Julie [00:00:01]:
Hey there. Welcome back to the Crank It Up podcast. So I know a lot of you are entrepreneurial.
You have a business. You want to have a business. You are thinking about growing a business and so much of how we communicate whether it’s business or personal is on social media. Well, today’s guest is going to help you with that.
She is my dear friend Holly Hillyer and she has grown her social media organically, authentically, beautifully over the past year to a 6 figure Instagram account with simple, simple strategies, duplicatable strategies that you can use too.
Now, listen. Holly is the mom of 3 young boys, like young, like baby babies, like 5, 3 and 1, like baby boys. So please don’t go into this podcast thinking, oh, well, she probably has all the time in the world.
She does not. She’s gotten very smart on her social media strategy, on who she serves, on why she’s showing up, and how she can have systems around her social media to help her serve at a higher level.
Nobody wants to be tied to their phone. I mean, some of us need to go to Disney. Right? So don’t wanna be tied to our phone. We do need systems to help us serve at a higher level and Holly is here to help us do just that. So get ready for an amazing episode.
Grab your notebook. You’re gonna wanna take some notes, and let’s dive in.
What I love about Holly so much, as I’ve shared earlier, is not only is she just this most amazing entrepreneur, she always challenges me to think differently. She’s also the most amazing mom, and she’s just a really good friend. She’s a really good human.
And, Holly, what I love is watching you take your gifts and your passion and really find new ways to explore that. So let’s talk about this. Well, first, let’s talk about 7 Strong, and then let’s get into Blueprint to Social Selling.
But let’s talk about Seven Strong first because we met through our alright, you know, health and wellness space. And then you’ve taken these gifts and these talents and this desire and this drive and amplified it in a new way. Tell me about Seven Strong First.
Like, let’s make your business light and fun,
because when it feels heavy and then life actually gets heavy, because life is white, gets heavy, then you give up on it. And your business, the white and the fun and the joy that makes the overall heaviness of life a little bit easier to lift. ~Holly
Unlocking the Power of Social Media to Drive Business Success
In this recent episode of the Crank It Up podcast, listeners were treated to an insightful conversation with Holly Hillyer, an expert in social media growth and the founder of Seven Strong. Holly shared her secrets on leveraging social media to grow a 6-figure business, providing valuable lessons on setting up a successful social media strategy, fine-tuning messaging, and connecting with your audience. Here’s a deeper look into the key topics discussed during the episode.
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: “Our goal is to build businesses while being incredibly present moms and not letting our business take over our life. And we’re gonna support one another in all of it”
— Holly 10:23-:10:35
Consistent Growth and Treating Social Media like a Business
Holly emphasized the importance of consistency in growing social media accounts. Having grown one account to 40,000 followers and a newer one to 7,000 followers within a few months, she believes that consistency is key.
Both Julie and Holly stress treating social media as a business rather than focusing on going viral. The aim should be to create a steady and sustainable growth pattern, which is essential for long-term success.
Fine-Tuning Messaging and Creating Effective Lead Magnets
Holly provided practical advice on the importance of fine-tuning your messaging and creating lead magnets that connect to a sales funnel. This involves having a clear and specific micro niche for your content, which helps attract your target audience effectively.
She recommends creating content pillars and using templates to streamline the process of lead magnet creation. The focus should be on delivering consistent, valuable content that converts viewers into loyal followers and, eventually, customers.
The Upcoming Free Workshop: Equipping Participants for Success
Julie and Holly are promoting a free workshop running from May 21st to 23rd, aimed at teaching participants the essentials of social media, automation, and email marketing.
The workshop offers updates, templates, and eight weeks of group coaching to help set up a fully functional funnel for businesses within that timeframe.
The timing is designed to prepare participants for a successful Q3 and Q4, with the promise of huge impacts on their businesses. The emphasis is on simplicity and accessibility, making it a golden opportunity for anyone looking to advance their social media game.
Defining and Differentiating Personal and Business Brands
A crucial topic discussed was the differentiation between personal and business brands on social media. Holly emphasized defining company values and aligning social media content with these values. She highlights that starting with a clear defined business focus can lead to greater clarity and effectiveness.
