Influencer marketing is making an impact on businesses around the world. And since Asia is one of the fastest evolving markets, it makes sense that companies in this area would lead the way. Kobe is one platform that’s working on this in the Asian Market. In addition to utilizing an emerging marketing tactic, the company uses new tech to set it apart.

Learn more about the company and what sets it apart in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Facilitates influencer marketing campaigns.

Founder Evangeline Leong told Small Business Trends, “We manage end-to-end influencer marketing campaigns and utilise a self-developed, patented Artificial Intelligence-driven platform to pair advertisers with the optimal influencers for their brand.”

Business Niche

Integrating AI into the platform.

Leong says, “Our system maps campaign objectives to a wide array of factors using image recognition and natural language recognition. It then intelligently auto-generates influencer suggestions, along with recommended fees, that clients can then review and select. It is also able to provide strong, quantitative metrics in order to reflect returns on investment for businesses.”

How the Business Got Started

After a conversation with a vendor.

Leong explains, “The name Kobe means ‘word-of-mouth’ in mandarin and was inspired by a humble noodle food stall in Singapore. When I saw the fierce competition and rising costs of operation, I asked the stall owner what his secret recipe to success was. His answer was simple: ‘My word-of-mouth recommendation is good.’ This piqued my interest and got me thinking about how I could scale word-of-mouth marketing for businesses out there in the world.”

Biggest Win

Winning an award.

Leong says, “We very recently won the Gold and Local Hero awards for the Influencer Agency of the Year category in the Marketing Magazine’s Agency of the Year Awards 2020. The awards are a major event that draw in submissions from some of the largest ad/marketing firms in the world.”

Biggest Risk

Starting with no investors.

Leong adds, “Influencer marketing was a very, very new and niche concept at the time. And nobody believed that it would be a viable business model for a marketing agency. I mortgaged my house and sold my car to come up with the venture capital for the business.”

Lesson Learned

Be careful who you work with.

In the company’s first year in business, Leong says they made some poor judgements regarding their team. As a result, they ended up losing a database and access to the AI system they had been developing. However, it worked out in the end.

Leong adds, “At one point, it seemed as though we would have to go to court over the issue. Thankfully, we didn’t.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Supporting the team.

Leong says, “I would invest that into people – helping our current employees to grow and rewarding them appropriately for their work.”

Team Motto

Fail fast, learn fast.

Leong explains, “Everyone is encouraged to raise suggestions and try out new things. We avoid hierarchy, so everyone takes charge – and ownership – of their own tasks in the company.”

Favorite Quote

“It’s the questions we can’t answer that teach us the most. They teach us how to think. If you give a man an answer, all he gains is a little fact. But give him a question and he’ll look for his own answers.” – Patrick Rothfuss.

* * * * *

Image: Kobe, Evangeline Leong and Cha Lin

Did you know that the ad spend on Facebook grew by almost 30% in 2020? According to the same report, the trend indicated that budgets were tightened but more budget was allocated to digital channels and social media.

Furthermore, the trend is set to continue in 2021.

Image via Socialbakers

If you are still not investing in social media marketing, it’s time to get on board with the trends. 

Still on the fence about the role of social media in growing your business? 

Here are the benefits that you can get from it:

1. Boost Brand Awareness

One of the biggest advantages of having an active social media presence is that you can increase your brand awareness. Social media gives you a platform to reach out to users who may not have even heard about your brand before.

What’s more, social media platforms enable you to send targeted ads. When you send relevant ads based on a user’s tastes and preferences, they are more likely to be interested in your content. 

Additionally, you can also target ads based on location, gender, age, and other criteria. All in all, you can boost your brand awareness among your target audience more easily. 

2. Increase Website Traffic and Leads

As more people get to learn about what you have to offer, you are likely to see a surge in website traffic. Since you are reaching out to a targeted audience, you are also likely to see more traffic coming from qualified leads. 

This, in turn, can give a boost to your lead generation efforts. Not just that, you’re also likely to see a boost in other metrics like average time spent on a website.

Pro Tip: To keep track of your leads coming from different platforms, use an advanced program specially designed for lead generation.

3. Improve Your Brand Recall

Don’t you want users to think of your brand first when they think about your niche? Of course, you do! A memorable social media marketing campaign can go a long way in creating a lasting impression in front of your target audience.

It’s okay if users don’t purchase your product right away. If users can recall your brand easily, you can move them down the sales funnel with a few more touchpoints.

Social media helps you boost your visibility and improve your ad recall. If you run a social media campaign for a long time, you can make sure that you are reaching out to more people and improving their ability to recognize your brand. 

For example, LA CREMERIA, a Malaysian ice-cream brand, leveraged Instagram to run influencer campaign campaigns with popular celebrities. As a result, they were able to get a 5.6 point lift in their ad recall in the age group of 35-to-40-year-olds. Their ad recall among women saw a 4.5-point lift as well.

