Interview

857: Hashtag Smart: Win the Zero Moment of Truth to Enjoy a Competitive Advantage and Faster Sales with Paul Mackiewicz

March 11, 2022

Is your company presenting itself in a positive light now that information is readily available online? Consumers use the internet for everything from product research to finding out where a business is located and operation hours. Even a simple, well-designed website can provide you a competitive advantage in your business, and if you sell things, your site can help you develop your business quickly and affordably.

Paul Mackiewicz is the CEO and founder of Hashtag Smart Marketing (now Honorable Marketing), a digital marketing agency based in Los Angeles. As an Army veteran and former golf pro, Paul brings a unique perspective to his work with attorneys and doctors, helping them navigate the ever-changing landscape of online marketing. With a focus on the "zero moment of truth" concept, Paul helps his clients understand the importance of online reviews, social proof, and building memorable relationships with their target audience. Today, Paul discusses the significance of the "zero moment of truth" and how it has transformed the way businesses need to approach their digital marketing strategies.

Quotes

“The zero moment of truth is an amazing concept. It highlights how we all now have access to technology and information like never before.” - Paul Mackiewicz

“If you can use video, or even your social posts or comments, as a way to differentiate yourself and showcase your specialties and expertise, you can quickly create an emotional connection with people.” - Paul Mackiewicz

“Cover your bases first, and you'd be amazed at the impact that can have. After that, everything else becomes quite a bit easier, especially when you look great in comparison to others.” - Paul Mackiewicz

Takeaways

00:55 Embracing the "zero moment of truth" concept is crucial for businesses to stay competitive in the digital age.

06:34 Differentiating oneself through personalized content and emotional connections can help build trust and loyalty with potential clients.

16:07 Optimizing and maintaining a strong online presence, starting with the basics like Google Business Listings, is essential for businesses to be prepared for comparison.

21:40 Adopting a fearless and proactive mindset can help business owners navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in the current market.

25:17 Taking advantage of technology and automation tools can streamline online marketing efforts and free up time for more strategic initiatives.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:12 — 36.2MB) | Embed

856: Best Seller Listers: Optimize and Upgrade your Amazon Product Listings with Mac Schlesinger

March 10, 2022

Do you want to be your customers' first choice when it comes to Amazon purchases? With changing purchasing preferences, it's time to invest in building an outstanding Amazon product listing. Product listing optimization based on SEO characteristics assists brands in ranking higher as well as increasing traffic, which enhances visibility and conversion rates.

Mac Schlesinger is the founder of Best Seller Listers, a marketing company that helps Amazon sellers create high-performing product listings. He has also started Seller Centry, a service that monitors Amazon seller accounts to prevent suspensions. In addition, Mac co-founded the Amazon Powwow, a popular in-person event series for Amazon sellers. Today, Mac shares his journey into the world of Amazon selling, discussing the importance of treating your Amazon business as a real company, not just a side hustle.

Quotes

“If you really want to win, you have to be fully in it to win it.” - Mac Schlesinger

“You really have to build it as a real business, focus on it, and be competitive because there are so many competitors out there.” - Mac Schlesinger

“It's up to you. It's your money and your decision. But let me tell you, try doing it yourself and see if you're good at it.” - Mac Schlesinger

Takeaways

11:52 Treat your Amazon business as a real company, not just a side hustle. Invest the necessary time, money, and effort to build a sustainable business.

13:23 Avoid the "get-rich-quick" mindset when it comes to selling on Amazon. The market is highly competitive, and success requires a long-term, strategic approach.

16:02 Outsource tasks and services that are not your core expertise. Focus on your strengths and let professionals handle the rest to maximize efficiency and growth.

20:31 Be prepared to invest a minimum of $10,000 to start an Amazon business, with the understanding that more may be needed for highly competitive products or extensive marketing.

23:55 Overcoming shyness and building a personal brand can be a powerful asset in the Amazon seller community, as it helps you connect with and serve your target audience.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:21 — 41.9MB) | Embed

855: Strategic Communications, Public Relations, and Online Marketing Strategy to Gain More Visibility with Amanda Berlin

March 9, 2022

Want to gain more Visibility to connect with more people? Then you need an effective PR and Marketing Strategy. But how do you leverage them to widen your audience?

Amanda Berlin is a business consultant, visibility strategist, and podcast host who has worked with clients for over 20 years. She previously worked in the corporate world of public relations, helping large companies like pharmaceutical and financial firms increase their visibility. Now, Amanda uses her expertise to help entrepreneurs and small business owners raise their profile and grow their impact through strategic partnerships, speaking opportunities, and media appearances. Today, Amanda discusses the three key pillars of visibility that she recommends for her clients: collaborations and alliances, speaking events, and media placements.

