Sherry Bailey with Got To Media

Intro: [00:00:05] Coming to you live from the Business RadioX Studio in Woodstock, Georgia. This is fearless formula with Sharon Cline.

Sharon Cline: [00:00:19] And welcome to Fearless Formula on Business RadioX, where we talk about the ups and downs of the business world and offer words of wisdom for business success. I am your host Sharon Cline. And today in the studio I have the founder and CEO of a boutique digital marketing agency. They provide high quality social media management and digital marketing services that produce tangible results for their clients. Please welcome to the studio CEO and founder of Got to Media, Sherry Bailey.How are you doing?

Sherry Bailey: [00:00:48] Good. How are you? Doing great.

Sharon Cline: [00:00:50] I’m so glad you’re here. It’s. I always reach out to people kind of, like, randomly, like, hey, you’d be interested in talking about this. And it was funny because initially you were like, is this not a real thing? Right?

Sherry Bailey: [00:01:02] We get so much spam these days, you just never know.

Sharon Cline: [00:01:05] It’s true. So I was so happy to find that you realized I wasn’t spam, but. And also trusting me, a stranger, basically to come on in and tell your story. So thank.

Sherry Bailey: [00:01:13] You. Yeah. We got to take a little risk once in a while, right?

Sharon Cline: [00:01:15] Heck yeah. Out of our comfort zones. That’s always where I find that I’m never unhappy. That I was brave, you know?

Sherry Bailey: [00:01:22] Yeah. No, it doesn’t matter if you face plant. Either way, you know, you learn something. Don’t do that again. Right.

Sharon Cline: [00:01:28] Let’s hope that’s not the case here. No face planting. We’re going to have the best time. So one of the reasons I reached out to you is because I really find media companies and agencies very interesting, because these days everything is kind of melded together in so many different ways. So I was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how you got to be the founder and CEO of Got to Media?

Sherry Bailey: [00:01:49] Well, it’s kind of an interesting story, I guess you would say. I, I was I had opened a company that did helped businesses get loans. So it was Enlightenment Capital funding. And I went through the same process that everybody does. When you open a business, you go and you have to do the branding and you need to meet with, you know, different. I met with several different marketing firms to put together the whole campaigns. Well, I just kept finding the same thing, though. I felt like I kept asking, like, what? But don’t you want to know about my business? Like, I just felt it was really impersonal, I guess you would say. Well, I was recovering from a pretty major surgery, so I had some downtime and I just started studying it and ended up putting my whole company together myself. I was out meeting with clients and they started asking, who did your website, who did your branding, who did you this? And I said, well, that was me, actually. And they go, do you mind doing mine? And so the next thing you know, I was doing more of the marketing for businesses than I was lending stuff. No kidding. And yeah, so one after another after another. Needless to say, after a few years I was like, okay, yeah, this is probably where I belong. Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:03:06] So how fascinating that you kind of on your own decided this has got there’s got to be a better way.

Sherry Bailey: [00:03:11] Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I just felt like they were they were very efficient. A lot of them. They definitely had this whole streamlined. But I felt like nobody wanted to. And the whole thing was like, it should be personal. It really should be more on a personal level. Because when you’re marketing for a business, you need to know. You need to understand who they are in order to ever communicate in their tone, in their voice, their products, their services. You know, correctly, I would think.

Sharon Cline: [00:03:39] You know, a slightly off topic a little bit, but did you watch Mad Men? Of course. Did you find it so interesting to to kind of see the backstory behind some of the iconic ads that we all know and love?

Sherry Bailey: [00:03:51] I can’t remember off the top of my head, but I do remember watching the show.

Sharon Cline: [00:03:54] Yeah. So like I remember one was about Lucky Strike and how do you market cigarets, you know, and things like that. So I guess you’re right. Just looking at I know it’s a fictional story, but the idea of being able to identify with the company that has a product and be what’s important to that company, what do they want out there?

Sherry Bailey: [00:04:11] Yeah, it’s well, it’s putting yourself in their shoes. But most importantly, it’s what do you buy? Who are your buyers? Who are your end users? And what I mean, what do they do for a living? What do they eat? What do they read? Who are they? Because when you’re communicating the product, that’s who you’re looking at. But you have to know the product first. You have to know what you’re marketing in order to even dive into more of who you’re marketing to.

Sharon Cline: [00:04:34] So you initially started your own company because you wanted to have a different spin.

Sherry Bailey: [00:04:40] Well, I didn’t really mean to, but I just started studying it and I had done I’d been in sales throughout my years, and I’d done several other things, but for the most part, it wasn’t until I found this that I realized I can be really good at something. Like I was really good at it, just naturally. And I was like, Holy cow. So. And I just couldn’t get enough. I mean, I could not get it. I still to this day can’t get enough. So I realized, you know, I didn’t even think twice of it until people started asking me to do theirs.

Sharon Cline: [00:05:08] Yeah. So like do their websites. Yeah.

Sherry Bailey: [00:05:10] Do their websites, then their social and then their this. And I thought okay, yeah I might be good at something, might be really good at this, you know. So so I just kept. Steady and kept doing it. And through the years I just I’ve never been able to put it down.

Sharon Cline: [00:05:23] How long have you been in business?

Sherry Bailey: [00:05:25] So I opened Got to Media in 2018, 17, 18, somewhere around there. But I had had started the whole process back in 2013, believe it or not. And when I built my first site, I guess you would say back in the day. So. So it’s been several years now.

Sharon Cline: [00:05:41] Yeah, ten years, if you think about it. Technology has changed so much in ten years, right? Yeah.

Sherry Bailey: [00:05:45] Talk about talking with, you know, your brand voice. We didn’t even really talk that way back then.

Sharon Cline: [00:05:50] Yeah, right. I guess you’re right. There is like a tone change. Yeah. As well as I’ve spoken to some other media companies where they talk about how much it’s everywhere. So social media having power in terms of TikTok and ads on Facebook and, and Instagram and then Google Analytics, you know, being able to market yourself that way. So I can only imagine what you’ve had to try to keep up with.

Sherry Bailey: [00:06:16] On a daily basis.

Sharon Cline: [00:06:17] On a daily 24 over seven. You know, it’s.

