A – Authenticity is being true to your roots while being able to state who you are, what story you are telling, and what you stand for, determining if you can build a long-term presence and resonate with your audience. This is especially true for social media, where you must resist the urge to match the glamorous and artificial lifestyles that are commonly found on these platforms by posting your losses instead of solely your wins. When I first launched my business last year, I noticed that I got the most feedback whenever I discussed my unfiltered and honest beginnings. Even though it wasn’t glamorized like a lot of the stuff we see on social media, people related with my struggle to be inspired and everything else I went through. You must stay true to the core values you established with your brand because that is way more important and realistic than having millions of followers.

B – Branding is understanding what you are going to offer, who you are targeting, and how you can resonate with them. I am huge on colour and meaning, so I made sure there was a reason behind every element I put in my logo. Oasis Integrated Communications is all about finding PR paradise, so our logo is a sun and ocean wave which you can easily associate with a nice vacation. We chose a strong yellow to symbolize prosperity and happiness, with a nice blue to represent professionalism and trust. Everything comes back to creating a memorable and honest experience for your consumers while including that story-telling element that people will connect with.

C – Consistency is more than just showing up, it is delivering worthwhile content. Think of your social media account like your own department store; you need to offer value to your consumers with what you offer and how you engage with them, or no one will want to come back! You must have meaning in every post you make, every engagement you have, and every connection you must create a relationship with your consumers. People will support brands that they trust which can be established and created when you are consistent with the content you create and the products you release.