Drop The Mic

Hailing from Canada and making significant waves internationally, Chris's journey from aspiring marketer to a beacon of creativity and innovation in Copenhagen is nothing short of inspiring. His adeptness at navigating the digital landscape has not only set new benchmarks but also paved the way for others to follow.

Join us as Chris AKA Kubby unravels the essence of monetizing creativity in a digital world that constantly craves authenticity and value. From the intricacies of building a digital agency from scratch to the pivotal role of audience engagement in today's content-saturated environment, this episode is a treasure trove of insights for marketers, entrepreneurs, and digital specialists alike.

OUTLINE:

• (00:00): Warm introduction to Chris Kubbernus and a dive into his unique surname origins.
• (02:35): Chris's international journey from Canada to Copenhagen and his venture into digital marketing.
• (05:20): The pivotal moments of starting his agency amidst personal challenges.
• (08:55): Insight into the dynamics of content creation, audience engagement, and the evolution of digital platforms.
• (13:30): The critical shift from broad influencer strategies to focused, value-driven content.
• (18:47): Navigating the complexities of maintaining a healthy work-life balance amidst the hustle culture.
• (23:08): Effective strategies for monetizing creativity and leveraging personal talents in the digital domain.
• (28:12): The undeniable impact of AI on the future of content creation and digital marketing strategies.
• (33:45): The importance of adaptability and resilience in the rapidly changing digital landscape.
• (38:19): Closing thoughts and actionable advice for aspiring digital marketers and content creators.

For anyone seeking to understand the nuances of digital marketing, leveraging creativity for business growth, and the profound impact of AI on the industry, this episode with Chris Kubbernus is an indispensable listen. Dive in for a masterclass in navigating the digital age with grace, innovation, and strategic prowess.

SUPPORT AND CONNECT:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/huntspeaks

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayhuntofficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/

Website: https://jayhunt.social

Youtube Video Link: https://youtu.be/AqzjVk6YDJU

Scott Clary is a luminary in sales, marketing, and the strategic use of AI to transform business operations. With his extensive experience helming the Success Story podcast, contributing to Forbes, and penning 'Your Epic Book Launch,' Clary offers unparalleled insights into leveraging technology to enhance business strategies, the future of content creation, and cultivating durable brands. This episode delves into Clary's journey from a conservative approach in his career to becoming a vanguard in sales and marketing, underlining his methodologies for utilizing AI in content generation and personalizing sales outreach.

OUTLINE:

Here are the timestamps for the episode:

(00:00): Introduction to Scott Clary
(07:36): Insights into audience growth for the Success Story podcast
(13:20): Strategies for building community and trust
(23:13): Personalizing the sales process and relationship building
(27:04): Utilizing AI for enhancing sales and marketing strategies
(33:42): Tactics for growing an audience on social media platforms

For anyone looking to navigate the intricate world of sales, marketing, and the innovative application of AI, this episode is a treasure trove of wisdom and actionable strategies from one of the industry's best, Scott Clary.

SUPPORT AND CONNECT:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/huntspeaks

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayhuntofficial

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/

Website: https://jayhunt.social

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/DqC5Z3F1COo

Dive into this enlightening episode of the Merged Marketing Podcast as we sit down with Keenya Kelly, the renowned Vertical Video Strategist who transformed her business using the power of TikTok. Keenya shares her insider secrets on leveraging TikTok for unparalleled business growth, lead generation, and brand visibility.

From understanding TikTok's unique algorithm to crafting content that resonates with your target audience, Keenya breaks down the strategies that led to her own digital success. Whether you're TikTok-curious or looking to elevate your existing presence, this episode is packed with actionable insights that can revolutionize your business approach.

Discover why TikTok is more than just dance challenges and how it can be a game-changer for your brand. If you're aiming to stay ahead in the digital landscape, this conversation with Keenya Kelly is a must-listen. Tune in and get ready to transform your business with the TikTok magic!

In the episode "198 - Mastering B2B PR: Insights and Strategies with Michelle Garrett", listeners are set to embark on an insightful journey exploring the nuances of B2B PR with expert Michelle Garrett. Michelle's move from the bustling Bay Area to Columbus, Ohio, hints at a rich backstory that listeners would be eager to uncover. As Michelle prepares to delve into her history and what propelled her into the PR domain, listeners can anticipate gaining a deeper understanding of the PR landscape, peppered with personal experiences and valuable strategies. This episode seems poised to offer a blend of personal narratives and expert insights, making it a potentially enriching listen for individuals keen on mastering B2B PR strategies.

Have you taken advantage of the revolutionary iOS 14 Playbook to drive explosive growth for your business? In today’s digital world, the role of emerging technologies in the digital marketing landscape cannot be overstated. In episode 197 today, we are privileged to host Kyle Hoffman to successfully discuss navigating the post-iOS 14 world. 

Kyle’s marketing career background: He has been in the marketing space for quite some time now, having started at a performance agency before transitioning to paid media and as a fractional CMO for a number of brands. As a fractional CMO, he helped companies make sound marketing decisions and drive strategy. He ensures strategy alignment with the company’s vision through the cooperation of the marketing and sales departments.

How he helped Wello Sock Brand to succeed: In October 2021, they launched Wello officially as a product-based brand after splitting from the mother company. Wello seized the opportunity of the existing gap in the compression socks market. Previously, customers were medically prescribed to wear compression socks neither found them fun, comfortable, or colorful. Consequently, Kyle came in to build the brand from the ground up and achieve function growth. With over 100,000 customers at present, Kyle projects that Wello is on track to sell over 1 million pairs of socks in 2023.

Marketing changes in the post-iOS 14 playbook: Our guest expert today reckons that the marketing landscape experienced major shifts following the launch of iOS 14. He says that iOS 14 placed the burden on the creative, shifting from technical media buying to technical, creative development. As such, companies had to be highly purposeful and creative with development and testing the creative. He explains the testing method for a campaign to figure out what is working. Kyle says they tag a given element of creativity, especially mashed-up user-generated content, with the label. They integrate various modular assets that form a rich database that is tested to determine what is working and what areas need improvement. He attributes 80% of their content to style user-generated content because of the large network of content creators. 

Time codes

• (0:09) Introduction of today’s topic and guest expert
• (0:42) Kyle’s marketing career background
• (03:07) How he helped Wello Sock Brand to success
• (07:28) Marketing changes in the post-iOS 14 playbook
• (13:22) How DTC brands can adapt in the post-iOS era
• (16:22) Best practice metrics for success
• (18:19) Trends in the digital landscape in the post-iOS 14
• (21:51) Kyle and his company’s contact information
• (22:55) Kyle’s choice of brand representative

In episode 196 today, we discuss harnessing user-generated content's power to grow your brand. Our subject matter expert today is Ashley Wright, from London, UK. 

Ashley’s marketing career background: He has been in marketing for the last 18 years. He gained vast digital marketing experience by dealing with big brands like Adidas, Reebok, and American Airlines. This helped his entrepreneurial spirit and thus, he launched his own marketing agency. 

What he did for the big brands: Over a period of six years, Ashley harnessed the power of user-generated content to grow such big brands as Adidas, Reebok, and American Airlines. Working at Adidas, Ashley specialized in digital marketing for European markets, especially the UK. He dealt with large-budget paid socials and brand awareness, often spending between 8-10 million euros a month for marketing efforts. He also handled product launches and pushed the product to grow their sales.

Trends in paid ad space today: Our subject matter expert reckons that the growth in technology has brought about a big shift in the way of doing things. He argues that the advent of artificial intelligence has grown the capacity of individuals and businesses to harness the power of user-generated content for growth of their brands. Going forward, Ashley says that the digital marketing space will become increasingly competitive. The number of marketers on social paid platforms responsible for many user-generated content that compete for user attention. 

Time codes 

• (0:06) Introduction of today’s topic and guest expert
• (0:35) Ashley’s marketing career background
• (01:40) What he did for the big brands
• (03:22) Trends in paid ad space today
• (05:14) Why direct consumer brands are struggling today
• (09:54) What makes a brand’s user-generated content stand out. 
• (11:47) Best practices for testing what is working
• (14:13) What is user-generated content (UGC)
• (19:16) Best practices for user-generated content on social media
• (25:19) Ashley’s choice of his brand representative

Are you doing the proper video marketing on the right social media site? In episode 195 today, we talk about an area we have delved a little into, video. In specific, we discuss mastering the art of social first video marketing. Our subject matter expert today is Adam Chandler. He is the Founder of Reel Film, a film and animation production company helping businesses turn strategies and results.

Adam's journey into video marketing: He started as a freelance filmmaker in different TV shows in the UK and short videos for charity and local schools. He loves that filmmaking allows him to be creative and help businesses with their video marketing needs. Today, he has a global reach as he deals with both local and international businesses. (It is always good to love what you do and make money doing it).

How he helps businesses through video marketing: Adam explains that through video marketing, he strives to help businesses to scale. As such, he first seeks to understand why a business needs video marketing, whether for sales improvement, brand awareness, etc. Upon understanding the goal of video marketing, he would help a business grow by developing highly creative content with a purpose and impact. He handles end-to-end production from pre-production to post–production and social media marketing.

What is social first video: Adam describes the social first video as video content developed specifically for social media. When creating video marketing content, there is a particular focus on the target audience on the specific social media channel. Social first videos are typically shorter, often less than a minute. Also, social first videos are vertical, unlike the horizontal 16:9 TV commercials. Our subject matter expert today reveals remarkable differences among social media sites. For instance, LinkedIn accommodates relatively longer social-first videos (e.g. 2 minutes) while Instagram demands very short videos.

Recommendations for making video content per social media channel: Today's subject matter expert unpacks the specifics of developing social-first video marketing according to the target site. Overall, he argues that the content has to be human because you are advertising to people regardless of the social channel of choice. He describes LinkedIn as typically B2B, with more professional content that is less user-generated. The content would have the most impact if it carried a clear call to action. The audience on LinkedIn, according to Adam, is highly active, attentive, in work mode, and thus open to a bit longer engaging content.

Role of metrics in determining the success of social first video marketing: Adam says the number of people engaging with the content is a key metric for measuring success. In particular, he pays greater attention to the average viewing length and the specific drop-off points.

