How to Use Instagram for Your Small Business

how to use instagram for small business

With 2022 now in full swing (we can’t believe it either!), it's time to talk how you are going to best use your social media presence to support and grow your business.  To make the most of customer's attention (and pocket), your business needs to be visible, attractive and engaging for customers in spaces where they spend most time. Yes, a shop front in town will do just that, but don’t forget where many of us spend hours of the day scrolling…Instagram. And so, here’s a few top tips to help you get the most out of your Instagram in the next few months.

Engage your community

Use the additional features on Instagram to create experiences that your customers can interact with. We’re talking polls, quizzes and interactive GIFs, as well as Instagram Live, Reels and Stories. When you engage and ask your followers for their voice, opinions and ideas, you start to build trust and transparency, as well as getting great feedback you can use to up your social game.

Go Live

Instagram Live opens up a whole new level of user engagement. Brands can showcase their products or services, demonstrate in-real-life use, discuss the production process – you can talk about anything in great detail which creates really valuable information for customers. Users that join the Live can pose questions and make comments in real-time, creating an authentic brand-customer experience you can’t simulate anywhere else.

Engage your community
Video is everything

Video content is everything on Instagram and you must use it showcase your products or services in fun, engaging and authentic ways. Product shots just don’t cut it anymore, so hit the record button instead. The beauty of Instagram Reels is that you can use trending edits and music as inspiration which not only makes the creativity part much easier, but also boosts your video’s chance of reaching a much wider audience. Don’t stress about not having all the tech skills, your smartphone and the editing software in Instagram is all you need. And the more ‘real’ you can be, the better.

Video is everything
Word of mouth

You need to tell everyone about your new business. Your friends, your family, neighbours, local publications, radio stations, competitors, other businesses, the community etc. Write a press release and send it to the local publications, invest in print and digital advertising, be present on socials and use your customer service skills to set yourself apart.

And with that, you’ll have launched a brand that is set up for success. But, of course, the hard work has only just begun.

Related Tag: Advertising Gold Coast

See our work...

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

New Business Marketing

New Business Marketing

We were thrilled to be part of the very first Ballina Wave. Ballina’s very own magazine has been a long time coming, and now that it is finally here, we are very excited about what’s to come. As a business that has operated out of Ballina for the past 6 years, the local community has a special place in our heart. With the launch of the new Wave, it is an ideal time to talk about how to promote a new business, or even a rebrand for that matter. Let’s get stuck in.

Branding is more than a logo

From the get-go, you need to build a strong, recognisable and memorable brand. This starts with a brand strategy session. Work out what you want your brand to embody, its mission, its values and its personality and write it all down. From this, choose a name that represents what you stand for, and what you sell. Then, it’s time for your brand logo. Develop something that fits in with your industry and target market but stands out from the competition.

Branding is more than a logo
Go digital

A brand should never launch without a digital presence, simply because people need to be able to find more information about you. Meet people where they spend the most time - online. Your website doesn’t need to be cutting-edge or state-of-the-art, but it must reflect your branding and be easy for customers to navigate. And if you can’t get a website up fast enough, at least have a Google My Business listing and social profiles. We offer the best web design service on the Gold Coast.

Collect leads

A database is one of the most important assets for any business. Invest time into it, build it and use it. On your website, entice people to leave their details in exchange for something of value to them. You could ask them to subscribe to a newsletter for a 10% discount or get in touch for a free quote. Capture their details using forms that save everything into the backend of your website. Then use this list to nurture those people with personalised messages and (hopefully) convert them into sales. Top tip: every month or so, download your database from the website, so you have an updated hard copy on hand. You never know what could happen.

Get your socials on point

Before your launch, get content loaded into your Instagram and Facebook profile so people have somewhere to explore and engage with your brand. Build your brand image on Instagram with at least nine tiles, and make your profile pleasing to the eye using a colour theme. You can use your social platforms to build anticipation and excitement for your launch.

Use social accounts as platforms for your launch
Word of mouth

You need to tell everyone about your new business. Your friends, your family, neighbours, local publications, radio stations, competitors, other businesses, the community etc. Write a press release and send it to the local publications, invest in print and digital advertising, be present on socials and use your customer service skills to set yourself apart.

And with that, you’ll have launched a brand that is set up for success. But, of course, the hard work has only just begun.

See our work...

