Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Five Minutes of Insight from Twin Ports Social Media Marketing Maven Molly Solberg

Molly Solberg has 17 years of experience in Marketing, PR, Sales, Social Media and Digital Marketing. I met her back when she had garnered a reputation as "Duluth Pack Molly," helping gain national attention to one of our local small businesses with a good story. In the spring of last year she started MAS Marketing (Molly Solberg Marketing) to fill a need training micro, small, and mid-size businesses in the region to help them learn how to marketing their own unique businesses.

Solberg is also the Founder of the Social Media Breakfast Twin Ports (#SMBTP), a group that now has over 550 members. SMBTP is made up of large and medium corporations, small and micro businesses, students, universities and entrepreneurs. On the second Friday of each month they gather in various spaces to swap success stories as well as frustrations and to learn from local experts how to improve the visibility and sales of their businesses.

A long time fan of her energy and enthusiasm, I was able to catch up with her this weekend after her marketing presentation to the group last Friday.

EN: You're leadership as a social media professional is impressive. How did you first take an interest in social media as a business venture?

Molly Solberg: While at Duluth Pack years ago I saw similar larger businesses using social media as a way to further promote their brand. I learned quite early on how to speak to the customer through the brand’s voice and tone.

EN: Why does social media make sense as part of a marketing plan in today's world?

MS: I tell my clients that social media is only one piece of the pie, their website comes first, next is creating valuable content that can be used across all of your marketing channels. That content is then repurposed to fit each unique social media platform and demographic.

EN: Is content really king?

MS: Content is truly king as consumers develop more “marketing blindness.” To break through the clutter you must create valuable content that fits within your brand, piques buyers' interest, and creates brand evangelists.

EN: Which platforms do you feel are most important for small community-based businesses?

MS: It depends on your demographic. First off you would optimize your website for local search, then pick one or two platforms to not tax your business or overburden you. Facebook is usually the best choice.

EN: How does one avoid wasting a lot of time and money on social media?

MS: By scheduling your posts and creating content that is used across several channels. Measure everything you do online. If it’s not meeting the realistic goals you have set, then revamp the content until you find a formula that works.

EN: Are there any books that you would recommend or do they get dated by the time they are in print?

MS: I haven’t read any marketing books for a while since any free time I have is filled with marketing blogs, articles, email marketing subscriptions, and podcasts.

EN: Best websites?

MS: Lots. My go-to’s are social media examiner and hubspot blog.

EN: What do you do to stay motivated to keep learning new things?

MS: My entrepreneurial clients do! As they come up with new and unique business ideas I come up with new and unique marketing ideas. This town and talent is amazing. I’m beyond happy at what I get to do and who I get to help!

EN: Thanks for sharing, Molly. Yes, there are a lot of amazing people doing interesting things here. You're one of them.

For more information on social media marketing, visit MollySolberg.com. If you're a small business,  be sure to bookmark it for future reference.

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NOTEWORTHY: TONIGHT is the opening reception at the Red Mug Coffeehouse in Superior for an art show designed to raise funds for students from Superior High School. It's a six week art show by high school alumni and young artists featuring 100 original pieces, each the same 8"x 8". The event begins at 4 p.m. till 6:30 tonight, but the artwork is for sale till the end of August. All are framed and each is $20. Support the arts, and the kids.  Check it out. Full story here.

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