Rebecca Cramer is Founder and CEO of LOUD Marketing

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[00:00] SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Canada's Podcast, the number one podcast for entrepreneurs by
[00:06] SPEAKER_00: entrepreneurs. Hello and welcome to Calgary's Podcast on Canada's Podcast
[00:12] SPEAKER_00: network. I'm your host Mario Toniguzzi and joining me today is Rebecca
[00:16] SPEAKER_00: Kramer who is founder and CEO of Loud Marketing in Calgary. Thanks for
[00:22] SPEAKER_01: joining us today, Rebecca. Thanks so much Mario. Thanks for having me. Well let me
[00:27] SPEAKER_00: just start by asking you what is Loud Marketing and what do you do? For sure. So at
[00:34] SPEAKER_01: Loud we're a digital marketing agency and we have a small team located here in
[00:42] SPEAKER_01: Calgary so prior to COVID we had an office that we got to go to and now we're
[00:50] SPEAKER_01: all kind of working from home which is a bit of a change but I mean it we've
[00:55] SPEAKER_01: adapted and adjusted and and changed the way we do things. We support like our
[01:01] SPEAKER_01: clients are small to medium businesses not necessarily just specifically in
[01:06] SPEAKER_01: Calgary. So what do you do for them? Oh for sure. So we provide digital marketing
[01:11] SPEAKER_01: services so anything from social media to website design and my own self so
[01:20] SPEAKER_01: my team helps me with a lot of the tasks. My own self I look after LinkedIn and
[01:27] SPEAKER_01: we also help our clients with LinkedIn as well. Well it's an amazing tool but
[01:32] SPEAKER_00: yeah. And you had some interesting news to share about LinkedIn? Can you tell me
[01:38] SPEAKER_01: what's happening there with you? Yeah for sure. So recently I'm just within the
[01:43] SPEAKER_01: last couple weeks I was approved for LinkedIn Live. So LinkedIn Live is
[01:49] SPEAKER_01: available to people who apply and I'm not actually sure the limited the limited
[01:56] SPEAKER_01: amount of people that have access to it but it's kind of exciting you know
[02:00] SPEAKER_01: trying to think of of what I can do to provide value to my connections on LinkedIn.
[02:06] SPEAKER_00: Okay and how long has Loud been around? So I started Loud about five years
[02:13] SPEAKER_01: ago now and prior to that I was you know working for working in a corporate
[02:20] SPEAKER_01: company and decided that I would that I that I wanted to be on my own and do my
[02:26] SPEAKER_01: own thing and it started with just me and and and once it got busy too busy for
[02:32] SPEAKER_01: my own self I I hired and grew and and here I am today still going at it and I
[02:39] SPEAKER_00: love it. And what's the significance of the name? In capital letters too right?
[02:44] SPEAKER_01: Loud. You know when I was trying to think of a name I was just trying to
[02:49] SPEAKER_01: think of you know what does what does it mean to stand out or what you know
[02:54] SPEAKER_01: what how how can you differentiate yourself how can you stand out and being
[03:00] SPEAKER_01: loud is obviously one of them and sometimes I tend to be so. So in the area
[03:06] SPEAKER_00: that you're in obviously how important is it especially now for you know
[03:11] SPEAKER_00: businesses are challenged in these trying times to get their message out to
[03:18] SPEAKER_00: get their word out. How is it important is it for them to to embark on digital
[03:24] SPEAKER_00: marketing strategies and campaigns in that area? I mean especially now more than
[03:31] SPEAKER_01: ever we're able to communicate just the same way we are right now on Zoom prior
[03:38] SPEAKER_01: to COVID it wasn't so acceptable people weren't forced into this and so the
[03:44] SPEAKER_01: nice thing about that means that we have the we all have the opportunity to do
[03:47] SPEAKER_01: business with people all over the world and so being able to communicate
[03:52] SPEAKER_01: your why to to people who might potentially want your services and that's
[03:58] SPEAKER_01: what that's what we help our clients do we help our clients tell the story and
[04:03] SPEAKER_01: to their potential customers or clients as to why they can solve a problem. When
[04:09] SPEAKER_00: you look at the digital world and especially social media if if you're a
[04:14] SPEAKER_00: company and you're not doing that you're pretty much toast in this world aren't