Time codes

• (0:36) Introduction of today's topic and guest expert
• (01:06) Adam's journey into video marketing
• (02:52) How helps businesses through video marketing
• (04:33) What is the social first video?
• (06:48) Recommendations for making video content per social media channel
• (08:19) Role of metrics in Determining the success of social first video marketing
• (09:30) Trends in keeping the audience engaged with social first videos
•  (12:05) Professional video marketing creation versus user-generated content
• (15:46) Differences between social-first video marketing in North America and Europe
•  (17:20) Social media platforms he creates video content for
• (21:55) Adam's contact information
• (22:34) Adam's choice of brand representative

Are you in the league of those who believe performance marketing is the answer for scaling Performance? In today's episode, we demystify this notion by breaking down why you can't scale profitability using performance marketing alone. Our subject matter expert today is Faissel Sadiki.

Faissel's career journey into marketing: He started off in the fine arts industry by working as an artist. He later ventured into branding, landing an intern position with a UK branding agency. He would then move back to his native country Canada to start his own business. He believes that Canada presents a unique environment for business in the sense that branding and advertising are done in-house at the same agency. As a result, there is no separate discipline for brand strategy, and brand identity has not yet developed into stand-alone specializations, unlike in the UK or US.

Convergence of branding and advertising: Our subject matter expert argues that branding and advertising defer because of the skill sets required. Typically, the scope of branding is relatively broader, which translates that brand strategists often think long-term, unlike the short-term perspective of advertising. For instance, branding would target performance marketing over 5 years to help scale profitability in the long term. However, he decries the limitation of branding strategists to condense a message into a compelling ad with a clear proposition that would stimulate a call to action. On the other hand, advertising strategists have a superior capability of devising an effective message to stimulate the desired customer behavior change. Generally, Faissel explains that the skill sets of the two disciplines are different and only sometimes converge. He recommends that organizations encourage cooperation between branding and advertising departments to scale growth through performance marketing.

Limitations of performance marketing in sustainable growth: Faissel explains that funneling all your marketing budgets at the point of purchase limits profitability. He argues that performance marketing serves smaller companies with a small marketing budget. Given that performance marketing relies on an auction-based bidding model that leverages keywords, the company's message only enjoys the visibility of the target audience intending to purchase. These only account for a small percentage of the potential clientele while missing out on the bulk of customers who are outside the category. Also, it is expensive to compete at the point of purchase because it requires a number of tries to make a hit. Furthermore, our subject matter expert frowns at the tendency of performance marketing to utilize only a single message or lead magnet that does not often appeal to the greater pool of customers that are outside the category.

Performance according to industry or product/service: Faissel agrees that the effectiveness of performance marketing depends on the type of industry or product/service. In the insurance industry, for instance, a customer does not spend time evaluating the brands but rather go for strong trusted brands. (Brand marketing serves effective heuristics that help the consumer to make really quick decisions).

Time codes

• (0:35) Faisal's career journey into marketing
• (04:20) Convergence of branding and advertising
• (08:18) Limitations of performance marketing in sustainable growth

• (13:49) Performance according to industry or product/service
• (13:37) Initial communication with a new branding client
• (23:51) Faisal's contact information
• (24:18) Faisal choice of brand ambassador

In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, digital marketing has become the cornerstone of success for businesses operating in e-commerce. With the ever-expanding reach of the internet and the growing reliance on online shopping, mastering the art of digital marketing is essential for e-commerce ventures to stay competitive and reach their target audience effectively.

In episode 193, we link with Matas Kemzura in Lithuania to discuss digital marketing in e-commerce. Matas Kemzura is Sugatan's Chief Growth Officer. He has single-handedly spent over $75k in daily ad spend as an Ad Buyer whose efforts have been synonymous with Sugatan's $175MM EBITDA positive revenue generation for eCommerce stores. Matas has risen over the ranks in the e-commerce space, starting as a junior staff to Director of acquisition and Head of growth to Chief Growth Officer at his company.

Time codes

• (01:23) Matas' career journey into marketing

• (06:52) Enabling factors for the growth of his company

• (11:45) How to distinguish buyer intent

• (13:46) Major challenges and growth opportunities for e-commerce businesses in 2023

• (18:25) Role of multi-faceted marketing approach in e-commerce business

• (22:10) His strategy for attracting new clients for his company

• (24:43) Matas contact information: Instagram – Matas Kemzura

• (25:48) His choice of brand ambassador

Is your B2B social media sexy? In other words, do your customers find your B2B social media content appealing and compelling? Accordingly, we are discussing why your B2B social media doesn't have to suck. Our subject matter expert today is Anthony Leung.

Anthony's career background in B2B marketing: He moved from his home country Canada to the UK, where he started digital marketing in SEO copywriting and social media. While he initially handled B2C marketing, he transitioned to B2B brands. Anthony says he prefers the B2B medium because it lets you connect directly with your customers. He is drawn to content that focuses on the customer's needs besides having entertainment value. Interestingly, Anthony argues that the way of doing B2B social media is not moving forward. The status quo of most B2B content on social media is that it receives likes from family and friends as opposed to potential customers or affiliates. (I love B2B because it is an honest and genuine medium; things that are overproduced are not celebrated as genuine).

How B2B can leverage social media to grow their business: Our subject matter expert says that B2B marketers should strive to create content for the customers instead of themselves. He decries that most B2B are fixated on growing the number of likes on their social media posts. Instead, Anthony argues that generating organic likes from the audience, prospects, or industry members is valuable. In this regard, B2B benefits by creating content that spells out customer problems and their product or service's desired solution.

Opportunities on social media for B2B businesses: Anthony advises that B2B should re-contextualize its typical long-form content to suit short-form content for social media. While bulky content works well on websites, podcasts, and webinars, the same content will not gain traction on social media networks such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. As such, our subject matter expert recommends that the marketing people of a B2B should be flexible and re-contextualize the message into shorter, exciting versions so that it gains traction with the audience on social media.

Best channels for B2B social media marketing: Anthony expresses strong confidence in LinkedIn as the best platform for B2B social media marketing that doesn't have to suck. He says LinkedIn offers great flexibility for creativity and greater organic reach with the audience. In addition, a B2B can gain visibility with an audience outside its network, unlike most other social media platforms. On its part, Facebook and Instagram are great channels for generating interest so they can follow you on LinkedIn and email. (LinkedIn is the last great social media platform because it does not corner you into a single form of creativity).

Leveraging LinkedIn for B2B social media marketing: Our subject matter expert today underscores the importance of consistency in producing and posting content on social media. In this regard, a B2B should create one great piece of content and assume they have arrived. Consistency on the feed helps to create trust and brand affinity. He argues that a B2B social media doesn't have to sack due to fixation on one way of creating content. By figuring out the best content and the most appropriate social media platform for it, a B2B can capture the audience's attention within the first two seconds. His LinkedIn Blog Activator converts B2B blog content into a month-long worth of quality content. (The battle is always won on the feed; you must create and post value content consistently).

Timecodes

(01:06) Introduction of today's topic and guest expert

(01:36) Anthony's career background in B2B marketing

(04:04) How B2B can leverage social media to grow their business

(06:05) Opportunities on social media for B2B businesses

(07:28) Best channels for B2B social media marketing

(11:19) Leveraging LinkedIn for B2B social media marketing

(19:22) Anthony's contact information: LinkedIn

In episode 191, we discuss How to Foster a Mutually Supportive Relationship Between Marketing and Sales. Our subject matter expert today is Sean Campbell, CEO of Cascade Insight focuses on B2B Market Research. He has mentored companies in running successful and profitable professional services firms. He trains sales teams, turns doers into sellers to achieve exceptional performance, and balances marketing and sales efforts, so they're mutually supportive.

Common challenges for marketing and sales working in silos: Often, marketing preoccupies itself with the data while distancing itself from the customer. On the flip side, sales obsess with customers while ignoring the data. It is important to cultivate an organizational culture in which sales and marketing teams cooperate and educate themselves about the processes and systems of each other. Leadership should map out how to foster a mutually supportive relationship between marketing and sales in the organization, with the common goal of the sales and marketing teams to win over customers. ("Sales like to talk; marketing likes to write").

Role of communication between sales and marketing: There is a greater understanding of the ideal customer profile when there is positive communication between marketing and sales departments. In this regard, salespeople must be involved in marketing brainstorming over research, data set, or testing. Equally, the sales department should invite marketing people when discussing go-to-market strategies.

Alignment of metrics between marketing and sales: Sean argues that most organizations today confuse their marketing and sales teams with many metrics assigned for measurement. Typically, the starting point of marketing meetings is lead totals, while sales set off with revenue numbers. In general, our subject matter expert argues that there should be a limited number of metrics that each department is tasked with. This, therefore, makes the Alignment of metrics quite critical. (Marketing exists to create customers).

Effect of in-person versus virtual communication: Sean says there should not be major differences between face-to-face and virtual/online communication between sales and marketing. He argues that leveraging creativity effectively fosters the mutually supportive relationship between marketing and sales. Sean notes that some individuals prefer in-person communication and thus fail to take advantage of the possibilities of virtual communication. Sean observes that his capacity to close deals with potential customers in the virtual space has increased dramatically since the pandemic. He advises salespeople to use AI tools like ChatGPT to write content and emails.

Time codes

(02:37) Common challenges for marketing and sales working in silos

(09:09) Role of communication between sales and marketing

(14:17) Alignment of metrics between marketing and sales

(16:46) Effect of in-person versus virtual communication 

Are you doing the proper AB testing for your business? In today's episode, we discuss how to perform advanced AB testing while considering the original lead source and publisher. Our guest expert today is Jeff Schaffer.

Jeff's career background: He has been in the sales and marketing industry for the past two decades. In the recent past, he worked with a digital ad company with a focus on e-commerce, site development, and performance marketing.

