Strategy Session with Maddie Cheatham

Content is important—but content alone isn't a marketing strategy.

In this Strategy Session of The Back Office, Dalayna Dillon is joined by content creator Maddie Cheatham for a conversation about what actually makes a marketing campaign successful. Building on Dalayna's social media series, The Makings of a Successful Marketing Campaign, they unpack why businesses often jump straight to creating content before establishing a clear strategy.

Together, they discuss the difference between marketing and content, why every campaign should begin with a defined goal, and how creator partnerships can strengthen a campaign when they're built on trust, authenticity, and shared audiences—not just follower counts.

Whether you're launching a new product, promoting an event, or simply trying to market your business more effectively, this episode will help you think beyond the next social media post and start building campaigns with purpose.

Show Notes
Hosts: Dalayna Dillon & Maddie Cheatham

Content creator Maddie Cheatham joins Dalayna Dillon for a Strategy Session focused on one of the most common misconceptions in marketing: believing that content is the strategy.

Using insights from Dalayna's The Makings of a Successful Marketing Campaign series, this conversation explores the foundational elements every successful campaign needs before the first piece of content is ever created. Maddie also shares her perspective from the creator side of brand partnerships, offering practical advice for businesses looking to collaborate with creators in a way that feels authentic and delivers meaningful results.

In This Episode, We Cover:
- Why content and marketing are not the same thing
- The first question every successful marketing campaign should answer
- How to build strategy before creating content
- The role of goals, messaging, and audience in campaign planning
- Why creator partnerships are about more than making videos
- Building trust through authentic collaborations
- What businesses should know before reaching out to content creators
- Common mistakes brands make when working with creators
- How collaboration can strengthen your overall marketing strategy
- Practical ways to think more strategically about your next campaign

Connect with Maddie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonderfully_maddie/
TikTok:  ⁨@wonderfully_maddie⁩

About Strategy Sessions
Strategy Sessions are monthly episodes of The Back Office focused on deeper conversations around marketing, leadership, communication, business growth, and strategic decision-making.

These episodes are designed to help business owners think more clearly and build more intentionally.

About The Back Office

Hosted by Dalayna Dillon
Founder & Creative Director of Signify Marketing

The Back Office invites listeners into honest conversations about marketing, growth, leadership, and the real decisions shaping active businesses.

Facebook/Instagram: @signifymarketingsocial 

www.signifymarketing.social

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Welcome back to another episode of the Back Office, and today is a little different than our regular scheduled programming. So today is a strategy session, which we've had in the past, but these episodes are some of my favorite because instead of just interviewing a business owner, we're sitting down to talk strategy. We're getting into the weeds, okay? And so today I've invited Maddie Cheatham to come and join me as my co-host. She is a content creator and she's worked with businesses in a in a really unique way. So I wanted her perspective for today's conversation because I think a lot of businesses are asking the wrong questions. They're asking the wrong questions when it comes to marketing. They're asking asking things like, what should we post this week? Should we make more reels? Should we hire an influencer? I've had people specifically come to me and ask for me to help them find influencers. And they're not bad questions. They're just not the first questions that we need to be asking in terms of marketing. And so in a little series I've been doing over on the socials, um, we've been talking about the makings of a successful marketing campaign. And so I thought this would be a fun opportunity to unpack some of those ideas while bringing in someone who lives on the content side of marketing. That's where she lives. You literally live there. I love it. So, Maddie, I'd love for you to tell everyone a little bit about yourself, what you do, and how you got into the content creation.

SPEAKER_01 1:33

Okay, I love this question always. Hi, everyone. Um, I'm Maddie Cheatham, and people used to know me as Maddie Starr. And um, I have a wedding content creation business called Shooting Star Social, but many know me as Wonderfully Maddie. Um, and uh side note, it's I prayed to God before I'm griefly wonderfully made, and that's why I didn't.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Oh, that's where it came from.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

That's where it came from. So people when people call me wonderfully Maddie, I'm like, you're right. Yeah, you're absolutely. That's good.

SPEAKER_00 2:03

I was actually wondering that.

SPEAKER_01 2:05

Yeah wondering.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

I was wondering that on the driveover today. I was like, I wonder where why where she called it that.

SPEAKER_01 2:11

And I thought about I have a name that I would want to change it to, but like everyone knows me as that now.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

Yeah, that would be hard. You know, it's so funny because I was literally thinking about this. I was like, I wonder because you know, you've gone through a lot of life in recent years. Oh yeah. And uh, you know, rebranding is something, but I think it's harder. I feel like it's I know what it looks like for a business to rebrand, but I feel like it would be harder for a personal brand to rebrand. Yeah, but it fits the brand.

