Business

Joey Hickson Stresses on The Importance of a Customized Social Media Strategy for Musicians

Published

5 years ago

June 27, 2019

Since the advent of social media, marketing has changed completely. The kind of loyal fan base you could build in 10-15 years is now possible in a few months, all thanks to digital marketing. Many musicians have built a large fan base on social media by connecting with their fans and providing quality content. But as rewarding as social media tools can be, they are equally difficult to master.

The owner of Integrate Social Group, Hickson has built a network of over 30 million followers on social media. With his knowledge and skills, he has helped many musicians, comedians and businessmen get followers who have been eventually converted into customers.

Hickson believes that, “Social media is of no use, unless there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The whole point of social media is to build trust with your potential customers, so that they land on your website. When they access the website, the content, product and service need to be presented in a manner that is as attractive as the graphic that got them here in the first place. Only then the readers can be converted into customers.”

Hickson has helped musicians like Daniela Andrade, Vivian Hicks, Jacuzzi La Fleur and many others rise to fame with his social media marketing strategies. Hickson believes that every individual needs a customized strategy which will work for them. No two musicians can have the same marketing strategy to promote their music. Many artists underestimate the power of right social media marketing. There are many talented musicians out there who could be much more successful, if they were using the right social media tools.

There is no set formula for success in social media marketing. It is a place which is constantly evolving and unless you don’t adapt to the changes and evolve with it, you cannot be successful. Everyone uses Instagram stories, but those who try to be more interactive with their fans using quizzes, polls, questions and other tools offered by the platform tend to have a bigger fan base than those who don’t. Instagram has over 500 million monthly active users and Hickson believes, that many musicians and influencers can benefit from the platform.

In a span of 10 years, Hickson has helped many small businesses grow tremendously. He has helped musicians and comedians reach out to the right kind of audience with social media targeting and hashtag marketing. He was named “Today’s Top Entrepreneurs under 40” by Entrepreneur and his work has also featured in Forbes.

One of the best feelings in the world for Hickson is to see his customer’s follower base increasing. “I know what it’s like to start out small and need help, so this is my way of giving back to those who need assistance in becoming successful in their own industries. It’s a great feeling when I see them succeeding and their following growing from zero to the thousands,” he said.

With social media experts like Joey Hickson available to guide businessmen, influencers and artists, the future of social media marketing looks promising.

Business

Turning Tragedy into Triumph Through Walking With Anthony

Published

2 hours ago

April 18, 2024

Rosario Farell

On the morning of February 6, 2010, Anthony Purcell took a moment to admire the churning surf before plunging into the waves off Miami Beach. Though he had made the dive numerous times before, that morning was destined to be different when he crashed into a hidden sandbar, sustaining bruises to his C5 and C6 vertebrae and breaking his neck.

“I was completely submerged and unable to rise to the surface,” Purcell recalls. “Fortunately, my cousin Bernie saw what was happening and came to my rescue. He saved my life, but things would never be the same after that dive.”

Like thousands of others who are confronted with a spinal cord injury (SCI), Purcell plunged headlong into long months of hopelessness and despair. Eventually, however, he learned to turn personal tragedy into triumph as he reached out to fellow SCI victims by launching Walking With Anthony.

Living with SCI: the first dark days

Initial rehabilitation for those with SCIs takes an average of three to six months, during which time they must relearn hundreds of fundamental skills and adjust to what feels like an entirely new body. Unfortunately, after 21 days, Purcell’s insurance stopped paying for this essential treatment, even though he had made only minimal improvement in such a short time.

“Insurance companies cover rehab costs for people with back injuries, but not for people with spinal cord injuries,” explains Purcell. “We were practically thrown to the curb. At that time, I was so immobile that I couldn’t even raise my arms to feed myself.”

Instead of giving up, Purcell’s mother chose to battle his SCI with long-term rehab. She enrolled Purcell in Project Walk, a rehabilitation facility located in Carlsbad, California, but one that came with an annual cost of over $100,000.

“My parents paid for rehabilitation treatment for over three years,” says Purcell. “Throughout that time, they taught me the importance of patience, compassion, and unconditional love.”

Yet despite his family’s support, Purcell still struggled. “Those were dark days when I couldn’t bring myself to accept the bleak prognosis ahead of me,” he says. “I faced life in a wheelchair and the never-ending struggle for healthcare access, coverage, and advocacy. I hit my share of low points, and there were times when I seriously contemplated giving up on life altogether.”

Purcell finds a new purpose in helping others with SCIs

After long months of depression and self-doubt, Purcell’s mother determined it was time for her son to find purpose beyond rehabilitation.

“My mom suggested I start Walking With Anthony to show people with spinal cord injuries that they were not alone,” Purcell remarks. “When I began to focus on other people besides myself, I realized that people all around the world with spinal cord injuries were suffering because of restrictions on coverage and healthcare access. The question that plagued me most was, ‘What about the people with spinal cord injuries who cannot afford the cost of rehabilitation?’ I had no idea how they were managing.”

Purcell and his mother knew they wanted to make a difference for other people with SCIs, starting with the creation of grants to help cover essentials like assistive technology and emergency finances. To date, they have helped over 100 SCI patients get back on their feet after suffering a similar life-altering accident.

Purcell demonstrates the power and necessity of rehab for people with SCIs

After targeted rehab, Purcell’s physical and mental health improved drastically. Today, he is able to care for himself, drive his own car, and has even returned to work.

“Thanks to my family’s financial and emotional support, I am making amazing physical improvement,” Purcell comments. “I mustered the strength to rebuild my life and even found the nerve to message Karen, a high school classmate I’d always had a thing for. We reconnected, our friendship evolved into love, and we tied the knot in 2017.”

After all that, Purcell found the drive to push toward one further personal triumph. He married but did not believe a family was in his future. Regardless of his remarkable progress, physicians told him biological children were not an option.

Despite being paralyzed from the chest down, Purcell continued to look for hope. Finally, Dr. Jesse Mills of UCLA Health’s Male Reproductive Medicine department assured Purcell and his wife that the right medical care and in vitro fertilization could make their dream of becoming parents a reality.

“Payton joined our family in the spring of 2023,” Purcell reports. “For so long, I believed my spinal cord injury had taken everything I cared about, but now I am grateful every day. I work to help other people with spinal cord injuries find the same joy and hope. We provide them with access to specialists, funding to pay for innovative treatments, and the desire to move forward with a focus on the future.”