Personal Brand Interview: Social Media Specialist and PR Consultant Kris Ruby
Being a big fan of all things social media, I really enjoyed interviewing the founder of Ruby Media Group, Kristen Ruby. Kristen helps companies extend traditional marketing tactics to include engagement on social media platforms. She specializes in social media optimization, branding in real time and optimized PR. By utilizing various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, Kristen creates online visibility for her clients and increases overall branding awareness. Kristen’s competitive advantage focuses around creating a comprehensive social media strategy that is in alignment with her clients’ overall marketing strategy to bring their marketing to life. Here’s a sampling of what we discussed.
Describe your personal brand in a few sentences.
I am a social media enthusiast with a flair for fashion!
My mission is to empower business owners to use social media and to ease their transition into a social lifestyle. I also help executives define their personal brand and adapt their brand to the social media space.
Describe what you do and what kinds of clients you usually work with.
I run a full service agency that specializes in social media marketing, public relations and personal branding. I work with small to midsized companies and help them in setting up a strong and cohesive online presence. I focus on implementing new media strategies that work with a company’s preexisting marketing plan to create a unified brand.
Ruby Media Group (RMG) has worked with consulting firms, restaurants, magazine publications, television networks, bloggers and all types of clients.
What led you to create your own business? How did you get started?
I graduated from college in May and have since opened up my own social media marketing and PR agency. I was one of the only seniors who had a job lined up out of school, but after working there for two months I decided I wanted to follow my passion and open up my own agency. Rather then getting down about the economy I chose another path of entrepreneurship and created my own career. My mission is to empower business owners to use social media and to ease their transition into a social lifestyle.
Growing up in a time where Facebook and MySpace dominated the web, I had a natural interest in seeing exactly how much any company can benefit from using social networks.
Being a frequent blogger and member of social networking sites, and having a love for PR, I wanted to start a company focused on social media, as well as the traditional methods of a PR and Marketing firm.
Why should a business or company invest in some kind of social media platform like Facebook or LinkedIn?
I believe that the greatest benefit of social media is the ability for businesses to have direct conversations and engage with the consumer. Unlike traditional marketing, social media allows for the consumer to seek out the brand instead of the other way around.
What advice can you give someone who is new to Twitter? Who should they follow?
If you are on Twitter to help build your brand and your business, you should follow anyone who is in your field. I would recommend starting out in the search.twitter.com search engine and searching for conversations that are relevant to your industry. Also search for relevant keywords such as social media, personal branding or public relations. After you find some interesting people begin following them and tune into the conversation. You can also list yourself on the Wefollow.com directory under relevant keywords and find the key influencers in your industry by searching for relevant keywords.
Twitter gives you the opportunity to virtually connect with almost anyone so take advantage of it! If someone posts an interesting question, respond to it. If someone posts an article, give your opinion on it. Whatever you do, just make sure you start a conversation and keep it going.
There is a lot of controversy over Facebook, specifically in regards to what kind of information to display on a profile. Some employers actually search for a candidate’s profile on Facebook to look for inappropriate content. What advice can you give someone who wants to remain under the ‘professionals anonymous’ radar?
Social networking sites are not as private as you may think and Facebook is no exception. It is extremely important to have a profile picture that your employer or future employer would approve of. I recommended that if an employee is going to become a fan of their corporate facebook fan page, they must have a professional headshot as they are essentially representing their company.
Another way to remain “anonymous” is to control what photos are posted of you. If you are worried about what a friend may “tag” you in, dis-allow this function.
What are your top Social Branding tips?
- Always follow up with people within 48 hours of meeting them – through email, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter
- Create a content rich blog to show your involvement within your field and to distinguish yourself as an opinion leader
- Join relevant industry groups on LinkedIn and post in open forums by answering questions related to your field
What can we learn from your business success?
- Engage with your network, don’t just collect business cards
- Build your brand first, and keep it consistent
- When you get a business card at a networking event, add it to your LinkedIn network and continue the conversation
- Use your online profiles to supplement your resume
- Secure outstanding recommendations on LinkedIn
What general advice would you give someone who wants to start up a small company as you did?
Follow your dreams and go against the grain. We are living in the midst of a social “revolution” where you have the ability to turn your passion into a business. Don’t let the economy get you down- if you are passionate about something go after it and create your own business!
Final thoughts
Kristen Ruby truly personifies the idea that if you put your heart into something, anything is possible. Her success with Ruby Media Group comes as a result of hard work, dedication, passion and commitment. Social media surrounds us. It’s not very often that we come across someone who doesn’t have a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn account. Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are great tools to network with professionals or to find a job. The question to ask yourself is: Are you using social media effectively and appropriately to get you where you want to be in the professional world?
Kristen Ruby is the President and Founder of Ruby Media Group LLC. Kristen is a Social Media Specialist and Public Relations Consultant and she specializes in social media optimization and branding in real time. To find out more or to connect with her, visit her on: