Branding, Entrepreneurship
With the official close of Honest Ed’s on December 31st, 2016, we’ve looked back on the incredible (and eccentric) things Ed Mirvish did in his years. Equal parts artist and entrepreneur, creative business owners can learn a lot from Ed.
Who the Heck is Ed Mirvish?
Ed Mirvish, born July 1914, is known as a businessman, humanitarian, philanthropist and theatre worshipper. Although he was a serial entrepreneur, he is best known for Honest Ed’s as well as reviving the Toronto theatre scene. He lived until 2007 and passed at the age of 93, yet his legacy remains.
Honest Ed’s opened at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst in 1948, where it quickly became known for extremely low prices along with hand painted signage and corny slogans such as: “Don’t faint at our low prices; there’s no place to lie down!”
Image source: GIFY
[Tweet ” “Don’t faint at our low prices; there’s no place to lie down!””]
Ed was known for pulling crazy publicity stunts to get anyone into his store. He let his creativity roam free by hosting a triplet’s fashion show, a seventy-two-hour dance marathon and other bizarre events. Aside from his original marketing ideas, Ed was known for being extremely generous. Every Christmas, he would give away thousands of free turkeys and fruit cakes to the public. Also being a natural entertainer, at the age of 75, Ed decided to host birthday parties for himself outside his store, giving away gifts, food, drinks, entertainment and rides for the public.
Not only did Ed Mirvish create a thriving store, his family also owns four downtown theatres, the Princess of Wales, Royal Alexandra, the Panasonic, and the Ed Mirvish Theatre attracting world-class shows and creating a little piece of Broadway in Toronto.
Ed Mirvish’s accomplishments and big personality make him a top creative entrepreneur. Here are 6 reasons why Ed Mirvish is the quintessential entrepreneur of our time.
1. He Gave Back to His Community
Through his eclectic ventures, Ed impacted community members from all walks of life. While affluent theatre goers packed the houses of his stage productions, he incorporated philanthropy into his bargain store, with giveaways that included turkeys for thousands of low income customers on Christmas Day. He gave back to artists by offering them affordable housing in Mirvish village. According to Canadiana Connection, Ed was no stranger to being recognised for such contributions. Among the 250 awards he received in his lifetime, one was the prestigious Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and another Officer of the Order of Canada. Talk about an entrepreneur who gives back to his tribe!
[Tweet “Ed Mirvish’s accomplishments and big personality make him a top creative entrepreneur.”]
2. He Knew how to Throw a Party
At the age of 75, Ed started throwing himself some killer parties. Complete with clowns, musicians, free food and gifts, his celebrations were so grand that they were known as his annual “birthday festival.” According to artist Dr. Judith Cohen, for a month, Ed had a giant-sized balloon sculpture of himself affixed to the roof so that you could see him waving his hand in the wind from blocks away. On his actual birthday, July 24, an entire block of Markham Street was closed to traffic for revellers to enjoy themselves. His 72-hour dance marathons in the late 60s were always a hit. Think dancers in the aisles, a DJ in the store window, prizes and a party so wild Ed was constantly ticketed for being loud and blocking the street. Now that was a party you did not want to miss!
3. He Paved his own Path, no Matter how Weird and Unconventional
A marketing guru, Ed constantly thought of ways to draw customers to his store. In his late 50’s and early 60’s, he recruited 21 sets of triplets to take part in his “Triplets Fashion Show”. Over time, Honest Ed’s became a tourist hot spot, his personality infused into the store’s eccentric signs, corny slogans and bright colours. Ed knew his brand inside out.
4. He let his Passion for Theatre Guide his Business Decisions
Though he was a “businessman,” Ed did not neglect his passion for art. Besides putting his personality into Honest Ed’s, Ed purchased the Princess of Wales, Royal Alexandra, the Panasonic, and the Ed Mirvish Theatre. He opened a museum to showcase his collection of costumes and props. On a smaller scale, Honest Ed’s alleyway was home to the Toronto Fringe Festival hub. A special event for local thespians and artists, The Fringe Festival celebrates under-represented voices, allowing artists of any level to perform for an audience.
