Earning trust is more difficult than ever given the number of brands and media competing for your customers’ attention. Traditionally, brands have relied on expensive marketing campaigns involving TV and print elements, but with the development of the internet, new marketing opportunities have emerged.

Customers are increasingly relying on peer reviews and recommendations before making a purchase. And, consumers are also highly influenced by a new breed of celebrity – passionate experts who have amassed large and trusting social followings. These influencers can quickly and easily reach out to their audience to mention, recommend or endorse a brand or product, yielding instant engagement and results.

Influencers have proven to be more persuasive than traditional celebrity spokespeople because they’re trusted, relatable and authentic. Plus, influencers can be all-in-one digital agencies who can execute a digital marketing campaign from concept to production to distribution, making the entire process seamless and powerful.

2:30 pm
Tuesday, October 3, 2017

The creators and stars of top digital brands Clean My Space and Bigger Bolder Baking will share: why having the right influencer is essential to your brand strategy; what a successful influencer campaign could look like; and how to effectively work with influencers and The Inspired Home to build trust with your consumers so they become fans of your brand.

For more, read the interview with Melissa Maker, creator of Clean My Space.

Presenters:

Melissa Maker Clean My Space  Melissa Maker has hosted YouTube’s CleanMySpace channel since 2011. While not born a cleaning expert (or fan), she’s been training in cleaning ninja-dom since 2006 when she opened up Toronto-based Clean My Space, an upscale housekeeping service.How did she get into cleaning and Youtube? After graduating from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2005, she took a job in commercial banking. A year to the day she started, she resigned to start her own business. The idea for a cleaning service spurned from her sensing a gap in the marketplace for a service she desperately needed herself; a trustworthy, reliable and top-quality cleaning company! Not being skilled in cleaning meant she had to learn the ins and outs of it from the ground up. With lots of time to practice and study over the years, she’s developed unique and time-saving cleaning techniques and has amassed (too much) knowledge about cleaning products, tools and how to create homemade versions and save money.Clients, friends and family kept asking for Melissa’s tips and secrets now that she was a veritable cleaning wizard. Rather than repeating the tips over and over, in 2011 she started up a YouTube channel to share the information, and the rest is easily accessible history.

Chad Reynolds Clean My Space  Chad Reynolds is an entrepreneur, filmmaker, writer, marketer, co-creator and Executive Producer of Clean Digital Productions Inc. and the CEO of Maker’s Clean Inc. Chad started his first business at age 14 and has been the creative force behind more than a dozen companies since. Chad has also served as Creative Director at 360 Mediaworx, a web and graphic design agency which he co-founded in 1999, Director of Marketing for Burlodge, an international healthcare food services company and Vice-President of Clean My Space, a boutique cleaning service in Toronto.

Gemma Stafford Bigger Bolder Baking  Chef Gemma Stafford is on a mission—to create a culinary legion of Bold Bakers of all ages and experience levels who are ready to create amazing baked goods and meals using her game-changing “Bold Baking” recipes and techniques. Born and raised in Ireland, Gemma studied under legendary chef Darina Allen at the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork. She used her new skills to work in kitchens around the world including as a pastry chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant Spruce in San Francisco. Passionate about sharing her Bold Baking style, Gemma created and hosts Bigger Bolder Baking, one of the top baking shows online with millions of fans (“Bold Bakers”) across social media and her website. Her videos have been viewed 100 Million+ times and featured worldwide by The TODAY Show, The Doctors, The Dr. Oz Show, Buzzfeed & The Daily Mail.

Kevin Kurtz Bigger Bolder Baking  Kevin Kurtz is an entertainment producer and marketer with 20 years of experience managing and growing legendary entertainment franchises including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pokémon, The Sims and Words With Friends. His work at Lucasfilm, Electronic Arts, Disney/Pixar, and Zynga spanned theatrical, home entertainment, TV and video games across all media platforms. Kevin has produced and promoted blockbuster films, award-winning documentaries, trailers, TV commercials, video games and mobile/online content delighting audiences of all ages and generating more than $5 billion in revenue worldwide. Now Kevin is excited to team up with his wife, professional chef/baker Gemma Stafford, to create the #1 baking community online. He produces Bigger Bolder Baking and runs their production company, Taste Buds Entertainment, sharing Gemma’s Bold Baking vision with the world.

CHESS—Chief Housewares Executive SuperSession—is IHA’s annual senior-level conference for industry leaders. This strategic education and networking event of the year allows attendees to access high-profile industry experts directly and share information and ideas with other housewares and home goods decision-makers. Held every fall, CHESS attracts more than 150 chief officers of IHA’s most prominent member companies. The program includes Keynotes, panel discussions, general sessions and networking opportunities—the most valuable part of the 2-day event according to past participants.