Marketing in the Wild
By Julia at Stratos Creative Marketing
Not all marketing lands well, and at Stratos we are obsessed with studying examples of both effective and ineffective marketing. Whether it’s a new marketing trend or an “oldie-but-goodie” strategy, we want to find it and see what we can learn from it.
Join us for our weekly hilarious commentary on the best (and worst) marketing out there. We’ll all learn something new and practical that will help grow our businesses.
Marketing in the WildMar 31, 2022
Taking a Break!
Episode 120: Marketing in the Wild will be taking a break for the foreseeable future!
Stratos in the Wild: A Christmas Special
Episode 119: In this episode, the Stratos team shares some of their Christmas memories that may or may not be marketing related!
Respecting Data Privacy in Marketing
Episode 118: Julia delves into the challenge of balancing data privacy and personalization in marketing, drawing insights from Meta's Agency Summit. She highlights three key principles for marketers: safeguarding and not selling collected data, asking for only essential information, and employing creative segmentation methods.
Building Trust With “They Ask You Answer” ft. Erin Fults
Episode 117: In this episode, Julia chats with Erin Fults from Heights Strategic Marketing. They talk about the book, "They Ask You Answer" by Marcus Sheridan, exploring its principles and the importance of creating purposeful content that builds trust and guides customers through their journey. Erin provides practical advice on implementing the “They Ask You Answer” framework, such as mapping out the customer journey and addressing questions at each step.
Elevating Your Reach with Inclusive Marketing ft. Paige Flamm
Episode 116: Julia interviews Paige Flamm, a former influencer who now works with Giv.care, a disability caregiving agency. Paige emphasizes the importance of inclusive language and representation in marketing campaigns, highlighting the challenges of terminology while stressing the need for authenticity and emotional connection in content creation.
Sowing the Seeds of a Dream Business ft. Jaems Brandon
Episode 115: In this episode, Julia interviews Jaems, owner of Once Upon a Christmas Tree Farm in Utah. Jaems discusses the challenges of starting a Christmas tree farm in a new climate, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and sharing both successes and failures on social media. She highlights the rewarding experience of seeing her dreams come to life, building a supportive community, and creating a unique farm experience for visitors.
How to Curate Brand-Building Swag ft. Amanda Hofman
Episode 114: This week, Julia interviews Amanda Hofman, founder of Go To Market, a branded merchandise company. Amanda shares her passion for creating meaningful and purposeful merchandise that reflects a brand's message and identity. She emphasizes the importance of choosing items that resonate with the audience and incorporating bold messages rather than simply slapping a logo on products.
How Gen Z is Revolutionizing Entrepreneurship ft. Madi Baldwin
Episode 113: Julia interviews Madi Baldwin, founder of Gen Z Girlies podcast, discussing entrepreneurship, Gen Z's unique traits, and effective marketing strategies toward younger generations. Madi emphasizes the importance of authenticity, hyper-personalization, and video content in social media marketing for Gen Z. She also highlights Gen Z's resilience, creativity, and open-mindedness as key strengths, showcasing the generation's determination in shaping the future of work and business.
The Impact of Core Emotions in Marketing ft. Ericka Saurit
Episode 112: In this episode, Julia explores the influence of core emotions in business with guest Erika, a former interior designer turned marketer. Erika discusses her transition, highlighting the undervalued role of interior designers and the need for compelling storytelling. They delve into the E3 Storytelling Framework, emphasizing emotions like belonging and purpose and cautioning against manipulation in branding.
BTS with the Stratos Marketing Team
Episode 111: In this episode, Julia chats with Ryann and Kat from Stratos, where they share some of what’s happening behind the scenes at Stratos. They share some of their proudest moments, challenging moments, and steps they’ve taken to streamline their marketing processes.
Nail and Grow Your Niche Business ft. Todd Howard
Episode 110: Julia introduces Todd, a specialist in helping people find their niche in business. They discuss the aversion some people have to find a niche and address the misconception that niching restricts business opportunities. Todd also shares three questions to help individuals identify their niche and provides insights into when a niche is essential for a business.
Five Tips for Better and Faster Social Media Marketing
Episode 109: Julia shares five tips on how to DIY content creation. By applying these strategies, you can have more effective and efficient social media management, and improve your relationship with social media!
The Art of Author Marketing ft. Karen Anderson
Episode 108: In this podcast episode, Karen Anderson, an Associate Publisher at Morgan James Publishing, shares her journey in the book industry and offers valuable insights for aspiring authors. Karen advocates for self-publishing and hybrid publishing models, highlighting effective marketing strategies, such as podcast appearances, leveraging traditional media, and giving books away to generate leads.
Your Hobby Could Be Niche Content! ft. retroCombs
This week, Kat is hosting a special guest—her dad, Steven Combs, aka retroCombs! Steven shares how he turned his hobby into a content stream during the pandemic, sharing his love for retro computers through videos, and he emphasizes the importance of having fun and staying authentic while creating content.
