Natalie Zfat is a sought-after social media influencer, writer and entrepreneur who works with brands like adidas Women, Levi's and American Express. The Distracted Executive sat down with Natalie to talk about her less-than-traditional job, her biggest source of distraction - and how she keeps all of her projects organized.
The Distracted Executive: You work with very busy, very successful clients day in and day out. How do you stay organized and on top of each client's point of view, considering you have so many clients that all run simultaneously?
Natalie Zfat: At my company The Social Co., we truly have an amazing team of writers, designers, account managers and more. A great team has been our key to getting it right. We've found success by empowering our staff to focus on their strengths and delegate responsibilities, so that no task - or client - falls by the wayside.
TDE: What are the distractions that you and your clients deal with every day?
NZ: Technology can be polarizing in the sense that it's our biggest ally in distributing content - but it's also a constant potential source of distraction, whether it be streaming emails, texts or even Tweets. Helping brands with social media takes at least one potential distraction off their plates - and lets them focus on what they're truly an expert at.
TDE: Give my readers one tip on how you keep it all together.
NZ: Most people keep a to-do list, but it's been invaluable to me to also calendar each item on my to-do list, hand-writing what date and time I need to complete each task by. I might be a digital entrepreneur, but I never leave my house without my paper planner.
TDE: I would be remiss if I didn't ask you the biggest question on everyone's mind. Why should I bother with social media, when I might not get a return on the investment?
NZ: As I know you often like to say, Nancy: "I'm not in the convincing game; I'm in the collaborating game." Social media is no longer an option; it's a priority, as businesses rely on social media to both communicate with their audiences and become the voice of their brand. Brands who fail to capitalize on conversations with their audiences are only road-blocking their success.
TDE: I can barely handle everything I need to do. Isn't social media just one more job on my plate?
NZ: Not if you hire us.
You can follow Natalie's updates on Twitter.