4. Get More Brand Credibility

Social media enables you to work with influencers to promote your products on different channels. Not only can you boost your reach and get more engagement, but also boost your brand credibility. 

Not sure how?

Well, social media influencers work really hard to build a rapport with their followers. Because of their expertise, they also have a certain level of credibility in their field. In fact, their followers wait for their recommendations and advice. 

When they vouch for your products, their followers may tend to establish some trust in your brand. It’s almost like you are piggybacking on their reputation. 

 In addition to influencer content, other sponsored content can also help you establish your brand as a thought leader in the industry. In fact, roadmap software company, Aha!, were able to leverage LinkedIn to gain audience trust by creating meaningful content on the platform.

5. Get More Engagement

When you upload content on social media that resonates with your audience, they are likely to respond to it. You’ll get more likes, shares, and comments if it strikes a chord with them. This, in turn, can boost your overall engagement.

What’s more, you can also host contests, create polls, and publish live videos to keep your audience entertained. In a nutshell, social media enables you to create content that can engage them. 

Why does it matter?

Before you can turn a prospect into a customer, you need to keep them engaged. It’s a stepping stone in the right direction.

6. Get Detailed Customer Insights

One of the biggest advantages of advertising via social media is that you can get access to customer insights. All social media platforms collect user data. From user interests to demographics, these platforms record all kinds of behavioral data. 

When you run an ad campaign, you can also get insights into how people are engaging with your content. This data can help you figure out which content your audience resonates with the most. Based on that, you can create a more robust content and marketing strategy. You can also use specialized tools for social media management to get detailed insights.

What’s more, this data can help you learn how to get the most out of your ad spend. In the long run, it can help your business save money and get the most out of your budget through campaign optimization.

Once you have data on what works, you can leverage retargeting to follow up multiple times with users who may be interested in your brand. This, in turn, can help you boost your conversion rate.

Conclusion

Regardless of your industry or business size, social media can be a powerful tool to grow your business. It can help you get more visibility, reach out to a broader audience, and generate more qualified leads. 

Not only can it help you increase your sales and revenue, but it can also help you create more cost-effective campaigns. You can leverage social media to gain more credibility and improve your brand recall value.

By tracking your campaign results, you can optimize future social media campaigns for better results. All in all, it has multiple benefits, so you shouldn’t miss out. 

Are you ready to create a social media strategy to grow your business?

Do you have any questions about the role of social media in growing businesses? Please feel free to mention them in the comments section.

Image: Depositphotos.com

If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

Countertop displays organize a collection of items for your customers to browse and make selections. Be they brochures magazines, jewelry, or any item of interest they help boost visibility and sales.

By placing them near checkout counters, they increase the chances of customers making additional purchases. They entice customers to make those last-minute purchases thus improving your bottom line. Countertop displays can also help increase brand awareness by highlighting the main features of the products that are being displayed. This can help reinforce your brand online and offline.

Countertop displays come in a wide range of form factors and materials, and only you can decide which one will best suit your business. If you are you searching for countertop displays here are a small number of styles and materials to give you an idea of what is available.

Best Countertop Displays

MOOCA Showcase Rotating Acrylic Display

Top Pick: A key feature in a good countertop display is simplicity. The MOOCA rotating acrylic display is easy to use and it clearly shows your product. The display has four levels with removable shelves so you can place small and large items in it.

You can store and display jewelry, watches, glasses, collectibles and more. Overall, the unit is 13 1/2″W x 7 3/8″D x 17 3/8″H and it has key lock.

MOOCA Lockable Showcase Rotating Acrylic Display Stand with 4 Removable Shelves

Buy on Amazon

MyGift 4-Tier Industrial Designed Display

Runner Up: This 4-tier display takes a different approach to showcasing products. The weathered gray wood on a black metal base provides a great spot for jewelry, glasses, electronics, curios, collectibles, and other items. Each riser is at a different height to provide a different angle for each product.

Overall, it is 5.8 H × 8.7 W × 8.7 L inches and each platform is 2.36 H to 5.8 H × 4.3 W × 4.3 L inches weighing in at two pounds.

MyGift 4-Tier Industrial Designed Weathered Gray Wood and Metal Pedestal Jewelry Organizer Display Riser Stand

Buy on Amazon

Mind Reader SNACKCAR

Best Value: Mind Reader SNACKCAR is a two-tiered, 360⁰carousel snack display that allows users to browse through an assortment of snacks and then pick their favorite. Made with plastic this unit comes in at 14 x 14. 5 inches and offers 12 slots on top and large open bottom for convenience.

Weighing just three pounds this is a perfect countertop for small spaces and can allow users to stack almost anything. This includes disposable coffee and teacups, lids, utensils, chips, protein bars, single-serve coffee pods, and much more.