5. He had Multiple Revenue Streams
A true entrepreneur, Ed knew how to diversify his revenue stream. Knowing his customers wanted convenience, he provided “services that are uncommon in department stores,” such as a dentist, eye doctor, hairdresser and immigration help.
6. He had Mad Ambition and Never Gave Up
Before Honest Ed’s was a huge success, Ed had many companies that “failed”. Despite that, he never stopped exploring new ways to achieve success. From delivery boy to thespian to king of the bargain basement, Ed is now known for his store, and several theatres, galleries and restaurants that have become important parts of Toronto’s history. We can all learn a thing or two from Ed Mirvish!
Toronto For Everyone
Before Honest Ed’s officially comes to an end, Toronto for Everybody will be hosting a 3-day extravaganza taking place February 23rd to 26th, 2017. Hosted by Centre for Social Innovation, experience the iconic bargain store one last time! This time, artists take over to create an experience like never before. This event extravaganza is filled with a town hall, cocktail gala, theatre, immersive art maze, bargain city, dancing, workshops, panel discussions and parties! This is an event not to be missed: Check out the schedule HERE!
“In art, everything’s relative”. – Ed Mirvish
[Tweet ““In art, everything’s relative”. – Ed Mirvish”]
Image source: Toronto Film Scene
Sad to see Honest Ed’s go? What were some of your favourite memories? Would love to know in the comments below!
Lara Harb is the founder and creative director of The Social Media Aritsts. She helps artists in developing their online presence that is unique and genuine to them. Lara is also a public speaker and college instructor.
Branding, Social Media
Here’s how Celebrities use Social Media :
Want to be a celebrity? Even if you don’t, it’s likely that celebrities influence your daily life in some way. Even if you aren’t one to follow pop-culture, you probably still know who’s in the latest box office hit or which A-lister is endorsing the newest Apple product (*cough*cough*, T. Swift.)
Celebrities are experts at cutting through the clutter on your various feeds to grab your attention. “But how do they do it?”. Below are 5 ways to use social media like a celebrity:
[Tweet “Celebrities are experts at cutting through the clutter on your various feeds to grab your attention”]
Use Social Media for Good
Celebrities have one (or more) causes they are passionate about. Pick a cause that’s genuinely close to your heart and retweet the heck out of it. Actor Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) is no stranger to this tactic. Self-described as a “climate change activist,” Mark often retweets organisations such as Climate Reality and Greenpeace USA to reinforce their message to his followers.
Other celebrities who heavily promote important causes are Emma Watson (Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women,) Leonardo DiCaprio (Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation) and Tom Hiddleston (UNICEF.) Why not use your fame to bring light to social issues? Ready? Set? Retweet!
Connect with Famous Friends
What good is being famous if the world doesn’t know which celebrity friends you hang with? Taylor Swift (@TaylorSwift13) is known for her celebutante posse, which includes stars such as Cara Delevigne, Selena Gomez and Blake Lively. Taylor loves to post pics of herself and her crew having grand times at exclusive events.
Swift also likes to make everyone on her well-known friends list feel appreciated with shout outs. If one of her many friends drops a new hit single or celebrates a birthday, an @ mention or a hashtag from Taylor is not far behind. You can follow her lead by highlighting your LinkedIn buddies’ achievements on their social media feeds. Celebrate the successes of your partners or collaborators by sharing their achievements.
Watch Your Tone
Celebrities use tone to attract and keep their target market. Actress Emmy Rossum (@emmyrossum) uses a sarcastic tone on Twitter. This is a good fit with her character, Fiona Gallagher from “Shameless.” This is a technique which appeals to her target fan base.
