Austin Okolo’s Post

This survey can apply to more than membership organizations. Most consumers want to feel seen, valued and appreciated. Talk to them directly to figure out what they really want. ”Members prefer personalization in their interactions with their organizations,” Hermo said. “And they are more likely to engage with content that is relevant and meaningful to them. Specific methods of personalization, such as targeted communications geared toward specific member interests, tend to be more effective, often resulting in increased interaction and participation.” https://lnkd.in/g8YFSaUn #providevalue #personalization #associationmarketing

You’ve built a referral program—nice work! 🎉 But if participation is still lackluster, it’s often not about the incentives or the process. The real issue? A lack of social proof. In our latest article, we dive into how to transform your passive customers into active brand advocates by showcasing real success stories. Want to boost engagement and drive referrals? It’s all about building trust. Check out the strategies that can turn your program around. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dCpke6P5 #ReferralMarketing #SocialProof #CustomerEngagement

STOP Chasing After Customers. That's the FASTEST way to DESTROY brand VALUE! Brands need to stop chasing after customers —it’s exhausting, expensive, and doesn’t deliver lasting results. Instead, the focus should be on creating genuine relationships that attract the right people naturally. Here’s why: 1. Chasing Customers Hurts Your Brand’s Image When a brand is constantly trying to sell to everyone, it starts to look desperate. People can sense it when a brand is over-promoting, and it chips away at trust. If all you're doing is running constant sales or promotions, Customers begin to expect discounts and stop seeing the value of paying the full price. Strong brands don’t chase—they confidently attract. 2. You’re Wasting Time on the Wrong Audience Trying to convince people who don’t care about your product is a huge waste of time and money. Broad targeting—like those generic social ads—doesn’t resonate with anyone. It’s much better to invest in reaching the people who actually align with what you’re offering, instead of burning through your budget on people who’ll never convert. 3. Your Loyal Customers Are Your Real Goldmine It’s way more cost-effective to keep an existing customer than to constantly chase after new ones. Loyal customers buy more, come back often, and tell others about your brand. They’re the foundation of long-term growth, so focusing on keeping them happy should be a top priority. 4. Real Connections Create Brand Advocates When your brand offers real value and stays authentic, people naturally want to talk about it. That’s how you turn customers into advocates. Take Patagonia for example—they stand by their environmental mission, and their customers are loyal because they believe in what the brand represents. This kind of advocacy is worth more than any marketing campaign. 5. Quality Beats Quantity for Sustainable Growth Brands that are obsessed with metrics like followers, clicks, or sales volume often miss the bigger picture. A smaller, engaged customer base is worth far more than a massive, disengaged one. It’s about building a community that’s truly invested in your brand, not just chasing numbers. If you're tired of running in circles chasing customers and want to build authentic relationships that last, let’s chat. Reach out to our team at FFB Collaboration. #BrandStrategy #CustomerLoyalty #AuthenticMarketing #BrandAdvocates #MarketingTips #SustainableGrowth #CustomerExperience #BusinessGrowth #FFBCollaboration #ConsumerInsights

I had a chat at the gym and I referenced one of my favorite books, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make A Big Difference, by Malcolm Gladwell. It's crazy how hyper-relevant this book still is after nearly 25 years. Here are 3 takeaways and how they relate to business. Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen: Connectors have vast social networks and the ability to connect with diverse people and groups. Mavens possess in-depth knowledge and have the desire to share that information. Salesmen are charismatic and persuasive communicators who can influence people's opinions & behaviors. Example: Let's look at Paul Revere during the British invasion. Another person with the information, whose name we all forget, lacked connections, but Paul Revere, a true connector, had an extensive network to diverse social circles. This made him a powerful influencer in the American Revolution's tipping point. In the business world, identifying and leveraging these individuals can be a game-changer. Connect with industry connectors who can amplify your message, seek advice from mavens to stay informed and enlist salesmen to champion your product. The Law of the Few: Gladwell emphasizes the power of a select few in triggering a tipping point. In business, it's not about reaching everyone; it's about reaching the right few. Identify your early adopters, loyal customers and influential advocates. Their enthusiasm can create a domino effect, propelling your business into widespread success. Quality over quantity - it's a tipping point principle. Example: Gladwell discusses the rise of the Hush Puppies brand in the 1990s. The brand experienced a sudden resurgence in popularity, not because of a massive marketing campaign, but due to the efforts of a few popular and influential individuals in the East Village of New York. These early adopters, advocates and trendsetters created a buzz around the brand, leading to its widespread success. The Stickiness Factor: "The Tipping Point" teaches us about the Stickiness Factor - making your message memorable. Apply this principle to your business with a compelling narrative. Whether it's your brand story, product benefits, or marketing campaigns, make them memorable. Make them stick in the minds of your audience. A memorable message creates word-of-mouth momentum, essential for any business on the brink of a tipping point. Example: Sesame Street television has the stickiness factor. The creators designed the show with a keen understanding of child psychology, using elements like catchy songs, dance and engaging characters to make the content memorable for children. This "stickiness" ensured that the educational messages conveyed in the show had a lasting impact on young viewers. Embrace the insights from "The Tipping Point" and let them guide your entrepreneurial journey. Connect strategically, focus on the few that matter, and make your business message stick

