Baking For Business Podcast
The Baking For Business podcast is dedicated to helping you start and grow your home bakery business and scale and expand with digital products. We believe bakers and treat makers can earn money in multiple ways by sharing their gifts and talents.
Learn more at https://stan.store/amandaschonberg
Baking For Business Podcast
#Ep 65-: Why bakers should be using Threads to grow their business
If you have not signed up for Threads yet, today's episode will help you understand why you should and how to win on the platform.
Social media isn't just about looking good anymore, it's about connecting in a more profound, real way with your audience. Throughout the episode, we'll have an open discussion about the importance of authenticity and not always having to 'look attractive' on Threads.
In today's episode we will cover:
- How to use Threads to deepen relationships, make more connections and how to create content that really speaks to your customers.
- Two brands that I am currently loving and how they use Threads
- What mindset behaviors to change if you feel Threads wont be your cup of tea
Enjoyed this episode? Tag me on Instagram at @bakingforbusiness and let me know
Don't forget to follow me on Threads also!
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Hey, sweet friends, my name is Chef Schaumburg. I started my baking business with the bottle of DeCerono and one Bundt Cake Pan. Fast forward to today, from news to magazines, speaking on national stages and more. I can truly say that baking has changed my life. So now, as a bakery business coach, I get to help others have the same success. I've helped hundreds of my students across the world in my global membership program create six-figure businesses, mainly from home.
Speaker 1:The Baking for Business podcast is an extension of that, from actionable tips to valuable tools and resources that can impact you as a business owner. I truly believe y'all. We would never have been given a gift if we couldn't profit and prosper from it. So come on, darling. What are you waiting for? Hey, what is going on? Baking friends, treat makers, foodie, entrepreneurs, all of you guys. Come back to another episode of the Baking for Business podcast.
Speaker 1:Today I have a lot of notes in front of me because Threads is out. It is a new app by Instagram and I wanted to go ahead and cover why I feel all bakers, all treat makers, creatives, should actually be using the Threads app. So I created a carousel on social media, which had an amazing definition and also some awesome resources, but, just in case you didn't miss it, today we're going to cover just real quickly what is the what of Threads. But then also I want to get into two reasons why I feel your business should be one there as well, as I'm actually going to share with you some accounts that are already in our industry, that are already seeing really good success with Threads, how you can actually tap into their strategy and use it for their business as well. And then I'm also going to talk to you a little bit about mindset. I'm going to talk about that first to begin with, and then I'm going to talk about it a little bit in the end. Then I'm going to share the future of Threads, or at least what I believe the future is based on what they put out. So let's state that, because I know, like when Reels came out, reels was a big thing and all of a sudden, you see all these people I'm a Reels expert. Like how you're an expert on a particular feature. I have no idea, but any who definitely not saying I'm a Threads expert. However, threads is just another social media platform, and one thing about marketing is marketing is the same all across the globe Any type of activities that you use to promote or to push or to sell your products and services generally. You're going to see a lot of similarities across all of these platforms.
Speaker 1:Real quick, though I don't really want to come at you Mead, but I do want to get on a couple of people's asses real quick. I was actually kind of upset as a business coach, and y'all know how I am. I'm very straightforward. I get to the point at a lot of bankers who had a piss poor mentality towards Threads, and that's all I can really call it or consider it. I've seen so many people say you know us, another app, or I'm not getting on that, or I'm going to get on that for my personal, but I'm not going to get on it for my business.
Speaker 1:And one thing I have to tell you about being an entrepreneur is that the true definition of entrepreneur is a risk taker. Business is a marathon, it's not a sprint, and so if every single time, something new comes around and you have this type of either mindset of negative Nancy or Debbie Downer or something like that, you're going to get left behind. I know so many people. When Instagram started, they were all over Instagram, and even now people said, man, I wish I would have got on it sooner, because in the beginning, reach was amazing or organic reach was great, and then it changed.
Speaker 1:All things do change. Your job as a business owner is to actually keep up with change. You should be trying to keep yourself abreast of innovation, of new technologies, of all the things that are available to you to actually help you build and grow your business. Now did I think, like a lot of other people, oh gosh, I hope it's not overwhelming. Of course, I felt that way about the app because, as a business owner, we already wear many hats. But here's the great thing about it Time management as a business owner is your job as well, and so you should always be allocating time in your business for you to actually grow your business.
