If you've ever run a podcast, or had a meeting, or had any situation where you're about to talk to somebody, did your mouth start watering before you spoke to them? If so, you were probably talking to Allison Stadd. Allison is the Senior Marketing and Communications Manager at Shake Shack. Shake Shack, if you don't know, is the most delicious burger joint in town, founded by the culinary genius, Danny Meyer. Allison oversees social media and digital marketing and you'll hear a lot about her story, how she used her freelancing experience to help keep her excited and engaged prior to finding her dream job, and also about Shake Shack's interesting approach to social media and community.
Key Topics
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The Story of Allison's Career
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How Freelancing Can Have a Positive Impact on Your Career
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Shake Shack's Approach to Creating Content
Key Answers
How did freelancing benefit your career?
"It's always important to make sure there's no conflict of interest with your full-time role. For me personally, my top priority is whatever I'm focused on content-wise for my full-time job - anything I do on the side never detracts or overlaps in any way that would be inappropriate. As an example, I currently do no writing at all for other food brands about social media, technology, community or careers. Freelancing helps to keep you energized and refreshed. It also allows you to be in control of calling the shots and is something that you can really call your own. I don't think I would freelance full-time because I think there's something very special about being one part of a group's organization. My balance allows me to mitigate risk and still have a home at my dream job."
What is Shake Shack's approach to social?
"Our number one goal is to replicate the in-person 'Shack' experience in a digital space. So we want to have the same dialogue with our guests online as we do in-person at the 'Shack.' The experience you have connecting with us on any social channel ideally should give you the same feeling as when you're interacting with a 'Shack' team member in the restaurant itself. Our online home is a community gathering space just like we encourage our brick and mortar spaces to be. A big part of our social strategy is a sense of validation. We're fortunate that we can pull from this very deep and rich pool of user-generated content which gives us great content and also allows us to give daily shoutouts to our fans and followers."
Key Soundbites
- "If you're interested in digital or social, try and get your feet wet by dabbling in a freelance capacity."
- "Try and cultivate a warm and engaging conversation across all of your social channels."
- "Have a focused and considered social footprint. Before launching any new platform always make sure it's the right fit for your brand."
Resources
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Company Website: https://www.shakeshack.com/
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Personal Twitter: @AllisonStadd
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Company Twitter: @shakeshack
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Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonstadd
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Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shake-shack---madison-square-park
Enjoy, and check back here for more episodes of the All the Social Ladies podcast on Social Media Today.
This article was originally published on Apple News.