Be An Authority and Drive Sales With No BS Social-Media Marketing The founder of two fast-growing supplement companies speaks about how his no-BS YouTube videos created a passionate following of customers.
By Jonathan Long •
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As an entrepreneur, you understand the importance of standing out from the competition and positioning your brand as an authority in your industry, but do you know how to accomplish this effectively? While there are several ways to achieve this, there is one platform that can really help your company grow fast: social media.
Most of the businesses my company speaks with every week assume that they have their social-media marketing covered already by simply throwing up some posts every day on their Facebook and Twitter pages.
While this might be the approach a majority of business owners take, it doesn't mean you need to follow their path. If you do, you will be walking off the edge with all of the other lemmings. The reality is that between 70 to 90 percent of businesses will fail, so it is important that you take steps to differentiate your business and brand from the others. Some of the most successful brands have leaders that think outside of the box and aren't afraid to push the envelope when it comes to social-media marketing.
Related: 4 Tips to Being Your Brand's Champion on TV and YouTube
Marc Lobliner, CMO of TigerFitness.com, is the owner and CEO of two fast-growing supplement companies, MTS Nutrition and EthiTech Nutrition, a professional bodybuilder and has several other ventures as well.
Lobliner might not be the most politically correct individual and he may rattle off some foul language occasionally (OK, a lot!), but he uses his expertise, passion and in-your-face rawness in social-media marketing via his YouTube channel that currently has over 140,000 subscribers, (Disclaimer: some videos contain language that is NSFW) to create a massive buzz and loyal following. This results in sales and growth numbers that are consistently increasing month after month, he says.
I recently discussed the success he has seen through his YouTube channel and in-your-face approach as well as general entrepreneurship. It is a perfect example of how working hard, being passionate and finding a unique marketing angle is a recipe for success.
When did you first discover the power of social media and how much of a factor does your YouTube channel play in the promotion of your brands?
When I sold my previous company, I had a non-compete. I had two years to build a brand and wanted to keep it grassroots. Also, per my non-compete, I was only allowed to sell a house brand through one location, so my old method of store visits and seminars was not an option.
Thus, I set forth to utilize my public-speaking skills, bad sexual humor, pro-bodybuilder status and outgoing personality to build a YouTube channel that would help people reach their goals, provide information that will benefit people in all areas of life, and also help promote my new brands. It took some time to build it, but once it hit, it grew fast.
While there is more to the growth of TigerFitness.com and MTS Nutrition than just social media, it has been a great way to quickly get information to the market and also personally connect to those who really matter to us, the consumer.
Do you feel that the channel was a major contributor in the launch of MTS Nutrition?
The YouTube channel was a huge help. Even when we do live events, it helps to bring out a large crowd. Unlike Facebook with is largely text-based interaction, video connects with many more of the human senses. The personal connection is much greater and we can show how sincere we are in helping our valued customers. I will say that numbers' wise, when a new product is launched, the videos drive sales through the stratosphere.
Your approach is unfiltered, no BS, and no fluff. While everyone else is worrying about being politically correct you seem to only worry about one thing: delivering honest information. Do you believe this approach has limited your growth in any way?
While I am in your face and curse a lot, I feel like people relate to me and respect my approach. Consumers are tired of the fake BS that companies in all industries throw at them. I say what people want to say but are too afraid to say. I am the mouthpiece for everyone who wants a change and the guy who is not afraid to express an alternate point of view. This "realness" has helped more than anything.
Related: Authenticity Is Your Brand's Greatest Social Media Asset
As an entrepreneur, what has been the biggest hurdle that you have had to overcome?
Obamacare was a huge obstacle with a 45 percent increase in our cost to provide the insurance we were already providing. Also, knowing in the back of my head that most new businesses fail.
If you could give three pieces of advice to entrepreneurs who are trying to position themselves as the "expert" in their industry, what would they be?
1. Know what you are talking about and be willing to back it up. Anyone can talk a big game, but they need to be able back it up as well.
2. Speak with authority. Let your inner-alpha shine. Don't come off as weak.
3. Enforce your position with data and/or real world applications and results.
Many people want to be entrepreneurs, but the grind eventually gets to them. What are three things that drive and motivate you to work hard day-in and day-out?
1. My former business partners and people in my life who said I wouldn't make it big or said that I couldn't do something. I work hard daily with revenge and vindication as my number-one motivator. It sounds shallow, but proving people wrong keeps me pushing hard.
2. If you expect a 9 to 5 job, get out now. I work 15 to 20 hours daily along with more than 250 days a year of travel. I am also a husband and a father to three kids. In the words of 50 Cent, "Sleep is for the poor."
3. The minute you are complacent, your competition will surpass you and you will fail. If you think it is good, make it better. Complacency is mediocrity.
If you take a moment to watch some of Lobliner's videos you will see the raw passion and enthusiasm that has helped him create successful brands. Yes, social media can be an excellent springboard, but only when it is used correctly to really connect with your target market.
Lobliner signs off each video with "It's not a game!" and that couldn't be more fitting -- entrepreneurship, it's not a game!
Related: What You Can Learn From These 5 Mega Brands On Creating Viral Videos