What is AB Testing: Jeff describes AB Testing as the effort to test multiple subject areas to figure out the most effective for a given target audience through email marketing. He further explains that the common metrics for AB Testing include open rate and click-through rate, which makes email unique in email testing. He observes that organizations with multiple traffic sources rarely note the actual publisher source of the leads. As a result, AB Testing is done to determine the most strategic approach for pushing subject lines and creative aspects to the ideal customer profile. Our guest expert says that email is key in AB Testing because it helps segment the audience to determine the publisher source of the leads. He further explains that an alternative AB Testing focuses less on click-through rate and more on the call rates or the degree of intent for the response. It is essential to integrate email into the call tracking systems of the company to measure a customer's intent during the initial call. Jeff decries that knowledge on the source of traffic and customer journey still limits AB testing among many organizations. As such, he underscores the need to clearly understand the original source of traffic, which in turn helps to understand the customer journey.

Time Codes

• (0:08) Topic and guest expert introduction
• (0:54) Jeff's career background
• (01:33) What is AB Testing
•  (08:26) Elements for AB Testing in call tracking
• (11:33) Most successful sources of generating conversion
•  (13:58) Leveraging call-to-action messaging to generate leads
• (17:00) Challenges to scaling marketing efforts
• (21:18) Role of artificial intelligence in marketing
• (24:20) Jeff's contact information
• (25:03) Jeff's choice of brand ambassador (Opportunities multiply as they are seized).

Do you have a podcast for your business? Is it a profitable one? Today's episode discusses how to grow your business with a profitable podcast. Our subject matter expert today is Harry Morton. As a CEO & Founder of Lower Street, he helps agencies, startups, and enterprises launch next-level podcasts that actually make money and build their brands.

His journey in podcasting: With a music technology and audio academic background, Harry started in post-production before transitioning into sales and marketing. His desire to always own a business inspired him to establish a podcasting agency in 2006 with the goal of helping companies tell their stories through audio. He does not have a podcast because they have concentrated on developing podcasts for clients.

Benefits of a business starting a podcast: Harry says podcasting is for the long haul, not quick sales. This means the business often takes a long time to gain traction and grow meaningful relationships with the target audience for the desired ROI. He disqualifies podcasting as a channel of instant lead generation but lauds it as perfect for networking and account-based marketing. The feedback from the ideal customer profile is often valuable for the growth of the business. In addition, it allows the podcaster to gain knowledge from subject matter experts who come on as guests. These guests also become part of the business ecosystem because they get to learn about your product or service offering.

What is a profitable podcast: Our guest expert explains that how to measure the success of your show in podcasting varies from one individual to another, depending on their goals. While one podcaster may be after increasing the lifetime value of their customers, another may be simply seeking to develop strong networks with their ICP. He says that one should not launch a podcast to monetize it because the space is increasingly becoming competitive as podcasting gains traction. Instead, a non-sponsored podcast passes for a profitable podcast because it is built on authentic relationships and networks of the target audience.

How does a new podcast decide its starting point? Harry speaks to the highly competitive environment of podcasting, which translates that an individual podcast has to fight with many podcasts for the listener's ear. As such, a new podcast should focus on the target audience in terms of what they need, providing a competitive advantage.

Time codes

• (0:07) Introduction of today's topic and guest expert
• (01:23) His journey in podcasting
• (04:03) Benefits of a business starting a podcast
• (09:00) What is a profitable podcast
• (12:23) How does a new podcast set its theme
• (14:15) What is the ideal length of a podcast
• (16:19) Role of consistency in podcasting
• (21:25) How to increase the exposure of a podcast episode
• (24:54) Harry's contact information
• (25:25) Harry's choice of brand ambassador

Which is better? Self-funding your startup or going for VC investment? Is it better to maintain the freedom as the financier of your business or sacrifice it for the benefit of greater capital from investors? In this episode, we host Dan Roberge as he unpacks self-funding and VC investment pros and cons. Dan Roberge is a results-driven President and CEO of Maintenance Care with a key focus on sales, marketing, and product development. His extensive experience building a company from the ground up, including establishing budgets, marketing image and strategy, business culture, sales processes, support protocols, and product development tailored to industry needs, makes him a great resource for startups.

Dan's career background: His passion for the creative side of things originated from his academic background in film. He started with marketing for client companies before he established his own company with his wife. Dan started as the marketing person for their startup before they could bring on board a team as the company scaled. 

When did he have the epiphany to start his own business: He first founded a wedding video company upon graduating from film school. With his spouse as a partner, they then launched a small advertising company from his long-held desire to be a founder. Due to cash flow challenges associated with a self-funded startup, he would seek employment in the insurance industry as a marketer. (Having your own business allows you to see the impact of your work directly).

Did his startup use self-funding or VC investment: Dan explains that their startup utilized the self-funding option instead of VC investment. They yearned for freedom from taking charge of their business establishment. However, Dan reckons that the self-funding model presented often hits its peak. As such, the founders must make tough decisions to adopt the VC investment model. (The funding path you choose depends on your ultimate goal).

Demerits of self-funding your startup: Dan reveals that cash flow problems with the self-funding model forced them to mortgage their house up to three times. In this regard, he risked the equity he had built for his house to grow his maintenance care startup. Although they started their company in 2003, Dan reveals that the business did not register any organic income for the next 5 years. This was because of the initial low adoption of computers in the maintenance industry. However, the founder's persistence in him saw him continue running the company until the marketplace was ideal for business. (When self-funded, you have to risk everything and be aware that you could lose everything at any moment).

Time Codes

• (0:08) Introduction of today's topic and guest expert

• (0:28) Dan's career background

• (01:58) When did he have the epiphany to start his own business

• (03:51) Did his startup use self-funding or VC investment

• (05:08) Demerits of self-funding your startup

• (07:29) Marketing budget for his startup

• (09:28) The right to hire when self-funding

• (12:04) Current main budgetary areas for his business

• (16:57) His perspective on VC investment

• (21:34) Tips for founders in dealing with VC investment:

• (23:24) Dan's contact information

• (24:10) Dan's choice of brand ambassador

In today’s episode, we host Aaron and Matt, two subject-matter experts in the Google business profile space. Appropriately, today’s topic is about leveraging your Google business profile for local SEO. 

Aaron and Matt’s career background: They met in 2019 while consulting before Aaron became an equal shareholder at Matt’s company. Aaron gained immense marketing experience from a young age at his family-owned business. He got inspired to become a serial entrepreneur, launching a design studio, game cafés, and video-game lounge. He handled many marketing for these businesses and helped various local businesses with their marketing efforts.

What is Google business profile: Matt unpacks Google business profile, describing it as the first point of contact for a new client with a business upon searching on Google. In this regard, business profiles are the most prominent on the web, which plays a big role in giving the business visibility. To optimize Google business profile, Aaron recommends that a business should first take ownership of the profile. Consequently, they should provide the catalog of products and services that the business offers so that they reflect on Google search results.

Techniques for ranking high your Google business profile: In order to gain a competitive advantage through top ranking on Google, Aaron advises that you should get it right with your service category. He also recommends adding other relevant service categories but taking great care to capture Google’s top ranking. (The low-hanging fruit is to list all your list of services and product offerings).

How to optimize SEO on Google business profile: Matt indicates the hours of operation for a business as a major SEO keyword on Google business profile. This is crucial because a customer searching for a specific business near them will first get results for business in operation at the time. Secondly, he notes the stream of reviews that benefit from Google links, QR codes, and positive reviews from customers. He argues that recent reviews are more beneficial than old ones, reassuring customers that they are getting value for their money. Aaron expounds on the keyword tools to leverage, including ChatGPT and SM rationing. It helps to maintain consistency in posting on the Google business profile and keeping in touch with customer reviews. Furthermore, it is important to provide relevant captions for images for Google to capture the content. (For great results, you don’t brush your teeth all day once a year; rather, every day: the goal is consistency in posting and updating).

Duplicating content from other third-party social media platforms: Matt argues that it is important to have a strategy around content duplicity. He notes that there are various tools to help with cross-promotion, tailoring every message appropriately to specific platforms. Aaron adds that the perfect scenario would be creating specific content for each platform. However, due to limited time, scope, and budget, he recommends that a business duplicate content with care for starters.

Time codes

• (0:07) Introduction of topic and guest experts
• (0:48) Aaron and Matt’s career background
• (05:14) What is Google business profile
•  (07:56) Techniques for ranking high in your Google business profile
• (09:17) How to optimize SEO on Google business profile:
• (14:12) Duplicating content from other third-party social media platforms
• (16:33) Best practices for photo captioning in Google business profile
• (18:23) Best practices for generating reviews
• (24:37) Matt and Aaron’s contact information
• (25:13) Their choice of brand ambassador

Darin Dawson is on a mission to rehumanize the planet and wants to start with your business. He believes that human beings have intrinsic value. Each person deserves to be seen, heard, and understood. That's why he co-founded BombBomb. BombBomb enables everyone in their organization to easily record, send, and track personal videos so that they can break through the digital noise, build human connection, and get a "yes" faster and more often.

What is BombBomb: The inspiration to establish the video-sharing platform came about in 2006. They sought to create a platform for sending marketing videos and text and making presentations while maintaining the human element in the communication. Their ideal customer profile was individuals with complex products and technological know-how but depended on other professionals for marketing communication. These included real estate agents, mortgage professionals, insurers, and lawyers, among other professionals. Other clientele include landscapers, consulting companies, and some Fortune 500 companies. Today, BombBomb has a large geographical reach in about 48 countries with over 100,000 companies. 

Unique features of BombBomb – BombBomb allows the user to know if the recipient actually received the sent message/email. It thus helps the marketer figure out their engagement and tailors the message appropriately. In addition, BombBomb gives the user greater confidence with their video message because they focus on the human dynamic in front of the camera. The user's confidence grows with time as they create more and more bomb bombs. It reflects the growing importance of leveraging new communication media in the digital space to position as a known trusted source in a given niche.

BombBomb users' usage curve: Our guest expert underscores the role of human reciprocity in today's digital communication. Video content-sharing platforms such as BombBomb strive to eliminate the robotic feel of messages, whose authenticity ensures that the recipient offers feedback. As such, more people are willing to reciprocate the communication with more BombBomb usage. (There is no reciprocity for robots).

The journey of BombBomb products over the last five years: Darin says that they have experienced an increased uptake over the previous 5 years. During the Covid-19 pandemic period, the product experience increased usage because many people were forced to use video communication from their homes. However, the inconsistent nature of human beings meant that people returned to their old communication habits as the pandemic eased. (Consistency is how we win in business, but people are not often consistent). The company has introduced a new feature of BombBomb that offers marketing automation with evergreen video sequences with a human feel.