Speaker 1:And so if you were one of those bakers that were like, oh chef, I haven't signed up, I'm not on it yet, I don't want to do that, I'm on enough platforms as is, remember, it's not necessarily about you. Your business or the purpose of your business is to provide value to your consumers. So if your clients are there, or if people who can particularly try your desserts and have the potential to be. Your clients are there. Why would you not do the things that you have to do, not as a business owner, but also as a leader, because you should be a leader in your community in order to deepen the relationship, to make more connections and to expand the presence of your brand so that you can be there. So I'm not going to stay on that and bitch on y'all for long, but I just will go ahead and call it out and call a spade a spade, because some of you guys did kind of have a little piss for attitude about it. What's going to happen is that if you ever saw that movie left behind, when you finally do hop on threads, it's going to be like that movie left behind. Everyone else is going to be so far and you're going to feel like you're left behind. But hopefully today's podcast will change that. So let's go ahead. Now that I've got that into the way of those were your feelings. Maybe you'll think about it and consider it and talk about the what and the how and how you should be using threads in regards to your business.
Speaker 1:So Instagram released a new app. It's only been out a couple of days already, but per Instagram and every single resource that I'm sharing with you guys is directly from Instagram. This isn't I heard this, or I heard that if you're not following Adam Mazary on Instagram, who's the CEO of Instagram, he's amazing. And then also, you can follow Mark Zuckerberg. We all know who that is. You can follow him on threads and Instagram as well. So per Instagram threads is a text focused app dedicated to sharing text updates and joining public conversations, just like on Instagram. With threads, you can follow and connect with your friends, creators, organizations and more, including the people you follow on Instagram and beyond.
Speaker 1:In short, people have been calling threads Twitter's rival or it's like a version of Twitter. Of course, they were heavily inspired. So, yes, that totally makes sense, and so one of the things that I love about threads from the gate is that and this is one of the things that I think a lot of people looked over there are very few times in history where we as a country, as a globe, I mean threads came out within the first 24 hours and they had 30 million users have actually got to do and learn something together, and so that's one of the things that I want you to consider, if you feel like I'm not a tech person or some of my older people who were like oh we're chef, I already can't stand Instagram. I'm just trying to get the hand of TikTok. The cool thing about threads is that most of the information transfers over Threads also actually let you go back and forth between the threads in Instagram app, so it makes posting very seamless. But there are a few times in history where we've all got to do something together. Now, granted, we all did COVID together, but that wasn't really anything that someone was looking forward to. So the cool thing now is that when you jump on this and when you hop on this now, there are so many benefits to being an early adapter. So not only are you learning with other business owners, other associates, other of your people in your tribe, not only are we all just coming together and just really learning together. We're all doing it together, so you get to watch things as they unfold, and that's one of the great things that I want you guys to think about is that there are a few times where we, as a globe, just get to actually all start from scratch and then all do something and watch something evolve together, and so that's one of the really cool things that I think is so amazing about threads From a tech standpoint.
Speaker 1:What I love about threads is that, if you're worried about sign up, honestly it's less than three buttons. I mean, that's what makes it so great. Your Instagram bio will transfer over to threads and then, as well as your followers, also will be notified, and so when I first signed up with threads, like the very first night, I had like 500 followers and within the first three days, I had 1,000. Not that I'm calculating followers, I'm only just using that as a measurement and a pinpoint so that you can see growth right there on threads is really, really amazing, and so if you're a person that's struggling to grow on other platforms, you might wanna go ahead and sign up.
Speaker 1:Now someone had stated who is a vapor that follows me? Well, I see no use for it because all I do is post pictures of my cookies and my business is so visual. And to that I responded and I told her no, your business isn't visual. You make your business visual because you choose to post cookies and you choose to not show your face, to not share your brand story. I asked her so what's the mission of your brand? She had no. Well, I haven't really thought about that, or what's the mission?
Speaker 1:Too often people sign up and they wanna do a business because their mind is on I just wanna make a quick buck, honey. Business is a marathon, it's not a sprint. And the more you grow in business, what you will find is that you're actually gonna grow on personal development of the character and the type of person that you are, because businesses will challenge you. Especially growing a business is going to challenge you. The hill is gonna be up, down, up down. So I told her your business is in visual. You're making your business visual because all you wanna do is show up and post pictures, because it's easy. But then if you're a person that's doing that, then, on the other hand, you're also a person that's struggling, saying, man well, I wish I had more sales, I wish I had more this. Those sales come with connections. They come with conversations. A reason why so many people struggle with social media is because they're not being social. And so, when you think of this from a content perspective, if you're a person who has yet to do a reel, or you hate doing reels, or you don't like singing and dancing, which you don't have to do any of that to be successful, I never sing or dance on any of my reels.