Do You Need Swag? ft. Landon Wade
Julia chats with Landon Wade, Owner at Goodson Clothing & Supply Co., and they are talking about all things swag and merch—like whether or not those are even the right terms to use! Tune in to learn whether or not you’re ready to order promotional items, how to choose the right swag for your audience and business, and more.
Getting Ready for Your Holiday Marketing
In this episode, Julia talks about getting ready for your holiday marketing (yes, in September!) and what to keep in mind. (And if you’re looking for more tips, make sure to revisit Episode 9: Preparing Your Social Media for the Holidays!)
Closing Thoughts for Summer
Although our summer series is officially over, the inspiration from all the conversations these past few months remains with us. Julia shares some of her thoughts to close out the series.
Capturing Love in the Wilder West ft. Caitlyn Jennings
Julia meets with Caitlyn Jennings, the owner and lead photographer at Wilder West Elopements. Caitlyn shares her journey as a wedding and elopement photographer based in Sedona, Arizona. Listen in to hear her talk about the flexibility and lifestyle benefits of owning her business and how she found her niche in elopements!
From Pitch Competitions to a Thriving Business ft. Taylor Walden
Episode 102: This week, Julia meets with Taylor Walden, the founder of Simple & Sentimental, a personalized gift business. Taylor shares her entrepreneurial journey from starting with calligraphy to pivoting into personalized stickers and gift boxes.
Nourishing Entrepreneurship and Dietetics Marketing ft. Betty Guerrero
Episode 101: In this episode, Julia meets with Betty Gurerro, a licensed registered dietitian and owner of "Eat With Betty.” In this conversation, they cover the challenges of entrepreneurship, defining the "why" behind starting a business, authenticity in social media, and the rewarding feeling of empowering clients.
Finding Sweet Success through Ugly Chocolates ft. Jenni Farrow
Episode 100: What better way to celebrate our 100th episode with some CHOCOLATE? In this episode, Julia chats with Jenni Farrow, owner and head chocolatier of Jenni’s UGLY Chocolates. Jenni shares her experience with earning accolades from renowned publications, embracing change, and seeking professional guidance to help grow her business.
Crafting Unique Connections with Craft Beer Soap ft. Elaine Kinney
Episode 99: In this episode, Julia chats with Elaine Kinney, the founder of White Pine Bath and Brew, to discuss her unique business of creating luxury vegan skincare, specifically palm-free soap made from local craft beer! Despite facing challenges like imposter syndrome, Elaine encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to take action and learn as they go.
Delivering Fresh Perspectives in Business ft. Maggie Kohler
Episode 98: In this episode, we meet Maggie, founder of Bodega, a subscription service for fresh produce in Elgin, Illinois. She talks about curating products from other small businesses in the area, surprising people with what they’re going get in their bags, and the mindset shifts that have kept her motivated and unwavering in pursuit of her dreams.
Staying True to Yourself ft. Kamea Johnson
Episode 97: Kamea is the owner of Chosen Creative Stationery and the Utah Letter Writing Club. In this episode, she shares with Julia about being part of the first wave of Etsy sellers and the importance of shedding expectations imposed by societal norms to embrace your most authentic self.
Creating Patterns of Success ft. Xochil Herrera Scheer
Episode 96: Julia chats with Xochil, owner of The Chicago Pattern Maker, who helps businesses with their product development needs. Xochil talks about what it’s been like to be in business for 15 years, the challenges of building a team, her favorite parts about owning a business, and the importance of having community within your industry.
Serving Up Tricky Foods ft. Therese Merkel
Episode 95: Join in on this week’s episode as we meet Therese, owner of the charcuterie board business Tricky Foods, and delve into her journey of building a business during the pandemic. She shares her experience using Instagram to establish her brand, the reason why she loves sales over marketing, and the most challenging aspects of being a business owner.
Entrepreneurship in Speech Therapy ft. Rose Griffin
Episode 94: In this episode, Julia speaks with speech therapist and board-certified behavior analyst, Rose Griffin, about how she’s built her therapy product business through podcasting, course creation, TikTok, and more.
Finding the Right Path for Your Organization. ft. Christine O'Driscoll
Episode 93: Julia chats with Christina O’Driscoll, co-founder of the New Growth Project, about her journey into nonprofit-hood: how she and her niece decided to start a nonprofit, why they went the non-profit direction, and what marketing a non-profit is like.
Creating Art in the Moment ft. Katie Nelson
Episode 92: Julia meets with Katie Nelson, a live painter. What exactly is that? Tune in to find out! Together, Julia and Katie also talk about social media and what it’s like to have a “toddler”-stage business.
Breaking Barriers and Leading with Joy ft. Chelsea Rose
Episode 91: Julia meets with Chelsea Rose, the president and CEO of the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce in Texas. They chat about how Chelsea got to where she is, what it means to be a business leader, how joy is her business strategy, and the one key thing that makes businesses most successful.