[04:19] SPEAKER_01: you? Exactly so in the olden days it used to be you know just yellow pages
[04:25] SPEAKER_01: right and then came websites and and if you're you know it was if you didn't
[04:30] SPEAKER_01: have a website then you pretty much didn't exist but the reality is that now
[04:35] SPEAKER_01: people go on to social media specifically looking for businesses that they're
[04:40] SPEAKER_01: familiar with or services and if you're not there you know pretty much like you
[04:44] SPEAKER_00: don't exist. What do you tell businesses you know that you know especially now
[04:49] SPEAKER_00: maybe a lot of them you know are cutting costs right so they cut and a lot of
[04:55] SPEAKER_00: times marketing seems to be an area that they they cut which personally I just
[05:01] SPEAKER_00: think is a stupid mistake. So what do you all business how do you argue not
[05:08] SPEAKER_00: argue with them? Present a case that you know this is the last thing you should
[05:12] SPEAKER_01: be chopping from budgets these days. So there actually was is a story that that
[05:19] SPEAKER_01: Kellogg's increased their marketing budget in a down economy and now that's
[05:25] SPEAKER_01: that's the name that we know and who knows about the other brand. In a down
[05:30] SPEAKER_01: economy people are decreasing marketing so if you think about what that
[05:34] SPEAKER_01: leaves for you it leaves more more more of the pie so by increasing your
[05:40] SPEAKER_01: marketing and reaching the people who might be changing the way that they
[05:44] SPEAKER_01: shop based on what's going on in the world right now changing changing what
[05:50] SPEAKER_01: they're shopping for. There's so much opportunity that if you if you cut your
[05:55] SPEAKER_01: marketing you're basically like turning off the lights and closing the curtains
[06:00] SPEAKER_01: and locking up. For businesses that are struggling that that you know maybe are
[06:06] SPEAKER_01: considering canceling their marketing or decreasing their marketing there are
[06:10] SPEAKER_01: some things that they can do themselves to make sure that they're that they're
[06:14] SPEAKER_01: present and visible and that's one of the most important things making sure
[06:18] SPEAKER_01: that people know that you're still open and that you have products or services
[06:22] SPEAKER_00: to sell. Yeah because I guess you know I always say to people unless you showed it
[06:28] SPEAKER_00: out you know to the world that you're there how do people know you're there
[06:33] SPEAKER_00: right? Yeah exactly exactly. What's your sense of the you know the mood of
[06:40] SPEAKER_00: Calgary and Calgary and businesses these days considering everything that's
[06:46] SPEAKER_01: going on? I think that what a lot of what we're not really talking about a lot of
[06:52] SPEAKER_01: us are not talking about the fact that all these brand new entrepreneurs that
[06:57] SPEAKER_01: they weren't they didn't have so they've been laid off and now they they'd still
[07:03] SPEAKER_01: have you know a little bit of income and they're they're stuck at home so
[07:09] SPEAKER_01: they're looking for jobs but also starting new businesses and so I I actually
[07:14] SPEAKER_01: think you know from a perspective of a business owner in Calgary there has
[07:20] SPEAKER_01: certainly been massive changes but also massive opportunities. What do you
[07:28] SPEAKER_01: like Rebecca about being an entrepreneur? Oh about being an entrepreneur you know
[07:34] SPEAKER_01: what I used to think I used to think that I would have so much free time to just
[07:39] SPEAKER_01: you know I saw I saw something today about entrepreneurs leave a 40-hour work
[07:45] SPEAKER_01: week to go and work 80 hours for themselves you know so what do I like about
[07:49] SPEAKER_01: being an entrepreneur? That's you know that's a really hard question I think what
[07:53] SPEAKER_01: I like about what what I do specifically what I do is that I learn from
[07:58] SPEAKER_01: everyone on my team like on a regular basis and they learn from me and when we
[08:05] SPEAKER_01: can see the results for a client where they're growing their business where
[08:09] SPEAKER_01: where they're successful because of things that we've done that's that's
[08:15] SPEAKER_01: really exciting for me and when it comes to having a team and knowing that I'm