Speaker 1:You should really look at threads with the attitude of gratitude, because you don't have to do any of that, right? It's tech space. All you have to do is show up and to have a conversation. So why do I believe all bakers, treat makers, booty entrepreneurs should be on threads? Well, there are two main reasons why that I think people are really overlooking, and the first one is threads is an extension of your personal brand. So, before I get into how threads extend your personal brand, I want you to really realize that you are a personal brand. If you're one of those type of people that has your logo plastered as your picture on Instagram or you're always hiding behind your logo, you can only do that for so long.
Speaker 1:As a small business owner, one of the things that you should tap into is the fact that you actually have the opportunity to have a personal brand, meaning that people can know you on a deeper level. I tell my students all the time there are three things that people cannot take from you. They cannot take your success, they cannot take your self identity. They cannot take your what's the other S? I'm trying to think of it as three S's, but they cannot take your success, your accolades, your self identity and who you are. Now, people can take your photos and in this industry, we see people do that all the time. So when people are like the market is so saturated, I'm like yeah, the market is saturated, so how are you going to stand out?
Speaker 1:So the very fact that you, as a business owner, you also have what's called a brand voice, there is a way in which you should show up and talk about your products and services. There is a story that your business should be telling. You should actually be the solution to the problem that some people have. And you're like well, I didn't know, people have problems. Yes, they do. If they want something that's couture, if they want something that's gluten free or if they want something that's elegant. What ways are you showing up? What marketing tactics, what storytelling? How are you showing up to connect with those people, to let them know that you're actually the best candidate to fulfill that order?
Speaker 1:And that's one of the biggest reasons why I think so many people get left behind or they feel like they're drowning on social media is because they're trying to show up and try to hide themselves versus actually putting themselves out there. You know everybody's not going to be for you, and that's a good thing. You're trying to make everybody your damn customer. You don't even want everybody as a customer, right? But when you show up with who you are, when you share your story, your why, why you started your business, the importance of what your business is to you, what does community mean to you? When you put your customers front and display, you can now have more conversations because everything isn't on you. You're more like a connector of people or a champion of people. So when you root for your customers and when you show them all the ways that your skill set, your hands and your service can actually help them benefit, I mean, that's something that's worth having a conversation over.
Speaker 1:Now you're connecting with people on a deeper level, and so that's one of the main reasons why I feel every single baker should be using threads is because it's an extension of your personal brain. Right now, you don't have to worry about looking pretty. Most of the only things you could post are either gifts or you can also post videos, but it's okay to post text, and so this is one of the best times to show up, to start talking and sharing who you are and what makes you different, and actually having authentic conversations with people who have the opportunity to connect with you. The second reason is because threads is another source of lead generation. Every year, I have this free class, a big give back class, where I teach bakers and I always tell them one of the keys to success in business is that you need what's called a lead generation strategy, and so most people lack having any form of lead generation strategy. They do what I like to call hope a post, and you guys have heard me share this on the podcast. Before they show up, they make a post on social media and then they hope that the phone's going to start being off the hook and the calls are just ringing in and then they're going to get booked every single week and in fact, that doesn't happen.
Speaker 1:Instagram and Facebook are not the only places for you to advertise your business. So if you're a person, especially a Christian person, like so many of you guys who listen, are faith-based or any type, and you're always God, I pray for increase, I pray for abundance, I pray for this Hill. He just sent you a new app. Now what is the mentality or what's the attitude that you had about it when it came out. It is literally a free app that's integrated into an app that you're already currently using. So what's the problem? Right, sometimes you have to make sure that the things that come out of our mouth actually match our actions.
Speaker 1:So, when we talk about lead generation, don't let Facebook and Instagram be the only place that you're capturing leads from. I like my students to be on several different sites, majority not even social media, because that should not be the only place that you're relying on orders. However, the more leads we have, meaning that the more contacts we have, the more people that we know about who come into our radar when we capture those leads. Meaning you should be building an email list, and I'm actually going to share with you my strategy for how I've been using threads when we capture those leads, we're now able to bring those people into our world, chef. Why should I have an email list? Well, because social media is in promise. Instagram, tiktok any one of these things can be taken away any day. Now, when you have emails, you actually have the contact information of your customer, so that way, you can send the message straight to them.