Mind Reader SNACKCAR Supreme Snack organizer, 14 x 14.5 Round, Black

Buy on Amazon

MyGift Decorative Clear Glass & Brass Countertop Display

This countertop display box provides a different approach to showcasing your products. The brass and glass construction has 6 separate cubes in which you can put your items. And the hinged top lid comes with a latch and a metal chain to keep the lid from swinging back too far.

The clear glass and brass metal design can complement a wide range of decors to showcase jewelry, antiques, collectibles and more. The approximate dimensions are 2.25 H x 9.0 W x 6.25 D inches and weighs 2.29 pounds.

MyGift Decorative Clear Glass & Brass Metal Frame 6 Compartment Jewelry Shadow Box/Countertop Display Case

Buy on Amazon

Masqudo Acrylic Display Stands

The Masqudo acrylic display stand is a simple yet effective riser countertop display shelf. You can use the 2 in 1 stand as a three or four-tier display to maximize your countertop space. This design allows you to place almost any small item you want your customers to quickly see and purchase in your store.

The display comes in at 12×9 inches and weighs at 3.9 pounds. And you don’t need any tools to put it together. Best of all, the company provides a zero-risk, 90 days, 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Masqudo Acrylic Display Stands 2 in 1 Usage Acrylic Riser Display Shelf for Amiibo Funko POP Figures Cupcakes Stand for Cabinet Countertops Table

Buy on Amazon

Countertop Spinner Rack Display Stand

This is a classic countertop spinner rack display with three tiers. This is yet another simple design that can hold a range of items. From jewelry to chips, masks, memory cards and so much more. It is easy to assemble, adjust the height, and doesn’t take too much space on your countertop.

It comes in at 2.5 pounds and you can adjust the height up to 20.8 inches. And the silver mirror finish allows it to fit almost any store decor.

Display Stand 2 Tier/3 Tier Countertop Spinner Rack Silver Metal for Malls, Showroom, Retail Store

Buy on Amazon

FixtureDisplays Wire Rack for Countertop

This is another no-nonsense wire rack countertop display that serves multiple uses. Whether you run a convenience store, restaurant, auto parts, or computer store, this display stand can accommodate virtually every industry to showcase products. You can use it to display everything from books to magazines, and newspapers to candy, chips, other snacks, and many other items your store sales.

At eight pounds and 23 x 23 x 13.3 inches, this metal stand is sturdy and you can remove the shelves to create more space for larger items.

FixtureDisplays Wire Rack for Countertop Use with 3 Open Shelves

Buy on Amazon

What to Look for in Countertop Displays

The purpose of countertop displays is to help capture the attention of customers and prospects. They are ideal for those grab-n-go Point of Purchase (POP) displays that sit on counters in check-out areas. And this will help you to tap into impulse shoppers or those consumers who can’t resist grabbing items while in line.

They are also equally important for customer service counters. With these displays, you can put up your brochures and marketing collateral for prospects to get more literature and information about your products and services. While shopping for displays look for the following:

• Easy to assemble and use: Your displays should not require complicated instructions. They should not give you headaches in terms of deciding on the right screwdrivers, hammers, drill bits, and so on. If you plan on using your displays in multiple locations, complicated assemblies can be difficult. They should also be easily cleaned and managed.
• Size: When you purchase your displays, you need to make sure you actually have sufficient space for them in your store or office.

• Should stand out: The purpose of countertops is to make sure that what you are showcasing capture the attention of prospects and customers. The color and design of your displays should be in keeping with your desired image while also standing out from competing products.
• Sturdy: It is important that your displays can hold your products without falling apart. This is because customers will be handling it a lot. They should be designed with that in mind.
• Return policy: Make sure to check that the supplier has a no-hassle return policy. If the display does not meet your needs ask whether they come with a return policy.

Benefits of Countertop Displays

• Boosts Brand: Custom display stands can help boost your brand in many ways. Countertop displays strategically placed in front of the customer or visitor help the brand stay on the minds of the customer. Because these displays are so versatile, you can easily reconfigure your graphics and marketing message, creating a specific display for each audience you are trying to reach. They are more visible and are an ideal marketing tool that work 24/7.
• Convenience: Your sales tactic should be grounded on providing convenience for your customers. You do not need to place additional obstacles for your customers to find your product. The reasoning is simple, if customers can get your product with relative ease, they buy.

• Customization: When you use different materials for your display stands, they stand out. By using the right color, design, and signage, it will help your placements rise above the competition. This allows you to align your displays with the particular needs of your image and the stores and outlets will be happy to use your display as a showcase.
• Increase Revenue: Business is all about increasing revenues, and display stands for retail can play a role in how people buy. They help to boost in-store purchases thus putting you in a better position to capitalize on additional sales.
• Low investment: Displays come with a relatively low price tag and can potentially bring more revenue. Compared to advertisements and sales associates that have to stand around all day and offer literature and insights into your product, the cost of retail displays is a real bargain.

