NFT Marketing with Caitlin Strempel

In this episode of Freedom with NFT’s Caitlin Strempel shares with us about:

• Her background in marketing in Web 2
• Why she has pivoted her marketing experiences to Web 3 projects
• Marketing advice for NFT projects that are preparing for their launch
• How to find out what your community finds valuable
• What she found valuable about attending an in real life NFT event

About Caitlin Strempel:

Caitlin Strempel, the founder of MetaMint Marketing, the first-ever woman-owned NFT marketing agency. She’s a Forbes contributor, host of the “Women in NFTs & Web 3” podcast, and international speaker at events such as NFT.NYC, SD NFT Con, and All About Blockchain. Her agency crafts custom marketing and launch plans for 1:1 artists all the way to large-scale NFT collections. She has 15 years of experience in getting brands to the top of their industry, 6-figure launches, and million-dollar months.

[00:00:00] Lauren Turton: Today on freedom with NFTs, we have Caitlin Strempel, who is the CEO of the first female owned NFT marketing agency. Hello, Caitlin. How are you today?

[00:00:11] Caitlin Strempel: I’m so good. Hello Lauren. And thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here with you.

[00:00:17] Lauren Turton: I’m so excited to have you here to hear about your journey and to chop it up about NFT marketing.

Tell us what your background is in?

[00:00:27] Caitlin Strempel: So I have always been in marketing. I’ve been really into strategies from the beginning, really into psychology and from the get-go I’ve always been at marketing agencies. I’ve been in corporate side and then about six years ago, I started off on my own venture, into creating my first agency for myself.

So from there I really got into not NFT marketing yet, but we got into digital marketing. We got into SEO and really started to dive into what I really love to do, which was strategy, helping women launch. And my background is actually in male dominated industries. And so my whole purpose and my passion is to help get wealth in the hands of women.

So that is the background in a nutshell, I’ve always been in marketing, just, you know, pretty, somewhat new to the NFT space considering so.

[00:01:26] Lauren Turton: Why you’re so passionate about getting wealth into the hands of women?

[00:01:30] Caitlin Strempel: I remember coming out of college and literally my first job paid me 28,000 dollars a year and looking back at that, I’m like, how was it ever, okay, how come nobody told me it was like, what are you doing? That is not a fair wage at all, few years down the road, I found out that I had some counterparts getting paid way more than me who were male obviously.

And that kind of sparked the first part of it. And then I was also putting a lot of situations where I was in brainstorming creative sessions with men, and I would say ideas and I would be totally dismissed, looked over. And literally at one time too, we were in a creative brainstorm together and I said something and literally everybody ignored it.

One guy was like, oh, we’ll come back to that. And then five minutes later, another guy came in, another creative, who was a male again, said the exact same idea. And everyone’s like, oh my gosh, it is the best idea ever. And I stood up and I was like, are you kidding me? And I walked out and like, from that point on, I’ve just like had this passion to be like, okay, we need to raise up women.

Women deserve the same. And it was really funny, like the other day. So I get a lot of DM, personally in Twitter coming onto the space as an artist, as a service provider, just asking what people are getting paid and like what’s out there, or what should I ask for? How should I show up in a room full of men?

And to me, there’s so much support needed around that, that I’m really passionate about making sure that women, especially in this new chapter of the internet, that we really can pave the way for ourselves.

[00:03:15] Lauren Turton: You know, I am an advocate for the work that you’re doing and also sit in the same seat in regards to where I stand with that. So thank you for doing that work. It’s very, very important. Tell me about when you first found out about NFT?

[00:03:31] Caitlin Strempel: Yeah. So I feel like this is a pretty standard way of women finding out that NFT is through their partner. So my partner back in the day, like we’ve had some crypto and things like that, but he knows I love art. And he was just like, you have to get into the NFT space. You have to create art. And I kind of was like, all right, like, I’ll think about it.

I don’t really have time for that. I’m running an agency, I’m doing all these things. And shortly after I started, it was about a year ago. About a year ago, almost this month I had a client come to me and say, Hey, I know that you love to launch. I know that you aren’t in the NFT space, but would you consider taking on our accounts?

And so I looked in, you know, he’s a good friend of mine too. And I started to do some research and fell in love with the space, the community, everything about it. And it was really interesting because that was the light bulb moment of, oh my gosh everybody’s telling me to get into this space to become an artist because everyone else is doing that, but who’s supporting this artist.