Sherry Bailey: [00:06:19] A revolving door. It’s always changing. I guess I kind of like that, though. I’m I work on that level, you know, I like the, the speed of it, but at the same time it does get a little like, okay, I just finally got and now we’re going to change it again. Like, really? Come on Facebook, stop doing that crap.

Sharon Cline: [00:06:36] Stop growing. Stop.

Sherry Bailey: [00:06:38] Stop messing with me.

Sharon Cline: [00:06:39] So who is your ideal client?

Sherry Bailey: [00:06:42] Oh, geez. Well, I think that. Who is your ideal client? I mean, you know, anyone who’s who’s willing to and ready to grow their business and understands that it’s an investment. Marketing is an investment. It’s not really. It’s a lot of people go, well, I have word of mouth and I think that’s awesome. Word of mouth nowadays is through social though, you know, and and so and keeping brand awareness and so forth. So anyone who wants to grow now I do kind of hone in on a few industries, but at the same time. I don’t really turn away at the same time. It depends on, you know, I don’t usually have to turn away too many people. So I’ve done everything from restaurants to bands to, you know, corporate larger, you know, to medical, to construction, to roofing. So yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:07:34] Girl, you’re.

Sherry Bailey: [00:07:35] Everywhere. Well, you know, I don’t know if that’s the best thing to do because I’ll be honest with you. You need to definitely niche. But yeah, but at the same time I like helping people.

Sharon Cline: [00:07:44] Well, that is the ultimate goal, right? Like you win. They win because they need your help and you know how to do it and you’re good at it.

Sherry Bailey: [00:07:50] Well, if they’re making money, I’m making money. I mean, honestly, if they’re not making money, if I’m not producing enough that it’s not working, then it’s not good for anybody.

Sharon Cline: [00:07:57] What do you think is the most surprising thing about your industry that you think people don’t know?

Sherry Bailey: [00:08:03] So that’s so my my thought on that question is, you know. What would you what would you think that I mean, when you when you look at the that I don’t think people know. I mean, that’s such a I have no idea really. I mean, there’s, there’s quite a few different avenues we can go there.

Sharon Cline: [00:08:19] But would you say that, like if a client came to you and their expectations are much bigger than what you think is realistic? What I mean is that something that you think people don’t really have the pulse on? What’s realistic?

Sherry Bailey: [00:08:32] Well, I think that too many other agencies have set them up to fail. I think too many people give them false expectations, and then when it comes crumbling down, they go. They don’t trust anymore. And I don’t blame them. They’ve been misled. They get overpromised underdelivered. So when they come to me, I go, this is what it is. This is what I can do. I like to do the opposite. You know, I like to overdeliver and under-promise because honestly, that’s kind of like living below your means, you know, never go too far. As long as you know that you can produce a certain level with what they’ve got, you know? So honestly, it’s just about setting proper expectations on what you can produce.

Sharon Cline: [00:09:12] Do you feel like, um. With the with social media being 24 over seven that you’ve had to. Change like it’s no longer billboards as much out in the world or, you know, you’ve had to change to adjust to be more digital, I guess.

Sherry Bailey: [00:09:31] I think everybody does. It’s, you know, I’ve met with companies who have not really done anything digital, and they’ve just they still do the radios, they do radio stuff and sports events or but they really haven’t gone digital. And so, I mean, unfortunately it catches up to you though, and they know they need to, but they don’t know exactly what direction to go with it. So it really just it’s about sitting down and communicating where you are and where you want to be and then putting a plan together because it’s all about the plan.

Sharon Cline: [00:10:06] What’s your favorite? Do you have, like a favorite marketing campaign that you did?

Sherry Bailey: [00:10:11] Um, I’ve had some favorite clients.

Sharon Cline: [00:10:13] Favorite clients.

Sherry Bailey: [00:10:15] I’ve had some. But, um, to be honest with you, my clients have. I’ve got. They stay with me. They’ve been with me from. Usually I have a two year to two and a half year where they stay with me, so that says a lot. Yeah, well, I think so. I think if, if it wasn’t working, if I wasn’t doing my job properly, they wouldn’t stay.

Sharon Cline: [00:10:33] So is there anything that you wish that you had known before you got started in this industry that you wish you could go back and tell yourself? What lessons have you learned?

Sherry Bailey: [00:10:44] Oh, there’s so many. But honestly, I don’t believe in regrets. Like, I’m the kind of person that believes that every single lesson I’ve learned has formed me into who I am today. And so I don’t know if I, I don’t really look at life that way either. I don’t.

Sharon Cline: [00:10:58] I love that though. It frames it as everything has a lesson to learn and it’s positive. It’s not so much negative.

Sherry Bailey: [00:11:04] You can find something out of it, and as long as you don’t repeat it over and over.

Sharon Cline: [00:11:09] What are you watching? My life. That’s exactly what I do.

Sherry Bailey: [00:11:13] It’s catching yourself the next go round. Like I’m not going to just do that over and over again.

Sharon Cline: [00:11:16] Yeah. All right. So I love I love the notion of there are no mistakes.

Sherry Bailey: [00:11:21] Well not to me. I mean, yes, we even if even if you do make a mistake, it’s the worst case scenario. Well, you just learn from it.

Sharon Cline: [00:11:29] Yeah. I mean you say it’s like yeah, yeah. I wonder why it is that I can be so, you know, beat myself up easier. You know, when I do that.

Sherry Bailey: [00:11:39] Yeah, we all do it. I mean, you know, that’s bound to happen. We’re all going to we’re harder on ourself than we are anybody else. But I guess part of I don’t hold on. I don’t want to hold on to things, you know, so especially negative energy. My thing is like, ah, okay, I have to hold on just long enough to not do it again. Right, right. But then it’s time to move on. I just don’t want to live in a, you know, a world where I’m harping on myself or anybody else for that matter. It’s too heavy a to to bear. I think I get.

Sharon Cline: [00:12:06] That, and I think that there’s something really like peaceful about knowing that even even in your industry, as things are changing and you have to learn and continue to grow, and if you don’t know something, you go find it. It’s like there’s a go to attitude about it. There isn’t a oh no, I don’t know. Oh no, this is going to hold me down.

Sherry Bailey: [00:12:23] Right. Well I’m just not a believer in anything holding me down, to be honest with you. I mean, I really don’t I mean, I’ve always said I, my grandmother when I was a kid, where there’s a will, there’s a way. And sure enough, you know, and I just, I really do. If all else fails, I will will my way through it. You know, I love.

