Professional Insights
Question: What trends do you foresee in the digital marketing landscape for small businesses in the coming year? As a leader in the industry, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to establish their digital footprint?
Shannon: Trends I see are definitely AI. You don’t need anything else but ChatGpt 4. Not only for creating content but also creating a marketing strategy and plan of execution that only takes an hour a day. A unique strategy is to focus on your database. As a small business you’re working with a limited budget. I can’t give an umbrella answer for all businesses but email marketing, cold calling, mailers all still work. For immediate results social media isn’t always the answer.
Personal Touch
Question: Outside of the business world, how do you unwind and relax? Do you have a favorite leisure activity that helps you recharge and bring fresh perspectives to your work?
Shannon: How do I recharge? Travel for sure at least once a year. Gym in the morning to get my head clear and let go of some of that stress. Outside of that (and you know) if it’s really something you Need and want to accomplish you need to put in 6-7 days a week for a few years. No way around that. Get used to it and you can’t be soft. It’s an unpopular opinion but if you want to get to that next level it ain’t all roses.
Alcohol Choices
Question: In the spirit of “CEO and Spirits,” do you have a favorite alcoholic drink? Can you share any memorable experiences associated with it? How do you balance work responsibilities with socializing, especially when it comes to business-related events that may involve alcohol?
Shannon: Alcohol choices. To be honest I’m not a big drinker. More of an herbal guy 😉 But when it comes to business meetings a Moscow mule is my drink of choice. It’s not too strong and a safe choice. It’s also minty, which helps talking to colleagues in close encounters. Nobody likes bad breath. And NEVER get drunk at a business meeting no matter what. That’s my rule. If you get reckless or careless in front of a business colleague what does that say about how you are in life? Have a few waters in between, eat, and know your limit!
Digital Faces Culture
Question: How would you describe the company culture at Digital Faces, and how does it contribute to the success of the team? Are there any unique traditions or rituals within Digital Faces that foster a positive and collaborative work environment?
Shannon: In regards to my team this is a loaded question. What I can say is nothing is off the table when it comes to bringing good ideas or marketing strategies. My rule is if it works we are going with it. No one person dictates what we do. The market and results decide. If the results and numbers are there then we go for it. That removes most of the politics because the market is our boss.
Adaptability in the Industry
Question: Given the fast-paced nature of the digital marketing industry, how does Digital Faces stay adaptable and ahead of the curve? Can you share an instance where the company had to pivot its strategies, and what lessons were learned from that experience?
Shannon: Yeah, digital marketing is a fast and moving target. But the answer to #4 is a part of our strategy. The good thing about Digital marketing is you get feedback right away. You don’t have to wait. Prime example, we were seeing Facebook ads in real time almost double in price. Someone brought up the fact that they’ve seen a lot of our target market on TikTok. I wasn’t a believer but it wasn’t up to me. We tested it out and Boom. Results and numbers told us this was the answer and we listened. That only took 3 weeks to test and implement. The hardest part is convincing clients, but if they are the right client and once they see results they rarely question our direction after that.
Future Vision
Question: What exciting projects or goals does Digital Faces have for the future, both in terms of business growth and innovation? How do you envision the role of digital marketing evolving in the next five years, and how is Digital Faces positioned to lead in that landscape?
Shannon: The future of Digital Faces is to niche down into one market. We can’t be great at everything and neither do we want to be. Niche down into an underserved audience who lacks content targeted to them and find the business who needs to be in front of them. Digital marketing isn’t a secret anymore so simply posting everyday isn’t going to cut it. Find out what results you want to produce and go after that KPI.
