MEET MAYARA DeALMEIDA
BOSTON WOMEN’S MARKET
SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
THE INTERVIEW
Written by Boston Women’s Market
BWM: What is your go-to Podcast or book of the moment?
MAY: My go to book is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and my go to podcast is The Life Coach School by Brooke Castillo. Lots of personal development and growth!
BWM: Can you tell us a bit about what led you to begin working in Social Media Marketing? Why small businesses?
MAY: I started working with social media marketing after I got experience in the online world through GirlFriends Boston as well as the email marketing agency I worked with.
After being exposed to social media and how much it can be for a business to succeed, I decided to learn as much as I could about the social platforms and learn more about how businesses can show up strategically.
Working with small businesses exclusively stemmed from the fact that I come from a family of small business owners and seeing their struggle to hire a marketing agency to take care of their social media led me to create accessible services and offers so that everyone could grow their business with social media without having to rely on the DIY method.
BWM: How has the pandemic impacted your business? What are the positives you’ve been able to take-away?
MAY: The pandemic was a huge blessing in disguise for me. I used to be a nanny and when the pandemic hit I got let go. From there I got worried about finding a job because everyone was being laid off and then I got an amazing opportunity working for an email marketing agency. This eventually led me to start my own agency where I focused more on social media. So I am very grateful to have had this opportunity that I believe wouldn't have presented itself if it wasn't for the pandemic.
BWM: The pandemic has affected us all in very unique ways. How has the pandemic impacted your business? What are the positives you’ve been able to take-away?
MAY: The pandemic was a huge blessing in disguise for me. I used to be a nanny and when the pandemic hit I got let go. From there I got worried about finding a job because everyone was being laid off and then I got an amazing opportunity working for an email marketing agency. This eventually led me to start my own agency where I focused more on social media. So I am very grateful to have had this opportunity that I believe wouldn't have presented itself if it wasn't for the pandemic.
Keep your account authentic, try to learn about your audience and serve them instead of trying to have them serve you.”
BWM: What is the one Social Media resource you wish more small businesses tapped into? Is there a social media "golden ticket"?
MAY: There is no social media golden ticket because every account is different, every goal is different when businesses start implementing social media so there really isn't one way to "make it". One resource I always urge people tapped in to is their community. Social media is all about connecting with your target audience in a strategic way. This means understanding their needs and pain points. A lot of businesses want to use social media to promote what they have to offer without thinking about what the customer needs to hear from you. Making that shift from "promotional" to "community building" makes a HUGE difference in your social strategy.
BWM: What are a few social media marketing mistakes you commonly see small businesses make when they first dive in?
MAY: Common mistakes I see very often include purchasing followers and engagement in order to see higher numbers, making their profile a "storefront" where they only want to showcase their products, and not testing. Instagram has many features and a lot of people like to "stick to what's working" but it's all about experimenting with different content and utilizing the array of options instagram gives us to get creative.
BWM: We think the stories of failure are just as important as the stories of success. Can you talk about a time that you failed in an entrepreneurial venture or objective? How did you face and overcome this failure? What was the lesson learned?
MAY: I haven't had any entrepreneurial ventures fail. The biggest failure came before that. I consistently failed in believing in myself and my potential. For as long as I can remember I have doubted my capabilities of being successful, making an idea happen or being qualified to do something I dreamt of doing. My biggest failure has always been letting my ideas slip by me because I didn't believe I could make them happen. GirlFriends Boston was the first idea I allowed to come off paper but I never allowed myself to call it a business.
Becoming a social media strategist has been the first time I have allowed myself to be called an entrepreneur. where I have believed in my strengths and it has made all the difference.
BWM: How have you continued to manage the growth of your business while also finding time and ways to invest in yourself?
MAY: Managing a service based business can quickly become taxing but one thing I have found that helps me is setting strict boundaries with myself and with my clients. I have work hours and hours that I am off and those are non-negotiable. This allows me to invest in myself through health, time with loved ones, and ultimately leaving me more refreshed to create even better content the following week.
BWM: Do you have a favorite go-to business tool or resource you can recommend to our community?
MAY: My favorite go-to tool is Later. Later makes planning and scheduling content very easy and manageable especially when you have a lot of other things on your plate. Trello is also great for managing and organizing projects and both of these tools are tools that I use on a regular basis with all of my clients
PROGRAMS WE LOVE
BRAND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
Work with May to develop your brand's voice and personality to emphasize their mission and effectively target their ideal audience through facilitated community building.
ALL INCLUSIVE SOCIAL MANAGEMENT
Let us take the reins of your Instagram and Facebook accounts. All-Inclusive Management includes weekly Posts, daily audience engagement, Hashtag strategy and testing, and daily IG Stories.