Crash Course in Crisis Management

The journey of entrepreneurship is fraught with unexpected challenges, and my most significant "oh sh*t" moment is a testament to this unpredictable path. The philosophy of "fail fast and learn" became a stark reality for me, especially when embarking on something as ambitious as launching a new company. Despite assembling an exceptional team and meticulously planning every detail for the soft launch of Claspees, I was soon reminded that unforeseen hurdles can emerge, even with the most careful preparation.

The launch day arrived, and with high spirits and confidence, we were poised to introduce our innovative product to the market through a strategic social media campaign, anticipating a successful start. However, the excitement quickly turned into frustration when Meta restricted our advertising reach to only my immediate community, derailing our marketing efforts right at the crucial moment. My initial reaction was a mix of disbelief and panic as I scrambled to understand and resolve the issue. The notification that followed, suggesting my company was flagged for suspicious activity, only compounded the stress of the situation.

The ordeal forced me into an intensive crash course on the nuances of social media platforms' backend operations. I gathered and submitted every conceivable document to prove the legitimacy of my business, which thankfully led to the restoration of our advertising capabilities. The incident, while daunting, was a blessing in disguise. It taught me invaluable lessons about the importance of understanding every aspect of digital marketing and preparedness for regulatory compliance, especially on social platforms.

Reflecting on this experience, the silver lining was the timing. The small scale of my community at that point, though not ideal for business, meant the impact was contained, allowing us to recover and learn from the mishap without significant damage to our brand reputation or sales potential. This "oh sh*t" moment has since become a cornerstone of my entrepreneurial wisdom, emphasizing continuous learning and adaptability as crucial components of business success.

- Launi King, Creative Play & Claspees

Digital marketing coupled with algorithms and advertising reach can be a blessing and a curse. When it works well, it can be very fruitful but when it doesn’t, Launi understands just how frustrating it can be.?

If you are in the online retail space, it’s likely you have experienced this as well, myself included. The obvious solution is to have your team spring into action and revise the ad creatives while maintaining brand voice and messaging. We explored alternative advertising channels such as Google Ads and influencer partnerships to diversify our marketing efforts.?

While this experience creates panic and chaos in the moment, it’s a good reminder to stay informed about platform changes, maintaining flexibility in our strategies and being able to pivot quickly when this does happen. It also highlights the importance of diversifying our advertising channels to mitigate the risks associated with utilizing one platform too heavily.?

The challenges that come along with digital marketing can be a catalyst for growth and innovation. By leveraging lessons learned from such experiences, companies like Claspees can emerge stronger, more adaptable and better equipped to navigate this dynamic landscape.?

Do you have any tips or lessons you’ve learned along the way in your digital marketing experience? Share them below!?

If you would like to know more about how I do it, my routines and products that make my life a little less wild, subscribe at rebeccaminkoff.substack.com.?

And if you want to learn more about how to elevate women on a mission to break barriers, join our ecosystem where we provide content, capital, and learning to propel these women to the next level at https://femalefoundercollective.com/