Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design Business
The interior design business podcast for interior designers, architects, and home professionals. Hosted by interior design and digital marketing pro, Darla Powell. #interiordesign
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Episodes
Wednesday Nov 21, 2018
Wednesday Nov 21, 2018
It’s easy to feel like we live in two different worlds these days, one online and one in real life. And so interior designers often craft two separate marketing and networking strategies, one for each. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Just because you’re working to develop your social media presence doesn’t mean your real-life connections don’t play a role. Today we’re talking about how creating community with real people in real, high-definition life can help you build your online presence as well.
That’s because today we’re talking with Amy Flurry, author of Recipe for Press and Recipe for Press: Design Edition, and a leading expert in how interior designers can get more press for their work. Amy Flurry is an editor and contributor to some of the biggest magazines on the newsstand (Lucky, Country Living, Condé Nast Traveler, InStyle, Better Homes & Gardens). Her book, Recipe for Press, has been called “the small business blueprint for DIY publicity,” packed with good, no-nonsense advice on how to get your story or product onto the pages of influential publications. Amy’s lectures and workshops serve to further educate entrepreneurs on how to refine their message, engage media and create relationships with editors and bloggers, including powerful examples from across industries and around the country, plus her own art company.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[4:09] How to get started using the power of community
[6:38] Where Amy got the idea for this approach
[9:10] How to make Amy’s strategy work for you
[16:00] Offer value to those who attend your events
[19:22] It doesn’t have to be a huge event
[28:30] Whut up, Wingnut?
[30:58] Natalie and Darla’s takeaways
Connect with Amy Flurry
Amy Flurry
Amy on Twitter
Amy on Instagram
Amy on Facebook
Resources & People Mentioned
Laura Thurman in HGTV Magazine
Recipe for Press
Recipe for Press: Designer Edition
Get your Audible Free Trial!
Small-batch gatherings, big-picture strategy
Amy’s book was initially a total DIY project. She wrote it, produced it and launched it herself. And she booked her own speaking engagements. But instead of trying to land large auditoriums, she started putting together gatherings with other interior designers for the book. The events then become about more than just the book, Amy puts on her editor’s cap and thinks about how the events can produce content that all of the attendees can take and share and use for themselves.
When Amy throws an event, she invites other designers, or people who enjoy design, who might be interested in what she has to learn. But she also invites local magazine editors who might be interested in meeting those designers, and she will share photos from the event and encourage others to do so as well. And so the idea is that the event happens in one, real-life place, but has many other “tentacles” as she says, that can help a variety of people and be used online.
It’s about creating community, not competition
When Amy first started putting together her small events, she realized quickly that she wanted to invite people she didn’t know, instead of default to the people already in her contacts list. And she invited a designer from Nashville who came and was so excited by it, she emailed the group afterward with a recap of all the takeaways, and then invited Amy to Nashville to do a similar event in her town. That designer then used that gathering that she threw to take pictures of her home, which she then used in a myriad of ways, including landing an article in HGTV Magazine.
Amy says that while designers may have concerns about their competition, the truth is there’s enough work for everyone, and creating community can help foster learning and networking that lead to amazing opportunities. You want to make sure if you’re throwing events for other designers, you’re offering something of value for them. Otherwise, as Amy says, “it’d be really weird.”
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Nov 14, 2018
Wednesday Nov 14, 2018
Going live on Facebook can be a great way to connect with, and build, your audience. But it can also be election-night-level anxiety-producing. Luckily, the Wingnut Social Podcast has you covered. This week, Darla and Natalie discuss everything you need to have in place before you go live, what benefits you’ll see in collaborating on Facebook streams, and the one trick today’s guest uses to make Facebook Lives seem totally natural. And no, there’s no way you’re guessing it.
Business coach Nancy Ganzekaufer joins Natalie and Darla on this week’s episode, breaking down how she got started on Facebook Live, and what her famous Weekend Wine Down broadcasts have done for her business. Through her work, Nancy empowers creative entrepreneurs to build the life and business they have always wanted. She leads by example through her hard work, encouragement, and most of all, her no b.s. leadership style.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[3:30] How Darla and Nancy bonded over too much whiskey
[4:45] How Nancy started wining down and how that helped her level up her business
[6:54] Start doing Facebook Lives on your personal page
[11:30] How to get your Facebook Live game off the ground
[16:06] Think of only one person you’re trying to talk to when you do your livestreams
[18:30] The three words that will transform your business
[23:15] How long you should give livestreams a chance before re-evaluating
[25:27] What up, Wingnut?
[30:58] Natalie and Darla’s takeaways
Connect with Nancy Ganzekaufer
Nancy Ganzekaufer
Nancy’s Facebook page
Nancy on Instagram
Nancy on Twitter
Resources & People Mentioned
Nancy’s Weekend Whiskey Down with Darla
A Well-Designed Business Podcast
Actionable Entrepreneurs
BeLive
Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People
The Interior Design Profit Formula
Get your Audible Free Trial!
