The document discusses how Toma Clark Haines built her luxury antiques business, The Antiques Diva & Co, through blogging and social media. She started a blog to promote her book but ended up leading antique buying tours in Europe when readers asked. She now uses social media like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to market her tours and lifestyle brand. Her strategy is to educate clients and build an aspirational lifestyle image through sharing photos and stories of European culture, travel and design.

1. The Role of Social Media
and Content Building a
Luxury Brand
design-bloggers-conference.com

2. The Antiques Diva®
• I own Europe’s largest
antiques touring and buying
services company.
• We lead one on one
customized antique buying
tours in 10 countries.
• We work with tourists and the
trade – antique dealers and
interior designers sourcing
antiques abroad.
• On tour we translate, we
negotiate and we liaise buyers
with international shippers
to help get your goods home
sweet home across the pond.
• Today we’re going to talk about
design-bloggers-conference.com
Toma Clark Haines – Chief Executive Diva
The Antiques Diva® & Co European Tours
How I turned my Blog into Business.

3. In The Beginning
• To talk about The Role Social
Media and Content Building has
played in building my business we
need to start in the beginning!
• Before my blog was born – I lived a
life that lead me to discovering my
niche!
• After I gave up an advertising career
to move to Europe I was looking for
a career in a suitcase. A friend
recommended I read Julia Cameron’s
book The Artist Way
design-bloggers-conference.com
The Artist Way helped to narrow my focus and
discover my passions. It helped me to discover
the red thread that had run throughout my life.

4. Blog Into Business
design-bloggers-conference.com
• I decided to Write a Book and to
promote it The Antiques Diva® blog.
• Then 2008 happened… and My Book
Didn’t Get Published. I felt like a
failure.
• But Blog Readers began to email me
Asking IF I Would Take Them On Tour
• I said YES and it changed my life.
• It wasn’t what I planned – it was even
bigger.
• 5 Years Later I own Europe’s Largest
Antiques Touring Company.

5. LIFE LESSONS LEARNED
design-bloggers-conference.com
• Be Open to Opportunity.
• You May Plan One Thing For Your Blog – But
Life May Hand You a Different Plan.
• Don’t Get So Focused on What You’re Doing
that You Miss An Opportunity.
• Say Yes. Take a Chance. Do something
unexpected.
• Be Willing to Fail.
It’s not how you fall – but how you
get back up that counts.
• Create a Niche For Your Blog. And Diversify.
• Find what makes you unique and explore that
opportunity.
Expect the Unexpected.
Image Chantal Leger

6. Social Media Marketing
design-bloggers-conference.com
My business would not exist today were
it not for my blog. I did not set out to
build an Antiques Touring Company – I
recognized a need and I filled it. Once
starting a company I intentionally set
about utilizing social media and content
building to market my business.
Blogging
Facebook
Twitter
Linked In
Pinterest
Instagram

7. Luxury Market
• Along with deeper pockets, a keen interest
in staying up to date and an appetite for
luxury lifestyle - Luxury Market Customers
spend more time online than the general
population.
• 15 percent of your followers influence 85
percent of your social media outcomes –
from awareness, to advocacy, to
conversions. These followers become your
brand ambassador and they will drive your
business more than any celebrity
endorsement.
• Be Aspirational. Continually updating your
social medias with new content, photos and
videos keeps your consumers engaged. It
builds a LUST for a product – there is an
IDEA one day I will be able to do this.
design-bloggers-conference.com

8. AD&CO Social Marketing Strategy:
design-bloggers-conference.com
The Antiques Diva & Co is the Expert in Sourcing Antiques Abroad.
•We know where to go, how to get there, what to buy, and most importantly – how to
get it home. Our objective in Social Media is to convey we are the expert.
•We post original content on our blog detailing the who, what, when, where and why.
•Utilizing Hoot Suite we post external links of curated content on Facebook, Twitter and
Linked In to educate and inform our clients to be a resource for our fans
• One Problem…. Antiques can
be perceived as being
Boring. I am many things
but boring isn’t one of them
• As my Brand Image - I am
Youthful – I am Modern.
And yet I am the New
Traditional.

9. AD&CO Social Marketing Strategy:
design-bloggers-conference.com
The Antiques Diva & Co is Lifestyle Oriented.
We aren’t just European Antique Shopping Tour
Company - we’re European Lifestyle Experts. We go
beyond antiques and we regularly post about
European Culture, Food, Travel and Design.
We create posts that make readers feel they’ve spent
the day with The Antiques Diva®
Our Social Media Fans are not just booking a tour–
they are booking a way of life - The Antiques Diva
Lifestyle. A client told me “when I go to Europe with
you I feel comfortable”.
We NOT ONLY make European Antiques accessible –
we make Europe accessible.
Use your Social Media Content to Cultivate an Image.

