PENGUATAN BRANDING DAN STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI DIGITAL PADA UMKM ARLIN GORDYN

Arlin Gordyn, an MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise) engaged in the sale and installation of curtains and interior products in Tanjung Mulia Village, Medan Deli District, has been in operation since 1998. However, its marketing has relied solely on customer recommendations and word-of-mouth. The business lacked an Instagram or TikTok presence, the skills to create promotional content, and an understanding of digital marketing communication strategies. This Community Partnership Service (PKM) initiative aimed to enhance the partner's capacity in digital branding, social media management, and the creation of promotional content. The implementation method included surveys and observations, outreach and hands-on training, mentoring, as well as monitoring and evaluation. The training covered setting up Instagram Business and TikTok Business accounts, developing a business profile and visual identity, designing content using Canva, and editing videos with CapCut. The project resulted in the establishment of Instagram and TikTok accounts (@arlin.gordyn), featuring 15 Instagram posts, 8 TikTok videos, and 5 Canva templates. At the time of evaluation, the Instagram account had 21 followers and the TikTok account had 7 followers; the partner was able to manage both accounts independently, with only limited ongoing support required for using Canva. This initiative demonstrates that hands-on, practice-based mentoring—utilizing the partner’s own product documentation—can effectively help an MSME build a digital identity. As the impact on the number of customers and total revenue has not yet been measured, further mentoring is recommended.