Posts by Alicia Kurz
The Future of Starling Social
- by Alicia Kurz
TL;DR: Starling Social is carrying on.
From a group of people who write for a living, figuring out what to say in this blog post is hard. One thing we know for sure is that people have questions about what is happening with the company and our team.
Alyson’s passing was not something we ever imagined we would have to consider.
We don’t have all of the answers — we don’t know what we don’t know — but here’s what we know right now.
How We Made This Decision
Our entire team, including Alyson’s partner, came together after her passing to figure out what the next steps looked like. We unanimously agreed that continuing Starling Social was the best way to continue Alyson’s legacy.
Just like a murmuration of Starlings, Alyson Shane built a team that moves in sync, adjusts to each other's actions and stays aligned with the bigger picture.
Her bigger picture was to support good businesses and non-profits doing great work in their communities. Having a person with a big heart at the head of Starling is what made it so successful. Our team all genuinely loves what we do and wanted to continue to do great work for our clients. That part was an easy yes.
What Current Clients Need To Know
First off, we want to thank our clients for their understanding, patience, and support during this time. Our team is so grateful that our clients’ trust has remained with their account managers, and the processes and procedures that Alyson had implemented.
Our clients can rely on the same dedicated service and exceptional quality of work they’ve come to expect from us.
We are mourning Alyson’s loss, but doing this work, having a creative outlet and supporting our clients is something we can continue to feel good about moving forward.
Who Is Filling Alyson’s Position
Alyson’s strong need for clear, documented communication has kept everyone aligned, even after her passing. Together, we have been able to navigate, collaborate, and now move forward with an addition to the team who will fulfill Alyson’s duties and add services — and a new perspective — to benefit our clients.
We are welcoming a new Director to the team: Luke Thiessen. Luke is a longtime friend and collaborator who has been involved with Starling since its founding. A graduate of the Creative Communications program at Red River, he has spent more than a decade creating content, directing communications strategy and leading teams across a variety of industries and sectors. He is taking over leadership of the Starling Social team and looks forward to working with our clients as we enter this next chapter for the agency.
Our team wholeheartedly agrees that Luke is the natural fit to continue growing Starling. His skillset and experience complements our team, and as Alyson’s close friend, he knows and supports the direction and goals of the company. We feel good knowing another person with a big heart, and the same values, is continuing her legacy.
We are looking forward to adding Luke’s skillset, sense of humour, and musical acumen to our murmuration.
Honouring Alyson
Alyson used Starling Social to support women and BIPOC companies, and the LGBTQAI2S+ community where she could. Those will be the initiatives we continue to support.
The University of Winnipeg Foundation has set up the Alyson Shane Memorial Award in Rhetoric. They aim to raise $35,000 to support underrepresented students studying Rhetoric, Writing and Communications at The University of Winnipeg.
She was also nominated for the Women Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and they will be honouring her memory and contributions to the community at the event.
We will continue to share stories about Alyson, always be inspired by the drive and creativity she shared with her community, and produce work she would have been proud to have her name attached to.
Our Services
Our entrepreneurial crew of self starters works together to help our clients grow their businesses. Here’s a reminder of what we will continue to offer, and what’s new.
Digital Marketing Strategy
- Onboarding: This process allows us to act as an extension of your brand online.
- Transparency: Cloud-based tools keep you updated on every campaign detail.
- Monthly Reports: Detailed updates on performance, ROI, and strategic recommendations.
- Quarterly Meetings: Regular meetins to align goals and objectives.
Social Media Marketing
- Content Strategy: Data-driven insights make sure your posts reach your target audience.
- Content Publishing: Professional scheduling and promotion of your social content.
- Audience Engagement: Strategic interactions to grow awareness and connections.
- 24/7 Account Monitoring: Always stay on top of DMs and sales opportunities.
Copywriting
- Blogging: SEO-optimized blogs to drive traffic to your website.
- Email Marketing: Campaigns, newsletters, and nurture streams tailored to your needs.
- Website Copy: Refresh or overhaul your site with impactful, polished content.
- PDFs + More: Custom promotional materials for any campaign.
Social Media Ads
- Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Pinterest Ads: Expertly managed to amplify your digital marketing efforts.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
- Search and Display Ads on Google and Bing: Drive traffic and boost sales with precision-targeted campaigns.
Web Development
- Website Development: Create or revamp your site to showcase your brand.
- Branding and UX Design: Responsive, user-friendly websites highlighting your products and services.
- Logo Design and Brand Identity: Build a memorable visual identity that reflects your brand’s values and stands out in your industry.
- Shopify Setup and Management: Optimize your online store for sales and efficiency.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Improve your search rankings and visibility.
New Offers
With our new addition to the team, we’re offering a small but beneficial expansion to our current offers.
Media Outreach & Publicity
- Press Releases: Creating newsworthy stories to gain media attention.
- Media Relations: Building relationships with journalists and influencers to boost coverage.
- Event Promotion: Generating buzz for your events through strategic media campaigns.
Grieving
Grief can be overwhelming, especially over the holiday season. The Mood Disorders Association of Canada has free resources available for people who have lost a loved one and need support.
Please take care of yourself. If you or a loved one is struggling, you can access Shared Health Manitoba’s Mental Health & Wellness Resources here.
If you have questions about our team, the future of Starling Social, or digital marketing, you can reach us here.
Meet Luke Thiessen
- by Alicia Kurz
Let’s just start by saying the quiet part out loud: we did not expect that a straight, cis, white, Christian male would be the perfect person to take over Alyson Shane’s duties at Starling Social. But, after getting to know him, we’re confident you’ll be as happy about it as we are.
“Happy” is a strange word to use because we are all having a lot of feelings right now. We’re figuring out it’s okay to feel a little happy mixed in with everything else. Maybe the more correct word is “right.” Luke coming on board feels like the right decision for Starling Social.
Who Is Luke?
The first thing you need to know about Luke is that he is starting a Taylor Swift drag cover band with John Luxford. Okay, maybe that’s not the first thing you need to know, but it is important information, and we will be sharing show details when it becomes available.
Luke is a long-time, trusted and close friend of Alyson’s. The two met during a work placement at Direct Focus, where Alyson was working at the time, and then reconnected on Twitter — back when it was still a good place to be.
Wanting to get into similar work, the two became fast friends, bouncing ideas off of each other over a craft beer and cheering for the other’s successes.
You may have seen Luke at one of Manitoba’s many music festivals or even playing in his own band! He is drawn to folk, Americana and blues music — but he also loves a good bop. Luke’s other hobby is brewing beer and he’s a proud member of the Winnipeg Brew Bombers.
Work Life
After graduating from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2014, Luke secured a job at his second internship, Golden West Radio — a network of (mostly rural) radio stations with a couple of spots based in Winnipeg.
