In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jessyca Dewey, the founder of The Y Collective, a social-first digital marketing agency working with CPG better for you brands. She discusses her journey from working in-house at brands like Califia Farms and VaynerMedia to starting her own agency, emphasizing the importance of integrated marketing approaches for smaller brands. Jessica highlights the value of being an extension of a brand's team and the need for senior expertise in digital marketing. The episode covers topics like the success of a viral video campaign for Biena Snacks, the significance of social media presence for emerging brands, and key indicators for when a brand might be ready to partner with an agency. Jessica also offers valuable advice for emerging CPG brands!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

0:40 Jessyca’s career background and journey to starting an agency

2:08 The why behind and differentiators of The Y Collective

4:20 What to look for in an agency partner

6:50 Why social should come first

9:37 Building a strong foundation for Biena Snacks

13:22 Creating that viral fridge bean dip moment

16:25 Capitalizing on virality to sustain success

22:16 Indicators you might be ready to partner with an agency on digital marketing

28:52 Key advice for emerging CPG brands

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Jessyca's episode:

• #2: Local PR for CPG Brands & Beyond | Delaney Vetter, PR Strategist and Copywriter

  #13: Brewing Change and Scaling Impact | Rod Johnson, BLK & Bold

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Jessyca: LinkedIn

Find The Y Collective: Website | Instagram

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Rachel Greiner, the marketing and social media manager at Experience Grand Rapids. She joins to share her strategies for promoting the city and attracting both locals and out-of-town visitors. She discusses the Brewsader app, which highlights the city's breweries and encourages people to visit them all, and the Flights of Flavor program, which showcases food and drink flights at local establishments. Rachel emphasizes the importance of being a go-to resource for information about events and attractions in Grand Rapids, and she shares upcoming developments for the city. Listen in to hear more about how Experience Grand Rapids executes on a goal of fostering connections and community through digital marketing!

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

1:09 Rachel’s career history and landing at Experience Grand Rapids

3:53 Definition and explanation of DMO’s

4:45 Different audience tiers and catering to each of them through marketing

7:38 Brewsader App: highlighting Grand Rapids’ brewery scene

11:31 Flights of Flavor: sharing local food and drink flights

13:12 Evaluating growth and measurements of success

14:33 Strategy mix to attract visitors and locals alike

17:52 Trends in the destination marketing industry

19:38 Using a calendar of events as a marketing tool

21:59 What’s next for Experience Grand Rapids

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Rachel’'s episode:

#1: The Power of Everyday People in Influencer Marketing | Charise Flynn & Emily Steele, Co-Founders at Hummingbirds

#9: Integrating Into the Community and Keeping Social Media Fun | Hannah Kirkpatrick, Fareway

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Rachel: LinkedIn | Instagram

Find Experience Grand Rapids: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.

In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jarrhod ‘Rod’ Johnson, Co-Founder & Chief Values Officer at BLK & Bold, the specialty coffee and tea company that prioritizes domestic social impact. Through their 5% For Our Youth Program the brand donates to youth in need locally and nationally. They also quickly became the first Black-owned nationally distributed coffee company and a top seller on Amazon since launching on the platform in 2020. Rod joins Emily to share insights into the journey of creating a coffee company from scratch, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of scaling from Shopify to securing distribution in national retailers. The conversation delves into how BLK & Bold balances its commitment to social impact with the pursuit of product excellence. Additionally, Rod and Emily explore some of the exciting partnerships that the company has engaged in, such as their limited edition Change is Brewing flavor collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s.

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

1:52 Rod’s journey from nonprofits to entrepreneurship

4:14 The moment that sparked BLK & Bold’s start

5:47 Learning the coffee industry from scratch

7:25 Iterating and testing to find the perfect SKU

8:58 First distribution channels & sourcing feedback

12:31 Advice for founders looking to gain the attention of retailers

14:55 Getting clear on your message & values as a brand

17:21 What it means to be a B Corp

18:34 Securing partnerships with brands like Ben & Jerry’s, NBA, Black Panther

22:40 5% For Youth program and creating direct impact with your brand

26:12 Where to find BLK & Bold

27:02 Launching a non-profit foundation & brick & mortar coffee shops

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Rod’'s episode:

#7: From Local Markets to a National Spotlight | Steven Vigilante, OLIPOP

#8: Sourcing, Supply Chains, and Scaling from Scratch | Lucy Dana, One Trick Pony

Don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you on Instagram and find out which episodes you're enjoying the most. Your feedback is so important to us! Please take a moment to rate the show and leave a review - it supports our ongoing Local Marketing School journey and helps us develop more content that addresses what you’re hoping to learn more about!

Connect with Rod: LinkedIn

Find BLK & Bold: Website | Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Host Emily: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠Follow Local Marketing School on Social: Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

Follow Hummingbirds on Social: ⁠Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook

Ready to work with local influencers? Download our free guide!

Curious what type of influencer you should be working with? Take our quiz!

This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.