What are some of the most significant ways that social media has changed marketing today?

Social media has revolutionized the marketing world by forcing companies to connect with customers in real time and on an emotional level that’s not related to products or services. It gave businesses the platform to strengthen their brand story and provides different avenues for real-time engagement, which has also influenced the way we hire and staff. If your business is on social media, customers who reach out via those channels expect an immediate response that’s timely and relevant. If we as a company can’t meet those expectations, we risk becoming irrelevant, so we’ve changed the way we staff and how we respond.

Social media advertising is very different from traditional advertising. With social media ads, you can target a specific audience, craft a compelling message based on that audience’s preferences and deliver the ad at the optimal time for this group. You can also track your ad’s performance and make adjustments on the fly based on incoming data.

What are some of today’s most prevalent marketing trends and which ones have you found to be most promising or effective?

Data-driven creative, which leverages customer data insights, has the greatest potential to impact our overall marketing strategy. Cincinnati Bell is a leader in data analytics, and since joining forces with them last year, we have access to more tools and resources to create meaningful content and offers to very specific market segments. It’s a marketer’s dream, but at the same time, it can be overwhelming as you work to prioritize the segments and balance budget, resources, time and getting the best return on investment.

What are some changes that small businesses without a marketing department can implement right away to increase sales or brand awareness?

Increasing sales and brand awareness starts with knowing your company, your strengths, your customers and your competitors, and training your workforce so everyone is in sync. Every employee should be an ambassador for your brand, whether it’s at company events, family parties or on social media.

What’s important to remember about adding a presence on social media is you need to dedicate time and resources to maintaining it, which means regularly posting relevant content and responding to inquiries in a timely manner. A quick response is a base expectation on social media.

Has studying and working in marketing affected your own decisions as a consumer?

Yes, for better and for worse! I always think about why I got targeted with a specific piece or offer, and when a company really gets it right, I’m thrilled. So much so that, sometimes, I send them a note!

What was the best career move you ever made?

Taking a lateral move to increase my breadth of experience in marketing. With that move, I learned digital media and website development when they were still emerging areas. It enhanced my existing experience in traditional product marketing and brand management and opened up a world of new opportunities to move into expanded roles.

You grew up in the Bay Area and have worked with global brands. In what ways does the local culture affect how you market to Hawai‘i consumers?

Having worked with global brands in big cities, I want to start by saying there is top-notch, world-class talent here in Hawai‘i. No business professional should have an inferiority complex about working in a smaller market here. 

Hawai‘i is a unique market and, as many national companies have found, an ad that works well in mainland states may not resonate here. Being local gives companies an edge but will not overcome inferior quality or poor customer service. At Hawaiian Telcom, we pride ourselves on staying true to our brand attributes, one of which is local. We’re proud of the elements we’ve incorporated into our brand, such as our tattoo designs that reflect our culture and symbolize unbreakable spirit, strong teamwork and unity.

What surprised or excited you most when you first moved to Hawai‘i?

Growing up on the mainland as a first-generation Filipino American, I love how the Filipino culture can be found everywhere in Hawai‘i, from food and festivals to clothing and music. It’s familiar and comforting, and it’s just home to me, although I didn’t grow up here. This may sound cliché, but every day when I drive to work, I look at the sky and the mountains and feel incredibly lucky to live here. There is no place in the world that I’d rather be living, working and raising my family.