When you hear Luke’s voice, you immediately agree that it belongs on the radio, so it was no surprise that he was asked to start part-time and cover the news. That quickly turned into a full-time position on Classic 107 and across other Golden West radio stations.
Luke says doing the news was never his dream, so he transferred to another station and secured a spot as an afternoon drive show host. In that position, he led the content creation and the on-air team. That included things like coming up with partnerships for advertisers, delivering on-air content, running a show, and coming up with timely and entertaining things to talk about.
Interested in doing and learning more, Luke started doing freelance communications and publicity work with a local record label.
“After about a year I took the leap, quit my day job and started doing freelance full-time.”
Most of his clients were in the arts and music scene, but he also did communications work for non-profits and small businesses. In the initial years of Starling Social, Alyson hired Luke to manage some content marketing projects.
Luke made a great impression in the communications field and was offered a job at Siloam Mission as the Manager of Communications, where he spent the next 6.5 years.
At Siloam Mission, Luke helped grow the communications and marketing department from a team of one to a group of four. They handled everything from public relations to digital marketing to fundraising materials.
“Over that time, we brought a lot of that work in-house or changed our vendors to local vendors, like Starling Social. Whatever we couldn’t do in-house, we wanted to at least have close to home, so that’s when we started working with Starling.”
If you didn’t know, Siloam Mission became one of Starling’s clients in 2022.
In November 2023, Luke left Siloam Mission to take a break, do some work in the craft beer world, and start his own freelance practice. His business was just starting to come online when Alyson passed.
If you’ve interacted with our team before, you’ll know we’re a bunch of self-starters with good intentions. Through our grief, we each contributed to creating spreadsheets of outstanding tasks, making tough calls, and writing whatever needed to be written. We felt it was important not to add more to John’s plate, for our clients to have no interruptions in service, and to treat this company with the same respect Alyson showed us. After a couple of weeks and some discussion, a team member phoned Luke and pitched the idea of him coming on board.
“It never occurred to me that this was something I should think about doing. But it immediately clicked for me. We had a discussion, and I thought, as long as everyone wants this to happen and feels the same way, then this feels like such a natural fit.”
While we all mourn the circumstances that brought us here, we also feel Luke has the experience, skills, and values we want to run Starling Social — and the extroverted personality to grow it. His personal and working relationship with Alyson gave him insight into how the company is run, and we are grateful he has stepped in to fill this position so Starling Social can continue to thrive.
Joining Starling
Luke’s goal is to add to the company, not change how it's run. He wants to see what else he can bring to the table for clients to make their experience even better.
“I am looking forward to digging back into the work that I’m passionate about. To meet new clients and get to know their stories and their people. I’m a people person. I’m an extrovert, and that gives me energy.”
Luke loves working on big-picture ideas and creating new strategies. As an “ad guy", he’s driven to create campaigns that tell the story of a product, brand, project, or capital campaign. He loves getting into a brand or campaign with a great story to tell.
Publicity and media outreach is a large piece of Luke’s background and a new service he is proud to offer Starling clients.
“I've always been so proud of Alyson and the work she’s done at Starling. It’s been amazing to watch the business grow and, by extension, see her clients do well. This opportunity just feels really exciting and I’m honoured to be able to continue that and do some of that same great work.”
If you have questions for Luke, or are interested in ramping up your digital marketing game in 2025, contact us here.
25 Instagram Reels Ideas to Grow Your Business
- by Alicia Kurz
A common theme between most of our clients is that they don’t want to film Reels. And, we understand the hesitation. We’re also working from home, often in our cozy clothes, and our Reel filming days require a lot of prep. Organizing Reel days for our clients typically include a lot of poking (ok, nagging), to get it done, but it’s part of the job, and the payoff is worth it.
That’s straight from the horse's mouth, people! Reels do better than other content.
We Hear This All The Time…
“I don’t have fancy equipment to make high-quality videos”
You don’t need it.* Period.
Instagram wants to show you what you’re interested in seeing. Nowadays, people are sick of the “picture-perfect” videos and endless highlights of your business, so if you want to connect with your audience, the best way to do that is through authenticity and transparency. That means showing the messy middle.
Okay, if your lighting is truly terrible, consider grabbing a $30 ring light on Amazon and that will do just fine. Otherwise, natural light can do wonders.
Mosseri even has a recent Reel titled Production value doesn’t matter and says, “Too often creators are worried about production value…If you’re trying to create relatable content, production value is almost like an anti-goal.”
@haleyybaylee, the kind of problematic, yet hugely successful content creator (you know, the one who was dressed as Marie Antoinette at the Met Gala and told people to “let them eat cake,” among other things) was featured on this Reel and said she posts videos that she would send to her group chat.
Putting aside the few TikTok and Instagram scandals she’s been involved in, what she’s doing to grow her following is working.
*This section is not for you if you’re promoting a luxury brand. In that case, you do need fancy equipment to make high-quality videos.
“I don’t have a lot to say”
You don’t need to say a lot! Instagram wants short-form videos. Mosseri even spelled out why in another recent Reel:
When you watch long-form videos, you see less of other content. That means you spend less time liking, commenting, saving and sharing. Since Instagram wants you to spend more time on their app, and engage with more content, long-form videos would work directly against their objectives.
The head of Instagram said specifically, “Instagram will not focus on long-form video.” Their goal is to connect you with friends and help you explore your interests — usually through short-form videos.
This is a hot take from Instagram, considering TikTok is expanding into longer videos.
“I don’t want to show my face”
Instagram posts with faces get 38% more likes than those without. Do with that information as you will, but you also don’t HAVE to show your face.
There are plenty of faceless accounts, and you can show behind-the-scenes things like how your product or service works, showing processes, customer reactions, time-lapses, etc. The options are endless.
“I don’t know what to post”
That’s why you clicked on this blog post, silly! When we show up to Reel filming days with our clients, we have Reel ideas prepared, props and scripts ready, and it’s a fun and easy day.
However, you might be doing your own socials, and we’re here to help with ideas for that, too.
25 Reel Ideas
Show Your Workspace
Anyone can participate in this! From at-home desks to warehouses to restaurants. These behind-the-scenes glimpses remind your audience of the work that goes into your business.
Step By Step Videos
These are great for recipes, companies to make items, or “how to” videos. Having a visual element makes “doing the thing” more accessible.
Showcase New Products
Get creative with how you show off your new products. Search the Explore Page for inspiration — this creator has the right idea!
A Day In The Life
There are many examples of these type of Reels, but if you’re camera shy, this is a good faceless option!
Testimonials
Have your clients share short video reviews of your product. If your clients are camera shy, ask them to write a testimonial and you can share them in a similar style as this creator.
Dance
Choreographed dances aren’t really our thing, but they are never leaving the app. If you can master the moves, shake what your mama gave ya!