SPEAKER_01 2:37

I'll tell you later. I'll tell you later. I'm not calling it now. Someone might steal it. Um it fits the brand. But anyways, I've been doing content creation. Um, oh man, it feels like genuinely my whole life because I've always been the friend to capture the content and take the photos. And listen, I was on Zanga, then I was on MySpace, then I was on Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat and TikTok, and I was hesitant on TikTok, and then 2020, you know, just reeled us in. Just pulled you in. Um, so I I've been there. Um, so I've always wanted to be a part of this world and this content creation world, and uh, and then I think I had the idea in like 2019, um, 2020, that I was single, really living my best life here in town, and uh I was like, every time I go to look for something to do in Tulsa, I can't find anything, especially on Google. Like anytime I would Google stuff, it would just wouldn't come up. And so I was like, maybe I mean I'm downtown all the time, I know what's happening, I go to concerts, like I I'm in the know, like, why don't I just like figure it out myself and then post it? So I posted, I did it on my notes app and uh posted screenshots and and then that blew up from there.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

Who knew that was such an aesthetic thing to do? Yeah. Now I feel like seeing the notes app is like so cute and aesthetic. So you did it old school back then, yeah. And so you continue to do that now.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

Yes, yeah. So that's why people know me for what's happening in Tulsa this weekend in Tulsa. And um, then I post a lot about Oklahoma businesses, Tulsa businesses, and then you know sometime sometimes national brands, national brands as well, which is always fun. Yeah, so you've been in this a long time.

SPEAKER_00 4:32

So we'll we can be on the lookout, yeah. Hopefully. Hopefully, hopefully. Well, I think one of the um biggest misconceptions in marketing right now is that, and also I want to hear what you think about this, is that people think marketing is content, which obviously content is valuable, content does help marketing, but when people say their marketing isn't working, nine times out of ten, what they're saying is that their social media isn't getting the engagement that they want to get, but they're not that that's not the same thing because marketing is a whole machine and content is a piece that supports the machine, right? Right? Yeah, so marketing is so much bigger than social media, but I think it's so hard because social media is so in the forefront, like that's a lot of times people's first impression of your business. That's why it matters. That's why it matters, that's why it matters because whether you choose to engage in social media or not, people are so like if they're looking for you, social media is one of the places they're gonna go. Absolutely. So content is a great piece of marketing, but it is not everything, everything. And so I think we've unintentionally created this culture where business owners feel like they're failing because they aren't posting enough when in reality you can post every single day and still not have a strategy.

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Have a strategy, and so when brands reach out to you, Maddie, can you tell pretty quickly which ones have an actual plan versus the ones they just are like, oh, we just need content?

SPEAKER_01 6:11

Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 6:12

What does that look like? Like on your end of it.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Yeah, it looks like well, I I get a bunch of different emails where I get the side of people have never reached out to an influencer before, they don't know how this works. Yeah, they're just emailing me and they're like, we don't really know how this works. But we know we need you, and we know that everyone's recommended you. So I'm reaching out. What does it look like? And then they don't even know what to expect from me. Which can be hard. It can be hard because you're like, I'm pitching you're having to sell yourself, yeah, all this money too that you're gonna have to spend, but you're gonna spend it somewhere else. Yeah, anyways. Yeah. Um, or I can tell when people really know what they're doing because they, you know, they pitch for the date and when they need to buy and um contracts.

SPEAKER_00 6:56

Yeah, so you're like, okay, clearly this is a part of a marketing campaign or a strategy of some kind. It's not random.

SPEAKER_01 7:04

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 7:05

But you do both. I mean, there yeah, there are people who reach out to you just to have a random, maybe even for you to come in and just share an inside look at you interacting with their business. Yeah, for sure. As well. But then there are some that um, for example, this is I don't know how long ago it's been, but like Dutch Brothers was a national national brand that you worked with, and you they you they brought you on because they were launching a lavender something. Yeah, a lavender, it wasn't much, it was some some sort of lavender drink.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Lavender culture, I think.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

So that very clearly was that that was a marketing campaign that they built out, and they said, you know, we're rolling out a new product, so we're gonna do bring in this piece, bring in this piece, bring in this piece. One of those pieces was reaching out to content creators to get the word out and to share about that. And I think every successful campaign starts with the one question of what are we actually trying to accomplish? What is the goal? What is the target? Because if you don't know that, you don't even know if you hit it.

