Freight Flock’s Director of Social on Innovation

Bob Wolfley has worn many hats: Content material creator. Social media supervisor. Model supervisor. Senior director of marketing campaign technique. Director of social and partnerships. Unicorn.

His curiosity and abilities in social emerged early. Wolfley factors to the nostalgic days of web angst for a lot of: MySpace. Writing emo poetry on MySpace notes revealed a ardour for artistic writing. His ardour led him to incomes a level in promoting and launching social media accounts for brand spanking new chapters of his worldwide fraternity, Phi Delta Theta.

In 2012 whereas working and touring for Phi Delta Theta Normal Headquarters, he launched The Touring Unicorn, an Instagram account documenting his journeys—however in a unicorn masks. His artistic priorities shifted from managing The Touring Unicorn account to his profession when he joined MeUndies. However he’ll all the time be a unicorn at coronary heart, whether or not he’s posting or not.

In 2014, Wolfley joined MeUndies as a buyer expertise specialist the place he talked to strangers about their underwear, a catalyst to launching his formal social profession. At MeUndies, Wolfley grew to become the corporate’s first Social Lead, ultimately changing into Model Supervisor. He was additionally a director for Ubiquitous, an influencer advertising and marketing company, and Canoo, an electrical car startup. He’s presently the Director of Social Media and Partnerships at Flock Freight.

However throughout all of those profession milestones and titles, a standard thread emerges relating to Wofley’s perspective: disruption as a path to skilled and model evolution.

I spoke with Wolfley to study extra about his profession and the significance of disrupting industries to uncover revolutionary alternatives. We talked about his method to advertising and marketing via content material just like the F*#@load marketing campaign, making a case for dangers on social and his views on innovation, like synthetic intelligence.

Why is disruption essential to you and why is it so related right this moment?

Disruption comes from innovation. If we don’t have innovation, there’s complacency and stagnation. It’s essential to me to search out profession alternatives that align with my very own private mentality and perspective towards creating.

I need to guarantee these are linked or operating parallel with one another since you all the time need to entry that steadiness in social media. If we publish the identical type of content material for 3, to 6, to 12 months, what carried out the prior month or quarter may not carry out the identical right this moment. It’s important to keep in your toes and frequently think about what you are able to do otherwise. What are the tendencies? What are the completely different codecs that we will use to have interaction neighborhood or produce content material?

That each day disruption consists of the issues we will implement to maintain getting higher and join increasingly more with our followers and neighborhood.

Your mantra of disruptive innovation is proven in Flock Freight’s latest F*#@load marketing campaign, which options an unlikely nostalgic spokesperson. Why Steve from Blue’s Clues for the F*#@load marketing campaign?

One factor of selecting expertise was knowledge on our target market. We have now two main segments: Millennials and Child Boomers, procurement or provide chain logistics positions at manufacturers, and the precise carriers, drivers and logistics firms who’re hauling the freight.

We needed to have somebody [our 35-45 year-old audience] would acknowledge. At first, we had been pondering extra of an investigative journalist from Dateline or 20/20.

We tried reaching out to these investigative journalists, however most had been underneath contract with reveals—lots of which had been a bit of extra conservative and didn’t approve of the quantity of cursing in our marketing campaign scripts.

However, we couldn’t reduce [the cursing] out. Even with the bleeps, we needed to roll with the artistic idea as a result of we believed in it a lot. With our artistic companions, we went again to the drafting board pondering via different investigative-type personalities on the market, and Steve from Blue’s Clues was a type of choices.

I wasn’t the person who got here up with Steve, however once I heard the concept I knew it had legs as a result of we might accomplish that far more on social media. There was extra attain and notoriety. And it undoubtedly got here via with the outcomes of the marketing campaign, the response and the general sentiment.

A 12 months previous to the F*#@load marketing campaign, Steve Burns got here again into the limelight out of nowhere. I believe all of us keep in mind that second. I used to be even a type of guys who thought Steve Burns died.

For folk who acknowledged Steve Burns, including within the cursing factor had shock worth. There have been some those that didn’t acknowledge him, however once they did, it was the right shock and delight second for viewers.

Flock Freight’s Truck Cease Talks and People of Trucking present a glimpse into the lives {of professional} freight drivers and not one of the interviews are scheduled.  Are you able to elaborate in your method to advertising and marketing in a singular approach?

Consider Flock Freight like a market. We’re bringing carriers and shippers along with our patented shared truckload expertise that rideshares freight on empty truck trailer area. We work with some actually cool manufacturers, however we will solely accomplish that a lot in a co-marketing with these firms that ship with us. After we go that route, we’re speaking loads about [Flock Freight]: the outcome the shippers skilled, the partnership and the advantages that our expertise unlocks for these shippers.

However let’s be sincere, that’s a number of us speaking about us. These case research are very beneficial for Flock Freight however on social, speaking about ourselves on a regular basis doesn’t resonate. In an effort to differentiate and produce a recent method to our social technique, we did evaluation of all the opposite gamers (friends and opponents) within the logistics and provide chain area. Some trucking firms acknowledge drivers in sure methods, however they don’t do deep storytelling. On this area of interest, there are on-line communities like Fb Teams and sub Reddits the place carriers {and professional} truck drivers speak to one another. Whereas analyzing these, just a few themes got here out that gave us perception to go this fashion.