Introduction
Introductions and reintroductions are all over the gram. It’s a chance to give new followers a better idea of who you are.
Meet the Team
These don’t need to be complicated. Making a meet the team post into a Reel, instead of a photo, is a more engaging way for people to get to know your staff.
Time Lapse Videos
Thanks to these apps, we’re all impatient. That’s why it’s so satisfying to see a project happen from start to finish in less than 90 seconds.
Celebrate a Milestone
Always celebrate your wins! Plus, telling your audience about your significant milestones is another way to add credibility to your business. Is this post, Alyson shares some valuable lessons she’s learned in the last 10 years of owning a digital marketing agency.
The “Making Of” Videos
Jenna Rae Cakes is a great account to go to if you want to see how to make their delicious desserts. Will we ever make a fancy cake? No. Do we ever skip a video? Also no.
Share Your Favourite Products, Services, or Tools
You’re the expert in your niche. Your audience would love to know what your favourite things to use are.
Unboxing Videos
Small businesses have to order products all the time. This allows plenty of opportunities for unboxing videos, like this one from WillowPress.
Explainer Videos
We’re just going to tag Molly PcPherson’s entire account because her whole page is explaining PR crisises. However, you can explain your products or services, or even your company culture.
Educational Videos, But Make It Fun
The TSA account is hilarious, but also shares information that travellers would definitely find useful. Check out this example from a couple of years ago, but their account is awesome in general.
Copy Trends
Don’t hop on every trend, but if it works with your brand, definitely do it. Here’s a current popular sound that most businesses can relate to.
Remix Reels
Trigger warning: this one is heavy. It’s also relevant and important to women's health.
We will give a special shoutout to the KamalaHQ account because they are working at lightning speed to stay relevant on all platforms. Truly unbelievable work.
Tell A Story
The Fingernails Are Pretty account slays at keeping things genuine. Her followers love her because she shares her products in an unconventional way, and it’s relatable to a lot of people because *depression*.
Share Bloopers
Blooper Reels are so funny. If you want to make your audience laugh, consider sharing the slip-ups it took to get to the finished product.
Give Tips
We love a Canva hack, but any quick tips that an average person could benefit from are so valuable. We’ve learned so much on these apps over the years. Thanks for not gatekeeping!
Before and After
You can add two photos, put a transition between them, add audio and boom - a very satisfying before and after video is born.
Answer FAQs
This creator shares FAQs from her audience, giving some consistency in her feed, and it helps build her reputation as an industry leader.
Expectations Vs Reality Videos
You know what we’re talking about with these videos. So, we thought we would share the human version of Instagram vs reality videos with the Australian comedian Celeste Barber, who has built her page around the idea.
Share a Collage
The base of a lot of Reel templates are photos strung together to a sound. This style of Reel tends to get high views because they are short, and the photos go by quickly, forcing people to watch more than once to really see the photos.
The best, and worst part about Instagram is that it’s always evolving. It’s also a space full of creative people, so it’s a constant flow of ideas and inspiration that you can mimic in your Reels strategy.
Remember, the goal is authenticity and connection, so if any of these don’t feel true to your brand, don’t do it. But before we send you on our way, here’s a few other things to consider when posting Reels.
5 Hot Tips for Posting Reels
1. Think about making videos, and content in general, that people would want to send to their friends.
Instagram prioritizes Reels based on what it believes a viewer will be most likely to interact with, and uses a set of signals to help rank content. Sends are high on the Instagram ranking list — it means it’s content you want your friends to see.
2. Keep experimenting
This seems to be Mosseri’s consistent tip for people who are in View’s jail. Keep trying new things to see what your audience engages with.
3. Don’t post Instagram Reels that are low-res, blurry, have watermarks from other apps, or reposting others content.
These types of Reels will be deprioritized — meaning nobody will see your content.
4. Cover photos make a very minimal difference in Reels performance.
They are only seen on your feed, or on the Explore Page. Most of your reach comes from the Feed or Recommendations. So, if cover photos are something that’s taking up a lot of your marketing time, maybe it’s time to reevaluate.
5. Use Audio on your Reels
Audio makes the Reel more engaging. When your content is immersive, you are more likely to get more attention, which helps get more likes, comments, and a higher reach.
Using Audio puts your content on the Audio’s page. People go there for inspiration, where they could come across your Reel, giving you an even higher reach.
DYK 50% of people have their audio turned on when using the app?
As you can maybe tell, we love making content. Whether it’s writing copy, coming up with campaign ideas, or creating a Reels strategy tailored to your business — it brings us joy.
Let our team write, schedule, and promote your social media content for you. Contact us here for a free quote.
11 Spooky Social Media Strategies for Halloween 2024
- by Alicia Kurz
Do you remember the feeling of scoring a full-sized chocolate bar on Halloween? What about putting together a great costume that you were excited to show your friends? If you didn't love the costumes, you surely liked missing a couple hours of school to watch a movie and eat snacks.
People love Halloween because it’s a chance to be creative, indulge in your favourite treats, bond with your community — and if you’re into scary stuff, get an adrenaline rush.
Luckily for brands, Halloween campaigns can evoke a sense of nostalgia, give people a chance to indulge in their product or service, connect with the community associated with your brand, and get a dopamine hit when they hit the purchase button.
If you want your brand to recreate these feelings, associate them with your brand, and have people hit purchase on your website, here are 11 spooky social media strategies for Halloween 2024.
Use Influencer Marketing + Hop-On Trends
People like feeling “in-the-know.” Last year, everyone was on the Wednesday Addams train for Halloween, and this year, you can expect to see a lot of Beetlejuice costumes, decorations, campaigns, etc.
Just look at the makeup brand about-face, who used influencers and trends to make the “Beetlejuice Lipstick Hack” go viral. Here are just a few of the hugely famous TikTok stars who hopped on the trend.
Jeffree Star's is definitely worth a watch because it’s a fail, but still great marketing!
Start Your Campaign Early
Halloween shopping has already started. I’m sure you’ve noticed decorations and treats lining the shelves as early as September 1. Luckily, 64% of consumers don’t start shopping until October. And when people start shopping, they really go for it. Canadians were expected to spend $1.64 billion for Halloween in 2022, up 28.4 percent year over year. Most of that is spent on costumes, candy and pumpkins.
If your Halloween campaign hasn’t started yet, now would be a good time to get going, ramp up the ads the first two weeks of October, and set an alarm for early next September to get going on Halloween 2025!
Use Previous Insights
Although we are “word people,” data has its place in your campaigns.
- Do you need to try some new strategies?
- Which platforms had the most engagement?
- What did your competitors do well last year?
- Which days had the most traffic on your website?
- Is there anything you need to advertise more this year?
Leverage what worked and toss what didn’t. Use these insights to create impactful content that resonates with your audience.