Sharon Cline: [00:12:39] That, though, because it’s like, what great words of wisdom that, you know, it’s so simple. But everyone needs a little bit of that encouragement, I think, because I can get for myself in particular, I can get very much into my own head where I’m like, oh no, you know, I don’t know how to do this. I don’t understand anything about it. And already I do analysis paralysis and shut down.

Sherry Bailey: [00:12:57] Yeah, that’s yeah, that’s what happens. It’s don’t get me wrong. I mean, there’s things like, you know, jumping out of a perfectly healthy airplane. I’m. Nope, not going to happen. Right? I’m not. I don’t even want to learn it. It’s okay. I’m not going to do that. But for the most part and I mean, I mean, there’s just about I have taken on I mean, I am the, the the handyman around the house. I am the, you know, the lawn and maintenance I am. And it’s all been just learning and figuring out on my own throughout the years. It’s been like, okay, what can stop me exactly? Except for yourself. Truly, I love that.

Sharon Cline: [00:13:30] It sounds like, okay, what’s the next problem? Okay, well, I’ll figure out how to handle it. Right. Take attitude.

Sherry Bailey: [00:13:36] Yeah, well, I don’t know. Yeah. It’s just kind of a mind frame, I guess. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:13:40] Look at you. And look you did. You created your company? Yeah, a.

Sherry Bailey: [00:13:43] Couple of them.

Sharon Cline: [00:13:44] A couple of companies. Okay. What’s your other company?

Sherry Bailey: [00:13:47] It was Enlightenment Capital funding. It was. Oh, okay. Got you. I went into that business just because I had. That’s what I had known I’d been in lending for for many years. And so I figured, well, I need to do something. I know, not really something I had, you know, again, though, I went at it same similar with got to media. I wanted to help businesses, I wanted to truly help them. And but I found myself in marketing, you know, and the next thing you know, I just I fell in love. I fell in love with all of it.

Sharon Cline: [00:14:15] What do you love the most? The people I was thinking, you said you’ve got clients that are your favorites. And it is about people, isn’t it?

Sherry Bailey: [00:14:22] Yeah, it’s about people. And they inspire me and they they amaze me, their stories, everything about it’s people that probably inspire me. Most of all.

Sharon Cline: [00:14:34] I think that’s what inspires me to especially this, this show, fearless formula, talking to people and finding out what what their stories are. Why do they do what they do? What kind of journeys have they been on? What what things that make us more alike than different are things that I can kind of learn from.

Sherry Bailey: [00:14:49] And that’s marketing in a nutshell, pretty much. You, you have to know who your audience is. You have to understand them. And if you have that curiosity, which I think, you know, obviously you do and I and I’m curiosity killed the cat, but I’m not going to stop being curious. Right. So and I just because of that curiosity and then a part of me is a very creative side combination. And that’s that’s what marketing is.

Sharon Cline: [00:15:13] So do you have would you say that your grandmother was one of your mentors, or do you have a mentor?

Sherry Bailey: [00:15:19] Well, I think that I’ve had several, but one one was an owner of a radio station, believe it or not. Wow, I one of my first jobs was working for 97.7 radio.

Sharon Cline: [00:15:31] Well, you have a great voice, by the way. Just listening to you. I’m like, what? You can talk to me all day like you just do. It’s such a nice sound.

Sherry Bailey: [00:15:39] Well, it’s certainly not a high pitched, that’s for sure.

Sharon Cline: [00:15:42] But I love it either way, you know. Yeah.

Sherry Bailey: [00:15:45] They he he gave me the ropes. He taught me the ins and outs of when you walk into a room and you’re meeting with people, you’re not there to sell them something. You’re there to listen, you’re there to hear them. And if there’s something you can help them with, then fine. But you’re not going in there trying to sell them something and that that, you know, that gave me the foundation.

Sharon Cline: [00:16:05] Well, that sounds so. So when you’ve got a client that you’re meeting, when you come in, you’re not trying to convince them to be with you. You’re actually just trying to hear what they want in their story. I bet they can feel the difference they have.

Sherry Bailey: [00:16:17] I mean, I would assume, I mean, you know, it’s it is about reading the room, obviously, but for the most part, you’re not going in there trying to sell them anything. You know, if you can help people. Ultimately people don’t want to buy from you when you’re trying to sell them something anyway. They they want help if they need help from you, great, right?

Sharon Cline: [00:16:36] So if they have a problem, they want to know what your solution is, but they’re not looking for you to try to give them something.

Sherry Bailey: [00:16:43] And in the same thing, when you’re putting out your digital marketing on social media, you’re not looking to constantly sell. Sell. This is me. You’re looking to answer questions. You’re looking to provide real, tangible things that people find helpful, right?

Sharon Cline: [00:16:59] Like solving a problem. Like, here’s my problem, right.

Sherry Bailey: [00:17:02] You know, so think about what your your people, your your buyers problems are first and then how would you go about solving them? Can you solve them. And you want to put that kind of stuff together? When you’re putting stuff out on social media.

Sharon Cline: [00:17:16] How do you advertise yourself as a media company?

Sherry Bailey: [00:17:23] So it’s kind of like it’s kind of like the my dad, he he owned a construction company, yet our house was constantly it was like the worst. Like, when are you ever going to fix this? My mother would say, well, it’s kind of like the same thing with us digital marketing companies, where we tend to be the worst with our own stuff because we’re too busy doing everybody else’s. Right. So and I and I tend to, you know, I’ve really tried to step up my game more lately, but, you know, I get so immersed in doing my thing, I, you know, I’m a bad example. But no, I put together I do, you know, obviously my search engine optimization is very important. That’s how you found me. Yes.

Sharon Cline: [00:18:04] That is how I found you. So it worked?

Sherry Bailey: [00:18:06] Yeah. It’s working, it’s working. You know, of course I try to do some organic stuff, but I really am. You know, I do a lot with my customers and a lot of stuff on theirs, and. And I don’t hold back. For instance, I’m well known for going the extra mile. You know.

Sharon Cline: [00:18:21] I go the extra mile, look.