Speaker 1:We already know that, when we post on Instagram, only about 10% of those people see your posts, and that sucks right, especially if you have hundreds, thousands, even if you just have 50 followers, for only 10% to see it it should be better than that, but we can't show up and complain about it. What we can do, though, is we can change what we control. The fact that you control your email list means that you should be ABC, always be collecting emails when threads came out. What a lot of people are overlooking is threads actually allows you to put links in your post. This is something that you cannot do on Instagram. You're actually able to talk, to chat, to throw a link in your post and have people go directly to your website. That is another form of you collecting leads. That means that's more people who you can bring into your arena, into your orb, into your world, for when you have your own sales, your own promotions, when you're telling people about your own pop-ups, those are your contacts. A contact is always so much better than any follower across any particular portion of the globe.
Speaker 1:Now that I share my two reasons, my two big reasons why I feel everyone should be on threads. Number one, an extension of your personal brand. And number two because it is another source of lead generation. How exactly am I using threads? I'm using threads with what I call a five to two ratio. Five days a week, I show up and I have a conversation, or I try to have a conversation, but I try to make the least five posts before I actually put myself and my services out there. It's the same way I do with everything else I'm serving before I'm selling or before I'm pitching.
Speaker 1:When you look in terms of content, you're like well, chef, what content do I share on threads? The content that you're already sharing on Instagram and Facebook? This thing could be quotes, it could be pictures of your work. But go a little deeper. Think about all the things locally that are happening right now in your community that you can speak on as a parent, as a business owner, as a neighbor. What are some of the things going around in your area that you feel you want to give your voice to? You say, well, how is that related to my business? Because people enjoy knowing your beliefs and the things that matter to you.
Speaker 1:One of the amazing resources I had was that I'm a member of a leaders network within Facebook. They flew us all out, and last year I got to fly out to DC. I got to go to this big conference from Facebook in which they taught us all these amazing ways to market. What they shared was that, when it comes to Generation Z, about 40% of those people make a buying decision based on people who connect with their core beliefs Whether there's something that you feel passionate about, whether there is something that you advocate on something that's going on. People actually want to know what you believe as a business owner, because 40%, that is a big number of people who make their buying decisions based on the type of person that you are as a business owner.
Speaker 1:I tell people all the time people don't buy products. People buy people. Nike makes shoes Payless, makes shoes right, but we buy into Nike because we feel that it will make us more of an athlete. When we think of Nike, we associate Nike with the greatest right, the most athletic people Serena Williams, michael Jordan. We buy into the vision of wearing this particular shoe or having this particular brand is going to allow us to tap into something greater than ourselves and embody characteristics when really all it is is a damn shoe. It's a shoe to probably cost $15 to make that they charge $250, $300 for us to buy. But it's the brand that we buy into and it's the brand voice and it's the messaging, and it's how they've placed themselves in the marketplace, how they show up to differentiate themselves from a regular shoe that you get from Walmart or Payless or anywhere else. So what messages can you show up and can you share as a business owner? So there are a couple of people who are already doing this really well, which I think is definitely something that you should be paying attention to as well, and a couple of Lowe's brands.
Speaker 1:I just want to pull them up real quick. One of which that I'm loving is actually crumble. So, once you have the Threads app because after this podcast, you are going to download the Threads app, right, and you're going to start using it I can't wait. Be sure you follow me at Baking for Business, but if you follow crumble cookies, crumble cookies is doing an amazing job. On threads Number one, they've already used threads to start having, which I feel every single person should do to start having a giveaway, right. That's another way of how we can serve before we sell. They also use it to list their promotions. So if you're a person that has sales baked sales in your business weekly or bi-weekly, they list their flavors and then they ask other people what are you going to move for, what are you feeling?