Another celebrity with an established tone Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) sticks to a light-hearted, family-friendly tone which is portrayed both in her show and her social media presence.
Celebrities sometimes vary their tone across different social media platforms. Ellen chooses to post the same content with the same tone among all of her social media platforms. However, Emmy uses her Twitter for more promotional material, while her Instagram is more like a visual diary, revealing a more relaxed and personal side.
Have you considered using different tones for your business’ various social media platforms? Use your Instagram to show off your brand. Reserve your Facebook account for promotions. Keep your tone consistent within each medium.
Build Your Brand
The Kardashians are Kweens (excuse the alliteration, the Kardashians love alliteration) of self-promotion. Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) built her empire on social media. Practically everything Kim and the others Kardashian touch turns to something they can promote. Sure, there might be an occasional photo of North West thrown in, but it’s nearly impossible to scroll down Kim’s Twitter timeline without seeing something related to her.
If you’re an artist or performer, make sure to promote upcoming shows and events. Social media is not the place to be shy!
[Tweet “Practically everything Kim and the others Kardashian touch turns to something they can promote”]
Connect with Your Fans
Fans used to only be able to connect with their favourite celebrities via magazines and pop-culture television. These days, fans are getting nearly constant access to behind the scenes snippets of their favourite stars’ lives. Fans feel like they have a more personal connection to those admire. Some celebrities, like Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande), take the time to write a simple happy birthday message to a follower.
Perky responses to your clients’ and followers’ comments show you appreciate their feedback. Make them feel more of a connection by posting behind the scenes moments of your day! Remember, fans are invested in the process as much as the final product.
![[FREE] Webinar for Artists – How to Sell Yourself Without Selling Out](https://www.thesocialmediaartist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Webinar-FB-Ad-1080x628.jpg)
Branding, Social Media
Marketing Your Art vs. Selling Out – A Special Webinar for Artists
Hello, Lara from The Social Media Artist here with an exciting announcement for all my artists!
Marketing your art can be overwhelming. Is it possible to sell your work without sounding cliché and insincere? Luckily, I’ve teamed up with The Black TCK to show you that it is not only possible, but also very achievable! Get ready for an information packed webinar coming your way Thursday September 15th, 3PM EST for all you wonderful, beautiful and inspiring artists.
Sign Up Now!
Introduction: The Black TCK and The Social Media Artist
Let’s introduce the dream team! First we have Tese Omesan, also known as The Black TCK! Tese helps creatives and businesses stand out in an overwhelming marketplace. She achieves this through authentic and unorthodox story-telling. A significant part of what she does is changing how marginalised groups are perceived, especially non-men and black women – pretty cool eh?
And of course you know me; Lara from The Social Media Artist. I love telling online stories and am passionate about helping those in creative businesses strategically and creatively tell their stories online. I’ll help you connect with your dream audience and share your art on social.
Who should attend this webinar?
A few examples of those who would benefit from this webinar are:
- Visual Artists
- Theatre Directors
- Film Producers
- Dance Studio Owners
- Fashion Designers
- Musicians
- Actors
- Web Designers
- Freelance Marketing Specialists
- Singers
The list goes on! If you are a passionate creative who wants to turn their favourite pastime into a career, please join us!
Yes, I’m Interested!
In this webinar, expect to:
Debunk myths about marketing vs. selling out.
You don’t have to succumb to starving artist syndrome to do what you love. Connect with people who want to support you and your work. Establishing connections is extremely important. Why not connect with those who are actually interested in your art. Consider diversifying your revenue stream so eventually your art pays you!
[Tweet “Creating content for your business is art. It’s storytelling, just in a different medium.”]
Understand that business and art can work together seamlessly.
A lot of artist feel that making their foray into the business world takes time away from actually creating art. If this is how your feeling, think of it this way! Creating any content for your business is art. It’s storytelling, just in a different medium. For example, a well thought out, sharp looking Instagram page sure looks like art to us!
