By Latrisha L. Powe

Influence is defined as a person or thing with the capacity or power to have an effect on someone or something. Marketing is defined as the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising. Now enough with the the scholarly definitions and think about social media influencers.

Influencers

Social Media Influencers escpecially on YouTube are difinetly the reason why so many people are breaking the traditional way of living life. People are no longer looking to go to college as much anymore, get married, have children, work a 9-5 job because they learned that with creativity you can make a YouTube Channel and get paid if you have what it takes. I look at a lot of travel vlogs on YouTube to inspire me to fullfill my dream of traveling as well as fashion vlogs to inspire me in my business! I have listened to a lot of vloggers and bloggers who share their stories on how they quit their jobs and started Vlogging/ blogging on YouTube and other platforms and it changed their lives. How many people are in college, finished college, and/or quit their jobs to become a vlogger/blogger because they needed adventure and a new start? SO when it comes down to it people have betrayed social media influencers as being the greatest career goal ever. Almost majority of the world has been inspired by social media influencers and have adjusted their lifestyles to fit in with this ” IN CROWD!” I guess they had a lot of influence …lol!

What do you notice about this type of marketing?

I find this type of marketing cult-like lol because social media influencers have brainwashed so many people into doing this form of marketing that people are risking it all to live this type of life. Social media has really given a false preception of branding…not all but majority of it has. People catfish others and pretend to be spmething they are not just to get followers and money. Building a false self -esteem. I guess Cash Rules Everything Around Me is the motto for these influencers. I have seen so many YouTubers and other influencers start with passion and inexperience and grow…but once they became bigger the passion died …depression kicked in…but they stay in it for the money. When you are truly passionate about something money doesn’t matter…it plays apart …but passion gives purpose. Proverbs 18:16 states, ” A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” What I’m saying is that your gifts and talents can inspire people when its passionate. Not saying every influencer is not passionate…but a lot of them have shown that it is all about the money. People like money, travel, luxurious lifestyles, sex and entertainment… so if they can make money to do these things they will. It is great that these influencers make millions …but I pray they keep the passion more.

What Strategies are they employing?

Honestly, I believe some of the strategies they use are their natural talents , but honestly it is more about their gift of persausion. What do I mean by that …they get paid and/or free products when they advertise any type of brand that gives them the offer. If they make good and/or bad reviews it helps the consumers as well as the brands make sound decisions. Have you ever been stuck on buying anything and then you go to Yelp and/or YouTube to see a review…to make your decision? Welp! You have a clear understanding of what I am saying friend!

What role do influencers play in marketing?

To be perfectly honestly, you need influencers in marketing! Why you may ask? You may questioned me because I said earlier it should be about passion ..blah..blah…blah. Well, as we are human we have needs, wants, and heart’s desires right? This is a rhetorical question? The brands, influencers, and consumers all work together …because each person has been in each of the three. You may say I don’t own a business, but you are the brand ….your life at some point ( knowingly or unknowingly) has influenced sonmeone in some type of way and you have brought things. BINGO! As I discussed in the beginng of this blog the definitions of inflence and marketing …you can tell they work hand and hand. Without marketing a brand/business will fail. Example: When you are on a job interview you are the brand ( your resume is a piece of paper with your skill sets) how you present yourself determines if your are a fit for the business/company you want to work for. The same for influencers and marketing because social media influencers can create an open door for a company’s brand because it connects them to their target market. Influencers have to be well known and in certain categories that connect with that brand’s target audience. It’s all about the Ninche for the brand and the influencer who connects to that demographic of the potential target market.

How does the use of marketing perspective impact the relationship between the company and consumer?

Interesting enough this type of marketing perspective has a giant impact on the relationship between the company and consumers because if a top influence gives a good and/or bad review on a brand consumers will base their decision upon what that influencer said. For example many women/men and young women/men love clothes and they are always looking for a brand that suits majority if not all their needs. Fashion Nova presented itself to social media influencers which grew them 10.7 million followers on Instagram. YouTube has a lot of fashion hauls for Fashion Nova by top fashion and beauty blogger/vloggers. Fashion Nova is worn by a lot of women,men and celebrities as well as being one of the most searched brands next to Chanel and Gucci. Influencers main goal for brands is to encourage consumers to buy their products as well as help them improve on the product. So if an influencer likes and/or dislikes a brand it helps consumers decide if a brand is for them or not. Just take some time and think who has influenced you to give a brand a chance or not??!!??

By Latrisha L. Powe

So I read an interesting article called “Tale of the Tiger: Customer Service” and I found that they created a great way to effectively impact consumers through digital media. So what was the Tale of the Tiger ? You may have asked yourself! Well, the Shorty Awards summed the story up saying, “
At Tampa International Airport, it’s always personal. The airport used social media to make that point by highlighting the story of an airport operations manager who went above and beyond for a little boy who left his toy tiger in an airport play area.” How did Tampa International Airport draw consumers in with a lost toy tiger ? By using their childlike imagination and bringing the tiger to life! To life you may say? Yes, the operational manager took the toy tiger on a great adventure throughout the airport. They promoted their passion for customer care by adding a personal touch. The opeational manager took the toy tiger throughout the airport terminal and took many photos to create a story. Consumers are drawn to stories that elicit senstivity or play on their emotions. This was an awesome and sentimental act especially for consumers who love and/or have children!

Well, of course a child would be upset to lose their favorite stuffed toy and they airport’s operational manager was sensitive to this. The mother of the child called the airport about the missing toy tiger and this was the gateway for the airport to really prove their genuine customer service through sharing the toy tiger’s adventure on social media. The social and consumer experience was addressed in an adventourenous, heart-warming, genuine, loving , and emotional experience. The stated,

“We wrote of how a frantic call from a boy’s mother led to the discovery of the lost tiger, and we reached out to that mother to get her account. We described how an airport employee took it upon himself to then take the boy’s tiger around the terminal, photograph it and make it into a book. We mentioned that he did this on his lunch hour and later used a coupon code that evening to make a hardbound photo book at Walgreens.

We posted the story on Facebook and Twitter with a handful of photos, linking back to the story on our website. As interest in the story grew, we continued to keep it personal. When a staff member’s mother posted on Facebook: “What a great story. What a great airport,” the airport answered: “Thanks, mom!” That prompted this reply: “I love that TPA has a mom … who’s also on Facebook.”

Marketing this story on Facebook and Twitter drew a lot of attention because they took the story viral. The mother of the child who lost their toy tigger supported the airline and spoke on how much she loved them! This was a successful attempt because it  involved the family of the toy tigger, involved their followers on their social media platforms as well as the workers at the airport. This showed a strong and powerful company and consumer relationship not built on business relationship but a more emotional relationship.When a company can show compassion  it grows a company. People love great customer service and with great customer service comes more support. Due to this act of kindness the airline allowed them to be recognized internationally. One toy tiger changed not just the hearts of the airline,but the world!

By Latrisha L. Powe

Social Media is the reality of people’s lives. People feel obligated and have an emotional attachment to it. People concentrate on social media more than their actual lives. Addiction??? Shall we say ??!!??!! Social media has advanced in so many ways that it is unbelieveable. People have literally branded themselves through social media. YouTube has literally given people a financial living branding themselves. Honestly, I have found that social media has given people a false percepection of who they are and what is morally just.

For me I use to love Instagram because I love posting pictures not vainly, but because I have a passion of sharing my life transparently in Christ and as well as my secret unspoken need of wanting to do photography. I have deleted my Instagram for personal reasons, but what I have seen are people losing a sense of self. It’s addicting! Instagram was designed so people can share their lives through video and photos. Now businesses are using it for marketing as well as musicians etc. I also use Pinterest to build vision baords for inspiration for my future business, brand, family, and home. At times I use Linkedin to find jobs and network , as well as certain training and job knowledge. Social media has it’s advantages when it can help you find your true brand! Meaning YOU!

Is social media positive or negative?? Honestly, it depends on the person and/or company involved with it. Some businesses prefer to use Twitter and Facebook over Instagram and Google . It all depends on the person’s need for the social media platform. I have seen that Instagram, YouTube, Live, Google, SnapChat ,LinkedIn , and other top social media platforms have generated much successful for individuals, families, churches, and a lot of businesses. A lot of businesses closed and/or lost much profit because they have not adapted to the times of technology and social media. For me I am not a big fan of it ….I guess I’m old school! The reality of it is without social media you may not grow in your future goals and career. I simply just like Pinterest and Polyvore ( before it changed it’s brand). These brands inspired me what I truly want to do in my life.

In addition to, the last statement I made I feel as though Pinterest satisfies me over Instagram. With Pinterest I am able to create inspirations that help me enhance my identity (my brand). It allows me to stay up to date with trends. Though I am unique I need to understand and gain knowledge on my field and competition. Honestly, I hate competing, but that’s for another blog!

Social media has become the biggest marketing tool for brands and businesses. So many businesses constantly send me emails on my Gmail of their current and/or future promotions. I am sent promotional emails from the School of Style, BooHoo, Forever21, Indeed, LinkenIn, Expedia, Overstock, and etc. Most of the time I ignore majority of them, but most of them have catchy slogans and titles that make me want to know more. For example Boohoo sent, ” We found your fit, Latrisha” to many it may not sound catchy, but it appealed to me because it felt personal. The way these brands market today I can honestly say are creative, they either appeal to you personally and/or by what they have found successful for their target and/or potential clientele. They promote their social media accounts to interact and give live reviews from people who can relate to you and your wants/needs. Honestly, looking at the digital media marketing it is all about persuasion. If a brand can pull you in through digital media they know they got you. Honestly, YouTube has succeeded at doing this because so many people want to Vlog and earn money. Everything that glitters isn’t gold.