Introducing Our Summer Series
Episode 90: This summer, Julia is meeting with several women business owners and highlighting their experiences and the road they’ve traveled to get to where they are. Tune in to this episode to learn more about the “why” behind this summer series. Whether you are a man or a woman, we hope that these episodes inspire you, encourage you, and maybe even teach you something new.
Finding Your Brand Voice ft. Paige Worthy
Episode 89: In this episode, Julia chats with fellow StoryBrand guide, Paige Worthy, about ethical copywriting and how your brand’s voice can humanize your marketing and show your customers that you care.
Setting Up Your Lead Generation
Episode 88: You may have heard about the Stratos lead generation machine before. In this episode, Julia shares the details of that process so that you can develop your own ways to attract, nurture, and grow your audience and community.
Building a Business and the Life You Love ft. Virginia de Assis
Episode 87: Julia chats with Virginia de Assis, a business coach and seven-figure entrepreneur about workaholicism, aligning your passion with your business, and doing what feels right to serve your business—even when it’s not what you’re “supposed” to do.
Giving Permission To Do Things Differently
Episode 86: Do you feel like you have to run your business in a certain way or that you have to follow specific steps to achieve your business goals? In this episode, Julia talks about giving yourself permission to align your work with your values.
Simplifying Your Content Creation ft. Annie Schiffmann
Episode 85: In this episode, StoryBrand guide Annie Schiffmann shares with Julia how she went from improv to marketing and what she's learned about simplifying the content creation process. Tune in to learn how you can also streamline your content creation with her PAGER method.
That Time My Product Launch Failed…
Episode 84: In this episode, Julia talks in depth about a recent product launch that failed, what she learned from it, and how she is moving forward!
The Business of Stories ft. Susan Payton
Episode 83: Julia chats with fellow StoryBrand guide Susan Payton, founder of The Business of Stories, to talk about sharing stories: how they build deeper connections, help establish your value, and help attract your ideal customers.
Announcing the Photo Camper!
Episode 82: Julia invites a special guest in this episode—her husband, Roger! Together, they announce a new business venture, how it came to be, and why it’s the perfect marketing case study.
Ethical Copywriting ft. Katie Lantukh
Episode 81: Julia speaks with StoryBrand guide Katie Lantukh of Murphy Marketing on finding the balance between success and failure in our copywriting and brand messaging. They also talk about being more empathetic vs. fearmongering, having clarity on using words that mean what you truly want to say, and how compassion can help you serve both your customers and your team better.
What the Research Shows from Liberty Mutual
Episode 80: In this episode, Julia goes down the rabbit hole (or rabbit trail?) on why she loves Liberty Mutual’s “Research Shows…” commercials and whether or not the “research” actually checks out!
The Intersection of Sales and Marketing ft. Brooke Greening
Episode 79: Julia chats with Brooke Greening, a StoryBrand guide and co-owner of Building Momentum Resources, about marketing and sales: how do they differ from each other, why businesses need both as part of their overall strategy, and how to use them to connect with your customers.
Creativity During a Slump
Episode 78: It happens to the best of us—sometimes, it’s hard to feel creative or think of your next great idea. In this episode, Julia shares some ways that help inspire new ideas. It may seem contradictory, but tune in to see how she both consumes less and consumes more to be more creative!
The Year of Hypewomen ft. Erin Gallagher
Episode 77: Julia chats with Erin Gallagher, whose #hypewoman post went viral after the 2023 Golden Globes. In this episode, Julia and Erin discuss what we can learn about leaning into our own successes as women while supporting and celebrating other women doing the same.
Organic vs Paid Social Media
Episode 76: Organic posts, boosted posts, paid ads—oh my! Julia provides an overview of these different ways you can strategize on social media: how to figure out when to invest in paid posts, the difference between boosted posts and ads, and why you should never stop posting organic posts.
Strategizing Your Social Media ft. Tami Enfield
Episode 75: Julia chats with fellow StoryBrand guide, Tami Enfield, about their experiences running social media companies. They also dive into why people are intimidated or overwhelmed to run their own social media accounts and how to use social media to achieve specific goals for your business!
Celebrating Hashtag Holidays
Episode 74: In this episode, Julia talks about what #hashtagholidays are and how you can use them creatively and effectively for your social media marketing.
Marketing Mixology ft Alexi Johnson
Episode 73: In this episode, Julia chats with Alexi Johnson, owner of the Cocktail Collective, whom she met at a local mixology class. Alexi shares her journey and experience as a black female business owner in Utah and what she's learned about marketing her collection of businesses.
Our Favorite DIY Social Media Resources
Episode 72: Julia shares some really great content resources and tools that we use ourselves at Stratos for creating social media content. If you are DIYing your own social media, you can use all of these resources, too!
The 12 Brand Archetypes ft. Meg Kypena
Episode 71: Julia speaks with Meg Kypena about brand archetypes: what they are, how they are different from personas, and how they're kind of like Enneagrams for businesses.