The role of artificial intelligence in BombBomb: Our guest insists that they are keen on maintaining the human element in their video and text communications. As such, they leverage artificial intelligence to be more efficient, consistent, relevant, and timely. For instance, AI can help generate video scripts for the target audience. Also, AI algorithms can help with transcribed data and comparing transcripts to figure out the most suitable for a given video. (AI is crucial in helping people to become the best they can be on the go for their industry using best practices).

Time Codes

(0:01) Introduction to today's topic and guest expert

(0:45) What is BombBomb:

(04:57) Unique features of BombBomb

(09:11) The curve of usage of BombBomb users

(12:35) The journey of BombBomb product over the last 5 years

(16:00) The role of artificial intelligence in BombBomb

(20:16) Key metric for BombBomb

(23:05) Other areas of usage for BombBomb

 (25:25) BombBomb in the next 5 years (27:17) Darin's contact information

(27:38) Darin's choice of brand ambassador

How wonderful would it be to grow your business while working fewer hours? In episode 184, we discuss how to be in execution mode 60 percent of the time. Our guest expert today, Kris Ward, is a Team Building And Systems Strategist who creates a movement where your business supports your life instead of consuming it. Kris founded the Win The Hour, Win the Day philosophy.

Kris has shared the stage with Jack Canfield - Chicken Soup For The Soul, Kevin Harrington, original Shark from Shark Tank, and Joe Theismann - NFL All-star and commentator, to name a few. Kris has also been featured on award-winning podcasts, radio and TV shows. She shares some of the tried and tested tactics for crashing your demand schedule while growing your profits.

Kris’ career background and journey - As a founder entrepreneur, she used to work round the clock for the business. However, her husband and biggest fan discouraged her from stealing from sleep. Over time, she managed to cut down from 16 hours a day to 6 hours. She now believes that your business should support your life instead of consume you.

Why do people work long hours - Kris observes that founders often strive to do right for their startups to grow their business. However, she argues that it is more beneficial to become more strategic than doing the grind. In this regard, operating strategically enables the business to scale.

Breaking the work addiction to becoming strategic - Our guest expert notes that most people lack the skills to use their calendars. Consequently, they do not include their work on the calendar, resulting in great to-do lists. Furthermore, Kris advises that every founder should seek help by hiring people for specific roles. Instead of following the conventional top-bottom way of business management, she favors an arrangement where the founder grants autonomy and independence to his or her professional employees. The founder is relieved of time by leveraging super toolkits because the professionals manage the business instead of the reverse. Generally, Kris follows the three pillars of Team, Time, and Toolkits that enable a business to scale.

Key Time Codes

• (0:21) Introduction to today’s topic and guest expert
• 01:36) Kris’ career background and journey
• (03:12) Why do people choose to work long hours
• (04:14) Breaking the work addiction to becoming strategic
• (07:14) Managing interruptions to To-Do-List
• (11:24) Using the Super Toolkits for missed tasks
• (19:06) Being in execution mode 60 percent of the time
• (20:30) Impact of ChatGpt on her business
• (20:30) Impact of ChatGpt on her business
• (22:17) About her book Win the Hour; Win the Day
• (22:53) Kris’ contact information
• (23:50) Kris’ choice of brand ambassador

In episode 183, we discuss using first and zero-party data to improve customer lifetime value. Our guest expert today is Valentin Radu, a seasoned entrepreneur who particularly likes customer value. Valentin Radu is the Founder and CEO of Omniconvert, a growth enabler for mid-size DTC eCommerce and retail companies looking to increase customer lifetime value and decrease customer acquisition costs.

Valentin's career journey – He has been an entrepreneur for a long time, working with four companies in Romania. In time, he has gained valuable experience crafting better digital journeys and improving conversion rates and customer lifetime value. Nowadays, his company serves hundreds of companies by gathering zero and first-timer party data to improve customer lifetime value. (Way too many marketers rely on paid media and acquisition rather than full lifecycle marketing).

Role of customer trust in customer lifetime value – A business often has a longer value when the customer knows, likes, and trusts them. A business can lower customer acquisition costs by leveraging first and zero-party data.

Time codes

• (1:24) Valentin's career journey –
• (3:00) Role of customer trust in customer lifetime value 
• (4:03) What is zero and first-party data 
• (05:30) Examples of a success story with zero and first-party data 
• (08:43) The 90-minute Jobs-To-Be-Done Method 
• (12:37) Paid ad top-of-the-funnel testing 
• (14:23) How research can increase the customer's lifetime value 
• (19:33) Recommended time frame for evaluating zero and first-party data 
• (20:55) How has artificial intelligence impacted customer lifetime value 
• (22:45) Valentin's contact information
• (23:10) Valentin's choice of brand representative

Personal branding is the practice of creating and promoting a unique image or identity for oneself to establish a memorable and distinctive reputation. It involves defining who you are, what you stand for, and what sets you apart from others in your field or industry. With the increasing importance of social media and online presence, personal branding has become an essential tool for professionals looking to build their careers, establish their expertise, and differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace. A strong personal brand can help you attract new clients, secure job opportunities, and build a network of loyal followers who recognize and respect your value. In short, personal branding is the art of marketing yourself and your skills in an authentic, compelling, and unforgettable way. Just like companies create brand identities to stand out in the marketplace, individuals can also cultivate a personal brand to distinguish themselves in their personal and professional lives. 

A strong personal brand can help you build trust with others, establish credibility in your field, and open up new opportunities. In today's digital age, where social media and online presence play a significant role in shaping how we are perceived, personal branding has become an essential tool for anyone who wants to succeed and make a lasting impression. In today's episode, we discuss the importance of personal branding and the three simple strategies to create millions in revenue. We are privileged to talk with Dylan, the most appropriate authority on this subject matter. 

Timecodes

• (1:54) What does he attribute to the rapid growth of his personal brand?
• (3:09) What number does he put on his social proof?
• (4:14) How to structure your giveaway campaigns 
• (4:54) Difference between lead generation and personal growth 
• (6:38) Should you post the same content across all your social media sites?
• (9:35) How to do testing of your content 
• (12:37) The best practices for creating content 
• (14:13) Elements for building your personal brand 
• (18:20) What do you do to people uncomfortable with creating content outside themselves?
• (20:45) 3 simple strategies to generating millions in revenue 
• (25:47) Dylan’s contact information
• (26:17) Dylan’s choice of brand representative

Are you leveraging modern digital experiences? Do you understand the existing gaps in creating modern digital experiences? We are talking with Shamir, the digital transformation guru, to do justice to this subject matter. Shamir is with Smart Panda Labs helping marketers get started with digital transformation. During his years in marketing, Shamir held leadership roles with Southwest Airlines, Disney, and NBC Universal. He discovered his love for the technical aspect of things back in the 1990s while working in marketing and research. (Having been at the right time at the right place with the right skill set, things all came together for me).

What is modern Digital Transformation - Shamir defines modern digital transformation as the customer experience that users expect when interacting with products or services online. It is what a company must do to align itself to start delivering to customers through the Internet. The transformation entails tweaking your technological back end to be able to deliver the modern digital customer experience that people expect.

Challenges in implementing digital transformation  - Our guest expert observes that the fear of the IT side of things among most marketers is often the major hindrance in undertaking digital transformation. That fear has the negative effect of denying oneself and customers the opportunity to have an experience that can lower the acquisition cost and derive value.

Example of digital transformation success story - Shamir cites Emirates.com as a success story in modern digital transformation. On their website, they have captured up-to-date information for the visitor. People know what exactly to expect when doing business with them because of transparency and consistency. In addition, Emirates has leveraged automation on its website and social sites, which bolsters its overall customer experience. Also, their digital purchase experience is next level; the client can easily keep track of their reward points and make or modify reservations without human intervention.

Role of transparency and consistency in the digital customer experience - The goal of the customer is to find consistency in the ad and post-click. If what the customer was sold in the ad does not match reality after clicking on it, buyer friction and frustration emerge. A transparent experience is key to building customer trust and loyalty. 

Primary steps for a business performing digital transformation - He first evaluates state key digital tactics presently in use. From there, they can fill in the gap as to the transformational technological capabilities required to keep up with the changing marketplace and customer behavior. 

Are local programs helping digital transforming continuous - Shamir cites that local programs and grants supportive of digital transformation are something of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, an end is reached when a determination is made to the effect that the business has amassed enough resources to build on. However, it is continual because of the ever-changing technological landscape that often calls for the business to upgrade. 

Key Timecodes

• (0:29) Shamir‘s background story 

• (1:54) What is modern Digital Transformation 

• (4:20) Challenges in implementing digital transformation  

• (5:59) Example of digital transformation success story 

• (8:19) Role of Transparency and Consistency in the digital customer experience 

• (10:20) Factors for success in modern digital transformation 

• (12:26) Role of first-party data in the digital space 

• (14:50) Leveraging first-party data for digital transformation

• (17:20) Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Chatgpt on digital transformation 

• (18:44) Recommended automation tools with Chatgpt  

• (19:50) Primary steps for a business performing digital transformation 

• (21:44) Are local programs helping digital transforming continuous - 

• (23:45) Shamir’s contact information

• (24:05) Shamir’s choice of brand ambassador

Without a doubt, the onset of Covid 19 pandemic signaled the greatest turmoil period for lots of businesses around the globe. In today's episode, we have the honor of hosting two expert guests to get insight into the magic of the roundtable marketing system during Covid.   

David's and Kevin's journeys to being roundtable marketing experts - Kevin and David have worked together for about ten years in B2B telemarketing companies. For some time, they were successfully onboarding at least one new client every weekday. They realigned their business to a fractional CMO with a small base of lucrative clients. The onset of Covid cost them significant revenue loss, forcing them back to the market source to generate new clients. They further pivoted from promoting themselves to promoting roundtable Marketing.

Use of LinkedIn for promoting roundtable marketing awareness – Kevin says that they started by creating some events on LinkedIn and sent out invitations to their connections. They also undertook outreach programs on the platform, inviting signups to roundtables. He says that it has been their experience that it is helpful to consistently build a connections list on LinkedIn to send invites to the ideal customer profile.

