Tactical & Practical

President of GrooveLife.com joins the show to talk about building lean & efficient marketing teams.

Learn how I've helped 7 figure brands break through the 8 fig/yr mark, here some anonymous questions from marketers early in their careers, and check out a recent DISCOUNT test I ran with suprising results, my Tweet of the Week, and a JUICY Tactical Tip for SuperBowl Sunday.

A founder walks through launching a brand from zero, choosing a single simple product and designing for a specific customer identity. He explains organic pre-launch content, measurable sales spikes from consistent posting, and tradeoffs of a niche side-hustle. Creative ad and copy experiments get dissected, including an identity-driven product ad that outperformed others.

We need to throw out the word "brand" I think our simple, performance-marketer brains completely crumble when we try to think about building a "brand." It's abstract, it sounds antithetical to performance & growth, and it leads marketers into a lot of bad behavior Instead, you should be trying to build PERSONALITY into your company. A personality that is capable of showing up in the right context, to each persona you're trying to sell to. Think about your own personality. You show up differently to saturday night dinner with friends than you to do sunday afternoon lunch with your in laws. You might dress different, you might drink differently, and you definitely talk different. You dress differently to a concert friday night than you do to work on monday morning. You're not being fake, you're being authentically you in every one of those situations, but you're showing up in the right context for different people, places, and times. That's what our "brands" need to be able to do in 2026 and beyond. Can we show up with the proper context, to specific personas in our target audience, at the right times, on the right channels, with the right influencers & partners? That's how the next great brands are going to be built.

Yes, the majority of Americans aren't rolling in cash right now... But, the top 10% of earners are still seeing your ads, visiting your website, and spending their money. Why aren't you giving them the opportunity to give you MORE?

Discounts are like binge drinking - Lots of fun in the short term (big revenue boost) - Leads to bad behavior (hacky marketing) - Creates shallow, meaningless relationships (low LTV customers) - Terrible Hangovers (awful performance after the sale) - It's more acceptable to do around major holidays (if you're doing it august I assume your life & business are not going well) ...But a great offer is like sharing a pour of Kentucky's finest bourbon. It starts with meaningful connection (strong messaging), and creates a long lasting relationship (profitable LTV). Listen to this episode and hang around till minute 6 where I show the results of a split test where we reduced our discount from 30% to 20% and decreased our CAC, and increased CVR & RPS.

The CMO of The Ridge is back on the pod to break down how he's thinking about 2026, including 103 ideas to improve performance next year, an increased focused on retention, on-site merchandising strategy, and organic social.

Discover the surprising best ad from October that highlights the power of situational targeting. Learn why understanding the viewer's context matters when crafting effective ads. The breakdown of a gas-pump Red Bull and breakfast combo reveals how clever timing and visual hooks can capture attention. Discover how price anchoring against gas expenses makes bundles appealing and encourages upsells. Find out how brands can enhance customer engagement by providing clear paths for spending more. Join the discussion by sharing your favorite ads!

The discussion centers around the idea that being 'lazy' in marketing means being efficient. It emphasizes the importance of a clear, data-driven approach to testing strategies. Marketers are encouraged to test one variable at a time for meaningful results and to pause to extract insights post-test. Real-life examples, including a successful split test, demonstrate how applying learnings across channels can drive growth. The episode critiques high-volume creative quotas, advocating for quality over quantity to truly hit business goals.

Dive into the essential tactics for advertising success! Understand the real journey your customers take from discovery to purchase, and the critical micro-decisions they make along the way. Learn to leverage customer reviews via chat tools for insights on trust and timing. Align your advertising strategies with actual business outcomes, measuring true profitability and long-term value. Finally, Nate emphasizes the importance of clarifying your business goals before chasing the latest marketing tactics.