Marketing Made Simple

If you’re feeling overwhelmed as we close out 2022, you’re not alone! Many business owners and marketers feel the weight of incomplete projects, initiatives that never got started, and stress from trying to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. To make matters worse, you’re not even sure what to prioritize for 2023.   Instead of overworking yourself or getting paralyzed thinking about all there is to do, take a moment to take a step back with us. In this episode, J.J. and April give you a “Marketing Mixtape” – the best marketing takeaways from our top episodes in 2022. Listen in to learn key marketing strategies from our top guests on the show this year to help you get clarity and inspiration going into 2023!   Re-listen to the full episodes from Part 1 of our Marketing Mixtape on Spotify or Apple Podcasts: Marketing Mixtape Part 1 Spotify Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5f2mrAgMLErv7VjcTusHVj?si=49f42532ed834ee6   Direct Links to Full Episodes on Apple Podcasts: #37: What You Need to Make Your Website Work https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-you-need-to-make-your-website-work/id1569923210?i=1000552677178   #60: What You Actually Need to Know About SEO https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-you-need-to-make-your-website-work/id1569923210?i=1000552677178   #49: The Best Way to Use Testimonials to Grow Your Business https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-best-way-to-use-testimonials-to-grow-your-business/id1569923210?i=1000563757386   #31: How to Build Your Social Media Content Calendar https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-build-your-social-media-content-calendar/id1569923210?i=1000548327400   Marketing Mixtape cover art designed by Tyler Core at TylerCoreShoots.com   --   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   HIRE A STORYBRAND CERTIFIED GUIDE TO HELP CREATE THE MARKETING AND MESSAGING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO GROW: MarketingMadeSimple.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

Are you stuck trying to figure out how to design and organize your website? You’re not alone. Creating your company website is one of the most important steps you take when you build your business. But if you’re like a lot of companies, you’re so close to your business that it’s hard to step back and see it from your customer’s perspective. And when your website isn’t tailored to resonate with your specific audience, it’s going to cost you customers.   In today’s episode, J.J. and April talk with StoryBrand Certified Guide, Curt Stockwell. Whether you’re creating a website for the first time or revamping one you already have, Curt shares a few key things you need to keep in mind when it comes to creating a website that works. Listen in to learn how you can optimize your website so you can win more customers and grow your business!   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Curt Stockwell directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/Curt-Stockwell.   --   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   HIRE A STORYBRAND CERTIFIED GUIDE TO HELP CREATE THE MARKETING AND MESSAGING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO GROW: MarketingMadeSimple.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

If you’re stretched thin and having trouble recruiting the right people to join your team, it can feel like an uphill battle. You have to keep doing the work at hand while taking on the time-consuming task of hiring new team members. It can be discouraging, especially when so many businesses are struggling to find good employees.   In today’s episode, J.J. and April talk with Becky Martin, StoryBrand Certified Guide, about how the StoryBrand framework can help you find the right people faster. Listen in to learn 4 key tips on using the StoryBrand framework in your hiring process so you can recruit top talent and grow your company: 1) Be clear 2) Share testimonials 3) Incorporate aspirational identity 4) Include a 3-step plan.   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Becky Martin directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/Becky-Martin.   --   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   HIRE A STORYBRAND CERTIFIED GUIDE TO HELP CREATE THE MARKETING AND MESSAGING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO GROW: MarketingMadeSimple.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

Working with bigger clients usually means a bigger paycheck, but it can be hard to get past the gatekeeper and convince the decision maker to work with you. If you’re not used to selling to larger businesses, you might assume that the gatekeeper is going to communicate the right information up the chain. But in reality, it will be more like a game of telephone where your message gets lost in translation, costing you important business deals.   In today’s episode, J.J. and April talk with StoryBrand Certified Agency Owner, David McAndrews. With expertise selling B2B, David shares some key tips for turning gatekeepers into your brand’s champion so your message gets through to the right people. Listen in as David shares three important tips for selling B2B so you can start landing your dream clients and closing bigger deals.   Contact David McAndrews of Goalpost Group, a StoryBrand Certified Agency, directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/David-McAndrews.   --   CLARIFY YOUR ALL OF YOUR MARKETING AND MESSAGING IN ONLY TWO DAYS! REGISTER NOW FOR THE UPCOMING STORYBRAND MARKETING WORKSHOP HAPPENING DEC 6 & 7, 2022: StoryBrand.com/LIVE   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   HIRE A STORYBRAND CERTIFIED GUIDE TO HELP CREATE THE MARKETING AND MESSAGING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO GROW: MarketingMadeSimple.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

