Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

Melanie Diehl had always envisioned a career path similar to her father's — dedicating 30 years to a single company and retiring comfortably. But then she got laid off and decided to use her severance to explore different options. 

That's when she discovered her talent with a sewing machine. 

Melanie learned by doing, navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship while building a loyal clientele. After 25 years in her interior design business, she worked with her husband on an overhead crane business. 

Today, Melanie runs a successful marketing firm, where she guides small business owners. “Know your worth and charge it," she advises. “There's someone out there who's willing to pay for the premium services and products that you have to offer."

Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, sits down with Melanie to unpack her entrepreneurial journey and discuss actionable list-building strategies. Learn how to leverage Constant Contact tools like landing pages and pop-up forms to grow your audience and increase revenue. Tune in now.

Additional Resources:

• How to Build an Effective Email List: Best Practices and Strategies
• Email Marketing Tips You Need To Know
• What is a Landing Page?
• How To Implement an Email Marketing Landing Page

Meet Today's Guest: Melanie Diehl of Melanie and Co. Marketing Collective

☕ What she does: Melanie is the CEO and President of Melanie and Co. Marketing Collective. She's been a Constant Contact Certified Partner for over 10 years and also serves as a Constant Contact Community Coach, guiding small businesses on their marketing journeys.

💡 Key quote: "I love seeing the aha moments for my clients. I love seeing the victories that they have.”

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Melanie and Co. Marketing Collective: Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

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

After a corporate career in direct marketing, Aaron Wesley Means had no plans to start a business. It wasn't until he began helping his wife launch her dream dog grooming business that he immersed himself in small business marketing. 

Eager to build a brand and attract customers, he dove headfirst into researching list-building strategies, email campaigns, and the nuances of connecting with a target audience. 

Along the way, he discovered a gap — a real need for marketing expertise within the small business and nonprofit communities. In 2011, Aaron launched Activate Business Solutions, determined to fill that void. 

His mission? To empower small businesses and nonprofits with the tools and strategies they need to thrive. 

In this episode of the Be a Marketer podcast, Aaron, founder and a Constant Contact community coach, and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, pull back the curtain on email design and reveal why a thoughtful approach is crucial in a mobile-first world.

 "You can make the greatest email in the history of emails," Aaron explains, "And if they don't open it and know how great it is, it was for nothing."

Tune in as Aaron breaks down seven essential design elements that can make or break your email campaigns. Learn how to craft compelling headers, leverage visuals strategically, and optimize your calls to action for maximum impact.

Additional Resources:

• Ready Set Send Challenge Week 2: Designing the Perfect Email
• BrandKit
• Email Design: The Ultimate Guide
• The Ultimate Toolkit for Call To Action Buttons

Meet Today's Guest: Aaron Wesley Means of Activate Business Solutions

💻 What he does: Aaron is the founder and CEO of Activate Business Solutions, a full-service micro-agency based in Asheville, North Carolina. A Constant Contact partner since 2011 and community coach, Aaron is passionate about empowering small businesses and nonprofits through education and hands-on marketing support.

💡 Key quote: “Both the subject line and the preheader text are your secret weapons to getting the most possible value out of your marketing and your effort."

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Activate Business Solutions: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter 

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

Tracey Lee Davis never imagined she'd become a business owner. After years of managing a pet care company, she craved a simpler role where she could follow someone else's lead. But life had other plans.

When unemployment benefits ran dry, and job applications went unanswered, Tracey reluctantly stepped into entrepreneurship. Now, as the owner of ZingPop Social Media, she couldn't imagine doing anything else.

"I really do love that I get to set what happens with my business," Tracey shares on the Be a Marketer podcast. Her journey from reluctant business owner to marketing expert showcases the power of setting clear, personalized goals.

In this episode, Tracey and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, explore the importance of goal-setting in marketing. They discuss how to tailor goals to your specific business needs, the crucial role of measurable objectives, and why timeframes matter. 

Tune in to learn how you can transform your marketing efforts by setting the right targets for your business. 

Additional Resources:

• Welcome to the Constant Contact Community
• Join The Ready, Set, Send Challenge
• Week 1: Goal Setting
• SMART Goals
• Q&A: Decoding Online Marketing Success: Your Guide to Planning, Reviewing, and Executing
• Foundations for Online Marketing Success Worksheet
• Creating Goals and Measuring Success Worksheet

Meet Today’s Guest: Tracey Lee Davis of ZingPop Social Media

💼 What she does: Tracey Lee Davis is the owner of ZingPop Social Media, a Constant Contact Certified Partner, and a Constant Contact Community Coach. She works primarily with women-owned service-based businesses as a social media coach and marketing manager, helping them gain exposure, increase revenue, and enhance their online presence.

💡 Key quote: "If you're not measuring, you're not marketing."

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

👋 Where to find ZingPop Social Media: Website | Instagram | X, formerly known as Twitter | Vimeo | LinkedIn | Facebook | Pinterest

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

Lucy Hall's journey into the digital world began with a chunky Dell computer and an eBay account. At 17, she became one of the first eBay power sellers, selling thousands of "ab belts" and discovering a passion for online marketing.