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

Barefoot Marketing? No, we’re BareFRUIT Marketing

Barefruit or Barefoot

Thanks to the Barefoot Investor, we can’t tell you how often people call us Barefoot Marketing. The time has come to settle it once and for all. We are called Barefruit Marketing. That’s Bare, like naked and Fruit like, apples and oranges.

What’s in a name

Talking about names, now is a great opportunity to give you a little insight into to how and why we landed with the name Barefruit Marketing. The agency, founded by Claire from her loungeroom, was established to help local businesses grow and flourish. Business owners in the Northern Rivers (and anywhere for that matter) are so good at what they do, but often, they don’t have the time and energy to spend marketing their business. We all know that marketing is key to the success of any business, big or small. And so, the agency was born.

How it came together

When working with businesses who don’t have the time and energy to think about marketing, we discovered we needed to be completely transparent; we tell it how it is, no jargon, no waffle and no round-about explanations. From this, came the ‘Bare’ part of the Barefruit name. Being real with our clients, suppliers and team is one of our values. What you see is what you get, so ‘Bare’ which means ‘having no cover up’ fits the agency’s mission perfectly.

As marketers, our ultimate goal is to grow business for our clients. We work hard to see them increase sales and be successful and self-sufficient. As such, we are helping businesses bear the fruits of success and this is how the word ‘fruit’ came into the mix. With that, Claire and Evan named the agency Barefruit Marketing. What’s more, the word play in ‘helping businesses to bare fruit’ was too perfect to ignore.

Helping Businesses Bare Fruit
The Barefruit brand values

It’s really important that a business name reflects its output, as well as what that business stands for. Our brand values determine who we are and guide the way in which we work as employees and operate as a business. At Barefruit, we’re Curious, Real, Brave and Fun.

 

Curious

We are naturally curious. We allow ourselves to explore the less obvious, ask lots of questions and invite debate. We encourage a working environment that stimulates ideas, smart thinking and meaningful personal growth.

 

Real

We are honest and transparent. What you see is what you get. We are down to earth. No jargon. Plain speaking. We are realistic, we won’t over promise.

 

Brave

We strive to create an environment that supports instinctive and insightful thought – whether it supports or challenges the status quo. We are passionate and well-tuned, unafraid to push boundaries and have the confidence to trust our gut and pursue our beliefs.

 

Fun

We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We like to have a laugh at work and with our clients. Coming to work is fun.

Our services
What we do at Barefruit Marketing

We are a full service, creative agency which means we have the resources to implement any idea (as long as it not too far-fetched). From digital campaigns, websites, TV commercials and PR to events, flyers, SEO and logo refreshes, we pride ourselves on our ability to develop and implement the best solutions for our clients. Our services include (but aren’t limited to):

The Barefruit team is made up of a diverse group of marketing specialists with international talent. We've worked on the big clients in the big cities, and want to offer that same service to businesses in our community. Of course, we also have clients interstate and even across the globe.

 

Our team

If you’re going to take anything away from this, we are Barefruit Marketing, not Barefoot Marketing. Should you ever need help with marketing your business, or know of a friend who might, remember Barefruit Marketing. And even if you don’t, we’ve made sure our website will come up in our search results even if you remember us a Barefoot Marketing.

See our work...

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

Winners in Business and Professional Services

Barefruit Wins

Last Friday evening, we (Barefruit Marketing) were awarded the 2021 Business Excellence in Business and Professional Services award, proving that not even the statewide lockdown could dampen our spirits.Originally, there was going to be a Gala evening, but that didn’t go to plan, due to the current lockdown. Instead, the Ballina Chamber of Commerce honoured local businesses for their excellence by inviting entrants of the 2021 Ballina Shire Business Excellence Awards to tune in to the local community radio station, Paradise FM to celebrate this year’s winners within the Ballina Business Community.

Professional and Business Services Award
Highly Commended in Excellence on Small Business
Nothing can stop us

The entire team dressed in our fancy award threads (from the waist up) for the ‘virtual awards’ and tuned into a team Zoom call while listening to Paradise FM, excitedly anticipating the announcement – with bubbles at the ready. Thrilled and emotional, we were awarded ‘2021 Business Excellence in Business and Professional Services’ and were highly commended in the category, ‘Excellence in Small Business’. The competition was high going head-to-head against other local businesses including consulting agencies, real estate, and mortgage broking services.

Agency Co-founder and Director Evan Harding says,

"We might be a small agency, but we’re ‘perfectly formed’, producing creative work on par with city-based agencies. The results speak for themselves, as clients around the country have trusted us to achieve their objectives for over nine years.”

