Want to know why some brands dominate while others fight for scraps? In this episode, Mark Drager sits down with Gair Maxwell, author of Big Little Legends, to reveal how ordinary businesses become extraordinary brands through the power of story.  From turning a small-town car dealership into a $50 million phenomenon to helping a home renovation company scale to $1 billion in revenue, Gair shares the secrets behind creating magnetic brand narratives that make selling effortless.   Here you will learn:  The "Mona Lisa Effect" and why the best product rarely wins How changing your story (not your product) can transform your entire business Why most companies get brand building completely wrong  The four essential leadership qualities needed to become legendary  How to discover and leverage your unique story in a crowded market  The critical difference between marketing tactics and creating true legends Why traditional "best practices" often lead to mediocre results  How to know if you have the courage to truly stand out  The hidden power of symbolism and metaphor in business  Practical steps to turn your company into a "Category of One"  The surprising truth about what actually makes customers line up   Are you struggling to differentiate your business or ready to become a leader in your space? Tune in now! Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe

Struggling to take your business to the next revenue milestone?  In this episode, Mark Drager sits down with Trevor Mauch, founder and CEO of Carrot, a thriving SaaS company, to uncover the common obstacles businesses face as they scale and how to effectively navigate them. With Carrot’s impressive journey from a startup to an eight-figure company, Trevor shares his expertise in delegation, leadership, and building systems that sustain growth across various revenue stages. He further explores the stages of business growth, sharing the specific pain points and solutions at each revenue milestone. We cover: Key challenges at each revenue milestone How to transition from a hands-on performer to a strategic builder Effective delegation techniques for sustainable growth Strategies for evolving your leadership identity How to identify the key growth pain lines at $100K, $300K, $1M, and beyond Benefits of conducting an energy audit to optimize your business activities Strategies for performing an identity upgrade to align with your business growth When to scale your business and when it might be okay to scale back How to balance purpose, profits, and energy with the Entrepreneur Freedom Formula Real-world examples of successful scaling and leadership transformation Are you just starting out or aiming for massive growth? Tune in to gain the knowledge and inspiration to confidently scale your enterprise! Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe  

In today’s fast-paced and competitive B2B landscape, understanding the balance between branding and marketing is more critical than ever. In this episode of How to Sell More, Mark Drager talks about why combining these two elements strategically can help your business stand out, attract better leads, and close more deals. Mark explores why many companies focus too much on short-term marketing tactics while neglecting the long-term impact of their brand, and how this mistake can cost you big in the long run.  We cover: Why first impressions matter and how your brand can instantly build trust The hidden costs of relying solely on quick marketing fixes like social ads and SEO How a strong brand acts as the foundation for all successful marketing efforts The importance of defining what makes your company unique in a crowded market A practical framework for aligning brand, marketing, and sales for sustainable growth Why strategic branding creates long-term value while short-term tactics fade quickly Are you tired of losing leads to low-cost competitors, struggling to stand out, or just looking to elevate your B2B sales process? Tune in and  learn how to align your branding and marketing strategies not just to sell more, but to sell smarter. Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe

Is Facebook marketing dead, or are you just using outdated strategies? In this episode, Mark Drager welcomes Megan Huber, a business strategist who has turned Facebook Groups into a revenue powerhouse. Megan shares how she effectively  built thriving communities, connecting authentically with her audience, and converting group members into paying clients without spending hours online. Known for her 'generous authority' approach, Megan simplifies the process of creating value-driven groups that act as robust lead pipelines. She challenges the myths about social media marketing and shares her unique strategy for building a powerful lead-generation machine using Facebook groups.  Mark and Megan explore: Why Facebook Groups still work and how to leverage them effectively in 2024. How to position yourself as a 'generous authority' to attract and engage the right audience. The secret to creating a community that converts without overwhelming yourself. A step-by-step process to fill your group with qualified, ready-to-buy leads. Why content consistency and simplicity are key to driving engagement. How to use polls and DMs strategically to build relationships and close sales. Why Megan’s focus on ONE audience, ONE problem, and ONE solution is the game-changer. Debunking the myth that Facebook is outdated and understanding where people make buying decisions today. If you're tired of high-tech, complicated strategies and want a working way to build a client-generating community, tune in and learn how a Facebook Group can fuel your business success! Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe  

David Priemer, a former Salesforce executive and founder of Cerebral Selling, reveals the secret sauce behind successful sales: human psychology. He emphasizes that buyers often decide based on feelings, not just features. Priemer introduces the 'love-hate framework' to craft compelling sales messages that resonate emotionally, like Trunk Club's unique positioning. He also discusses the importance of genuine belief in your solutions and the necessity of owning customer outcomes for building lasting relationships. Authenticity and empathy are key!