Update Your LinkTree
This might seem like an easy one, but you would be surprised how many brands have out-of-date links on their social, or website. The internet moves fast, and there is always something one click away to distract your audience. Make it simple for your potential customers to get to your order page.
Integrate Omnichannel Experiences
Omnichannel marketing is connecting your marketing experiences across platforms and offline.
Customers should be able to see the same key messages whether they visit your brick-and-mortar locations, open your app, or see your ads on social media.
Burger King has nails the omnichannel marketing each Halloween by merging their digital marketing and in-store experiences.
There are several examples, but one of our favourites is the “Come as a clown, eat like a king” campaign. Burger King combined several marketing tactics to get people talking about their brand and into their restaurants.
It was released in 2017, making Pennywise the Clown a popular costume. They took advantage of making their rival the villain and invited people dressed up as clowns for a free burger on Halloween.
They encouraged guests to tag them on social media, released a video, promoted the event in-store, and advertised on their app.
Offer a Halloween Discount
With the cost of everything skyrocketing, discounts and promo codes are a great way to attract more customers.
Discounts can create excitement, engage people, and help you stay competitive. Plus, fun Halloween promotions done well can boost brand awareness and make customers more interested in your business.
Collaborate with Other Companies
Mutually beneficial business relationships allow companies to share resources, ideas, expertise, and best of all, better products and services for the customers.
Collaboration also helps brands reach new customers by combining each other's audiences.
We love this example from last year: Reese’s x Nextdoor.
The two companies came together to make a “Treat Map” that informs neighbours who is celebrating Halloween and how. Basically, it lets parents pick the best places in the neighbourhood to go trick or treating and see spooky decorated homes.
Share Behind-The-Scenes Content
You don’t need to go crazy to capitalize on Halloween marketing. Join in the fun by letting your audience in on your company culture. It builds a connection and adds a little fun. Think of planning a day for team members to dress up, carve pumpkins, do a pet parade, or share baked goods and share it on your social channels. Add engaging features like polls and questions to boost your engagement.
Create a Game or Challenge
Who doesn’t love a good game? We’ll never say no to a bingo card — especially if there is a reward.
Hosting challenges like these is a smart way to engage your audience and get them in a Halloween mood. Find something your target would like to do, and doesn’t require a lot of work. Think: filming a Story and tagging you or dropping off a colouring sheet at your location.
This example is a little mean, but people LOVED Jimmy Kimmel’s “I Ate My Kids’ Halloween Candy” videos. At least there is a call to action to donate candy to the Ronald McDonald House at the end.
Halloween Hashtags and Keywords
Make your content easily searchable this Halloween with keywords on your website and specific hashtags on your social pages.
Join in on popular hashtags like #Halloween or #SpookySeason, and ones that match your products like #HalloweenCandy for grocery stores . Here are some tips if you create your own:
- Stay relevant to your brand
- Make it easy to remember
- Focus on one message
- Keep it short
Get people involved by encouraging them to share their own content and use your brand’s hashtag.
For SEO, brands should add Halloween-related words like “costumes” or “spooky decor” to their website. Writing blogs with fun ideas, like “Top Halloween Party Tips,” can help them show up in searches. And don’t forget to use Halloween keywords in product descriptions to draw in more shoppers.
Make Memes
You better believe we “like” every meme we see about Spirit Halloween. Whether it’s about taking over a failed retail space or making fun of a profession, you’ll start to see these memes popping up around now.
Funnily enough, we don’t think Spirit Halloween had anything to do with these jokes, but leaning into them has made them culturally relevant, and hey, who doesn’t want free advertising?!
They even made a blog about their favourite fake costumes last year.
Halloween marketing can be challenging for brands who don’t see how the celebration ties to their business objectives. It can be as simple as building your relationship with clients by sharing behind-the-scenes footage, growing brand awareness with influencer campaigns and giveaways, or seeing direct sales with promotions and discounts.
Our social media marketing service provides you with a content strategy, using data to make sure your posts are shared at the right time, and are seen by your target customers. We write, schedule, and promote your social media content for you and generate awareness about your brand by engaging strategically with your ideal customers.
Never miss a campaign opportunity again! Get in touch with us here.
Meet Hayley Dobson
- by Alicia Kurz
Hayley Dobson is a childless cat lady. And if you know any childless cat ladies, you know that they have many interesting hobbies, take on the coveted role of fun aunt, make the best pet-sitters, and they basically live a more elevated lifestyle of someone in their twenties who can do what they want — except they aren’t broke and have a fully developed brain.
The other thing about women with fully developed brains is that they like to use them. If there’s one thing I know for sure about having a relationship with Hayley, you don’t want to get into a debate with her because you will certainly lose. This woman is informed, clever, and confident — as she should be. She can convince anyone of anything, which makes her an incredible and captivating storyteller.
When Hayley joined the Starling team, it was a blessing for us because of her personality and intelligence, and she became a great fit for our clients because she’s a funny, hard-working perfectionist.
Personal Life
Hayley “levels up” everything she is involved in. Her interest in yoga and dance led her to complete her 500-hour RYT certification, which she has been working towards for seven years.
“I'm really interested in movement as a healing modality and a path to more authentic expression.”
If you ask Hayley to do something, she gives it 110% every single time. One of the best examples of this was turning a simple bridesmaid speech into a personalized rap at a friend’s wedding — a performance the crowd will never forget.
She loves attending and running community events, and if you ever meet her at one, you’ll be able to find her because of a loud outfit (think light-up cowboy hats or eccentric costumes to fit any theme) and the gathering of people who naturally are drawn to her.
Whether you credit this to a trait she’s born with or the time, effort and space she’s given to working on herself and the connection between mindfulness and creativity — she’s that girl.
Work Life
Hayley started her marketing career over 10 years ago while she was completing her communications degree at Carleton University. During that time, she worked for the Student Association as Vice President of Student Life. She put her skills to use planning the student social calendar for the year, putting together events like orientation week, huge concerts, and homecoming. This is where she fell in love with experiential marketing and hosting events.
After graduation, Hayley started working in community at Lululemon in Vancouver.
“That's where I learned the power of meaningful experiences and how they support in building community, creating emotional impact, and driving awareness and brand resonance.”
She went on to work in sales and marketing in the cannabis industry, which taught her about working in regulated environments and building an industry from scratch.
Why is Storytelling Important for Businesses?
For many people, the ultimate decision about what product they buy or service they invest in comes down to whether the business or individual offering it aligns with their values. Storytelling allows consumers to learn more about what you believe and why you do what you do. It's the heartbeat of your marketing, and weaving the right story brings magic and life into your brand.
Storytelling helps businesses connect with their audience on a deeper level. When you are choosing a lunch spot, do you choose the sandwich shop you know nothing about, or the one where the owner went to Europe to learn culinary techniques and bring it back to your town because they have a passion for sharing good food? Having a back story just makes your purchase feel more special.