Facebook collaboration has real-life ROI
When Nancy first started her Weekend Wine Down Facebook Live shows, it was for a reason many people can relate to: She was uncomfortable talking to a camera all on her own. She was so uncomfortable, in fact, she put googly eyes on either side of her camera so she would have something to look at while she was talking. But what started out as daunting has now become second nature to her and a huge value to her audience.
On this week’s episode, Nancy talks about how her weekly chats have brought in all sorts of different creative types, from entrepreneurs to fitness coaches. It’s a win-win-win situation for Nancy: Her audience learns from her guests, the audience values Nancy for bringing them that guest, and past guests have landed clients through the Weekend Wine Downs.
How to get started with Facebook Live
If you want to get started using Facebook Live, but aren’t sure how, Nancy recommends making it easy on yourself. Commit to doing a 15-minute show once a week where you’re giving tips in your area of expertise. And if you’re anxious about it, grab another designer from another state (so they can’t compete for your business) and have them do it with you.
Getting up on Facebook Live and truly making it valuable for your audience requires just a little planning, a little commitment and maybe a couple tools to help improve the experience. Nancy uses a platform called BeLive which brings all the bells and whistles that makes it fun for an audience. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg of all of the great advice Nancy delivered on this week’s episode of the podcast!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Wednesday Nov 07, 2018
Video can seem so daunting to any business, never mind the solopreneur Interior Designer. It takes time to learn how to make great videos, and then it takes time to shoot and edit them. But, as our guest on today’s episode tells us, it’s not as hard as it looks, and it’s worth it. Today’s episode tackles the basic equipment you may need, whether your smartphone can do the trick, and how to turn simple video shoots into content resources that can last you months on numerous different platforms. We’re unlocking the social media video toolbox today on the Wingnut Social Podcast.
Tori Toth joins Natalie and Darla on this week’s episode. Tori is a renowned home stager and lifestyle authority, visibility strategist, educator, YouTuber, blogger and international speaker whose clientele spans the globe. Her peers recently recognized her as one of RESA 2018 Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging. Her how-to videos on YouTube have reeled in more than a million views, thanks in no small part to her former career as a TV reporter.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[4:54] How Tori became convinced that video was the way to go
[7:21] Is there a generational gap when it comes to making and watching videos online?
[11:08] How to get started with video
[13:20] How to get clear audio while you’re shooting
[15:30] Some of the biggest mistakes Tori has made
[17:45] Facebook is going all-in on video
[18:53] Has video changed how Tori does business?
[22:05] Should you be sharing your video across all platforms, or pick the best one?
[25:35] What up, Wingnut?
[37:52] Natalie and Darla’s takeaways
Connect with Tori Toth
Tori Toth
Video Visibility
The Stage 2 Sell Strategy
Tori on Facebook
Tori on Instagram
Tori on Twitter
Tori on YouTube
Resources & People Mentioned
South Park’s report on gingervitis
Get your Audible Free Trial!
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Natalie Reddell on Instagram
Build Your Tribe
The Brendon Show
Social media video is just the beginning
While not everyone is going to be a natural when it comes to using video on social media, it’s worth it to take the time to learn, because as Tori says in this episode, the video is just the beginning. Once you make a video, you can pull the audio to use elsewhere, you can use still images on your social media, you can pull quotes and make graphics out of them.
That doesn’t mean you have to be on camera for an hour at a time. Think of how you can make short, entertaining videos for your social media. Not only will it help get you out there as an expert in an area, it’ll provide a wealth of content for you to use down the line.
Set it and forget it with your videos
You don’t need to be a professional cinematographer to make great videos for social media. As Tori says, the first step is to just set up a video camera in the corner, set it and forget it. Just let it record what you’re doing in the house, to get sort of “behind the scenes” footage. From there you can do more close-ups, some reaction shots from clients, scripting etc. But videos are really constructed out of various components, so all you have to do is make each individual component, to make it feel less overwhelming.
Tori gave some basic equipment recommendations for making your first social media videos, and one vital piece of advice: Make sure your camera has a flip screen. If you’re shooting yourself, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re not cutting off your own head, and that the shot is framed the way you want it. But Tori also advised against letting equipment stand in your way. Start using what you have today. And if that means using your iPhone, use your iPhone.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Oct 31, 2018
Wednesday Oct 31, 2018
When photos are such an enormous part of a business, as they are for interior designers, it can be tempting to think you need the most expensive “pro” equipment on the market to make your shots pop. But! The truth is you carry the very technology you need to take amazing photos in your pocket nearly every day, and gorgeous pictures are just one swipe away. On today’s episode of the Wingnut Social Podcast, we talk with a professional photographer who shoots exclusively on the iPhone about how you can optimize your phone photos and why photo quality is so essential to your social media marketing.
