PPB May 2021

FIVE MINUTES WITH Farissa Knox Founder and CEO, RLM Media Increasing Interaction Between Brands And Their Target Audiences A specialist in the digital space, Farissa Knox, founder and CEO of RLM Media, is keenly aware of the needs of today’s digital user. Her Chicago-based business is a holding company and advertising agency that specializes in brand development and is dedicated to improving how advertisers understand, approach and speak to the modern-day consumer. Her team is also dedicated to promoting diversity, and consists of marketers who are of diverse ethnicities. PPB spoke with Knox to learn about the top trends, tips and solutions for reaching and driving consumer engagement. PPB What are the top trends affecting modern-day consumers in relation to virtual and digital? Knox Before COVID, we already lived in a digital-heavy world, but after living through the year we all just did, we were forced to take an even deeper dive into the virtual and digital world. Virtual reality (VR) games and experiences have become a much more normal way to spend an evening and I don’t think that’s going away. In addition to that, the virtual workout trend is one that has surprised me, at least the fact that it is lasting and growing. And then there is the business trend that I am excited about that includes scouting talent from all over the globe and having virtual work colleagues as part of the team in a seamless way. We have proven it works and I think a hybrid model of this is the new ideal. PPB What are your three tips on how to get into the mind of the digitized consumer? Knox If you are a modern person, you are a digitized consumer in one way, shape or form. I always encourage people to take a look at the digital behavior of the people in their lives and start to build personas. My mom Googles things when she wants to know something and checks Facebook a couple times a day. I buy everything I can online, from groceries to clothes for myself and my kids. My kids consume all of their content digitally and don’t understand the concept of “having” to watch what’s on TV. After building personas around the people you have access to, start to explore, from wakeup to bedtime, where each of the personas are spending time with media and how. Lastly, if none of the personas you made directly reflect who you want as a consumer, go find them and build from there, without forgetting that there are important items like culture, geographical location and language that come into play that need to be taken into account for even better results. PPB How can marketers incorporate content into digital solutions that make it personal, inspiring, fun and compelling for end users? Knox This starts with really knowing your audience. The more you know about who they are, their true areas of interest, and how they like to spend their time and what matters to them, the answers to what kind of content, length and exactly where to put it, start to get answered. But if you don’t know any of that yet, focus on placing platform-appropriate content on the different platforms available that best fit the tone and feel of the brand and see what works. Consistency is the only test that will really let you know if the approach is working. PPB What are some of the keys to driving engagement today and distinguishing your brand from the next? Knox The keys to driving engagement are authenticity, uniqueness and relevancy. The No. 1 mistake brands and individuals make is trying to be like other brands that they either admire or that have a massive audience. People will see the resemblance and if it doesn’t feel unique, they won’t engage. From there, if you can highlight the things that make your brand or business unique, and find creative ways to focus on them, then your digital presence will grow. The last important piece is making sure that everything you publish has either personal or business relevancy to your audience. If the content is not meaningful to them, there won’t be a reason for them to engage. Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB. by Danielle Renda 72 | MAY 2021 | THINK