Sherry Bailey: [00:18:22] Like everybody says something different, but everybody says the same thing pretty much that she goes the extra mile. I think I just, I go all in. I’m a commitment person, right? So when I’m, when my clients need something and we’re working on their stuff, it is about, you know, a, I don’t like to halfway do something. If I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it right. So and I like to make sure that. You know, I’m not constantly like, well, you know, well, this is going to be this then if I’m going to go, you know, I’m just a giver. I’m a natural giver, I guess you would say.

Sharon Cline: [00:18:53] Well, I like the the idea is that you at least the way I’m understanding it is that you are there, committed to your client. And it’s not about, okay, well, I spent 15 extra minutes and I’m going to bill you for that. It’s more about let me give you your value.

Sherry Bailey: [00:19:08] Right? Yeah. I think it’s probably why they they stick around, you know.

Sharon Cline: [00:19:12] Well, no one wants to feel nickeled and dimed in this industry. I’m sure yourself included, you know. All right. So how. If you had to say the most difficult thing that you’ve had to learn through this process of owning your company, what would you say that is?

Sherry Bailey: [00:19:30] I think what a lot of business owners do, which is delegation and single mothers, you know, I mean, we’re very familiar.

Sharon Cline: [00:19:41] You are right.

Sherry Bailey: [00:19:41] So here we are. You know, we do it all right. We are the one all the be all the no. One, you know, picks up our slack. So to delegate is is really difficult. But it’s so important. It’s so, so important.

Sharon Cline: [00:19:55] Do you have some people that you feel like you can rely on?

Sherry Bailey: [00:19:58] No no no that is a flat.

Sharon Cline: [00:20:01] No, no.

Sherry Bailey: [00:20:05] You know I, I.

Sharon Cline: [00:20:07] Who do you delegate to? Yeah.

Sherry Bailey: [00:20:09] Well I mean well it workwise as I have my projects, obviously I have to bring on, you know, people that for larger projects and I don’t currently have someone full time, but I’ve had people before that were full time and and it was about letting go and delegating off to them, you know, and just have they let you down, you know, in this life, I mean, who doesn’t eventually. But that’s part of life too, is that people are human and they’re bound to do that. But. That’s okay too.

Sharon Cline: [00:20:36] I think that’s a hard thing for me to delegate because I’m always like, I know I’m going to do it and do it right, and I’m not going to worry about whether I’m meeting my deadline because I’m in charge of me. And, well, I don’t want to be let down. I think I struggle with that.

Sherry Bailey: [00:20:47] I think we all do. We all struggle there. However, if you don’t take a risk on people, then they can’t ever come through for you. They’re never able to. One of my hardest things was ever asking for help in general. Forget about it. And then I realized I wasn’t even giving anyone the opportunity that I didn’t realize. I didn’t look at help like I thought, well, if I’m helping, I’m going to be a burden. If somebody if I’m asking them, I’m going to be a burden. I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. And then I realized. I like helping people. You know, I really I like it. And so what if they never gave me the opportunity to help them, you know, and I’m realizing. Okay, I guess come to find out, there are people that, you know, it’s not always a burden to help. Not to them at least.

Sharon Cline: [00:21:30] It’s so nice. It is true because I like opportunities to help, but I don’t like being the one needing help. But then I’m providing an opportunity for someone to have the same feeling. Maybe, I guess. But yeah, it’s a struggle. You know? So much can be on your shoulders. Especially women.

Sherry Bailey: [00:21:44] I mean, women, we really have a hard time with it. They say men have a hard time with us. Women we really don’t like, you know, like we don’t want to ask for help either. So no one really does. But essentially it’s it’s it’s crucial.

Sharon Cline: [00:21:56] Do you feel like there are lots of things in your past that have helped you to skill wise? Everything succeed?

Sherry Bailey: [00:22:02] Yeah, everything. And I think that’s one of the most important things when looking back on on your life in general and to, well, I wish I hadn’t done this or I wish I hadn’t done that, but I wouldn’t be who I am. I wouldn’t be that curious person that I am, or that creative person, or I wouldn’t be that person that’s so in tune with others and all these things that that made me kind of hyper focused and gave me that ability is through all the things that you go through in life. Right?

Sharon Cline: [00:22:29] So I, I think about sometimes the adversity that I have had, just general in a general sense that if I am hyper attuned to things, then it can be considered a negative, but can be a superpower in the right environment.

Sherry Bailey: [00:22:46] Just like most things in life. Right? It can be a superpower. It can be, you know, six one half. Yeah. I mean, it’s nothing in life. Nothing. No part of us is is ever not running at that speed. I mean, you’ve always got these parts of you that can be great and then some that not so much. And that’s okay too. I mean, it really is. It’s okay because essentially it’s it’s you, it’s, you know, you take you take me, you take.

Sharon Cline: [00:23:10] This is where I am.

Sherry Bailey: [00:23:11] This is who I am, and good, bad and ugly. And let’s just hope you think it’s cute, okay? Let’s just hope.

Sharon Cline: [00:23:18] Right?

Sherry Bailey: [00:23:18] Because some people find my odd parts of me actually cute. And. And that’s all I’m looking for. Because if you don’t think it’s cute, then you need to move on.

Sharon Cline: [00:23:26] Exactly. Amen. I would just like to say I love the idea of like, look, if I don’t work for you, it’s totally fine. It’s okay. Yeah. I’m not supposed to. Right? Everybody just the right people, right?

Sherry Bailey: [00:23:36] Exactly. The one that does find all those little things that you do that you know, that you do, but they think it’s cute. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think there’s a groove and there’s something to that. I don’t know what exactly, but there’s something here.

Sharon Cline: [00:23:49] Is there kind of a general mistake that you find that a lot of companies are making in advertising?

Sherry Bailey: [00:23:55] I think that a lot of companies, when it comes to their social media especially, and that’s what I’m, you know, really their website content as well. I think a lot of companies, if there’s one thing that I see a lot of, is that when they are putting their content together and out there, they aren’t putting together for they’re putting it together to sell instead of to for for their audience, you know, to. So, you know, always look at it like when you’re putting your content together and you’re putting your social. Ask yourself these questions. You know, are you you know, you know, the first thing most people want to know is, well, what’s what’s in it for me, right. What’s in it for me? Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:24:33] Why do I need this cup?

Sherry Bailey: [00:24:34] What’s in it for me or whatever? So when you put your stuff together, what’s in it for them? You know, that’s that’s how you’re putting it together. Now I do me, do me, me me. But what are you, you know, what do they get out of it?