Linda Holt, who joins Natalie and Darla today, puts it best: “No matter how beautiful the room, you put up a crappy photo and it’s going to fall flat.” Linda launched her interior design business in 2011 after a 25-year career as one of Boston’s top commercial headshot photographers. Her past photography clients sought her out not only for her ability to make them look their very best but for her skill in having their personality shine through the lens. Today she applies those very same principles to designing rooms that not only look beautiful but reflect the unique personality of the homeowner and their family. And she helps other interior designers with their photography and photo-editing skills to make sure they’re getting the most out of their images.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[4:02] Who is Linda Holt and why did she switch to shooting with an iPhone?
[6:01] Linda’s past life as a headshot photographer
[6:46] Mistakes graphic designers often make with their photography
[10:01] Is iPhonographer a word?
[11:06] When does the iPhone not cut it?
[13:20] How important are your photos to your brand?
[14:20] What photography apps should interior designers get to know?
[16:57] When is a photograph just a lost cause?
[20:37] The danger of using others’ photographers
[25:24] What up, Wingnut?
[30:06] Natalie and Darla’s takeaways
Connect with Linda Holt
Linda Holt Creative
Linda Holt Creative on Facebook
Linda Holt Creative on Instagram
Linda’s editing services
Resources & People Mentioned
Monty Wills Photography
Snapseed
TouchRetouch
Airbrush
Rachel Reider
Linda’s iPhone photography tutorial
Jeri Cerutti’s Instagram
Darla's Photographers - Janette Oliva -Ethan Murat
Carla Aston
The Wingnut Social Media Lab
The key to image quality is cropping
Natalie asked Linda what she sees as the biggest mistakes made by interior designers when they post their photos, and right away Linda had an answer: Not cropping enough. As she says, sometimes a photo gives a viewer “too much to look at,” and it’s not clear exactly what the viewer should be looking at.
Linda says interior designers often don’t expose their photos correctly, either, meaning the photo is too dark and it’s hard to see, or it’s too light and it’s washed out. She even offers a quick tip on how to fix these common problems, even if you’re not a professional photographer.
iPhones will get you great image quality, but not in every case
Linda tells a great story about how she went to a conference and heard a renowned photographer speak about how she uses her iPhone even for cover shoots for big magazines. That changed everything for her when it came to her interior design photography. But she did say there are still circumstances when it’s better to call in an architectural photographer. For instance, when lighting needs to be brought in to ensure the entire room is evenly exposed, your iPhone alone can’t do that.
Linda also discusses a circumstance we’re all familiar with: She has a bathroom that she needs to have photographed, but the iPhone just can’t capture the whole thing. So she hires an architectural photographer to come in with a full-frame camera that can capture the whole thing. So your cell phone is great, but you have to know when it’s not the right tool.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Oct 24, 2018
Wednesday Oct 24, 2018
When Darla first met Barette Widell and Christina Boschetti, they were on a panel where the audience was all interior designers, who tend to dress a certain way and be very put together. But there were Widell and Boschetti, on the panel wearing baseball caps adorned with pom-poms. They immediately stood out from the crowd, and one could even say they are honorary Wingnuts.
Both Christina and Barette join Darla and Natalie for today’s episode, talking about the time commitment required to make Instagram work for your business, and how authenticity has allowed them to rise above the ranks. Social media has definitely been their best tool to showcase their work and to spread the word. W + B gets most of their projects not only from word of mouth, but Instagram and Houzz. Barette is in charge of Instagram and pushes the stories, and as they say, it’s like they already have their own show. All of their clients (including potentials) can watch in real time what is going on in their family, “social” and of course daily non-routines of their work life.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[4:05] Why were Barette and Christina wearing pom-pom hats?
[7:40] How W+B built business relationships through Instagram
[8:38] The early days of their social media strategy
[11:55] Be sure to give proper credit if sharing someone else’s work
[15:03] How being relatable on Instagram has paid off for W+B
[16:43] Why there aren’t “mistakes” on social media, just learning processes
[19:00] How they use Instagram to sell products
[23:33] What up wingnut?
[28:05] Darla and Natalie’s takeaways
Connect with Widell + Boschetti
Widell + Boschetti
Widell + Boschetti on Instagram
Widell + Boschetti on Facebook
Widell + Boschetti on Houzz
Resources & People Mentioned
High Point Market
Michelle Gerson Interiors
Kara Wood Designs
Kelly Wearstler
IMG
The Design Blog and Social Media Lab
Instagram has a legit ROI for interior designers
That panel mentioned above was a gamechanger for Widell and Boschetti, and they landed that gig thanks to their prominence on Instagram. The pom-pom hats, the authentic, unpretentious way they go about things, that’s all part of who they are and of course what their brand is. And as they say on this episode, there’s a domino effect to social media.
Just like in Hollywood, someone who looks like they’re so busy and doing so much work, everyone is going to want a piece of them. Which is why being consistent on Instagram is so important: It projects that you’re in demand.
