Safety and Security Guru

By: Tracey Hawkins

Meet Tracey Hawkins, the safety and security guru who has spent over 28 years perfecting her craft. As a sought-after international expert, public speaker, and master content creator, she’s been featured in major publications such as The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and CNNnews.com, and has even made appearances on The Today Show. But Tracey doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. Through her Virtual Real Estate Safety Summit and other events, she’s made it her mission to make the world a safer place. In this exclusive interview, Tracey shares her secrets on how she reaches a wider audience and continues to make a difference in the world.

As someone who does all their own marketing, can you tell us about your approach to promoting your international speaking business and virtual safety and security events. How have you been able to build a loyal following over the years?

I have established myself as an expert in the field of safety and security. Because I chose a field that I am passionate about, it is easy to develop expertise. Safety and security are integral parts of my life, and I read and watch everything related to these topics to stay up-to-date with any crime trends, crime prevention practices, or tools. I write about safety and security topics, crime, and crime prevention, and I also create informational videos for my audience. I am aware that 100% of adults care about safety and security, and my job is to provide information in a way that they will heed and act upon without leading with fear, but rather through education. 

How do you leverage social media and other digital channels to reach your target audience? What tips do you have for other safety and security experts looking to use these platforms more effectively? 

I am considered a micro-influencer due to the significant platform I have built based on my national publications and television appearances, which allows me to reach a wide audience. Unlike traditional influencers, I do not have thousands of social media followers. However, social media plays a vital role in my business. I consider it to be my electronic resume, and I maintain a presence on all major social media platforms to reach my audience wherever they are. I keep my activity and articles up-to-date to ensure that anyone who looks me up can see social proof of my credentials. 

Can you share an example of a particularly successful marketing campaign you’ve run for one of your virtual events? What factors do you think contributed to its success? 

In my recent marketing campaign, I organized a virtual event for the leadership of the home health industry. The event included a complementary workshop on safety and security culture and how it can enhance their organization’s profitability. This campaign was an excellent opportunity for me to merge community service with life-saving business practices. It also provided the leadership with a glimpse of the value I can offer by sharing in-home safety practices with their field workers, who are employed in a potentially dangerous occupation. By focusing on the bottom line and community service, I was able to create an opening that was more effective than a sales pitch. 

How do you balance the need to promote your events and expertise with the need to maintain credibility and avoid coming across as too self-promotional? 

In the safety and security industry, it is crucial to establish credibility and authority. Leading with fear or adopting a salesperson approach is not advantageous. Instead, I rely on my expertise and desire to educate people about living and working safely. As safety is my top priority, I am always sharing my knowledge and teaching, without focusing on selling anything. When discussing real estate safety, which the U.S. Department of Labor considers a hazardous occupation, I emphasize that I am a former agent and can relate to their experiences as I have walked in their shoes and seen the dangers firsthand. I remind them that I have talked to thousands of agents and conducted extensive research, so they can trust my advice, which is practical and realistic. I link everything back to business building, especially since real estate is a commission-based sales industry. Therefore, I show them how to work safely and use the knowledge and tools I provide to grow their business. 

How do you tailor your marketing messages and strategies to different audiences, such as real estate professionals, property managers, and homeowners? 

As my expertise spans across the real estate and home health industries, as well as the general population, I identify the commonalities and tailor my programs to the specifics of each occupation. Everyone needs to learn about living safely, day to day. I educate about tuning into our built-in instincts, taking actionable steps to raise awareness, creating a safety plan, and other safe practices, including home security, cybersecurity, and safety on the road. I then create programs that are specific to each industry, with actionable safety practices for real estate and home health workers, among others. When speaking to businesses, I make it a point to include business-building practices. While safety may not always be a top priority for businesses, increasing profit is, so I link them together.     

How important is storytelling in your marketing approach? How do you use narratives and case studies to help promote your events and content? 

As my expertise spans across the real estate and home health industries, as well as the general population, I identify the commonalities and then tailor my programs to the specifics of each occupation. Everyone needs to learn about living safely, day to day. I educate about tuning into our built-in instincts, taking actionable steps to raise awareness, creating a safety plan, and other safe practices, including home security, cybersecurity, and safety on the road.  I then create programs that are specific to each industry, with actionable safety practices for real estate and home health workers, among others. When speaking to businesses, I make it a point to include business-building practices. While safety may not always be a top priority for businesses, increasing profit is, so I link them together.   

What metrics do you track to measure the success of your marketing efforts, and how do you use this data to inform future campaigns? 

As basic as it may seem, I always ask potential clients how they heard about me. This is how I figure out what works regarding my marketing strategies. Through this approach, I have learned that my social media accounts work well! A majority of people who approach me unsolicited have seen me on social media.  Although they do not necessarily engage by clicking “like” or commenting, they are scanning my posts while researching me. This encourages me to continue posting despite low engagement. 

Can you share any marketing lessons or insights you’ve learned from your 28 years of experience as a public speaker and safety expert? 

My success and recognition as a subject matter expert has helped me to stand out from my competitors. My articles, television appearances, and interviews by credible publications give me an edge when compared to other contenders for speaking engagements.  However, I do not jump on all trends, as this can lead to being a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. It does not serve my audience if I am not fully immersed and knowledgeable about the life-saving topic they hire me to teach. While it may be tempting to take on various topics, I prioritize being the go-to resource for safety and security news and safe practices. 

How do you stay up to date with the latest marketing trends and techniques. What resources would you recommend to others looking to improve their marketing skills? 

By becoming the media, myself, I am compelled to stay on the front line of my industry. I write about safety and security topics, which requires me to stay up to date on news related to safety and security, crime stories, and crime prevention. To ensure that I can share relevant and life-saving information, I consume a lot of marketing content. I watch endless marketing videos on YouTube and read marketing articles regularly. I subscribe to the most effective marketing content creators to ensure that I don’t miss anything. As a solopreneur who works from home, I don’t have much interaction with peers. Therefore, I participate in SCORE virtual programs and attend marketing workshops hosted by other organizations that focus on small businesses. I attend events in person whenever possible for networking opportunities. 

Looking ahead, what new marketing strategies or tactics are you considering for future virtual events? How do you see the field of safety and security marketing evolving in the coming years?

Marketing in the safety and security field is a fine balance between raising awareness and avoiding fearmongering. Additionally, it is essential to demonstrate that expertise is required for success, rather than being a proverbial “talking head.” This is what gives me an edge.  I am planning to duplicate my Crime Prevention EXPO and Workshop, which was a tremendous success in providing community safety and security information. I invited local police, the highway patrol, FEMA, AARP, and other experts to educate the community. I also invited safety and security vendors. I plan to take this concept on the road across the U.S. to provide great crime prevention information and showcase my passion for community service.  In the business world, the key to success is tying safety and security training and education to more profitable businesses. In all my marketing communications, I focus on providing strong, expert-led content and always provide some business-building practices using the safety education that I share. 

By Steve Dinelli