Sharon Cline: [00:24:44] But that’s important, I think, because when you’re buying in to something, it’s that feeling of you’re my hero. In this scenario, I have a problem with cups, and you sell cups and, you know, it’s like or whatever product.

Sherry Bailey: [00:24:58] Yeah, yeah. Ask, ask the questions, know your audience, I think. And most importantly, don’t forget the call to action. Right. Nobody knows. You know, what are you going to tell them to do next. You know, go to your website. You know, like this. Share this something. But you know, tell them to do something. Tell them to do something because that’s how we’re going to start interacting. You know, that’s that’s how you’re going to, you know, be able to to really get to know your audience as well.

Sharon Cline: [00:25:21] How important is advertising on Facebook and doing, I don’t know, Instagram and TikTok.

Sherry Bailey: [00:25:27] It’s crucial. No way.

Sharon Cline: [00:25:29] It’s definitely crucial.

Sherry Bailey: [00:25:30] And the reason is, is because, well, how how when you’re thinking about your brand and you know, how will people know, you know that if they’re in the back of your mind somewhere, you know? So when they do need that service, they’ve, they’ve seen you’ve got some brand awareness out there. But if you aren’t, it’s kind of like opening up a business and not telling anybody you opened. Right. It’s like I opened this business, but I didn’t tell anybody. Well, they might have that might be one of the issues there. So so it’s important now most people say, well I start you know, I put some post out there on social and organic is tough nowadays. I mean, organic organic, organic is tough. I used to all I always do all organic. But you’re not going to see instant growth. It’s going to take time. And it’s it’s getting more and more crowded out there. So my thought is, you know, it’s important to run the ads as well, but don’t do them yourself unless you really know what you’re doing.

Sharon Cline: [00:26:25] What mistakes do you see people do that or what is it like someone just standing outside with their iPhone? Like a little ad that way?

Sherry Bailey: [00:26:32] No, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s it’s the there’s 100 different things that go into putting decent ads together that people just don’t know. And of course, they don’t know. That’s not what they do for a living. You know, that’s why you’re here, right? They’re like, I don’t know. And so and it’s my job to spot these things because when I spot it that way, I know if they’re asking me why, I don’t know, I put that together and it just never went anywhere. So I don’t I don’t get it. Well, okay. Let me take a look and see where the holes are. So when I’m able to do that often I’ll find that, well they just don’t know what they don’t know. So it is important to find someone that knows what they’re doing in that area. Just like, you know, I foolishly tried to cut my own hair not too long ago and realized this is not what I do for a living. What was I thinking?

Sharon Cline: [00:27:18] I think people underestimate how important ads are and how important even like voiceover work. I always think this because it’s such a shock when I do a nice intro for a podcast or something, or an ad where they hadn’t had their name or their company associated with something that sounds so professional that all of a sudden there’s an energy, a difference that’s.

Sherry Bailey: [00:27:41] A whole different ballgame. Yeah, it is about the energy as well. And and that’s another thing when people are putting together things, you know, you know, come up with a plan, have a plan. And oh my goodness is that my phone ringing.

Sharon Cline: [00:27:54] No worries at all. Calling me.

Sherry Bailey: [00:27:57] Oh my goodness.

Sharon Cline: [00:27:59] No problem no problem. Listen this is real life girl. You’re a busy businesswoman. Your phone is going to be ringing. No worries.

Sherry Bailey: [00:28:08] But yeah, you know, tell your stories. You know, share your story. You want to connect, connect, connect. So. And it is about the energy. So when you’re thinking about putting your brand stuff together and putting your, your digital marketing out there in the world, what do you want people to feel when they see your your content, your stuff? How do you want them to feel? Not what do you want them to know? How do you want them to feel? Because that’s what they’re going to remember.

Sharon Cline: [00:28:32] They’re going to identify with that. Like that was exciting or that was reassuring.

Sherry Bailey: [00:28:37] Or it’s just how they it’s the same thing in anything. When you meet someone, it’s they may not always remember what you said, but they remember how you made them feel.

Sharon Cline: [00:28:44] Truth. That’s like one of my favorite quotes because and it’s absolutely 100% true. And I know, I know for myself, even if I haven’t seen somebody in a long time, I mean, we don’t remember our conversation, but I remember you were very warm to me, or you always made me laugh or were kind when you didn’t even need to be. You know, those things.

Sherry Bailey: [00:29:02] You just felt something. Yeah. That’s the same thing in the business world of how to market your business. It’s it’s how do you want people to feel when they see your brand? And if you’re not putting anything out there, then, well, they’re probably not going to be able to feel much now. You know, you rely on a certain thing. Now, I personally believe that there’s nothing wrong with doing things the way. You want to do things, but if you want to grow, it’s kind of like, who moved my cheese? You know that book? I love that little book. I read it many, many, many years ago. But, you know, well, how do we how do we get out of that, that we’re going round and round in the maze. Right. And we’re wanting a different solution, but we’re not doing anything different about it. So.

Sharon Cline: [00:29:43] Well, it’s it’s that definition of insanity, you know, doing the same thing over expecting something different. Right. Well why not? But why not? I’m just gonna keep trying until someone gives up. It should be.

Sherry Bailey: [00:29:54] Here. I’m still mad about it. It’s not changing, but I’m still doing the same thing, right?

Sharon Cline: [00:29:58] Yeah. So how do you feel that people are using TikTok to make you feel things? So, you know, because I do watch TikTok and, you know, I get ads. All right. Yes. Problem. But or a good thing I guess in either in advertising world. So what are the strategies that they’re using? Are they trying to get me to be excited or feel nostalgic or.

Sherry Bailey: [00:30:19] Well, it depends on their brand. Right. So they they.

Sharon Cline: [00:30:22] I’m wondering how I manipulated a little.

Sherry Bailey: [00:30:24] Bit. Oh well you’re always you are 100% put the stamp on it, send it to the bank. It’s been done. You are being manipulated on a daily basis from everybody out there, right? I don’t care where you are. You search one little thing like, how do I find a black belt in my size? And five seconds later, everywhere you go, there’s black belt. Black belt. That’s true. You are being manipulated, no doubt. Now the difference is, are they communicating? Are they. Are they trying to, you know, sell you something? Well everybody is and that’s where it is, you know. Is it something that you need. Are they going to steal your money? Probably not. Not unless you actually are buying something that isn’t going to show up. Right?