So yesterday I walked up and down my local shopping strip handing out flyers for my upcoming webinar on October 16. IT WAS POWERFUL! I spoke with so many local business owners who appreciated me popping in, we talked about how they were doing and so many agreed with me that social media alone wasn't effective enough in growing their small business. Just from my hour walking up and down the street having conversations, I was able to book 10 additional participants to my webinar on October 16. Having face-to-face conversations is, as I said, POWERFUL. I know this power - after all, I was in Public Relations for many years and this is where I learned that business growth is a direct result of executing a range of different promotional techniques. Not just impersonal social media. Why? Because social media is a very restricted platform. The Algorithm controls who sees your content, only approximately 1-2% of followers actually engage your content, unless your content is impactful it won't convert, and.... social media is highly impersonal. So, if you're a retail store, health and wellness clinic, hospitality business or if you're in professional services, what are 'non-social media techniques' you should be carrying out to increase customer engagement? 🤩 Holding or attending events where you can have conversations and form new relationships. 🤩 Partnering or collaborating with other business owners or influencers who you can work with to expand your visibility. 🤩 Writing content or article for a website or blog or pitching yourself as an interviewee regarding a certain topic (as the expert in your field) 🤩 Launching fun activations such as discounts, competitions and giveaways to create excitement with your target audience. 🤩 Giving top notch customer service and giving the client or customer an A+ customer service experience. If you've been approached by a social media agency who promised business growth but all they do is film content, take photos and post (without following a particular growth strategy) or if you're a business owner who doesn't execute marketing as you don't know how, send me a DM and let's talk about what 'non-social media techniques' you should integrate into your existing marketing strategy to get more customers or clients through the door. The power is in connections, conversations and relationships.

Here are 10 Social Media post ideas for local small business. 1. Post a behind-the-scenes photo or video showcasing your team hard at work with a caption like, "Meet the faces behind [Your Business Name]! We're passionate about serving our community and creating quality products/services." 2. Share a customer testimonial along with a photo of the satisfied customer enjoying your product or service. Caption it with something like, "Another happy customer! Thank you for choosing [Your Business Name]. We love hearing about your positive experiences." 3. Highlight a featured product or service of the week with a captivating photo and a brief description of its benefits. Encourage followers to check it out in-store or online. 4. Post a fun poll or question in your Instagram story to engage with your audience. Ask them about their favorite product, preferred service, or what they'd like to see more of from your business. 5. Share a throwback photo or video from when your business first started or from a memorable event. Reflect on how far you've come and express gratitude to your loyal customers for their support. 6. Showcase your commitment to sustainability or community involvement with a post about your eco-friendly practices or recent charity event participation. 7. Offer a limited-time promotion or discount exclusively for your Instagram followers. Create a visually appealing graphic with the details and encourage followers to take advantage of the offer. 8. Introduce a new team member or highlight an existing one with a "Meet the Team" post. Include a photo and a brief bio to help followers get to know the faces behind your business. 9. Share a quick tutorial or demonstration related to your products or services. This could be a how-to video, styling tips, or creative ways to use your products. 10. Express appreciation to your followers for their support with a heartfelt thank-you post. Let them know how much you value their loyalty and encourage them to continue supporting local businesses like yours. Remember to use high-quality visuals, engaging captions, and relevant hashtags to maximize your reach and engagement on Social Network! #toppost #top10postidea #growyourbrand #growyourbusiness #postideasforinstagram #postideaforsocialmedia #networkingforbusiness #gyb

Another brilliant webinar from Pion and Alexandra H. today on The Secret To Capturing Gen Z Loyalty. 👌 With Gen Z predicted to be the largest and wealthiest generation so far, it's SO important for brands to ensure they're tapping in to this audience through their brand positioning and marketing. Small businesses especially can have so much success with this captive audience through unconventional marketing tactics on the likes of TikTok (Chip Shop Diva, I'm looking at you!), so much so that even power brands like M&S have switched up their online strategies and TOV to speak to a Gen Z audience. This generation is also extremely influenced by authenticity and values beyond sustainability and diversity. To quote Alexandra: 'Reputation might lean on legacies, but today, legacies lean on values'. 86% of Gen Zs will be loyal to a brand if they have great customer care, and 79% will shop from a business if they treat their workforce well. Brands can easily work these in to their marketing strategies through: ▶ Being Visible - offering great customer service by responding to queries in the comment sections and liking responses. ▶ Employee Generated Content - putting their people first, whether that's the founder or the wider team, in front of the camera to showcase what the brand is all about or to take part in trends. ▶ Social Commerce - selling via live stream and engaging with their customers in real time to build a genuine rapport. (I wrote a post about the future of e-commerce and the rise of social commerce recently if you fancy a read! https://lnkd.in/ebUghCNC ) Also great to hear Eshita Kabra's (By Rotation) and Anya Jackson's (Yonder) views on this topic and how brands can cleverly and effectively utilise social platforms to engage with a younger audience and build their communities. If you're a founder and would like to chat about your marketing and social strategies, or positioning your brand to a Gen Z audience, get in touch!

