Mediaboss Marketing

By 27, serial entrepreneur and CEO Steven Bartlett had created and grown his social media marketing company, Social Chain, to a valuation of more than 300 million. A university dropout, Bartlett cut his teeth running student events and an online messaging board called Wallpark before founding Social Chain, eventually stepping down as CEO to pursue opportunities in blockchain and biotech. He now runs a weekly podcast, The Diary Of A CEO, and in May was announced as the newest and youngest-ever Dragon on the BBC series Dragons Den. A vocal proponent of reskilling (consistently training employees in new digital skills to stay competitive), Bartlett is a Vodafone Business ambassador, working on a digital training initiative called Business Connected. He explained to GQ just how intensely the pandemic accelerated the need for entrepreneurs to develop new skills...

When did you start your first businesses?

I was born in Botswana and I came to the UK when I was about two years old. We werent a very well-off family... It was one of the key factors that I think shaped who I was. The other thing was that we had 1,500 kids in my school and my brothers and sisters and I were the only people of colour, per se. That makes you wonder why youre different and creates a desire to fit in.

At a young age, I learned that we didnt have things, but I really wanted them. You make this connection that if Im going to get things, whether its a nice pair of shoes or whatever, thats going to be a direct consequence of something that I do something that I sell or create. At the age of 15 or 16, I started my first businesses in and around school, using the students as my customers. By age 16, I was running pretty much all the school trips in my year group and I would take a cut of the money and give the rest to my school. I was doing all of our school parties. Then I started launching businesses on the internet at about 16 or 17.

You later cofounded Social Chain. Why did you choose a social marketing business?

I started a business called Wallpark when I dropped out of university. In trying to figure out how to get people to come to my website, I tried flyers, posters, all facets of traditional marketing, and none of them worked. One day, I saw a Facebook group called Things Manchester students dont say and 8,000 or 9,000 students were on there. I needed students to come to my website, so I met the guy who started the page [and] gave him 50 [for it]. I posted about Wallpark there and it was the most traffic Ive ever had.

I went and acquired every social media page I could and in doing that I realised its power very early. The channels I was acquiring were more valuable than the business I was building, so I dropped Wallpark off the side and my business became Social Chain: that chain of social media pages. I went in that direction very early, when a lot of brands didnt have social media pages. They thought it was a scary place, a dangerous place to be.

Read more here:
Steven Bartlett: If you want a successful business, you have to instil a culture of learning - British GQ

Lets face it, there are a lot of vendors in the cannabis industry and what is best today may not be what is best tomorrow. Selecting the right vendors can have a major impact on a dispensarys customers and the overall business. Therefore, conducting research beforehand is key to avoiding as much potential headache later on as possible.

In this post, we dive into a few of the general considerations Feel State takes into account when selecting vendors. While not a perfect system, it has helped us (and others) and taught us a few lessons along the way.

Company Ethos

Questions to Consider:Where do the vendors values lie? How does the vendortreat its employees? Do the employees like working for this vendor?

Items we Look For:Vendors with core values rooted in integrity, honesty, and transparency are preferred as those align with what Feel State believes in. An additional strong attribute are those who take care of their employees including empowering them to obtain personal and collective ownership over the business.

Relationship Management Style

Questions to Consider:How does the vendor conduct themselves over email, through text communication and/or in person? Are they professional? Do they seek to make a positive impact the cannabis industry or are they just looking for a quick sale by any means necessary?

Items we Look For:It cannot be stated enough, but operating with respect, warmth, and honesty should be the modus operandi. Vendors that demonstrate punctuality, transparency, and effective proactive communication are just some of the actions that convey these ethics. Since everyone has a preferred way of communicating (text, phone call, or email), vendors who work to establish a mutual understanding beforehand will help create a foundation for a long-term excellent business partnership. Additionally, it is preferred to work with those that look to positively serve the cannabis industry beyond merely selling their products.

Education Materials

Questions to Consider:Does the vendor provide educational materials about their company and products? Are they willing to send representatives to help educate patients and dispensary staff in person?

Items we Look For:The more information a vendor can provide, the better it is for all parties. Helping dispensary staff become knowledgeable about a product will provide additional benefit to the patient and to assist in selling the vendors product. Ideally, vendors will allow dispensary staff to attend facility tours, will come in and complete staff education training, and hold pop-up events to interface with patients while the shop is open.