How to use social media if you don’t have an established portfolio
One of the things Barette and Christina said this episode that could be so helpful for designers just getting started: Don’t be afraid to share other people’s work to signal what sort of design you like, or what you’re going for. It’s a good way to network on social media, and it lets you show off your tastes and what you’re aspiring to, as well.
But a key component to sharing others’ work is to make sure you credit and tag them. It’s important to give proper credit, in case the post goes viral, and aside from being just good manners, it’s a chance to support other designers. Social media is full of accounts that repurpose without proper tagging. Don’t be that guy.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
Wednesday Oct 17, 2018
Everyone knows that search engine optimization (SEO) is important for their company’s web traffic, but it can feel as difficult to parse SEO best practices as it is the tax code, and just as fun. On today’s show, Darla and Natalie break down simple, actionable advice for how interior design companies can improve their SEO without losing their minds, and bust a few myths while they’re at it.
Joining Natalie and Darla today is Justin Easthall, the web design wizard behind Easthall Designs and Darla’s website, along with the Wingnut Social site. Justin has been designing websites for more than 20 years and has designed hundreds of websites during that time, picking up skills in online marketing and more than a few awards to boot. Justin discusses how to optimize images for the web, how important mobile versions of your site are, and why he wants the biggest conkers around (we didn’t ask any follow-up questions to that).
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[2:45] Who is Justin and what’s up with his amazing accent?
[3:57] What is SEO and why is it so important?
[5:54] What’s the first thing you do to improve your SEO?
[9:40] Keyword tips and tricks
[13:44] How to optimize your images so your site isn’t a turtle
[17:05] The most important thing you can do regarding offsite SEO
[22:45] How important is it for your website to be mobile-friendly?
[26:02] What up wingnut?
[28:21] Darla and Natalie’s takeaways
Connect with Justin Easthall
Easthall Design
Easthall Design on Twitter
Easthall Design on Facebook
Resources & People Mentioned
TinyPing
Moz.com
The Design Blog and Social Media Lab
Heading tags guide
The two sides of SEO
Right off the bat, Justin has some great insight into what SEO actually is, dividing it into two sections of sides: onsite SEO and offsite SEO. Onsite SEO is all of the stuff we typically think of when talking about SEO, it’s all of your content, blog posts, images, making sure your site loads quickly, etc. It’s all the technical SEO you do on your site.
Offsite SEO is all of the work you do to drive to your site, such as social media, Google AdWords, etc. Justin also goes into techniques for improving your offsite SEO, which is some tricky stuff.
Some keyword tips for your Interior Design SEO
Justin drops all kinds of knowledge and value bombs all over this episode, but one key insight (no pun intended) concerns making your keywords truly valuable for you and your audience. For instance, if you use location-specific keywords, whether someone actually searches for that location or not, Google will prioritize your content as being local to that user.
Justin also walks through some other keyword tips and answers the question everyone wants to know the answer to: How often do I have to blog optimized for search engines?
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
The free online CSS minimizer and beutifier will compress the style files for your websites in seconds.
Wednesday Oct 10, 2018
Wednesday Oct 10, 2018
You work hard to build a following on social media (and these days, it feels harder than ever to do so), but to what end? What can you do with that social media “influence?” Well, there’s a way to provide a service to your audience and to monetize your social presence with an easy-to-use app that not a lot of people fully understand. After today’s episode, you’ll have a Ph.D. in how to use rewardStyle.
On today’s show with Natalie and Darla is Taylor Walker Sitting, a certified personal trainer, nutrition expert, and social media master. She has an enormous following on Twitter and Instagram, and she’s taken the role of social media influencer to the next level, working with huge brands. As she says, her goal is to empower women to be their best selves in the most real way possible.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[03:10] What is the rewardStyle LiketoKnowIt app and why does everyone want a piece?
[7:14] How to make rewardStyle work for you
[10:04] If you don’t take your role seriously, you can really damage your brand as an influencer.
[14:40] What is a micro-influencer and how influential are they?
[15:30] How to set up a posting schedule that reaches your audience
[18:44] How to use rewardStyle with your blog
[21:45] What mistakes has Taylor made on her journey to becoming an influencer?
[26:19] What up wingnut?
[28:21] Darla and Natalie’s takeaways
Connect with Taylor Walker Sinning
Taylor Walker Sinning
Taylor Walker Fit on Twitter
Taylor Walker Fit on Instagram
Taylor Walker Fit on Facebook
Resources & People Mentioned
rewardStyle
Liketoknowit
Taylor’s media kit
What is rewardStyle and how do you use it?
As Taylor told Darla and Natalie on this episode, rewardStyle has a “Liketoknowit” app that allows people on social media to share products, and then when their followers buy those products, you get paid. It’s a really easy-to-use app, though you do have to apply. And as Taylor says, she didn’t get in on her first try, so it’s worth applying more than once.