And that was a huge light bulb moment for me. And so I took him on, we launched, it was very funny cause it was my first launch. It wasn’t a very web two way before I did, you know, the Gary V’s 50 hours of research and we crushed it. So I fell in love with it. I started doing even more research and just found out how deeply ingrained the community is, how passionate they are.

And that’s kind of what got me to stay and what wanted me to really help support these artists coming into the space, specifically, women too, as you know.

[00:05:01] Lauren Turton: You keep mentioning the word community. So talk to me a little bit more about the NFT community. What do you love so much about it?

[00:05:10] Caitlin Strempel: I know when I first came in, you were one of the first women to reach out to me and you’re like, Hey, welcome. How can I help you? What can I do? And several other people reached out to me too. And I think from that, it was a really good vibe and space to be in. And it was a breath of fresh air coming from the web two space where I’m in Instagram every day.

All the other web two platforms, Facebook, where you really start to feel invisible, you start to feel lonely. And there is a lot of competition, like friendships networks going on. So that is what really got my eye is, Hey, I got into the space and women are just flocking to help support other women. And I thought that it was just so special that I wanted to be a part of that and really helped move that forward.

[00:05:57] Lauren Turton: Amazing. So tell me about your web three agency. What do you offer? What do you do?

[00:06:04] Caitlin Strempel: Yeah. So it started off as creating an arm of my other agency that I ran, which is an SEO agency. And I pulled the team together. I’m like, all right, we’re going to create this arm. Everyone thought I was crazy because I was the only one who knew about web three. And we started to do this. And then as I did more research, as we got more into.

I quickly realized that it was its own beast and it needed its own thing. So I pulled it out and I created its own LLC in end of October, beginning of November of 2021.

And we decided we’re going to be an NFT agency, marketing agency. And I specifically wanted to be for women because that’s, you know, when I came to the space, that’s, who made me feel really great is these women.

And that’s, you know, coming from the SEO space, which is also male dominated, it felt really good to be just surrounded by women to want to help women again. And it felt like it was just a natural progression and when I make business decisions, it’s interesting because I have all of these ideas and I’m like, I could do it this way.

I could do it that way. And I’m constantly asking questions about it, of how I should do that. Should I do that? And there was no question. Like I got into space and I was like, oh, this is where I need to be. It just felt like home, I guess.

[00:07:18] Lauren Turton: I love it. I love it. I agree with you. It just feels like home here. Tell me about some of the projects that you’ve worked with.

[00:07:26] Caitlin Strempel: So we’ve run the gamut actually. So we work with one-on-one artists. We’ve worked with a 10K collections and our biggest one is keyhole club. They are SW company. They launched 10,000 piece collections every four to six weeks. So they are just like on a schedule running them out.

So we really run the gamut in regards to that. However, we really love to focus in, on purpose driven, very intentional based collections. And of course, you know, women ran collections as well.

[00:07:59] Lauren Turton: Wonderful. Katelyn, where do you see your agency going?

[00:08:03] Caitlin Strempel: So a little bit still finding it out and figuring it out. And I really do encourage people coming to the space to come in, come in with a purpose, coming in with an idea. But knowing that they don’t have to feel stuck, which for me, my background has been agency. It’s been corporate world. I run my own agency before this agency.

So I was very much, I did it because that’s what I know that I can do. And now I’m starting to play around, well, what would it look like if we were referral based only, and we brought on only clients who were referred to us at a higher level, or what would it look like for consulting? So in my personal, like I love launching, I love creating marketing plans.

I love creating launch plans. So that is our bread and butter. That is what we do. We come together with teams of women, we hone in on their purpose. We hone in on their messaging. We figure out what platforms they should be in, who should they be talking to and how they should be talking to them and then how they should be moving people through these silos.

Because everything right now is very silent. You have your Twitter, you have your tiktok, you have your discord. And it’s like, okay, well, how do you move these people through and all the way to mint date? Like how do you get them to come off these platforms and to actually mint and NFT from you? And how do you keep that going?

How do you keep the momentum going in the community growing, even past launch? So that will always be there. Like the launch and marketing plan aspect will always be there. And right now we offer, you know, visibility packages with Twitter and discord, but I’m just kind of playing around now and seeing, Hey, what does my community want?