It’s about sharing values, experiences, and emotions. When you tell your brand's story—how you started, the challenges you faced, or even your quirky office culture—you make your business relatable and memorable.
Hayley is always interested in how brands show up outside their brick-and-mortar locations. She enjoys finding the stories within clients’ work and sharing them in an engaging way.
How Can Businesses Create Community Around Their Brand?
There's something special about providing people with the opportunity to have an experience with your brand - to create a memory.
Hayley says the best way to create community around your brand is to offer people meaningful ways to engage with it both within your brick-and-mortar and/or online space and outside of it.
Utilize experiential marketing in a way that works for you, whether that looks like hosting an event, going live on Instagram to answer questions or provide information, or offering surprise and delight moments in your store. Collaborate with other businesses who believe what you believe to help grow your reach. And most importantly, make people feel valued and cared for.
These actions create an emotional impact that drives awareness and brand resonace,
If you’re looking for someone to tell your stories and add personality and colour to your digital marketing strategy, reach out to us here.
How To Do An Email Marketing Audit
- by Alicia Kurz
If you’re a business owner, don’t sleep on email marketing. 99% of consumers check their emails every day. When we say “reach your audience where they are at,” email marketing is exactly what we’re talking about.
Yes, they probably are also on their social media platforms, but did you know that only 10% of your followers will see your post on Instagram? And that’s if your image or video caught their attention long enough for them to stop scrolling.
It's not that Facebook isn't important for your business, but if you want direct impact and reach, email marketing has no competition.
This blog will guide you through how to do an email marketing audit so you can take a close look at your strategy to maximize your return on investment.
Let’s talk about why audits are important, how to do one, and what they are.
Why an Email Marketing Audit Matters
Email marketing gets results. For every dollar spent, the average return is $40. The campaigns help you build relationships with your customers by sharing updates, offers, and valuable content, leading to greater brand loyalty and repeat business.
Your strategy shouldn’t just be “send an email.” Each newsletter should be strategically crafted to reach your marketing goals. Whether you’ve been sending emails for decades or your first one is in your drafts, doing an audit will maximize the impact of your campaign.
The goal of an audit is to take an honest, unbiased look at what's working, what's not, and where you can make improvements. By reviewing your email list, content, timing, and overall strategy, you can identify areas to optimize and make data-driven decisions to increase open rates, boost CTRs, and drive better results.
Components of an Email Marketing Audit
If the word audit casts a sense of dread over your body, we feel you. Just remember, it’s not telling you what you’re doing wrong, but more guiding you in the right direction. Here’s what you should look at when doing an email marketing audit:
Subscriber List
Make sure your subscribers have opted in. You don’t want to talk to people who aren’t into you anyway. Regularly clean out inactive subscribers to boost engagement and segment your list to more effectively target different audience groups.
Personalization
Identify key moments in your customers' journey to send timely messages. Automated messages like welcome emails and abandoned cart reminders can be personalized. Keep testing and refining your approach to see what works best.
Performance Metrics
Review metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. This helps you see what’s working and where you can improve.
Compliance
Follow email marketing laws like Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. Get explicit consent, provide clear information, and allow easy opt-outs. This helps you avoid legal issues and build trust with your subscribers.
Content
Look at your subject lines, messages, visuals, and calls to action. Confirm they are interesting and personalized to keep your audience interested. Test different elements to improve your results.
Deliverability
Currently, the best time to send an email blast is 10am on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Make sure your emails bypass the junk folder by maintaining a good sender reputation, using proper authentication, and avoiding spammy language. Monitor deliverability (like with monthly reporting — a service we provide to our clients) to catch any issues early.
How To Do An Email Marketing Audit In 6 Easy Steps
We’ve tackled the “what” and the “why,” now for the “how.” These six steps will make the process a bit easier.
1. Set Your Goals Decide what you want to achieve with your audit. Are you aiming to boost overall performance, improve deliverability, or refine your content? Knowing your goals will help shape the audit.
2. Choose Your KPIs
Key Performance Indicators are what measures your success. These are things like open rates, click-through rates and conversion rates. Setting clear goals will help you see what’s working and where you need to adjust.
3. Create a Spreadsheet
If you’re not a spreadsheet girly, trust us when we say it’s for the best you become one in this case. Track details like campaign names, subject lines, audience segments, open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. This helps you keep everything in one place and helps you spot trends.
4. Gather and Organize Data Compare your metrics with industry standards and past performance to find trends and areas for improvement.
5. Analyze What Works Look into why some emails performed better than others. What made the successful ones stand out? Figure out how to replicate that success in your next campaigns.
6. Make a Plan
For all the other creatives crying out there, we’re on the last step! Make a report with clear takeaways and then start implementing and testing your new ideas. It will work!
We like to make ourselves an email audit checklist so we can get a dopamine hit after we complete each of the 6 steps. Bonus points if you add a little treat for yourself after you complete the audit.
Conduct Regular Audits
Email marketing audits will give you valuable insights to make a clear action plan that lines up your email marketing with your business goals. Whether you're focusing on list health or doing a full audit, following this framework will make it easy. Start focusing on what works and ditch what doesn’t.
If after reading this email marketing suddenly jumps to the top of your to-do list, we’re ready to help! We also happen to have an extremely high open rate on our own newsletter at 45-49%. Humble brag, but the industry average is 21.5%.
Contact us here to get started on your next email marketing campaign.
Meet Tineke Buiskool-Leeuwma
- by Alicia Kurz
Tineke is like the personality hire — except she’s also full of the talent, passion and creativity that makes Starling thrive. No bad vibes, only impeccable work and lots of sparkle. How did we get so lucky?
If you’re interested in working with Starling Social and wondering what it would be like, keep reading to get to know one of the stars of our team.
Personal Life
“Involved” is one of the first words we would use to describe Tineke. This woman does everything! You can find her supporting local shops and restaurants, on neighbourhood tours, attending community events, and joining book clubs. Essentially, any fun activity going on in Winnipeg, Tineke has done or plans to do. She was even asked to give a Pecha Kucha talk about being a tourist in your own town!
She loves our city so much that she has the Winnipeg skyline tattooed on her shoulder, which balances the wheat tattoo on her other shoulder, showcasing her country and city roots.
We are very font of her “bee’s knees” tattoo because it showcases her love of typography and puns. She’s just our type! The Futura looks bright for this one... okay, we will stop.
Work Life
Tineke graduated from the Red River CreComm program in 2004. She immediately put her skills to use with mall and area marketing — she’s worked for five different malls in Manitoba and Alberta and two business improvement zones.
“I love these industries as my work supported small businesses and a lot of local, independent owners! I became a Certified Marketing Director (CMD) through the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) and graduated from the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce Leadership program (a program I highly recommend)!”
