We were lucky to catch up with Char Modelle recently and have shared our conversation below.
Char, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry
One of the biggest trends I am seeing in my industry is the use of REELS. (and TIktok videos).
I focus on personal brands, so I have personally the focus for many to shift heavily into reels in the last year. Industry leaders, CEO’s. online personalities, and more have been pouring dollars into content. People want to know how to create content fast, effectively and use Instagram as a push for growth, sales and connection. Companies are waking up to the evolution of social media platforms, and spending marketing dollars on video editors to cut long form content into shorter videos. The great thing is about this content, it can be used as Youtube shorts. Facebook reels, Instagram reels, and Tiktok videos. You aren’t just paying for it to be used on one platform, it can be used (and should be) on many.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
From the outside you would think my focus is on Instagram, and in some ways it is. But my business is built on branding. People THINK they need Instagram services, when in reality they need help with their brand and how it is delivered through social platforms. Instagram in the end is just a funnel. So what do I do? I come in and help brands get really clear on their messaging, their products, their strategy, their offer, and how it funnels through MULTIPLE channels. My focus is Instagram, but the rules can apply to several platforms.
I do what I call Instagram Flipping (like flipping a house), I am hired as a consultant and strategist, and I come in and overhaul your Instagram so it is optimized for selling and growth. On Instagram you have 7 seconds to capture someones attention for them to decide if they want to follow you or not. That is where I come in, I help your brand pop. I make those seconds count. This takes a lot behind the scenes, so I simplify it in my Flip the Gram program. This offer is white glove service, unlike consulting…I do the work, where is in my consulting I TEACH you how to do the work.
Secondly, I cut long form content into reels. So if you have content that needs cutting, I am your girl. My team of editors specialize in this. Outside of current people I manage now, I no longer offer management.
So how did I get into this? I worked with well over 100 brands. Maybe hundreds. I worked in promotions, events, and tradeshows for over a decade. During that time I learned lessons about brands and branding that you cannot just pass along without having experienced it. That knowledge along with my business experience, creative abilities and my background in social media = makes me a triple threat in my industry. Quadruple if you want to add my experience in partnerships and collabs.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Be so good they can’t ignore you. Be the best in your industry. Strive for that. Of course no one is the “best”. What makes someone the best for one client, may not work for the next. So how do you accomplish this? Immerse yourself in your field, and replicate strategies that worked for someone else in your niche.
I have grown by word of mouth only. I have only worked on referrals. Never paid for an ad, never needed more clients since I opened the doors to managing. I outgrew my time so fast, so am in the process of expanding.
Take these 4 steps and watch your clientele grow:
1. REPLICATE: Look for people in your industry doing what you do…only BETTER. What are they doing differently? Ask! Figure out if they have better processes in place that give them more time. Do they have an offer with a better pitch? What is it that makes them stand out. Figure it out, and start trying to replicate it your own way. You won’t know unless you test it out and try.
2. NICHE DOWN: Don’t offer too many things. Be really fckng good at a couple things. I made this mistake and had my business all over the place in the last couple years. I am just now niching down effectively.
3. DON’T OVERSELL: Give free shit away. Don’t be salesy. Don’t be desperate. Be a resource. Show people how what you do has worked for other clients. Give them information they can use. You have to start out giving away stuff to make money. This is how you build trust.
4. FIRE CHEAP CLIENTS: When you have people constantly asking for discounts. or looking for free stuff…don’t waste your time trying to convince them you are worth it. You will always have those looking for the free advice and content. which is fine. But they won’t pay for your bills. Let those who value your work be your tribe and future customers. Be firm on your offer and stick with it. People waste so much time trying to “win” leads over, they are missing out on time that could be spent attracting the right client.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I built my audience on social media as a promotional model. It was really just about the clicks and likes then. It wasn’t monetized. I had a following on Facebook and many came over to my Instagram. Then I started doing influencer work for free. I did not start out paid, it took me 6 months to build my social media consistently before I made any money on it. From there I did live streaming during the pandemic. Mine was just a positive place to hang out and chat. or work out online while everyone was stuck and bored at home. I had a contract for a year with a company, then I moved on to just focus on my business.
Sure some people are lucky and strike gold and grow faster than others…but for many, it takes YEARS to build a following. This idea that it happens fast for everyone is just not true. My advice is niche down. Be consistent. Post often. If you want REALLY fast growth, be prepared to post reels 2-3x a day. At least once a day. Copy it over to other social channels. Don’t fixate on the growth, focus on the content. Once you get that down, you’ll start to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charmodelle.com
- Instagram: charmodelle
- Linkedin: charmodelle
Image Credits
Jeremy Okada