Episode 13
Season 2
Designing Marketing Ecosystems for Nonstop Engagement & Growth
Welcome Lara Schmoisman, CEO & Founder of The Darl, to Saturday Soundbites!
Lara is an experienced marketer and expert who has built an amazing agency, The Darl, that helps clients manage their marketing strategies and build their brand and growth. She shares tips on how to determine if you are ready to sustain a marketing strategy, and what you need to think about before you move forward.
Lara also emphasizes the need to have a strong "home base", on your website, and be ready to layer on social media platforms to become a leader in your space. She shares that a strong marketing strategy is about two things - algorithms and relevance. You don't want to miss all of her tips!
Join Veronica and Lara as they discuss some of the pitfalls that entrepreneurs and businesses fall into when they don't have all the information they need to launch a powerful marketing campaign that fosters nonstop engagement and increases reach.
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[00:00:00] Veronica: Hello. Hello and welcome to Saturday soundbites. I'm your host. Frontica Sofer here on Saturday soundbites. We talk all things, visibility, strategy, public relations, and marketing, advertising, branding, you name it, all those components that are going to help you build a strong visibility strategy. And I have a great guest for you today, and we'll introduce her in just a second, but let's take care of a little housekeeping.
[00:00:22] If you are listening on the podcast. I subscribed. We don't want you to miss any episodes of Saturday soundbites. And if you are watching the video on replay or on replay on YouTube or on Facebook, make sure you let us know. So the, my guest and I can connect with you. We will go ahead and get started with this episode.
[00:00:39] Cause I know this is one you're going to want to take notes on. Welcome up to the stage, Laura. Schwarzman. Thank you so much for being here. I thank you for having me now pronounce your name just in case I didn't say it. Correct. It's
[00:00:51] Lara: Lara, Lara Croft and Moise man. She wants to. Okay. I did pretty
[00:00:56] Veronica: good.
[00:00:56] They're pretty good. Awesome. Awesome. Well, I know names are important and it's part of our brand. So I wanted to honor that Laura, tell us a little bit about yourself and we're going to get into the nitty gritty of marketing and being able to really support our businesses, but let's introduce you to folks.
[00:01:12] Okay. Well
[00:01:13] Lara: most people will know me for my last few years that I'm the CEO of the Dar what I have. I was named for next 1000 nominee for LA inspirational woman. And also my company was a nominee for LA times. It's such a long term. I always forget it is AXA, civility, inclusion, and equality. It's really important to me.
[00:01:40] I, when I created this company, I created with a set of values that were important to me and why I'm saying this because I come from a long, long. Career, but not necessarily a marketing. I started in radio. Then I moved to television. I did a lot of entertainment, red carpet. Then I move into distribution.
[00:01:59] DVD is all motion graphics on. Then I fell in love with online. My first website was 1998, so it can, yeah, so I seen it. Oh back then there wasn't careers of digital marketing. So I was learning as I'd made mistakes. And then I ended up teaching digital marketing for the fashion industry at Cal poly Pomona was also opened my eyes because for me it was like, I always give it for granted things that I learned and I knew how to.
[00:02:31] Because I had to do it. I was on the job, my hands dirty. I was doing it, but I realized how much there was out there that people were pretending to do marketing or areas of marketing, but they really want to do it. They knew in the last few years, everyone has access to marketing toes or doing a website, but that's a mean that are creating those elements for performance.
[00:02:55] Marketing is about performance and analytics and reading the results and improve.
[00:03:01] Veronica: Yes, absolutely. So talking about growth because you know, you, you talk about having an. An ecosystem for nonstop engagement and growth. What does that look like? So if you're in the online space, you're new to the online space and you're maybe working with somebody on a marketing campaign or an advertising campaign, or maybe even working with a PR professional like me, we all need to be able to measure it and look to those analytics, as you mentioned and see that growth.
[00:03:27] So what does it look like in your space when you're talking about developing a roadmap for that type of.
[00:03:33] Lara: For me, it's very simple. It's great. All about strategy. First of all, you need first to know your brand. Where do you start starting on? No, you are not your current analytics. No, what's your conversion.
[00:03:45] No, no. To your click, to rate, if you have ads, how they are performing and from then on, that's your baseline that you need to grow? Every company grows differently. Every company has a different strategy and every company has a different model. So you cannot compare. Every company is unique and you need to treat them uniquely.
[00:04:08] Also, I also believe in creating sustainable strategies because I work with a lot of smaller business or medium sized businesses that they don't have a huge budget for advertising. On the advertising money goes, like you said, and it's gone. It disappeared. So if you don't have that budget for advertising, I believe in creating strategies that use a little bit for advertising, but a lot of organic growth, right?
[00:04:38] It's going to be a slower process, but at least it's sustainable. Otherwise we'll use all your budget and then you have nothing.
[00:04:48] Veronica: No, that makes complete sense. And I loved the idea of, of having a blueprint and an ecosystem set up ahead of time. What does that foundational work look like when someone's considering implementing something like this?
[00:05:02] Well,
[00:05:03] Lara: first of all, I believe that you need to know who you are and your. And where you standing for, then you need to know your products. You need to know the competition and how you're different to that. I mean, you know, these from PR that when you pitch someone, you need to show them what are unique and what makes them different.
[00:05:22] It's the same for marketing. I see a lot of companies fail because they trying to copy strategies from someone else. I know you are ready, competing for the same market. And then you're trying to compete using the same strategies they work for someone else. You don't know the other personal circumstances.
[00:05:42] You don't know the other person budget. You don't know how long have you been in business or what they been doing? So you need to create your own strategy. It's totally fine to look at your competition and see what they do in better. But you need to develop your own strategy, knowing your own values, what sets you apart and how you're different from the competition.
[00:06:06] And then click create your own only channel strategy. As you know, everything. Now it's algorithm based and we need to know. Where our people is. And do we need to do absolutely be in every platform? Absolutely not. We need to know where our target audience is. It will be a waste of time and resources to be everywhere and not being performant for performing, because that will affect your algorithm.
[00:06:35] Yeah,
[00:06:36] Veronica: no, that makes complete sense. And what are some of the mistakes that you think people make when they're considering this? I mean, obviously you just gave a great example of being somewhere where your target audience isn't, but what are a few other mistakes that people make as they're trying to navigate this?
[00:06:52] Well,
[00:06:52] Lara: all the mistakes that I see is that I, I call it the foundation. We need to have a very strong foundation and I do a lot of. Consulting with people. And I talked to them and there's some of them that are not ready for a marketing strategy because they don't have the budget. They can not make it sustainable.
[00:07:11] Or they say, I want to hire a PR. And I think PR is a great tool. We offer it in agencies too, but it's not for everyone. If you have not. Yes
[00:07:20] Veronica: you, I
[00:07:21] Lara: mean, you are takes time is in, you're not going to see anything immediately. The same with SEO is you're not going to see immediate results. So you need to be able to sustain that.
[00:07:33] And one of the mistakes I see is that people not planning for the time. They think that everything will happen. Which is not the case and also not to have a strong foundation. And I think the strong foundation first is your branding. You have to have a very unique memorable branding. I'm also to have a strategy in place to use that branding across all platforms, which means that branding needs to be able to translate in the native language of each platform.
[00:08:02] You cannot use your branding the same on your website. Then in social media than in podcast, you need to use it in their native language because you have restrictions and you need to make it work. So having a strong branding, that's a first step and then choose your platforms and make sure that you have a strong home base.
[00:08:24] I always call the website, your home base. Yes. You don't need a fancy website, but you need a website. Well, bill. And unfortunately, fortunately, because it's a cheap way to go and you can go and get your website that by yourself, but it doesn't mean that it will perform well in best, even if it's a small website, but in a small website that is well build an SEO ready.
[00:08:52] So you can build up to that fixing mistakes. It's a lot harder than start from zero. Yes,
[00:08:59] Veronica: absolutely. Yes. That's so true. Yeah. And, and, and when you when you are working with someone and they're starting from zero, what are some of the first, other than the foundational things that you talked about?
[00:09:13] What are some of the first things you try to implement in a marketing strategy? And I know it's going to be different. He said, you know, unique for each business because our target audiences are different, but what are some basics that you start with after they've got that foundational work?
[00:09:27] Lara: Well, you need to have a strategy to maintain SEO.
[00:09:31] That's real important to get your organic search building because that takes time. And, you know, you can, there are so many tools how they are, but marketing is about two things. Our 30 and re relevance to meet. The one who do the best you're the bathroom are. What do you do to show that and relevance to people to find you?
[00:09:53] So you will need to work on those two things on SEO is a great way to work. The same PR they are. I believe that there are two ways to do PR. One of them is for public relations our media on three H, which is great. It's amazing when you get it, but it takes time, but also there is ways to do PR for SEO.
[00:10:16] Yes. Yes. And that's super important.
[00:10:21] Veronica: So when you're thinking about your SEO and you've got a limited budget what are a couple of things that you should invest in? Should it really be like a copywriter? Should it be an SEO expert to come in? Because I think you're right. A lot of people might not quite be ready to bring on an agency.