All this experience, combined with Tineke’s love for local businesses and inherently supportive nature makes her the perfect fit for the Starling team (and probably your business).
Tineke loves it all when it comes to her job. In fact, the variety is what makes it so exciting.
“I am super partial to writing for social media, e-newsletters and blogs. I love a great campaign, but supporting the ongoing work for a client is also super rewarding because you get to see it grow over the long term.”
The results of ongoing work with clients is just as rewarding for us as it is for them!
You could likely guess that Tineke is an avid reader, so working with a local publisher on their social media has been a highlight of working with Starling.
“It was incredible to learn more about the behind-the-scenes of the publishing world, plus learn more about talented authors and illustrators.”
Working With An Agency
We often hear about how marketing is the next thing on the to-do list, but the creativity and time it takes just aren’t available.
TBH, we’re creatives, we love this sh*t. We understand you are so busy that you don’t have time for consistent posting, messaging, or marketing. This is where working with someone like Tineke can help support your initiatives.
Working with small businesses is awesome because the time from idea to execution is really cut down. We work with your team, as an extension of your business, to tell your story. Even if you have a marketing or communications team and are looking for a little extra support, we can jump in with whatever your needs are. Sometimes, clients need a bit extra support to allow their current team to focus on other initiatives.
“One way I like to support is by creating educational and informative content so that there is a consistent brand presence and the on-site team can share the day-to-day and behind-the-scenes content. It tends to flow really well together, and the output ticks all the boxes: educational, informative, and entertaining!”
Ongoing Support v.s. One-Off Projects
Tineke loves building relationships with her long-term clients, which goes hand in hand with strengthening marketing strategies. The payoff of seeing the results of that creativity and partnership is really rewarding.
However, she says short-term support is also a lot of fun for both parties! Whether it's supporting an event (eg: a conference), a product launch or a marketing campaign, the Starling team can deliver on these shorter projects!
“The best part is that we can help with whatever you need.”
If you’re interested in leveling up your social media game, or have a project you could use some help with, reach out to us here.
And to end with a smile, as you do when meeting Tineke, we leave you with a final Typography joke:
The Green Wave: Sustainable Marketing Practices for 2024
- by Alicia Kurz
Put a finger down if you’re feeling the impact of people destroying our planet. Put another finger down if you want to do something about it. If you have two fingers down, this post is a great place to start.
With 75% of young people frightened about the future, you aren’t alone. The current vibe among young people is that even if I didn’t make this mess, it’s still my job to clean it up — which is great, but unfortunate that we are here.
The “silver lining” in our current state is that it’s pushing companies to want to make a change — but we’re so damn busy we don’t know how and don’t have the time to learn how.
This blog outlines why people are going green, ways your biz can switch to sustainable marketing practices, and examples of companies doing right.
The Rise of Green Consumerism
Fear is a pretty good motivating factor. With the doomsday clock still at 90 seconds to midnight, the push for immediate climate action is strong. It turns out the best way to make our voices heard is with our wallets.
People are increasingly aware of the impact of their purchasing power — and we love to see it. Sustainability is a key driving factor for buyers, with 85% of consumers making more “green” decisions.
- 64% of consumers want brands to remove plastic packaging.
- 88% of people want brands to help them be more ethical in their daily lives.
- 72% of respondents are buying more eco-friendly products than they did five years ago.
While drastic change is what we need, baby steps like buying eco-friendly products make people feel like they are doing something tangible. People will pay more for items made responsibly and sustainably.
It seems reasonable to assume that this green trend will continue to grow. Companies that align with consumer values stand a better chance of sticking around.
Now is the time to look at your products, packaging, and how you run your business in a more eco-friendly way.
How to Incorporate Sustainable Practices in Your Business
If you’re looking to make a change, the first thing you need to do is find out how to spot greenwashing and avoid doing that at all costs. Consumers are wise, cancel culture is strong, and the point is to truly make good choices.
Be Transparent
When a company is truly making a difference, it wants to share real facts and figures. Make a dedicated page to share how your green practices. This is where you put your numbers and clear explanations. Keyword you should include on your website (and what to look for on other sites) include:
“footprint”
“annual report”
“impact assessment”
“sustainability report”
Spot Greenwashing: Watch out for questionable wording and a lack of information.
Ex. If clothing says it’s recycled, look for the percentage. Sometimes, using recycled content isn’t very eco-friendly because the recycling process uses a lot of energy. If you don’t see specific numbers, that’s a red flag.
Get Certified
This is a tricky one because not all certifications are equal. In fact, some you can simply buy. Others require renewals, which keeps your company accountable for upholding your sustainability commitments.
From what we can tell, these are some generally trusted third-party programs you may want to consider for your business and in your own purchasing.
If you are confident in your sustainability practices, you can apply to be on apps like Ethical Consumer, or if you’re in the fashion world, apply to be rated Good On You.
Spot Greenwashing: Some companies use misleading branding. Depending on their regional laws, there may not be any repercussions. In reality, they can design a “green” stamp and put it on their packaging.
Be Specific With Buzzwords
Canada passed a law on June 20th, 2024, saying if you make an “environmentally friendly” claim on your product, you have to prove it. Until now, nothing prevented companies from putting an “eco-friendly” label on their products, even if the product is far from sustainable.
These buzzwords can still be used deceptively, so the more information you can provide about them, the better.
Copy should be a tool for storytelling, connection, information and honesty. It should address your target’s pain points and how to fix them. Does your audience feel empowered after their purchase? How can you make them feel good? Scare tactics and buzzwords may grab an initial sale, but a genuine connection with your customers will keep them coming back.
If your product is “non-toxic,” for example, tell them what the industry standard is, why you chose what you did, and the benefits of your ingredients.
Words like “chemical-free” are hard to substantiate because everything is made of chemicals.
Spot Greenwashing: When you use words like “free-of,” the substance can still be present in trace amounts or be marketed on products that never would have contained it in the first place.
Just look at A&W’s page:
…Since 2013 we’ve been serving beef raised without artificial hormones and steroids, and now all our beef is also grass-fed and grass-finished…
But In Canada, the level of synthetic hormone residues that can be left in beef is zero. Seems pretty shady.
Focus on a Circular Economy
Smart business owners are now looking at the circular economy. This idea is about using resources for as long as possible, getting the most value from them while they're being used, and then recycling and regenerating products at the end of their life. Explaining how your brand helps with the circular economy can be a great way to attract customers.
One of our clients, Patent 5 Distillery, has a heavy focus on sustainability embedded into its brand.
Their location is in a historic building, repurposed as a cocktail bar and distillery. They used reclaimed stained glass, doors, wood panelling and other elements from the original building to create their cozy setting.
