When most people suffer from a lack of sleep, their brain goes foggy and they find it hard to concentrate. When Kylie Camps was forced to operate on minimal sleep following the birth of her twins – her brain kicked into overdrive as she began looking for a solution. A sleep consultant certification later, Kylie was soon getting requests from all over the world to help parents in a similar situation. And thus The Sleep Mama was born – a comprehensive online course to help mums, dads, carers and babies everywhere to sleep well, easily and consistently.
But with all great businesses, it’s not just about having a great idea – but also how that idea is delivered and marketed. Putting a twist on the traditional Instagram and Facebook marketing we’re commonly witnessing, Kylie has found business success through the use of Snapchat. Intrigued by both the business and by using Snapchat as a marketing tool, we recently tracked Kylie down to talk us through all things The Sleep Mama.
Congrats on the success of The Sleep Mama! Can you firstly tell me a bit about the programs and why you decided to launch them?
Thank you! The Sleep Mama started 3.5 years ago when our beautiful twin boys were born. We were instantly in love with them but insanely under prepared for the reality of two newborns and the lack of sleep most new parents experience. The sleep deprivation was extreme, my husband and I went for over three months with less than four hours of sleep within a 24 hour period. It was intense! Sleep deprivation affects every area of your life, and soon enough we realised we couldn’t go on operating on empty.
A very long story short, I became obsessed with baby sleep and completed my certification to become a sleep consultant. I then started working with families on a one-on-one basis, helping them achieve the results we had experienced. Over the next year we experienced a large volume of enquiries and it was breaking my heart when I was unable to fit everyone in. So my husband and I put our heads together and decided to create an online resource that would help families the minute they needed it. Our programs are extremely easy to understand, they include written elements, video tutorials and unlimited online support. It’s amazing to live in a day and age where we can help families world wide, when they need it most.
What do you think it is about the program that has seen it have such success?
All living beings need sleep and parents are no different. In fact, I would argue parents need sleep the most as the role of caring for our babies is physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting (as well as rewarding!). I believe the programs have been so successful because of the way they are delivered, in seven easy-to-understand chapters. We teach families the tricks of the trade, knowledge they need and offer support to hold their hand through it all. It’s amazing to have the program at your fingertips on your phone and unlimited access to the videos. We believe in kind parenting and helping a baby or toddler to sleep in a way that will protect their emotional wellness.
You’ve just launched Toddler Life – why did you move into the field of behaviour ?
We are so excited to release Toddler Life! I made the decision to create this resource because so many mums and dads would ask me about the topic. The beauty of social media is that families can get to know us, and they can see how we parent and what we believe in. This opened the door to questions, comments and queries on our parenting practices. We have strong goals and beliefs about the way we parent, we love inspiring others to parent with intent and purpose. I really believe when you know better, you can do better – and toddler life is the perfect resource for parents wanting to learn about kind parenting and the most up to date ways of handling toddler behaviour, discipline, communication and much more.
You have the cutest family! Do you think that The Sleep Mama has had success because people relate to you and like your personal story?
Oh, thank you! The boys are pretty cute! I think the fact that we are a young family experiencing the same journey as many others really connects us to other parents. I know what it’s like to be pregnant, have newborns, be a stay-at-home mum, a working mum, a mum of toddlers… I can relate to every mum in some way and I think they recognise that in me and in our family.
You get a lot of interest from Snapchat, how do you utilise the social media platform to drive awareness about The Sleep Mama?
I love Snapchat! For me, it is a way to connect with other parents and like minded people. Of course I share our programs and what we are up to, but it’s much more than that. It’s a way to speak about topics that mums are interested in. I know how lonely it can be for mums and I feel like Snapchat gives every mum the chance to listen to a story, learn something or have a friend.
What do you think it is about Snapchat that has worked for your brand?
Sharing our lives has allowed others to see what we are all about. It allows families to connect with us, and for us to connect with them. We have the best Snapchat community! It’s a pretty special platform to allow us to choose who we connect with and follow them daily.
Have your followers from Snapchat transferred over to other social media platforms?
I believe our Snapchat community has come from Instagram mostly, or word of mouth, and yes I believe some of our Snap fam have jumped over to our FB page or IG story occasionally!
Since the launch of Instagram Stories, have you been using this more than Snapchat?
I’ve stuck with Snapchat mainly. I have asked our community what they prefer and the majority still prefer Snapchat. I do however do the occasional IG story and I have a feeling that in time, most people will end up using stories only.
How much time do you generally spend on social media each day?
This varies day-to-day, both my husband and myself are pretty strict on limiting phone time when we are with our boys. They go to daycare on a Monday and Friday, so often during these days I’ll be in and out of social media a lot. When I’m with the boys, I really only use it early in the morning before they wake or at night once they’re down. I will share footage of what we are up to during the day via Snapchat if I get the chance.
Do you think social media is integral to the success of the business? Why?
Yes absolutely! It allows me to connect with other parents all over the world. Being able to share tips and knowledge, along with photos or videos is a really great way to speak to and get to know our community.
What’s coming up next for The Sleep Mama?
We recently held the Gold Coast’s biggest baby shower and it was so much fun. We’ve decided to host another event, this time it’s a day out for mamas! We have booked the most incredible venue, inspirational speakers and can not wait to spoil 100 mums with a delicious lunch and a day of fun. We are also sharing lots of behind-the-scenes stuff over on our The Sleep Mama Facebook page with some weekly videos.
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