February 10, 2022
Erin Trafford has always had a passion for stories well told. That’s why she started her career in news and broadcasting at the age of 16, an industry she would remain in for more than half her life.
Around 2012, Erin wanted more – realizing that she had something special to offer as a storyteller, and decided it was time to break out on her own.
She began her own lifestyle blog, DIY Passion Media, literally off the side of her kitchen table. She would go on to teach herself WordPress, how to code, build a website, create passive income, and use programmatic ads – then one day, she decided to learn how to sell that content.
Massively successful brands including Walmart, Wayfair, President’s Choice, and dozens more would soon come to Erin seeking her services because they loved how she weaved their brand story into her content seamlessly. The content Erin created on those campaigns often performed better in the long run than the other ‘flashy’ campaigns that the companies were sinking their advertising dollars into. Erin’s immediate success with storytelling content prompted her to really lean into the strategy aspect of content marketing, rather than being a supporting piece in the campaign.
“Since [DIY Passion Media], I’ve combined my media experience with my digital strategy and worked with brands on integrated campaigns on a national scale. But at the end of the day, it all comes back to the story we are telling.” – Erin Trafford
Having built her own company after an accomplished broadcasting career, Erin credits much of her entrepreneurial success to her background in journalism. As a journalist, Erin was taught to consider the audience first, a trait which she believes translates exceptionally to content marketing.
Erin is excited to see that the business world seems to be migrating towards her specialty, story strategy marketing. She has noticed a growing desire for businesses to form relationships with their audience in more ways than just monetarily, seeing story strategy marketing as the perfect tool for companies to connect to their clients on a more meaningful level. Businesses are realizing that this style of marketing triggers an empathy response from audiences, which is a strategic asset holding immense value in the post-pandemic world.
“The core change I’m seeing is that brands are no longer fearful of standing for something (versus against something) and fundamentally, this looks like brands embracing empathy in their marketing and messaging.” – Erin Trafford
In addition to her own established content, Erin also offers marketing training for solopreneurs through her Story and Strategy School. A six-month program, Erin describes the Story and Strategy School as a backstage pass to her personal story strategy playbook, aimed to help entrepreneurs in early growth stages find and tell their stories in ways that create opportunities for their businesses. The program is primarily aimed at women, and new spots open up about every six weeks.
If you thought that with so many things on the go, there’s no way Erin Trafford could be involved in any more business endeavors, you would be like us – wrong.
Erin’s business extends to include Story Studio Network, a podcast based-marketing initiative and partnership with her father, Dave Trafford, who is a broadcasting veteran himself. Story Studio Network employs a story-based model and journalistic approach to podcasts, and is looking to expand its team with talented account coordinators and content creators in the near future.
“2022 is the year to start a podcast. I dare you to ask me why. It’ll be like pulling back one of those match box cars… just ask the question and watch me go! In all seriousness, if you are considering true content asset creation as part of your strategy, a podcast is worth considering.”
– Erin Trafford
The team here at Digital Nova Scotia would like to extend a huge thanks to Erin Trafford for taking the time to answer our questions and share some of her brilliant industry insights. To learn more about Erin Trafford, the programs offered, or employment opportunities at the company, please visit erintrafford.com.