[00:10:39] Or a team of professionals, but they've got a little bit of budget. And so how would you suggest they start that first step?
[00:10:46] Lara: My suggestion, honestly, I started the new program to consultancy program. I realize that a lot of people were trying to go on higher. SEO experts or writers, but there were doing things without strategy, big, big problems.
[00:11:04] So you can do all this, but if you don't have a strategy in place, that's not going to not going to go anywhere because I see people that are invested in SEO. Yeah. It's great. But all the keywords that they put in your website, they're not running around for you. So people find you for the wrong reasons.
[00:11:23] Yes, so that's super important. So I created it. I realized that there was a lot of people that they were not ready for. It. An agency or they have a budget budget for web agency or they weren't ready for letting their baby go. Yeah, that's totally fine and normal. And I understand it, but they try, this is another thing I've seen.
[00:11:48] So many people burned by and I will say 95 to 98% of the people who come to me come from. Sharon says, because they hire someone to the Instagram. They've hired someone else to do. They're ticked off someone else to do their SEO and then know how to, I'm not saying that they did a bad job or they didn't know what to doing, but the fact that they were completely different entities trying to do something for one brand, they were talking like different languages and the branding wasn't there and the strategy wasn't there.
[00:12:18] Yeah. Is it saying like you doing PR for someone who says sales? I don't know, green hats, but the website says hats, right? So we need to make sure that we all having the same message, the same keywords. We all go in the same directions. Otherwise it's not going to work. That's why I created this program.
[00:12:42] It's a consultancy program. It's a four month program. One-on-one with me. And I give them the same tools that I use in the agency. And I help them to bring, to be in the strategy is sustainable strategy for a year. Know, also what I do is I teach them when they need to hire a freelance, what are the questions that they need to do or what they need to work on.
[00:13:05] So then whenever ready to work with the freelancers and with whatever my budget, their manager, they at least know what they ask me.
[00:13:13] Veronica: Right, right. They know the language. They know, they know how to clean how many them
[00:13:18] Lara: happened to me at the beginning of my career that I was working with a developer, for example, and they will tell me, oh no, this will take a month work.
[00:13:27] And now I can say, no, this will take you 20 minutes.
[00:13:31] Veronica: Right, right. Having that knowledge, that sounds like a fantastic resource. And what are, what are the next steps you've got your SEO in place. You've now grown your business. You've grown some sustainability built into it and you're ready for what's next.
[00:13:47] How does that, what does that look like? Or what should someone expect when they're looking to hire an agency? Because I get that question all the time. How do I know if, if a good, if that's a good PR agency or how do I know that's a good advertising agency and I give them my insight, but I love to hear from you.
[00:14:02] What are some of the things that you try to encourage people to look for when they're looking for that? When they're ready for that?
[00:14:08] Lara: First of all, I feel like I have to have a one-on-one with the person and they have that connection and that we are really in a place that we can communicate and I can help.
[00:14:18] Because if they're close-minded minded, like it happens to me. They don't want to share passwords. You're not ready for an agency.
[00:14:25] Veronica: Right, right. That's a great example. I love that example.
[00:14:29] Lara: Yeah. If you're not ready to share passwords, and to be honest with me, I can not help you. It happened to me. Clients are recluse tends to give me passwords or the hiding information.
[00:14:41] Like they have multiple accounts or things. And so how can I work? I need to be transparent because I work with analytics. I work with data and I need to collect the data to see what needs improvement and what it's been done. Nothing was on. I need to see what I'm working. Yeah,
[00:14:58] Veronica: no, that makes complete sense.
[00:14:59] I love it. That's a great tip. So that's a good reminder listeners. If you're not, if you're not ready to give up your passwords, you're probably not ready for an agency. So just keep DIY in it until you get comfortable enough to let that baby go so that you can bring in an
[00:15:14] Lara: expert. Yeah. And you totally need to trust agency that you work.
[00:15:18] You need to feel that you connect, that you communicating that their responses. And I always, to my perspective, clients, I say, you want to talk to my current clients, call this person, call this person. I am completely open about this because it's what I would like to do as a client. I've been to many times in my life, in this business, even hiring, I've been hiring people.
[00:15:42] I hire people that they sell themselves. They know how pretty words, and they know how to sell themselves. But then when it's time to work, they. They don't know what they doing.
[00:15:53] Veronica: Right. Right now, referrals are really important. And I always ask people to call first before they decide to work with me, because I want you to connect with someone that I have a relationship with so that I can understand, and they can understand what it is you can expect from the relationships.
