make the RETURNS section a little less prominent - something you can find on the bottom of a backend page - people typically use a CONTACT US page for that sort of thing, making it an overarching RETURNS kind of implies your items get returned often.
Adjust some of the wording: “A portion of product sales will be donated to North American charities who support vulnerable children and youth and in consultation with our corporate advisors annually.” - While 100% accurate, it’s almost a little too vague while being a little too transparent. All you really have to say for this one is: “A portion of product sales donated to vulnerable children and youth.” - the rest can go into an actual package that you can send out should anyone investigate or inquire, but overall it’s not really needed.
KEEP THE CORE UP FRONT: Your ABOUT is typically the second tab on the site to the left or all the way to the right - or somewhere near that - it’s a core value and a big part of who you are - plus a big part of the MOVEMENT itself, which is what is likely going to be the hook here. So you need to make sure it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle (it’s currently in the middle of your tab bar - which makes it confusing - pick a direction, left or right and try to keep it there
Pop ups: sales are great but not if no one knows they’re happening - create a dynamic pop up that comes when people land on the homepage prompting them to ACT NOW
Make it sexier: A lot of your wording doesn’t really give a CALL TO ACTION - which is what is going to get people to DO things - like buy gift cards or give back or purchase a shirt. You need to make it sexy/clean/professional and simple. See examples below.
Youtube:
No pressure to go this route - but it’s an interesting way to create content, create videos you can show your patients, or generate new leads
Also really good for “selling the movement” - which is what I think ya kind of have to focus on to get his off the ground.
Super Fancy Version
Or More Casual
TIKTOK
- Tiktok is huge now with kids - and while you’re likely not going to hit your exact target market here (most of the median age in this group is definitely older - I would say), you might still be able to infiltrate new bubbles and also just add a different dimension to yourself. I won’t write a lot about this here as I think it might be more of a down the line step for you, but it’s worth noting/looking into - There are some phenomenal brands, good doers and unique individuals who are really hacking the system and using it in clever/creative ways.
(Literally just get tiktokers to make videos like this in the apparel) - you MIGHT need a budget for this depending, so just be aware that sometimes influences do ask for it.
FACEBOOK
Join those local facebook groups. Post not only posters or digital fliers, but also just actual authentic posts from you as a person saying “hey, I live here and this is what I do - looking to help out those in my community. “
GETTING STARTED
Rumour has it the hardest step to take is the first. Well then, I guess it's a good thing we have a game plan. Starting from the bottom I'll help ya comb through every piece of your digital footprint ensuring you've got a professional online presence you can be proud of.
As an aspiring industry leader in differentiated market success, it's important that you not only look brilliant and innovative, but are.
A SAMPLE DAY TO DAY
Develop strategic media plans
Set benchmarks and goals that exceed targets
Curate new as well as previously developed content
Outline potential opportunities
Enlist influencer marketing
Curate and maintain a strong social presence
Engage your audience through direct interactions and messages
Find ways to promote launches and sales to ensure that social engagement translates into real time consumers
SOCIAL BOOST
To help infuse an initial social boost what I'd probably do is begin by making a couple individual posts on my own personal account (@TheHassard). With a 41.9k following the exposure is fairly high, the engagement strong, and the select audience already hits a large target market you're trying to reach (Those who are engaged, who appreciate identity, who take care of themselves, who want to support local, and who live in Toronto). I'd begin with a series of Instagram story posts and polls testing the market to gage reaction and interest, and from there would take that response and turn it into a series of proper posts to ensure lasting impressions. Each post and story would include a direct link with click-through abilities ensuring you and your brand receive ultimate exposure. Will it work? Who knows. But it’s a good place to start.
We’d also put out an “ask” to all your major social players (and not-quite-as-major-yet ones too) to do the same. As you totally get, personal endorsements are the way to go, and definitely worth their weight in gold. Optimize the network you already have by having them draw eyes for you. If you curate the content right, most people are happy to make the plug and starting off with that kind of exposure is a great way to turbo boost your page's platform and allows you to get an immediate jumpstart at no extra cost.
It's on these stories that you can also include more "disposable content" such as mini-features on local do-gooders, parents, kids, or community leaders, In House Experts, Favourite partners, products, etc. Things you wouldn't want to post on the actual page, but that would still like to acknowledge. (Here would be a great "5 Fun facts about a firefighter who gives back… or ______ school" section, or you could expand to do trusted partner reviews or recommendations that could relate to further holistic marketing you do, leveraging your social platform for more B to B partnerships.
Being heavily spread on social media will not only help you present that which you are in a visual manner but will also allow you to engage with the community more potentially brokering influencer contracts with influencer athletes or other sport brands in exchange for content to promote them on your site, thus increasing your own social reach by tenfold.
WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING TO PUMP
BU
Band
Movement
Community members
Clothing
Events
Opportunities to get involved
Examples of how people have gotten involved
tips and tricks for giving back or standing out
Sales
… more to come
As with all things, these are all merely suggestions - depending exactly on what you want and need things can definitely be adjusted.
Just let me know what works for you and we'll find a way to make it happen.
For any questions, comments, or concerns don't hestitate to reach out to me at:
info@ashleyhassard.com
www.ashleyhassard.com
647-262-1033
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