Idalia Salsamendi is a businesswoman in heart and soul. Growing up surrounded by the entertainment industry and having lived in LA, New York, and Barcelona, Salsamendi is a true world citizen, helping both brands and influencers to develop a profound strategy. Exclusively with TTM, she shared the most pivotal tips and tricks for building a long-term online presence. Let’s dig in.
Cover photo: Idalia Salsamendi
Idalia Salsamendi
Entrepreneur, businesswoman, style icon, and influencer Idalia Salsamendi was born and raised in Miami to a Spanish father and a Cuban mother. From a young age, they instilled a tremendous work ethic in her. They taught her never to take an opportunity for granted, especially living in the States. Throughout her life, she’s lived in LA, New York, and Barcelona – to name just a few. All these experiences have really shaped who she is today. “I have such an immense hunger for life, and genuinely want to leave this world better than how I found it,” she explains.
Creative centipede
TT: You describe yourself as a brand and influencer strategist, journalist, and public speaker. What does a day or week look like for you?
Idalia Salsamendi: “Oh my, my days really change from day to day. I do tend to travel a lot so that always keeps me on my toes. What I can say is that every day I wake up and I do some form of exercise, whether it’s yoga, or running, or HIIT. Then straight to emails, I go. From there I’ll either take calls or go to client meetings, and back to emails. I always set aside a part of my day to look at ways I can improve my business or be proactive. It includes writing an article or coming up with an idea for a new course or product. A minimum of two hours a day I allow myself to be creative within my company and not only handling the day-to-day business. At the end of the day if I’m at home you’ll probably find me in the kitchen making dinner. I love cooking, and it’s such a relaxing way for me to wrap up the day.”
Idalia INC.
TTM: How did you come up with Idalia Inc.? What motivated you to start this business?
IS: “After almost a decade of working the ‘agency life’ I knew there had to be more to this industry than just booking jobs. I had to find the soul of what the industry is all about. And that’s exactly what I set out to do. When I strategize with either brands or influencers, I’m continually digging for the bigger picture. I’m not out for a flash on the pan, I’m not out to create a digital campaign that is void of any human communication, I’m not out to hoard information so only a few are given the opportunity to truly succeed. Idalia INC is about creating a space for all to thrive. Hence, it’s split into four services: brand strategy, influencer strategy, journalistic work, and public speaking. All of them are aimed to inspire, inform, and empower.”
Career path
TT: It’s said you turned brands and influencers into major global players. How did you start this career path? And in which way do you usually help others to become globally recognized?
IS: “Interestingly enough, I actually grew up in the entertainment industry. By the age of eight, I was in various tv shows and commercials. It wasn’t until after I graduated college that I started to dip my toes into the fashion industry and started working more behind the scenes. Since then I’ve never looked back. My career has led me to work with some incredible players in the field like Chriselle Lim and Brittany Xavier. When I’m working with an influencer, it’s really important to me that their audience understands who they are as a person; what they’re passionate about; and most importantly how they’re contributing to the greater good of society. That not only attracts a larger audience but also brands. And once you are continually building a larger audience and doing more brand partnerships, you become more of a bigger global player in the industry.”
Digital marketing tips and tricks
TT: We’re curious: what are your top five tips for mastering digital marketing as a brand or influencer?
IS: “No matter if you’re a brand or influencer, these are five things one must always keep in mind when diving into the digital marketing game:
- Know your “why”. Why do you want to be an influencer? Why does your brand exist? From there, learn how to showcase that why on your social media channels.
- Cater to your audience. I always tell influencers and brands that their job is not to reinvent the wheel but actually maximize the effect of the wheel. Meaning, once you know your audience and know what they like, you can start creating some really powerful campaigns with that knowledge. Cater to your audience and their wants and needs.
- Keep track of metrics. Backend metrics and insight are necessary to see what’s working and what’s not. Trust the numbers.
- Be authentic. This may sound like the most obvious tip, but it’s the one I see influencers and brands miss the mark on. To succeed in social media and digital marketing, you must know and own your voice. Don’t be a copy of someone or something else.
- Have a voice that lends itself to the greater good. Sure, as an influencer or brand, you’re going to be selling a product, but never lose sight of the bigger picture in the world. How are you giving back? What values do you and your company stand for? Show those things in your digital marketing efforts. Tell a bigger story than just your product.”
Future of the influencer market
TT: Some say the influencer market is saturated. However, brands still pay considerable amounts to content creators to show their products. How do you view the future of influencer marketing?
IS: “First and foremost, we must recognize that digital marketing will always be evolving. The second we get comfortable with things, something new will always find a way to pop up. The future is really going to rely on how quickly product information can get in the hands of a potential consumer. From there, we need to see how to lessen the time gap between when a potential consumer finds that respective product and purchasing it. The consumer experience must be comfort, ease, and accessibility. Technology and social media will continue to play a pivotal role in this process.”
TT: At last: any exciting plans for the future?
IS: “This project is still very hush, but I’ll let you in on the little secret that Brittany Xavier and I will be launching a Masterclass soon. Excitement can’t explain how I feel about what we’ll be putting out. We’ve been working on this masterclass for six months now, and I know it’s going to be such a game-changer in the social media world. It’ll go live on my website, idaliainc.com, so be on the lookout for that.”
