Your Digital Marketing Coach with Neal Schaffer

In this podcast episode, I discuss the importance of investing in marketing and not being too frugal with marketing budgets. I share personal examples of how investing money in the right areas can lead to significant returns in terms of lead generation and business growth. I emphasize the importance of not being a "cheapskate" in marketing and instead doing smart marketing. This episode highlights the mindset of how we spend our money and the need to reconstruct a marketing budget on a year-to-year basis.TIMESTAMPSInvesting in Marketing [00:01:14] I share personal examples of how investing a little more money in marketing tools and webinars can lead to significant returns in terms of lead generation and business growth.Importance of AI in Marketing [00:04:09] I emphasize the importance of investing in marketing tools that incorporate AI, as almost every marketing tool is including some form of AI into their tool.Influencer Marketing [00:06:44] I discusses the importance of investing in influencer marketing and not being too stingy with compensation for influencers. I suggest that companies should offer influencers something of value, such as free use of their tool, in exchange for promoting their product.Investing in Marketing Tools [00:10:22] I emphasize the importance of investing in marketing tools and AI to help scale and grow a business.Learn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

In this episode of the Your Digital Marketing Coach podcast, I interview Chris Smith, author of The Conversion Code, about implementing a sales-focused marketing strategy. We discuss the science behind the convergence of sales and marketing and provide real step-by-step advice for success. Chris emphasizes the importance of having a well-organized website and landing pages, lead follow-up, and inside sales. He also stresses the significance of technology in scaling marketing strategies and encourages executives to support their employees in conducting experiments and taking risks.Guest Links:Curaytor: https://www.curaytor.com/The Conversion Code Website: https://www.theconversioncode.com/The Conversion Code: Stop Chasing Leads and Start Attracting Clients by Chris Smith: https://amzn.to/41yuTyy (affiliate)Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris_smth/Time Stamps*Chris Smith's Background [00:04:30]*Chris Smith talks about his background in sales and marketing, starting in the boiler room doing phone sales for telemarketing companies.*The Early Days of Social Media [00:08:38]*Chris Smith talks about how he became influential in the real estate industry through social media and how the Wall Street Journal offered him $5000 a month to advertise on his blog.*The Importance of Listening in Content Marketing [00:09:37]*I discuss with Chris Smith the importance of listening more than speaking in content marketing and he shares a story about how asking questions can lead to success.*The Importance of Digital Marketing Fundamentals [00:16:25]*Chris Smith and I discuss the importance of having digital marketing fundamentals in place before implementing more advanced strategies, and how many companies still struggle with the basics.*The Importance of Website and Sales Process [00:16:44]*Chris Smith emphasizes the importance of having a clean website and a well-structured sales process before investing in marketing.*The Science of Marketing and Sales [00:18:03]*Chris Smith talks about his personal approach to marketing and sales, which involves experimenting and testing different strategies to see what works.*Challenges of Large Companies [00:23:33]*Chris Smith and I discuss the challenges that large companies face when it comes to implementing new marketing and sales strategies, and the importance of having a supportive executive team.*Lead Follow Up [00:25:06]*Chris Smith discusses the importance of lead follow up and shares tips on how to improve lead conversion rates, including speed to lead and personalization.*Inside Sales [00:29:58]*Chris Smith defines insiLearn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

The creator economy has unleashed a new generation of creators who seek to become niche experts.While having niche expertise in an industry can be helpful to your business if you want to market in that industry, does hiring a niche expert to help with your marketing make sense?On the other hand, what is the holistic marketing concept, and how does working with a holistic marketing expert differ from working with a niche expert?These are the questions I will answer based on my own experience in helping companies and transitioning from one to the other - you'll find out all about it by listening to the end!Learn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

One might argue that influencer marketing should be an even more important marketing channel for B2B brands, but most simply misunderstand what is potentially the most powerful marketing channel for them.From leveraging employees as internal influencers to properly collaborating with external influencers, influencer marketing can have a profound impact on B2B businesses when done right.So how do you best DO B2B influencer marketing?I can't think of anyone in the world to more knowledgable about B2B influencer marketing than Tim Williams, CEO of Onalytica.Together we will discuss the following:- ROI of B2B Influencer Marketing- Best ways to activate B2B Creators- What B2B Creators are looking for when partnering with brands- How to connect your Employee Advocacy & Influencer Marketing programs- How to measure influencer marketing successI hope you can join us for what should be a profoundly educational and invaluable use of your time!Learn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Are you looking to breathe some new air into your digital marketing?Want to create content that can truly be leveraged across EVERY social media and evergreen content platform?Do you want to have more FUN with your content and create a community revolving around it and your content experience?A LOT has been said about live streaming, but I don't think it has ever been described in the way that I have experienced and learned over the last few weeks...Learn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