[00:16:10] I think that's really great about.
[00:16:11] Lara: Thank you. I, I think it's important also to check listen, I am who I am. And with me, you get what you say, I'm blind. I'm going to tell you what I see. And most of the times, like if you were to go, I had a woman almost cry in a consultation because I had to give her the numbers.
[00:16:31] I run her numbers and so forth that we have, and her website was horrible. I mean it, and she spent fortunes on that website. Oh, And she was like, but say, okay, it's a website. It's pretty, you like it, but it's not performing. And also your UX is not working for your audience. You can not find things.
[00:16:52] Veronica: Yeah, that's really hard to use to hear if you don't know what, what you're looking for.
[00:16:55] I love that you're really trying to educate people along as part of the process and not just work for them, but educate them.
[00:17:02] Lara: I think it's important. It's part of the transparency.
[00:17:05] Veronica: Yeah, I agree. Definitely. Well Alara how can people work with you? Obviously you've got that coaching pro program that you shared, but what are some other ways that you work with?
[00:17:15] Okay, so
[00:17:16] Lara: they can call my agency and that's the dowel.com. They can send us an email or they can call us and we can schedule a meeting and a consultation. I always give a consultation to see if people are ready for us. I'm on this, make that decision together. I think it's a decision that it needs to be made from both sides.
[00:17:38] Then the, the website that he puts on right there, that's the coaching program. Then the darrel.com is my agency. And also I created on online program. That whoever is not ready for it, and I'm not ready for consulting. I do think that they need to know the basics of marketing. Yes. So I created this online program that are 12 modules.
[00:18:02] That actually is it $368. But I believe in pandemic, I feel like everyone on their mothers are making online. I got fed up with it. So I wanted everyone to have it. So I'm selling for $27. Oh, that's fantastic. I want people to have access to it. And I want people to understand the basics of marketing and the ecosystem.
[00:18:28] So they can then go to next steps and stop. Like there's so many online trainings, how they are, that they are crazy. And there are people that they think that after doing an online training, they know everything. Yeah, I have, I been here 30 years working in this, in this world on. I still learning. Oh yeah.
[00:18:52] Veronica: Yeah. And things change so quickly. So what worked five or 10 years ago? Isn't working today,
[00:18:57] Lara: the ground exchange week by week. I need to have training all the time. Say Facebook algorithm on Instagram algorithm and tech talk. And every time there's more and more on Google ads change the rules and the limitations is something that you keep learning.
[00:19:13] So I agree on, I feel like a lot of. Do it yourself right now so much, and that they sell you, that they believe that you can do it yourself and it will succeed. And there are very few people that they do that. So whatever you need to think, your business, I am making money in your business. If you're starting up your broke and you're doing this, just to try something new, go for it.
[00:19:40] But if you already have a business running and profits, Think of another wise, you shouldn't be doing your website. You shouldn't be doing your social media. You shouldn't be doing things that take time away from what it's profitable for you.
[00:19:55] Veronica: That's so true. That is so true. The power of delegation is, is, is one that will change the trajectory of your business.
[00:20:01] Absolutely. Well, I love that. You gave some great advice. Your website is there on the screen. It's also in the show notes for our listeners, any parting advice as we wrap up.
[00:20:11] Lara: No, she just keep learning. It's really important, you know, as a business owner, as a marketing consultant and that you're really, your reputation is important.
[00:20:21] Your authority is important in any business that you have. So like, my dad will say shoe maker to you. Trade on doing what you do well and let others do their job. Like, I will never try to have a lot of clients at their doctor. And like, I always say like, I can potentially go and buy a surgical. That doesn't mean that I should be performing surgeries.
[00:20:48] It's the same for marketing.
[00:20:49] Veronica: Yes. Agreed. A hundred percent. Well, very great advice, Laura. Thank you so much for joining us on Saturday soundbites. It was wonderful having you on the show. Same
[00:20:57] Lara: here. Thank you so much.
[00:21:00] Veronica: All right. That wraps up our episode of Saturday soundbites. As always, you can find me on my website@veronicavsofor.com.
[00:21:07] Follow me on Facebook. You can also catch me on YouTube and LinkedIn, and I'm always ready to talk visibility strategy because at the end of the day, that's, what's going to help you grow your business, grow your brand. If you are listening on the podcast, make sure you hit subscribe. We don't want it. Any episodes of Saturday soundbites.
[00:21:23] And if you are watching on replay, hashtag repay. So my guest, Laura, and I can go back and connect with you. And with that, I'm sending you lots of positive energy and light.