Liz Wassmann, Brand Manager at Farmer’s Fridge, oversees social media, email programs, content, copy and brand partnerships for this growing food delivery start-up. Prior to Farmer’s Fridge, Liz spent time working at an ad agency creating email strategies for brands like Crate & Barrel. She also spent a couple years working in social media and writing content for big names like Randi Zuckerberg!
Liz will be speaking virtually at the SMSS on the topic “Producing Consistent Content with Limited Resources for Small Businesses.” She was also so kind as to let us interview her about her session, including tips and tricks for working with limited resources and minimal design background.
While reading through your impressive work history, I noticed that you have experience with a variety of companies, from agencies to start-ups to B2C brands to Zuckerberg Media. Can you share how these experiences have formed your marketing philosophy?
I’ve been working in the industry for almost a decade and feel privileged to have worked for a variety of companies of all sizes. I began my career at a start-up in Silicon Valley (Zuckerberg Media), went to work for a consumer brand (jewelry company Stella & Dot), then an agency, working on retainer for Crate & Barrel and CB2, and now am back at another consumer brand (Farmer’s Fridge). I’m so grateful for my exposure to various marketing teams — it gives me a lot of perspective and various viewpoints to consider when trying to decide questions like, should we invest in project management software? Should I create a content calendar myself in Excel or ask an agency to help guide a content strategy? I know the pros and cons of tackling projects internally but also have the model for how to “scale up” or invest when necessary.
In your session at Social Media Strategies Summit, you speak to marketers who have limited resources. (AKA, most of us!) Why do you think that so many of us face limited budgets and manpower?
Because there is so much work to be done! In the world of marketing social media, the work expands to fit the time you have to fill it because you can always do more. If you have an hour to work on social media each week, you can find 5 things to regram in an hour and call it a day. If you have 40 hours a week to work on social, you can commit to shooting 20 new pieces of content every week and always feel behind. And the content cycle NEVER ends. As soon as you post something awesome, or plan out a great week or month of content, it’s on to the next post or schedule. I firmly believe that even with a big team, you’ll always feel like “if only I had an intern” or “if only I had moretime to work on this”… when in reality, even when you get there, you’ll likely be looking for the next thing. In my session, I’ll discuss how I prioritize spending my time on the most impactful items.
Can you run me through an average day at Farmer’s Fridge?
Here at Farmer’s Fridge, we’ve recently launched a home delivery service where you can get our healthy, fresh salads, sandwiches, bowls and more delivered straight to your door. So, much of my time recently has been spent promoting that to our existing customer base and brainstorming ways to let new customers know about the program. In a typical day in my role, I write briefs and copy for our creative team, meet with cross-functional partners on upcoming product launches or client initiatives, strategize on partnerships (we recently launched a series of chef collaborations, kicking it off with Paul Kahan), maybe snag a few social media shots while I’m enjoying one of our meals at lunchtime, work on the content calendar, and report out on our efforts to the broader organization.
How can social media marketers prove ROI to stakeholders in their company?
For B2C brands, I would argue that social channels, Instagram in particular, are the first place a potential consumer checks out to learn more about the brand. In many cases, I’ll check a brand’s Instagram before their website to get a sense of who they are (and how big they are). With that in mind, keeping social channels up to date and building an engaged community is crucial. To pull hard and fast numbers to prove ROI, try using a trackable link in your profiles so you can track directly how much traffic you generate; running a social-only promotion so you can track redemptions; and tracking potential sales spikes on an item level after a social feature.
[Read More: A Simple, No BS Method to Measure Content Marketing ROI]
What advice can you give social media marketers who aren’t graphic designers or videographers by nature? Are those without a design background out of luck?
Absolutely not! There are many tools and apps these days that allow you to make your own graphics or videos. My favorites are InShot, Canva, Unfold and Snapseed.
[Read More: Marketers’ Favorite Social Media Tools]
Have you had to deal with lack of community engagement while creating and executing social media campaigns? How do you stay motivated to create content when the audience isn’t there quite yet?
Yes, this is something that all content creators face, and it makes it so much sweeter when you DO create something that people react to. To stay motivated, I think about how I use social media — I don’t think I have ever commented on a brand’s page, and rarely like. Yet I follow dozens of brands and am very influenced by their content to make purchasing decisions. So, even if a post doesn’t seem to be getting much engagement, it’s still helping to build your brand for consumers.
What’s one lesson that you wish you knew when you started in the marketing industry?
The industry is constantly evolving, and new technology is constantly being introduced. Become an expert in the “hot” channel of the moment and you’ll quickly make yourself invaluable. Additionally: Work hard, figure it out, google it if needed, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, try and try again if something isn’t working, and remember everyone is winging it to some extent. The great thing about marketing is that all content is temporary, so there is lots of space to play and try new tactics. It’s a fun industry because you can be creative strategically, but you also get to be analytical, measure your results and see the direct impact your work has on the business.
Catch Liz Wassmann at the virtual Social Media Strategies Summit on June 9, 2020.
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