In these on-line communities, carriers and drivers change tales and experiences, good or dangerous banter and confide with one another about day-to-day challenges and the professionals and cons of the occupation. Moreover, we discovered the common particular person not in logistics or transportation main interactions with truck drivers are on the highway and their notion is adverse as a result of it’s usually associated to a semi-truck of their approach or slowing them down.

However there’s a human behind that wheel in cab of that semi truck. They’ve a narrative. They’ve a household. They’ve challenges, pursuits and hobbies most individuals don’t find out about. The entire essence of Truck Cease Talks and People of Trucking is to humanize skilled truck drivers, present appreciation for his or her hardships and experiences—the issues they do to maintain the complete provide chain shifting. Something and all the things [consumers] have of their home or workplace was on a truck in some unspecified time in the future.

These insights confirmed us we had a chance to inform these tales in a enjoyable, but significant approach. There’s a mixture of tones, which we love as a result of there’s alternatives for truck drivers to narrate once they discover and eat this content material.

Even for people outdoors of our business, folks can all the time relate to—or discover inspiration, training, and worth from—human tales.

Many B2B manufacturers are involved about proving the ROI of social. How can social groups and advertising and marketing leaders make a case for larger dangers?

There isn’t any silver bullet to getting buy-in for dangers—massive or small.

It’s all about taking insights and in the event you lead with insights, you’re already headed in the suitable route. Insights are the cornerstone to the muse for social media technique and content material pillars. For brand new content material or dangers, observe the early indicators, like engagement, however qualitative indicators are simply as essential, too. With a mixture of each quantitative and qualitative optimistic indicators, these can provide the permission to for related forms of content material or techniques.

I imagine professionals working B2B firms usually get in their very own approach, overcomplicate how they market their services or products and suppose as a result of they’re B2B, they need to be buttoned up and solely go to market a sure approach. I noticed this straightforward publish from Jacob Shipley on LinkedIn and he captured my pondering completely: “Doesn’t matter in the event you’re B2B, doesn’t matter in the event you’re B2C, we’re all in P2P, folks to folks.”

I don’t know who wants to listen to this however natural social’s main function within the funnel, is the highest – consciousness. Will Vans Cease Talks or People of Trucking convert a brand new shipper or provider to work with Flock? That may be superior, however most likely not. Nonetheless, it permits us to step outdoors of the “convention bore core” that almost all B2B firms get caught in and faucet into emotional storytelling, which might be so highly effective by way of model consciousness and recall.

Going again to Jacob Shipley, it’s about folks to folks. Irrespective of in the event that they’re working in a enterprise, on the lookout for a brand new provider or a vendor, in the event you’re in a position to market to them as an individual, you’re already going to be properly forward of the competitors. That’s included within the layer of dangers that we’re taking, massive or small.

The final word aim is to create social media content material that gives worth to the top viewer or shopper and utilizing emotional storytelling—that’s what folks join with. Inside social, you need to study quick. It’s important to perceive what early indicators occur and the way to leverage or weigh them.

I believe again to constructing the Touring Unicorn to a fairly large account within the early days of Instagram, I acknowledged these indicators rapidly. I examined and experimented loads with the Touring Unicorn, MeUndies and Canoo. All of the wins and learnings from these experiences has given me the insights and confidence to proceed to take dangers.

Are you able to converse to balancing quantitative and qualitative knowledge when sharing insights with social groups?

Sure, metrics are nice, however you want layers. I believe follower progress, impressions after which the well being of these impressions primarily based on engagement price ought to all the time [be considered, but don’t harp on them].

Typically you’ll have a type of posts the place you’re like, “That is going to crush. We nailed the artistic.” That publish goes stay and 24 hours later it’s approach beneath efficiency expectations, however there is likely to be a sign or two inside it that provides you some concept to maintain going.

There may very well be a remark that basically touched any individual. Each time there’s a remark with that optimistic sentiment, there’s most likely a handful (if no more) of those that thought the identical, however they only didn’t remark.

You all the time need to have that steadiness between quantitative and qualitative knowledge with any type of social reporting. It’s actually robust in any side of selling to not fall into paralysis by evaluation.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Return to your intestine perception. Give it extra time, or do one other take a look at to see in the event you get related [results] or make some tweaks for the following piece of comparable content material.

For the Steve Burns marketing campaign, we had a number of quantitative metrics we had been monitoring, however the validation and success of the marketing campaign actually got here from the qualitative metrics, primarily the feedback and shares and the sentiment inside these feedback and shares.

I’d be mendacity to you if I mentioned previous to the marketing campaign launching that we didn’t ask ourselves the questions, “Is that this an excessive amount of? Is that this going to land with our viewers?” However what gave us that enhance of certainty that it was sharing the artistic with all Flock’s groups to get suggestions, and naturally management was a type of groups. I want I used to be in these government management group conferences when our chief advertising and marketing officer was sharing the scripts after which in the end the ultimate movies. It will have been nice content material capturing these conversations and reactions.

