Maria Killam is a decorator, stylist, speaker, educator, and true color expert in interior and exterior design. She’s also the creator of the Killam Color System™, a proven system for choosing color that anyone can learn.
Maria has always shared her work on her blog and has thousands of readers. But her Instagram never took off—until recently. Maria leveraged a popular Instagram trend and grew to 100k+ Instagram followers in mere weeks. Learn how she did it in this episode of Wingnut Social!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
Connect with Maria Killam
Resources & People Mentioned
The evolution of Maria’s business
Maria Killam launched her career while working in a paint store. She took a color course and learned how to accurately describe colors. As she helped clients choose the right colors for their homes, she started painting out large color samples and used them over and over again.
She saw that beiges always had the same undertones: pink-beige, green-beige, yellow-beige, etc. The undertones expanded from there. Her goal is to help her clients understand undertones so their design choices are complementary and timeless.
Maria created a color wheel tool to help people identify the undertones in their spaces to choose the right neutrals. Now Maria offers online courses and eDesign to help both designers and homeowners create timeless spaces.
Keep listening to learn how understanding color and undertones influences every design choice you’ll make.
Maria’s Strategy to gain 100k+ Instagram followers
Maria has spent a lot of time on Instagram. Why? Because people judge you as a marketer, designer, and businessperson based on your number of Instagram followers. They’re either impressed—or not.
One day, Maria was watching an influencer who did a “10 ways to do something…” video series that they split into 10 parts. It was a light-bulb moment for Maria. So she launched her own 10-part series: “10 Finishes that Immediately Date Your New Build.” Her Instagram following grew by 100,000 followers in a matter of weeks.
Instagram is trying to be like TikTok. It’s ALL about video. It worked for Maria because her no-nonsense personality was fully expressed in these videos. Before, she followed different random trends. Secondly, you build trust faster when they watch a video. If you’re not on video, you’re going to be behind. So how do you get started?
Start sharing videos on your stories. They’re only 15 seconds and get you comfortable in front of the camera. Maria felt extremely awkward in her first videos. But you have to go through that awkward phase to become a rockstar on video. Maria has attracted a whole new audience. Learn how you can do the same in this episode of Wingnut Social!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
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PODCAST FAST TRACK
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How to Fuse Traditional + Digital Marketing with Steven Glaze - Episode 196
Rex Rogosch’s Take on the Future of Hospitality Design - Episode 195
How to Rewire your Mindset [Jarrod Haning’s Nobel-Nominated Process] - Episode 194
Andrea Freeman’s Method: Shift Your Mindset to Scale Your Business - Episode 193
Travel + Interior Design Photography Tips [Pro Ralph Velasco Shares] - Episode 192
Can Writing a Book Catapult Your Career? LuAnn Nigara Shares Her Thoughts - Episode 191
Differentiate Yourself: Amanda Berlin Says to Tell Your Story - Episode 190
Market Your Brand to Land a Licensing Deal [Victoria Larson's Strategy] - Episode 189
WHY the New Facebook Business Suite is Sweet - Episode 188
How to Collaborate with Nano-Influencers [Neal Schaffer’s Take] - Episode 187
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Positioning in Marketing: Create Your Unique Brand with Shannyn Lee - Episode 185
How IGTV Captions Help YOU Capture a Larger Audience - Episode 184
Fall in LOVE with Your Business Again with Kris Plachy - Episode 183
6 Ways YOU can Make Money on Social Media - Episode 182
How to Get Famous on TikTok [Courtesy of Mrs. Space Cadet] - Episode 181
Make Social Media FUN Again - Episode 180
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