Inside the Mind of a Social Media Maven

Social Media Marketing Strategies

In this exclusive interview, Katie Brinkley, founder of Next Step Social Communications, unveils her game-changing “Awareness to Action” strategy for leveraging social media to drive business growth. Discover her secrets to creating authentic connections, establishing thought leadership, and mastering the art of content creation that resonates with your audience.

The Rise of the Social Media Maven

In a captivating episode of the Software Spotlight podcast, host Michael Bernzweig welcomed Katie Brinkley, the founder of Next Step Social Communications, to share her invaluable insights on leveraging social media to drive business growth and establish thought leadership.

Brinkley's journey into the world of social media marketing was an unexpected one. After being let go from her job in television marketing, she took a leap of faith and ventured into the then-uncharted territory of social media, initially thinking it would be a temporary gig. Little did she know that this decision would pave the way for her to build a thriving agency with a team of eight experts.

“If it wasn't for them, honestly, not even knowing me or what I did, I was just a number. You know, everything, I wouldn't be doing what I am now and I'm so thankful for that,” Brinkley shared, reflecting on the pivotal moment that led her to where she is today.

Listen And Share This Software Spotlight Podcast

Watch And Share This Software Spotlight Podcast

The “Awareness to Action” Strategy

One of the highlights of the conversation was Brinkley's innovative “Awareness to Action” strategy, which she outlines in her book, “The Social Shift.” This approach focuses on nurturing potential customers through a four-step process, starting with creating awareness, addressing their problems, building trust, and ultimately encouraging them to take action, such as listening to a podcast or signing up for an email list.

“If I want to listen to a podcast on the way home, I'm not going to open up Instagram. I'm going to open up Spotify or Apple or Good Pods and then listen to a podcast on there. And so how can you use social media to grow your podcast? It's by making people aware that you exist and elaborating on a problem that you know your ideal client or customer has, building out the community, saying why they can trust you, and then finally asking them to leave social media to go one step further with you, whether it's to listen to your podcast, whether it's to sign up for your email list, to read your blog, whatever.”

Tailoring Content for the “Invisible Best Friend”

Brinkley emphasized the importance of understanding your target audience and tailoring your content to their specific needs and interests. She stressed the need to create content that resonates with your “invisible best friend” on each platform, as different audiences may engage differently on various social media channels.

“One of the biggest mistakes I see people making is that they are creating content for themselves, not for their client. And this is where you have to, my friend Red calls it your invisible best friend. And knowing who your invisible best friend is on each of these platforms because they probably are different.”

Elevating Thought Leadership and Personal Branding

Next Step Social Communications specializes in helping CEOs and industry leaders establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective fields. Brinkley shared insights on the importance of personal branding and how podcasting can be a powerful tool for building a community and showcasing expertise.

“We elevate CEOs to become thought leaders in their industry. And, you know, it kind of sounds like when we were talking before, you know, we hit record here, like, ah, that's kind of a trending, you know, phrase right now, thought leader. But I think that it's, it is a sign of the times. You know, it's personal brands are very important in having a successful business and essentially the Google proof to back it up is extremely important these days.”

Turnkey Social Media and Podcast Production Services

The agency offers turnkey social media and podcast production services, taking care of content creation, caption writing, video production, graphics, engagement, and more, allowing clients to maintain a strong online presence without the hassle of managing it themselves.

“We offer turnkey social media and podcast production. So if you just need help with your social media, but you don't want to do anything with it, we create all the content for you. We write all the captions for you. We create the videos. We create the graphics, upload the pictures, and do all the engagement for you. So it is you having that social media presence without actually having to be on social media.”

Embracing the Future of Digital Marketing

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Brinkley's innovative approach to social media marketing and content creation positions Next Step Social Communications at the forefront of the industry. By empowering businesses to build authentic connections and drive meaningful engagement, the agency is helping clients unlock the full potential of social media.

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