What is the difference between goals, strategies, and tactics?

Goals have always been the motivation of planning for your future, but what are goals in terms of marketing and how do they differentiate from strategies and tactics? Goals are defined as a primary outcome. Strategies are the marketing goals and objectives combined as an overall comprehensive plan. The marketing strategy is the foundation in which the full marketing plan is built upon. In order to create a successful marketing strategy you must “research and know.” Researching consist on understanding almost everything you need know about your competitors and target market and consumers. With this type of knowledge and research you can build a strong marketing plan. Now you can get tactical. Tactics in marketing are what carries out the strategic marketing plan. Goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics build upon each other to fullfill the marketing purpose.

What is the importance of setting SMART goals when creating a marketing campaign? What questions should be considered?

Are you thinking S.M.A.R.T when creating your marketing campaign or just being creative? What are SMART goals and how can it help make your marketing campaign successful. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Timed. Let’s define each letter down to layman’s terms. So S is for specific which means your goal should be clear, focused and precise. Don’t try to implement twenty ideas and/or objectives in one goal because it can cause a great deal of confusion as well prolonging the success of your goal. M is for Measurable meaning find a way to measure the content . Putting concrete numbers can keep you and your staff focused on the goal . A is for Action-Oriented meaning “can this goal be reached?” don’t make your goal unattainable. “Don’t despise the small beginnings.” (Zechariah 4:10) Set your goal high enough that it can be reached. R is for Realistic meaning think SMART. Plan for potential losses, errors, mistakes..plan to fail in order to succeed. Quite contradictory, right? Meaning research and gain knowledge in your industry in order to know what you could potentially face. Finally, T is for Time meaning set a time frame in which you want to complete your main goal. Give yourself a time frame that will gain you success not your downfall. In all of this ask yourself the who, what, when , and how !?! Who are your competitors and target audience? What is the lifestyle of your target audience? Why would people buy my product? How can my business distinguish itself from my competitors? These are a few questions that make you think SMART!

Provide examples to portray how marketing tactics align to strategies in order to support set goals.

As I mentioned earlier goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics build upon each other to fullfill the marketing purpose. With this being said a prime example on how marketing tactics align with strategies can be explained through my own personal marketing experience. I wanted to be an Independent Luxury Stylist with J. Hilburn Men’s Clothier. My main goals were to generate an extra $2000 in income and gain more knowledge in luxury brands. As well as build a clintele. In order to make these goal realistic and attainable I needed a strategy. First I had to understand the J. Hilburn man his specific psychographics as well as the demographics . The strategies and tactics I choose to do were passing out business cards, passing out the J. Hilburn Spring Collection Catalogs, sending emails, and things of that nature. The most successful tactics for J. Hilburn were exhibiting in trade shows as well as fashion shows. With mentoring from a top luxury stylist with J.Hilburn I was taught that the goal is to gain at aleast twelve clients in which you can build rapport with and who will be willing to buy at least two shirts, pants, and/or suit at $500. In order for strategies and tactics to become visible you must first have the vision written out. ” Write the vision and make it plain on tablets… ” (Habakkuk 2:2)

How can you ensure that your SMART goals are met using key performance indicators (KPIs)? Explain using examples to support your rationale

I believe that in order to be successful in any area of your life you must create and/or have strong foundation. Once your foundation is is solid you can build upon it. When creating your SMART goals it is important to have Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) because they help measure the level of success a business is achieving in their business goals and objectives. KPIs helps businesses goals not tarry and/or vanish. An example best given to me is when I recieved a brief mentoring from a jewelry store owner who was going out of business. What she said was, “Make sure you have a successful marketing plan.” She planned for inventory, but did not plan for her location. Here location and marketing are what caused her business to be closed. If her marketing plan was linked with KPIs her business could have had a more strategic goal that would have opened a door for wiser decision making for her business. KPIs help businesses to stay on track with every aspect of their SMART goals. Plan SMART and reap the Harvest!

References:

“How to Set SMART Goals for Your Digital Marketing Techniques.” DigPro, 8 Mar. 2019, https://digpro.qsigroup.com/2019/02/smart-goals-digital-marketing/.

CoSchedule. “Marketing Goals: How To Set SMART Goals & Achieve Objectives.” CoSchedule Blog, https://coschedule.com/marketing-strategy/marketing-goals/.

GhanbariFollowCBAP®, Meysam, et al. “Business Goals vs. Objectives vs. Strategies vs. Tactics.” LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140616055721-142774715-business-goals-vs-objectives-vs-strategies-vs-tactics.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

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