Be introduced to tools that make your life easier
So you’re not a techie? Don’t sweat it! There are tons of helpful and easy-to-use tools out there to help your business stand out and run smoothly. We’ll share our favourite tools for creating graphics and scheduling your content so you don’t have to do most of the grunt work yourself!
Learn what your bare minimum is to survive in the online world
It doesn’t have to be overwhelming to promote your work online. It only takes three mandatory essentials to survive in the digital space:
- Have your own website: No matter how much you’re promoting your work, people need a place to land. Your website is your home base. It’s a place for consumers to interact with you on a professional level and get a feel for what you’re all about.
- Produce social media content: Show your target audience what you can do! Are you a visual artist? Post your latest piece of artwork! Are you an actor? Post a behind the scenes video of your rehearsal process. Retweets, shares and likes create positive buzz around your work.
- Your sales funnel. How do you create a sales funnel that is tasteful and very you? Whether you are working with sales pages and/or email marketing, we will help you define a process that works for you!
Learn how to create content in the medium that works for you
There sure are a lot of platforms out there to promote your work. How do you choose which ones are the best for you and your business? We’ll help you select the appropriate social media channels to promote your art on. Remember, it’s always better if you can rock a few social media channels then trying to be active on all!
[Tweet “Remember, it’s always better if you can rock a few social media channels then trying to be active on all!”]
Learn how to sell your art by still sounding genuine and without selling out.
Of course you want to promote your work, but you don’t want to annoy the heck out of your friends and family in the process. The best way to do this is to strike a 30/70 balance. 30% of the content you post should be promotional, while the other 70% should be inspirational. Your audience is much more likely to form a genuine bond with you in your business if they feel like you care about their needs. It’s not fun to be constantly sold to!
These are just a few of the juicy topics we will be covering in detail. There will also be plenty of time for Q&A, remember this webinar is for YOU so come with plenty of questions!
DATE: Thursday September 15, 3PM EST
Sign Me Up!
Branding, Instagram, Social Media
Instagram is a platform used to “pretty-fy” your brand. You browse through a wall and there are lovely photos, inspiring visuals and snapshots of an artist or brand’s life. What a great visual tool to tell your story! It is excellent for interacting with loyal followers, its visual platform draws mass amount of attention and it does not have a character limit, allowing users to expand upon captions.
However, like with all social media platforms, it is important for artists and brands to know exactly what to avoid doing when posting content on Instagram.
Here are some things to avoid when using Instagram #smartist style!
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Tagging friends in posts that are not relevant to them.
I get it, you want to promote your event, but there is a classier way to raise awareness. Each of your followers possess different social media needs and interests. You want to target followers who are interested in what it is you are trying to promote. A personal message is the best way to do this. Followers feel appreciated when they know a message is directly addressed to them and that they are not just part of a mass tagging.
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Low quality, blurry photos
You have a beautiful Instagram feed with great quality photos. Then you ruin it with a blurry pic of an event you went to. You know, that photo you took at a conference while you were indoors and there was an ugly fluorescent lighting situation going on. Phone cameras suck, especially in indoor settings. Our favourite time to shoot is at sunrise or sunset/ “Golden Hour”. However we know you can’t control the lighting situation all the time. Get to know your phone camera and play around with your manual settings to get the best picture possible. My favourite photo editing apps are VSCO, Snapseed and A Colour Story. They each have options where you can manually adjust brightness, contrast, exposure etc. and some great filters – go give them a try!
[Tweet “Get to know your phone camera and play around with your manual settings to get the best picture possible.”]
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Instagram isn’t for everyone
For companies who don’t have time to spend on Instagram, it is important to consider why you have an Instagram account at all? It’s hard to have an epic feed if you aren’t promoting something visual. Certain service industries such as software or finance have difficulties with this. If you can relate and don’t enjoy using Instagram, shut it down. However, if you are an accountant who is gong-ho about Instagram, it is still possible to rock it! Take a look at these service based companies who are rocking it on Insta: Headspace, FedEx, and Freshbooks. You just need a creative strategy and focus on the social media accounts you can manage as not to overwhelm yourself with too many social media accounts.