Julie expressed surprise that even in 2024, many people still struggle with utilizing social media effectively, underscoring its positive potential when used correctly.
Empowering Women Across Professions: “How can I not just help the people on my network marketing team, but how can I also help women who may have no desire to join my team but are in real estate or they’re in medicine or they’re a teacher or they’re whatever? They’re just in a whole other lane of their own pursuing their own passions and the gifts that you kind of uncovered in it.”
— Julie 07:12-:07:30
Leveraging Social Media for Email Marketing Success
Holly highlighted the importance of using social media to generate email leads. This involves creating content that leads followers to subscribe to your email list. According to Holly, one of the best strategies involves using Instagram and email marketing to build a $1,000,000 business.
Harnessing Social Media for Profit: “I create one piece of content on social media and I connect it to a funnel and it makes me money.”
— Holly 45:00 – 45:04
She believes more women need to harness this potential to build businesses while managing their existing responsibilities.
Creating a robust presence on social media allows entrepreneurs to build a community focused on leveraging digital channels while balancing personal responsibilities, such as being a mom.
Julie and Holly both agree on the trend of women effectively managing multiple roles and using social media strategically for business growth and connection.
From Network Marketing to Broad Entrepreneurship
The conversation also delved into Holly’s journey from network marketing to helping a broader range of female entrepreneurs. Her platform, Seven Strong, not only aids those in network marketing but also women from various industries, offering strategies to grow and scale businesses using social media.
Holly’s mission is to support women in building businesses without sacrificing their personal lives, using systems and automation to create a balanced, fulfilling work-life setup.
Key Themes in This Episode
Consistency in Social Media Activity
In this episode, both Julie and Holly emphasized the importance of consistency in social media activities, particularly when using it as a tool for business growth. Holly illustrates, “It’s not about going viral once; it’s about showing up consistently and letting your followers know they can rely on you.” This theme underscores the idea that regular, predictable engagement can build a loyal audience and foster trust, ultimately leading to sustained business growth.
Social Media as a Business Tool
Julie highlights that social media should be treated like a business for those who intend to generate income through it.
Holly agrees, adding, “Social media is not just for sharing personal anecdotes; it’s a powerful platform to connect, sell, and grow your business.”
This discussion hinges on the strategic use of social media for entrepreneurial purposes, as opposed to merely using it for entertainment or casual social interaction.
Importance of Lead Magnets and Sales Funnels
A significant part of the conversation revolves around the creation of lead magnets and integrating them into a sales funnel. Holly notes, “The right lead magnet can seamlessly pull your ideal customers into your sales funnel, making it crucial for converting followers into paying clients.” This teaches participants the mechanics of capturing and nurturing leads towards making sales online.
Women Empowerment through Social Media
A heartfelt theme in the podcast is the empowerment of women in the business landscape through the use of social media. Holly states, “By mastering social media, women can build substantial businesses, whether they’re juggling a job or motherhood.”
Holly and Julie discuss how social media platforms have become instrumental in enabling women to carve out independent financial spaces without giving up on other life roles.
Defining and Serving a Microniche
Holly discusses the importance of identifying and serving a highly specific audience or microniche. She advises, “When you zero in on a microniche, your content speaks directly to the hearts of your audience, making your marketing efforts more effective.”
This approach is deemed crucial for cutting through the noise on social media and establishing a strong, engaging presence targeting those most likely to respond.
Automation and Efficiency in Social Media Marketing
The use of automation tools is another key point. Holly mentions, “Utilizing tools like ManyChat to automate parts of your social media interactions can save time and enhance efficiency.” The speakers address how automation not only streamlines operations but also ensures that interactions remain consistent, thereby enhancing user experience and maintaining engagement even when the business owner is not actively online.
Shift from Physical to Online Business Models
Julie and Holly cover the shift from traditional business models to predominantly online-driven models, facilitated by social media.
Holly explains, “You no longer need a physical store to start a business; a well-managed social media page can do much of the heavy lifting.”
This theme is crucial for listeners looking to adapt to the digital age, where physical presence is increasingly becoming secondary to online visibility.