Why is the roundtables marketing system more attractive to B2B - David explains that they mainly provide B2B business because they are the sort of business most predominant on LinkedIn.

The ideal size of a roundtable marketing system – Kevin argues that the number of people at a roundtable highly depends on the skills and capacity of the facilitator. The goal of the roundtable is to make it participatory for everyone. Thus it is best to keep the size manageable. As such, he drops a number between 4 and 10 people.

Tips for running an effective roundtable – David draws our attention to the need to engage the audience, right from welcoming them and through the discussion. It would help if you conversed with them about their business and its challenges while referencing them to the topic of discussion at the table.

Strategies for getting attendees to show: David lauds LinkedIn as the main contributor to successful signups following an invite (about 15%). He terms it the nature of LinkedIn for people to attend collaborative roundtables and workshops.

Incentives for inviting through other people's connections – David and Kevin explain that they seek willing partners and invite connections of partners that fit the ideal customer profile. They achieve this with the help of their own master connection database that gives the right target based on job titles, location, or industry.

Leveraging automation in building connections: David says they utilize various automation tools to determine their ICP, create outreach messaging, send out invites, and follow-up details on the event. These tools include WeConnect, Sales Flow, Apollo, and Sales Navigator.

Virtual roundtables in the post-Covid era: David explains that the roundtables product built during the Covid period has persisted even in the post-Covid period. He says that it is now commonplace for people to meet on virtual roundtables, unlike in the past when it was more of face-to-face meetings.

Key Time Codes

(1:18) Kevin and David's journey to today's roundtable marketing experts -

(4:25) Use of LinkedIn for promoting roundtable marketing awareness

(7:00) Why is the roundtables marketing system more attractive to B2B businesses

(8:00) The perfect size of a roundtable marketing system

(10:18) Tips for running an effective roundtable

(11:14) Strategies of getting attendees to show  

(14:17) Leveraging automation tools in building connections

(17:52) Virtual roundtables in the post-Covid era

(19:38) David and Kevin's contact information

(21:07) Their choice of brand representative for their company Professional Prospecting Systems and Contact

In today's episode, we talk with Megan Thompson. She is the social media guru at our company Merged Media. She is the TikTok guru. She has attracted an impressive following of over 103,000 followers on TikTok. She consistently puts out amazing content on TikTok.
Her maiden TikTok video was a dance video, which she quickly realized that it wasn't to her appeal. She moved on to making random, funny, relatable content that quickly gave her traction. Thanks to some of her viral videos, she has attracted companies such as fashion and skincare brands seeking her to promote their products.
Meghan observes that a company can use your TikTok account to niche by posting content on your ideal target audience. On the other hand, she reckons that the best marketing strategy for an individual seeking to sell themselves as content creators is to seek out a wider variety of audiences through their content. (As many audiences as you can get in front of, do it).
Initially, she rolled out freestyle by posting whatever she wanted. Lately, she has decided to niche down on wedding TikTok. She observes that a trend inspires her creative idea. With the help of her iPhone reminder app, she compiles a list of trendy ideas that become the content source for her TikTok account.

Time Stamps

• (1:24) Meghan's Journey to TikTok Success
• (2:30) Is she monetizing her Tiktok account?
• (03:43) Using TikTok accounts for different audiences
• (7:00) How to know what to post(The ideal idea of posting)
• (7:43) The content thought idea process
• (09:15) Analyzing past traction for future TikTok content 
• (12:12) Successful hacks for TikTok content 
• (13:31) Best strategies for gaining traction on TikTok as a beginner 
• (14:42) Creativity on a client's account 
• (17:53) Sources of TikTok content 
• (18:43) Her thoughts on the impending shutdown of TikTok in the US 
• (19:57) Megan’s product on TikTok
• (24:24) Meghan's contact information and choice of brand ambassador. 

Why business owners should trust their instincts with digital media with Edward Nugent.

In the business world, the decisions of business owners matter. In the increasingly technological business environment, business owners often face the dilemma of relying on hard data or simply trusting their instincts. Today's technological advances have given businesses unprecedented access to data to help make informed business decisions. However, most businesses bypass hard data in favor of intuition or instinct for essential business decisions. In today's episode, we talk to  Edward Nugent about why business owners need to trust their instincts, particularly with digital media.

It gives a great deal of autonomy and rewards. The entry of digital media, particularly Google, changed the landscape where customers started seeking out business. Applying digital principles of online sales to non-digital businesses can be successful. (When running a business, customers should pay the bills, not the investors).

A business has to put in time and effort towards understanding the customer's mindset when buying a product or service. By relying on business instinct, a business owner can gain valuable knowledge on customer behavior during the pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase phases. The sole responsibility of the business owner is to join the conversation going on in the head of the customer. Indeed, this conversation varies depending on where they are in their product purchase journey. In this regard, the customer journey should match the purchase journey. Following instinct-based business decision-making models, companies and small businesses can avoid focusing on the least important purchase event that often happens at the tail end of the product purchase journey. (The premise is:  if I understand how they buy, I have to be able to help them buy from me). 

Dropping lead magnets is crucial in planting seeds in prospects' heads to elicit a conversation. The instinct of a business owner should be to leverage lead magnets better to understand prospects' thinking in their purchase journey. The business needs to focus on the customer end more than seeking to close the sale. Most SMEs often make the mistake of trusting agencies to do the right thing. Yet, in reality, the agencies fail to focus on the mentorship of the customer more than the transactional relationship. These include websites, email autoresponders, lead magnets, and traffic sources. With this structure, a business owner has context when presented with new information or scenarios that demand their decisions. 

Key Time Stamps

• (1:30) Edward's journey to running digital scorecard
• (04:14) Leveraging consumer money versus reporting on investor money 
• (06:32) How can a business understand customer behavior during a purchase?
• (8:55) Understanding your awareness phase
• (13:12) Role of lead magnets in instinct-based business decisions
• (19:55) Tools of understanding the structure of digital options 
• (22:45) Edward’s contact information on the digital scorecard
• (23:17) Edward’s choice of brand representative

Certainly! Rebranding can be an exciting and transformative experience for any business. Whether it's a fresh new logo, a revamped website, or a complete overhaul of the company's identity, rebranding can help businesses stay relevant and competitive in today's ever-changing market. In this episode, we host business branding expert Jim Heininger. He founded The Rebranding Experts in 2017 and has 30 years of business and brand strategy experience for P&G, McDonald's, Anheuser-Busch, and others. Jim's team believes rebranding should be a strategic growth accelerator, creating a forward-facing organization ready to grasp new opportunities. Jim coaches CEOs through the rebranding process, aligning their executive team and helping to execute complete name changes and new customer promises. He will help us explore the benefits of rebranding and what you can expect from the process.

The first and most obvious benefit of rebranding is that it can help your business stand out from the competition. A fresh new look can catch the eye of potential customers and make your business more memorable. A strong brand identity can also create a sense of trust and loyalty among your existing customers, making it more likely that they'll continue to do business with you.

Another benefit of rebranding is that it can help you better communicate your message and values. As businesses grow and evolve, their messaging and values may shift, and rebranding can help ensure these changes are reflected in their brand identity. By clearly communicating your message and values, you can create a stronger emotional connection with your customers and build a more meaningful relationship with them.

Rebranding can also be a great way to signal a new direction for your business. You may be expanding into new markets, launching new products or services, or simply looking to reposition your business in the minds of your customers. Whatever the reason, rebranding can help signal this new direction and position your business for growth and success.

Of course, rebranding isn't always easy. It can be a time-consuming and expensive process, and it's important to approach it with a clear strategy and plan. Before embarking on a rebrand, conducting research and gathering feedback from your customers and other stakeholders is important. This can help ensure that your new brand identity resonates with your target audience and reflects the values and messaging of your business.

In conclusion, rebranding can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to stay relevant and competitive in today's market. Whether you're looking to stand out from the competition, better communicate your message and values, or signal a new direction for your business, rebranding can help you achieve your goals. With careful planning and execution, a successful rebrand can help set your business up for growth and success for years to come.

Key Timecodes

• (1:58) Jim's Background
• (3:14) When is the right time for a rebrand?
• (4:16) WHY you need to rebrand
• (6:14) How far can you go with a rebrand?
• (7:48) Should you do a total overhaul of your brand while rebranding?
• (8:55) Social media impact on a rebrand
• (10:58) Assets involved in the rebranding.
• (13:02) Mistakes people to make while rebranding
• (14:45) Ways of getting the entire organization on board
• (17:14) Effect of rebranding on brand ambassadors
• (20:09) Modern trends in the rebranding industry
• (23:35) The difference between a brand refresh and a rebrand
• (24:09) Jim's contact information

How he started out in real estate - He learned from his real estate father and traveled in Asia. After seeking the best location for his resort, He created his own vertical in Southern Ontario from the supply side to install. With the help of efficient Canadian building technology, he ventured into building material distribution and construction. He had a dream and vision, and he started making it happen. 

Challenges while building the resort - He dealt with the inefficiencies of the Island lifestyle by seeking a consistent supply of construction materials, employing his staff, and aligning himself with the right legal personnel. Crucially, he did it harmoniously with the island's environment, culture, and people.

His role in the Canadian Turks and Caicos Islands project - The Canadian government has occasionally toyed with the idea of leveraging its economic and social connection with the British Turks and Caicos. With the help of his close friends in Canada, Kelly managed to arrange for the Canadian Premier Harper to meet with the Turks & Caicos Islands Bilateral Working Group. The purpose was to advance the economic and trade agenda between the two.

How does Kokomo Private Island stand out from the competition - It has continuously ranked as one of the world's best sand, sun, and sea beaches. It has one of the best sun, sand, and sea destinations worldwide, enjoying high-ranking years. There is an incredible beach club on the best part of the beach, and you can visit a different beach every day. The beach also enjoys all-year-round sunshine, unlike most places in the world.

Kokomo is not for everybody – Once you enter the gates of Kokomo, you transition into another oasis. Kokomo private resort offers serenity from indigenous trees that are hundreds of years old. You can enjoy fish and meat from the international market and great vegetarian offerings. (Without you, there is no we, it is about who we are coming together -people come here as strangers and leave as friends).

