Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson

In this week's "What's Up This Week" episode, Jay discusses key insights from a recent study on optimal platforms for short-form video content. He also shares updates on the latest season of The Bachelor.Main Discussion Points:- A study by Amplify analyzing 1300 brands on TikTok and Instagram found Instagram Reels delivers significantly higher reach and engagement for short-form video compared to other platforms.- Instagram Reels delivers 6x the reach compared to Instagram Stories, yet brands are posting 5x more Stories.- Business brands should lean more into Instagram Reels for short-form video instead of assuming it's only for consumer audiences.And MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

Description:In this special edition episode, host Jay Schwedelson and director of Guru Events, Stania Antoine, recap behind-the-scenes details from Guru Conference 2023. They discuss highlights like having Martha Stewart as a keynote speaker, challenges with not offering on-demand access, and ideas for improving the event in 2024. Tune in for industry insights and behind-the-scenes stories from the minds behind Guru Conference!Key Discussion Points:- Having Martha Stewart as a big name keynote was a major highlight. Her session featured her miniature donkeys in the background.- They got backlash for not offering on-demand access to sessions after the live event. Trying to find a middle ground approach for 2024.- Tried innovations like a "Hot Ones" chicken wing challenge and surprise reality TV guests. Some hits and some misses.- Email marketing is critical for driving registrations and attendance. Sent many reminder emails.- Social media efforts were weak overall. Will focus more on Instagram and LinkedIn moving forward.- Fun swag giveaways like hoodies were more popular than expected. Shipment delayed but coming soon.And MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

In this episode of 'Do This, Not That', Jay Schwedelson reveals the latest subject line trends to maximize email open rates. As an email marketer, boosting your open rate is crucial for success. Join Jay as he shares actionable tips and real-life examples on crafting compelling subject lines that grab attention and drive engagement. From pain point marketing to leveraging the power of comparison, learn how to optimize your subject lines for the highest email open rates in the new year. Don't miss out on this valuable insight that will supercharge your email marketing campaigns!Key Discussion Points:- Pain point marketing in subject lines lifts open rates by 25% on average- Comparison subject lines asking "how do you measure up" boosts open rates by 30%- Using 1-3 word subject lines increases open rates by over 25%- "Secrets of" subject lines also lift rates over 20%And MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

Learn tips on how to grow your network on LinkedIn by consistently posting over time. Debate whether families should still send out holiday cards once kids are grown. Discover how Marigold can help your business with loyalty solutions.

In this short Tuesday episode, Jay and Kristin Nagel discuss some of the interesting things going on this week, including a new EU AI law, their thoughts on the hit Netflix movie "Leave the World Behind", and more.Main Discussion Points:- The EU has reached a deal on a sweeping AI law called the AI Act. It will require companies to label AI-generated content and design systems so AI content can be detected. This could have major implications as EU laws often make their way to the US.-The current #1 Netflix movie in the US is "Leave the World Behind" starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Ethan Hawke. Jay did not like the movie but Kristin gave it an 8/10. There seems to be two camps - people who liked it and people who think it absolutely sucked.And MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

In this wide-ranging episode, Jay discusses key marketing trends and strategies for 2024. He talks about what to expect in the first few weeks of January when marketing performance tends to dip, how to account for depressed performance during the 2024 election year, and shares some chaotic personal stories.Main Discussion Points:- First 2 weeks of January see low marketing performance; don't expect much from webinars or high-number lists- Back in stock and massive discounts work in early January- Unsubscribes remain high in early January- Good tactic: Email existing contacts about new hires and request adding them to your lists- 2024 is a presidential election year which brings high noise levels and depressed marketing performance- Jay's events company moved its November event earlier to avoid proximity to election- Chaotic personal story about awkward dinner conversationsAnd MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

In this short holiday episode of "Ask Us Anything", Jay and Kristin Nagel tackle a work question about proving the effectiveness of email marketing and a lighthearted question about whether there's anything Jay doesn't like about the holidays. Listeners can expect tips on using "holdout groups" to quantify email marketing performance and a funny discussion about Jay's inability to properly wrap presents.Main Discussion Points:- Using a "holdout group" to prove email marketing effectiveness by isolating a segment of your list and not sending any emails to them, allowing you to clearly see the incremental lift generated by the emails.- Jay shouts out Houston and recalls an odd experience ice skating at a mall there.- The podcast is sponsored by Marigold, an email marketing and loyalty platform.- Jay reminisces about growing up near the Long Island town Sayasset.- Jay admits he's terrible at wrapping holiday gifts, no matter how hard he tries. He uses too much tape and paper but is oblivious to his lack of skill.And MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

In this short episode, Jay and  Kristin discuss some interesting news and happenings from the past week, including SmileDirectClub going out of business, Meta's Threads app expanding into the EU, and the never-ending barrage of holiday sales.Key Discussion Points:- SmileDirectClub abruptly shutting down despite huge marketing campaigns and leaving customers on payment plans responsible for finishing payments- Meta's Threads app launching in the EU and why it's an opportunity to get in early on a platform that could grow substantially- The constant sales after Black Friday making Jay feel like he bought too earlyAnd MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

In this episode of his podcast, host Jay Schwedelson discusses the importance of email preheaders. He defines what preheaders are, common mistakes marketers make with them, and best practices for leveraging preheaders to improve email open and click-through rates.Main Discussion Points:- What is an email preheader and why it's important- Common mistake - only testing emails on desktop and not phones, resulting in preheader code issues- Tips for effective preheaders- Using continuation preheaders starting with "and", "but", or "plus"- Testing no preheader at allAnd MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!

In this short midweek podcast episode, host Jay Schwedelson tackles a work question about deciding when to redo your company's email newsletter program. Tune in to find out if it's time for a redo of your company's newsletter program and learn tips and tricks to make it more engaging. Jay shares his own experiences, including variations in delivery, subject lines, and content, to help you rethink and revamp your email newsletter strategy. He also addresses a ridiculous question about what to do with holiday gifts you don't like from someone close to you.Key Discussion Points:- Deciding when your email newsletter needs rethinking- Keeping ugly holiday gifts to avoid offending the gift giverAnd MASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Marigold!!Marigold is a relationship marketing platform designed to help you acquire new customers and turn them into superfans with their best-in-class loyalty solutions. Don’t take my word for it though, American Airlines, Honeybaked Ham, Title Boxing, and Notre Dame University are also customers!Regardless of your size, check out Marigold today to get the solution you need to grow your business!