Quotes

“PR is based on earned visibility—visibility that you earn by positioning yourself as an expert and having valuable ideas to disseminate.” - Amanda Berlin

“The fastest track to visibility that generates leads, new clients, and revenue is through collaborations and alliances.” - Amanda Berlin

“All of us have something important to contribute, and it is our responsibility to do the work to make our voices heard.” - Amanda Berlin

Takeaways

00:56 PR (public relations) is about building relationships and earning visibility, not just paid advertising.

04:16 Visibility tactics should be tailored to your specific business goals, whether that's client acquisition, validation, or long-term awareness.

11:26 Collaborations and strategic partnerships are one of the fastest ways to build trust and credibility with a new audience.

14:03 Speaking opportunities, both on stages and through hosting your own events, can also quickly generate trust and lead to new clients.

14:43 Media placements are valuable for validating your expertise, but should be part of a broader visibility strategy.

25:48 Raising your voice and making yourself visible, despite the discomfort, is a responsibility to support the people who need your expertise and ideas.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:53 — 38.5MB) | Embed

854: The Rule of 26: Charge What You Are Worth, Attract New Clients, and Grow Your Business with Michael Buzinski

March 8, 2022

Why should you ensure that your website marketing focuses on the client? How can you optimize your marketing for a million-dollar practice? Need more results from your website? If you want to grow your business faster, you need a revenue growth plan.

Michael Buzinski is the CEO of Buzzworthy, a website marketing company. He is a lifelong entrepreneur, a digital marketing thought leader, and a Best-Selling Author. Michael Buzinski was dubbed a "visionary marketer" by the American Marketing Association. Today, Michael discussed his "Rule of 26" concept, which outlines a simple three-step digital marketing strategy to double a service-based business's revenue from its website.

Quotes

“The rule of 26 states that if you increase the unique traffic to your website by 26%, then increase the conversion rate of that traffic by 26%, and increase your average value per client by 26%, you'll achieve a compounded output of 100% more revenue from your website.” - Michael Buzinski

“Nine times out of ten, I hear, 'If I raise my prices, I'll lose my clients.' And I usually respond with, 'Those aren't the right clients.' If you can't charge what you're actually worth, you do not have good clients.” - Michael Buzinski

“If you try to talk to everyone, you will become no one because you can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time.” - Michael Buzinski

Takeaways

01:09 Increasing the average value per client, conversion rate, and website traffic by just 26% each can lead to a 100% increase in revenue for a service-based business.

05:12 Raising prices may cause some clients to leave, but those are likely not the right clients for the business. Focusing on the right, high-value clients is key.

16:29 Clearly defining the specific problem the business solves and the target audience is crucial for effective marketing and standing out from the competition.

23:25 Regularly reviewing and updating the business website to ensure it reflects the current offerings and messaging is essential for maintaining a strong online presence.

25:21 Providing a clear, compelling customer journey and brand story on the website can significantly improve conversion rates.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:51 — 42.6MB) | Embed

853: Leverage Your Podcast: Promote, Boost, and Build Profitable Interview Connections with Lyndsay Phillips

March 7, 2022

Are you afraid of podcasting? Do you get burned out when producing your podcast? The number of people who listen to podcasts, as well as the number of podcasts that people listen to, is growing in tandem with the growth of podcasts.

Lyndsay Phillips is the founder of Smooth Business Growth, a company that specializes in helping entrepreneurs leverage the power of podcasting to grow their businesses. Lindsey is also the host of the "Leverage Your Podcast" podcast, where she shares her expertise on using podcasting as a marketing tool. Today, Lyndsay talks about the benefits of podcasting and shared her insights on how to effectively promote and leverage a podcast. She emphasizes the importance of consistency, strategic promotion, and utilizing various platforms to reach a wider audience.

Quotes

“There is always room and time to launch a podcast, start podcast guesting, or simply use it to grow your business.” - Lyndsay Phillips

“It's amazing how many people do not email their list when a new episode comes out. You want to nurture your list, be top of mind, and showcase that you're an expert and connected in the industry.” - Lyndsay Phillips

“You have to be realistic about your goals and expectations going into it. For me, when I first started out, it was about getting my name out there, meeting other people, and growing my email list.” - Lyndsay Phillips

Takeaways

00:57 Podcasting is still a growing and viable marketing channel, with room for new entrants to find success.

04:39 Consistently promoting podcast episodes across multiple platforms and channels is crucial for building an audience.

06:44 Leveraging email marketing to nurture your list and keep them engaged with your podcast content can be a powerful strategy.

21:17 Having a system and checklist in place for podcast promotion and repurposing content can help streamline the process and ensure consistency.

