Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anita Davila. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Anita, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Is your team able to work remotely? If so, how have you made it work? What, if any, have been the pitfalls? What have been the non-obvious benefits?

From inception, the vision that I had for my social media marketing agency was for it to be a remote agency. Tapping into a talent across borders and not having to be held back by a local talent pool appealed to me. Leveraging online technologies to set up a sort of virtual agency without a brick and mortar office. I used communication tools like Slack and other cloud software to create an infrastructure with processes, procedures and polices in place like any other company would. The business model would be subscription based at affordable rates to fit any budget big or small. It was important for me to offer my clients value and not a fancy office experience whereby the high cost of an overhead would be passed on to them in my rates. Top tier service and deliverables without compromising quality has been my competitive advantage. I attract small to mid-size business who need digital l marketing services but cannot hire a big advertising agency or PR firm. As result, we hold Zoom meeting online and collaborate with one another through workflow management tools. Working remote allows for flexibility in schedules and facilitates employees to curve out for themselves the best times during the day for them to work for peak performance. Some people perfer the early morning for more challenging tasks because their level of concentration is high, memory and focus are optimal compared to the afternoon. As a result of a remote environment workers are more efficient and content.

Anita, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I started off in sales early in my career. Everyone always praised me for my ability to persuade others and influence their buying habits. I found that sales came very easily to me and quickly rose the sale ranks across different industries. Also being raised in an entrepreneurial household gave me a leg up in taking ownership for my own success. It was no surprised that I ending up owning my own cut flower business at the young age of 23. While my friends were fresh out of college and getting their feet wet in their first corporate job, I was running my own business. However, despite my early business success, there was inside of me a creative person that was dormant. Exposure to the arts while growing up in New York made a lasting impact on me. My first job out of high school was working as an administrative assistant at a video editing production company for tv commercials while going to film school part-time. Though going to film school and working in media were positive were positive experiences the lack of overnight riches seem daunting. I chose the business world over the long road of advertising success. Little did I know that years later the creative world would catch up with me. Which bring me to the present day. After working in publishing as a advertising consultant and running ad campaigns and digital marketing initiatives, I noticed that little ad money was being spent in social media channels like Twitter and Facebook. Seven years ago, they were few businesses using their Facebook business page as a legitimate way to reach new customers let alone run ads on Twitter or Facebook. Everyone seemed to have gotten it wrong when it came to social media. Either you are an influencer with a large fan base or your a movie star like Kim Kardashian selling make-up and the like on Instagram. Businesses failed to understand how to use social media in a way that was authentic, trust worthy and helpful while at the same time, being able to gain fans who can later convert into potential clients. Another obstacle business encountered with social media was time management, keeping up with the demand of posting content and understanding ROI. I tacked all these problems encountered by businesses who sincerely want to do well but lack time, knowledge and resources. These social media companies are advertising giants that are run on algorithms that exploit users social media habits. I take out all the guess work and danger of social media to create conversations where brands and followers can connect with one another and form their own unique community. The goal is not get or buy followers but to earn them just like you do in real life. You want to establish relationship with your fan base and make new ones. The business part is a byproduct of the first. You do business with people you like and trust.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I am in the business of nailing an audience on social media and understand how tricky it could be if you do not follow these 3 golden rules when posting. Rule #1 is decide on WHO your audience is, that is, who is it that you would like to target. When Chipotle started on Facebook they knew that they wanted to attract folks who appreciated their approach to wholesome natural ingredients in their meats. They identified groups of people who where environmentally consciousness and who frequent health food stores and eateries. These folks existed online on forums that hosted health food nuts who exchanged info on stores, products and services. Chipotle created an audience profile whereby singling out a demographic in the digital ecosystem.
Rule #2 is decide on the WHAT of the content to post. Chipotle create a short animated video of a farm. The opening starts with a beautiful sunrise on a horizon overlooking a valley, trees and farm animal and a barn with soft music and sounds of a rooster. Camera pans into the chicken laying eggs and quickly dissolves into eggs being fried on pan. A wide shot is shown of a breakfast table with a farmer and kids gathered around eating. And a mother pouring freshly squeezed orange juice into glasses. Flocks who Facebook fans streamed the video reminiscent of a bygone era when life was simpler and nature oriented. Agriculture was not so industrial as it is and so it tug at the heart strings of these tree hugging folks. The video won the trust of fans give Chipotle meat burrito a try. Subsequently winning a set of customers.
Rule #3 is WHEN are you going to post. Chipotle interpreted their data and noticed that their fans were most active on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the hours between 4pm and 7 pm. These days and times indicated that their video post would get the most engagement by the sheer amount of fans on Facebook on those days during those times. The brand scheduled their best content on those given days and times garnering the best results for their video.

The post and pray approached has been tried and tested and is a sure way to fail. Knowing who your audience is and customizing content that will entertain, inform or educate them during the days and times where most fans are active is a fireproof way to win fans and influence them. Your business page might not be the next akin to Kim Kardashian million followers but better than that your follower’s will convert to customers. It is up to you. Do not waste time and energy and try to reinvent the wheel, I have done it all and know all the tricks, let the professionals handle your social networks from this point on.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Referral business has been the life blood for me for obtaining new leads. Most of the clients I work with I end up forming a good business relationship not just because of the quality work I deliver for them the results they get with me but because I offer value. I go the extra mile and if they need any other type of marketing material be it a brochure an a print ad or a write up on their product or services with a major media outlet I am quick to offer my assistance without having them incur any additional cost, of course within a reasonable amount of work. If the scope of work is rather complex and laborious than an additional cost will be quoted, A lot of social media content can be repurposed into a print ad or a mailer but the inverse is not true. This is way it is easy for me to turn that image post into a small print ad. However, if the client has a print ad from a third party like an ad agency or PR firm and they will like to use that ad as post I will most often reject it than allow it on social. Why? Well because traditional media is a a one way conversation whereas content on social is a two-way conversation. Post ought to spur a conversation between fan and brand. A print ad does the opposite it is flat not interactive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aadsocial.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitadavila/