Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

Ed Doherty has achieved something most marketers could only dream of: a 72-78% open rate on his Constant Contact newsletters. His secret? Authenticity. 

Ed launched his consulting business, Ambrose Landen, after being furloughed at the pandemic's start. He also launched a newsletter, Wednesday Weblogs, which he sends every Wednesday at 4:30 a.m. 

At 70 years old, Ed has plenty of experience under his belt, and he views marketing as an essential tool for showing prospective clients that he knows how to help them. He doesn’t use his newsletter to sell his services, though — he uses it to build his reputation. 

“I’m sharing my knowledge, my humor, my toughness,” he says. Three years into sending Wednesday Weblogs, Ed says that many of his current clients started as newsletter subscribers. 

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Ed and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss how authentic marketing can help you build a community that turns into customers. 

Meet Today’s Guest: Ed Doherty of Ambrose Landen

☕ What he does: Ed owns Ambrose Landen, a consultancy that offers strategic planning and leadership development services. In the past, Ed has been the human resources officer for an 11,000-person company and the president of a franchise company with 22 restaurants. He’s also the oldest of eight children. 

💡 Key quote: “Anybody who’s in business by themselves is selling themselves. That’s what you have to do — you have to sell yourself. So I’m selling my knowledge, my humor, my history.” 

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Ambrose Landen: Website

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

It can be easy for marketers to forget that real people are on the other side of every interaction. But Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow, aims to bring humanity back into marketing. 

Technology takes humanity out of the equation, he says. As a result, marketers focus too much on metrics like clicks and open rates instead of trying to build relationships. “Once you know more about the people you’re trying to reach,” he says, “the sales or the nurturing or the conversations will happen.” 

A self-described futurist and digital anthropologist, Brian believes that AI allows marketers to get closer to people. “Somewhere along the way, we confused technology with transaction,” he says. Marketers should approach AI by thinking about how they want customers to feel rather than what they want customers to do. 

“If you think differently about technology as investing in relationships and meaningful outcomes,” he says, you’ll get exponential returns. 

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Brian and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss how small business owners can put people back in the equation in their digital marketing and AI use.

Meet Today’s Guest: Brian Solis of ServiceNow

☕ What he does: Brian is the Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow. He’s also an author, futurist, and digital anthropologist. He helps companies future-proof by looking at how to be more valuable, agile, and innovative as the world evolves. 

💡 Key quote: “The thing I really like about my work is the ability to see the things that most of us are just too busy — or maybe distracted or biased — to see in order to bring people together for a greater purpose.” 

👋 Where to find him: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn

👋 Where to find ServiceNow: Website | LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

Artificial intelligence might seem like complex technology that’s best suited for large businesses. But Robert Mitchell disagrees — he thinks small businesses have the most to gain from AI. 

Robert is the Chief AI Officer at WSI World, a digital marketing agency network that equips small agencies with the tools to grow and thrive, including AI. He helps WSI franchise owners use AI to create new revenue streams — and he’s thrilled by the possibilities the tech presents for small businesses. 

“I think this is an amazing opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses,” he says. “The nimble companies are the ones that are going to leapfrog on this. You can do more with less.” 

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Robert and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, talked about how small businesses and their marketers can get started with AI. 

Meet Today’s Guest: Robert Mitchell of WSI World

☕ What he does: Robert is the Chief AI Officer at WSI World, a digital marketing agency network. After more than 20 years in franchise development, Robert dove into the world of AI. Today, he helps WSI serve as an AI consultancy for its franchise owners — and helps franchise owners become the de facto AI consultants for their clients. 

💡 Key quote: “You’re already seen by your clients as the most knowledgeable on the technical aspects of marketing their business. It’s a very small leap from that to AI… all you need to be is that Sherpa, walking them through the process of implementing it.” 

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find WSI World: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

If you had an extra hour in your week, how would you use it? 

For small business owners who are using artificial intelligence (AI) and marketing automation, this is no longer a hypothetical question. According to Constant Contact’s latest research report, 91% of small businesses that use AI say that it’s helping them save time and work more efficiently. 

“It’s revolutionary technology,” says Michael Wood, Senior PR Manager at Constant Contact. “And it’s very new to a lot of small businesses.” 

As Michael — the company’s “hype man” — explains, Constant Contact produces reports like this regularly to help small businesses understand how their industries and customers are changing. “I want Constant Contact to be a resource for our customers,” Michael says. 

