I was a late start on social. Timing was everything; I had two children born in 2007 and 2009, plus a demanding career which left no desire to “connect with old high school classmates”. In 2014 I had an idea for a beauty invention that would change my life: magnetic eyelashes. I had no experience in the beauty industry, I merely wanted an easy solution for quick amazing lashes. Two years and five patent filings later, I launched One Two Cosmetics. I realized I would have to brave the social world to succeed in my beauty startup, so I reluctantly signed up for the channel I had been avoiding for nearly a decade. I remember my assistant logging in the following day “you have 488 friend requests” she yelled from my children’s office down the hall from mine. In a whirlwind our marketing plan was well executed with many accolades: over 200 media impressions, verified social accounts, and the #1 most Googled beauty product of the year. The business was sold in a 7-figure deal.
Seven years later as I build company #2, our perspective on social is equally as important, just a little different. Instagram? Hell yes! Our friends and family members are easily clicking on that Shop Now button. Growth? It’s all about Tik Tok. “You mean the place where all the teenage girls dance?” asks my brother in law as I enthusiastically tell him about the “new” social channel seeing exponential growth. “That’s old thinking” I explain to him. You see, every social channel starts off with a niche and grows from there; Facebook was college kids, Instagram photographers, TikTok teenage girls dancing. Although there are still plenty of tweens lip- singing “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, Tik Tok is different in many ways, and why we think it’s the perfect channel to strategically grow our brand over the next 18-24 months. Whereas Facebook and other platforms are all about your network, your friends and family and friends of friends and so on, Tik Tok has an algorithm based on interest. They learn what you like based on what you heart and follow, and feed you content based on your interests (not what a cousin of a friend may be doing). Naturally, your feed becomes an interesting/funny/informative place to receive input rather than a proverbial trap of annoyance or envy.
So how can a new business “win” on TikTok? The simple answer is to study your niche and the app, see what is working and what you would truly have fun executing. The ven diagram of where those meet will be your sweet spot. For example, we are building a Bodycare Brand called The Skin Bitches, two women living in Miami with families, aging skin, and love to have fun. Our content is riddled with mostly short, fun, entertaining and informative ways to “Be Your Best Bitch”. We are just at the beginning but the stats don’t lie; our hashtag #theskinbitches has over 500,000 views in the six months we have been on the platform. If you’re into social media, chances are you will enjoy “the Tok”…. If you’re still skeptical, you can anonymously use it and see what you think. Just don’t blame me when you’re caught laughing out loud watching your 30th entertaining post of the day. Happy surfing…. and for the budding entrepreneurs out there, happy building!