If they can source the ingredients for their craft spirits from a local supplier, they do. Everything from the grains to the spruce tips and berries are from Manitoba. This means lower greenhouse gas emissions from transport. Nothing goes to waste! Even their spent grains are sent to local farms to be used for feed.
They even invested in a 900-gallon water recirculating system to reduce their water waste, and their whisky barrels are reused.
Anything you purchase from Patent 5 is mashed, fermented, distilled and bottled in-house. Customers are encouraged to return their bottles to Patent 5 for reuse.
These notes are listed on their website and revisited on their social pages to communicate their commitment to sustainability.
Work Remote
We know this isn't possible for every company, but it is for many, and we don't understand why more companies wouldn’t embrace it. Starling Social is a completely remote company, and not only does it offer more opportunity for a work-life balance, there are several environmental benefits.
Reduced Carbon Emissions: Our carbon footprint is lowered because we don’t have people commuting to an office every weekday.
Lower Office Energy Use: Another space means more heating, cooling, lighting, chargers, appliances, etc. We aren’t using any of that!
Reduced Paper Use: We’re all digital. We’re not even sure if any of our team members own a printer. Save the trees!
Less Plastic Waste: Let’s get real, if we’re in the office, were going to be snacking, ordering lunch, even packing lunch! As much as we limit single-use plastics, straws and plastic cutlery still come with ordered food.
Since Starling doesn’t have these overhead costs, it also allows the team to be paid more. It’s a win for everyone. Remote work supports sustainability goals and fosters a greener future for everyone — and we will die on that hill.
Talk About It
Write your story, then tell it. Define your green goals, how you plan to meet them, and let your audience know! It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Unfortunately, some parts of going green can have a high initial cost (think solar power), but it’s motivating to see your own sustainability journey unfold, and you will naturally get cheerleaders along the way. Challenges along the way are relatable. Ask for advice, stories, and ideas. This is another way to encourage two-way conversations with your audience.
Use Eco-Friendly Packaging
Everyone sees your product's packaging, and using eco-friendly packaging sends a strong message. Choose materials that can be recycled or break down naturally, like biodegradable options or those made from recycled materials. Show that you care about cutting down on plastic waste and remind customers to recycle—plus, it’s another way to communicate your sustainability practices with your audience.
Make Your Consumer The Hero
Good marketing campaigns focus on what your company is doing right, but great marketing campaigns make your client the hero. It’s their purchase that allows your business to run, which allows the local businesses you support to thrive, which reduces our carbon footprint by limiting cross-country or global trasnportation emissions.
Make sure you’re letting your customers know the impact of their purchases!
Companies Doing It Right
Patagonia
Patagonia, an eco-friendly outdoor clothing company, is often leading the charge in sustainability.
Their motto, "We are in business to save our home planet," rings true. They donate 1% of sales to environmental causes, use recycled and organic materials, and aim to be carbon neutral by 2025. Their program, Patagonia Action Works, connects people with local environmental groups.
Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s Climate justice campaigns are clever, informative, and eye-catching. Their partnerships stress how climate change can be accessible and that we don’t need to focus on fear to make action happen.
Their climate plan, approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative in 2018, aims for 100% renewable energy by 2025 and significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and 2050. You can track their progress in their Social and Environmental Assessment Report.
Tentree
Karma Wallet rated Tentree the best overall sustainable fashion brand of 2024.
Their plan is to work towards a world where businesses are leading the change we need, placing the planet and people first. Tentree gives back to its communities, creates ethical and sustainable products, and offsets its emissions. They hope to show what a planet-first business can look like.
At this point, every step counts for businesses embracing sustainability. Practices like remote work, eco-friendly packaging, and avoiding greenwashing so consumers can make conscious decisions all contribute to reducing your environmental impact.
When businesses Integrate these strategies, they can contribute to a greener future for everyone. If you’re interested in working with a company that wants to help communicate your environmental action plan, contact us here.
B2B vs. B2C Copywriting: What Are the Differences and How to Do It
- by Alicia Kurz
If you’re using the same copy to communicate to your consumers as you are with other businesses, you need help with your comms strategy.
Your copy might be the first impression for buyers or company owners interacting with your business, so you probably want that messaging to be different — but for both to stand out in their own way.
B2B vs. B2C copywriting is about adjusting your copywriting to cover the values, pain points, and solutions for each of your audiences.
For example, if a person walked into your store you wouldn’t tell them the profit margins you’re making on each product, you’d tell them about how each item is hand-crafted and lasts a lifetime — something that aligns with their values and solves their problem.
If you’re not sure how to differentiate your copy for both audience types, then keep reading! This post covers the difference between B2B and B2C writing, how to shift your writing style, and everything else you need to know to improve your messaging.
B2B + B2C Copywriting Explained
In case you need a refresher, B2B=Business to Business and B2C=Business to Consumer.
B2B copywriting is all about talking to people “in the biz” of whatever industry you’re in.
Business writing allows you to get technical, highlight the features and benefits, and show how your product or service can make their lives easier. It's a bit more formal and focused on the bottom line.
B2C copywriting focuses on building personal connections with customers.
The goal is to tug at their emotions, paint a picture of how your offering will improve their lives, and use a more casual, conversational tone.
The key is to know your audience. Are you talking to a procurement manager or a busy mom?
Adjust Your Style for B2B vs. B2C
The tone and language you use will make a big difference in how your message is received. If your target is business professionals, you can use industry jargon they’ll understand. For example, if we’re speaking to social media managers, they’ll understand:
“We are going to use our USPs to create content and track our monthly KPIs in our handwritten reports.”
If we’re talking to clients about our content strategy for them, we would adjust that language to something like:
“Let's talk about the things that make your company special on our social media channels. Every month, we’ll measure things like how many people saw your content, clicks to the website, and comments on your posts to see how your posts are performing.”
Both of these say the same thing, but our messaging changes depending on who we are talking to.
For B2B writing, you'll generally want to take a more formal, professional tone. Use clear, concise language and avoid slang or overly casual phrasing. Focus on communicating the value proposition and addressing the specific needs of your business customers.
.
B2C writing can be more conversational and relatable — our favourite kind of writing. You can use a friendlier tone, incorporate relevant cultural references, and even inject humour (if appropriate). This will help connect with consumers on a more personal level.
Copywriting for Consumers
Consumers are bombarded with marketing messages, so we want to cut through the noise with writing that is genuine, relatable, and provides value. Here’s what we're working towards when we’re writing for consumers:
Building Trust
People can spot a sales pitch from a mile away. Communication that stands out is transparent and authentic. That’s the same reason why carefully curated Instagram feeds are out and spur-of-the-moment, talking-to-the-camera storytelling videos are in.
Great B2C writing puts the customer first and respects their time. Get to the point! If you can capture their attention, meet their needs, and forge an authentic connection, you're well on your way to driving conversions and building loyal brand advocates.
