Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Elkins.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Eric. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
After several years as Youth Content Editor at The Denver Post, I co-founded a startup funded by Scripps-Howard and Media News Group — it was a social network before that term even existed.
We created a multi-platform media engine that ran on user-generated content, driving interactions online, in print, and at events. When leadership changed at The Denver Newspaper Agency, the project was shut down and I was hired as the new media manager for a Boulder-based PR and venture strategies agency before moving into the VP of Marketing position at a mobile payments startup.
When the startup moved away from customer acquisition to a tech focus, I left the company. It was August of 2007, and I started working on small marketing and PR projects while applying for jobs. It didn’t take long for me to realize that working independently was what I wanted to do. A digital agency called me to help them pitch a new client that was looking for social media as part of the mix — it went really well, which led to similar opportunities.
But it was a coffee with the funder of the mobile payments startup that really made an impact. He had me pull up the WideFoc.us website I’d put together, and told me to get rid of the other services I provided (marketing consulting, PR, sponsorship plans, etc.) and move “social media” to the top of the page. He said I’d be busier than I could imagine, so I took his advice.
From that day on, whether at a networking event or cocktail party, when someone asked what I did, I’d answer “social media.” And every time, the response would be, “We need that! Can I get your card?”
I had to start hiring a team within a couple of months to help with all the new business. Twelve years later, though the tools have changed, our approach is the same — learn our clients’ target audiences and business goals and implement measurable, effective social media strategies to reach them. Because I come from a writing background, we hire true writers as our community managers, which means the quality of content is unparalleled. And we’ve learned along the way how to better measure effectiveness in using social media to drive results. We do a ton of B2B social media, as well as B2C social for clients nationwide, and though our home office is still in LoHi, we opened a New York City satellite last fall.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’ve had to learn a lot to make our company successful, and much of that has been through trial and error. I’ve made big mistakes along way, but I’ve always tried to learn from them.
The biggest struggles early on were around making a case for a nascent set of marketing channels — people truly thought social media was “just for kids,” so developing ways to talk about audiences and behaviors, and how to measure results, was a key component of building a sustainable business. Social media is so much more than awareness-building — it can drive revenue, thought leadership, donations, sales… if you build structures and strategies that work.
Another major challenge for me was learning how to be a better leader for my team. I lost some good people in the early years because I didn’t know how to communicate with them in the way they needed or to provide the incentives to keep them happy. I also had to learn how to recognize when someone wasn’t a good fit before our clients did. It’s been a bumpy road, but building our strong, happy, collaborative team has been one of my great joys of the last few years.
We recently signed on with a business advising company, and I wish I’d done it sooner. Working on new sales processes, training and leadership development, and more transparent ways to talk about pricing with clients has already made an impact on our revenue and team culture. It’s also kicked me in the ass to hustle more and grow our footprint.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with WideFoc.us Social Media – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We help companies grow their revenue and reach their goals by harnessing social media channels to drive measurable results. With our team-based approach, we manage Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more with consistent, strategic organic and paid strategies for clients around the country.
Social media can be a strong revenue driver — whether it’s sales, leads, or increasing thought leadership and website clicks to improve customer interactions. We work with B2B companies to build relationships and leads with gatekeepers and decision-makers, and with B2C brands to increase web traffic or influencer visibility. Some clients just want bigger audiences to interact with while others are focused on the bottom line. We do the strategic work to make sure our community management tracks to our clients’ business goals.
I’m especially proud of the quality of our writing. Our community managers are hired for their writing chops first and then trained up to become social media powerhouses. Clients often mention right away how well-written our posts and tweets are — on-brand, artful, and with all the apostrophes in the right places. It’s one of the big differences between putting an intern on your social and hiring professionals to do it right.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’ve lived in Denver for nearly 30 years, and I’ve watched it grow and change. I love how friendly it is — everyone hugs here, and that warmth and kindness makes living and working in the city a joy. The food and cocktails scene has transformed what it means to go out in Denver, with experiences that can match anything you’d find in bigger cities. As someone who loves to eat well, the honor of getting to know the talented people in the industry here — the servers, bartenders, managers, chefs, and owners — makes every outing special.
Getting around Denver has definitely become more of a chore. The traffic continues to get worse — at all times of day. And of course, I’m concerned for my employees’ quality of life as the cost of living, especially rent, increases. Growth is good, but we definitely need to build ways to keep it sustainable and provide opportunities for all.
Pricing:
- Our retainer rates start around $3,000/month plus social ad spends — we always start with a discovery call to make sure we’re the right fit.
Contact Info:
- Address: WideFoc.us Social Media
1513 Boulder St
Denver, CO 80211 - Website: http://widefoc.us
- Phone: 303.578.6393
- Email: eric@widefoc.us
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/widefoc.us/, https://www.instagram.com/ericelkins/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/widefoc.us
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/WideFocusCo
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