5 Tips to Elevate Your Business
This year’s Design Bloggers Conference in Beverly Hills drew hundreds of designers, entrepreneurs, journalists, and others interested in unraveling the intricacies of what makes a blog a true business asset, as well as establishing an effective social media marketing plan to elevate their business.
Here’s some advice from the experts to consider.
Be Serendipitous
Algorithms — those pieces of data that tell social media sites like Facebook or Instagram what you “like,” share, and click on for more information — help expose us to more of the great things we love. The caveat, however, is that they also tend to weed out the posts that don’t fit into our “like” patterns. That, in turn, creates a narrow, highly focused vision, eliminating exposure to different points of view, and options for staying open-minded and well-rounded.
According to Adam Japko, founder of Esteem Media and the Design Bloggers Conference, this is why influencer marketing is taking off. Just let things be serendipitous and allow the unexpected to happen.
Build Collaborative Relationships
Build a network of professionals you can rely on, include other designers, manufacturers, trade associations, photographers, and editors. Provide each other recommendations and leads. Chances are, if you are kind and easy to work with, you will be sought out by other professionals, thus creating a strong team in your design community.
Build Additional Income Streams – Side Hustle
With technology at our fingertips, there are so many options for generating additional income streams. Don’t be afraid to use your skill set and expertise to create a “side hustle”. For instance, creating a blog based on your design expertise that provides the industry with valuable content provides opportunities to advertise manufacturers and brands, feature sponsored content, link to affiliate companies, provide advice columns, and create eDesign for clients.
Stand Out
Find your unique story to stand out and capitalize on that as part of your branding efforts. Brands leveraging philanthropic initiatives are trusted, memorable and respected among all. Look at ways to connect your brand with something that gives back in a meaningful way.
Two firms that are doing it right are Savvy Giving By Design, a company creating magical spaces for ill children enduring major challenges at a young age, and Save Iconic Architecture, a group that protects and preserves iconic architecture in California.
You can also look to create your own unique story promoting your specialty — what really makes you special. Do you have a story to tell with color? Are you specialized in small spaces, childproofing, yacht design, historic homes? Identify what differentiates you and play up these strengths.
Embrace the Evolution of Technology
Adapting to social strategies, algorithms, and platforms is a way of the future — but remember, nothing is forever. Be prepared for disruption — it is inevitable, and will continue to happen.
We’re all in this together, ask for help!