We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shon Christy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shon below.

Alright, Shon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

When I started the first social media agency in Ohio 14 years ago we were innovators in the marketing field. Today, social media is the top marketing medium out there. Our company continues in its tradition of crafting social media strategies, handling social media management, and social media consulting for companies that need expertise while they use their internal resources to manage social media. In addition to those traditional services we have innovated in our space over the last two years.

Someone recently commented to me that social media marketers are a commodity. In some ways that may be true. You do not necessarily need a degree to do it and anyone with a phone and a computer has access to social media platforms. Simply being a niche social media agency is no longer a differentiator, there are plenty of them and every marketing agency says they do social media whether that is internal or outsourced.

As a fan of stoicism, I embrace the statement “The obstacle is the way.” In 2023 we set out to yet again change the game. We created and trademarked 2 differentiators Fractional Social Pro and NeuroSocial/NeuroSocial Lab (Trademarks Pending).

Fractional Social Pro is a first of its kind leased social media employee model. There are many times that a company wants a dedicated employee to run their social media. Someone that can be onsite and managed within the four walls of a company. We have now satisfied that need with this new fractional model. A company can have someone to be onsite, take pictures, interview employees and actually experience the culture of a company to handle their social media. This is often more impactful and less expensive than an outsourced social media service. It also delivers speed and efficiency as the hiring organization does not have to recruit, train and onboard an employee. We have found success with the flexibility of this program while it delivers maximum impact and minimum investment.

The second innovation is the concept of behavioral science backed social media or NeuroSocial as we call it. We recently partnered with The University of Akron to leverage our social media expertise in combination with their nationally leading labs (The Taylor Institute and Fisher Sales Institute). Our lab based research gives companies an upper hand in the crowded social media landscape. Attention is more important than ever, in fact, Pete Cashmore the founder of Mashable says that attention is the new currency. We agree! The NeuroSocial Lab has a comprehensive discovery process identifying optimal outcomes for campaigns and then formulates a study. We recruit your EXACT target market and put them through our research process using eye tracking software, body heat mapping, and emotional recognition software. The end result is a detailed report including video of the interactions, interviews, and biometric data collected. In a game of seconds the details matter and this is going to be a social media game changer.

Shon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started my first company in 2010 shortly after graduating with my masters degree. I first engaged with social media during my masters program at The University of Akron when social media just started to get introduced to the college population. I realized quickly that not only was this not a fad, but I saw early on that it would be a game changer. I took action on this game changing marketing vehicle when my son Beckett was born. He has some significant health challenges along with a Down syndrome diagnosis. While he was in the NICU and faced with some changing dynamics I had put a post out asking for prayers and support for a fundraiser. The post which took only minutes to craft helped raised thousands of dollars and I had not had a single conversation with anyone, this was all done from a hospital room. I decided at that moment that I had to act. The next day I quit my job, took my savings and 401k and started my own company. I was early in the game and it took time to get off the ground but by 2012 it was really taking off. I sold that firm several years later and several companies since. Fast forward to 2024 and we have served over 800 organizations internally. It has been a wild ride including several pivots along the way as I have watched social media go from an unknown marketing medium to the very top and feel blessed to have been on that ride from the start.

Our Services Include:

– Social Media Strategy
– Social Media Management
– Social Media Paid Advertising
– Social Media Consulting
– Social Media Training
– LinkedIn Sales Training
– Social Media Leased Employees (Fractional Social Pro)
– Social Media Campaign Testing & Research (NeuroSocial Lab)

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There is one book above all others that have impacted me personally, philanthropically and professionally. That book is The Go Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. This book is a quick and easy read but very much the most impactful. In this book the authors give 5 Laws of Stratospheric Success. They are:

1) The Law of Value – Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.

2) The Law of Compensation – Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.

3) The Law of Influence – Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first.

4) The Law of Authenticity – The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.

5) The Law of Receptivity – The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

I have tried to follow these 5 laws closely and I can tell you that it has had a profound impact on my life. So much so that I have given around 100 copies of this book out to friends and clients. I was also part of a group that brought Bob Burg to Northeast Ohio to speak to our friends and clients. I think its a MUST read!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I believe that public speaking has been an incredible reputation builder. One of the first things that I did was ask around to find the best public speaker in my area. I was quickly introduced to Leslie Ungar of Electric Impulse Communications. She was instrumental in helping me refine my experience into a series of impactful presentations. I have had the opportunity to share our unique approach to social media with tens of thousands across the world. I very much believe in adding value to my audience and by helping them win, it has helped build my reputation. I then of course, use my social media platforms to amplify!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shonchristy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shonchristy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shonchristy
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shonchristy/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shonchristy

Image Credits
Brittney Zivcsak Photography