Stop Making This Mistake........ Selling with Your First Posts on Social Media Whether through your posts or when connecting with someone for the first time, jumping straight into selling is a common mistake This week, we focused on gaining clarity as you start building your brand online. We agreed on the need for clarity on:  🌸 The problem you solve 🌸  The solution your expertise or services provide  🌸 The targeted audience  🌸 The channel you get started with This clarity in your brand positioning is essential to help you build an audience around your offer. The goal is to create a plan so you know what to offer your audience, rather than building an audience without a plan and later wondering what to offer them. But remember, this clarity isn't for you to immediately post and promote your offer. 🌸 People don’t know you yet, and even when they do, they don’t trust you yet. 🌸 People do business with those they trust. 🌸 The clarity in your brand is to help you create content that builds brand awareness and fosters trust between you and your targeted audience. This isn’t a one-day affair. Focus on brand awareness & make it as genuine as how you build friendship offline ............ Imagine you attend a wedding and choose a table. How would the conversation go? You might start with, "Wow, this wedding looks amazing! I love the bride’s gown." The other person might respond, "I don't like ball gowns, but the groom's suit caught my attention." Then you go, "Good to know! By the way, I’m Wambui Kuria." The other person says their name, and then you continue, "I am a brand marketer. What about you?" They reply, "I’m a lawyer," and now the ice is broken. You can move toward deeper conversation. Why would you skip these steps online? Stop proposing on the first date! Or would you say yes to a proposal on a first date?

Did you know that 76% of customers check a company’s online presence before deciding to engage? Imagine this: A potential customer hears about your business. ↳ Their first step? A quick search online. If they find a vibrant, trustworthy, and active presence, they’re more likely to take the next step. ↳ But if your profiles are outdated, inactive, or hard to find, they might move on to a competitor. ➝ Your social media, website, and reviews are your modern-day storefront. ↳They build trust, showcase your expertise, and invite engagement before you ever speak to a customer. Your online presence isn’t optional anymore—it’s your first impression. Follow me Moatasem Alnajem for more! 💡

Dressing up takes my mindset up a notch. 👠Plus it’s on brand for me. More interesting things about me: 😮💨I think American politics are dumb and being extreme right or extreme left is silly. I am a lesbian.🏳️🌈 💪I only lift up to 8lb weights. I appreciate the words of Jesus.✝️ 🧘♀️And also the words of Budha. I take 8 supplements a day and drink adrenal cocktails.🍸 🎵I play the concert grand harp. Back when I went to a modern cool church in college, I was told I couldn’t lead a women’s small group because I had a cocktail publicly (Now I kinda have a bigggg group of 400k women on social media, CHEERS TO THAT) 🎤drop… 🥺I used to make only 4k a month. Now, I have a social media + business strategy that brings me 15k to 50k every single month.🧨 🕊️If you’re a soulful coach or service provider with a big dream, ready to call in more money… I can happily show you how to do it too. #NoGateKeeping 👉Just Comment or DM me “FREE SECRET” and I will send you my free training so you can copy the exact same 5 steps I take to make 15-50k every month! #BusinessCoaching #SocialMediaStrategy #FemaleEntrepreneur Business strategy, sales psychology, how to sell on social media If you’re seeing 👀 this on LinkedIn, here’s what you’re looking for👇 🛑QUIT WASTING TIME on content that isn’t selling, and start bringing in the money you deserve as a powerful, purpose-led, female coach or service provider. FREE RESOURCES👇 I’m giving away the exact Blueprint I use to help clients go from $0-$5K months and advance to $10K-$20K months! 💰 For a limited time, I am revealing the proven 5-Phase framework to build yourself a personal brand that motivates, inspires, and sells so that your business can thrive the way it should! Grab my FREE PPB Feature Training & PPB Blueprint now👉 https://bit.ly/3si742h 🎥To ask me questions in real-time, join me on Instagram for SOCIAL EQUITY™ LIVE Steal more strategies on Instagram👉 https://lnkd.in/gff967Uc 🎧Listen to my podcast, SOCIAL EQUITY™, anytime! Listen wherever you listen to podcasts👉 https://lnkd.in/gAWcfPNu