Have you ever felt like your marketing message just isn’t coming together? It can be mind-numbing to stare at a blank screen, constantly deleting the few words you manage to tap out on your keyboard. When the words don’t flow easily, it can bring up questions like, “why is it so hard to explain why my business matters?!” or “I’m a marketer, why isn’t this easier?!”   In today’s episode, J.J. and April share a marketing makeover story featuring Stacey Brown Randall, an author, podcast host, and entrepreneur teaching people how to grow their businesses with referrals. Even though Stacey has a successful business (featured in Forbes and Fox Business!), she struggled to find the words to market her business. Listen in as Stacey and her StoryBrand Guides, Angie Schultz and Kelly Hartnett, share the process of transforming Stacey’s marketing and finding the right words to help her make more money.   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Kelley Hartnett directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/KelleyHartnett.   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Angie Schultz directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/Angie-Schultz.   Learn more about Kelley and Angie's client, Stacey Brown Randall, at StaceyBrownRandall.com.   --   CLARIFY YOUR ALL OF YOUR MARKETING AND MESSAGING IN ONLY TWO DAYS! REGISTER NOW FOR THE UPCOMING STORYBRAND MARKETING WORKSHOP HAPPENING DEC 6 & 7, 2022: StoryBrand.com/LIVE   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   HIRE A STORYBRAND CERTIFIED GUIDE TO HELP CREATE THE MARKETING AND MESSAGING YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TO GROW: MarketingMadeSimple.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

With the end of the year on the horizon, are you finding yourself feeling sluggish and unmotivated with your business and marketing efforts? You’re not alone! That’s why our newest Marketing Made Simple Podcast series is called “Energize.” From now until the end of the year, each episode will be centered around giving you the specific tips you'll need to reenergize your marketing and gain back momentum. If you need an extra boost, this series is for you!   In today’s episode, you'll hear an inspiring testimonial from Tom Cooper, past attendee of the StoryBrand Marketing Workshop. Listen in and learn how implementing the StoryBrand marketing framework can energize your marketing and in turn, your entire organization going into 2023!   Do you really want to energize your marketing and messaging heading into the new year? Then register today at StoryBrand.com/LIVE for the upcoming StoryBrand Marketing Workshop. Work directly with a coach who will show you how to fix your marketing in just two days (December 6 & 7, 2022) and create a clear Brandscript that actually compels customers to buy from you! Register for the StoryBrand Marketing Workshop now at StoryBrand.com/LIVE.   --   CLARIFY YOUR ALL OF YOUR MARKETING AND MESSAGING IN ONLY TWO DAYS! REGISTER NOW FOR THE UPCOMING STORYBRAND MARKETING WORKSHOP HAPPENING DEC 6 & 7, 2022: StoryBrand.com/LIVE   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   WORRIED THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR MARKETING? GET A CUSTOMIZED PLAN TO FIX IT: StoryBrandMarketingReport.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

What was your favorite episode or actionable step of 2022? Call 615-649-0705 before Friday November, 11 and let us know! Your favorites could be included in the upcoming Marketing Mix Tape greatest hits episode closing out the year.    If you're running a local business, you know your marketing strategy needs to look different than online businesses or location-agnostic companies. You may even find your tried and true marketing plays aren't working when your potential customers are all local, especially if you're in a small town.   In this episode, J.J. and April talk with talk with StoryBrand Certified Guide Laura Capes Terry all about how to market locally with a focus on word of mouth marketing. They share three keys to building trust within your community and creating hyper local ads so customers start spreading the word and more people show up at your door.     Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Laura Capes Terry directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/Laura-Capes-Terry.   --   CLARIFY YOUR ALL OF YOUR MARKETING AND MESSAGING IN ONLY 2 DAYS! REGISTER NOW FOR THE UPCOMING STORYBRAND LIVE WORKSHOP HAPPENING DEC 6 & 7, 2022: StoryBrand.com/Live   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   WORRIED THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR MARKETING? GET A CUSTOMIZED PLAN TO FIX IT: StoryBrandMarketingReport.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