Speaker 1:So they're putting conversations around their cookies even before they started selling and putting their cookies and stuff out. One of their posts was just actually checking in, where she simply said hi, how are we doing today? What was the last time you actually spoke to the people that followed? You Just simply said hi, how's everyone doing today? I thought that was amazing. That post alone had over 200 something replies to people people who were saying things like I'd be doing better if I had your cookie, but also other people who were literally checking in and showing this is how I feel today. Someone says I'm feeling great, as they actually showed a picture of themselves in the store. Someone says the sun's out, I'm enjoying the lake, as they show the picture of themselves at their beach. So Crumble is using this to simply talk as an extension of who they are and how they can actually serve people in the local community, and so that's one of the things that I love. Another company that I think that's really using threads very well, is called Savannah's Candy Company and, for all my treat makers and all of you people out there, I believe they're based out of Georgia because I always see them in the airport when I go but they're doing really wonderful with threads, just showing they're behind the scenes, what it is they're working on Again, barring from Crumble and asking people what do you feel will make your day sweeter?
Speaker 1:Like they're really just showing up and just having conversations and before you're like well, chef, how long is this going to take? It only really takes two minutes for you to make a post and you can come back later on in a day. You set a 10 minute timer and then you respond to all the people who post to you, be it on Instagram, facebook threads or wherever. It doesn't really take much time in our day for us to show up and for us to actually talk and connect to other people. So, giveaways that's one of the biggest things that I'm seeing people do on threads in order to get their follower account up so that they can get their message in front of more people, and links linking to one or two things. Number one linking to your email list so that you can get people to follow you directly. Or number two, linking to your sales page If you have a particular item or something that you're promoting at the current moment. And so those are a couple of the things that I want you to think about.
Speaker 1:You know, innovation will always arise, and I'm a firm believer in if it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you. So, as you're a business owner, if you were one of the people that had a mindset that haven't signed up for ThreadJeter, you thought, oh, I don't want to learn another platform. I want to ask you is that mindset getting through closer to growing the business that you actually say you want to have, or is it keeping you stagnant Too often? We always want things to be just like this, they want to be instant, but a business will not give you microwave results Born. A business takes time, so we show up and we plant seeds. Planting seeds meaning that we take actions now and we water those actions and we monitor those actions because we're relying on what's called delayed gratification. I'm gonna do in the now what I know is gonna reap me a harvest in the later, and so I want you to think about that.
Speaker 1:Will you get a sale on threads? Don't know, can't guarantee it. But will you have more people knowing about your business? Yes, absolutely. Brand awareness, brand visibility those are two things that lead to people knowing you in the long run. And no one can buy from you if no one knows from you and most people. That's the problem that you have right now. Your stuff is damn good, but you're unknown and untasted because no one knows who the hell you are. So it's up to you to push your business out there on any platform.
Speaker 1:As far as threads is concerned, some things that people have noticed is someone stated well, when will ads come to threads? Because right now it's just it feels like this big group chat, like everyone is talking, everyone is having fun, and the crazy thing is is that Mark has already said he won't release ads on threads until it hits to one billion. Well, truth be told, at the rate that they're growing, that's not that far off, maybe within a year or so. They've already stated things such as DMs and other features like that that they feel they will be adding to the platform. But how amazing will it be for you and your business if you sign up now and if you can take part and learn those things and get ahead of learning curve. Also, to all people who always say I feel like my market is so saturated, well, guess what? Because too many bakers are having a negative Nancy attitude about threads. Right now, threads is a beautiful place for you to go and there's less saturation, so you can actually go now and show up with a mindset of I'm gonna show up until I blow up and really, really take advantage of this thing.
Speaker 1:As always, I really hope that all of these tips today helped you. I wanna see you win in business, and seeing you win in business is pushing you towards things that I know can help you, even if they don't feel comfortable. But, like I stated, we're all doing this together. We're all learning together. Signing up for threads is super easy, and the fact that they allow all of your information to integrate over is really just amazing.
Speaker 1:I do have a scripture that I wanna share for this episode, which is Galatians, chapter six, verse 10. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. And so, since we're talking about threads and I felt that was an opportunity, I hope that scripture resonates with you because, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people and I think doing good by putting your gifts, putting your talents, putting everything that's inside of you, that you know you have, that you can be doing on a higher level. When you put more of that out into the universe, eventually you're always going to get it back 10 fold. I guarantee you. All right, y'all. I hope I see you on threads. Be sure to tag me when you make your post, or well, be sure to follow me so that way I can see your page and your brand Start off with just an intro post just saying hey, you guys, I'm such and such, I'm the owner of this, I'm new here.
Speaker 1:And tell the truth. If you feel the scary, say it's scary. If you're excited, say you're excited. But I'd rather you show up as your authentic self and to be in the room than for you to not show up at all. Thanks so much for listening. I hope this helps. Take care and bye for now.