What does the industry need as a whole? And what feels really good for me? So that’s kind of still, you know, always working on that and always evolving. And I’m just really excited for the future, because I think that this is a space where it’s okay to play around. It’s okay to hop in and figure it out as you go.

[00:09:57] Lauren Turton: It is a space to figure it out as you go.

I love that we have that flexibility here. Since we’re on the topic of marketing, what marketing advice would you give to projects that are preparing for their launch?

[00:10:10] Caitlin Strempel: I would say that preparing for launch happens well before the launch. So making sure that you’re showing up you’re providing value and you’re creating community. And, you know, I’ve seen collections launch without a community and that’s totally fine, but doesn’t become fine is when there’s unrealistic expectations.

So if you’re launching and you’re expecting to sell out a 10 K collection, you need to make sure that you have a very strong community, that it’s been built very organically, that people you’ve created brand advocates for yourself. So first and foremost, work on how you can help your community, know who, what community you want to spend the rest of your life with basically, who do you want in your community and it’s not just about what you can offer them, but what do they really want? So what I’ve seen is, you know, people are coming in and, you know, myself included and I’m saying, okay, like, I can do this, this and that.

And so let me put it out there, let me put it in as utility, but then people stopped, don’t really buy because it might not be a utility that they want. And so there’s a little disconnect there that I would say probably would think 90% of my clients that come to me is we have to figure out, okay, well, that’s what you can do, but is that what your community wants?

So I think that’s like the biggest key part is yes, it needs to align with your purpose. You need to be super passionate about it, but your community does too.

[00:11:31] Lauren Turton: I’m curious. How do you actually find out what your community wants?

[00:11:36] Caitlin Strempel: Yeah. So there are a few ways easiest way would be to ask them or to pull them. You’re not always going to get the best answers. You’ll get some great answers just from asking. I think people don’t ask enough, but really hopping into Twitter spaces. Seeing what people are talking about. I love writing down the questions that people ask and how I can help them solve that.

So my background again is in psychology and strategy. So I love picking apart what the trends are in the space. So if I go into space, what are creative women asking? What are they coming into my DMS asking me about? What are they talking about? What are they tweeting about? So I love the activity of finding, just talking about your ideal client and thinking of one person who is your ideal client, and just put on the alerts on your Twitter and just follow them around Twitter for a little bit and see what they need help with.

See what they’re talking about, see if they have any issues that you know, you can help them with. And it really just kind of get to know them on a deeper level.

[00:12:38] Lauren Turton: So many juicy details that you just shared with us very important. I also am a huge advocate of everything you shared and preach that to my community. So thank you for dialing that in for those that might have not known that information before, outside of your agency and clients. Are there any other projects that you’re working on that really excite you?

[00:13:00] Caitlin Strempel: Yes. So we’re still building out the team a little bit, but we’re working on women’s networking group for web three, which I cannot wait. I’m actually chatting with one of my lawyer friends today, and we’re going to brainstorm some names and really get things going so I can have more information at NFT NYC. So more to come on that, but that is kind of like the underlying things that are happening there. And it’s, again, of course, all around my purpose of really helping get wealth in the hands of women.

[00:13:31] Lauren Turton: You give us any more details about this networking group. What’s going to be going on with it? What’s happening?

[00:13:39] Caitlin Strempel: It’s going to start off, we’re going to probably cap it at a hundred at first, and then we’re figuring out if it’s going to be sort of like a dowel situation or tokenization, you know, information or if it’s going to be something where they get a little bit of eth from like sales moving on for when we open it up to a larger group.

So we’re starting it very small, very intimate. And it’s not going to be about onboarding people into this space. I think there’s plenty of that out there. Plenty of brands who are doing amazing at that. And honestly, that’s, I don’t like having those conversations. So like for you and like other people in this space, you guys are already running with it and I’m like, okay, I have nothing to add.

I feel like what I have to add is, okay, well now when people are onboarded, like what’s the next step. You know, and this really got inspired by the women coming to me in my DMS asking me the questions that they don’t feel comfortable asking. Just on a Twitter space or in a tweet. And it goes a little bit deeper in regards to like, okay, Hey, maybe it’s something about pricing.

Maybe it’s something about finding, I have this issue with, you know, my discord mod or I have, you know, my floor prices dropping. So kind of like the bigger questions that don’t always get talked about, that people are really struggling with and, you know, they might have some answers. They might trade some things, but it hasn’t worked out, but they’re really looking for a community and a sounding board that they can go to bounce ideas off of, and really start working deeply on the issues that they’re facing right now in regards to the collection.