10. AD&CO Social Marketing Strategy:
design-bloggers-conference.com
• We offer an EXCLUSIVE Service– European
Buying Tours – but we are INCLUSIVE.
• We’re having a great time and we’re
inviting our social media fans along for the
ride.
• Our objective is to be friendly and
approachable.
• We fastidiously avoid aggressive sales
pitches.
• A picture says a 1000 words. Our marketing
strategy is to show clients what we find on
tour, where we’re going, what we’re doing
and what we’re buying.
• By sharing images we generate sales
inquiries organically.
After a day of shopping in Italy with Denise
McGaha and Tobi Fairley

11. Blogging
design-bloggers-conference.com
Visit our blog www.antiquesdiva.com/blog
• I’ve done everything wrong! And it doesn’t matter. Build
it and they will come.
• You Shouldn’t Should on Yourself. I’ve seen good
bloggers FAIL because they were so worried about what
they SHOULD be doing… they weren’t doing what they
COULD be doing.
• Just Do It. And keep doing it. And then do it some more.
Do it. And Do it. And Do it. That is the ONLY WAY to build
content.
• As Frank Sinatra said, Do It Your Way. Create a Niche.
Don’t blog about what everyone else is blogging about.
Become known for doing it differently. Niche media sites
are growing while mainstream publications bleed readers.

12. Blogging
design-bloggers-conference.com
Visit our blog www.antiquesdiva.com/blog
• As your audience grows, you should increase
your content frequency; however, from the
beginning, publishing on a consistent schedule
will help build loyalty.
• Be Consistent. Giving readers something to
expect helps them work your blog into their daily
or weekly routine.
• Be a Maven. Don’t jealously guard your sources
and style secrets – share (enough) information to
be helpful and keep readers coming back.
• Blog By Association. Allowing guest bloggers to
post on your blog brings twofold benefits: more
content for your blog and new reader exposure
for your site. Make strategic partnerships with
key bloggers.

13. Confessions of a Diva
design-bloggers-conference.com
Visit our blog www.antiquesdiva.com/blog
BLOG
• Growing Pains. As my company has grown – I’ve
struggled with how to adjust the tone of my blog
to accommodate our growth.
• Essentially I write a personality driven blog – but
I find over time as I gage my readers wants and
needs I have to adapt my content while
remaining true to my voice.
• I can’t do it alone. In order to grow you have to
accept this fact.
• I’ve had to ask for help. I grew my company
quickly and to the limits of my ability and I
recognized I need for help.
• Be open to others advice.

14. Facebook
design-bloggers-conference.com
Facebook Facts
•More than 60% of Facebook users are over 35
•57% of all American adults use Facebook
•64% of Facebook users visit on a daily basis
•47% of Facebook users say seeing friends photos
is the major reason they use the site
•Facebook users tend to point towards “liking”
content others have posted and commenting on
photos as the activity they most engage
•44% of Facebook users “like” content posted by
their friends at least 1X a day
•29% of Facebook users “like” content several
times per day.
•31% of Facebook users comment on other
people’s photos on a daily basis
•15% of Facebook users doing so several times per
day. Find My Facebook Page
@ The Antiques Diva & Co

15. Facebook
design-bloggers-conference.com
What Time Should You Post on Facebook?
Weekdays Friday Sunday
7:00-8:00 am Late afternoon 9pm -
Noon to 1:00 3:00- 5:00pm midnight
9:00-11:00pm
Utilize Sponsored Posts
According to Nielsen 86% of consumers say they trust
the advice of their friends more than anything else.
When a person interacts with a Facebook Page by liking
it or liking something that has been posted on it, their
friends may see stories about it in News Feed.
Use sponsored stories to increase the likelihood that
the person’s friends will see stories about your Page.
Find My Facebook Page
@ The Antiques Diva & Co

16. Twitter
design-bloggers-conference.com
• Whereas Facebook keeps fans internally
engaged, Twitter send fans externally for
more information.
• Facebook generates client leads and tour
booking requests– whereas I make my
media and trade contacts through Twitter.
• Do not be too far ahead of your audience.
• Prioritize where to spend your time.
• Use social media planning sites such as
Hoot Suite to schedule posts and content.

17. Pinterest & Instagram
design-bloggers-conference.com
• The future of my company is heavily
invested in utilizing the Pinterest &
Instagram for what I call VISUAL
MARKETING
• For design bloggers these medias are
“no brainers”
• Their appeal to a largely female
audience is perfect for my
demographic.
• The network has started limited tests
of paid-for "promoted pins" in the US,
but all other brand activity is free.
• The three most pinned topics on the
network are for pictures related to
travel, party planning and fashion.