In terms of growing a scaling business and talent, there are many great business minds that we can look to for inspiration and guidance, from CEO and Founders to key stakeholders to Board members. Many of these people have been there to grow the companies that control most of their respective markets since the very beginning. Think Apple, Amazon, & Facebook, all of these started with one person that essentially did everything that the platform/business needed to thrive and grow to where they are. They had to fully understand how they wanted their brand to be perceived by the world. This is easier said than done and when asking someone else to do the same thing for you and your brand the level of difficulty increases astronomically. However, that is exactly what a lot of businesses ask of marketing agencies that manage their social media presence.
People often underestimate the skill needed to effectively speak and act on behalf of a client’s business, but those in the industry know all that goes into this. Now most of the people referenced above, the CEOs, Founders, and Board members can’t really provide much insight here because this isn’t something that they’ve ever consistently had to attempt. There is one CEO and mogul that has repeatedly shown the gift of being able to step into the shoes of another brand and speak with a voice that is nearly indistinguishable from theirs. This person is none other than the walking business himself Jay Z, also known as Shawn Carter.
Despite being the biggest talent on Roc-A-Fella records for the majority of the 1st 10 years of the label’s existence, he didn’t keep his gift to himself. He wrote some of the biggest hits for other artists such as Still D.R.E. for Dr. Dre, Crush on You for Foxy Brown, and even animated characters for Buggin by Bugs Bunny for the Space Jam soundtrack. On a recent episode of The Shop on HBO, Jay Z shares some of the things he did that helped him seamlessly transition into those respective characters’ voices and mindsets. Below are some of the key takeaways.
1. Immerse Yourself In Who They Are
In the episode of The Shop, Hov speaks directly to writing Still D.R.E and Buggin. He says that for both he had to get fully into character. For portraying Dr. Dre’s style the process was more so listening to his previous work and understanding his usual cadence and styling. For Buggin, he was tasked with writing a rhyme for a fictional cartoon character which, to his credit, he did amazingly! It is said that he was in the studio speaking and interacting in ways that Bugs does in the cartoons in order to channel that into lyrics. Similar to music, the messaging of most businesses is very personal and unique to who they are. It gives the public a view of what they value and how their offering benefits them. When initially taking on a new social media management client it is important to understand what their presence has been in the past, as well as, what they are striving to become in the future before planning or creating any content. Only by doing this full exploration of what it is that makes them who they are can you hope to clearly and effectively communicate from their point of view. 
2. Consistently Evolve
Similar to how people grow and change, so do businesses. Jay Z is one of the few people that has been able to constantly evolve and adapt as his audience and the world around him have. His goal has always been the same; however, he has found new avenues and paths to get there. Oftentimes, businesses, in terms of social media, get stuck in what’s worked for them in the past and don’t look down the road to see what changes are coming so that they can stay ahead of the trend. The growth of the digital sphere of the world has made that mindset almost an existential threat to a business. Social media and all things digital evolve at a pace that is hard for anyone not consistently focused on it to keep up with. This is why it’s important for social media managers to bridge the gap. By being a subject matter expert and maintaining frequent communication with your client, they become the wise counsel to guide their client’s business into the ever-moving “Promised Land” that is being relevant and influential.
If your business is in need of a skilled social media manager, please contact The Kool Source. Our team has all of the pieces to take care of not only your social media but the entirety of your digital presence.
Be sure to check out the full episode of The Shop, Season 4 Episode 1, for more keys and insights that you may be able to add to your business’s toolbox.
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