If you have an interest in content marketing, you might know who Joe Pulizzi is and his absolute authority on the subject. But just in case, Joe is considered the legitimate Godfather of Content Marketing because he is the:Founder of Content Marketing InstituteFounder of Content Marketing WorldAuthor of several content marketing books, including the recently revised Epic Content MarketingHe also recently founded the Creator Economy ExpoBut Joe is not going to give you the content marketing advice that you already know. On the contrary, Joe is going to teach you some unconventional ways of thinking about content marketing.Intrigued?You should be!GUEST LINKSCreator Economy Expo: https://nealschaffer.com/cex [affiliate]Epic Content Marketing on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JJ96NE [affiliate]The Tilt: https://thetilt.comLearn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

You've heard it a million times: you need to do marketing campaigns if you want your business to grow.But what if I told you that's not actually true? That focusing on something else instead could lead to even better results? Listen to this episode to find out what that "something else" is.Specifically I will be discussing the ineffectiveness of marketing campaigns and suggesting an experimental approach to marketing. I emphasize the importance of a data-driven approach to marketing and experimenting with different channels, mediums, and influencers to achieve better results. I also discuss the PDCA approach to marketing, which emphasizes planning, doing, checking, and acting upon experiments to achieve continuous improvement. I conclude by encouraging marketers to focus on continuous improvement and adapting to changes in social media platforms and algorithms. This episode provides valuable insights for marketers, entrepreneurs, business owners, and content creators.Key Highlights**Marketing Campaigns [00:00:01]**As a marketing professional, I have come to realize that traditional marketing campaigns are often outdated and ineffective. That's why I believe a data-driven approach to marketing is necessary to stay ahead of the competition.**PDCA Approach to Marketing [00:04:46]**I have found that the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach to marketing is a great way to conduct experiments and continuously improve marketing strategies. By following this approach, I can make data-driven decisions and adjust my marketing tactics accordingly.**Data-Driven Experiments [00:07:31]**In my experience, conducting data-driven experiments across different marketing channels, mediums, and influencers is crucial to achieving better results than traditional marketing campaigns. By analyzing the data, I can identify what works and what doesn't, and adjust my strategies accordingly.**Data-Driven Marketing [00:10:16]**I cannot stress enough the importance of a data-driven approach to marketing. By experimenting with different channels, mediums, and influencers, and shifting resources based on data, I can ensure that my marketing efforts are effective and efficient.**Conclusion [00:11:15]**To summarize, a data-driven approach to marketing is necessary to stay ahead of the competition.Notable QuotesHere's the thing, I don't believe in campaigns, there is nothing to share. And I thought a lot about this. And I thought maybe I'm crazy that I don't have this campaign mindset. Now, I am not a traditional marketer. The notion of a campaign falls back into that traditional marketing. And it's disruptive in nature, right? It's something that existed before social media.There are something called launches, a launch might be considered a campaign, but the idea is you are a new brand, or you'reLearn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

67 percent of B2B buyers no longer prefer to interact with sales representatives when making purchasing decisions. Gathering information online is now the hallmark of the buying process.This is great background for today's interview with Steven Mark Kahan, author of High Velocity Digital Marketing, who has successfully helped grow seven startup companies from early stage to going public or being sold, resulting in $5 billion in shareholder value. Based on his recent $1.4 billion dollar exit with cybersecurity firm, Thycotic, he will share the inside secrets of how to build a sales and marketing strategy that delivers breakthrough revenue growth –in brutally competitive markets, including:•The modern digital marketing strategies he recommends to his clients  - that any company can replicate•Easy-to-implement strategies for getting found online, providing the most critical information, and getting buyers to purchase—fast. While the interview is focused on B2B, the advice is equally applicable to B2C, so make sure you tune in!Key Highlights[02:02] Introduction of Podcast Guest, Steven Mark Kahan[04:03] Steven's Journey to Digital Marketing[05:11] Why Steven Wrote High-Velocity Digital Marketing[07:08] The Importance of the Foundations of Digital Marketing[10:01] Ask the Right Questions![14:06] Strengthening Your Digital Marketing Foundation[18:03] 3 Ways Steven Convince Brands to Invest in Content that Fill In Gaps[22:27] The Analogy of How People Buy Today[24:43] High-Velocity Tips from Steven [28:32] Think About Velocity![31:36] Final Thoughts[32:42] Connect With StevenNotable QuotesCertainly the way in which people buy today is they buy based on the research they do online. So if you're going to market today, digital is the way you have to go.Beyond just not talking to customers enough, it's really defining who your ideal target buyer is in detail, such that you're able to effectively target your digital programs to them. And then, of course, it's understanding the full context of their world.What are these buyers that you're targeting digitally, they're not looking really for how creative or clever your marketing department is, what they're looking for, is to work with companies that understand them, that empathize with them.A lot of it then comes to how you utilize that information to create your value proposition to ensure that it is differentiated, that you're able to communicate that unique value perfectly to that target buyer.It was really how you use that information to incorporate it within your messaging, and then how you also use that information in the content that you create across the buyers journey.You got to be great online, if you want to consistently grow revenue for sure. And Google is key.Guest LinLearn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