This early experience set the stage for Lucy's future as a digital skills advocate and community builder. Today, she runs SocialDay, the UK's top Social Media Marketing Festival, and Digital Women, an online community with over 40,000 members dedicated to empowering women through digital skills education.

"If I could do it when I was 17 and my uncle can sell things online at age like 80, everyone in between can do it as well," Lucy shares, highlighting her belief in the power of digital skills for all ages.

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Lucy and host Dave Charest dive into the importance of mindset in business, the challenges of growth, and the power of community. They explore Lucy's unique approach to content creation, her success on LinkedIn, and her tips for building engaged online communities.

Tune in to hear Lucy's insights on balancing online and offline creativity, the importance of caring for your customers, and how to create content that resonates with your audience.

Additional Resources:

• Guide to all Constant Contact Onboarding Webinars
• New Customer Hub

Meet Today’s Guest: Lucy Hall of SocialDay and Digital Women

🚀 What she does: Lucy Hall is the founder of Digital Women and SocialDay, director at Skills of The Future LTD, and a professional speaker on digital media and social media. She's passionate about empowering individuals through skill development and community building, with her Digital Women community boasting over 40,000 members. 

💡 Key quote: "If you don't know what they need, how can you create products for them? So I really do think caring about your customers, caring about your community, making sure that at the center of everything, you want to give them the thing that's going to help them to feel better or solve their problem."

👋 Where to find her: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Snapchat | Instagram | Facebook |

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

Clients are everywhere, but so is the competition. This is the reality for real estate agents in a crowded market.

But what if you could become the go-to expert in your community — the agent everyone remembers when it's time to buy or sell their home?

For over a decade, Stephanie Alfonso has helped real estate agents transform their marketing strategies. Now, as the Senior Director of Vertical Innovation at Constant Contact, she’s empowering agents to navigate a changing market. With the national conversation revolving around buyer's commission and agent value, Stephanie champions digital marketing as the key to staying top-of-mind and building trust with clients. “If you could do one thing better, what would it be?” Stephanie asks, challenging agents to prioritize their marketing efforts for long-term success

On this episode of the Be a Marketer podcast, Stephanie and host Dave Charest explore why a strong online presence is crucial for agents. Discover the power of a consistent email newsletter and learn how agents can use AI tools to streamline their content creation.

Tune in to learn actionable strategies for list building, content creation, and leveraging social media and SMS marketing to connect with clients and grow your business.

Additional Resources:

• BAM #18 - Building a Real Estate Business Through Email with Ricky Carruth
• Real Estate Marketing Advice
• 14 Top Real Estate Email Templates

Meet Today’s Guest: Stephanie Alfonso of Constant Contact

🚀 What Stephanie does: She is the Senior Director of Vertical Innovation at Constant Contact.

💡 Key quote: “People do business with people they like, they know, and they trust. So we need to be intentional about getting people to like, know, and trust us."

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn

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

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

What if you could transform the fear of rejection into a catalyst for growth in your business? Graphic designer Liz Mosley did just that. After realizing that playing it safe was holding her back from exciting opportunities, Liz embarked on a journey to reframe rejection as a stepping stone to success.

Liz has been helping small businesses and creatives define their brands and attract ideal customers for over a decade. As host of the “Building Your Brand” podcast, she's no stranger to the power of marketing and connection. “I actually think for some people it's worth waiting a couple of years, letting the chips fall almost, and seeing what is the business that you really want to build and then invest in the branding,” she shares.

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Liz and host Dave Charest delve into the strategies that have helped her build a thriving freelance business, including a counterintuitive approach to rejection, the importance of understanding your target audience, and her go-to social media scheduling trick.

Tune in to discover how you can build a brand you love and attract dream clients with Liz's practical tips and inspiring story.

Additional Resources:

• Create a social post and schedule it to publish on social media
• Automatically apply your branding to your emails

Meet Today’s Guest: Liz Mosley of Liz Mosley Design

☕ What she does: Liz Mosley is a U.K.-based graphic designer specializing in branding and animated GIFs for small businesses. She hosts the “Building Your Brand” podcast, where she shares marketing advice for small business owners looking to DIY their branding. Liz’s goal is to help her clients and audience create a brand that makes them feel proud and confident about promoting their businesses. 

💡 Key quote: "You don't have to be the best at it. You don't have to have the slickest tech setup. You don't have to have invested in public speaking training. You just [have to] get going and learn on the job."

👋 Where to find her: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Podcast | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube

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

Small business owners often juggle countless tasks, leaving marketing on the back burner. But what if there was a way to streamline marketing efforts and boost confidence?

Enter Constant Contact's latest innovation: the AI-powered Campaign Builder. This tool promises to revolutionize how small businesses approach marketing, addressing the challenges uncovered in the Spring 2024 Small Business Report. 

"More than half of small businesses we polled — about 55% to 56% — told us that they have less than an hour a day to spend on marketing," reveals Michael Wood, Manager of North America External Communications at Constant Contact. This startling statistic underscores the need for efficient marketing solutions.