On this episode of the Be a Marketer podcast, Michael and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss the results of the report and how it can help small businesses get started with AI. They also talk about how small businesses can use Constant Contact’s research to capture attention and help their own customers. 

👉 Check out the research report discussed in this episode: Small Business Now Report

Meet Today’s Guest: Michael Wood of Constant Contact

☕ What he does: Michael is the Senior PR Manager at Constant Contact. His job is to tell the world about all the great things going on at Constant Contact. He also leads the charge on Constant Contact’s research and trends reports, which explore topics relevant to small business owners and nonprofits. 

💡 Key quote: “I want Constant Contact to be a resource for our customers, for other small business [owners] who aren’t our customers, for people who are just starting with marketing and are learning how to get better … I want Constant Contact to be synonymous with small business.” 

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

It’s hard out there for brick-and-mortar businesses. Just ask Charlotte Walsh, the owner of running shoe store Charles River Running, who competes against her vendors for market share. 

But her store in Norwood, Massachusetts, offers customers what her direct-to-consumer competitors can’t: a place where new athletes can buy their first running shoes, friendly help finding comfortable footwear for people with active jobs, and a connection point for runners of all stripes to join weekly runs around the neighborhood. 

Charlotte, a Marine Corps veteran and a runner since age 13, started Charles River Running in 2012. She’d always dreamed of starting her own business, and though she’s had hits and misses along the way, being a business owner brings her joy. “I didn’t realize how much I was going to love my customers,” she says. 

Charlotte is proud to be part of Norwood’s vibrant downtown. She attributes her success to the community she’s built within her customer base, and Constant Contact is her tool of choice for engaging that community. 

On this episode of Be A Marketer, Charlotte and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss customers, community, and finding your competitive advantage. 

Meet Today’s Guest: Charlotte Walsh of Charles River Running

☕ What she does: Charlotte is the owner of Charles River Running, a full-service running and walking shoe store in Norwood, Massachusetts. A Marine Corps veteran with an MBA, Charlotte opened the store in 2012 to provide shoes, accessories, and anything active people need to pursue their goals. 

💡 Key quote: “I just want to build a community of people who feel that Charles River Running is a place they can walk into even if they’re a mailman and they’re on their feet all day, or they’re a walker or a lapsed runner. I needed to build a space where people felt super comfortable and not intimidated.” 

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Charles River Running: Website | Instagram | Facebook

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

If you're looking for ways to build community around your business, consider running an event. It’s a great way to connect with customers, other businesses, and community members.

As Jesus Flores, a product manager at Constant Contact focusing on the Events tool, tells us, an event doesn’t have to be a massive production like a concert or gala. He encourages business owners to start small, try things out, and focus on the purpose. 

“As an organization, you have this purpose that you're aiming to serve or this need that you're aiming to fill,” he says. “How can you bring some of that to consumers in more of a way than just selling your products or your services?”

This is where events fit in nicely, allowing you to humanize your business and bring people together.

On this episode of the Be a Marketer Podcast, host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, talks to Jesus about how Constant Contact can help you execute the three stages of an event. They also discuss how to attract customers to your events and keep them coming back and what updates Constant Contact customers can expect to the Events tool in the near future.

👉 Webinar: Event Marketing Strategies for Building Lasting Connections

👉Create and Activate an event with Constant Contact’s Events Tool

Meet Today’s Guest: Jesus Flores

☕ What he does: Jesus Flores is a product manager with Constant Contact who focuses on the Events tool. He works directly with customers to better understand their unique challenges and use cases regarding events.

💡 Key quote: “I think events are often looked at as something that only specific types of businesses might be able to leverage. The truth is that events are really a way to get engaged with your community and bring them into your business model.”

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

Julia Gackenbach and Darryl Moser from DonorPerfect, are here to share their best email marketing tips for end-of-year fundraising.

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Julia, Darryl, and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss how often you should communicate, common mistakes you don't want to make, and how technology can save you time.

👉 Webinar: How to Run Goal-Based Fundraising Campaigns
👉 Webinar: How to Master Nonprofit Event Planning and Promotion
👉 Find out more about DonorPerfect's integration with Constant Contact
👉 Tutorial: Using the Constant Contact Marketing Calendar

Meet Today’s Guests: Julia Gackenbach and Darryl Moser of DonorPerfect

☕ What they do: Julia spent 10 years in the nonprofit space before joining DonorPerfect as the communications manager. The CRM system provided everything she needed it to do as a nonprofit employee: relationship management, gift management, anticipation of things she needed to do, reporting, and communications. 

Darryl is the Product Manager in charge of Partnerships at DonorPerfect. Darryl uses his software development skills and expertise to help nonprofits get the job done.

👋 Where to find Julia: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Darryl: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find DonorPerfect: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

When it comes to content marketing, many business owners make the mistake of creating general content that doesn’t address the specific needs of buyers about to purchase.

Pamela Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Dental Claims Support, makes sure the company’s content answers the kinds of questions prospective buyers are asking just before they’re ready to buy.

“There’s nothing wrong with answering those [general] questions, but if you never get beyond that, you end up getting a lot of people who are tire kickers,” she says. “They’re just trying to learn more, but they’re not actually trying to buy.”

How do you go beyond basic? Get into the head of someone becoming aware of your solution. Think about what buyers ask as they go through the process of deciding whether they want to invest in your product or service. 

On this episode of the Be a Marketer Podcast, host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, talks to Pamela about creating more than just basic content. She shares setting her team up for success by scheduling creative time, having standard operating procedures in place, and finding the best generative AI tool for writers.

👉 Pamela’s book “Master Content Marketing”

👉 Pamela’s book “Master Content Strategy”

Meet Today’s Guest: Pamela Wilson

☕ What she does: Pamela is the Chief Marketing Officer at Dental Claims Support, an end-to-end revenue cycle management company in the dental industry. She’s also written two books on content marketing.

💡 Key quote: “I have a very low tolerance for boredom. And there has not been one boring day in the CMO position.”

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn | Website

👋 Where to find Dental Claims Support: Website | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

Raise your hand if networking and building relationships make you uncomfortable. 

There are at least a few of you out there. And even if you’re an introvert, you likely know how critical those relationships are to growing your business. 

Valerie J. Lewis Coleman, best-selling author and founder of Pen of the Writer, can talk about book publishing all day. Still, when it comes to more formal networking with strangers, she feels intimidated.

“I can do this with you, Dave, all day long because we’re talking about something I’m passionate about,” she says. “But if I’m in a room with somebody I don’t know, after we talk about how cute your outfit is, I’m done.”

But Valerie says that the biggest thing she’s learned over her 15+ years in business is that relationships are critical. She uses a weekly calendar to track what she needs to do to build those relationships. Being intentional about it makes it happen.

On this episode of the Be a Marketer Podcast, host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, talks to Valerie about ways introverted people can be intentional about networking and marketing, the importance of surrounding yourself with others who share your aspirations, and the beauty of scheduling and segmenting emails.

👉 Check out Valerie’s books: Do it Right the First Time Anthology

👉 Learn how to create and manage tags in Constant Contact

Meet Today’s Guest: Valerie J. Lewis Coleman

☕ What she does: Valerie founded Pen of the Writer, helping professional speakers and experts magnify and monetize their message by publishing quality books. She’s also written a best-selling children’s book and a relationship novel.

💡 Key quote: “I believe that this is what I'm called to do. It's not just something that I'm choosing to do, it's almost like I am compelled to do it.”

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn | Facebook

👋 Where to find Pen of the Writer: Website | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter

If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.

Small businesses face plenty of challenges, but Sam Silberman, Constant Contact’s Director of Security Operations, wants to make sure that getting hacked or phished isn’t one of them. 

In this episode of Be a Marketer, Sam joins host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, to help small business owners stay safe in an increasingly dangerous digital world. 

Sam has spent over 13 years protecting Constant Contact and its customers against bad actors. He knows that small business owners have enough to worry about without adding complicated cybersecurity procedures to the mix. 

Tune in to hear Sam’s simple recommendations for protecting yourself and your business against hackers and phishers — no IT expertise required. 

Meet Today’s Guest: Sam Silberman of Constant Contact

☕ What he does: Sam is Constant Contact’s Director of Security Operations. Sam and his team protect Constant Contact from hackers and bad actors who try to abuse the system by sending spam from customer accounts. 

💡 Key quote: “We all get tricked. I get tricked. We’re all susceptible to this — it’s our human nature.” 

👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram