Social media marketing isn’t a new phenomenon. At this point, most businesses realize how necessary social media marketing is to their success. Marketing Insider Group mentions several ways social media can help advertise business products and services. With the right channel and the right content, a business could capitalize on a particular market relatively quickly. One of the most impressive examples comes from Atlanta. Anil Dobani (@anilthejeweler), a former UGA student, is a 24-year-old entrepreneur with a lot of promise. Leveraging Instagram, the jeweler uses his 28,000 followers to help market his custom jewelry business. This article explores his success.
Starting as a Worker
As with most entrepreneurs, Anil had to learn the ropes by working for another business. He had the task of increasing the company’s social media presence on Instagram. While he was helping the company, he also started growing his own brand. Quickly, other companies in the area noticed the budding entrepreneur and offered him a chance to run their socials as well. Over time, he became an expert on both Instagram’s marketing trends and the jewelry industry. His follower count swelled, and among his clientele were some NBA and NFL stars. Their presence buoyed his confidence.
Growing the Business Through Influencing
Anil himself is quite the influencer. However, influencing the same individuals doesn’t bring in new business. As Send Pulse notes, many companies use Instagram as a lead generation engine. Anil uses the platform as a means of marketing his brand but also as a means of establishing relationships with other influencers. His celebrity contacts, for example, are great for visibility in their own follower bases. They can then direct those who want to emulate their jewelry to Anil’s store, where he turns them into bonafide customers through his own marketing savvy.
The Future of the Business
Even though Anil’s skill with Instagram has resulted in lots of business, he still has some plans for the company. He envisions opening up a brick-and-mortar store that will accompany his online presence and allow him to reach out to more customers. While this plan is still to be solidified, he has a lot of time to play with. He’s also looking into building a more robust supply chain and increasing the number of workers he has producing pieces. Social media might be where his business started, but it’s not going to be where it stops. Anil has big expansion plans.
Small Businesses Have a Unique Opportunity
With the economy in its current state, smaller businesses can slip into markets that have been dominated by larger corporations for years. Innovation and the use of technology like social media evens the odds of reaching out to the right customers. Entering a saturated market is a challenge, but even smaller brands can find a niche with the proper marketing. Anil is proof that small entrepreneurs have a place to grow and thrive, even in a market that’s dominated by other merchants.
