As technology continues to be the main source of communication for many, there are those who are still getting the hang of the tools at their disposal. It wasn’t long ago that advertising and news came in the form of ink and paper that landed on our front stoop every morning. Coupons, special events, sales, and other promotions were to be found within the confines of our local newspaper. Now that still happens, but most of us just look to our computer screens or cell phone apps to find out what the world has to say.
How has this affected businesses? Some have embraced the change, taking to social media and electronic communication like a fish takes to water. Others… not so much. Whether it’s lack of technological knowhow, resources, motivation or time; some businesses have yet to utilize social media and its modern brethren to their fullest potential.
For those who want this problem solved, there is a solution. You need a social media manager. And there is one located right in Valparaiso for your convenience. Her name is Darlene McCarty Cohn and she is that owner of D. Cohn Communications. Her job is to handle the social media, advertising, PR, and marketing needs of local businesses.
“Social media management is one part of what I do,” Cohn said. “I take care of my customers accounts for them, whether that be their Facebook page, Twitter account, Foursquare page or whatever it is that they have. I make posts for them, monitor the activity that happens.”
Cohn works very closely with her clients. She meets with all of them at least once a month (sometimes up to once a week) to see that needs are met and updates and changes are made if required. They go over results, make strategies and discuss changes and growth.
Her clientele varies greatly from plumbers to nonprofits. Realizing the benefits of social media to any business, Cohn does her best to relay the validity to her clients so that they understand her processes and invaluable work.
Something important for any business is to know your customers and to have the coinciding knowledge that each one has unique and individual needs. Cohn is well aware of this and makes sure to tailor the outreach strategies to the specific desires of clients. This brings breath and life to each entity, making them standout –which is the goal.
“I have many years of experience in writing and I’m very good at capturing the voices of my different clients,” Cohn said. “It’s very individualized and a lot of what I do is focused on what each client needs. I have marketing background. Not everybody that gets into the business has that. So I help them to create plans based on what’s happening with their business, what goals that have for growth and use social media in a very conscious way to meet those goals.”
Cohn makes it a point to be as open and available to her clients as possible. She is constantly checking accounts. And her day doesn’t stop Friday at 5pm.
“I had some clients that recently participated in Chalk the Walk at the courthouse, but there was no one there to take photographs of them. So I went and took photographs and posted them online,” Cohn said. “I’m pretty vigilant and constantly aware of what would be the best options for my clients.”
The people that can benefit the most from a social media manager such as Cohn are small to mid-sized business or newer businesses. They don’t have time to take care of everything because they are taking on most of the tasks themselves or they are still learning the ropes of being a business owner. Bringing in a social media manager will have one vital aspect of running and growing a business covered.
Large companies benefit as well. Cohn states that in these situations where a company may already have a social media presence, she concentrates on networking with them, integrating with the business community and connecting them with groups in which a mutually beneficial outcome would be procured.
Though her list of clients is long and diverse, Cohn opts to keep it local.
“I try to work strictly with locals. I think that growing local business is personally important to me, part of the ethical mission of my company,” Cohn said. “I get a huge amount of personal satisfaction out of this. I started my company after helping a friend with his Facebook page. I didn’t realize then that social media was becoming an industry. But when I saw that a lot of people needed help, I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll make a company.’”
Cohn professed that she really cares about each of her clients. To her, it’s more than just a paycheck. She emphasized that so much more goes into what she does than just putting posts on Facebook. She does tons of research, fact checking and she keeps up-to-date on the latest news and trends that pertain to her clients. This is all done before and in regards to making a Facebook/Twitter/Google+ post. This is important to remember when seeking out a social media manager for your company.
“My clients are people that I actually care about. I care that they are happy with my work and I care that they demonstrate growth,” Cohn said.
So if you want to make you business grow but you like skills, time and/or manpower. Invest in a social media manager like Darlene McCarty Cohn. It will be one of the best moves you can make for your company and for yourself.
Find D. Cohn Communication on Facebook!
Or check out the website at www.dcohn.com.