What do you give the most credit for your success story in the hospitality industry? Kelly most greatly admires the hoteliers in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He emphasizes self-belief, and the never quit spirit. (Successful people never quit).

Key Time Stamps

• (0:38) Kelly's journey to the hospitality industry
• (04:49) How he started out in real estate
• (08:20) Challenges while building the resort
• (10:07) His role in the Canadian Turks and Caicos Islands project
• (12:12) How does Kokomo private island stand out from the competition
• (16:35) Kokomo is not for everybody
• (20:35) What do you give the most credit for the success story you have become in the hospitality industry
• (21:38) Kelly's contact information

In today’s episode, we discuss Avoiding the “Content Graveyard.” My guest expert today is Alan Silvestri, the founder, and CEO of Growth Gorilla. They help B2B SaaS companies promote their content to get high-quality publishers to link to it, increase traffic and sign-ups, and win at the SEO game. Alan is also a Back to the Future fanatic and daily drives a Delorean. Audio Alan’s affiliate marketing building sites in the early days - He built a site debunking health myths using thoroughly researched content. He also created content on hair loss for women. He enjoys working with clients to create content in areas they are passionate about and spreading content on their products. What is The content graveyard - Alan defines content graveyard as unpromoted content sitting idle on Google pages, not adding any value to the business. To avoid this, Alan employs strategic link promotion where they promote specific pages with more potential to rank higher in the short term (90 days).  Accessing content with more potential - They get conversion data from the client and use google analytics and their link-building SEO analytics to create a short list of pages with the most business potential.  Alan’s link-building process: He looks at the pages linked to the client’s competition to get a feel of the type of content on topics and subtopics and uses them to find similar pages not linked to any competitor. It provides room for a unique pitch to the competitor to link back.  Role of social media in the strategy against content graveyard - They use social media for brand awareness but not for SEO benefits. He recommends that a company or business should seek where people are, such as on Reddit, instead of randomly publishing on all its social media sites.  Some issues SaaS Companies have with creating content - Alan observes that SaaS companies have excellent content creation but need to improve on the promotion side. As such, there is a lot of similar content across many SaaS businesses, meaning that differentiation is a major challenge. To go around this, Alan advises that a business should utilize its product within its published content to help and demonstrate to the target audience how to solve a problem with the product.  Helping a SaaS company create content - They assess existing content on pages with the most links from a few competitors and establish those ranking well. After that, they develop something similar but with a better spin to resonate better with the audience. How are you using Chatgbt in your business? Alan says that they use it as an assistant for tasks like link prospecting and generating extra sentences or anchor text in articles. However, he laments that ChatGbt is only an assistant, not the real writer, because human input is still crucial in content creation. (The biggest misconception is that content creators solely rely on Chatgbt for creation while it is only part of the human brain extension) Trends in SEO in the year 2023 - Alan predicts that links will have less impact on content promotion. This explains the ongoing shift to actual distribution by seeking communities where people hang out. He believes that artificial intelligence interventions will run most of the tasks, rendering organic search a bit irrelevant (It is a good idea to go where your audience is instead of waiting for it to come to you). Time Stamps (1:25) Introduction to today’s topic and show guest (2:34) Alan’s affiliate marketing building sites in the early days (5:00) What is the content graveyard (8:15) Accessing content with more potential (10:00) Alan’s link-building process (11:30) Role of social media in the strategy against content graveyard (13:24) Some issues SaaS companies have with creating content  (16:22) Helping a SaaS company create content (17:48) How are you using Chatgbt in your business  (20:21) Trends in SEO in the year 2023 

Today’s episode discusses ‘Strategies for Maximizing Your Time at Local Business Networking Events’. My expert guide today is John, re-runs frequent local business events.

Motivation for John to the events industry: He started with community-based fundraising events that inspired him and his old friend to get into that space.

How his events differentiate from others- John denotes that his events are always highly original, with people benefitting greatly from networking. The biggest attraction for attendees of his local events is often the trade show of more than 70 exhibitioners. They are keynote events on various relevant business topics from leading industry professionals. Lastly, networking is significant because you get face-to-face interaction with major players from the business community.

How an attendee prepares for these events - John reckons that you should go in with a plan and know exactly what you are looking for. Also, take your time to have meaningful relationships with business professionals you will meet at the event and have your business card on hand.

Strategies for maximizing time at a local business event - Our guest advise that you should seek to show up and leave with various meaningful contacts that will benefit your business.

The best setup strategy for a vendor at a local business event - John reckons that the best strategy is to bring along some help, often in the form of one or two more people. These extra pairs will help you run things smoothly at your booth. Secondly, you should be ready to work your booth by engaging your audience in creative, differentiated ways. A friendly hook would serve as a great conversation starter. Thirdly, give an attendee a reason to choose you immediately, e.g., a special discount offer.

Tips for vendors and attendees to do follow-ups after the event - John underscores that you should follow up on a lead immediately to ensure you get all the potential business. It would be best if you nurtured those relationships through follow-ups. However, it would help if you had an eye for good leads because you often may end with many leads at an event that are not worth your time.

Finally, hear about John’s exciting choice of brand ambassador.

Time Stamps

• (1:37) John’s journey to hosting local business events
• (2:20) Motivation for John to the events industry
• (3:40) How his events differentiate from others
• (6:30) How an attendee prepares for these events
• (8:09) Strategies for maximizing time at a local business event
• (10:12) The best setup strategy for a vendor at a local business event
• (15:38) Tips for vendors and attendees to do follow-ups after the event
• (25:26) John’s choice for his brand ambassador

In today's episode, I talk with my co-author, Mike Ulmer. We are talking about 'How We Wrote 'Drop The Mic Marketing .' Mike's bio speaks volumes: Aside from co-authoring Jason's debut book 'Drop The Mic Marketing,' Mike Ulmer has had an illustrious 25-year career in journalism, having worked for the Woodstock Sentinel-Review, The Hamilton Spectator, The Hockey News, Southam News, National Post, and The Toronto Sun, where he served as a sports columnist for seven years. He has also authored 12 books, and his opinion pieces have been featured in the four major Toronto-based dailies: The Sun, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and The Toronto Star.

I asked Mike about the process of information gathering, which included him asking me "business-unrelated" personal questions. He clearly explains the necessity to establish a comfortable environment where they can trust that the author is a good listener. It gives the reader clarity of who you are, what and why you did the things you did. 

Next, I pose to Mike the question of what comes after the research process. He says that he and his team referred to the recorded audio manuscript to keep up with the authenticity of my story. Mike says it was the first time he worked with a "Japanese figure in gangster rapper" who loved doing music but loved marketing the music. He says he was drawn to my evolution from singing behind the mic to talking behind the mic to doing digital marketing, which he rightly observes is where my heart is. 

Moving on, we talk about the relevance of baseball player Joe Dimaggio in the book. Mike illustrates how Dimaggio became a successful brand ambassador, having evolved from a baseball player. It perfectly relates to my story as a former "failed rockstar" to a well-performing digital marketer.

Next, I seek from Mike some of the hacks in research for the book's direction. Mike admits he has no secret tricks but relies on his brain, which naturally harbors information. He has a head with a library of ideas.

Working on the initial script with the client - At this stage, Mike says he gathers just small details from the client. I was glad he threw in some cool superlatives to describe me: "a great client and fun guy ."A takeaway quote from him is, "Once you know who the principal star is, your book is done, for the rest is just details."

Examples of other "failed Japanese rockstars" - Mike tells us a story of his former client, Mark, in his book "The 50-year-old Millenial." Mark did not have a proposition, which is the foundation of every story in a book. In the book, he carves a more radical proposition for a fresh culture of servant leadership, challenging the conventional leadership style in business. My guest advises that you should not stop learning when writing a book because you get to review everything. 

The exciting story of Ron Foxcroft - An official baseball referee, Ron spent US$300,000 on three Fox 40 whistles he invented that anyone did not want. The math wasn't good at all. During one big match officials convention, he walked out to the compound in the middle of the night and blew his whistle loudly. The attending referees worldwide were startled by the sound of the whistle and wanted it immediately, marking the beginning of Ron's empire. 

Time stamps

• (1:08) Introduction to today's topic and guest
• (2:19) Mike's journey to writing books
• (4:35) Information gathering during the initial stages  
• (9:25) What next after the research process 
• (14:40) The relevance of baseballer Joe Dimaggio  
• (16:07) Hacks in research for the direction of the book 
• (17:14) Working on the initial script with the client 
• (19:15) Examples of other "failed Japanese rockstars." 
• (21:38) The exciting story of Ron Foxcroft

In today’s episode, I am privileged to host myself to talk about the 4C’s To Selling via META. As many of you may be aware, META is an umbrella for the leading social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Meta Quest. This is a very important subject in 2023, given that how we use Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp) is no longer the same. The 4C’s to selling via Meta that I will be unwrapping in today’s episode are Content, Credibility, Conversation, and Conversion.

Today, it is remarkably different in how we deploy our ads, our assets, and the creative, which are ever tweaking and changing. In 2023 and going forward, creating content specific to the particular platform underneath META is highly necessary. Given that a successful Instagram piece of content may sometimes replicate a different success on a Facebook feed, it is crucial that we split the content into relevant clips. We are better off having a plethora of content and testing it on various platforms to realize where it best fits. 

Also, in today’s solo episode, I address whether to use still pictures or video content on Meta’s platform for success. From our experience at Merged, we often find video content having greater success rates with the audience nowadays than still images which worked well in the past. I underscore the importance of having a brand ambassador as the face of the company in your Meta ads. This builds a sense of familiarity and trusts with the audience. 

In terms of credibility, I argue for the need to leverage it in your retargeting ads. In other words, you need to complement that content with a secondary piece that supports whatever you are talking about in the initial video. In the 3rd C, I share some tricks and hacks on tailoring your communication through a nurture email sequence. Regarding conversion, it is important not to force things, leaving the purchase decision to the potential client. This can save you from buyer’s remorse and keep your convert for longer as a paying client. 

