how hummingbirds brew up new business
This post was originally written by our former business developer: Brittney H.
Multiple strangers have asked if I work at Exile Brewing Company. The answer is no, but it’s an understandable assumption. I wear enough of their branded clothing to pass for someone on their payroll, thus why that random lady in Target and a few people where I work out made the assumption.
Ask me for Exile beer suggestions, menu favorites, where the bathroom is, happy hour specials or for the best seats in the brewery if you want to see a TV-- I’ve got answers.
Exile super fan
Pre-motherhood, it was a rare Sunday I wasn’t on Exile’s patio enjoying and Instagramming their all day happy hour special. I’ve hosted my birthday party there, organized family dinners there, have taken their brewery tour twice… you get it. It’s a lot. Which, for Exile, translates to a lot of money in their pocket from me.
It also means money from the wedding guests who gifted my husband and me Exile gift cards, money from the people I tell about their $3 Sunday beers (seriously, the best deal in town. It’s all day! Go on Sunday!) and money from the family members who buy me Exile merch for Christmas.
I am but one superfan who has made an impact on a brewery’s bottom dollar. Imagine if Exile had 100 or 1,000 of me! That’s how the hummingbirds create real results for your business. Instead of just hoping enough people see or share an Instagram post from Exile about their new beer release, what if they had 50 people who love beer in Des Moines posting about it, inviting their friends to the brewery to try it, buying food to go with it, and picking up a 6-pack of it to bring home?
the impact birds make
The followers of those 50 hummingbirds, collectively, many thousands, already know and trust them as beer enthusiasts, thus decide to get on down to Exile to try it out themselves. It’s a ripple effect of revenue created from investing in a targeted effort of local influencers to authentically engage with the brand.
What happens next is very important in both the above example and in my real-life obsession with Exile: they engage back. Exile’s always re-sharing my Instagram stories about them to their own feed. They thank me for stopping in and comment on my grid posts about them. They follow me back on Instagram and sometimes like my non-beer content, too.
Due to my almost stalker-like obsession with them, Exile even mailed me a “Brewed in DSM” onesie after I announced my pregnancy. Of course, I freaked out and shared that on social media, leading people to ask, “Exile makes onesies now?!” and then purchasing their own.
You don’t have to mail proverbial free onesies to all of the hummingbirds, but when the hummingbirds take flight for your business, they’re creating months worth of content that you can share, quote, re-post, and engage with.
take action for your brand today
It’s up to you as the business to seize the opportunity and create even more trust in your brand by commenting, thanking them for coming, and creating new reasons for them to return. Imagine how much better a post about your business will be received if you’ve liked or commented on it vs. one that it looks like you’ve ignored.
Reciprocating the hummingbirds’ engagement creates a feel good experience with your brand that the ‘birds are likely to champion via word-of-mouth in their everyday interactions, too. Whether you’re a brewery, a decades-old brick and mortar, or a brand new online service, the hummingbirds can create real awareness for your business. Click here to book a discovery call today!