The full list of awards and winners

Evan continues,

“Being recognised for our achievements over the last 12 months during our most challenging year is something we are really proud of. The effect of the pandemic on the economy and our clients meant we had do things differently so having a ‘virtual awards’ night wasn’t going to impact our celebrations.”

A bit about Barefruit (that's us!)

We find solutions and implements marketing strategies for our clients, including branding, TV commercials, print advertising, online marketing, websites, event management, PR, social media, direct marketing and more. While we are based in Ballina, we do work with client across the country. We are passionate about client relationships, workplace wellbeing with regular team updates and giving back to the local community whenever we can.

Evan continues,

“We have assembled a team of internationally experienced professionals, each passionate about producing high quality marketing solutions, all from our Ballina office, or currently from home. We have an eye for what looks great and an attention to detail. We love what we do and we’re proud to call Ballina ‘home’".

Happy Team
Working together to pull through

Co-founder and Director Claire Harding comments,

“Barefruit has created a culture that allows for a tight knit group of people who truly care about each other. We work around individual schedules and have flexible hours which allow life, family and extracurricular activities to fit into our professional lives – especially during this current climate. This approach really pays off when the team are living a well-balanced life and are able to let the creativity and strategic thinking flow naturally.”

She concludes,

“This is what I love about creating our independent agency from the ground up. We started the agency nine years ago in our dining room knowing that we wanted to do what we love, whilst seeing our clients succeed and our community grow. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us."

See our work...

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

First, Build Trust

Build Trust

In the last 12 months, consumer behaviour has changed, a lot. Just as us business owners have had to adapt to survive, so have your customers, and it would be disadvantageous for any business, big or small, to ignore that fact.

Confidence and trust in the marketplace have been shaken (and stirred). To regain that trust and rebuild confidence, it’s all about helping your customers build emotional connections with your brand. But how? Stop selling and start connecting with them. No one likes being sold to, so to truly capture attention and ignite connection, you need to show your audience you really know them.

Knowing your customer is key

Before you begin any marketing, you need to know who your customers are and what they need in this moment. Showing empathy towards how life has changed for your customers is key. In your communications use language that’s inclusive and shows humility and understanding, i.e. “we know that times are tough right now, so we’re making things that little bit easier for you”. Talking the talk isn’t enough, so show you care by offering value, such as free gift wrapping, free shipping, a returns and exchange policy or personalised ‘thank you’ notes in orders. Take Penny Lane for example, who has created lockdown care packages, filled with freshly baked treats.

Knowing your customer is key
Don’t hit the panic button

Don’t hit the panic button

Businesses that approach shifts in customer behaviour with optimism and a little bit of strategy are the ones that succeed. Just because something has changed, don’t let panic replace your customer service. Now is the perfect time to forge and nurture genuine relationships with your customers. If you have a little extra time up your sleeve, put it to good use; set up email automations, be more active on socials, show behind the scenes, and share your tips for other businesses.

A great local example we love is Just Add Flower. She is the brand, and we love her updates on the process of cake making, but also life in Lennox as a working mum and the struggles and wins as a small business in lockdown.

Just Add Flower
Be human on digital

Be human on digital

With everything and everyone online, you need to make digital more ‘human’ wherever possible. We live a big proportion of our lives through a screen, so make the experience with your brand a refreshing one. Use real people in your photos, model clothing on a variety of body types and be inclusive of all the walks of life who may benefit from your product or service. You can introduce your team, share a ‘day in the life’ and use a more real tone of voice (Go-To Skincare and Zero Co are great examples to checkout).

With a positive mindset, change is an opportunity, whether that be to grow, nurture relationships, diversify your offering or enjoy the slower days. If you take one thing away from this, have empathy and humility for your customers, knowing their worlds have changed just as much as yours.

Unsure how to start?

Leave your details and we’ll get in touch ?


See our work…

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

When and How to Use Video Content

Video Content

Take one look online, and you’ll find global brands, small businesses and market-leading influencers (even your friends!) all vying for your attention with video content. Long gone are the days when a simple stock shot would cut it, in fact, video has become a key digital marketing strategy Gold Coast

Why you should care

First and foremost, video content will capture more eyeballs than a static image, simply because it is moving! Video helps you to reach new audiences: Generation Z now make up 40% of all consumers and the best way to communicate to this digital native, sceptical audience, is with video. A picture says a thousand words, but video can tell a story, offering opportunities for consumers to develop an emotional relationship with your brand. As a result, you should see an impressive ROI.

