In the Champ Life series this time, we have Anthony Gaenzale with us. He is the owner of Anthony Gaenzle Marketing and the director of marketing at SE Healthcare. He loves to help startups and business companies attain outstanding growth by providing marketing and business hacks that positively impact the companyās bottom line.
Anthony has been in marketing for more than a decade. He has worked in various roles that have sharpened his skills and allowed him to understand the different challenges businesses face in digital marketing.
During this exciting journey, Anthony has the opportunity to deploy a range of skills such as business strategy, graphic design, social media marketing, and SEO. So, when setting up marketing strategies and deploying them, we couldnāt ask for a better resource than Anthony Gaenzale.
Letās see what he has to say about social media marketing.
Muneeb:Ā Thanks for becoming a part of our Champs series. Please shed some light on your career with our readers.
Anthony: Thanks so much for the invite! I really appreciate it! So, a little about me. Iāve been in the marketing and multimedia field for over 15 years now, and I currently run my own blog and consulting business at Anthony Gaenzle Marketing. I work primarily with small to medium-sized companies, and Iāve helped launch eight startups, each of which saw positive growth within the first year and is still thriving. Iāve worked across a variety of industries, and I have a passion for all things digital! Itās just such a fun space. Itās constantly changing, and if you sleep for even a minute, youāll fall behind.
Muneeb: When did you discover the social media world? And what made you choose it as your career?Ā
Anthony: So, Iāve been in the social media space since the days of MySpace. Oddly, I was secretly forced into it. Some friends thought it would be funny to create a MySpace account for me and later a Facebook account. I fought it at first, but once I slid into the marketing field, I realized the power it held, and I havenāt looked back. Over the years, Iāve had the opportunity to utilize social media as a tool to amplify the message of the brands Iāve worked with, and Iāve grown a passion for the power the medium has as a promotional tool.
Muneeb: As you share various tips and tricks about Social Media on your website. Whatās your motive behind it?
Anthony: When I share anything on my website, the motive is to help others grow and thrive, as I have been blessed to do throughout my career. The goal of any marketing pro, social media marketer, or blogger should first be to help others. Find the value you offer and do all you can to help others grow. If you focus first on the money or personal gain, youāll miss out on many opportunities to grow. Be genuine and help others, and all the rest will follow.
Muneeb: Being an experienced Social Media Expert, what would be your advice for businesses that they should focus on?
Anthony: Beyond seeking our opportunities to help others, which should be your first goal, you need to understand your audience. Know what channels your target audience is on, understand what content they want to see, realize their pain points and where they struggle, as well as how you can help provide a solution. Donāt try to be everywhere. Focus your message on the proper channels, and be consistent. Itās so essential to maintain the quality of your brand and not overextend your resources. Some major brands appear to be everywhere, but for small- to mid-sized businesses and startups, you have to be strategic and focus your energy in the right places. You can easily overextend your resources, and as a result, your brand image will suffer.
Muneeb: Many newbies want to pursue Social Media Marketing as their career. Can you share some key points for them? Can you recommend some resources to them?
Anthony: Learn from the pros. Donāt go into the social media game thinking you know everything just because youāve been posting selfies on Instagram since high school doesnāt mean you understand how to use the medium for marketing a brand. Follow top social media accounts in your niche and look at what they do. There are so many amazing people doing social media the right way and killing it. Check out people like Gary Vaynerchuk, Neil Patel, Jay Baer, or Lisa Sicard at Inspire To Thrive. Theyāve all built solid followings with a severe amount of engagement, which is key to social media growth. Then look inside your specific niche or industry and follow the top people there as well. Never go it alone. Reach out and try to build relationships with the influencers in your industry. Many will be willing to help, and you can learn so much from them to apply it to your efforts.
Muneeb: As you have also done speaking in different events. Can you share any experience with our readers, and what impact does it bring to your career?
Anthony: Your brand, or the way you portray yourself online, creates a certain level of credibility and can position you as a thought leader. People view event speakers and podcast guests as authorities in their field, so each time you earn a spot as a speaker, you increase the power you command online. For me, speaking engagements have had a positive impact on my career. Iāve earned clients based on listening to a podcast I was on or seeing me present somewhere. And Iāve had recruiters reach out to me because an employer they are working with came across a presentation of me speaking online. As you build your presence and you start to grow your audience, always be on the lookout for in-person and online speaking engagements, no matter the medium.
Muneeb: How necessary are marketing automation tools for every business owner? What would you like to say about Social Champ?
Anthony: If you want to succeed in the social media space, you need to be using a high-quality social media management tool. Social Champ has such a user-friendly interface and the ability to post on so many channels. Whether youāre managing your own businessā presence or running an agency and managing many accounts, this is a great tool. Social media is so involved. Itās not easy. It takes serious time and dedication. If you donāt have a tool like Social Champ with all its great features at your fingertips, youāll end up spending so much time and effort and seeing limited results.
Muneeb: Who has inspired you in both personal and professional lives?
Anthony: Honestly, my wife and children are my biggest inspiration. Everything I do they are my motivation. Whether Iām writing a book, helping clients grow their business, or simply cleaning up around the house, Iām motivated by giving them a better life. I know that may sound cliche, but having someone or something in your life that encourages you to be better every day is key to both personal and professional growth. Outside of that, I am also highly motivated by helping others and making genuine, lasting connections. Social media isnāt just for promoting and making money. It should be about building authentic relationships and finding ways to help one another grow.
Muneeb: How do you spend your free time? Do you like playing games, watching movies or anything else?
Anthony: You know, most of my time, outside of working and creating, is spent focusing on family time. Watching a movie together, I love film, by the way, even went to school thinking I would be the next Spielberg…which didnāt happen. Traveling. Walking in nature. Checking out a baseball game. Whatever it is, if the family is involved, thatās my thing. When I have downtime, I enjoy reading, watching films, catching up on sports, and creating content, like articles, books, social media, and other content.
Rapid Fire RoundĀ
Muneeb | Anthony |
---|---|
Facebook or Twitter? | Twitter (Facebook needs to go away) |
Tea or Coffee? | Coffee (with a bit of tea in the late afternoon) |
Speaker or Trainer? | Trainer |
Traveling or Games? | Traveling for sure |
Social Media or Social Networking? | Social media FOR networking (mix it up) |
Muneeb: Who would you like to nominate for interviewing next on Social Champ?
Anthony: Iād highly recommend interviewing Nikola Roza. Heās got a tremendous amount of engagement on social media, and he has some amazing advice on his blog.
Thank you, Anthony, for your time. Social Champ is glad to have you for this session. We look forward to sharing your ideas with the readers.