Proficiency in Paperwork

Questions to Consider:Are they organized and prepared? Does the vendor have all of the necessary paperwork prepared for a transaction?

Items we Look For:In a highly regulated industry where everything is tracked, this is a very important topic. To help mitigate potential problems, we will provide vendors a list of the documentation required for them to have either before or upon time of intake. This traditionally includes an invoice, test results, a one-sheet on growing practices/product information, and sometimes branding materials/logos for promotions.

Insurance

Questions to Consider:Does the vendor have product liability insurance?

Items we Look For:Product liability insurance for a vendor is an absolute must. In the case of a consumer purchasing product from the dispensary and having a negative experience that leads to an accident/injury, this helps protect the dispensary and the vendor in the case of additional action.

Branding

Question to Consider:Will the branding appeal to a wide range of customerdemographics?

Items we Look For:Prefer branding that will appeal to a wide audience. High end branding communicates high quality. And high quality products are a cornerstone of a reputable dispensary.

Social/Marketing Presence

Questions to Consider:Does the vendor have a large presence on social media or other online channels? Can the vendor help drive people to the dispensary?

Items we Look For:This is incredibly important in establishing an identity to the outside world, thus helping one stand out, convey their mission, and attract traffic to the dispensary. We seek to utilize vendors whos branding and marketing strategy complement that of Feel State.

Read more:
Forming vendor relationships in the cannabis industry Greenway Magazine - Greenway

Want to know the key product trends that are set to gain significant traction this holiday season?

Google has today published its annual Holiday 100 list, which highlights product searches that are predicted to trend the most on Google in the US during the holiday season, based on rising search activity over recent months.

As explained by Google:

This years Holiday 100 reflects the realities many of us are still living in. Home equipment like coffee makers and fitness gear continue to make the list. But were also seeing more items that suggest people are getting out more, like fragrances and beauty products.

As you can see here, the listing is fairly basic, but it outlines the key info that you need, based on rising search interest, which could help you both find the best gifts for your family and friends, while also better aligning your own marketing approach.

As Google notes perfumes and colognes are trending higher than in years past, while tech products will also be a popular inclusion beneath the Christmas tree.

And unsurprisingly, gaming has also seen a big surge in interest as a result of the pandemic.

The added social dynamics of gaming will also play a role in the coming metaverse shift, with younger users, in particular, now much more aligned to engaging with friends in virtual environments, like Roblox and Fortnite, and via avatars that represent them in these spaces.

If you want a real vision of what a broader metaverse might be like, this is it, building on these applications with more utility and engagement options, and as younger consumers grow-up increasingly accustomed to connecting in this way, thats likely where developers will build from, in order to tie into these behaviors, and enhance appeal to the next generation of consumers.

Its definitely worth taking a look at Googles full Holiday 100 list, which, again, is a fairly basic overview, but may help you formulate a better idea of the key consumer trends, and inform your process.

You can check out the Google Holiday 100 list here.

Read this article:
Google Shares Key Product Trends for the Holidays, Based on Google Search Volume - Social Media Today

Facebook is taking more steps to align with evolving privacy regulations by removing a swathe of detailed ad targeting options that relate to potentially problematic issues and causes.

As explained by Facebook:

Starting January 19, 2022 we will remove Detailed Targeting options that relate to topics people may perceive as sensitive, such as options referencing causes, organizations, or public figures that relate to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion, or sexual orientation.

In other words, you wont be able to target your ads based on topics like World Diabetes Day or other health causes, nor will you be able to hone in on elements related to sexual orientation, political beliefs, etc.

Which incorporates a wide range of targeting qualifiers, with Facebook noting that thousands of options will be removed.

For example, right now, when you look to target an audience interested in, say, politics, you have various affiliation-based topics to choose from.

Soon, many of those will be no more, which could have a big impact on cause-based marketers, political parties, healthcare brands, and many more.

It could also cause businesses that have made certain issues part of their brand messaging to change their approach. Various studies have shown that young consumers, in particular, are more likely to buy from brands that support causes and movements that they align with, and as such, those businesses have also been able to use this as a marketing angle to connect with these communities. The removal of these targeting elements could change things in this respect.