Why you should care

There are two types of video content to work with: 1) polished, professional videos and 2) raw, unedited and authentic video.

Professional video content

When to keep it polished and professional

You need quality footage, captured on a DSLR or new smartphone, edited in a way that brings your brand to life. People want to see products in use, close ups and details. These videos go on your website’s homepage, in newsletters or emails and in digital advertising (although, there is a trend to use raw footage here, too). Post your slick brand and product videos on your Instagram and Facebook profiles, as well as IGTV and YouTube of course.

When to keep it raw and unedited

Instagram Stories and Reels, Facebook Stories and TikTok are all channels for unedited, raw footage. We’re talking the type of stuff you capture on your phone day-to-day. Consumers want to make genuine and authentic connections with you in these online spaces, so the ‘real-er’ (yep it’s a word now!) you are, the better. Capture the ‘behind-the-scenes’ process of how you do things, along with your messy desk. People want to see it. More so, they want to see the face behind it all. Don’t be shy of talking straight to the camera about an upcoming sale or how you pack your products for shipping.

raw video content

When it comes to Instagram, don’t worry so much about posting on your feed all the time. Most users go straight to Stories, and hardly glance at their news feed (guilty!). Use this to your advantage. And don’t forget to jump on trending music in Reels and on TikTok. All it takes is one video to go viral.

The power of video content is unparalleled in our current environment, and every business should be taking full advantage of this. There are plenty of editing tools and apps for video creation out there, including Splice, iMovie, Adobe Premier Rush as well as the software available in both Instagram and TikTok. Just start to experiment and have fun!

Unsure where to start?

Leave your details and we’ll get in touch ?


See our work…

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

Byron Bay’s iconic radio station BayFM gets a rebrand and a facelift

bay FM rebrand and logo

Barefruit has recently supported iconic and not-for-profit community radio station, BayFM, as part of a pro bono project to help launch its new brand identity and new position as a digital platform.

The Brief

The long-standing radio station, established in the early 90s, sounded the alarm bells as funds were reaching a record low in February last year. With the station just weeks from closing, the business identified the need to strengthen the brand and increase funding and that’s when creative agency Barefruit Marketing Byron Bay acquired the project.

The new branding is the result of an 18-month collaboration and sees the inclusion of the station’s home of Byron. Barefruit Marketing’s Co-Founder Evan Harding says,

“It was decided that to change the station’s name was a step too far, so the logo was simplified to be more digitally friendly, flexible and to include the world-famous name ‘Byron’. The brand’s fonts, colours, and images were all recreated for today’s digital world.”

Bay FM bumper sticker
The Rebrand

The rebrand includes a black and white logo, collateral featuring a vibrant and fun colour palette, and a new website, using phrases such as ‘Listen like a local’, ‘Tune In. Chill out. Sign Up’ which is very much in line with Byron Bay and its culture.

Barefruit Marketing’s lead creative, Alex Wales, worked closely on the project with NZ-based designer Dan Mercer together with Nick Richardson and Nick Mercer from BayFM, for over 100 hours of donated time to develop the brand as a digital platform to attract new advocates and reach current supporters in better ways.

Evan Harding continues,

“We believe that good business drives good community, and Barefruit was in a unique position to help BayFM. Over the past nine years, Barefruit has worked with a number of not-for-profit organisations and both founders are board members of charities, giving them pro bono access to some great minds and creative services. In every instance, we’ve seen extraordinary results and our partners are thriving more than ever before. These success stories affirm our belief that pro bono work done properly can help transform businesses and organisations."

Bay FM website banner
Happy Clients, Happy Days

BayFM’s Nick Richardson comments on BayFM and the experience of working with Barefruit.

“We really dislike asking agencies to work pro bono, because we know it costs them to provide that work. But the fact of the matter is BayFM simply had no money. It’s an independent, volunteer-run station and receives no ongoing government support. Knowing this, the Barefruit team jumped in to help without hesitation and without charge, giving us more time and better service than we could have hoped for.”

The website is now live – bayfm.org and all other launch elements are in the process of being rolled out this month including signage, ads and stickers.

See our work...

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

Spend your End of Financial Year budget wisely…

We know the end of financial year is fast approaching. If you have some cash available in the budget, now’s the time to spend it. Most accountants will be asking you to look for ways to buy assets that minimise your tax for this year’s return. But spend it wisely… do you really need that snazzy new coffee machine for the office? Make sure your hard-earned cash is put into something that will bring you more, like investing in long-term marketing strategies that will pay off over the next financial year.

