Meet Carol Blomstrand | Marketing Consultant – Digital and E-commerce

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carol Blomstrand and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carol, how do you think about risk?
I’ve always been a natural risk taker in sports and business. And for some reason I’ve always been a futurist thinker. My father was an entrepreneurial risk taker and he built two shipping companies so I guess it all rubbed off on me. I was never happy settling for a secure (boring?) job. My adrenalin and desire to continually conquer new challenges in life drove me to succeed in one after another stepping stone business positions. From being editor of Chicago Magazine, to being a commercial real estate broker for 20 years, and then organically diving into entrepreneurial marketing solutions successfully just at the height and drama of the digital revolution in 2006. I convinced all my clients to switch from print to digital – not an easy task. It took me two years. During that time I became known as an early adopter and digital independent marketing consultant for a variety of retail and restaurant clients. Then in 2011 I formalized my digital marking work by starting my own company, Trumpet Social Media. I’ve had 53 clients the past 11 years and I love helping other companies grow through digital marketing. Now I’ve also stepped into the e-commerce arena and am guiding several clients through new learning curves utilizing Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, Shipstation, RangeMe, Faire. All of course while boosting my clients in aggressive social media campaigns that connect to other marketing and sales platforms to complete the win-win circle that companies must undertake today to be successful, including strategic sales funneling and metrics/analytics pacing. I’m on 80% Zoom calls for my meetings and love it. I couldn’t be happier nor more excited than I am now with the risks I’ve taken. They’ve all paid off and formed that next step organically and fairly easily. One thing that I as a risk taker always do, is I say yes before I say no in anything I do in my life. I might say “no” later but it gives me a chance to explore new worlds in business and with friendships too, rather than shutting down new opportunities. With online businesses surging today, I took a leap two years ago and started a new online sales shop selling apparel and home accessories. It’s totallytucsonaz.com I’m having fun promoting that and also creating designs for my outdoor adventurer clothing collections, along with my husband who’s a designer. Life is good, I hike or bike every day in Tucson, and I work for the best boss – me. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

What should our readers know about your business?
Our visionary model at Trumpet Social Media drives our strategies for our clients’ social marketing programs and campaigns. In addition to the social marketing basics that have enjoyed the best success for our clients the past year, we start out every new year with offering a toolkit of the next best strategies based on industry successes and roll them out for our clients. This year, in 2022, we’re recommending: 1. Social commerce, selling directly from social platforms. 2. Exploring and using 3rd party Apps to propel online operations. 3. Interactive applications, selling via AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality), showing the customers what the product will look and feel like in a physical environment. 4. Using social platforms for customer service. 5. Brand message streamlining, utilizing authenticity versus perfection. No one wants a cleansed pitch anymore. Human passions, emotions, and customer experiences are more believable when it comes to brand experience. 6. Expand a company’s sales force by using employees and customers, who love your brand, as promoters to amplify your story. 7. Utilize user-generated videos (on TikTok specifically, a major new influence, and others) that create multi-watched content far beyond static images.

Our process for social media marketing programs is all about valued partnerships with our clients. We respect and invite their input. From initial meetings where we lay everyone’s opinion out on the table, to conducting an initial SWOT report and competitive analysis, we then define marketing goals and develop strategic campaigns. We introduce social brand graphic formats and craft strong content models. We set up a combined editorial and ad campaign calendar with strategically scheduled monthly rollouts. Then we go into action to stimulate user engagement and user posts, along with customer experience shoutouts. We drive our SEO and sales funnels at their highest functioning capabilities, and offer reports of metrics, analytics, ROI, and gather for meetings to assess progress and plans for the next period. Open communication guides and drives our continuing overall operations.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First a hike in Sabino Canyon. It’s a hikers paradise. Then the Desert Museum. Then a ride up Mount Lemmon and take a hike up there. Then, go to the newly reconstructed Tucson Museum of Art. Then to a special regional dinner at the Cup Cafe in the Hotel Congress. Then a night out at the Rialto or Owls Club, or both. FYI – I recently earned my CTA ( Certified Tourism Ambassador) for Visit Tucson. I love suggesting places to visitors but I’m always ready to ask them “What are your desires or expectations here in Tucson”?

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My father was most influential as a mentor in my life simply by osmosis. I respected him highly for two things: He excelled in business and in sports. I have patterned my life after that. Some business people say they’re workaholics and don’t “have a life”. I believe you can have both if you have a hobby or activity that can become very strong in your life also. Here in Tucson I am thankful for the involvement with Visit Tucson as a member of its Board and as a business partner. This association has given me automatic leads and contacts and new opportunities with which to build my business. Also, one woman achiever in commercial real estate in Tucson who I always look to for inspiration and guidance is Barbi Reuter. She is CEO of Cushman Wakefield / Picor, Past Chairman of the Board at Metro Tucson Chamber, and is also President Elect for National Crew Network. I cherish the friendships I’ve developed throughout Tucson with amazing business people. Lastly, my husband is a constant source of new ideas and depth of thinking about everything in the world. I love him and his impact on my life.

Websites: TrumpetSocialMedia.com TotallyTucsonAZ.com

Instagram: @TotallyTucson instagram.com/totallytucson

Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/CarolBlomstrand

Twitter: Twitter.com/totallytucson

Facebook: Facebook.com/totallytucsonaz.com

Image Credits
James Lienhart