Today we are talking with Missy Damon-Moore of @popofstyle!
Missy is the definition of fun, color, and style! Based in Orlando, Missy is so bubbly and nice, we really love it when we get to work with her. Read on to hear more about what a normal day looks like for Missy, and how she feels about being an influencer, social media, and more!
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What are your thoughts on the term influencer? (If you prefer another title, what is it?)
I feel like it’s being thrown around so much it’s losing its impact. I also think it sounds kind of pretentious and is breeding greed right now. I feel like “blogger” is a more benign term but I can understand how times are changing and “bloggers” have morphed into an all-encompassing term like “influencers” as some have migrating to a social-media only platform.
Tell us a little bit more about what it means to be an influencer/content creator in today’s brand marketing world?
I think it can be both negative and positive. If used the wrong way, people take advantage of the term in order to gain profit and popularity, but this is precarious. Earning an audience is a precious thing and you should, if genuine, want to appease this audience and stay true to the content and voice that drew them in in the first place.
What do you like most about Social Media (Specifically Instagram)?
This is a funny question for me because I’m not a huge fan of Instagram. I think people become too obsessed with a fake portrayal of people’s lives in an effort to outdo themselves and others. Instagram can be a very visual way to connect with others and that is what I do like about it.
What do you like the least about Social Media (Specifically Instagram)?
See above
Can you walk us through what a normal work day is like for you?
Well I guess I’m not your typical influencer/blogger because I have a full time job but I like doing both! I’m a Curriculum Resource Teacher at a high school, which means I don’t teach students, I teach teachers and work with professional development and re-certification. It’s the job I’ve always wanted and I feel very blessed to have gotten into this line of work; it’s very rewarding. So my day–I wake up at 5am every day of the week, feed the dog, have breakfast and drive to work. My day is always very eventful and unpredictable but I love it. I usually leave around 3:30pm and come home to walk the dog, take blog photos/edit (we usually do a lot of this part on the weekends) and post/engage. We then have dinner (my husband and I) and try to have some uninterrupted “together time” by having a drink together, going out, or playing a game like Scrabble. I usually end the night preparing the next day’s post and engaging on Instagram/Snapchat/Facebook/Twitter.
Can you talk a little bit about your experience working with publicists? The importance of those relationships?
Great publicist are often hard to come by and I feel like there is a lot of turn over which can hurt company/influencer relationships. I love working with helpful, open-minded, and creative publicists who truly believe in the products and value cultivating a lasting relationship with influencers.
What do brands tend to get wrong when working with influencers? And what are the top things brands should know about working with you/them (your tips & best practices)?
I think I speak for most if not all influencers when I say it’s a huge turn-off to receive a pitch with an unreasonable amount of posts that almost seem to “spammy”. The relationship should be a push/pull in that it works both ways. Being open to negotiation is probably the best “tip” I would have because if you really want to work with that particular influencer, they know their audience best and if something publicists pitch isn’t going to resonate and the influencer knows it, not being open to change is usually a deal-breaker.
How can a new or emerging brand make themselves stand out to you?
Being real and engaging. Having an idea that others do not have or filling a void in the market.
When working with brands, what do you look for? Is there anything you wouldn’t do?
I look for people who do research on the influencers they ask to partner with them and vice versa. Knowing what’s going on both ways is helpful to see if it’s a good match for a mutual audience. I’ve been doing this for 6 and a half years and so yes, there are a few things that I’ve come to accept I’m just not that good at/doesn’t work for my audience and I’m constantly trying to challenge that part of my business. For instance, I’ve tried making videos and they’re not terrible but they don’t ever turn out the way that I want and I don’t have a passion for doing it so I just stopped. Also, flat lays don’t work for my audience and selfies of what I wear day to day really does work.
Would you say that you have a niche? If so, what is it?
Young, everyday professional adult women who love to shop their own closets, mix and match easy to wear trends, and love a good deal.
How do you measure your success? How do you quantify your results for brands?
I measure my success I guess in collaboration history, social media pull, and shares.
How do you determine what you charge brands for your work?
I have flat rates for everything no matter how big/small the company is. I don’t believe in changing prices just because a company is bigger.
What’s your favorite part about what you do?
My favorite part is when I get a message from someone telling me they tried some type of outfit/trend I had on my blog and loved it. It makes my day!
How do you think this career path has changed you? (Has your style changed at all, have you traveled more because of it, etc.)
I have found more of what fits my personality and what works best with my body type. As I’ve gotten older and more experienced with clothing/fashion, I stopped lying to myself about what looks best on me and what pieces define my style the best.
Where do you think the influencer space is going? What’s next?
I feel like it’s moving more toward social media-based influencing and away from separate blog sites.
Quick Qs- Rapid Fire!
- What is the one fashion/beauty item that you can’t live without? Great-fitting dark wash skinny jeans.
- What is your favorite Phone App? Pinterest
- If your life was a movie, what would it be called? Shitstorm
- What’s an Instagram photo you would never post? Me drinking coffee at a hipster coffee shop
- Pizza or tacos? Pizza!
- What brand(s) are you loving right now? Kate Spade (Forever and always), Tory Burch, Rebecca Minkoff, Sam Edelman, Madewell.
Check out all of our Influencer Insider posts here
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