[08:23] SPEAKER_01: that I'm helping these people pay rent and pay for groceries you know it's
[08:28] SPEAKER_01: really exciting that I'm still able to do that right now. Yeah interesting what
[08:33] SPEAKER_00: you brought up in terms of the hours because that's the one thing I found for
[08:37] SPEAKER_00: myself personally as an entrepreneur myself right is that you really have two
[08:43] SPEAKER_00: jobs don't you like your one job is what you actually do right and business that
[08:49] SPEAKER_00: you're in and the other job is is the business itself and and and marketing it
[08:56] SPEAKER_00: and selling it and getting customers and sales etc etc. Is that something you
[09:03] SPEAKER_00: think a lot of entrepreneurs don't really understand until they actually get
[09:07] SPEAKER_01: into it? I think a lot of business owners get into a business because they're
[09:13] SPEAKER_01: passionate about what that business is but they don't really they don't
[09:18] SPEAKER_01: necessarily realize that you have to you have to make cold call if you're if you
[09:22] SPEAKER_01: have no business you have to pick up the phone and dial or you have to you
[09:26] SPEAKER_01: know set up your marketing or you have to you know do your finances or whatever
[09:31] SPEAKER_01: the case might be you have to I guess figure it out as you go along but in most
[09:36] SPEAKER_01: cases you know after a while you're able to hire people to help you with that.
[09:42] SPEAKER_00: Yeah what is it that you don't like about being an entrepreneur? Being an
[09:46] SPEAKER_01: entrepreneur I would say that being an entrepreneur can get it can get a little
[09:50] SPEAKER_01: bit lonely just because you're the only one in your team you're the you're the
[09:55] SPEAKER_01: only one and so sometimes it's you know when you're when you're working for
[10:00] SPEAKER_01: a corporation it's you know easier to have peers that you can rely on or other
[10:05] SPEAKER_01: support and I wouldn't change it for the world but there's I would say that
[10:11] SPEAKER_01: would be the the one thing that is a little challenging. So over the years I'm
[10:18] SPEAKER_00: being on entrepreneur I was wondering is there something that you either been
[10:23] SPEAKER_00: told or read or heard that would be a great piece of advice for being an
[10:29] SPEAKER_00: entrepreneur what's something resonate with you over that time? That's a hard
[10:35] SPEAKER_00: question something that I've been told. I like you're fine above your head
[10:40] SPEAKER_01: there the thing outside the box. Yeah it's I mean it's important too if you get
[10:46] SPEAKER_01: stuck on a process and it's not working you you have to think outside the box
[10:51] SPEAKER_01: there's no option not to. When it comes to something that someone has has
[10:57] SPEAKER_01: told me about being an entrepreneur I don't know that there's something
[11:01] SPEAKER_01: specific that that I've heard but what I would say is even though one day
[11:08] SPEAKER_01: might be the worst day of your whole of your whole experience it's it will just
[11:14] SPEAKER_01: keep going getting better and better and better you just have to keep being
[11:19] SPEAKER_00: passionate about it and keep going. How do you not get I guess sucked into just
[11:25] SPEAKER_00: into that negativity right especially now right with everything that's going on
[11:30] SPEAKER_00: here in Calgary especially so how do you not get trapped into that? You know I
[11:38] SPEAKER_01: do keep myself pretty busy I actually enrolled in a sales training course so
[11:44] SPEAKER_01: that it's it's actually with other entrepreneurs and so it's an
[11:47] SPEAKER_01: opportunity for us to also network so that I that I'm not feeling so lonely all
[11:52] SPEAKER_01: the time and so I would say that that is really helping me a lot and the other
[11:58] SPEAKER_01: thing that I've found actually makes a difference is you know eating properly
[12:04] SPEAKER_01: getting enough sleep you know working out it sounds like yeah yeah we should
[12:09] SPEAKER_01: all do that but it it actually makes a difference it actually makes a difference
[12:13] SPEAKER_00: for me. That's true it's big right at you know you see all these reports these
[12:19] SPEAKER_00: days about people you know mental health there's big issues right now but
[12:24] SPEAKER_00: obviously and just health problems right now so I would say you know what you're
[12:30] SPEAKER_00: saying is extremely important how do you find the discipline I guess in a
[12:35] SPEAKER_00: busy schedule like you have to do that though. So four weeks this is my fourth
[12:41] SPEAKER_01: week I actually started I started waking up at 4 a.m. Oh wow so I I know that
[12:49] SPEAKER_01: that's that sounds crazy previous to that I was waking up at 5.30 so it's not
[12:54] SPEAKER_01: that much of a difference but I get four extra hours of the day that are the
[13:00] SPEAKER_01: most efficient well spent hours versus staying up till one o'clock trying to
[13:06] SPEAKER_01: get the same thing done and being distracted and on social media and whatever
[13:10] SPEAKER_01: else I'm sleeping at 12 o'clock at night. Well you know what it's funny you say
[13:15] SPEAKER_00: that because I'm the same way because where it is it is I was up at 4 this
[13:19] SPEAKER_00: morning working as well but I always find that that's an uninterrupted time where
[13:25] SPEAKER_00: you can focus and really do a lot of work right. Yeah it's exciting like I I wouldn't
[13:31] SPEAKER_01: if you would have asked me if I would want to try it like any time prior to
[13:37] SPEAKER_01: now I would have said not a chance but I I don't think I'll go back like it's
[13:42] SPEAKER_01: part of my routine it's part of my that's the other thing that's helped me a
[13:45] SPEAKER_01: lot is making sure that just because I work from home I still am pretending that
[13:51] SPEAKER_01: I am going into the office I'm getting myself dressed I'm you know setting myself
[13:56] SPEAKER_01: up for the day I have a different space to work than my bed or the couch because
[14:03] SPEAKER_01: I think a lot of everything that we do especially for work is is mindset you
[14:08] SPEAKER_01: have to make sure that you're in the right frame of mind in order to be be ready
[14:13] SPEAKER_00: for the work the work at hand. It's a great point you bring up because I
[14:18] SPEAKER_00: remember having this discussion with a friend of mine and business partner
[14:22] SPEAKER_00: right and he he always liked the fact that even if he was not working from the
[14:29] SPEAKER_00: office he dressed up but on his suit and tie because and he described it he was
[14:36] SPEAKER_00: a big New York Yankee baseball fan but he described it like putting on the
[14:40] SPEAKER_00: uniform yeah but on the uniform and you walk out onto the field Yankee Stadium
[14:45] SPEAKER_00: you know you're ready for the game and I guess you're in business right.
[14:51] SPEAKER_01: Absolutely I mean even when even when we're going into the office if we're if
[14:55] SPEAKER_01: we're not dressing to the role that we're that we want to portray ourselves it
[15:00] SPEAKER_01: doesn't make us feel that way it doesn't make us feel like we should be in that
[15:04] SPEAKER_00: role so yeah so with all the time that obviously that you spend at work do you
[15:10] SPEAKER_00: think you have a work like balance at all or I'm not the right person to ask
[15:17] SPEAKER_01: that question too unfortunately I probably don't have a great work life balance
[15:22] SPEAKER_01: but honestly if you were to ask me what my hobbies were like it would be I
[15:27] SPEAKER_01: would be confused to to try to name off something that wasn't related to work
[15:34] SPEAKER_01: just because it's not just it's not just my job it's it's something that I love and that
[15:40] SPEAKER_01: interests me and so even if it's not that I'm working on something that's that's a task associated
[15:46] SPEAKER_01: with a client to count or something I'm still doing research I'm constantly learning
[15:52] SPEAKER_01: that's the really cool thing about digital marketing is that it is constantly changing
[15:57] SPEAKER_01: constantly evolving and so there's there is opportunity to keep learning.
[16:02] SPEAKER_00: Yeah it's an exciting field right because it just seems like change is so rapid in the
[16:08] SPEAKER_00: whole digital marketing area. Yeah it's I love it. All right super then. Well thanks a lot
[16:16] SPEAKER_00: Rebecca for joining us today. Of course thank you. Okay that was Rebecca Kramer who is founder
[16:23] SPEAKER_00: and CEO of Loud Marketing in Calgary. This has been Calgary's podcast on Canada's podcast
[16:31] SPEAKER_00: network on your host Mario Tonogusi. Thanks for joining us today.