Ever tried everything to grow your business, only to feel hopeless about your marketing and sales? Mark Drager shares a story about a business owner who, despite 10+ years of experience and an established team, found nothing generated new business. Despite trying SEO, paid ads, social media, content marketing, networking, and cold calling - nothing moved leads through the sales process. This sparked a crucial insight: Marketing is an amplification tool. Mark illustrates this using movies - audiences don't blame theaters for bad films, they blame Hollywood. Similarly, businesses must examine what they're amplifying before focusing on distribution. What matters is saying the right message to the right people at the right time. When multiple approaches fail, the issue often isn't the marketing channel - it's what you're trying to communicate and to whom. Key Takeaways: Marketing amplifies your message - focus on what you're saying before how you're distributing it When proven approaches stop working, examine if your market has shifted Look at your price point, targeting, and messaging before changing tactics again Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe

Former A&E and Fox television executive Brad Holcman shares how his experience evaluating thousands of TV shows translates into effective sales strategies. Drawing from 20+ years producing unscripted television, Brad explains why most pitches fail in the first 30 seconds and outlines his proven framework for capturing attention. Brad reveals why understanding your audience's challenges matters more than perfecting your pitch deck. Through stories from his career, he demonstrates how authenticity and targeted storytelling outperform conventional sales techniques. The conversation explores the essential pre-pitch work top performers complete, why rushing to close deals often backfires, and how to build genuine connections that drive long-term success. From structuring compelling narratives to understanding when to reveal key information, Brad provides practical guidance in modern persuasion that works across industries. His insights help reframe how businesses approach sales conversations, moving beyond features and benefits to create meaningful engagement. Key Takeaways: Start with Challenges - Identify your prospect's biggest problem before crafting your pitch. Align your story with their specific needs to create immediate connection. Focus Your Opening - Structure the first 30 seconds to highlight one compelling promise that addresses your prospect's pain point. Build Trust Through Content - Share expertise consistently through valuable content before asking for the sale. Top 3 Reasons to Listen: Learn TV production secrets that turn cold prospects into engaged buyers Discover the psychological triggers that make your pitch impossible to ignore Access proven frameworks from someone who's evaluated thousands of successful and failed pitches Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe

Ryan Deiss, a digital marketing veteran and CEO of scalable.co and digitalmarketer.com, shares his insights on the death of the traditional marketing funnel. He reveals why modern buyers skip linear paths and instead seek relationships. Deiss champions clear problem statements over hyper-targeting, highlighting the pitfalls of perfect attribution tracking. He also discusses how broad messaging can outperform narrow ads and shares practical email strategies for maintaining customer goodwill. Discover how to adapt your marketing approach for today’s fragmented digital landscape!

There's a painful truth in business that nobody wants to discuss: most companies are hemorrhaging talent and money through poor culture – and throwing pizza parties won't fix it. Meet Kate Volman – CEO of Floyd Consulting and organizational culture expert who's challenging the "perks over purpose" mentality plaguing modern businesses. As the leader behind The Dream Manager program, Kate has helped transform hundreds of organizations from talent-bleeding bureaucracies into high-performing powerhouses where people actually want to work. In this no-holds-barred conversation with Mark Drager, Kate pulls back the curtain on: The hidden cost of bad culture (and why most companies vastly underestimate it) Why your "gut feel" hiring approach is secretly sabotaging your growth The counterintuitive strategy that saved one company $150,000 in turnover costs How to spot the toxic behaviors driving your best talent away The proven framework for building a coaching culture that retains top performers Real-world examples of turning disengaged teams into unstoppable forces The leadership blind spots causing your "expectations gap" crisis Plus, you'll get guidance on: Building hiring processes that actually work Creating accountability without fear Converting complainers into contributors Making employee development a competitive advantage Whether you're a scaling company struggling with retention, or a leader watching your culture crumble, this episode is your blueprint for building an organization where both people and profits flourish. Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe

There's a dangerous myth in entrepreneurship: that hyper-growth is the only path to success. But what if building a sustainable, profitable business didn't require sacrificing your sanity? Meet Ryan Crownholm – U.S. Army veteran turned multi-business founder who's challenging Silicon Valley's 'grow at all costs' mentality. As the architect behind MySitePlan.com and DirtMatch.com, Ryan has quietly built a business empire that's weathered multiple economic storms while serving thousands of satisfied customers. In this tactical conversation with Mark Drager, Ryan rips open his entrepreneurial playbook to reveal: The counter-intuitive growth strategy that helped him build multiple 7-figure businesses without outside funding Why "slow is smooth, smooth is fast" – military wisdom that transformed his approach to scaling The exact systems he used to automate MySitePlan.com into a lean, profitable machine His controversial take on why most startups get pricing completely wrong The data-driven framework he uses to run multiple businesses without burning out Real-world examples of turning customer service into a competitive moat The mindset shift that helps veteran and formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs succeed Plus, you'll get actionable insights on: Building recession-proof revenue streams Creating systems that scale without chaos Making decisions with incomplete information Turning customer feedback into product gold Whether you're a bootstrapped founder tired of the "unicorn or bust" narrative, or an established entrepreneur, this episode is your blueprint for building a business that thrives in any economy. Warning: This episode contains zero-fluff, battle-tested strategies that might challenge everything you think you know about scaling a business. Follow Mark: LinkedIn: https://hi.switchy.io/markdrager Instagram: https://hi.switchy.io/KcKi Want more free tools? Go to our podcast page at https://hi.switchy.io/KcKe