Here’s our take on spending your remaining FY21 budget to bring wins to your business.

Save $$ on media spend

The EOFY sales extend beyond retail. You can secure some great rates by purchasing media spots at this time of year, especially if you buy in bulk. If you’re thinking of running print ads in a local publication, why not purchase spots now for the next 6 to 12 months and secure yourself a deal. Same goes for radio, digital and TV.

Save money on media
new website
Invest in a new website

If you’re not already online, you need to seriously consider this to get ahead in the coming years. People are buying, connecting and sharing online more than ever before. Set your business up in a way that takes advantage of online behaviour. This could be a great time to refresh your company website, set up an online store or build a new site from the ground up. Your website is an asset that will serve your business into the future.

Pimp yo’ ride

If you’ve got a company vehicle, use it to its full potential…this is valuable, moving, real estate. Car stickers and wraps are an excellent tool to increase your brand awareness while you’re on the move. If you’re a tradie, builder, personal trainer, cleaner, allied health worker, home care provider (the list can go on), pimp up your company car –  sign writers might have some good offers at this time of year.

car wrap
social media campaign | Kookabox
Think of future promotions

Get organised for the year ahead and order promotional merchandise in advance. We’ve all experienced the rush to get flyers or a batch of business cards printed before a deadline. No one needs that stress. Consider what you’ll need in the lead up to Christmas: cards, product brochures, postcards, stickers etc. When it comes to events, what collateral will you need to grab the attention of consumers from the get-go; new signage, flyers, branded samples etc.

Polish up your marketing collateral

The beginning of the new financial year is a popular time for businesses to bring changes into effect. All marketing collateral will need to reflect any changes. Polish up your email signature, business cards, Web Design Byron Bay, campaign material and social media content so that they work together to deliver the same message.

Integrated messaging
As tax-time draws near, consider your marketing needs for the new financial year and what you could get organised now, rather than later. Giving a little love to your marketing will help business bare fruit.

Unsure where to start?

Leave your details and we’ll get in touch ?


See our work…

What clients are saying

It was great working with Jennica and Claire from Barefruit Marketing. They really took time to understand my project and delivered amazing ‘pitch’ / media release to appeal to journalists and media corporations. I felt comfortable sharing my ideas, and they were able to capture my vision and marry it to their expertise. Would highly recommend.

Alex Bosin

EV Classic

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Claire and Charlotte from Barefruit Marketing who have helped me in the last couple of months to pull this amazing media event together. The agency has offered their services on a pro bono basis, I am so grateful for the work they have done. Claire and Charlotte have been my unconditional support crew to lean on for advice and ideas, and I am excited about how our relationship will move forward in the next few months.

Kate Kempshall

North Coast Community College

I have been using Barefruit for my SEO and website development for Behind the Barrel. The best part about Barefruit is your're not just getting the attention of one of their staff members. The whole team works together to help bring the best possible outcome for your business marketing. I highly recommend Evan and his team if you want to take your business marketing to the next level.

Jarryd

Behind the Barrel

The Barefruit team is always friendly, helpful and very professional. They have taken the time to understand our business needs and develop a effective strategy to grow our brand.

Andrew Illingworth

Tweed Coast Holiday Parks

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the team for the website. You all went over and above and most certainly went above my expectations. I'm extremely happy with it (been bragging a bit about it just quietly) and couldn't have done it without you all. Thank you for bringing this to life.

Trent Chapman

Prevent Consultants

Facebook & Instagram Advertising 101

Facebook & Instagram Advertising 101

It’s no surprise that 80% of Australians have an active social media account. That’s more than the percentage of households with TV’s (gasp!). Therefore, it goes without saying, no business should ignore Facebook as a powerful advertising channel. Affordable and dynamic, Facebook ads can be a game changer for small-to-medium-sized businesses. The best bit, you’re in control of your budget, deciding exactly how much you want to spend and when.

Why We Love Facebook Ads (and you should too!)

Facebook Ad Manager’s most impressive feature is its ability to target users based on a combination of characteristics and behaviour. From age, to location, interests and hobbies, professions and relationship status (and more!), you can create an incredibly targeted audience who will receive and hopefully respond to your communications. By doing so, you’re maximising budget, spending your precious dollars on those who really want your product or service.

