Digital marketing can be overwhelming. A Saskatoon event provides valuable education in the digital realm, while promoting collaboration and new partnerships.
Amy Rederburg started Social Media Breakfast Saskatoon (SMByxe) last year. During each professional development event, guest speakers share their experiences and insights. Time is always left at the end for networking. “I don’t want this to be intimidating,” she said.
Photo by Amy Rederburg
“It’s not just a bunch of experts sitting around talking about social media. When you come to SMByxe, I want you to feel welcome and know we’re all learners.”
SMByxe helps attendees build strong relationships with digital marketing professionals. Business owners learn new skills for online marketing of their products and services. And, if you don’t feel up to doing your own digital marketing, it’s a great place to meet social media managers.
Rederburg, who works as a copywriter and digital content creator, thinks social media is best done by a business owner as an extension of customer service. “You need to show people you care and that you’re responsive. That’s exactly what social media is for me. It’s just a matter of being there. And a lot of people don’t want to deal with it,” said Rederburg.
Photo by Amy Rederburg
An American digital marketing specialist, Bryan Person, founded SMB in 2007; events are now held in major cities around the world. Donna McTaggart, who hosts sold-out SMByyc meetups in Calgary, inspired Rederburg to bring the event to Saskatoon. Rederburg hosted five events last year. While each one had a different topic, she always provides information on content creation, the heart of digital marketing. She said it’s especially important for new business owners to tell their story effectively; it’s not just about who you are and what you do, but also why you do it.
“It’s a consumable product,” Rederburg said of content. “People are constantly searching for it. If it’s original and it looks good and makes sense, they’re going to buy into what you’re doing. It’s a different way to get people interested in your business.” However, without a background in communications or an affinity for writing, creating compelling content can be difficult. “Small business owners have to figure out a way to become a media house and produce those stories,” she said.
Rederburg has 10 years of experience creating content for a variety of platforms. She admits she hesitates before putting out a social media post to the world and understands how it can make people anxious. “Social media should be accessible, but a lot of people are just so intimidated by it,” said Rederburg.
Enter SMByxe. It’s all about empowering people and showing them easy ways to get started on social media. Each event has strategies for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels so everyone who attends will find value. Rederburg stressed that experts in social media just do not exist. “Social media is so dynamic and it’s changing all the time. As soon as you learn something, it’s gone and you have to learn something else,” she said. “Trying to keep up to it is exciting but it’s demanding.”
Thanks to generous sponsorship, the events which include breakfast, are free to attend. Donations are encouraged as the proceeds benefit local non-profits—Rederburg donated $1,500 from 2017 events. She would like SMByxe to grow this year and is looking for volunteers to help her host events. Sign up for the SMByxe newsletter for information on the next event or reach out if you’re interested in joining her as a volunteer: https://writerburg.com/about-content-copywriting/social-media-breakfast-saskatoon/
