Breaking the Marketing Mold: Tenyse Williams Of Verified Consulting On 5 Innovative & Non Traditional Marketing Strategies That Can Engage Audiences Like Never Before
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Leveraging EdTech for Customer Engagement: Using educational technology not just for instruction but to engage customers by providing valuable knowledge.
Traditional marketing methods are no longer sufficient in today’s dynamic and fast-evolving market. To truly engage and captivate audiences, businesses need to think outside the box and adopt innovative and non-traditional marketing strategies. What are these strategies, and how can they transform audience engagement? I had the pleasure of interviewing Tenyse Williams.
Tenyse Williams is an award-winning Brand Strategist, an Adjunct Instructional Specialist at Columbia and George Washington University, & the University of Central Florida, and Founder & Chief Communications Officer of Verified Consulting, leading a team of digital marketing professionals amplifying awareness for their clients. Follow her on LinkedIn.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! To start, could you share when and how you got started in marketing?
My journey into the marketing world started on an unconventional path; I was initially a journalist working for renowned news outlets like NY1 News and Inside Edition. As social media emerged and began reshaping how news was consumed, delivering information at unprecedented speeds, my curiosity was sparked. The digital age was outpacing traditional television broadcasting, and I was right at the crossroads. Embracing this shift, I started leveraging social media to extend the reach of my journalistic stories. What captivated me was not just the broader dissemination of my work, but the direct, real-time interactions with my audience. This dialogue, rich with diverse opinions and perspectives on pressing issues, fueled my passion further. It didn’t take long for me to realize that my heart lay in connecting with people on this immediate and impactful level, guiding me towards a fulfilling career in marketing.
What has been the biggest shift in the marketing industry and can you give us an example of how it impacted you?
One of the most monumental shifts in the marketing industry has been the rise of digital and social media marketing. This evolution from traditional methods (like print ads, billboards, and TV commercials) to digital platforms (social media, SEO, content marketing, etc.) has drastically changed how marketers approach their strategies. It has impacted me by keeping abreast of all of the daily changes that happened within marketing, whether its social media updates, trends, or new marketing tools, it changed the way viewers receive information.
Can you explain why it’s essential for businesses to break away from traditional marketing and embrace new strategies?
Companies clinging to traditional marketing methods risk falling behind. In a world where digital marketing and PR strategies can propel a brand to viral status overnight, sticking solely to traditional avenues is like choosing a horse and carriage over a high-speed train. My experience has shown me that innovative strategies not only reach audiences more effectively but they also engage with them on a deeper level. With your business, you have to meet your audience where they are!
Could you share and briefly explain the first major change you made to break the trend of traditional marketing that was not so common?
One significant shift I embraced early on was the power of data-driven storytelling. While many were focusing on broad, generic advertising, I turned to leveraging data to inform every story we told — making narratives not only compelling but also highly personalized and relevant to our audience. This approach, combined with the power of digital platforms, really set campaigns apart and with the clients I served it allowed me to really support the audience that we were targeting in a more strategic way.
What specific results did you see after implementing this change?
Implementing data-driven strategies and storytelling led to a noticeable uptick in engagement and awareness across campaigns. Our targeted approach allowed us to reduce spend on digital advertising while increasing an organic reach for our clients social media followers and campaigns that lead to business developments.
How do you ensure that these new marketing strategies resonate with your target audience?
Ensuring resonance starts with deep audience insight. My work — whether teaching at universities like Columbia and George Washington or leading campaigns on behalf of my clients — centers around understanding our audience deeply. We leverage analytics tools, customer research analysis, and trend data to craft messages that not only reach but deeply impact our intended audience.
Can you share an example of something you tried that didn’t deliver expected results or ended up ended up becoming a financial burden, and what you learned from that experience?
While most initiatives have led to growth and learning, there have been experiments that didn’t hit the mark. Early in my career, I underestimated the complexity of a multi-platform campaign which led to overextension of our team and resources. It was a clear lesson in the importance of focus and the power of strategic depth over breadth. Every dollar and every hour have to be deployed with precision.
Great. Now, let’s dive into the heart of our interview. Could you list “5 Innovative & Non Traditional Marketing Strategies That Can Engage Audiences Like Never Before”?
1. Leveraging EdTech for Customer Engagement: Using educational technology not just for instruction but to engage customers by providing valuable knowledge.
2. Data-Driven Personalization in Campaigns: Tailoring marketing narratives to the individual level, using analytics to predict and respond to consumer behavior.
3. Partnerships with Digital Influencers and Thought Leaders: Beyond simple endorsements, creating deep, content-rich partnerships that deliver value to both audiences.
4. Social Listening for Real-Time Engagement: Utilizing social media not just for broadcasting, but for conversational marketing, tuning into the audience’s needs and responding.
5. Augmented Reality Experiences: Creating immersive AR campaigns that allow consumers to interact with products in novel ways before purchase.
What challenges might companies face when transitioning away from traditional marketing strategies, and how can they overcome them?
The major challenge is often cultural resistance within the organization. Transitioning requires a mindset shift, from the C-suite down, to value agility, continuous learning, and innovation. Businesses can overcome this by fostering an environment of learning — much like we do in academia — and by leading with data that demonstrates the effectiveness of new strategies over traditional methods.
How do you measure the success and ROI of these new marketing strategies?
Success metrics have evolved from purely financial to include engagement rates, social shares, and customer lifetime value. My approach involves setting clear KPIs at the outset, closely monitoring campaigns via analytical tools, and conducting post-campaign analyses to assess ROI not just in immediate terms but also long-term brand equity.
Looking forward, how do you see the role of innovative marketing evolving in the next 5–10 years?
Innovation in marketing will increasingly lean on AI and machine learning to not only predict customer behavior but also to automate personalized engagement at scale. Additionally, the integration of digital experiences in physical spaces will blur the lines between online and offline interactions, making every customer touchpoint a part of the cohesive brand experience.
What advice would you give to business leaders who are hesitant to move away from traditional marketing methods?
Don’t view it as moving away, but rather expanding your toolkit. The digital realm offers a multitude of channels and strategies to reach your audience effectively. Embrace the change, stay curious, and always be willing to adapt based on what the data tells you.
Can you share any upcoming initiatives or plans you have for further innovating your marketing strategies?
We’re exploring the intersection of AI with real-time marketing strategies to predict trends before they happen, allowing our clients to be at the forefront of innovation. This, combined with our ongoing commitment to data-driven, personalized storytelling, sets the stage for some truly exciting campaigns in the pipeline.
How can our readers follow your work and learn more about your approaches to modern marketing?
Follow me on Linkedin or Instagram to stay update with my current work!
This was great. Thank you so much for the time you spent sharing with us.
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur and Thought Leader with over 25 years of business experience. He has founded, operated, and exited multiple companies and now builds into a handful of high impact CEOs. Chad has launched multiple online communities, including a recent leadership development platform, and also serves as a strategic advisor for Authority Magazine’s thought-leader incubator program.
To learn more and connect with Chad visit: chadsilverstein.io
Breaking the Marketing Mold: Tenyse Williams Of Verified Consulting On 5 Innovative & Non… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.