Podcast Summary: The Agile Brand™ #620 – How Small Businesses Continue to Thrive with Emily Washcovick, Yelp

Release Date: January 3, 2025

In episode #620 of The Agile Brand™, host Greg Kihlström engages in a comprehensive discussion with Emily Washkovic, Senior Marketing Manager and Small Business Expert at Yelp. The conversation delves into the strategies small businesses can employ to thrive in a competitive landscape dominated by larger organizations. Covering topics from enhancing online visibility to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), Emily provides actionable insights tailored for small business owners aiming to build resilient and agile brands.

1. Introduction to Emily Washkovic and Her Role at Yelp

Emily begins by sharing her decade-long journey at Yelp, transitioning from a sales role to managing business outreach. She highlights her work in educating small business owners about maximizing Yelp's free tools and advertising products, especially during the pandemic when in-person engagements shifted to online platforms like webinars and podcasts.

Emily Washkovic [02:37]: “We bring together the voice of a business owner and a reviewer to talk about what makes experiences unique and memorable and review worthy.”

2. Enhancing Online Visibility for Small Businesses

A critical challenge for small businesses is getting discovered by potential customers. Emily outlines several strategies to overcome this hurdle:

• Claiming and Completing Listings: Ensure all business listings on platforms like Yelp and Google are claimed and fully populated with accurate information and relevant keywords.

• Utilizing Social Media: Maintain active and authentic profiles on social media platforms. Regular postings that highlight the business's unique story and offerings can significantly boost visibility.

• Leveraging Authenticity: Small businesses can capitalize on their authentic narratives, connecting emotionally with customers by sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses and employee stories.

Emily Washkovic [05:01]: “Right. If you're thinking about a social media strategy, think about how you can highlight the different menu items or service offerings you have and use those keywords or phrases to get interest and visibility...”

3. Strategic Use of Advertising Platforms

While small businesses often operate with limited advertising budgets, platforms like Yelp offer cost-effective solutions:

• Cost-Per-Click Advertising: Yelp’s advertising model allows businesses to pay only when potential customers click on their ads, ensuring that every dollar spent targets engaged users.

• Targeted Campaigns: Businesses can focus their ad spend on specific demographics, locations, or interests, maximizing the impact of their limited budgets.

• Profile Optimization: Enhancing Yelp profiles with key information and featured services can attract more clicks and conversions from advertisements.

Emily Washkovic [08:11]: “On Yelp, you have cost per click advertising, which is a real advantage to business owners because it's giving you visibility...”

4. Competing Through Exceptional Customer Experience

Emily emphasizes that outstanding customer experience can level the playing field between small businesses and larger corporations:

• Surprise and Delight: Implementing small, unexpected gestures can leave lasting impressions on customers, fostering loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

• Proactive Communication: Setting clear expectations and maintaining open lines of communication before, during, and after service can enhance customer satisfaction.

• Personal Touch: Personal interactions, whether in-person or digital, allow businesses to build genuine connections, making customers feel valued and understood.

Emily Washkovic [11:34]: “What I love about surprise and delight is it can be when something happens and maybe we need to make an adjustment and show that we can make a change or suit their needs that are maybe particular or different.”

5. Leveraging Customer Reviews for Growth

Customer feedback is a powerful tool for small businesses, and Emily outlines best practices for harnessing reviews effectively:

• Embracing Feedback: View all reviews, positive or negative, as opportunities to improve and engage with customers.

• Timely Responses: Respond promptly to reviews, especially critical ones, to demonstrate commitment to customer satisfaction.

• Highlighting Positives: Share positive reviews on social media and other marketing channels to build credibility and attract new customers.

• Avoiding Solicitation: Yelp maintains a strict stance against soliciting reviews to ensure authenticity, encouraging businesses to naturally invite customers to share their experiences.

Emily Washkovic [16:15]: “So you can be prepared to respond to the critical... it builds confidence that if I go and have an issue and mention something, they're going to want to take care of it.”

6. Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Business Efficiency

AI presents numerous opportunities for small businesses to enhance operations and marketing efforts:

• Content Creation: AI tools can assist in drafting review responses, creating content calendars, and generating engaging social media posts, saving time and resources.

• Customer Engagement: Automating routine communications ensures timely and consistent interactions with customers without sacrificing personal touch.

• Operational Support: AI can transcribe meetings, organize notes, and even help in brainstorming sessions, facilitating better organization and planning.

• Maintaining Authenticity: While AI can handle repetitive tasks, businesses must infuse their unique voice and personality into AI-generated content to maintain authenticity.

Emily Washkovic [23:42]: “AI is great for getting started on a review response... sometimes you'll pop a review in there and it'll respond to everything that they mention...”

7. Balancing AI with Personal Touch

For AI to be effective without losing the personal essence of a small business, Emily advises:

• Personalizing AI Outputs: Input specific brand information and guidelines to ensure AI-generated content aligns with the business’s voice and values.

• Human Oversight: Always review and refine AI-generated content to avoid errors and maintain quality.

• Strategic Implementation: Use AI to handle time-consuming tasks, allowing business owners to focus on fostering genuine customer relationships.

Emily Washkovic [27:09]: “You really have to show it either your own stuff that you want it to recreate or repurpose or stuff that you want to zone in on from the industry...”

8. Staying Agile Through Continuous Feedback

Emily underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement:

• Regular Check-Ins: Maintain ongoing communication with internal teams and business partners to stay updated on trends and challenges.

• Seeking Critical Feedback: Actively solicit and embrace constructive criticism to identify areas for growth and innovation.

• Flexibility: Be willing to adjust strategies based on feedback and changing market conditions to remain competitive and resilient.

Emily Washkovic [29:48]: “I try to stay in contact with the various internal departments at Yelp I work with and also just business owners that I've met over my time...”

Conclusion

Episode #620 of The Agile Brand™ offers valuable insights for small businesses striving to navigate a competitive marketplace. Through strategic online visibility, effective use of advertising platforms, exceptional customer experiences, leveraging customer reviews, and integrating AI thoughtfully, small businesses can build agile and thriving brands. Emily Washkovic’s expertise underscores the importance of authenticity, continuous feedback, and adaptability in achieving sustained growth and customer loyalty.

Notable Quotes:

• Emily Washkovic [05:01]: “If you're thinking about a social media strategy, think about how you can highlight the different menu items or service offerings you have and use those keywords or phrases to get interest and visibility...”

• Emily Washkovic [16:15]: “So you can be prepared to respond to the critical... it builds confidence that if I go and have an issue and mention something, they're going to want to take care of it.”

• Emily Washkovic [23:42]: “AI is great for getting started on a review response... sometimes you'll pop a review in there and it'll respond to everything that they mention...”

• Emily Washkovic [27:09]: “You really have to show it either your own stuff that you want it to recreate or repurpose or stuff that you want to zone in on from the industry...”

For more insights and episodes, visit theagilebrand.com. To connect with Greg Kihlström or explore consulting services, go to gregkilstrom.com.