Key Time Stamps

• (0:01) Jason’s introduction of the 4C’s to Selling Using Meta 
• (1:26) The 1st C: Content - You want to test multiple variations of the content and pair them against each other to see which one performs best with on Facebook platform and its algorithm
• (4:00) Still images versus video: Often, video content works much better; it is always wise to have a brand ambassador as the familiar face for your audience consistently
• (6:05) The 2nd C: Credibility - Use it in your retargeting ads to complement your initial video content (The more familiar you are with the audience, the lower your lead cost becomes)
• (9:16) The 3rd C: Conversation: Pivot your audience into a warm conversation by putting them on a nurture sequence through email
• (13:41) Conversion: Let the person decide on when to purchase, don’t force on them (If the decision to be a client is theirs, then they will be your client for a long time)
• (15:04) Example of a Merged successful campaign that utilized these concepts
• (16:37) Conclusion and Jason’s contact information 

In today's episode, we are dissecting whether airline loyalty businesses are worth more than the airline itself. My guest today is Mark Ross-Smith, a tech entrepreneur in the airline industry.

Loyalty business is proving increasingly profitable, with the value of some mileage sales surpassing that of the core operations. Recent research findings indicate that loyalty programs bring upwards of 50% of airline income of the airline's total revenue.

On the day's topic, Mark observes that loyalty programs such as mile sales are worth more than effective while the airline itself is worth nothing. At the same time, our guest notes some other examples of loyalty programs being more valuable than the core business. As Mark observes, airlines have successfully leveraged loyalty programs to drive high emotion around a product that people wouldn't otherwise buy.

Indeed, it would only do fair justice to this subject if we addressed social media's role in pushing airlines' loyalty programs. Mark uses examples of success stories such as Singapore and Malaysia airlines to explain the undisputable role of social media marketing today. 

While today's topic is outside a lot of things that we talk about relating to marketing, it is highly relevant to any frequent traveler, marketing director, or entrepreneur.

Finally, get to hear about Mark's selection of his brand ambassador. It is a relevant one from a film character. Enjoy this period.

Key Timecodes

• (1:25) Mark’s journey to being “Mr. Loyalty”
• (2:51) cheap flights can be very expensive (the flights are cheap but everything else costs an arm and a leg)
• (5:06) Why he loves Heathrow over Gatwick
• (5:35) Singapore airport - a cut above the rest
• (6:55) How can an airline increase its loyalty through its lounge service?
• (9:30) Are airline loyalty businesses worth more than the airline itself?
• (12:20) Other examples of unprofitable core businesses and profitable loyalty programs
• (14:35) Success stories of airlines leveraging social media to market their loyalty programs
• (17:10) Use of influencer marketing and brand ambassador by airlines
• (19:30) Loyalty versus lowest price dilemma for customer
• (23:23) Conclusion and Mark’s contact information
• (23:51) Mark’s choice of brand ambassador for Statusmatch.

In today's episode, I am privileged to talk with a fellow Canadian on a topic I am passionate about, systems and processes for business. In all honesty, Marquis dissects this topical area rather authoritatively and eloquently.

With the rapid pace of digital transformation in the business environment, every organization is increasingly looking to streamline its workflows. Indeed, we must emphasize the importance of streamlining your business operations. The list of benefits is long: improved efficiency, greater customer satisfaction, improved competitiveness, and reduced cost of doing business, among others. 

Marquis shares with us how he reinvented himself after suffering almost 70 percent of clients during Covid 19. His story is a testament to the importance of a business's flexibility and pivoting accordingly in facing challenges. In addition, he enlightens us on how to conduct a proper survey within a team and use the feedback to improve systems and processes in the business. Better still, he provides a real-life example of a success story on what process improvement can work magic for a business. 

At the end of this insightful episode, Marquis nominates a benefitting brand representative for his company. This episode, while shorter than our usual ones, is a listen worth your ears. Grab your pen and notebook and discover how to streamline your business operations for the greater good of your organization. 

Key Timecodes

• (1:02) Marquis’ background and journey
• (4:44)The importance of having flexibility in a digital agency
• (6:07) How does a business know there is a problem
• (9:10) Addressing internal issues through team feedback
• (11:13) How process improvement helps with quiet quitters (The biggest aspect of process improvement, and how you can be successful with it, is by including your team)
• (14:03) How to best survey a team
• (16:24) Key strategies for implementing effective systems 
• (18:41) Example of a success story: Agency
• (20:24) Marquis contact information

A mentoring program is one of the most crucial and impactful tools a business can use to develop extraordinary talent and realize improved results. A mentoring mindset can be the byproduct of growing relationships with your networks. In today's episode, we are talking about establishing a mentoring mindset. Our guest on today's show is Christy, CEO and co-founder of Pollinate Networks Inc. As Christy observes, mentoring is not a purely one-way street exercise. She laments that, in the spirit of reverse engineering, anyone can learn something from anyone, regardless of age or seniority. Indeed, an excellent mentoring program cuts both ways: it measures the mentee and the mentor. In this regard, Christy advises that you bring a mentoring mindset to all your relationships to realize growth. With a mentoring mindset, you will develop a culture of continuous learning. As Christy explains, reverse mentoring helps a mentor learn from a mentee. It is a knowledge exchange program because the mentor can hear about the other person's cares, concerns, and experiences. In this respect, it is increasingly becoming an organization's mindset and skill set. Our guest underscores that a mentoring perspective's core is the willingness to learn from anybody. Christy gives us valuable perspectives about being an excellent mentor in this episode. She likens a good mentor to a human whiteboard: you map it out and get a chance to try it out. In the end, Christy surprises us with her unorthodox brand representative choice. Enjoy this episode!

Key Timecodes

• (1:06) Background introduction to Christy
• (2:11) Christy's definition of a mentor
• (4:02) Target clients for the mentoring program
• (5:20) Typical gap between mentor and mentee (Mentorship is the magic of talking to someone who has done what you are trying to do).
• (7:35) Bringing a mentoring mindset into all your relationships 
• (10:34) Leveraging your strengths to mentor others
• (12:58) Who is a credible mentor? (A good mentor is like a human whiteboard) 
• (14:43) Measurable results to expect from a mentoring program
• (16:56) Mentorship program as a means of growing your network
• (18:42) Matching a mentor and mentee perfectly
• (20:21) Role of artificial intelligence and intelligent algorithms in mentoring programs
• (22:15)   Matching pairs versus groups 
• (24:29) Christy's contact information
• (23:49) Christy's unorthodox choice of brand representative

In today's episode of the Merged Podcast, I am bringing Dave back due to popular demand. It is the first hat trick for a guest on the Merged Marketing podcast! We are delving into a successful case study: How we generated 2,377 leads for a Caribbean Resort. I break this episode into three specific parts. The first segment deals with the client's status before the Merged campaign. In the second part, we discuss the client's status during the campaign effort and the steps we took to put them in the best position possible for generating leads. Finally, we talk about the aftermath of the campaign. 

 Indeed, this was different from your typical marketing campaign targeting families or families on vacation. Instead, it was a very niche and result-oriented campaign targeting investor-related with disposable income and those interested in a lifestyle type of investment. We break down how we delivered for this particular client to generate 2,337 leads eventually. We achieved this through our proposal that included social media advertising, google advertising, SEO, a new website overhaul, email marketing, and display advertising of some of our assets.  

At the tail end of the episode, hear about another of Dave's exciting choices of superheroe for Merged Marketing's brand representative. It's a slice, and you will enjoy it!

Key Timecodes

• (0:50) Background introduction of the great marketing campaign
• (2:28) The status of the client before Merged ran a campaign
• (4:05) What we did for the client from the point of sale to onboard
• (5:36) Challenges while onboarding the new client
• (8:00) The creative leeway working with available client content
• (10:23)  Reinventing the wheel with the target audience
• (12:50) Top of funnel, middle of funnel, and bottom of the funnel
• (14:48) The nurture sequence through an email-driven campaign
• (22:02) The last stage, the first sale (If you’re going to run a campaign like this, you need to have somebody specifically dedicated to nurturing of leads)
• (25:57) Dave’s superhero choice for Merged brand representative

Directing traffic to your website is fantastic. However, it is pointless to have many visitors who do not convert. Right? The best way to generate new leads is by use of a lead magnet. Indeed, lead magnets don't get the hype for nothing: they can be very persuasive and influential if appropriately utilized. 

Lead magnets are the essential pillars for a marketer to convert traffic into leads. This, in turn, helps you to have a list of prospects. In today's special episode, I talk about marketing and lead magnets and what it takes to create epic lead magnets that your prospects cannot help but take notice of. I share with you insights, with relevant real-life examples, on how to realize lead magnets that ultimately provide your prospects with more excellent value.

An epic lead magnet offers your visitor something valuable for free. In exchange, you get their email address and permission to share more of your business' offerings with them. As I demonstrate with relevant examples, lead magnets often work magic for businesses to get prospects to develop a genuine interest in your lead magnet topic. 

I get to interact with you, my audience, by allowing you to guess the lead magnet campaign examples you think flopped or worked effectively. Enjoy this episode because I surely did enjoy it!

Key Timecodes

• (2:13) Overview of why I am here talking about marketing and lead magnets
• (03:53) Meta and Instagram: the leading social media platforms 
• (04:47) The social state of mind of the user
• (05:40) Email: The lead magnet is the secret sauce  
• (06:27) The awareness level of your target audience when presenting them with a lead magnet
• (08:34) Pillars of generating lead magnets that convert best
• (18:55) The nurture sequence: What do with leads after getting them
• (22:58) The funnel: How to get them from the browser on social media to opt-in on your lead magnet
• (26:41) Frictionless lead form: Making it easy for users to fill in their details 
• (28:05) Contact information

You probably regard TikTok as the latest social media application for fun viral videos. However, you may need to learn that this platform can be an excellent avenue for growing your business. Besides being the go-to site for people seeking quick entertainment and more likes, TikTok is an overly effective marketing tool for those who know how to leverage its potential. This is the case because the platform renders it easy to create and post authentic video content that can reach millions of people.

My guest today, James, is a subject matter expert on TikTok. Our guest points out that TikTok stands out among the long list of social media platforms due to its unique, robust algorithm. The algorithm shows users' videos of most interest to them based on their activity and likes on the app. James applauds the equal playing field on TikTok because every video enjoys an equal chance of going viral. In addition, he draws our attention to the potential of growth for businesses utilizing TikTok. In particular, James lauds the special focus that the platform affords an individual video; thus, users can concentrate on one video at any given time. And that could just be yours!

