In the fourth episode of Business Banter by SkillsLab’s Jack Kosakowski, we speak with Tyler Culbertson where he shares his experience working with big brands and social media giants like Tony Robbins.
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Social media is a tricky marketing channel not many have mastered.
It’s almost impossible to find a pro who’s a jack of all trades.
Enter Tyler Culbertson – an expert social media consultant with a top-tier track record.
Tyler has worked with famed global brands, business leaders, and professional athletes.
He is the reason why Tony Robbins started Instagramming (quickly attracting millions of followers.)
… and that’s just the start.
Tyler has also worked with some of the biggest B2C brands, like Toy Machine Skateboards, Ruca (RVCA), among many others.
Today, he is ready to share some useful wisdom for brands that are scared of social media.
Stay ready to jot down unique takeaways that you would not find anywhere else.
Why is it essential to view your organization as a media outlet?
Imagine the kind of experience one will have trying to persuade Tony Robbins to start an Instagram account (and be successful at the job.)
Or managing the social media for Toy Machine Skateboards, which is owned by Ed Templeton – the world champion skateboarder and a renowned artist.
Experiences such as these make Tyler Culbertson who he is today.
Tyler met some of the most exciting people on the planet and got to travel to many different places with them.
But the real learnings came in when Tyler went out on his own as an independent social media consultant.
He believes that most organizations don’t realize that for sustainable social media success, they need to embrace their role as a media outlet.
A walking, breathing, living media outlet!
Unfortunately, most companies or even individuals do not view themselves that way.
Most brands don’t realize their potential in leveraging social networks.
According to Tyler, most lifestyle companies can quickly become a content-generating machine. All they need is to have the correct mindset shift.
Then you’re able to witness the world through a completely different lens – giving you the ability to go after the unique opportunities.
You need to consider social media platforms like Instagram as a digital magazine. Similarly, YouTube is an opportunity to have your own television channel.
It’s about leveraging relational capital.
At RVCA, Tyler and his team made sure that all pro athletes understood what their social reach is, and how can they integrate the brand into their presence.
It’s like finding unique ways to leverage the athlete’s social profiles to drive traffic back to the brand.
This is also the best way to use all the micro-influencers, and people who were already on your social media accounts (the big fans) to be your marketing mouthpiece.
In this day and age, the consumers are savvy and only react to marketing messages when they come out from their favorite athletes, author, or public speaker.
So becoming a media outlet is not a matter of choice, it’s a necessity.
How can smaller brands create enough content?
This is where your smartphone comes in handy. With limited resources, you are advised to leverage easily accessible tools.
A smartphone is the number one content creation tool for a company. You get so many opportunities to hit the ground running.
You can film content for YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or even a podcast. You can do an incredible job to achieve any outcome you desire.
Most of the time, your audience is willing to see past the production quality IF the content is valuable enough to them. That’s what matters at the end.
How can you bring a micro-influencer on board?
Let’s take an example. You can always use the “micro-influencer strategy” when you launch a book.
First, you can send the book to some social media influencers with a following. They can consume the book.
Then you can have people create content in different capacities (a blog post, an article, or even a video review.)
That’s how you get your word out. It is the perfect strategy for an organization that might not have a roster of sponsored athletes or big-ticket influencers.
In this capacity, most organizations can leverage micro-influencers or even nano-influencers. The days of just being able to scream from the rooftops are pretty much over.
You need to get the influencers on your side, and that’s how you create the “value by association.”
How difficult is it to leave a stable job and venture out on your own?
It’s one of the hardest decisions that one can ever make.
You have to leave the circle of comfort and the guaranteed paycheck (and dive into something with much uncertainty.)
Having said that, there are many positives. For instance, There’s a lot more potential for growth when you’re going out on your own.
You don’t have an imaginary glass ceiling to hit.
Although, there are a few common challenges that one might face. Working out of your home can get lonely at times.
Second, just putting on the sales hat and flexing that “sales muscle” requires some effort.
Then it’s difficult to manage your time. There are many different things, like accounting, budgeting, developing proposals, and sending contracts. It’s like being a one-person army.
How to get started on YouTube?
YouTube is mighty in terms of discoverability and building an audience. There is ton’s of opportunity with YouTube, even if you do not have enough production value in the beginning.
Developing a content series is the first thing you can do even if it’s as simple as showing your methodology and how you view your niche. A content series will immediately showcase your seriousness and consistency.
Most people tend to forget that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world, owned by the largest search engine in the world, so the opportunity for qualified search traffic is enormous.
Developing a simple keyword strategy through Google AdWords is also helpful. You can research the exact “search terms” that people are looking for and build your messaging around that.
Having said that, you got to have a commitment and a budget for growth. You might need a designer and a video editor in the long-term.
Also, since the ad space on YouTube is super cheap, you can get much attention at a fantastic ROI. Perfect to create some brand awareness.
It would help if you treated your YouTube channel like any other social network. So, don’t just publish a video and leave it within that network. Invest in the engagement process. You got to reply to every single comment because it pays dividends.
YouTube is not going anywhere. This means you have to stake your claim at some level and build your presence.
If you plan to sell to Gen Z in the next ten years, you got to start now. Any brand that’s not going to be on YouTube will surely regret it in a few years.
Conclusion
It’s important to be patient and give enough time to develop a social media channel. You’re not going to become a social superstar within a couple of months. That’s never practical.
Even if your profile doesn’t blow up, look at all the opportunities for optimization. Curate the content for promotion on other networks or internally within your organization. You can also use the same content as sales material.
It’s never been easier to become a social brand. If you have a passion for storytelling and know your industry well, your smartphone can add a ton of value. You just need to work hard, especially in the beginning.
There you have it – Practical tips from a top expert.
Which of these tips are you going to try first?
Or maybe you have a useful “hack” you want to include here.
Either way, don’t forget to leave a comment.