Now rewardStyle started off as focused on fashion, but if you’re sharing home products or anything that relates to your business, you can use it, too.
Use rewardStyle, and be smart about what you’re recommending
One of the most important bits of advice Taylor shared is that just because she can work with a brand, doesn’t mean she will. She needs to ensure the product she’s endorsing is solid, and that it’s right for her audience. It’s easy to think “Oh, I’ll take the money for that endorsement,” but in the long run, you’re going to shortchange yourself.
One way to ensure you’re making the right choices when it comes to what brands you work with is to have a strong media kit. Taylor goes into what comprises a great media kit, and shares hers as well (linked above!).
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
There are lots of options when it comes to promoting or building a community around your Interior Design Consulting Business. But one of the newest and best ways is through broadcasting short videos via IGTV (InstagramTV). One designer who is doing amazing things on IGTV is Claire Jefford.
Claire owns and runs her own award-winning Interior Decorating firm and is also an Interior Design Business Coach. She is passionate about marketing, creating videos, and having organized processes to fuel her business success. One of the greatest things about her is her authenticity: she openly shares decorating tips, design advice, and proven strategies for running a business on her IGTV and YouTube channels for anyone to learn from.
In this conversation, Claire shares her IGTV story, explains why anyone can get started (and why nobody has an excuse not to), and walks through IGTV best-practices and a whole lot more.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:45] Who is Claire Jefford, and why does she record video with no pants?
[5:01] What IS IGTV and why does Claire know so much about it?
[5:59] Creating an IGTV channel is not all that hard
[8:28] BEWARE the difference in aspect ratio: you’re going vertical
[9:30] How the geniuses at Instagram made us post fresh content
[14:37] The differences in Claire’s strategy for IGTV vs YouTube
[20:35} Are Instagram Stories and IGTV redundant?
[23:40] Do lighting and audio matter on IGTV?
[26:20] Mistakes Claire has made that have taught her how to do it right!
Connect with Claire Jefford
www.ClaireJefford.com
Claire on Instagram: @ClaireJefford
The Interior Design Business Strategies Facebook group (ask to join)
Claire on Facebook
Claire on Pinterest
YouTube: Claire Jefford - Colour/Decorating Tips (link here)
YouTube: Claire Jefford Coaching - for Business Advice (link here)
Resources & People Mentioned
IGTV
Instagram
Instagram Stories
YouTube
The “Swipe Up” feature on Instagram to add links to your posts
Madalyn Sklar
Canva - for creating cover art, etc. - FREE
Creating engaging video content has never been easier
IGTV is changing the way creators are able to share their expertise and engage with those who are interested in the topics they speak about. Claire Jefford knows it to be true from her own experience. Before IGTV, her primary experience with video has been on YouTube, but she’s found that IGTV enables her to provide content and interact with her audience in ways she has never been able to do on YouTube.
As an interior design consultant, Claire shares more than just her expertise relating to color and design, she also teaches other designers how to run their Interior Design Consultation businesses more efficiently, find and engage with clients, and make the most of every opportunity. One way she’s doing it these days (with great results) is through IGTV. You can hear what she’s doing and how she’s doing it on this episode of Wingnut Social.
You don’t need expensive equipment or a professional appearance for IGTV
The Interior Design Consulting industry does have a professional look to it - absolutely. We specialize in making things beautiful. But don’t let that mindset convince you that you’ve got to invest lots of money into starting an IGTV channel.
You don’t.
In this conversation with Darla, Claire explains how easy it is to set up your own IGTV account, the kind of equipment you need to do it well (it can cost less than $25), and why she sometimes broadcasts without putting on makeup first, and even on one occasion - without her pants. Claire is an engaging and funny lady, so be sure you take the time to listen.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
MOVIE: The Breakfast Club
MOVIE: The Bridges of Madison County
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Spotify
Wednesday Sep 26, 2018
Wednesday Sep 26, 2018
There are a lot of theories out there about what works and what flops on social media. And there are even a few theories that have been tested and then put out as fact, only to have them turn out to be wrong. On today’s episode, we talk about myth busting in social media with the guy who does some serious testing (you can tell by his lab coat).
On today’s show with Natalie and Darla is Scott Ayres, a self-described “Scott-of-all-trades” who has done everything from sell cars to rent bouncy houses. But we know and love him as the host of the Social Media Lab podcast, where he runs rigorous tests to determine what practices actually work on social media. Scott has been an avid blogger in the social media niche for more than six years, taking two different blogs to the top 10 most influential social media blogs on the globe. He’s also the co-author of Facebook All-in-One for Dummies. Scott has a knack for forecasting and seeing trends in social media, and communicating that for small business owners to leverage.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[03:38] How did Scott Ayres become a Scott of all trades?
[5:15] How Scott’s social media began with LinkedIn
[7:45] The niche filled by the Social Media Lab Podcast
[10:27] The biggest myth in social media
[16:28] The mind-blowing stats on LinkedIn
[20:49] How long should you run a social media test?
