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Whether a seasoned professional or just starting out, social media is a constantly evolving beast which, when tamed, can be an incredibly valuable asset to your business marketing strategy and overall profit.

LEARN FROM THE BEST

As a consultant in all things social, I am constantly developing my knowledge to ensure I provide my clients with the best service possible. Let's face it - staying on top of the latest and greatest is part and parcel of this crazy social ride. But can we know it all? Absolutely not! There is SO much more to glean and I'm happy to share I have invested a LOT of time and hard earned dollars in reading, watching and engaging with specialists in social media. While I hold the likes of Mari Smith, Marie Forleo, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tara Mohr in high esteem, I'm even more interested in local sheroes who share a more Australian social media aesthetic. 

Enter The Digital Picnic whom I discovered about 18 months ago on Facebook. I'll be honest, I was totally envious (actually jealous) of their approach to social media coaching. I remember thinking - "THIS is what I want to do! These girls are smart, savvy, practical, stylish and they speak 'non-techy'. And they're so colourful!"

So when the opportunity came to move out of my kitchen and set up my own office/studio space in Hobart there was one thing on my mind. Collaboration. So, on a windy Sunday afternoon, I threw caution to the wind and sent the girls a message. Would they contemplate coming to Hobart? Within ten minutes, the answer was YES! (insert squealing on the beach, tap dancing on the sand and a confused husband wondering if I had finally lost it.)

MEET THE DIGITAL PICNIC

So who is The Digital Picnic?  Business partners Cherie Clonan and Catherine King specialise in social and digital media workshops and events. What started as friendly banter on a local Facebook group in the Inner Western suburbs of Melbourne, blossomed into what is now a thriving business that sees them coaching right across Australia. Well almost everywhere...ahemmm Tasmania?

(Finally) The Digital Picnic is bringing their HUGELY popular Social Savvy Workshop and Content Planning Masterclass to Hobart on July 31. If you're ready to energise your social media activity, honestly - hand on heart, this opportunity is going to be your game changer.

To help with your decision making, I asked the girls a few questions, which they kindly answered with their trademark humour and practical sensibility. Read on, then get booking!

Q&A WITH CHERIE AND CATHERINE

Cherie and Catherine, who is really going to gain from these workshops?

Our workshops truly are for anyone who wants to get more from their social media efforts, but who also recognises that in order to get more? You need to invest in a little workshop that’s tailored to teach you how to make social work for you; i.e our workshops have a big focus on very practical tips that can be implemented immediately for big changes / big results.

Most common Ah-ha! moment from workshop participants ...

The biggest a-ha! Moment usually comes when we delve into Facebook to be honest. Our folks walk in F-ANGRY [i.e our term for Angry.  With Facebook], & then we walk them through the Facebook algorithm in Layman’s Terms, & we explain it in a way that simplifies it all / makes Facebook actually seem do-able via organic reach with an occasional FB advertising push [for those who have the budget], & bang.  A-ha moment achieved.  F-ANGRY reduced.  Happy TDP’er!

The other one definitely comes when we let folks know social media success doesn’t mean having to be on eleventy-billion social channels, but moreso, focusing on nailing the social channels each particular business best suits being on.

Most favourite part of your job

We get to make our own rules. We both left very corporate settings because they just weren’t going to give us the work / life balance we craved whilst elbow deep in our [mostly beloved, sometimes irritating] little people.

We set the pace.  If the hustle feels too overwhelming, we strip things back a little so that it’s all back to that work / life balance we craved way back when we resigned from the corporate rat race.  

And mostly? We genuinely have one of those business partnerships that rocks! We’re both good people, & we both have really good values, & we’re both empathetic to each other’s needs / family’s needs, so there’s no guilt / apologies necessary when we’re having an “lord-y! My babies didn’t sleep last night.  Offline today” moment.

It’s a bit of a dream working environment for the working Mother, & we genuinely wish this kind of flexibility on all of our working Mama comrades.

Top tip for finding balance?

Say ‘no’ to anything that doesn’t feel good.

Trust your gut instincts on the above.

Switch your phone off at [insert time that suits you] PM.  For us, it’s 10pm.

Hold regular work-in-progress meetings for business motivation purpose

Recognise that while your little people aren’t at school, there really is only so much you can achieve in the day [without childcare].

And when those little people are at school? It’s kinda only 6 hours.  6 hours goes fast.

A pint of the strongest cider on a Friday evening,  preferably with your girlfriends.

Biggest business lesson you've learnt

Never work for arseholes, ever.  Our industry [social media marketing] is still in its baby stages, & there are a lot of businesses out there who just don’t appreciate the level of time / effort / creativity required to pull of managing social media.  We learnt to put good [professional!] exit plans in place, in the event that we’ve had to spend more of our time justifying why social is an important investment with some clients than actually doing the social.

Just not worth it.

Name one small business who is ace-ing it online

Electric Confetti.

She attended our social media workshop last year with 500 followers, & now she’s scored a The Design Files shout out, an Apartment Therapy shoutout, & a whole lot o’ social media buzz about her amazing product! She makes neon signs.  And they are rad.

Check her out on insty-gram; @electric_confetti

Best big company profile on social?

We’ve got a massive social media crush on @gotoskincare. The way they do their social? Man. We just want to work for them. For free.

Three things you know about Tasmania without Googling. Go…

Landscapes to make you swoon.

Alannah Hill.  

Apple cider.

The Digital Picnic workshops are on Sunday 31st July at my new studio space in Moonah. This will be the first in an exciting new series of guest workshops for 2016. To learn more or book your spot, head on over to the Digital Picnic Bookings page.