What different recommendation would you will have for advertising and marketing leaders relating to making a social presence?

People who find themselves in social media management positions have been within the recreation for a very long time and so they all began someplace. They began on Instagram, Vine and Fb for firms within the early days.

As you degree up, you begin to get extra faraway from the trenches. Social buyer care, neighborhood administration and social generally is altering each freaking day. Options, tendencies, the way to leverage platforms—don’t take away your self from these trenches, or else social media goes to go away you behind.

My recommendation for folks in social media management positions can be to proceed consuming social media, saving superior campaigns, effervescent up tendencies and interesting with their neighborhood. Preserve your ear to the bottom of what’s occurring.

Additionally, whether or not it’s in your private account or a burner account of some type, nonetheless be on the market creating as a result of that’s the place you may take a look at and study probably the most. Then you may apply what you discovered to your model’s social media technique.

In social, you may solely management what you place on the market. You possibly can’t actually management the way it performs due to the algorithm, what’s in your follower’s feeds that day, and so forth. On the finish of the day, put your greatest foot ahead with the issues you may management, technique, artistic manufacturing, and so forth.

If the content material is predicated on insights, brings your followers worth and it’s pushing your model ahead, then hit that “publish” button.

What recommendation would you give to social media managers who’re within the trenches managing these subtle social presences?

Social media by no means sleeps. So then you definitely suppose social media managers by no means sleep, however I might make the most of the chance of working in social. Social media ought to be enjoyable and it ought to be social.

Do your sweeps, plan your content material, experiment.

Once I inform folks I work in social media, folks will say I’m on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter all day. And I’m and I study one thing new each day. This area doesn’t decelerate and it’s enjoyable!

At occasions social media might be overwhelming and exhausting. I nonetheless have these days even with presently managing the smallest viewers I’ve managed in my profession to this point. Benefit from your notifications settings, leverage the options so that you don’t go loopy and handle expectations along with your supervisor for if you’re on and offline. It’s the very small, granular issues that may give you longevity with a profession in social media.

For those who create these expectations along with your supervisor or group, you’re in a position to disconnect. It’s a grind and all of us have skilled social media dopamine. One thing performs very well, it’s the very best excessive. Two days later, one thing doesn’t carry out, it’s the bottom low—however that cycle goes to proceed it doesn’t matter what.

That’s why I maintain saying don’t over sweat metrics or else you’re simply going to drive your self loopy and hate working in social media.

You’ve worn many hats. How have you ever navigated the completely different challenges in these numerous roles? How did you acknowledge your wins and areas of enchancment?

Throughout all of those industries, I’ve all the time needed to do issues otherwise. Once I got here into these industries—underwear, automotive, freight and logistics—they had been ripe for disruption.

In underwear, the one gamers on the time had been Victoria’s Secret and Calvin Klein. MeUndies was doing one thing otherwise with their males’s underwear subscription. There was a chance to market otherwise. As an alternative of over-sexualized content material and imagery, there was a chance to market by creating neighborhood and connection via physique positivity and a brand new type of confidence. The electrification and digitalization of autos created the chance to be completely different there as properly.

That’s how I determine what manufacturers I work for. If a model desires to be within the sea of sameness, I’ll cross on using that boat.

One thing else I’ve discovered all through my profession regardless of the corporate or business: it’s essential to present worth on social media to your best or present followers. And that’s not by being like everybody else. That’s how I’ve been in a position to navigate and discover success.

I’ll admit, all the time desirous to strive one thing completely different isn’t straightforward and creates challenges. There’s a studying curve for each business and I really like the problem to study the ins and outs as rapidly as potential. Once I’ve modified industries I ask myself: How rapidly can I perceive this area, the ache factors, the advantages and the worth my new firm group affords, and so forth?

Social already strikes quick and with applied sciences like synthetic intelligence (AI), issues are altering even faster. What’s your recommendation for constructing a sustainable profession in social?

Be prepared for change and embrace it. There are instruments on the market that may aid you be extra environment friendly. AI is a type of, in a wide range of capacities.

AI is just like the dishwasher or washer in our houses. Consider all the time you save not washing dishes or garments by hand. Due to these instruments, you are able to do extra impactful issues as a result of these instruments are in a position to do issues a bit extra rapidly for you. That’s how I’m eager about AI.

There’s all of the dialog about AI taking jobs, however I believe it’s additionally going to create a number of jobs. I imagine there’ll all the time be a human factor to social media, however the business will leverage AI like an assistant or software. Social execs ought to be prepared to check and embrace instruments of innovation that make them extra environment friendly to allow them to concentrate on the extra impactful issues.

For instance, within the social sphere, take into consideration managing social media with out Sprout—scheduling posts, listening, all of that. [Sprout] is a software that makes life a lot simpler for somebody in social and I believe AI goes to do the identical.

To study extra about navigating your profession journey, learn our information on what it takes to construct a long-term profession in social, primarily based on recommendation from three social media executives.