True to the fact, my guest underscores how TikTok allows content creators to be genuinely authentic. You do not need sophisticated skills or expensive gear to realize an engaging and entertaining TikTok video. In this regard, a business can easily create trend-driven organic video clips. Furthermore, James advises businesses to create different accounts dedicated to specific niches to leverage the power of TikTok fully. Generally, this episode is loaded with rich insights on TikTok growth for businesses you want to take advantage of. In the end, hear about this expert's superhero choice of his brand representative. Enjoy!

Time Stamps

• (1:12) Background introduction to James' journey into TikTok
• (5:17) Pro tips for creating viral content on TikTok
• (6:30) Tools and process of creating successful TikTok content
• (15:33) Advice to beginners about the quality and volume of posts on TikTok
• (19:30) Authenticity matters for TikTok video (You don't need overproduced content to run ads)
• (21:21) Create different specialized TikTok accounts for different niches 
• (23:51) TikTok's influence on other social media platforms
• (26:16) Tools for removing TikTok watermark on videos
• (27:47) Influencer marketing versus generic accounts for TikTok videos
• (29:07) James' choice of brand ambassador
• (29:55) James' contact information

Do you yearn to create that perfect or winning ad? Today we welcome back the last episode’s guest expert Dave Kerr to discuss creating that successful advertisement. Indeed this is a special episode because it is a departure from the usual: today, I talk with my guest face-to-face from our office. Discover the North Star or guiding light for developing and deploying successful advertisements. 

Dave educates us about the crucial place of the core message or elevator pitch in a winning ad. He drives the point home that the core message is always the same and clearly speaks to what your business is all about. Dave further underscores the need to stay consistent with your core message and branding. He reckons that many advisers often need help creating an ad for the sake of creating and seeing an ad go live without first understanding the core message. 

We spend significant time discussing why you must create authentic ad content. Learn about achieving brand awareness and leveraging the algorithms to create a successful ad. Dave spells out the key qualities of a social media coordinator that would determine the success of the message. At the same time, he cautions on the danger of using a jack-of-all-trades master to create your ad instead of clamoring for specialist crews.

With a twist to the usual end-of-episode question, hear about Dave’s choice of dream client whom he would want to be the brand ambassador for. Spoiler alert - we would need a part 3 with Dave to exhaustively espouse this topic.

Key Timecodes

• (1:42) What makes a winning advertisement?
• (3:45) How to establish the core message of your ad
• (6:00) Creating a top funnel to differentiate from the competition
• (9:30) Creating that authentic content(The perfect advertisement)
• (13:20) Determining the right target audience for your ad using algorithms
• (18:50) Key skill sets for a social media coordinator or ad creator (If you need your business to be above competition, you need to have specialists in all areas that make an ad)
• (22:55) Dave’s choice of dream client for a brand ambassador

How can you devise, fine-tune and sustain an optimal digital marketing strategy for your business in today’s ever-changing digital landscape? It is critical to master, create and maintain an agile marketing strategy to seize growth opportunities and grow your bottom line.

In this episode, we chat with a former guest on this podcast, one of our digital marketers Dave Kerr. Do you know the right starting place for defining the objectives of your campaign strategy? Our guest expert illuminates this and how to avoid a bad user experience with your over-the-top messaging. Also, learn from Dave how to effectively utilize social media sites like Facebook and Instagram for your campaign strategy.

Dave helps us appreciate the need for a business campaign strategy to be engaging, shareable, focused, and sometimes timeless. He further underscores why you must implement a well-planned campaign strategy with clearly defined objectives and milestones. In this regard, discover the priceless ingredients for an optimal campaign strategy for your business.

Dave cautions on the danger of making a campaign strategy just for the sake of making one. Instead, develop a focused campaign with clear direction and aims.

Our guest expert also delves into the optimal white paper for brand strategy, drawing examples from our rich publication due in the coming year. In the end, discover Dave Kerr’s rather unique pick of the best personality for the brand representative for Merged. It is perfect how he links the leadership style of a household name in the sporting world to campaign strategy in business.

Key Time Codes

• (1:20) Who is Dave Kerr?
• (2:45) How does a business know if Instagram or Facebook is the right platform for them
• (4:10) Starting position for objectives of campaign strategy
• (7:10) How to effectively use Facebook or Instagram platform
• (9:42) Key ingredients for an optimal campaign strategy
• (12:05) Avoiding user fatigue with your over-the-top content
• (15:45) Brand strategy White paper (It is crucial to have a white paper that is used as opposed to highly academic or technical)
• (20:08) Improving user experience through the quality of leads in ads or white paper
• (Don’t just make a campaign strategy: a focused, with clear direction and aims is the best)
• (20:57) Dave Kerr’s pick of Merged brand representative

You often put in your brains and brawn to develop that Instagram content to grow your follower base. Yet you need help understanding why your follower numbers still need to improve. All you ever manage is just a few comments or likes from a handful of your followers. How is it that many other Instagram content creators in your niche are attracting and growing their follower numbers? You must wonder! 

In today’s episode, hear from Raymond Ahn about how you can realize meaningful Instagram follower growth with your published content. Ray reckons there is no definite route to grow your social media follower numbers. However, applying some hacks and tricks goes a long way to help you reach a greater audience and win over new targeted followers. We discuss optimizing your bio, leveraging branded hashtags, timing when to make your Instagram post, and keeping consistent. 

Ray offers invaluable advice on becoming social media savvy and, in turn, realizing follower growth. He asserts the importance of spending significant time self-educating on the workings of these sites. It would benefit you greatly to understand the algorithm of Instagram, for instance. Our guest cautions on the need to stay vigilant by ensuring ownership of your followers as you can be locked out of a platform at any time, the Trump style. Finally, learn about the potential and opportunities that abound in the newer platforms in Web3. This episode is truly worth your listen!

Key Timecodes

• (1:48)Background introduction to Raymond Ahn 
• (7:10) Tips to grow your own following on social media
• (10:49) His thoughts on content generation and themes
• (12:31) Sources of content for follower growth
• (14:34) Emerging social media sites of interest 
• (17:46) Opportunities for users in Web3
• (19:3skeptical for people sceptical about social media and digital currency platforms
• (22:34) His interaction with Metaverse and other new social media platforms
• (24:40) Older people and newer social media sites
• (27:35) How to reach Raymond on social media

Do you desire to increase the number of people your marketing content reaches on various social media sites? In today’s competitive, fast-changing business environment, it can prove challenging for a small or medium business to create original, consistent and impactful multi-use content. You can gradually grow your organic social media reach and close more sales by adequately leveraging multi-use content. Our expert today is our very own Mandi Gould at Merge Marketing, who shares how you can optimize your marketing content on TikTok, Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook.

As you will learn in this highly informative episode, multi-use content is worlds apart from merely copying content from one social media site to the next. Mandi underscores the need to repurpose your content that functioned successfully on Youtube, for instance, before pushing the message to TikTok or Instagram. Indeed you can use clips from the video you uploaded on Facebook to create an interesting Instagram reel that your target followers will appreciate. Alternatively, you can create a great tweet by borrowing words from your most successful post to your Instagram caption. Only some messages will be appropriate for some marketing platforms; thus, you should tweak each message to fit. Furthermore, she gives a thorough understanding of ever-green content and its essential place in today’s digital marketing.

With a greater focus on Tik-Tok, Mandi provides best practices for successfully using your multi-use marketing content. She rightly advises the need to hop on trends and find ways to adapt them to your niche. In general, learn from our expert how you can utilize that awesome videos, graphics, or text across multiple platforms to grow your marketing reach. As is our tradition, discover Mandi’s pick for our company’s brand ambassador.

Key Timecodes

• (1:27) Background introduction to Mandi Gould
• (3:15) Mandi’s breakdown of multi-use content
• (5:00) The problem of copy and pasting for multi-use content
• (6:03) The meaning  of ever-green content and its significance
• (9:30) Re-optimizing previously posted content to maximize your marketing reach (Don't shy away from repurposing or reposting content)
• (11:05) People expect to see it again if it is important
• (13:21) Best practices on Pinterest for multi-use content
• (18:15) Opportunities for small and medium businesses on Tik-Tok
• (20:55) Leveraging multi-use content on Tik-Tok for a wider audience
• (23:38) Common mistakes marketers make with social media marketing
• (23:48) Put in the work in your multi-use content

Is it about time your business benefited from an SEO program? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is increasingly the go-to strategy for organizations to boost the ranking of their websites in search engines. Knowing the perfect jump-off point for starting an SEO program can be a rather complicated affair. It is crucial to get that timing right if you intend for your brand to climb in google search rankings by standing out from competitors.

Many SEO agencies promise great results within 4 to 6 months of running the program but is that often the case? As Todd cautions, plenty of overly cheap SEO programs on offer would not deliver the rankings sought after. Discover some of the right questions you should ask a potential SEO company before entrusting your cherished brand with them.

The key takeaway from this insightful episode is the need to stay consistent with your SEO program, given the ever-changing trends on Google. Staying dormant in the SEO game can adversely affect your website and, by extension bottom line. Have you ever wondered why SEO packages often vary from one agency to another? Yet still, do you have the proper budget and expectations for your SEO program? For answers to these questions and more, get insights from our SEO expert Todd Foster in this episode. Learn how to leverage your SEO program to the fullest today!

Key Timecodes

• (2:09) Introduction to Todd Foster
• (2:44) Todd’s inspiration for getting into the SEO business
• (3:40) Keeping with the trends in the SEO business
• (4:48) Tips to keep in touch with Google updates of SEOs
• (6:00) Risk of working with a cheap budget for your SEO program
• (7:10) Why SEO prices vary from company to company
• (8:02) When does a company know it is ready to deploy an SEO program?
• (9:03) How quickly can SEO results be expected
• (10:09) Key questions to ask SEO agencies before taking them on
• (12:20) Leveraging the safe SEO tool
• (14:37) Most significant trends in SEO programs
• (15:50) Recommended SEO program strategies for seasonal business
• (18:15) Process of onboarding a new client for the SEO program
• (19:50) How the SEO program grew a landscaping company to a multi-million franchise
• (22:23) Replicating ranking success for mother company to franchises