25:05 Focusing on the core goals and objectives of your podcast, rather than getting caught up in minor details, is the key to getting started and finding success.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:22 — 37.8MB) | Embed

852: Outranking Content Writing Tool: Consistently Publish Popular Content with Pankil Shah

March 6, 2022

Being a writer or simply someone who wants to write for content creation is difficult for many individuals. Not because they don't know how to do it, but because they fear they won't be able to hold the reader's attention from the minute they begin reading the material.

Pankil Shah is the CEO and co-founder of Outranking.io, an AI platform that helps writers, editors, and SEO professionals create impactful web content. With over 10 years of experience leading product and growth for startups, Pankil is an entrepreneur and SaaS product and content marketing expert. Today, Pankil discusses Outranking.io's AI-powered writing assistant that helps create factual, SEO-optimized content for web pages, blog posts, landing pages, and more.

Quotes

“The problem with AI is that it's trained based on old data, so it doesn't really know the new concepts or what happened today.” - Pankil Shah

“Many tools out there do an excellent job at one thing, and that thing is brainstorming. You are going to read through the entire output and then modify it according to your needs.” - Pankil Shah

“This is the one piece of advice I give to all marketers creating content: Ditch the editors that focus solely on keyword density and look elsewhere. That's not how you create content for 2021.” - Pankil Shah

Takeaways

00:49 AI-powered writing tools need to be able to generate factual, up-to-date content, not just fictional or outdated information.

07:40 Leveraging AI to assist with research and content structure can save writers significant time and effort.

09:34 A modular, step-by-step approach to content creation, with guidance from the AI, is more effective than simply generating an entire piece of content at once.

15:48 Optimizing existing content can be just as important as creating new content, in order to maximize search engine visibility and traffic.

19:45 Focusing on user intent and readability is more important than just targeting specific keywords when creating content.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:03 — 29.1MB) | Embed

851: Wunderkind: Find Fulfillment and Unleash Your Own Individuality in the Workplace with Alli Trusell

March 5, 2022

People management and ensuring that qualified workers, are assigned in their optimal position of competency are crucial to achieving exponential growth in the following years. Simply preventing obstacles in the process is vital for sustainability and efficiency, as is supporting people in feeling valued, excited, and committed to the work they accomplish.

Alli Trusell is the Chief of Staff at Wunderkind, a fast-growing SaaS and marketing firm. She is an expert in communications, people management, culture, and performance. Today, Alli discusses the changing landscape of the workplace, the importance of aligning employees' values and passions, and the strategies companies can use to retain top talent in a highly competitive job market.

Quotes

“There's a real emotional connection to taking a new job that we haven't seen before. It's a harder thing to combat from an attrition perspective. We really have to align with people's values.” - Alli Trusell

“I would much rather hire someone who is passionate, driven, and curious about what they're going to be doing than someone who is cookie-cutter perfect from a resume perspective.” - Alli Trusell

“Be happy in what you do. It's something you have some control over. If you're not happy at your job, consider finding one that brings you joy.” - Alli Trusell

Takeaways

00:39 Companies need to focus on aligning employee values and passions to retain top talent in a highly competitive job market.

11:01 Managers should encourage open communication, provide opportunities for growth and development, and ensure employees are not overworked or burnt out.

16:38 Personalized experiences and a focus on the customer can help brands stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

18:57 Embracing diversity of thought and background can foster innovation and create a positive work culture.

19:47 Passion, curiosity, and a willingness to tackle challenging problems are highly valued traits in potential hires.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:37 — 31.3MB) | Embed

850: Savvy Pro Web: Boost Your Website’s Lead Generation Performance with Sean Rosensteel

March 4, 2022

Business growth can be a long-term and challenging process and many successful small business owners are continuously looking to expand their customer base and grow their businesses. One of the elements of growing a business is having access to a steady stream of leads, and business owners should invest in this necessary evil called "digital marketing."

Sean Rosensteel is the founder of Savvy Pro Web, a company that builds professional websites to increase credibility, generate leads, and win clients. As a lifelong entrepreneur, Sean shares his expertise on the importance of empathy and understanding your customer's journey when creating an effective website. Today, Sean talks about the strategic approach to website design, emphasizing the need to focus on solving the visitor's problems rather than just promoting your own business.

Quotes

“What we really need to be doing is expressing empathy for the visitor, the prospect we're serving, whether we have a service business or a product business.” - Sean Rosensteel

“Marketing is trial and error. That's been my experience. I've been a marketer for roughly 15 years, and to me, it all boils down to trial and error.” - Sean Rosensteel

“If your website isn't effective, if you have a website that doesn't work, you're just going to get the same results, and you'll just end up paying more for it.” - Sean Rosensteel

Takeaways

01:11 Focusing on solving the visitor's problems, rather than just promoting your own business, is key to creating an effective website.