SPEAKER_01 8:07

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

And the answer to that changes everything. So it could be launching a new product, selling tickets to an event. Um, I also love the collaboration you've done on, I mean, many times I think um with your what's happening in Tulsa with a local credit union. Yeah. I think that they they've done a good job of making of like capitalizing on their partnership with you and then using it for campaigns because off of that, you've springboarded off of that partnership. I'm just like dissecting your content here. You've just springboarded off of that to do side things with you showing your family life, you and your husband, budgeting, using um tools and products that they offer. Right. So, how did that partnership start with what it's remind me of the name? It's Oklahoma Considering Product Union.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

Yeah, yeah. Shout out. Not sponsored by that TV.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

Shout out.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

Um, how did that partnership start?

SPEAKER_00 9:08

Yeah, yeah. Did they so I'm assuming they reach out to you?

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Yeah, they reach out to me in like 2021.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

So it's been long, ongoing. Yeah, we see and that's what I think is so I'm sorry, I just like I like to dissect these things, but that's what also is a huge win for them. Yeah, because they didn't just do one thing with you and were like, oh, it didn't do the impact. You know, because one post, like what one post, it could be a flop, it could go do really well well, it could have unexpected results. But like their long-term consistency is what makes me remember who it is.

SPEAKER_01 9:38

Yeah, absolutely. Okay, so go ahead. Absolutely. Yeah, so they reached out to me in 2021, I believe, because I don't think we were married yet. I have to go based on like married years. Um and uh we sat down at Double Shock Coffee and we just chatted, shot a G and um and yeah, ever since then we've worked together every single year. I it they've been such a blessing to me. It's really insane.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

So that was this were you the first content creator they were? You were?

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

And so they came in with what are some of the goals, like thinking back to that first conversation, that they came in like this is why we are having this conversation. What were some of the things they wanted to hit?

SPEAKER_01 10:16

Well, they wanted to hit um my target market. That's what they wanted.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

Do you remember?

SPEAKER_01 10:23

Um with them as a brand.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 10:24

Yeah, they wanted the um, I really reach the um we talk about this all the time, but I really reach the millennial and boomer. I I feel like I merged the gal, the millennial and boomer and gin Z. Like those people are watching my stuff most of the time. Gen Z, Boomer, um, not the Zillenials, or the not the not the what's Jin. What's below Gen Z? Alphas. Yeah. They're not watching my it's okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

They're too young.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

They don't they don't get it yet. Yeah, but I'm merging that like middle ground of um who's watching me. So um, and then it's a bunch of you know, now stay-at-home moms or s or families or yeah, who've grown with you, probably. Yeah, yeah, and then singles as well. So um they wanted to hit that target market, and I was the first to do it.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

And then you kind of were you the one who thought of teaming up with them for what's happening in Tulsa, or did they um I think I pitched that. Yeah, yeah, I think I pitched that. And then it's just kind of grown from there because it has grown. Like I said, you did totally separate things with them.

SPEAKER_01 11:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

I'm pretty sure you even did stuff like shopping with them and things like that. So great, great connection.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

I I love that because you're I mean, you're spending money all the time, um, but who you're spending it with, and we they really have been so great to us. So yeah. I've loved that long-term partnership and I think that's such a win.

SPEAKER_00 11:51

Yeah, it is such a win.

SPEAKER_01 11:52

Yeah. For if you're you as a business having a long-term partnership with someone shows like loyalty. I I talk about this all the time with ARK males. Like people are seeing ARC everywhere because all these influencers use them and they must really like it. Yeah. So I've never been, but it it seems like a great experience, and I want to go. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 12:11

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 12:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

So long-term partnerships I think probably have the most lasting effect.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

But you do have to stick it out.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

Because, like I said, you're not gonna see every single post. That's not it's we can't just look at one post and be like, was this successful or not? You have to look at the overall campaign, the long lifetime of that um partnership. But okay, another question. Have you ever worked with a brand that halfway through your process of working with them, you're thinking, I don't even actually know what successful success looks like for this campaign. Maybe even with like a video you're putting together, you're like, wait a minute, what are they actually wanting?