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Mystery Instagram feed
What are you promoting? Some Instagram accounts are random to the point where you have no idea what they are selling. Followers want to learn and engage with your product or service. Since Instagram is a visual platform, it is not only simple, it is also essential to share photos of exactly what it is your followers can experience from your business. This creates buzz and eliminates confusion.
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ARTISTS: Showcase your art and talent!
It’s such a shame when people who have undeniable talents decide not to post their skills! I want to see your amazing paintings, your stunning photography and vids of you singing. The best way for artists to cut through social media clutter is to demonstrate what makes them stand out from the rest.
[Tweet “The best way for artists to cut through social media clutter is to demonstrate what makes you stand out from the rest”]
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Selfies and only selfies.
Yes, I see that you have a pretty face but when that’s all I see – I’m not invested in your story. It is nice to put a friendly face to a business, so a few selfies here and there are no problem. However, the purpose of your Instagram is to promote your business, not to show the world how “on fleek” your eyeliner is.
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Bios that aren’t filled out.
Bios are the only way to lead to a website or sales page on Instagram. Social media is meant to direct followers to where they can interact with and purchase your product or service. If your audience doesn’t know how to contact you, your social media accounts are not fulfilling a key element. In addition, followers want to know about your business. A short description orients your audience to exactly what it is they are experiencing.
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Click bait-y content
Followers do not feel inclined to interact with your brand if they feel you are just after them for your clicks. If your bio or photo caption displays a mystery link with the words ‘click here’ with no context as to what it leads to, your audience will definitely feel uneasy. Make sure your links are clearly marked so your followers know exactly what they are getting into.
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Too many hashtags
Hashtags are a great tool and Instagram’s unlimited character makes it possible to write for days. But too many hashtags can be distracting and look messy. Keep your hashtags relevant to your business and cap it at 20 hashtags per post….MAX.
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Leaving vague and impersonal comments on other Instagram accounts
Of course it is important to interact with your network. However, your audience knows when they are an afterthought. Writing things like “rad!’” “that’s awesome!” or simply leaving a heart emoji under someone else’s Instagram photo is impersonal and a turn off. Writing something more personal such as “Hi @artist25! I love your work, especially the painting of the blue flower! Keep it up!” is much more effective and genuine.
What are your thoughts on these pet peeves? Do you have any Instagram Pet Peeves of your own? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!
Lara is the founder of The Social Media Artist. She helps artists and creative businesses promote their brand on social media so they have more time to do what they do best – create!
Emily Powell is a digital media intern at The Social Media Artist. She is currently studying Creative Advertising at Seneca College
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Branding, Email Marketing
Having a killer email signature adds an extra level of professionalism that ending off with “Thanks, [Your name]” will never have. What I love about email signatures are that they provide another venue for you to promote your social media accounts. Sprinkling your social media on different venues such as linking to your other social networks in the bio, promoting in store, on business cards and email signature reminds your audience that you are out there and ready to connect with them. When communicating with someone through email, they are already invested in you (since they are email contacts) so the chances of them looking you up on social media is high. If you work for a corporation, chances are your I.T. department set up this lovely signature for you. However for the small guys using Gmail or other free email services, you have to create a fancy signature yourself.
[Tweet “If you are communicating with someone through email, they are already invested in you.”]
Not sure where to start? Have no fear! The Social Media Artist has got your back! This example is run through Gmail however I’m sure the steps are similar on other web based clients.
- Click on the gear icon on the upper right hand corner and go to Settings>General tab
- Scroll down to signature
- Upload image.