03:22 Understanding your customer's journey and their level of expertise in your industry is crucial for using the right language and approach on your website.

13:12 Adopting a trial-and-error mindset and setting clear budgets and timelines for marketing experiments can help you make data-driven decisions.

21:52 Ensuring your website is effective and converting visitors before investing in traffic-driving strategies is a more efficient approach.

26:12 Leveraging existing traffic and optimizing your website can often yield better results than constantly seeking new sources of traffic.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:53 — 39.9MB) | Embed

849: Agency Survival Guide: Productize a Service Business and Stand Out in a Crowded Market with Max Traylor

March 3, 2022

I have a question for my fellow founders, small business owners, and entrepreneurs: Do you work for your business or is your business working for you? Do you wish you had a business that could develop quickly, be extremely profitable, and scale without you? Do you have a wonderful concept but aren't sure how to turn it into a product that will generate a reliable, regular cash stream?

Max Traylor is a coach, consultant, and strategy expert who helps productize consulting services. He is the host of the interview show "Beers with Max" and the author of the book "Agency Survival Guide: How to Productize Consulting Services and Do Other Things Better Too." Today, Max discusses the importance of building a business that aligns with your personal life, the power of positioning your knowledge as a premium offering, and the strategies for finding and targeting your ideal clients.

Quotes

“The lesson to my five-year-old business self would be to put your personal life first and build a business that works around your personal life, not the other way around.” - Max Traylor

“The money you make has nothing to do with what you do. It has to do with who you're selling to, who you're working with, and what they perceive the value to be.” - Max Traylor

“Don't wait for your best clients to show up; you have to go get them. If you're not staring at a list of your next 40 ideal customers, you're doing it wrong.” - Max Traylor

Takeaways

01:14 Building a business around your personal life and lifestyle is key to achieving work-life balance.

03:47 Positioning your knowledge and expertise as a premium offering allows you to charge higher prices and create scalable revenue streams.

09:18 Embracing the mindset that "no" is the start of a valuable conversation, not the end, can help you overcome limiting beliefs about pricing.

12:36 Actively pursuing and targeting your ideal clients, rather than waiting for them to find you, is crucial for business growth.

18:36 Maintaining a consistent pipeline of 15-20 new prospect conversations per month is a good target to ensure a steady flow of new business.

23:13 Defining what "growth" means to you personally, whether that's increased revenue or more personal time, is crucial for setting the right goals.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:25 — 36.5MB) | Embed

848: Impact Speaker Academy: Communicate and Monetize Your Message with Odell Bizell

March 2, 2022

Want to improve your public speaking and communication skills? While most diverse speakers and trainers focus on theories, definitions, and intangible rhetoric, Odell's presentations and training focus on skills leaders can learn and apply. When you hire him, you get an energetic, dynamic, and knowledgeable speaker that teaches skills that will help you thrive in diverse settings and situations.

Odell Bizell is a business coach who teaches entrepreneurs and small business owners how to double their income with public speaking. He is the author of 10 books and has partnered with over 240 colleges as a motivational speaker. Odell has also worked with the military to teach communication skills to emerging professionals in 45 states. Today, Odell talks about the importance of making your customers feel something in order to increase the likelihood of them buying from you. He shares a case study of a client who used observational humor and an "anti-campaign" to market his services.

Quotes

“If you can't evoke an emotional response from your customer or client, the likelihood of them buying from you is very low.” - Odell Bizell

“Instead of just saying, ‘Well, I am so great,’ try this approach: ‘Hey, let's see what makes things so great about you. What's your job like? What's your lifestyle like?’ This way, you gather all the data.” - Odell Bizell

“Think about what you truly represent and embody in your life. Then, identify events and opportunities that align with and support that outcome.” - Odell Bizell

Takeaways

00:58 Connecting with your audience on an emotional level is crucial for increasing sales and conversions.

05:32 Observational humor and "anti-campaigns" can be effective marketing strategies to stand out and engage your target audience.

11:01 Focusing on speaking with your customers, rather than just talking at them, is essential for building trust and rapport.

17:18 Reverse-engineering your approach by identifying your ideal clients and their needs is key to creating effective public speaking and marketing campaigns.

21:48 Providing monetary incentives for existing clients to attend your events can be a powerful way to deepen relationships and generate new leads.

Resources

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:40 — 39.6MB) | Embed

Interview

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Quotes

Takeaways

Resources

Done For You Podcasting

Signup for Free Report

About Robert & The Podcast

Recent Posts

Income Machine

Bestselling Books

Categories

Archives