[25:08] What is Agorapulse?
[27:58] What up, wingnut?
[31:57] Darla and Natalie’s takeaways
Connect with Scott Ayres
Agorapulse
Agorapulse on Twitter
Agorapulse on Instagram
Agorapulse on Facebook
Resources & People Mentioned
Agorapulse
Social Media Lab Podcast
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Jumper
The biggest social media myth out there
Since he’s the guy in the lab coat, we had to ask Scott what social media myths he sees out there that need to be debunked. And the #1 myth he cited? Social media platforms punish you for using third-party apps. It’s just not true. In fact, he found that on Facebook, engagement was 22% higher using third-party apps.
Now part of the reason for this is that past tests did not filter out what Scott calls “garbage posts,” like cross-posting the same message on all platforms, etc. It’s really fascinating stuff.
LinkedIn Insanity
While everyone is told to post photos or videos or Facebook and Twitter to really up your engagement, Scott discovered something mind-blowing about LinkedIn: Test posts had 1069% higher engagement than photos and other types of posts. It’s crazy, and you have to hear him talk about how he conducted his experiment to believe it.
LinkedIn is having another moment now, with concerns over Facebook’s privacy still lingering. As Scott says on this week’s podcast, you need to run consistent experiments as part of your social media strategy.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Sep 19, 2018
Wednesday Sep 19, 2018
Interior designers love to use Facebook and Instagram to highlight their work and connect with potential clients. But for some reason, they view Twitter as the third rail of social media. Today, we’re going to try to change your mind about that with a look at what the new ROI for Twitter is.
Talking with Natalie and Darla today is Madalyn Sklar, a serial entrepreneur, community builder and a Twitter black belt with more than two decades of digital marketing experience and 13 years (since Twitter was a baby) of social media marketing under her belt. She’s been ranked the #1 Twitter influencer in Houston year after year and she runs the #TwitterSmarter chat every week that has raked in more than 6 billion impressions (McDonald’s has nothing on her) and she hosts the #TwitterSmarter podcast. By the way, that is her pared-down bio. We could have gone on and on.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[03:00] Why even bother with Twitter?
[4:45] Are Twitter chats something interior designs should be doing?
[7:15] Why your follower count is really just a vanity metric
[8:45] Consumption is the new ROI
[10:15] If you’re not looking at your Twitter analytics, you’re behind the curve
[12:30] How Madalyn uses video on Twitter
[16:45} Don’t like how you look on video? Too bad!
[19:10] Different strategies for different platforms
[22:00] Why Twitter is not the red-headed stepchild of social media for interior designers
[29:05] Is it better to just post text or images and videos?
[30:10] Are Twitter ads worth it?
[34:30] What up, wingnut?
Connect with Madalyn Sklar
Madalyn Sklar
Madalyn on Twitter
Madalyn on Instagram
Madalyn on Facebook
Resources & People Mentioned
Miri Rodriguez, Microsoft Storyteller
#TwitterSmarter chat
#SocialROI chat
Twitter analytics
What you’re missing about Twitter
Everyone loves Instagram for the visuals, but as Madalyn says on this week’s show, Twitter can be very visual as well. You can post photos, videos, you can share other people’s visuals very easily. It’s easy to think of Twitter as just a text medium, but it’s really used for much more than that.
Madalyn is also an expert in convening Twitter chats and putting hashtags on steroids to work for her. There’s a lot of really valuable insight here into how you can use Twitter to help with your marketing.
Consumption is the new ROI
One of the things that makes Twitter so difficult to crack is that we’re looking at it the wrong way, says Madalyn. In fact, she told us a story about Miri Rodriguez, a storyteller for Microsoft, who says that instead of looking at follower counts or engagements or ROI, we should think about consumption. How much of our social presence is being consumed by others?
In other words, they don’t have to follow you or like something that you post to consume what you post. It’s really a new way of looking at
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Wednesday Sep 12, 2018
Wednesday Sep 12, 2018
Quick: Think of your favorite brand Twitter account, or Instagram, or Super Bowl commercial. What do they have in common? A distinct and memorable brand voice (hello, Old Spice guy). But brand voice is often hard to define, and even more difficult to pin down for your interior design firm. If you find yourself struggling with how to make your voice attractive to clients and consistent across your platforms, then this episode is for you.
Joining Natalie and Darla on today’s show is Nicole Heymer, the founder of Curio Electro, a company whose experts work with business owners to create websites that merge beauty with function in order to help them sell services. Curio Electro will help your business establish a web presence that makes a difference. Darla has worked with Nicole to get amazing results, and just 30 minutes of this chat contains so many nuggets that you can take and apply to your brand. If your website needs a facelift or you really want your brand to have a web presence, you will find today’s conversation about brand voice most helpful.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:42] Why knowing Nicole Heymer gets me compliments
[2:20] What is brand voice and how the heck do you get it?
