Marketing 101 For Founders: 5 Questions with an Industry Expert
We sat down with Norah Curlee, a marketing maven who has been around the block (in a good way!) when it comes to all facets of the marketing industry from design to digital.
Tell us a little bit about you and your background in marketing?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I started my career in graphic design and branding, then, after the social boom, forayed into the digital world and found a way to combine the two. I refer to creative content as art for business sake. 🤓 After working for several large brands in various industries (mainly beauty and tech), I decided to go out on my own and work as a contractor in various facets of the marketing space. My sweet spot is truly digital content, creative and social media. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Why is creative content so important for brands to invest in?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's your direct line of communication to your audience/customers. It's how they discover your brand, its how you keep them engaged, its how you build loyalty. The entire customer lifecycle is built around content. It’s also your brand’s moment to flex creativity, share your story and shout your mission from the rooftops. Oh yeah, and most importantly it’s how you sell stuff. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What are the top 3 things you recommend every brand have in their social media strategy?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1. A detailed product focus with a problem/solution message. Show your audience and potential customers why they need your product, showcase the people who already use it and why they love it, involve your community.
2. Don't be afraid to lean into popular culture and niche interests with brand relevance, social is fun.
3. Be transparent, authentic and relatable. Make sure your targets feel represented in your marketing. Let people behind the scenes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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For smaller brands and start-ups who don’t have marketing roles, what are the ways they can bootstrap a good content strategy?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Content doesn't have to be expensive. In my opinion, most of your creative can be developed with the latest iPhone (crazy good quality!) Invest in product photography/videography and supplement with sourced imagery, user generated content and creative graphics. Have a great blog and email newsletters for story-telling (will boost your SEO!). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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What is your biggest piece of advice for founders when it comes to creative marketing?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Quality over quantity. Always. I know we're trying to beat the algorithms and frantically grow audiences, but when you hit post/send/publish, make it count and make it GOOD. The growth will come, be patient. Think of your audience first, what do they want to see? Fight the urge to promote every little thing going on...stay focused. The golden rule of marketing is customer first…not retailer first, not founder first…CUSTOMER FIRST. Cater every single thing you do to them, put them at the center of your universe.
If you want to connect directly with Norah, you can reach her at: norahcdesigns@gmail.com