Sharon Cline: [00:31:00] It’s not existent.

Sherry Bailey: [00:31:01] It doesn’t exist. But for the most part, that’s what marketing has always been. You know, it’s they figure out who you are, right? And they cater to that. It’s been there. Sad. Yeah. Well I know but but I like it.

Sharon Cline: [00:31:14] Well I mean they know what I like and it keeps coming at me. Well there’s Google Google Google. Yeah really it really is.

Sherry Bailey: [00:31:21] It’s amazing. I’m like, do you know me better than me? Yes.

Sharon Cline: [00:31:24] Because now I know. It’s like, what? How did you know? I was thinking about getting a new water heater in the next thing. Did I say that out loud? No. Did I actually.

Sherry Bailey: [00:31:31] Google that or was I just saying that what happened there?

Sharon Cline: [00:31:35] Know how did they know Google? How much does artificial intelligence affect what you’re doing right now?

Sherry Bailey: [00:31:41] Oh boy. So so I am I’m pretty big into AI stuff, so I really, really am. I enjoy it so much and it really does help a lot. And I would advise it for anyone out there too. I like using AIS because it as far as for content or getting ideas, because it’s not going to write everything for you. No, but it can help inspire. And it’s kind of like Google you’re searching. I use it a lot for, you know, when I’m looking for information on topics or industries, pain points, understanding, you know, all these different things. So as I put together my what I call research and development phase of any project, I like to use eyes a lot, the good ones at least.

Sharon Cline: [00:32:24] So when you’re looking at AI and you’re using AI and you are finding out positives about an industry or negatives about an industry so that you can kind of become informed about that industry, I can see how that’s so helpful. But you also use it with copywriting because so many people use it this way. Because I just got started into copywriting right at the moment, that it’s really not necessary to have a human doing copywriting, but it is. I mean, I know that there’s there’s definitely a human touch.

Sherry Bailey: [00:32:51] Of course. Yeah. I mean, now you can tell it to talk like a human. It’s pretty cool. But I mean, no matter what, you still got to go. I mean, you know, it’s if you want it to, no matter what, you know, you need a human, a part of it because it’s going to give you some. But, you know, you still have to do, you know, I mean, no matter what content I pull, I still have to do it myself. I still have to go through it. I still have to, you know, you can tell it to do just about anything, which is super cool. And for research, I love it.

Sharon Cline: [00:33:16] I was going to say I would love that for research to get really the ins and outs of an industry in a very concise way.

Sherry Bailey: [00:33:22] Right. So you can like with ChatGPT the pro, you know, they have where you can search, you know, the, the internet actually with it versus just from up to 2021. But I love Jasper. I’m a big Jasper fan. It’s it’s an AI that, that I’ve had for for quite some time now.

Sharon Cline: [00:33:40] You don’t just use it for your marketing or.

Sherry Bailey: [00:33:43] I use it for everything.

Sharon Cline: [00:33:43] I say. So many people like every part of our lives.

Sherry Bailey: [00:33:47] Somebody was asking me, what is? How do you write something? They were asking me about some size or what did you put the little quote at the end? And I just popped it right in, as if I used to do with Google now. I was like, let me just find out.

Sharon Cline: [00:33:57] Oh, that’s so interesting. So you. So it’s not as much Google anymore as it is not for me.

Sherry Bailey: [00:34:01] No I’m not I don’t know about everybody else, but I certainly am using much more the, the AI searching than I am.

Sharon Cline: [00:34:07] Is AI searching, keeping track of the things that you’re searching so that you can be marketed to it?

Sherry Bailey: [00:34:12] No. Well, okay, I don’t know what it’s going to, but it’s not turning around and spitting it right back in front of me like Google is. No right.

Sharon Cline: [00:34:19] It’s I’m wondering who’s going to monetize it.

Sherry Bailey: [00:34:21] Right? Yeah. Those are those are big things that people are talking about right now. No doubt.

Sharon Cline: [00:34:27] So who knows how much they’re tracking or if they are tracking.

Sherry Bailey: [00:34:31] Yeah, there’s lots of things that we don’t. Well, we know that it’s we know that it’s learning. Right? We know that they’re learning and they need the data. But as far as some of that other stuff, yeah, we don’t we don’t know.

Sharon Cline: [00:34:43] It’s still new right.

Sherry Bailey: [00:34:44] It’s still new. Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:34:45] My voice has been cloned but I don’t like how it sounds.

Sherry Bailey: [00:34:51] Your voice has been cloned.

Sharon Cline: [00:34:52] How cool is that? Yes. To do voice over things, but I sound. It doesn’t sound like it sounds like me, but it’s a very strange version of me, right? Very robotic version. And and I like that. It is, because then I’m like, well, yeah, you still need me. You still need it.

Sherry Bailey: [00:35:05] Yeah. I think a lot of people fear that, and I don’t think they really should. I think it’s actually going to open up some more jobs because there’s going to be there are more happening right now because of it. I think it’s it’s I mean, I personally love it and I think it’s great for, for lots of lots of different things basically. Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:35:24] So how can I help you in any possible way in your industry? I love that I’m able to have a platform where you can get your story out and have people know more about you, and, you know, it’s everybody’s got their niche, like you said. So for me, it sounds like if you want someone who’s going to go the extra mile and someone who’s really going to care and not worry about, okay, well, I’ve spent 30 minutes thinking about this before I went to sleep tonight. So I’m going to start charging you for whatever nickel.

Sherry Bailey: [00:35:52] And dime you. Right?

Sharon Cline: [00:35:53] Yeah. No, but.

Sherry Bailey: [00:35:54] Yeah, if you’re wanting a cost effective, if you’re wanting someone who will genuinely a knows what they’re doing because that helps. But be that more of a like you said, a boutique agency now that’s good and bad to that. And one of the good things, though, is that it allows me to be more hands on. You don’t have to worry about well, I know I asked them, but they said it would be Tuesday before they get back to me about something. You know, like you can reach me. You know, I make sure my clients feel and know valued and that most importantly, I produce results. And I think that’s that’s kind of what counts, right? You want the results? And I and I watch numbers and I want to know the return on their investment. I want to know that, you know, I’ve covered mine. And they understand that this is an investment that they’re going to get back, you know, very quickly and then continue to earn on top of that.

