Boost your Brand with Lumia: Tips from Jason Okuma
Learn how to brand yourself and gain an online audience–with the help of your Lumia—from social-media marketer Jason Okuma.
Jason knows a thing or two about social media.
The Los Angeles-based social-media marketer, consultant and serial entrepreneur has tens of thousands of followers on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social-media platforms.
And his Lumia Icon helps him share information with his audience and run his three business while on the go.
“I’m a mobile entrepreneur,” he said. “There is no down time; I do everything on my phone.”
“Everything” includes composing notes on OneNote for his recent Social Media Week presentation, posting inspirational quotes on Twitter, closing business deals via text, and snapping selfies with Gene Simmons.
By the way, even though that self-portrait with the lead singer of KISS was taken in a low-light setting, the photo came out crisp and clear–a feature of the Lumia Icon’s 20-megapixel camera that Jason appreciates.
“I depend on my Icon,” he says. “I work with celebrities and influential people and you often only get one shot, so it’s my go-to phone.”
Jason is a social-media power user. For example, he usually posts his first Twitter post around 5 a.m. and his last at 10 p.m., so the apps and device he uses have to be robust. The Lumia Icon and the Windows Phone apps for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Vine fit the bill.
“I always look for the best tools to do my social media work,” Jason adds. “[When I got the Lumia], it was like the difference between night and day compared with other devices.”
Forging and building relationships are also key, so he relies on Facebook Messenger (“In my world, messaging is big”) to keep in touch with his massive Rolodex of contacts.
The simple mobile version of Outlook is also helpful and email is also an important communication tool. “I just press one button and the emails are all there for my accounts,” he says.
No allowance? No problem.
Jason was just 10 years old when he started his own import/export business selling tchotchkes to neighbors, family, friends, and pretty much anyone else he considered a potential customer.
At 16, he closed his first real-estate deals, and at 17, after delving into the world of direct sales and personal development, Jason built a sales organization of nearly 5,000 representatives.
“I didn’t get an allowance,” he says with a laugh. “God just made me a little different.”
After having built a successful career offline as a marketing expert, Jason jumped into social media as an outlet to broaden his reach. This was back in 2004, when MySpace and Friendster ruled supreme.
Since then, he’s helped many entrepreneurs and businesses improve their bottom lines through social marketing and better branding. If you’re wondering how you can boost your own social-media presence and market yourself better online, you’re in luck.
Here are three of Jason’s top social marketing tips. Pair these with your Lumia and the apps mentioned above to help you get become an influencer in your field of expertise.
Do the research. Before you launch your brand online, research your prospective audience, your competition and the trends in your industry. The results of that research will dictate how to define your brand and market yourself.
“A lot of people just get on social media and their posts are random,” says Jason. “Know who your audience is and what makes the tick.”
Focus on one to three social media platforms. Don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to interact on as many social-media platforms as possible. Instead, “know what the best one or two — with a maximum of three — platforms are to engage people.” The best social-media platforms for you depends on the results of your research.
Engage with people; don’t just try to sell. The key word in “social media” is “social.” “Most companies and brands just start vomiting ads or sales in every post,” says Jason. “Don’t do that. Be a member of the community first and a marketer second.”
Photo credits: Calvin Lee and Jason Okuma