And it’s not just artists. It’s like everyone in web three, anyone starting a business in web three, who, you know, is past the onboarding stage and is ready to scale

[00:15:22] Lauren Turton: I love that you identified what you do, align with what you don’t align with, and you saw the problems that you could solve in the space and are running with that. I’m looking forward to hearing more on this community that you’re creating. What’s your favorite memory so far during your web three journey?

[00:15:42] Caitlin Strempel: So it definitely was the NFT conference in San Diego. That was my first in real life experience with an NFT conference. And it was so much fun. They did such a good job.

I met a ton of my online friends from Twitter, from Tiktok. And it was just a really good to get out there and to see these faces in person of, you know, you develop these relationships online, but then you see them in real life. And it just like, it’s just a love feast. So that has definitely been my favorite part of my journey so far.

[00:16:18] Lauren Turton: Let’s go a little bit deeper into what you experienced at San Diego. You go to the conference you have an amazing time. You’re connecting with people that you meet online. What has been the benefit from that situation after leaving the conference?

[00:16:33] Caitlin Strempel: I’ve met new people, which has been great, and we’ve just forged deeper relationships. So when you get onto a Twitter, I mean, you can feel the energy. I feel like. For me personally, I like to get into the room. I like to feel it out. I’m not the one to just hop on stage and you know, and sometimes I don’t hop on stage sometimes I’m just like, I’m just gonna listen today.

Or I’m just going to sit back and relax just cause I don’t feel like it, I don’t feel like talking, but I feel like when you actually meet people in real life. It’s more comforting to be like, oh, like I know you, we we’ve talked before and I can get up on stage right away. Or, you know, I can show up in a bigger and better way online to meeting people at the event outside of the event, you know, at night and really creating connections in regards to whatever it is, whether it be somebody who can come on as a client.

Or somebody who can refer me out to people. And it’s just really about building your business and building the connections, which is, I think what this industry is all about.

[00:17:30] Lauren Turton: Absolutely, connections are everything. Social currency is everything. Before we wrap this interview up, I’d love for you to share with us what your biggest learning lesson your web three journey has been?

[00:17:45] Caitlin Strempel: Things move really fast. And so my biggest advice and kind of what I’ve learned is that it’s really easy to get wrapped up into it. It’s really easy to get stressed out, to have. But things are happening. Things are coming all the time and sit back, relax and enjoy. And I think that’s a big key part of what some people are missing is that yeah, we’re in the rat race and it’s fun to be in the rat race, but it’s also fun to sit back, relax, and like basking what you’ve already accomplished.

And I think that I’ve just starting to figure that out, you know? Cause I was in the rat race for a very long time. And when you sit back and relax and just realize everything that you’ve done and everything that you’re working on, it feels really good and it’s good for your soul and it fills up your cup and it gives you more energy.

So when you’re ready to get back in the rat race, you can go full throttle.

[00:18:37] Lauren Turton: Wonderful advice. Thank you for sharing that with us. What’s the best way for the freedom with NFTs audience to stay in touch with you?

[00:18:45] Caitlin Strempel: So I have a few ways. I have a podcast called women in NFTs and web threes. So that’s really fun to get into conversations with other women in the space who are paving the way. You can find me on my discord, which is NFT marketing school. And you can also find that link in my Twitter. And so I’m on Twitter as NFTCaitlin, and I’m pretty much everywhere as an NFTCaitlin, Tiktok, Instagram, but I would say the best way to get ahold of me is either in Twitter or my discord.

[00:19:16] Lauren Turton: Thank you so much, Caitlin for your time and energy and spending that with me today and sharing so many golden nuggets with the freedom with NFTs audience. Freedom with NFTs audience, you know, the drill, get informed and get involved.

We’ll see you on the next one.

Thank you to near.org for making this episode of Freedom with NFTs happen! To learn more about how the NEAR Foundation is building the future of the creator economy, visit near.org.

Connect with Caitlin Strempel:

Podcast: https://www.metamintmarketing.io/women-in-nfts-podcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NftCaitlin

Discord: https://t.co/GXRSs0dQ7Q

Connect with your host, Lauren Turton:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenTurton_

Website: https://freedomwithnfts.com/

Discord Community: bit.ly/Discordfreedomwithnfts