The recipe for success: These are the marketing lessons you can learn from this YouTuber's thriving business!

Monday: MicroBusiness and Marketing Marvels FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Happy Monday! We hope you’re doing well. Let’s start the week by talking about one of our “Marketing Marvels.” Every Monday, we put a spotlight on exceptional individuals and highlight their experiences, insights, and contributions in the worlds of marketing and business. Today, we’ll talk about a famous online personality's successful business venture. To know more about today’s “Marvel,” keep reading below. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

The recipe for success: These are the marketing lessons you can learn from this YouTuber's thriving business! Jimmy Donaldson a.k.a. “MrBeast”: American YouTuber and Founder of MrBeast Burger With over 151 million subscribers on YouTube, 25-year-old Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. MrBeast is one of the biggest and most influential online personalities today. You might recognize him from his viral and philanthropic videos that have racked up over 100 million views. He’s a big name in the YouTube community, but did you know Donaldson has also ventured into the restaurant business? In fact, his enterprise was so successful that its launch broke several records! The business we’re talking about is none other than MrBeast Burger! MrBeast Burger began as a virtual restaurant where deliveries were booked through an application. Upon the app’s launch, it swiftly topped Google Play Store and App Store charts after receiving thousands of downloads, and topped Google searches around the world. Due to these early gains, the brand’s delivery service became available to over 1,000 locations in just a few weeks. The demand was so high that MrBeast Burger eventually opened its first physical store at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey in November 2020. What’s more? Over 10,000 customers showed up at the MrBeast Burger’s physical store during the first 10 minutes of its opening day. By the time the store closed, the brand sold more than 5,500 burgers and broke the record for most burgers sold in a single day by a single restaurant! In the following month after the first branch’s opening, an additional 300 MrBeast Burger stores were opened across the U.S. to keep up with the impressive demand. As of 2023, MrBeast Burger has generated over USD 150 million in revenues. What are the secrets behind MrBeast Burger’s success? Below are some of the marketing tactics that Donaldson applies to his business: Utilizing his large social media following. Donaldson has accumulated nearly 200 million followers across multiple social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Due to this impressive follower count, he’s able to reach lots of people. Moreover, his following continues to attract more customers for his business. The key takeaway here? While having millions of followers on social media doesn’t guarantee immediate success, it can give any business a significant boost in terms of brand recognition and popularity. Championing the person behind the brand. MrBeast Burger stands out because Donaldson is the face of the brand. As a famous YouTuber, he has a strong rapport with his audiences. This gives MrBeast Burger an advantage in terms of brand recognition. Using social media to make business decisions. When selling a product, it’s important for a brand to know its target customers better. Knowing this, Donaldson keeps track of his YouTube channel’s demographic. He then opens MrBeast Burger stores in locations with the most engagement, traction, and watch time for his videos. This way, there’s a higher likelihood of generating sales for his business. Promoting his product through the generous stunts he is known for. One of the things Donaldson does on his YouTube channel is give away lots of money. In these videos, Donaldson would give away hundreds of thousands of cash prizes and expensive gifts to lucky recipients. His generosity plays a large role in his popularity today and has become a trademark of his. So, in one of his marketing tactics, Donaldson promoted MrBeast Burger by featuring it in a giveaway video. He gave away money and prizes to customers who visited the MrBeast Burger store. As a result, he racked up millions of views and increased exposure for his brand. Adapting to product demand. Donaldson listens to his customers. After the success of MrBeast Burger’s delivery-only setup, he recognized the great demand for his product and responded accordingly by opening more physical stores in new locations in the U.S. Partnering strategically with other companies or brands. Donaldson partnered with Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC), a company that enables celebrities or their brands to produce products through underused kitchen facilities. In Donaldson’s case, VDC hired people in an underused kitchen to cook MrBeast Burger meals and from there, the food was delivered to the customers. Collaborating with VDC helped the brand meet the demand for MrBeast Burger products. Due to Donaldson's marketing techniques, MrBeast Burger is currently one of the most successful burger joints in the U.S. Additionally, the business is expected to expand internationally. — The success of MrBeast Burger business reminds us about the importance of social media, collaborations, and branding in promoting products and services. Remember: When done right, the use of social media, paired with strategic marketing decisions, can help business owners reach a wider range of potential customers and, in turn, increase sales. Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.     Ever since her breakout role in the Disney Channel show "Wizards of Waverly Place," Selena Gomez has risen to fame as an actress and singer and quickly became a household name around the globe. Learn more about Selena Gomez and her beauty brand on next week’s Marketing Marvels!