Following up on my report from the Generative AI conference, today's guest has transformed a social media dashboard into becoming an AI ghostwriter for digital and social media marketing.Meet Greg Starling, Head of the Innovation Labs at Tailwind, who is helping to create a new generative AI product there.- Using AI to brainstorm ideas- Using AI to streamline marketing processes- When & how to partner with AI for maximum effectivenessTake a deep dive into A.I. and how you can better leverage it for your business.Key Highlights[03:53] Introduction of Podcast Guest, Greg Starling[07:51] How Greg Got Into the AI Industry[10:30] Pushing AI Into Create Tools[12:41] Getting the Right Queries and Prompts[18:46] Areas Where Tailwind Has Implemented AI[22:39] Transition from Social Media Dashboard to AI Marketing Tool[23:48] Leveraging the AI Engine[28:54] Streamling AI Into the Marketing Process[33:19] Greg's Quick Tip on Writing Summary[34:37] Where to Start the Process of Using AI?[40:01] Where GPT Technology Is Going?[45:08] Connect With GregNotable QuotesPeople just think chat GPT is only chat GPT When, at the end of the day, you're gonna get something very generic from it, as you said, compared to other tools that are that are putting, you know, secret sauces on top of it.Anywhere where you're writing content that you want to that you're using to try to market yourself market your brand, we probably have some AI assistance there that could that can move you along quicker.We're trying to do things where we can give you a full on marketing plan, but then help you execute that plan with AI. There's this concept that people romanticize a blank page, people say, Oh, well, there's endless possibilities. But the truth is, a blank page stops people from doing what they need to do.We're trying to get you off of that blank page, and onto the next step and actually moving forwards, in your kind of marketing process. I think people who get really good at this will actually replace people who who ignore it or fearful of it, I know a lot of people aren't I get it, but it's not going to you being fearful of it is not going to stop happening. So I think everybody's got to figure out how they can fit in and, and take advantage of it.Start finding a platform that you like that you trust, that you think has your best interests in mind, and figure out how you can start implementing those into your product. You need an AI strategy. Even a company like tailwind, had an AI strategy implemented it and you can see what's happened. So every one of us needs to think.Guest Links:Greg Starling on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregstarling/Try Out TailwiLearn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com

The use of AI in marketing and business in general is evolving much quicker than you might think. I had a chance to attend Jasper's Generative AI conference in San Francisco this month and wanted to share with you how far things are progressing and the impact it is already having on marketing and business.Tune in and I trust that you will also come to the same understanding that the future of A.I. is now and that is not a question of experimentation but of serious strategizing and implementation.Try out Jasper here: https:https://nealschaffer.com/jasper [affiliate link]Key Highlights [04:52] The First Successful AI Program[06:00] Turning Points that Defined Modern Business[06:52] Generative AI Defined[08:26] Generative AI for Content Creation[10:08] Jasper AI Features and Evolution[14:32] AI for Marketing[21:06] Possible Decline of Search Engine Traffic[25:25] The Creativity AI Can Foster[29:52] AI's Impact on the Business World[33:09] AI for Co-development[35:16] How AI Makes Content Marketing Accessible[40:42] How to Future Proof[45:25] AI Literacy and AI Hallucinations[49:47] Why You Should Continue Using JasperNotable QuotesThe only thing that has ever held our ideas back has been an inability to convey them. Thus, from AI, creating that content, the hours reclaimed that we can invest into thinking, expanding and refining ideas, and creating even better content is innumerable. Today, baseline AI is a baseline part of most technology. But in the future, your brand's unique AI, will become that critical turning point of really personalized AI that really can represent your brand voice. Too often, marketers see new technology and rush to the lowest bar of its creation. Just because the barriers have dropped with AI, doesn't mean our standards should. So instead of always creating new content, why don't we take our old content and treat them as assets, and further improve upon them. It's not about the quantity, it's about the quality, and good content, truly good content requires ideation.  And with AI the best ideas win!Create to inspire something to think about. And one of the big messages from this conference was humans collaborating with technology, right? It's all about the creativity that AI can help unleash, not just robotic text. Instead of trying to learn it all yourself, take advantage of the fact that the AI can do a lot of it for you, and work on higher-level issues, similar to how marketers should work on higher-level issues like ideas, and distribution. And this power of ideation is critical for business. Future-proofing ourselves means using AI to enhance our humanity, not erase it remember, ideatioLearn More:Buy Digital Threads: https://nealschaffer.com/digitalthreadsamazonBuy Maximizing LinkedIn for Business Growth: https://nealschaffer.com/maximizinglinkedinamazonJoin My Digital First Mastermind: https://nealschaffer.com/membership/ Learn about My Fractional CMO Consulting Services: https://nealschaffer.com/cmoDownload My Free Ebooks Here: https://nealschaffer.com/books/Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/nealschafferAll My Podcast Show Notes: https://podcast.nealschaffer.com