Did you know that VINX Digital has operations both in the UK and Brazil? Although based in London, their CEO, Vinicius Fachinetto, also hosts a podcast series “Octanage” in his native Brazil. In the series, Vinicius converses with entrepreneurs with a host of experiences that translate to useful ideas about how to build a brand on digital platforms for anyone active or interested in all types of business. They’re equally valid in every country, every language. Here’s an extract from a recent episode, translated to English:
In this podcast, Marcelo Antonioli talked about the most important moments of his entrepreneurial career.
Do you know how to build a brand with digital media tools?
A brand without a digital presence may as well be nonexistent. Digital has made the distance between the customer and the brand much smaller. In the past, it was only possible to use more traditional media, but now everyone can build authority in a wide market.
But just having digital presence in all media isn’t enough to achieve results. What is necessary is to be active on those media platforms, use the digital media tools that your content strategy fits best, and publish frequent and well targeted content.
You don’t build engagement on social media from one day to the next. It ‘s essential having a brand strategy, and demands time and patience.
Many fail because they distance themselves from real life. People want authenticity, that’s how relationships are built.
“Social media cannot be used as a crutch. You create your product or service offline and then exhibit it online. You need to separate your online life from your offline one.
Vinicius: “What is your greatest competence in digital marketing?”
Marcelo: “I am a social media strategist for professionals, I help you to build your brand on social media”
Avoid this error on social media
M: “The biggest mistake of the entrepreneur on social media is to think that he can serve everyone: thinking that he is a generalist. I teach people to become experts, and to expose themselves in networks as specialists in a competence. In that way, it is possible to build authority and be recognised.
V: “It is common to see entrepreneurs sinning by excess. When they want to exhibit more than one product or service at once, when they want to reach different audiences with the same communication or when they want to address all possible subjects on social media. Your brand social media strategy needs to fit your audience.
“The simplest way to start is by exploring your core competence, focusing on the main product and directing your message to a qualified audience.”
V: “What problems do you solve for your clients?”
M: “I help professionals to navigate the excess of information on social media.
“There is a glut of information out there, with loads of pseudo-specialists in all sorts of subjects. This is confusing, and the professional ends up executing his brand strategy in bits and pieces. He is unable to execute an action plan in a chronological order, to define what he should do, or even decide on the first actions until he is able to publicise his business.
“I help these people to disclose and promote what they do offline in the online environment, in an authentic way. This attracts the right people to the business.
V:“ Social media is full of people offering useless content or building unreal images. Vanity metrics can attract the eyes of influencers without specialities, but it must always be remembered that the most important metric is sales conversions. This is the best way to take advantage of the marketing opportunities
“The right people will be attracted to the truth and quality content.”
The basic message – it’s all about content, and planning
V: “What was your worst moment as an entrepreneur?”
M: “When I stopped planning for big companies and started to focus only on individuals, which is my business passion. My revenue dropped a lot in the transition. After the storm, came the calm; things quickly got better.”
V: “What was the great turning point that helped you define your purpose?”
M: -“During the last crisis, when I lost some big clients, I realized that my passion was to transform people. Any tactic that’s implemented has an immediate effect. It is possible to apply the concept of growth hacking to small business owners, constantly testing different strategies until they find success.
V: “Entrepreneurs with small businesses have greater flexibility, can test more different approaches and, in this way, achieve great growth potential.
“Building your audience in the digital environment takes time, and looking for shortcuts to increase it doesn’t work. Digital marketing brings great opportunities, but that does not mean that this is an easy path. After all, the vast majority are also doing it, and you need to differentiate yourself.
How to build a brand on social media
“Define your purpose, always be authentic, and use digital media tools to your advantage.”