[4:45] Yeah, but why does it matter?
[7:33] Where do you use your brand voice?
[10:10] How to make your Instagram fit your brand voice (and how not to)
[12:45] How do you speak to your favorite clients?
[15:30} How do you attract top-tier clients if you’re a wingnut?
[18:30] Keep your voice consistent across platforms by defining the nitty-gritty
[22:00] Moon Pie vs. Little Debbie
[25:10] What up, Wingnut?
Connect with Nicole Heymer
Curio Electro
Nicole’s branding masterclass
Curio Electro’s Twitter
Curio Electro’s Instagram
Resources & People Mentioned
Blueprint Magazine
Kelly Wearstler’s Instagram
House Beautiful’s Instagram
Old Spice commercial
Moon Pie Twitter
Little Debbie Twitter
It’s not what you say, but how you say it
If you Googled “brand voice” you would probably find a thousand different definitions, many of them long-winded and lacking, well, voice. But Nicole says it best: What you say is your messaging, how you say it is your voice. So it’s your tone, the words you choose, and the personality you put into what you’re saying that define your brand’s voice. But why is that important? Because the people you’re talking to have to trust you. And your brand has to sound like someone they trust.
The same thing goes for attracting new clients. As Nicole says, if your voice is just kind of “meh,” then no one’s going to remember you, no one’s going to seek you out. If you don’t have any color or flavor in your voice, then no one is going to be drawn to you.
If you’re talking to everybody you’re talking to nobody
So where do you use this flavorful new brand voice you have? Well, as Nicole says, just about everywhere. You want it in your web copy and in your ad copy, but also if you have products than you might think about your product names reflecting that voice. And one of the genius suggestions Nicole dishes out: Make your call to action reflect your voice. In other words, if you have a button on your site, rather than the boring “submit,” make it something that fits your brand.
And you don’t have to do this alone. As Nicole says, if you’re looking to attract high-end clients, you should go to the brands those clients like and see what voice they use. And remember: Every client is a person, too, so you don’t need some magic formula.
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Wednesday Sep 05, 2018
Wednesday Sep 05, 2018
On today’s episode of Wingnut Social, hosts Darla and Natalie discuss how the dreaded robots may be killing your brand. What are the robots? Have you ever opened your social media and been excited that you have 20 or 30 likes on your post, only to check the post the next day, and they’re gone! They may trick you into following them, and then they’re gone.
How does it make you feel? Darla is one of perhaps thousands of followers who have fallen prey to the robots. So buckle up, Wingnuts, because we are going to take on the robots on today’s show.
Show highlights:
Can robots damage my brand?
Can Instagram identify these robots? What are the red flags?
Robots may have multiple levels of “evil”.
Robots may like thousands of posts, which may not seem so bad, right? Hear more!
Can robots comment on behalf of your brand? Darla and Natalie explain.
Do you know the number one robot crime?
Is there a limit to how many posts the robots can like? 350 an hour is the current understanding.
Darla and Natalie explain how can you can grow your social media with all of these evil robots.
Darla shares advice regarding the types of posts you should leave.
Advice for those who need help with posting on social media
Darla discusses Vanity Metrics and refers to Episode 1.
The Gary Vaynerchuck $1.80 Instagram Strategy
If you are too busy to do your own social media marketing, reach out to Darla, Natalie, and the expert team at Wingnut Social.
Contact information for Wingnut Social:
Wingnut Social - Website
Instagram - @wingnutsocial
Facebook - @wingnutsocial
Pinterest - @wingnutsocial
Twitter - @wingnutsocial
Questions? info@wingnutsocial or 1-877-WINGNUT
Thursday Aug 30, 2018
Thursday Aug 30, 2018
Joining Darla and Natalie on today’s show is Michelle Wintersteen, founder of MKW Graphics in San Diego, Ca. Michelle created the company in 2014 while attending The University of San Diego, where she earned two degrees, Visual Arts and Art History.
One thing that makes Michelle the envy of many entrepreneurs is that she often runs her company remotely, as she is passionate about traveling. Because of Michelle’s creative eye, she’s often inspired to use items in her design she discovered while traveling in nearly 40 countries...with many more to come! MKW has helped hundreds of small business owners (in San Diego and beyond) create visually compelling yet marketing-minded brands.
You will want to savor every second of this conversation that focuses on how business owners can benefit by using Pinterest.
Show highlights:
Michelle’s digital nomad-ing
How can you utilize Pinterest as an interior designer?
Should I get a Pinterest business account, or use my private account?
Pinterest is a search engine that can be used as a marketing platform.
Make sure you know optimize your wording on Pinterest so that you become noticed.
Pinterest loves evergreen content, so how can I use that to my advantage?
Think about putting yourself on Pinterest as a creator rather commenting on others’ content.