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Images: Amazon.com

According to HubSpot, There are almost 4 billion daily email users. And 99% of consumers check their email every day and it is the preferred way of getting an update from a brand. So it goes without saying, being able to write a writing an impactful email marketing copy is extremely important.

ZOHO is holding a free webinar titled, Email Marketing Basics: Writing Effective Copy, that will show you the tips and tricks to write a better email for your marketing campaign.

In this webinar, you will learn how to establish your brand’s voice, hone in on your goals, and get some campaign ideas. And once you get these skills under your belt, you can continue to further your email expertise with the next three webinars ZOHO will be holding in the month of February.

The first one, Email Marketing Basics: Writing Effective Copy, will be on February 10, 2021, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST.  All you need to join the session is to have the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Opera browsers.

Click the red button and register now.

Register Now

Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Women in Cloud Summit 2021
January 28, 2021, Online

The Women in Cloud Summit is a three-day, life-changing event for women tech entrepreneurs, corporate and community leaders, policymakers, and allies from around the globe. Women are key drivers of economic growth, and the Summit strives to change the industry narrative by creating economic access for women in the cloud economy. Summit attendees will hear from inspirational speakers, connect and communicate with industry leaders and experts, and network with other community members and entrepreneurs. Join us virtually from January 28-30, 2021.

Email Marketing Basics Webinar: Writing Effective Copy
February 10, 2021, Online

Want to write impactful email marketing copy that utilizes your unique voice? Join this webinar for tips and tricks! Learn how to establish your brand’s voice, hone in on your goals, and get some campaign ideas.

WEBINAR: Email Marketing Basics: Building and Maintaining Your List
February 17, 2021, Online

Learn how to build, segment, and nurture your email lists in order to improve engagement and retain quality campaign subscribers. In this webinar you will also gain a better understanding of GDPR, avoiding spam filters, and the importance of keeping your lists clean.

WEBINAR: Email Marketing Basics: Automating and Monitoring Your Campaigns
February 24, 2021, Online

Learn how to build, segment, and nurture your email lists in order to improve engagement and retain quality campaign subscribers. In this webinar you will also gain a better understanding of GDPR, avoiding spam filters, and the importance of keeping your lists clean.

Email Marketing Basics Webinar: Automating and Monitoring Your Lists
February 24, 2021, Online

Learn how to create automated email marketing campaigns to streamline your customer acquisition process. You’ll also learn about managing your sender reputation score, as well as key email marketing metrics to track to make sure your emails are performing as well as they can.

WEBINAR: What Business Structure is Right for You?
April 28, 2021, Online

Picking a business structure is usually the first big legal decision for a new business owner and one of the most confusing. However confusing, it is an essential step to protecting your personal assets from any liabilities of the company. In this webinar, Nellie Akalp CEO of CorpNet.com, will share insight on business entities to help guide you to the best decision for your new venture.

WEBINAR: Best State to Incorporate
July 28, 2021, Online

Some say Delaware, others say Nevada while someone else may say your home state. What is the best state to register a business in? What if your business is expanding into new territory? At what point should you Foreign Qualify? Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet.com, will go in-depth to answer these questions and more in this webinar.

WEBINAR: Steps to Start Your Business
October 20, 2021, Online

Starting a business can be an exhilarating time, where everything seems full of potential and purpose. But navigating the logistics of launching a business can be daunting. In this webinar Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet.com, will outline the steps necessary to legally start a business and get up and running on the right foot.

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• ProductWorld 2021
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• Social Media Strategies Summit | Virtual Conference
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• Chief Data and Analytics Officers, Financial Services: Live 2021
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• Digital Marketing World Forum – North America Online 2021
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• Power BI in 2021
  April 1, 2021, Online
• HR Benefits Conference, April 2021
  April 7, 2021, Las Vegas, NV
• TECHSPO New York 2021 Technology Expo (Internet ~ Mobile ~ AdTech ~ MarTech ~ SaaS)
  April 15, 2021, Online
• DigiMarCon Mid-Atlantic 2021 – Digital Marketing, Media and Advertising Conference & Exhibition
  April 26, 2021, Philadelphia, PA
• DigiMarCon At Home 2021 – Digital Marketing, Media and Advertising Conference
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• Sitecore CMS in 2021
  May 1, 2021, Online
• DevOps Engineer in 2021
  May 1, 2021, Online
• DigiMarCon New England 2021 – Digital Marketing, Media and Advertising Conference & Exhibition
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This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends.

You can see a full list of events, contest and award listings or post your own events by visiting the Small Business Events Calendar.

Image: Depositphotos.com