MARKETING 101 FROM THE SCOUT GUIDE MIAMI'S OWNER + EDITOR
Meredith Kallaher
I recently had a chance to catch up with Meredith Kallaher. She’s a friend and a marketing guru. I hope you learn a few marketing tips and that she inspires you to dive in.
You are an expert in social media and marketing. What was your initial passion in being this rising social media guru?
Well I started using social media to share photos of my kids with my mom, lol. I moved to Miami from Dallas with her only grandchildren and maybe primarily out of guilt I would share lots of photos of my kids. Soon after that I launched The Scout Guide Miami. I sell annual advertising packages to locally owned businesses. I am very proud of the service I provide but to be honest some business owners get hung up on the price. I found early on that by growing my social media and giving my clients more exposure, I could add value to the package my customers were buying. And to answer your question, that has become a passion of mine... helping local business owners add value to their own business! So THAT is why I am passionate about being a social media guru!
How did you learn all the tips you share and use?
Primarily by trial and error but I do tell my students and clients that nobody was born with social media skills.. even though sometimes it feels like my 11 year old was (so weird how she came out of the womb knowing how to "swipe" an iPad). Someone or something like a teacher, a co-worker, a book or a YouTube video has to teach you how to use social media. The trick is to take the time to learn. I definitely did- and still do! I get so excited to learn a new strategy and love to try new things and see how they work with my audience. I learned from my first Social Media Director at The Scout Guide (Grey Bryan). I learned from my franchisor who provides tips and tricks sometimes AND I learned fromPodcasts. Online Marketing Made Easy by Amy Porterfield is my favorite!
If there is a FEM reading this and wanting to get started, what advice would you give her?
Start with a commitment to consistency. On every platform consistency is key. Before you even begin promise yourself you will post once a day (that's a good rule of thumb), then don't let yourself down.
What are some really bad social media or marketing no-no’s?
Forgetting that it is called "social media".. meaning not every post should be about selling something. Using bad photos. Playing the follow, unfollow game. Reposting someone's photo/text image without giving them credit.
Any resources you recommend [in addition to our FemCity classes of course 😉]?
All of the resources I have utilized are online. I already mentioned Amy Porterfield's podcast for all things online marketing. For Instagram specific I love following on Instagram both Tyler J. McCall and Jasmine Star- they give great advice inside the app. For YouTube how-to's Sunny Leneduzzi is awesome. She is both a Podcast and a Youtube channel but I find I prefer watching her on YouTube because that is her jam.
Any other tips for those FEMS that are scared to start using video in social media?
If you are considering it... you should just do it! I promise it gets easier with each go round. If we are talking about putting yourself on video then just imagine you are talking to one person.. in fact, don't talk to the plural. Instead of "hey guys, I'm at the gym today." Say, "Hi friend," or Jasmine Star says, "Listen Boo." The listener is usually by herself so it can really feel like the two of you are having a one-on-one conversation. AND if you think about it that way, it will be less scary and come across more genuine. Technically my advice is (1) the better the light the better the video... go outside, if there isn't too much noise, stand by a window or put a spot light on it! (2) Consider using a higher quality microphone than the one that comes in your phone or computer. Especially if you are going to record outside where the light is great. There are lots of great affordable options on Amazon. Not sure if you need a mic? Record a video and listen. BUT don't let any of this hold you up! If you are curious! Go for it. And unless you are a prodigy you aren't going to be great at the beginning... but that is OK because nobody else is either! You will improve with practice. I promise.
What is one last social media secret to share with FEMS?
So many just popped in my mind, but I guess the most important one that came to mind is to remember why you are using social media for business. I assume that the goal would be to grow your customer base. So the goal would be to gain followers, that turn into fans and customers. If you had 100 followers that each spent $100 with you that would be amazing! 10,000 followers that spend $0 are worthless, right? So don't worry about quantity... quantity of posts, quantity of followers. Your goal should be engaged, involved followers- engagement is what turns followers to customers! And how do you create engagement? By being social on social media and producing content that is informational, fun, entertaining and thought provoking.
About Meredith Kallaher // For 5 years Meredith has owned and edited The Scout Guide Miami, a trusted resource for locals and travelers that features a collection of Miami’s greatest local businesses both in a beautifully printed book (80,000 copies in circulation) and online. The Scout Guide is a national network of city guides in 60 cities across the United States. Recently, Meredith launched a well-received YouTube channel. The Meredith Kallaher Show features weekly content to inspire and educate local business owners across the world to create their own marketing plan, because hope is not a strategy. Find Meredith at Miami.florida.thescoutguide.com and www.meredithkallaher.com