Creating Recognizable Content
In this economy, people are doing their research before making a purchase. They are checking out your competition, reading reviews, adding to cart, and hopefully ending up back on your site when they finally hit the checkout button.
That’s why your messaging has to be memorable and consistent across all your marketing channels. When people come back to your site, they should recognize (and feel familiar with) your brand tone, messaging, colours, fonts and vibe.
Solving Their Problems
Find out what your audience is looking for and deliver that to them in your copywriting. Build up your audience personas, figure out their pain points and values, and craft your messaging around that.
Feeling Something
There’s a reason we compile a list of the best holiday commercials every year. They make us laugh, cry — or just feel something in general. Talented copywriters provide engaging perspectives to encourage readers to think differently and see things in a new light.
Copywriting for Businesses
Businesses are looking for similar things that individual consumers are, but also make it ✨profitable✨. Copywriting for businesses also need a marketing perspective to help them make informed purchasing decisions. They want content they can:
Quickly Skim
We said it before and we’ll say it again: clear and concise content for the win. Business owners don’t have time to pull out the information they need from a large document. Think elevator pitch. If you have two minutes to “sell” your product or service, what are you going to say? Put the important information first, and make sure the key points are highlighted. If that draws enough interest, then they can go back and get more details to make their final decision.
Easily Understand
In copywriting for business, industry jargon is your friend and that is the ONLY time we will say that. The more you know about the company’s processes, policies, culture and lingo, the easier it will be to position your product in a way that fits with their brand.
Look at Facts + Stats
Successful B2B copywriting hinges on showing how your product or service boosts your customers' profitability, using content that provides evidence and facts. This can look like product reviews, case studies, engaging articles or comparison charts. These guide buyers through the sales journey with real customer feedback and a clear view of your strengths.
The B2B crowd prefers a straightforward approach that demonstrates how your solution positively impacts their bottom line.
The Benefits of Tailoring Your B2B + B2C Copywriting
Tweaking your copywriting for each audience will improve your marketing efforts. Successful copywriting should result in:
- Increased engagement and conversions
- Authentic connections with your audience
- Loyal customers who feel like your brand aligns with their values
Do You Need Help With Copywriting? We Do That!
Writing different versions of your key messages can be a daunting task for busy business owners — so let us help!
We recognize that diverse businesses have different writing needs. Some thrive on a friendly, approachable style, while others demand a more formal tone.
That's why our team of copywriters excels in both B2B and B2C writing. Whether you’re after it's compelling marketing materials or punchy website content, count on us!
Contact us today to get started on your next project.
Meet Andrea Danelak
- by Alicia Kurz
Andrea Danelak is the kind of person you notice when you walk into a room. You can easily spot her bright (and ever-changing) hair colour, big smile, and always a cute fit — which is exactly like her writing: it’s confident and stands out.
When you work with Starling Social, we get to know all the small details of your brand so we can seamlessly integrate as part of your communications team. When we work so closely together, we get to know each other pretty well. If you get the pleasure of working with Andrea, this blog will jump-start your relationship—and if you’re just here to get to know our team, welcome!
Work Life
Andrea has her Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Journalism Diploma from Red River College. She’s worked in various communications, marketing and publishing roles for almost 20 years.
“I quit the corporate world two years ago and I haven’t looked back. I’m happy to freelance and be a part of teams like Alyson’s where I can still have that team environment, but also a lot of independence in my work.”
Having someone on the Starling team who can easily crack an introvert open is a serious asset. Her charismatic nature draws people in, and her communications background cuts through the small talk and gets people excited to talk about their passions.
Her favourite projects are anything that involves writing. Particularly if it’s a subject she’s unfamiliar with.
“I love diving into a niche or an industry and then challenging myself to learn the lingo so that I can write about it in a way that seems credible — like I’m an authority on the topic.”
Andrea’s passion for writing glaringly shines through in her work — and it’s not just us that thinks so!
One of Andrea’s favourite projects with Starling was working with a local book publisher on their social media. As a voracious reader, she had a lot of fun interacting with fellow book nerds and writing book puns in the copy. Plus, she felt proud promoting of Canadian authors.
In terms of Canadian authors, she likes Waubgeshig Rice, Alicia Elliott and Craig Davidson (pen name: Nick Cutter). She liked reading Amy Leblanc's Homebodies and is excited to see what she writes next.
Personal Life
When Andrea’s not writing, she runs a softball team or leads a book club. They just finished The Sundown Hotel and are diving into Lessons in Chemistry. She also dabbles in creative writing.
Andrea has three cats who are always by her side when she’s working. They are her little office mates: Engelbert Humperdinck, Merlin and Harvey Danger. Her husband adopted Harvey Danger from the Humane Society, so they didn’t feel like they could change his name — not that they should want to!
A lot of the Starling team, including Andrea, share two interests that have nothing in common: gardening and attending local wrestling matches.
Between your latest garden yield, TKOs, furry friends, and living in Winnipeg, it’s pretty hard not to find something to talk to Andrea about, which is one of many reasons why we love having her on our team.
Word Nerd
Andrea loves grammar, so much so, that her Instagram handle is @WordNerd_Wpg. Naturally, we had to do a grammar Q&A.
Why is good grammar important for brands to consider?
One of the top reasons is clarity in your messaging. Good grammar improves the accessibility of your messaging. The biggest point is that good grammar should be part of how you present yourself to the world.
If you can’t tackle the basics like writing with good grammar, how are audiences supposed to trust you as an authority on a topic?
Does that mean it needs to be perfect? Absolutely not. I make mistakes, everybody does, but tools like spellcheck exist for a reason, so use them.
If you could banish one grammar mistake from the English language forever, what would it be and why?
I had to think long and hard about this, because there are a lot of things that I would ban. I’m going to go with errant apostrophes, because they are often misused. When that happens, the meaning of the sentence has likely changed too. I’ve seen some really brutal examples over the years, like articles, business signs and even Christmas cards.
What grammar rule do you break in your own writing?
Most people recommend not overdoing it with em dashes, but I can’t help myself, and I use them pretty freely.
I love a good em dash! Can’t stop, won’t stop.
Why do you hate the Oxford comma?
This is going to cause a lot of debate because it always does with other grammar nerds. I don’t feel like it is a particularly useful form of punctuation 99% of the time. There are certain instances where it does add clarity, and I will give it that, but for the most part I feel like it’s just not necessary, and I am happy to debate that until the cows come home.
Thoughts on exclamation points
One of my old bosses said, “You get 5 exclamation points in your lifetime to use in your business writing,” so I always think back to her when I write something for business. I still overuse them, especially in emails. Sometimes, you have to buffer those harsh statements with a nice, friendly exclamation point.
If you want to debate the Oxford comma, talk local wrestling or talk about working together on your next digital marketing project, you can reach Andrea here.