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 12:52

And I think that probably can't especially when you talked about people who've never worked with a content creator, that could probably have been pretty easy for them. Yeah, absolutely. Because they might be looking to you to guide them through that.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

Absolutely, yeah. Um, I'm trying to think if there's been a scenario exactly like that. I'm sure there has. Um, but I know there's a lot of times where I'm like, okay, well, what do you what do you want? Yeah. And they're like, just talk about it. I'm like, okay, do you want a voiceover? Do you want me? Do you want a vlog of the day? Do you want it to be all about that? Basically look like an ad. Right. Yeah. And they don't know what they want. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's really when when companies are working with you and they haven't worked with many influencers, that's really what you run into.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Yeah, a hundred percent. And I think it's important for people to recognize that when you are hiring a content creator, you're not hiring the content. Like you're you're thinking that you're you're just getting good content, but that's really not what you're getting. No, you are actually paying them, yeah, they're gonna create content for you, video, post, whatever you're asking them to do. But what you're paying for is trust because that is what the content creators slash influencers. I mean, are we moving away from that term? What are we using? What are you using for it?

SPEAKER_01 14:10

I would say I would say I'm a content creator, I'm not selling you a prompt.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

An audience or yeah, every day.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Like I'm not selling, I'm not linking a bunch of products. Yes, yes, yes, yeah. So I think that's more. I mean, I I'm okay with being an influencer, but I think content creator fits the vibe more because I'm yeah, creating content. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Well, when people hire you, they might look at it as they're just hiring you for content, but what they might not realize they're really getting, and what the value of it is, is the trust that you have put in the time effort to build, and then that's they're attaching themselves to you because people know you, they trust you, and they believe in your recommendation, and that's where the value is.

SPEAKER_01 14:54

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 14:55

I think businesses sometimes miss that um because it's so powerful to gain the trust of people. It's buying power. Yeah, 100%. Yeah. So what makes you say yes to working with a business?

SPEAKER_01 15:10

Um, well, first of all, you know, if they can afford me. No, first of all, it's yeah, if if there's a budget and then I feel like if it aligns with what um I already believe in, I already love and go to, um, or if I'm intrigued, you know, if I haven't been there before and I wanna try it out. Um, yeah, normally if it just aligns with you as what aligns with us is what I'll do. And uh I'm trying to get to try this.

SPEAKER_00 15:39

It's okay. It's alright. But what makes you immediately pass on something?

SPEAKER_01 15:44

Um a lot of the time when they're first of all like reaching for a gifted campaign, it's like immediate. So what explain what that is for people who might um well it's not paid, which is fine sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Sometimes if it's something you were oh, I needed, yeah. I saw a content creator the other day who was like, I really want to work with fill in the blank because I really need this product.

SPEAKER_01 16:08

Yeah, I need gutters. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

Leaf guard. Here we go.

SPEAKER_01 16:14

There you go. I need gutters. That's what I would work with, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 16:19

But um but other people might be like, we'll send you the skincare.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

Yes, we'll send you the skincare if you'll do a real. And I'm like, well, that doesn't add value to me whatsoever, because you're giving me an $80 product when I do this for my living, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 16:32

So when you're coming to an influencer and being like, and that is different too, would between an influencer and content creator, wouldn't you think? Because like some of the influencers, they're not necessarily making a living. Yeah, true. Not all of them. I mean trying to gauge what yeah, who you're talking to, yeah, you know.

SPEAKER_01 16:46

But talking, yeah, gauging, I I this is an add up to the value of my content, and if it's worth it to me, maybe it's a big brand, and I'm like, okay, yes, I do want to work with them because and I'll do a gift community. But if it's a smaller brand and you're like, oh, I mean, I've had this happen to me.

SPEAKER_00 17:04

Like Taco Wayne's been like, I'll give you a $50 gift card and you come do a real and you're like Which is you know fun to be able to say I worked with that national brand because let's be honest, like looking at the business side of content being a content creator, like you do have a portfolio to build. Right. But like you have to think, is this gonna be ultimately worth it? You know?

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Yeah. Also, $50. Am I gonna give my all for this $50 gift card? No, probably not.

SPEAKER_00 17:30

So let's just say no, you know? Right. Yeah. It has to make sense. Yeah, it has to make sense. So, what do you feel like makes that partnership feel authentic? Is it just when it already fits into your daily life and family?

SPEAKER_01 17:42

Yeah, I would say so. I think that and then like local tulsa local tulsa of Oklahoma businesses, um, that fits into my life already. And getting to be able to explore new places and meet new people, and that's what I love the most, is meeting new people and connecting with people and hearing the why behind people's businesses. That's my favorite. Yeah, um, and why I love what I do.