Though you will still have some capacity to target audiences based on similar parameters. Facebook says that brands will still be able to use Engagement Custom Audiences in order to reach people whove liked their Page, or Facebook users whove watched their videos, while youll also be able to use the same as the basis for Lookalike targeting, along with your own email lists.

So, really, targeting based on a lot of these categories will essentially still be available, just not in such a specific form, which will alleviate Facebook of any responsibility for any misuse of such targeting for unintended purpose.

So why the change?

Under the EUs more stringent consumer data protection laws (GDPR), Facebook technically cant legally target users based on these parameters without explicit consent from each individual. That law came into effect in 2018, and Facebook has been battling it ever since, but with the broader, global shift towards more privacy, and more data control for users, it seems Facebook has now opted to concede the point, and align with the more specific regulations on such.

Which makes sense, on various fronts, but its yet another gradual reduction in the platforms ad targeting options, which have already been reduced based on other potentially discriminatory factors.

There are still ways around such, and there are still other ways that Facebooks ads can be used in what would be considered discriminatory ways. But the removal of these specific ad qualifiers will ensure that the company meets its legal requirements, and avoids potential penalties.

Its essentially another reminder to build up your own first-party data, and gather info on your audience where you can, in order to establish your own focus lists, which you can then segment and target with more control, outside of the apps themselves.

Facebook says that existing ad sets with impacted targeting options will continue to run until Mar 17, 2022, though you may need to update your targeting selections at some stage. Facebook also says that it will provide alternative targeting recommendations within Ads Manager where possible.

See the article here:
Facebook Announces the Removal of Thousands of Ad Targeting Categories Relating to Sensitive Topics - Social Media Today

Googles looking to help businesses make the most of their Google listings for the holidays, with new, streamlined claiming options for your Google My Business profile, and additional insight on how Google search is driving people to your business.

First off, Googles looking to make it easier for businesses to claim and customize their Google listings, with a new option to update and verify your brand profile direct from Search and Maps.

As explained by Google:

Starting this week, you can easily claim and verify your Business Profile directly on Google Search or the Google Maps app. Search for your business by name and youll see an option to claim and verify the associated Business Profile. Once your business is verified, you can edit your business information, including the address, store hours, photos and more.

Which you absolutely should do your Google My Business profile is key digital real estate that you should claim, providing various options to influence how your brand appears in Google Search results, and even where it appears to some degree.

That doesnt mean that by filling in your details youll automatically hit the top spot on related searches, but more contextual info in your Google display listings can play a significant role in driving more traffic for your business.

Though this is interesting:

Moving forward, we recommend small businesses manage their profiles directly on Search or Maps. To keep things simple, Google My Business is being renamed Google Business Profile. And in 2022, well retire the Google My Business app so more merchants can take advantage of the upgraded experience on Search and Maps. The existing Google My Business web experience will transition to primarily support larger businesses with multiple locations, and will be renamed Business Profile Manager. Well share more details on these changes in the months ahead.

You should still claim and update your profile now, but its interesting to note that Google will be switching the focus of its business tools next year, with a view to better highlighting exactly what this element is, and how it can be used, while also maximizing take-up by removing the need for a separate app.

Expect, also, that Google will put even more emphasis on this as it broadens access, with additional features and tools that will likely replicate many Facebook business features. Watch this space.

Googles also adding additional options to message customers from Search, while its also providing new metrics on inbound customer calls that came from their Business Profile on Google.

That could be an additional, valuable indicator, highlighting the benefits of your Google listings. Referral traffic data wont reflect these interactions, and while it may only make up a minority of queries, it could be significant, and could alter the way that you look at your future promotions.

Google also recommends that brands sign up for its Pointy POS data linkage tool, which is free and available from your Google Business Profile on Search. That will ensure that your product listings are connected through to Googles display options, while Googles also updated its Performance Planner tool in Google Ads to provide more insight for your strategy.

While social platforms continue to get the most focus from many marketing teams, Google remains the key driver of referral traffic in most cases, and as such, its worth taking the time to understand the available tools and options to optimize your Google display listings.

SEO may not be as sexy as creative promotions, but its effectiveness is likely far more relevant, and these new options provide more ways to maximize your Search performance.

See the article here:
Google Adds New Business Display and Connection Options for the Holiday Push - Social Media Today