But targeting doesn’t stop there. Facebook has so much data on each user, it can target people based on how they’re predicted to act when they see your ad. If you want more website traffic, optimise your ad for landing page views. If you want more sales, optimise for purchases. In addition to purchasing, there are other things you may want users to do such as download an app, send an enquiry, click to call, subscribe to the newsletter etc. You can create Facebook ads to prompt of any of these actions. Top tip; keep the Sales Funnel top of mind.

Be Responsive

The beauty of an ad that can be created and edited with the click of a button allows you to be responsive to current events and trends. With no lead time, you can experiment with little to no risk, helping you to really hone in on what makes your customer tick. Have a bit of fun and jump on a trending meme, make a cheeky ad in response to a footy game or respond to a social movement to show your brand values. The flexibility of Facebook advertising means you can advertise whenever you choose to.

An Integrated Approach is Always Best

Digital advertising is great, but it’s even better when you integrate your campaign across both online and offline channels (we’re talking print ads in the Lennox Wave, radio, billboards etc). You’ll reach more people with more frequency in different areas of their life, reminding them of your brand.

Don’t forget the power of complementing your campaign with organic social content. Post about it on your Facebook and Instagram feed, your stories, reels and IGTV. Write blogs and send eDMs. Not only does this reinforce your messaging, but you may be able to authentically connect with your following. Branch out to other platforms like LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and TikTok (hint: If you’re targeting young mums, download TikTok now).

One last word: use reports in Ads Manager to understand how your ads are performing and what you could change to better them next time. Contact us for Instagram & Facebook ads in Australia.

Barefruit launches Raine & Horne, ‘We’ll Love your Listing’

Barefruit was recently presented with an exciting opportunity to work with Raine & Horne, a nationally recognised local real estate company, to bring a fully integrated campaign to fruition. This included a television commercial, press, outdoor and online advertising. So many of our clients moved to digital advertising throughout 2020, due to the global pandemic. However, as we all know, real estate is booming, and due to it being a highly competitive market - Raine & Horne needed to be top-of-mind of those selling their homes.

What’s more, the client was willing to go above and beyond to produce an overarching campaign 'We'll Love Your Listing' which would leave a heart-warming impression on its audience. The brief was to create an engaging TVC (television commercial) that would captivate the audience on an emotive level whilst showcasing Raine & Horne’s passion for real estate, by recognising the emotional importance of what other real estate agents often see as just bricks and mortar.

Andy Pilkington, Strategy and Creative Director says,

"We were struck by just how passionate the Raine & Horne team were and some of the lengths they go to to ease the buying and selling of homes. People say that moving is one of the most stressful things in life but - aside from the packing - moving home represents a fresh start and the opportunity to take your best memories with you."

A perfectly imperfect home

The TVC is told as a narrative, which includes a series of perfectly imperfect vignettes of family life in a regional property. During post-production, scenes were cut to a female voice over who reads out the family’s ‘rules’ (which are based on the popular frames prints that many have hanging in their homes). The story completes with the viewer realising the vignettes are all memories these sellers will take with them to their next house.

Sorry Mum Vingette
party time vignette

The TVC was shot over one day on location in the Byron Hinterland. The result was a team effort from start to finish, with input and experience from Raine & Horne coupled with Barefruit’s seasoned in-house creatives. We employed a film director, camera, and lighting team from Sydney and in the Northern Rivers, as well as a local hair and make-up artist and interior stylist.

Evan Harding, Barefruit Marketing’s Co-Founder, and Head Harvester says,

“It was a major project for Barefruit Marketing – the team pulled it together, all in under 3 months, without any major setbacks. We are really proud of the end result – it is one of our biggest productions yet.”

The style of the ad is beautifully messy, and it delights in muddy children and dogs, bubbling casseroles, and imperfect interiors. The aesthetics and colour grade highlight the dust, dirt, and atmosphere rather than hide it. All shots were taken to give a sense of being part of the modern family, which was cast from a mixed group of talent, all from the Northern Rivers.

Raine & Horne were ecstatic with the end result, a beautiful commercial and campaign message, 'We'll love your listing', that stands out from a saturated market, tells truth in a heart-warming way, and has serious longevity.

Julie-Ann Manahan, Raine & Horne's Licensee/Principle says,

“We are so proud of working with the team at Barefruit and their suppliers, they have produced one of the best all time real estate campaigns for us.”

 

Related TagAdvertising Gold Coast

We'll Love Your Listing