We recently connected with Marissa Schulze and have shared our conversation below.

Marissa , appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

One of my first social media management clients was the boutique hotel, The Dove Inn. It was a dream job, because this inn is tucked in beautiful Golden, Colorado and had just been newly renovated. It had beautiful wallpapered rooms, bathtubs, kombucha on tap, and a coffee bar. It was a marketing gem, for sure, and I was thrilled to be running their Instagram and Facebook.

I was referred to the owners by some friends, and thus began my true career as a social media marketing began. I started posting every day for the Dove Inn, and then eventually managed an influencer campaign in the winter season. Instagram influencers would receive a free night at the inn in exchange for social media deliverables–including pictures, Instagram Stories, and reviews. Over the years, around 50- 75 influencers visited the inn.

Though the Dove Inn has new owners now, managing the social media for the Dove Inn was the catalyst for me to start Haymaker Marketing and to not just do social media management as a side hustle.

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’m Marissa. I’ve got over 6 years of social media marketing experience. It all started with a nonprofit, aimlessly handing me their Instagram, hoping I’d do a good job, and it concluded with me researching to the ends of the earth, getting really good at content creation, and starting my Fort Collins business, Haymaker Marketing. Over the last six years, I’ve helped numerous small business owners take back their life and leave the Instagram posting to me.

Because, small business owners can’t do it all. I know this, because I am a small business owner.

Unfortunately, you can’t leave your socials to your admin or your second-cousin-once-removed who needs a job this summer. Forty-five percent of the world’s population uses social media and more than 40% of digital consumers use social networks to research new products. Your customers are waiting for you on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and LinkedIn. You need consistency, strategy, and creativity.

I offer full social media management, social media consultations, and DIY email classes to help you get your message or product to the people who are already looking for you.

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

Here’s my key advice for small business owners starting to build their social media presence: POST THAT PICTURE OF YOURSELF. And, after you do that, get yourself some branding photos. ⁠
Why do you need them?⁠
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✨ They make you look more professional.⁠
✨ They let people see YOU.⁠
✨ They make people feel like they know more about you. ⁠
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Graphic posts are great, let me tell you, but a personal branding shoot will make people feel familiar with you, and will get you more sales. It is 100% worth the investment.
⁠

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Networking groups have really helped Haymaker Marketing build a reputation within the Northern Colorado area. I’m all about promoting my business on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, but you know what works even better for me? Networking Groups. Here’s some ones you should check out:⁠ ⁠
✓Northern Colorado: @gatherandcollab . It’s a low pressure, tons of fun networking group that you don’t have to pay dues for. You could even host an event. I’m a big fan. ⁠
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✓Denver: @denverpicnic.co hosts women’s networking groups in the the raddest of spaces in RINO. I just went to one last month with a few other business friends. Each business got to do a little intro, and everybody followed each other on Instagram (the new business card, let me tell ya).⁠
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✓Online: The Denver Boss Babes Facebook Group. I’ve given SO MANY referrals in this group, and people have found me by old posts and comments. 🤘🏻⁠

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.haymakersocial.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haymakermarketing/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haymakersocial/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/51618731/

Image Credits
@rhemafaithphoto