SPEAKER_00 18:07

Um but yeah, so this this is pretty specific. Have you ever turned down a brand even though it paid well?

SPEAKER_01 18:18

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

And those reasonings were because of it not fitting, or yes, absolutely. Or were they hard to work with? Or um give us the dirt. Most give us the dirt.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

I'm like, I've done it, I've done it where it's like it was really hard to work with. I've almost like pulled away, I've pulled almost pulled away from a couple campaigns because they were we got in the midst of it. And I was like, uh do you even want me here? Why why are we pushing so hard for all of this?

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Like holding you to like, hey, are when are you gonna have be done with that?

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Or no, no, it was more like um oh man, what am I trying to say? Um like the communication was really off, and I was giving them vision and they were giving me like they were coming back and saying like that's not what they want, then they communicated that that's what they wanted, you know. Yeah, so confusion. Yeah, I'll give an example. I worked with an HVAC company a few years ago and um they told me to show up this house and to meet with it. I thought we were gonna film content that day, but I guess we weren't. We were just meeting at a house and watching them do HVAC, and I was like, You want me to film them doing HVAC on this random house? This is not even my house. Why would I film real today at this house when this is not even my house? People are gonna be like, What's going on? Why are we at a random person's house and not at my house? I was like, this is not aligning. Like I and the lady showed up like 30 minutes late. I was at this the owner's house just sitting there, and I was just like, What is happening? I thought we were filming today, and I thought we were just meeting and then we were gonna talk about what we were doing. I didn't know I was filming like your actual came like video. Yeah, yeah. And then we came to an understanding and we filmed it at my house. But it took this whole process, and I'm like, I wish we would have just communicated better.

SPEAKER_00 20:20

Were they like a new were they new to like doing the marketing team for the HVAC company was new, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Okay, yeah, for them.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Okay, you know, collaboration I think is something that is super underrated by businesses, and that doesn't have to be with an influencer or a concrete content creation creator, there's the word. Um, it can be in general because I think businesses get into where they're just thinking so independently, yeah. But creating a mindset that is win-win and recognizing when you collaborate and bring others into it, whether it is a nonprofit or a community event or another business, a business that has a similar audience, or maybe a business that has an audience that you want to tap into. Right. Um, that collaboration can be so beneficial because it brings everyone, everyone up. Yeah, it doesn't have to just be one person, but it might be a content creator, like you said, you know who your audience is. If that in a business sees, oh, that's the audience we're trying to go for, that's where that natural partnership and collaboration would make sense. Absolutely. So, what have are some collaborations that you've seen that just made sense? Like you're like, of course, that went together perfectly.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Um well, I just saw the uh the Hailey Bieber Gap gene is coming out this week. Oh yes. And I'm like, oh yeah, she's so 90. Like the five of the nineties five nineties five. It's like, oh yeah, that just makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

Um there are some some there are Are some that you see and you're like, where did that come from? Like, can I be honest? Yeah, this is one that I'm like, I haven't ever really fully made this connection. Okay. Why Kelly Clarkson and Wayfair? Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Yeah, because we don't talk about her home stuff ever. Like, no, I've never seen her design stuff.

SPEAKER_00 22:18

We went, yeah, she went through a lot.

unknown 22:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:20

That's all we're gonna say. Yeah. Um, I've never figured that one out.

SPEAKER_01 22:24

Yeah, like why are but she was just capitalizing on her.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Yeah. I don't know why.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

Because yeah, that just like Jessica Simpson and her shoes.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

Um, this is I don't know if I can say that. Jessica Simpson and anything. I don't Okay. Is that rude? No. It's understandable. The camera person's shaking their head, yes. I mean, I don't know. I'm I'm not in on the Jessica Simpson stuff, so I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Um it's like Paris Hilton and the Motorola phone. That makes sense. That makes sense. Like right now that she just did that campaign.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

Yeah, and she she's recently done some Hilton, which obviously Hilton like giveaway surprise. Duh. Okay, you're gonna need to.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

I'm trying to think like Jake Sains just did a bunch of like hoppy. That made sense because he talks about it. And then he just said Panera. I'm like, why why Panera? I didn't know that you loved Panera. So or the left field. The aloe one, he just did an aloe campaign, and I'm like, yeah, I know. You work out there all the time, so that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

You know, so these are what you've gotta think through.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

Yeah, you know, yeah, it's like Maddie has chickens. Oh, of course she's gonna work with Alan, so that makes sense. Obviously, yeah. Like let's do some work. Yeah, like um Maddie loves to talk about what's happening in Tulsa. Of course, I'm gonna promote this campaign for this event this time.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

Yeah, yeah, and you do like to make sourdough bread, so obviously I want to work with Ballerina Farm.

