Standing out has never mattered more. With AI Search rewriting the rules, the voices that rise to the top are the ones backed by real authority and real conversations. That is why podcasting has become such an essential tool for entrepreneurs and creators.

In this episode, Ewell Smith sits down with Parker Olson, founder of PodPitch.com, whose wild journey from living in a tent to running product giveaways on airplanes has turned him into a standout guest across dozens of podcasts. Parker reveals how podcasting created unexpected opportunities, built lasting authority, and helped him connect with the right people at the right time.

You will learn how to create a clear listener promise, how to use your story to cut through the noise, and why consistent podcast guesting builds credibility faster than nearly any other strategy today.

You will learn:
• How podcasting helps you stand out in a crowded market
• Why long form conversations perform in AI Search
• How to use your unique story to create attention
• How podcast guesting builds trust and inbound opportunity
• Simple steps to strengthen your voice and grow your business

If you want more clarity, more authority and more opportunities, this episode shows you how to get there.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Want to raise your in-home close rate without high-pressure tactics? Dominic Caminata from Grosso University breaks down five proven steps that turn more kitchen-table conversations into confident yes decisions. Learn how to slow down to speed up, build trust fast, present with clarity, and use the Grosso method to win more jobs at higher margins.

This episode gives you simple, repeatable tools to improve your close rate this week.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Are your billboard ads doing more harm than good? In this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast, veteran marketer and outdoor advertising expert Eric Murr breaks down the 11 most common billboard ad mistakes that drain budgets, confuse audiences, and sabotage sales.

From bloated designs and misleading calls to action — to ignoring your digital reality — Eric shares real-world insights that could save you thousands and radically improve your ad performance.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why “more info” = less impact in billboard advertising
• How billboard ads drive (or destroy) your online traffic
• Why color, contrast, and ego can ruin a campaign
• The right role of billboards in your marketing funnel
• How to combine outdoor + digital for massive ROI

Whether you're a local business owner, franchisee, or ad buyer, this episode will change the way you see billboards — and give you the tools to use them right.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Why do so many founders hit a wall at one, three, or ten million in revenue? Sales strategist Nicole Vorkapic reveals the three hidden gaps that keep businesses from scaling—and how to fix them fast.

In this episode, Close The Deal Podcast host Ewell Smith sits down with Nicole to unpack the patterns that cause sales to plateau and what it takes to create systems that scale. Drawing from her experience leading national sales teams managing over $120 million in revenue, Nicole breaks down the steps founders can take to move from chaos to consistency.

If your business feels stuck, this conversation will show you how to replace gut-driven hustle with structure, clarity, and confidence.

What You’ll Learn

1. The Sales Productivity Gap — Why most sales reps only sell 28% of the time and how to fix it.
2. The Customer Retention Leak — How to stop churn before it starts with intentional onboarding and follow-up.
3. The Pipeline Predictability Problem — How to shift from gut-based forecasts to evidence-driven sales management.
4. How to Build Systems That Scale — Why structure creates freedom and consistency for your entire team.
5. The Three Diagnostic Questions every founder should ask to identify where their company is truly stuck.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ever leave a networking event and realize no one remembers you? Ewell Smith shares a simple, low-cost trick that guarantees you’ll stand out and stay remembered - long after the meeting ends.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Fear stops more deals than rejection ever will. In this episode of The Close The Deal Podcast, host Ewell Smith sits down with Angie Wedell, founder of Blended Strategies, to talk about courage, confidence, and the mindset that helps salespeople close with authenticity.

Angie shares her “Five Minutes of Guts” philosophy — a practical way to overcome fear one moment at a time — and explains how understanding the DISC profile can improve communication, strengthen relationships, and boost results.

You’ll also learn why pursuing no can lead to more yeses and how managing your energy can be even more important than managing your time.

If you’re ready to turn fear into fuel and confidence into conversions, this episode is for you.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Most business owners and sales professionals make the same mistake when giving their 1-minute pitch at a networking meeting — they try to promote more than one thing.

In this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast, Ewell Smith explains why a clear, single-message pitch is far more powerful. You’ll learn how to grab attention, connect emotionally, and be remembered long after the meeting ends.

Perfect for BNI, Chamber of Commerce, and local networking events.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Learn how top sales and marketing trainer Russell Richardson turned social media into a dealership goldmine - and why consistency closes more deals.

What if you could stop chasing leads — and make customers come looking for you? In this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast, Ewell Smith sits down with automotive sales trainer Russell Richardson, known online as @RussFlipsWhips, who built a dealership empire by turning social media into a 24/7 lead engine.

Russell shares how he went from washing cars in high school to generating 60 million monthly views by helping dealerships turn attention into sales. His system? Start. Learn. Stay consistent. Whether you’re in automotive, real estate, or franchising — this mindset will change how you sell forever.

💡 Takeaways
• Great marketing eliminates hard selling
• Social media is your modern showroom
• Consistency beats talent every time
• Document your journey — your story sells
• Build a personal brand customers trust

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

SEO isn’t what it used to be—and AI is changing the rules faster than anyone expected. In this Close The Deal Podcastepisode, host Ewell Smith talks with Lonnie, founder of Local SEO Help, about how AI, Google updates, and voice search are transforming visibility for every business online.

From website redesign mistakes that destroy rankings to why Google now rewards human expertise over algorithms, this conversation reveals what’s working, what’s broken, and how to stay ahead of the wave. Whether you’re a marketer, entrepreneur, or business owner, this episode explains how to future-proof your brand in the age of artificial intelligence.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Sales is changing faster than most people realize, and artificial intelligence is leading the charge. In this episode of the Close The Deal Podcast, I sit down with Henry Hayes, founder of Disrupt Ready and adjunct professor at LSU, to unpack what AI really means for sales pros today.

We dig into why buyers instantly spot self-serving sales tactics, how mentorship pulls your career forward, and why ignoring AI is like ignoring the internet back in the ’90s. Henry shares practical ways to get started—plus the tools he recommends, including ChatGPT, Otter.ai, Fireflies, Heygen, and Synthesia.

Henry’s bottom line is clear: AI won’t replace great salespeople, but it will replace those who refuse to adapt.

If you’re ready to cut out the boring work, sharpen your focus on customers, and thrive in a world that’s changing fast, this conversation is for you.

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Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.

Ewell Smith is talking with sales and marketing pros who help professionals and business owners drive more leads and close more deals.

Close The Deal Podcast Supported by Your First Franchise

We have gift for you for listening - grab a copy of Your First Franchise Roadmap.

Visit www.CloseTheDeal.com to see all episodes.