Sharon Cline: [00:36:44] So so I didn’t think about the fact that being a boutique agency, you’ve really got your hands in everything. You don’t have to ferret out to everybody and then hope that or answer to a bunch of different people about a decision that you’ve made. This is your baby.

Sherry Bailey: [00:36:59] Yeah, it is my baby. It is. And it’s, you know, some of the larger projects that I take on, you know, it can be tricky because, you know, I definitely have to do I have to go. Okay. You know, but I make sure to hire the right ones, you know, that come in and I and I, I’ve learned some lessons through the years on, you know, those we all think, well, you know, there’s so much cheaper if I just hire them from out of this country right here. All right, I’m going.

Sharon Cline: [00:37:22] You pay another ways though.

Sherry Bailey: [00:37:23] Oh, but you do, because you got to redo everything you do. And and they don’t understand. Bless their hearts. But needless to say, yes, I’ve learned some lessons. So. So now I make sure, you know, like I, you know. Yeah. We’ve all learned lessons. We all have. Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:37:38] Well, I mean, fascinatingly, I didn’t really think even also about the fact that you do have international options, but it’s not the same as having someone right here in your neighborhood who knows the market so well, who lives in this market.

Sherry Bailey: [00:37:53] Believe it or not, I have most of my clients aren’t even here in Georgia. Some of them are, but a lot of them, they’re in Texas, New York, they’re all over the place.

Sharon Cline: [00:37:59] So that’s really cool. Yeah. I mean, they found you.

Sherry Bailey: [00:38:03] They did find me. They did. They found me on social media. They did. And believe it or not, you know, so a lot of people will use their personal account, you know, and they’ll and so may. But, you know, I try to keep my business on my business because they’re not following my personal for my business stuff. However, most people have found through the personal. And then they said, well, what does she do for a living? You know, so I’d always say, I always tell my clients, make sure to update your personal profile with what you do for a living so they can learn about this. I used to.

Sharon Cline: [00:38:32] Have two Instagram accounts and it was too much for me to keep up with. It was like, well, some of them, they overlap, you know? So I just got rid of that. Now it’s just me. But it’s an odd thing to be a brand as well as here’s my kids, you know, and this is what I’m doing this weekend. And it’s very odd. It is.

Sherry Bailey: [00:38:50] Well yeah, it is odd. Now I do keep things pretty, you know, I, I guess because when you’re, when you look at my personal profile, it’s a public profile. So I try to make sure that, you know, I don’t I don’t put a lot of kid stuff on there. You know, I watched something the other day terrified me. It was like, now they know where your kids go to school, you know, all this things. And I was like, Holy Mother. Yeah. Like what? So I do put, you know, like, as long as there’s nothing in the background that anybody can trace and track. And I thought, well, there’s some there are bad people out there.

Sharon Cline: [00:39:18] Very bad. Unfortunate. It is unfortunate. That’s the best way to put it. Oh my goodness.

Sherry Bailey: [00:39:23] I didn’t know. You know, I’ve been told many times, like, you know, you just don’t have that thing inside of you that warns you, like I don’t. I trust people and I believe in people. I always, I just don’t think the worst. It’s just not in me until you got to really prove me wrong to be like, yeah. And so I until I watched that, I was like, oh my goodness, let’s just pray.

Sharon Cline: [00:39:44] I don’t know if that’s the right thing to say, but like, just I don’t know, believe that, you know, the bad things maybe. Or you’ll be able to handle whatever does come. I think that’s one of the.

Sherry Bailey: [00:39:52] Most important things to ever realize is that you can handle it in the end. God never gives you more than you can handle.

Sharon Cline: [00:39:59] I believe that so far. Yeah, it’s been true. You know.

Sherry Bailey: [00:40:02] There’s many times that I’m like, I don’t know, this.

Sharon Cline: [00:40:05] Might be.

Sherry Bailey: [00:40:05] Really you know, you really are testing me, you know? And my grandmother used to say, well, you know, he never gives you more than you. And he must really have something in mind for you because he’s been testing you, man. And I thought, does he really know? Or is he just like to test me? He just really likes to test me. Danny, what do you do?

Sharon Cline: [00:40:22] How do you balance your life now that everything can be 24 over seven? Like, what do you do to make personal time personal and not always be on? Because it is up to you. It is.

Sherry Bailey: [00:40:33] It is.

Sharon Cline: [00:40:34] Um, what are some strategies?

Sherry Bailey: [00:40:37] So I want to be honest, I got into gardening, so I did I built my own garden and and it was it’s kind of my, my, you know, before it got cold outside, it was my escape. I found I have hobbies, you know, so these projects that I do from, you know, making like a behind the couch table, you know, and building stuff, you know, that’s amazing. Give me some tools from, you know, give me some tools and some lumber and you know, and I just go at it. So I would say my projects, my hobbies, you know, that you can’t be.

Sharon Cline: [00:41:10] On the phone and hammering or whatever, or gardening. You need both hands. Well, I just leave.

Sherry Bailey: [00:41:14] The phone, you know, I’m not one to. I mean, obviously as a business owner, we have to keep our phones with it. But I will put that thing down in a heartbeat and be like, nope, you don’t get to play with me anymore. I’m going to go. Is it a.

Sharon Cline: [00:41:24] Challenge or are you good at it?

Sherry Bailey: [00:41:26] I’ve become very good at it because I would get distracted so easily, you know. So if I, if I allow myself that, then I would never finish anything so true. If I allow myself to constantly be shiny.

Sharon Cline: [00:41:39] Ball syndrome is what I call it, like squirrel, squirrel, squirrel, squirrel. Yeah, right.

Sherry Bailey: [00:41:43] That’s been my nickname several times for years. Squirrel. So? So yeah, if I allowed myself that, I would be all over the place. And so I have to I have to just, you know, I have to take that time to finish projects. I have to take that time for myself. I’m not super good at it, but I do try.

Sharon Cline: [00:41:59] Well, being a business owner, isn’t that that fear that, you know, if I don’t answer this call, they’re going to go to somebody else?

Sherry Bailey: [00:42:04] Yeah. I mean, I think that, yes. But I mean, if you don’t actually take that time for yourself, then you know, how how can you? They say, how can you be great for anybody else if you’re not good to yourself?

