For centuries, newspaper, radio and television reigned supreme as the powerhouses of advertising. The heavy cost implication meant only big businesses could actually showcase their goods and services on these traditional media channels. Things are different today and the biggest businesses are no longer those you see on TV, but those who actually drive the new media. If there's someone who understands this better than anyone else, it is Anthony William Farrer, founder and owner of Gentleman Timepieces.
Anthony officially launched in 2017, and has today created one of the biggest brands in Texas- as far as luxury timepiece dealership is concerned. With no capital and no newspaper or Television advert, the Timepiece Gentleman has built a network of buyers and sellers, pooling a combined sales volume of more than $10 million in the first three years. "The global business scene has been tremendously influenced in recent time by the advent and proliferation of social media", he starts. "I recognized how important social media tools are to business and took advantage of it", he adds.
Half of the world's population are now connecting and interacting on various social media platforms. The first place people look whenever they need goods and services is the Internet. Understanding this reality, Anthony Farrer built a strong online presence on social media, including Instagram- where he currently has close to 30,000 followers after his first account (with more than 100,000 followers was deleted- and YouTube with about 52,000 subscribers and still counting. With this great success, Anthony shares three secrets to taking advantage of social media and not spending a penny on traditional media.
Learn the Ropes of Social Media Marketing. Knowledge is key, says Anthony. You need to first understand how social media works before you can apply that knowledge to your business. All the customers you want are more likely on social media, so knowing how to find them, where to find them, how to engage them and putting together your content are very important factors to successfully using social media.
Have a strong presence online. Once you've learnt how to use Social Media, the next thing will be to apply that knowledge. Be seen. Be heard. This doesn't mean you should engage in senseless discussions or deliberations. However, when issues regarding your expertise are discussed, be sure to provide useful and unique insights. Also, share useful but exciting information about your business in a way that informs, educates and sells. Ensure you're consistent on the various platforms and engage regularly to build your following and profile.
It's not just about selling. Anthony says it's more about sharing values. Don't be too focused on selling your products that you forget to be human. Timepiece Gentleman on YouTube has a Day in the Life series that connects with the public daily and get people inside the life and business of Anthony Farrer. Using this YouTube channel, Anthony also teaches some very useful lessons about wristwatches, including how to tell a fake from an authentic watch, what type to buy for a loved one on a birthday, anniversary or Valentine's and all other information about brands and designs.
You can imagine how much his subscribers just want to visit his page and learn something new or seek advise from someone who has established himself as an expert of sort. This builds trust and confidence, just as much as it builds relationships and can positively affect sales. Imagine having limitless access to millions of people on the Internet and several thousands who actually trust your brand. That is all you need; good social media content and you won't need to spend a penny on traditional advertising.
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