We were lucky to catch up with Cynthia Sassi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cynthia, appreciate you joining us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

My first advertiser for FabulousArizona.com was actually unpaid. I found a brand I felt really aligned with the audience and type of advertisers I wanted and gave them free advertising so I would have the opportunity to build a case study and examples to then use to sell other brands.

I ran their campaign as I would a paid campaign and gathered data on how it performed and screenshots of all the campaign elements I could then use in our media kit and pitches to other potential advertisers. That free advertising led to not only that business eventually becoming a paid advertiser but also helped me close my first paying advertiser. Both businesses are still paying advertisers with us nearly a decade later.

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 back background and context?

I started FabulousArizona.com, a localized online lifestyle magazine, in 2010. This business blended my passions for digital publishing, marketing, and telling local businesses’ stories. I side-hustled the company and grew it from boots-on-the-ground networking until I became full-time self-employed in 2015. My goal was to make FabulousArizona.com one of the largest publications in Arizona, being a resource for tourists and locals alike while supporting our community and local businesses. Now, in 2024, we are one of the longest-standing digital publications in Arizona and have become Fabulous Media Group – a collection of localized online lifestyle publications that currently include Arizona, California, Washington, Nevada, Iowa and Wisconsin.

I am most proud of the incredible team we have built and the reputation we have maintained as a consistent and trustworthy source for both our readers and the businesses we work with. Our entire team is genuinely passionate about the work we do and the brands we cover, and we all firmly believe in providing the most value to readers and advertisers.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Integrity is so important to your reputation and building your brand. This has been a core principle for me since day one, so I have always strived to ensure everyone I work with, whether employees, advertisers, or readers, feels they are getting what they deserve from me and our company.

Always choose the long game over the quick buck. Always choose to do the right thing over your ego.

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

Word of mouth and referrals. This is where maintaining an excellent reputation and consistently delivering pay off. When someone has a good experience with you, they will tell others.

Staying consistent on social media and partnering with the right people, brands, and businesses can help expand your reach and brand awareness. Sometimes, the visibility something might get you is worth more than the money, so when collaborating or partnering, consider all things, not just money.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fabulousmediagroup.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cynthiasassi
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthiasassi
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiasassi/

Image Credits

NA