What was your favorite episode or actionable step of 2022? Call 615-649-0705 before Friday November, 11 and let us know! Your favorites could be included in the upcoming Marketing Mix Tape greatest hits episode closing out the year.    Asking people for money can feel awkward and intimidating, even if you’re fundraising for an amazing cause! Not only is it hard to find the right words, there’s often enormous pressure when you know how much every gift matters for your organization. But fundraising doesn’t have to feel like a heavy burden. When you use the StoryBrand framework, you’ll be able to approach fundraising with confidence and poise.   In today’s episode, J.J. and April talk with Casey Fuerst, Owner and CEO of Tic Tac Toe Marketing and StoryBrand Certified Guide, about how the StoryBrand framework can help fundraisers make their donors the hero of the story. Listen in to learn how changing your perspective on fundraising and making donors an integral part of your organization’s story will help you raise more money and impact more lives – including your donors’ lives!   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Casey Fuerst directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/CaseyFuerst.   --   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   WORRIED THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR MARKETING? GET A CUSTOMIZED PLAN TO FIX IT: StoryBrandMarketingReport.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

What was your favorite episode or actionable step of 2022? Call 615-649-0705 before Friday November, 11 and let us know! Your favorites could be included in the upcoming Marketing Mix Tape greatest hits episode closing out the year.    Does your company do so much that it’s hard to explain what you offer? If you try to communicate too many things to your audience, they won’t know what to do with your products and services. Instead of becoming a part of people's lives, you’ll go into the “junk drawer” of your audience’s minds! They won’t take action on your offer because they don’t understand where it belongs.   In today’s episode, April and J.J. talk with StoryBrand Certified Guide, Stacey Moore, about how companies with multiple products can simplify their marketing and get more conversions. One of the best ways to do this is by creating a website that is strategically designed to communicate multiple offers. Listen in to learn how a multi-product website should be structured differently than a regular one and how a few simple adjustments can make a big difference for your customers!   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Stacey Moore directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/Stacey-Moore-Studio.   --   PRE-ORDER DONALD MILLER'S NEW BOOK HOW TO GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS AND GET A PROVEN 6-STEP PLAN FOR GROWTH: GrowYourSmallBusiness.com   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   WORRIED THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR MARKETING? GET A CUSTOMIZED PLAN TO FIX IT: StoryBrandMarketingReport.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand

The StoryBrand framework is all about clarity. But will using the StoryBrand framework make you sound boring? In today’s episode, J.J. and April tackle this question with the help of Jessie Congleton, StoryBrand Certified Guide and professional copywriter and marketing strategist. As a copywriter who has crafted messaging for multiple brands, Jessie provides expert advice on how to create authentic, personality-packed copy without sacrificing clarity.   First, Jessie recommends writing with clarity first and infusing personality later. According to Jessie, the best way to build a clear message is by using the StoryBrand BrandScript. Once you have your core messaging nailed down, Jessie suggests bringing in your personality in these key areas on your website: 1) In the section where you explain the philosophical problem you solve and the why behind your brand 2) In the section where you lay out the plan for your customers to buy your product. Listen in to learn how you can infuse personality into these key areas and help your brand stand out in the market!   Contact StoryBrand Certified Guide Jessie Congleton directly at MarketingMadeSimple.com/JessieCongleton.   Businesses Jessie referenced in this episode: CornerPostMeats.com KikiAndLuluco.com BougieDawg.co   --   PRE-ORDER DONALD MILLER'S NEW BOOK HOW TO GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS AND GET A PROVEN 6-STEP PLAN FOR GROWTH: GrowYourSmallBusiness.com   START CLARIFYING YOUR MARKETING NOW AND CREATE YOUR FREE BRANDSCRIPT: MyStoryBrand.com   WORRIED THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR MARKETING? GET A CUSTOMIZED PLAN TO FIX IT: StoryBrandMarketingReport.com   STORYBRAND INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/StoryBrand