You can use a service like Tinypic that converts your image file to URL or take a screenshot of an icon you like. Here’s the fun part, choose an icon. You can simply google “Social media icons” or go to some of my favourite sites. These sites are free, and can be used commercially or for personal use.
SMartist tip: There are many designs out there. Choose one that is consistent with the look and feel of your brand. If you can’t find one, try finding a simple icon using your brand’s colours.
- Highlight the icon and click on the hyperlink button. Paste the appropriate link in the web address bar. Leave “Text to display blank.”
- Repeat!
Voila now you have an awesome email signature. Other things I like to add to my signature:
- Title
- Website
- Favourite quote
What other pieces of information do you like to add to your email signature?
Branding
As a performer I’ve personally been caught between these two realms:
Social media is overwhelming so I’m avoiding it all!
Concerns: Keeping up with posting consistently, finding engaging content, when is the best time to post, what is being shared in my network, what is being shared beyond my network, why are there so many channels – WHAT IS GOOGLE+??????
or
Social media is amazing! I’m going to post random things and keep up at every minute and not eat, sleep or shower.
Clearly if you care about your hygiene and keeping your friends this is not the way to go. And just because you are posting a lot, doesn’t mean you are posting the ‘right’ content for your brand.
As a performer, creative business owner and/or entrepreneur you have to get your brand out there but you don’t want to annoy everyone with useless updates. Here are my tips for:
5 Ways To Get Your Brand Right On Social Media
#1: What is your Goal?
Who are you? What do you want to share with the world? Use social media to get your message out to the masses and keep it on brand. Once you have a clear idea of your brand you can look into specific goals with social media. Some common goals are:
- Brand Awareness
- Build a Dedicated Community
- Increase Email Subscribe List
- Increase Traffic To Website
- Generate Leads
- Increase Sales
#2: Find the Right Social Media Network that Work for your Brand.
Are you a business owner? Visual Artist? Sword Swallow-er? Find the right social media network for your brand. For instance, if you create killer unicorn paintings, use a visual channel such as Instagram or Pinterest. Perhaps you are in a band, YouTube or Vimeo would be a great platform to show off that xylophone solo.
If you don’t know which network is right for you, test out a few. Try a new network for 2-3 months and evaluate how helpful it is compared to your other networks. If it’s not helpful – shut it down.
#3: Find your Voice.
Your tone of voice defines your brand. What tone of voice do you use when you post on social media? Do you use a professional tone or a friendly tone?
For you actors out there, it’s kind of like finding your hit. Are you the loveable girl next door or the macho jock? If you are frequently cast as the macho jock, posting a kitten sitting in a tea cup does not help you brand. Instead you want to post a preview of that epic speech from Remember the Titans that you will be performing at the Toronto Monologue Slam. Save this teacup cat for your personal Facebook channel that doesn’t have casting directors following you!
#4: Consistency is key.
If you have 28 social media profiles be prepared to be active on all of them. Decide how frequent you will post on each channel. Are you showcasing your artwork on Pinterest once a week? How often will you be tweeting? If you are finding a platform is not working for you, shut it down. Nothing is more sad than seeing your last YouTube video made 3 years ago. It really makes me worry about you – did you catch a terminal illness?
It is better to have a few networks that you are active on than many with little to no activity. Rock the networks that are working for you and ditch the ones that don’t. Even if that means you are only on 1-2 networks!
#5: Keep your accounts up to date
Fill out all sections of your profile, ensure look and feel are the same on all accounts and cross promote. Is your cover photo the same on all profiles? Having a completely different look and feel on your social channels confuses everyone and makes you look like you have multiple personalities. Choose one identity and run with it!
Cross promotion is key! Link your Instagram, website and YouTube to your Facebook page, you never know who can be looking for you. Linking your social media accounts to your website also helps in building SEO juice – yummy!
Keeping rocking your personal brand and let social media help you!
Do you find social media overwhelming or inspiring? What difficulties do you encounter with your brand on social media?
