Client-account decision. A Rye Valley delivery decision about how we run the Manse account, made with the client. Client-side people named as deciders are the client’s staff, not Rye Valley team. Scoped 2026-08-30.
- Date: 2026-08-03
- Decider(s): Michael Houck, Alice Hansen, Blake Stewart, Geo
- Status: decided
Decision
TikTok is the primary launch channel for Manse’s D2C content push, with Instagram cross-posted from TikTok at no extra lift. LinkedIn handles thought leadership, hiring, and investor relations. Paid social is deferred; organic only for now.
Context
Manse is preparing its D2C launch with no paying customers yet. The team needed to pick a content channel strategy before scoping Rye Valley’s retainer. The core question was where to invest limited creator time for maximum feedback speed and audience fit.
Options Considered
- Estate Media / Zillow Gone Wild collab at $30K: Rejected. Audience is wrong for Manse ICP (affluent Chicagoland homeowners). Cost not justified.
- X (Twitter): Noted as useful for startup/investor notoriety, but lower priority until next raise. Not a launch channel.
- Paid social from day one: Rejected for launch phase. Useful only for small copy tests, not worth a full system yet. Creator partnerships and boosted posts as a middle-ground amplifier if needed.
- National expansion: Rejected. Staying Chicagoland-local preserves the local expertise value prop that differentiates Manse.
Consequences
- Rye Valley scope will cover TikTok scripting/editing/scheduling plus Instagram cross-post and LinkedIn content.
- Tatem leads video execution; Blake leads written/LinkedIn.
- Manse team commitment: ~30 min/week of filming per person.
- Weekly performance reports: impressions per video, outliers, weekly learnings.
- AI digital twin option available for camera-shy participants.
- Paid social revisited only after organic baseline is established.
Meeting reference: Manse D2C Launch