Storytelling: The Underutilized Marketing Tool with Rashad Drakeford, Head of Content Marketing, Robinhood
Taking the plunge into unfamiliar territory, like investing for the first time, is difficult and can even be scary. The world of finance and investment has long been the domain of the few and privileged. Now, thanks to the technology of Robinhood, becoming a part of the finance world is as easy as downloading an app. The unique challenges of communicating with this new class of investors excite Rashad Drakeford, Head of Content Marketing at Robinhood. He knows that asking the right questions of his audience will help him to guide them through the process of investing, and to their goals.
“What we’re developing at Robinhood over the next three years is: how do we inspire people to think, feel, and act? How do we make them feel confident about their financial future? How do we tell stories of people that they see themselves in? There’s a new class [of investors] that’s being born out of this moment; how do we invite them in? How do we have our arms wide open to let them know that they’re not alone?
A great way to dive into the community is to engage with influencers as a brand. As Drakeford thinks about getting the most out of their partnerships, he’s not just looking at the numbers.
“The way I have the team approaching [influencer relationships] is avoiding one-offs, and [istead] developing a real partnership with talent that not only push forward our business goals but also helps the talent reach their goals. I never walk into a partnership conversation with a fully fleshed-out plan. [I’m] making sure that our missions are aligned because this is not just about someone cashing a check. [I’m making sure] we’re both invested and passionate about what we can do together. I don’t let how many followers someone has to be the determining factor on doing a deal or not. Numbers you see on Tiktok and Instagram and Twitter are important, but what’s the engagement and what’s the conversion metric from past partnerships or even their own work?”
His big-picture mindset for the brand, paired with an incredible background in politics and entertainment, gives Rashad a unique perspective as a marketer. Whether it’s been through his time working on the 2008 Obama Presidential campaign, or from his experience at Apple, and working on Beats by Dre. In this episode, we dive into the way he thinks about his influencer marketing strategy, hear about some of the incredible leaders he has been influenced by, and learn about what makes the most compelling content marketing campaigns. To hear more from Rashad and Robinhood, make sure to check out the full episode of Marketing Trends here!
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