Sharon Cline: [00:42:16] It’s true. But I have that fear in terms of the voiceover world, because I can audition 24 over seven, you know? And so if I don’t do these auditions, if I’m not disciplined enough with it, someone else will get this job. And so it’s up to me. So there is a feel feeling I have of hurry. I don’t know if that’s the right word. Hurry.

Sherry Bailey: [00:42:35] Yeah. Feeling like if you don’t, somebody else will, you know. Yes, a fast paced, a fast. And I know.

Sharon Cline: [00:42:40] Some things are meant to be mine. If they’re meant to be mine, they’ll be mine. And I do have some peace in that. But I always have a feeling of you’ve got to be. You’ve got to be hustling.

Sherry Bailey: [00:42:49] Yeah, you have to be hustling, no doubt. But but you have to also, I mean, for me, like I look at it like, okay, I’ve got I have to take everything in stride. So if I’m going to do something even good, bad or ugly, I’m only going to do I’m never going to go an extreme, you know, I think no extreme. So now that doesn’t make me the best athlete. No, because I’ve never I’ve never been one to go chasing balls around a corner. You know, it’s just not me to do that. So I’m like, throw a ball at me. It’s either going to hit me right in the forehead or go flying. It’s like, knock something down because I’m not chasing that. I’m not chasing the ball. So but when it comes to, you know, being competitive and making sure that you’re on top of your stuff, you know, design that, that time frame, this is the time I’m going to do it. This is my commitment. And then this is the time I’m going to reserve for me so that I can be the best so that I can provide the services so I can do the voice so I can do it as well as I can. I need to decompress or reboot or, you know, clear your mind. Well, I.

Sharon Cline: [00:43:48] Know when I do that I generally am happier, like in every aspect of my life, you know, it’s not just my work life, but everyone else is happier when I feel more balanced. I know that’s true. I mean.

Sherry Bailey: [00:43:58] It’s an energy, right? We put that energy out in the world and whether or not we’re, you know, whatever we feel. So let’s say you’re job hunting like crazy and looking for everything. But if you’re in this, this wound up state inside, you know, that’s what you’re projecting to the world around you, right? Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:44:13] True. And I do I do think so much of it is energy.

Sherry Bailey: [00:44:15] Oh it is, I mean, to me at least. Yeah. You can feel it off somebody walking in the room like, oh my lord. Yeah. You ain’t happy are you, darling? Sorry.

Sharon Cline: [00:44:24] Do you ever see ads or marketing where you’re just like, I could have done so much better. Because. Because I do. Sometimes I’ll hear, like a voiceover. Or there’s one that keeps playing all the time. And I hear it on WSB and I’m just like, this is a horrible app, and it kills me. But I don’t know. I was just curious if you ever do that because I don’t know.

Sherry Bailey: [00:44:42] Yeah, no, I don’t. I guess the way I look at it is I’m usually looking at it like, what was your goal here? You know, I’m looking for their goals and what they were trying to accomplish. And I and I usually see okay, I see what they were going with it. So usually I’m looking at it like, if could I have helped them, you know, could I have helped, you know, if they. But I don’t know, I usually just look at it like, okay, but I guess I do see some stuff once in a while where I’m like, wow, what in the world were you doing? What were you doing? You just like, spit that right on out there for the whole world to see, you know, like, yeah. But for the most part, I don’t. I’m just looking to see if I can help.

Sharon Cline: [00:45:20] You know, that’s such a nice attitude here. I am all critical. This is a horrible idea. And you’re like, oh, I could have helped. I would love to know if I could help. That’s so sweet. I need to change my ways.

Sherry Bailey: [00:45:30] No, that’s not well. I actually am too sweet for my own good, but, you know. But at the same time, I guess I’m just. I don’t. Because most of the time when people are doing this, they are trying. They’re trying to figure out, you know, they’re small businesses and they they don’t have the marketing person on staff. They don’t know that they even have someone in their price range, probably out there. So they’re trying to wing it. And I’ve been there. I was that small business when I first started out trying to figure it out, so I know what they’re going through. So usually I see it from a much more empathetic, probably so nice.

Sharon Cline: [00:46:01] Well, I think that’s important to note that you don’t have to spend thousands and thousands of dollars to have an effective ad out there in the world.

Sherry Bailey: [00:46:07] No you don’t. I mean, you do have to ask the right questions and and hopefully have that person that you can contact and be like, hey, this is what I’m thinking about doing, you know, just even it. Yeah, yeah. Just talking to someone who knows, you know, that industry often can help alone. Yeah.

Sharon Cline: [00:46:24] Well, if anyone wanted to get in touch with you, what is the best way?

Sherry Bailey: [00:46:28] So, you know, email, text call. Yeah. Go ahead. If I can’t answer, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. But yeah. So it would be Sherry at got to dot Media.com. And that’s goto media.com. And you can go to my website goto media.com as well. And (678) 274-8505 is the company number.

Sharon Cline: [00:46:54] So I hope lots of people come and visit with you and get to know sort of why you do what you do. And clearly on this, this interview, it’s been so nice to understand not just that you want to help people, because obviously we’re all trying to help each other. Right? And we should be. Yeah, well, we’re making money. Everybody wins. Like, you have a service and this is what I need. But you also really have your finger on the pulse of what’s really important, clearly. And and you have results to prove it. So yeah. So that’s.

Sherry Bailey: [00:47:22] That’s that’s the good part. Right. And I make you money okay. I make you.

Sharon Cline: [00:47:26] Money. Win win win. That’s my favorite.

Sherry Bailey: [00:47:29] I’m not making you money. Then it ain’t going to work anyway. Now is it.

Sharon Cline: [00:47:33] So true no one will be happy. But clearly this is this is the right spot for you. And I’m so grateful that you were able to come in today and chat with me about everything that I don’t know about the media world. And yeah, I hope some people give you some, like a little heads up.

Sherry Bailey: [00:47:48] Yeah, well, hey, I’ll take a look at your stuff too while I’m here.

Speaker3: [00:47:51] Oh, girl.

Sharon Cline: [00:47:52] We help each other. Yeah, exactly. So nice. Well, thank you again for listening to Fearless Formula on Business RadioX. And again, this is Sharon Klein reminding you that with knowledge and understanding, we can all have our own fearless formula. Have a great day. All right.