The episode dives into the research findings, exploring why small businesses struggle with marketing and how the new Campaign Builder can help. Kate Conway, Constant Contact’s Senior Product Marketing Manager, explains how the tool leverages AI and Constant Contact's decades of marketing expertise to create multi-channel campaigns tailored to specific business goals.

Tune in to gain insights into the current state of small business marketing and learn how AI-driven tools can save time, boost confidence, and improve overall marketing strategies.

Additional Resources:

• SBN Report
• Campaign Builder
• BrandKit
• Have you tried Campaign Builder? Let us know!

Meet Today’s Guests: Kate Conway and Michael Wood of Constant Contact

🚀 What Kate does: She is the Senior Product Marketing Manager at Constant Contact.

💡 Key quote: "Campaign Builder was built really to address this need. It’s a goal-based tool that does all the heavy lifting for you."

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn

📊 What Michael does: He is the Manager of North America External Communications at Constant Contact.

💡 Key quote: "Less than 20% of the small businesses we polled told us that they felt confident that they were using the right channels. So it's not just more is more. The channels that you use matter."

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

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

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

Building a successful business takes grit, determination, and a commitment to your vision. 

For Maria Miranda, founder and creative director of Miranda Creative, that journey began in 1988 with a simple yet powerful belief: work should be about respect, creativity, and client value.

In this episode of the Be a Marketer podcast, Maria and host Dave Charest pull back the curtain on 35 years of experience, sharing the lessons learned and strategies honed along the way. Maria discusses how she built a thriving agency by focusing on authentic connections, organic content, and the enduring power of email marketing. "Little effort, little impact, big effort, big impact," she shares, emphasizing the importance of meaningful engagement and a long-term perspective.

Tune in to hear how Maria empowers her team, embraces a community-driven approach, and navigates the dynamic world of marketing with intention and purpose.

Additional Resources:

• Help overview: The Email Details page in Constant Contact
• Create and manage contact lists in Constant Contact 
• Professional Services from Constant Contact 
• Constant Contact Partner Agency Directory

Meet Today’s Guest: Maria Miranda of Miranda Creative

☕ What she does: Maria is the founder and creative director of Miranda Creative, a brand management firm based in Norwich, Connecticut. For over 35 years, she has provided comprehensive marketing services to businesses. Maria was named the 2024 Small Business Person of the Year: Connecticut by the Small Business Administration. She holds a B.F.A. in graphic design/marketing from the University of Connecticut.

💡 Key quote: "Your email list is the only audience you actually own."

👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Miranda Creative: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube |  LinkedIn 

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

Want to grow your community and attract more subscribers on social media or LinkedIn?💡

In episode 68 of the Be a Marketer podcast, Dave Charest, director of small business success at Constant Contact, and Kelsi Carter, the team’s brand production coordinator, share their insights on how storytelling can help you capture your audience's attention. 

They also answer a question from the marketing and artist manager of the Gregangelo Museum, a Constant Contact customer since 2005, about key highlights and perks that can attract subscribers and grow their community. 

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts to hear how storytelling and personal experiences can set your marketing apart in the age of AI.

👉 Are you a Constant Contact customer with a burning marketing question? Go here for a chance to have your question featured in an upcoming episode.

Resources:

• Check out the New Customer Hub 
• Listen to #45 - Building Trust Through Stories with Brad Sundberg 

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

Your next great marketing idea could come from an unexpected place — possibly from a totally unrelated industry. 

That’s a powerful lesson Jonny Etherington, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Care Advantage, has learned over the course of his career so far. It’s a mindset he’s applied in his role at Care Advantage, a trusted provider of in-home healthcare for 35 years. Jonny attributes the company’s longevity to its commitment to service and building a strong internal culture.

"I'm very motivated to work with good people and people that are engaged on a daily basis and challenge you on your ideas," Jonny tells host Dave Charest.

On this episode of Be a Marketer, Jonny and Dave explore the unique challenges of marketing in the healthcare industry. Discover how Jonny leverages various marketing channels, including Constant Contact’s email and SMS features to reach clients and caregivers.

Tune in to learn how Jonny stays ahead of marketing trends, the importance of showcasing real people in marketing efforts, and why you should never underestimate the power of keeping a simple pad of paper and a pencil nearby.

Additional Resources:

• Add the SMS Marketing Add-on to Your Constant Contact Email Plan
• Create a Custom Landing Page With Constant Contact
• Connect your Constant Contact account with Vimeo
• Automatically Generate a Marketing Campaign Based on Your Goals With Constant Contact’s Campaign Builder

Meet Today’s Guest: Jonny Etherington of Care Advantage Inc.

☕ What he does: Jonny is the VP of Marketing and Communications at Care Advantage, a home healthcare organization based in Richmond, Virginia. Originally from Scotland, Jonny has over 20 years of experience in marketing and brand development. He is passionate about using his skills to make a difference in the lives of others. 

💡 Key quote: “Take inspiration from different industries. Look outside your own industry and see how you can craft and culture messaging.”

👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn

👋 Where to find Care Advantage: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

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