Using vertical formatted images, ie. 9x16 ratio on Pinterest
Create thumbnails for the cover board on Pinterest with consistency to your brand.
Creativity of titles on pins to get people to go to your blog or website
Effectively using hashtags on Pinterest, which is a relatively new feature
Using keywords and hashtags simultaneously
How many pins should I create for my blog?
Colors, graphics, photos, and designs should be used in a savvy way.
Effective pinning to so that users are directed to where you want them
Using color strategy in branding
Using Tailwind pinning scheduler
Monitor analytics and use them effectively for your marketing strategy.
If you are too busy to do your own social media marketing, reach out to Darla, Natalie, and the expert team at Wingnut Social.
Contact information for Michelle and Wingnut Social:
Michelle’s Website
Michelle’s E-mail
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Small Biz Start Up Guide, Michelle’s new e-book
Tailwind Pinning Scheduler
Get in Touch with Wingnut Social
Wingnut Social - Website
Instagram -@wingnutsocial
Facebook - @wingnutsocial
Pinterest - @wingnutsocial
Twitter - @wingnutsocial
Questions? info@wingnutsocial or 1-877-WINGNUT
Thursday Aug 30, 2018
Thursday Aug 30, 2018
On today’s show, Darla speaks to the Chief Wingnut Specialist at Wingnut Social, Stefanie Scalish. Stefanie is super-passionate about social media and dives into it every day. She loves helping designers figure out what their goals are and then helping them hone in on them by using social media. Stefanie has seen first-hand how social media has really helped Darla Powell Interiors skyrocket and knows how to use social media to its fullest.
Natalie Grafe, CFO at Wingnut, also joins the show today to weigh in on the importance of using social media as a business tool. Listen in to today’s episode to find out more about how using social media can help your business.
Show Highlights:
The effectiveness of social media marketing for social media designers
Using vanity metrics, the likes you receive on a post
Frustration with growth on social media
Fear of showing your true self on social media
Obtaining clients from social media
Targeting the correct audience who may ultimately become clients
Using correct strategies to increase brand awareness
Should you boost your Facebook ads?
Is paid advertising on social media necessary?
Listen to the Quick-Fire round to discover more about Stefanie.
Don’t get discouraged. Keep targeting ideal clients by effectively using social media.
If you are too busy to do your own social media marketing, reach out to Darla, Natalie, and the expert team at Wingnut Social.
Get in touch with Wingnut Social:
Wingnut Social - Website
Instagram - @wingnutsocial
Facebook - @wingnutsocial
The Design Blog and Social Media Lab
Pinterest - @wingnutsocial
Twitter - @wingnutsocial
Questions? info@wingnutsocial.com or 1-877-WINGNUT
Thursday Jul 12, 2018
Thursday Jul 12, 2018
The mission of Wingnut Social is to provide you, the interior designers, the decorators, the stagers, and architects with the knowledge and techniques needed to step up your digital marketing game, and to help you fasten your brand in this ever-competitive, digital age.
Darla Powell, an interior designer from Miami, Florida, along with Natalie Grafe, the Chief Financial officer for Wingnut Social, introduce the first episode of their brand new podcast. You may know Darla from Darla Powell Interiors on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, The Design Blog and the Social Media Laboratory Facebook Group. Darla is now the head wingnut for Wingnut Social, Social Media Marketing Agency.
Natalie Grafe, the CFO of Wingnut Social, is a native of Miami and got her business start in the family business from the time she was old enough to count money. In addition to being the CFO for Wingnut Social and Darla Powell Interiors, Natalie is a firefighter in South Florida and has been there 14 years.
Show highlights:
Darla attributes the success of Darla Powell Interiors during the past year and a half to her successful social media marketing.
Darla Powell Interiors has 13,000 followers on Instagram,12,000 followers on LinkedIn, 1600 followers on Twitter, and 1600 members in its Facebook group.
Wingnut Social just launched in June of this year, and it already has 1200 followers.
The Design Blog and Social Media Laboratory private group on Facebook has nearly 1,000 followers.
Darla has been featured on LuAnn Nigara’s A Well-Designed Business Podcast, episodes 203 and 330.
Darla was on Design and Style Podcast with Rachel Moriarity and Dixie Willard.
Ivy’s Behind the Design Podcast featured Darla on its show.
Darla is an upcoming guest on Kimberley Seldon’s podcast.
The CJ Evolution Podcast had Darla as a guest.
Darla Powell Interiors has been named one of the 5 interior designers to follow on Instagram by PureWOW.
HGTV producers have interviewed Darla.
Darla and Natalie are excited about answering your questions about social media marketing or blogging.
The Wingnut Social Podcast will feature experts to help give advice and answer your questions.
Get in touch with Wingnut Social:
Wingnut Social - Website
Instagram - @wingnutsocial
Facebook - @wingnutsocial
Pinterest - @wingnutsocial
Twitter - @wingnutsocial
Questions? info@wingnutsocial