SPEAKER_01 23:57

Ballerina Farm. They've sent me they've sent me Cynthia.

SPEAKER_00 24:00

So we could capitalize on that. Of course, sent me some. Now you need to start dancing and learning ballet.

SPEAKER_01 24:05

No, but you can't. Actually, did you know that I was you I did dance, but I you did know clogging, was it?

SPEAKER_00 24:11

Yeah, how did you remember? I just remember these things. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 24:15

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 24:15

So a different I'm a national champion. Let's see. Can we make a video about your version of like what would instead of ballerina farm it'd be like something else? What's a clogger? What do you call a clogger? Just a clogger?

SPEAKER_01 24:27

There's no nice name for that. Yeah, there's no nice name for it. Irish, it's Irish dancing, though. Okay. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

Yeah, it's mom's mom and the mommy. So, what advice would you give to a small business owner who's never worked with a content creator before? Um I just thought of something. You need to make a playbook for these people. So that like when you when they reach out to you and they've never done it before, you can send them be like, read through this. Okay. Anyways, okay, that's a good idea. I love that. That's a great idea.

SPEAKER_01 25:00

We should do it together. Um, I would say um, send them an email. Don't send me a DM. Uh it's just more professional that way. Um send them an email and then talk it out with someone before you send it and just be like, okay, what should I say? Talk it out with another business that you know worked with them. So, like if you want to work with me, yeah. Go talk to Jake's Fireworks. Yeah. Jake's fireworks. Um, or go talk to OCCU or go talk to um, I'm trying to think that with dirty.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

Didn't you do I mean you've done a lot of just in between, but didn't you do Charlie's chicken? No? No. Okay, that was yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:44

No, you talk about bronze all the time. Where? I talk about bronze all the time. Bronze, okay. Yeah, I love bronze.

SPEAKER_00 25:49

Um, I would work with Chick-fil-A as well, but they don't ever think they don't work with any influencers. They need to break out.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

I know. Um, I'm literally needle pointing a Chick-fil-A cup right now. Anyways, I know. Okay. So HTO. HTO, oh yeah. Yeah, I love them. Love them. Okay. Um, yeah, I would talk to them and reach out to their marketing. But, anyways, um, I would just be like, this is the budget that I have. Can we work with this? And what does it look like to work on this budget? Like, do we have you know, can you post on your stories? Can we make a reel? What does it look like to post um what can we can I sponsor this weekend in Tulsa? Yeah. What does it look like to work with you? And what do you think would most work for your audience? I think if you approach it that way and you've never worked with an influencer, what works most with your audience and do we align together? Right. Those are the two things. Right. Yeah. So I would say bounce off of them, bounce off if you're talking to me, bounce off me, and we'll be like, does this work? Does this like yeah, does this naturally work with you? Yeah, cool. Yeah. How do we do this and how do we make this successful for both of us?

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Yeah, exactly. So I think that there's one thing that I'd love for people to take away from this conversation, and it is a successful marketing campaign doesn't start with asking, what should I post? It starts by saying, What are we trying to accomplish? Really getting clear on the goals. Because once you know the goal, then you know the audience, then you know the message, then you know where the content fits, then you know whether a creator makes sense. Yeah, and everything else just begins to fall into place. So if you wanted to see a full breakdown of all of these, these it was five parts of successful makings of a successful marketing campaign. You can go to social media and see all of those. But if you're listening and you've been feeling overwhelmed by marketing lately, I hope this actually takes some pressure off. You don't have to be everywhere, you don't have to chase every trend. No, start with a clear objective, build a plan around it, and let every piece of your marketing, including your content, work together towards that goal. So, Maddie, thank you so much for joining me today and sharing your perspective. I think you've given our listeners a really great helpful look into what creator partnerships could look like and why they work and how they work. Um, and so they're also a part of a bigger strategy that is always an important piece. So, thanks again for joining us for another session, a strategy session here on the back office. If this conversation gave you clarity, a new angle, or even just the reminder that you're not the only one navigating this, then it did its job. Take what's useful, move on it, apply it, and remember, no one has it fully figured out, but we are building anyway. And if you found it valuable, share it with another operator who's also building. You can always hang out with us in between sessions at Signify Marketing Social. I'm Delena Dillon, and we will see you back here next time.