Pam Franklin: Going the Distance for Small Business

November 2018 Consultant of the Month

Pam Franklin is more than a social media strategist. She is more than a small business expert. She’s another example of what EM Marketing thinks of as its secret weapon — consultants who approach their work with the same vigor and vitality they live their lives.

Pam currently consults for PayPal, where she leads the global social team’s effort to connect with small businesses. Fed up with the underwhelming performance of their “big name” agency, as well as the hefty price tag that came with it, the company decided to try a different tact. It created a six-month pilot to determine if better results could be achieved from the inside. Pam entered the picture, and they’ve never looked back.

“Better results” meant driving acquisition, and Pam delivered. She did it through increased social engagement, more diverse content, and, crucially, a willingness to test different, fresh approaches. Online strategies are only as nimble as the marketers who create them, but there’s no denying nimble can be effective. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

The Trajectory of a Career. The Evolution of Marketing.

Pam may not have set out to run PayPal’s social media for small business strategy, but her path to the position has been organic. After studying journalism in college, she worked as an online producer for a DC-based company that built websites for nonprofits. She then joined an agency where she focused on what is now referred to as influencer marketing. When she realized how important integrated social media strategy was becoming for marketers of all sizes, that’s the direction Pam turned. And that’s the space she continues to thrive in today.

In many ways, Pam’s career trajectory reflects the evolution of the digital space. What’s been her biggest takeaway? Fragmentation may be a fact of life, but the focus is still the story. “There may be more ways to tell your story,” Pam says, “but you have to tell stories people care about.” The small business community, in particular, is primed for social because it relies so heavily on the medium itself. “When you’re just starting a business, you rely on your peers for insights into what works,” she says. “Social media is often where that exchange takes place.”

Digging Deeper, Going Farther

Many digital experts are fond of saying the best marketing strategies are a marathon, not a sprint. Pam believes it, too. And Pam would know. Having run eight actual marathons herself, including New York, Chicago, and Big Sur, with several stops in between (Duluth!), she knows what it takes to go the distance.

These days Pam prefers long meditative hikes in the Marin Headlands to the wear and tear of the big 26.2, but she still appreciates the lessons from her long-distance running days. You need a plan. You have to pace yourself. Not least: There is no substitute for dedication.

Pam does more than appreciate these lessons. She applies them to her work, helping her clients reach their marketing goals.