Everyone Hates Marketers | No-BS Marketing & Brand Strategy Podcast

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

So, you’ve spent time researching and writing your content, and now here comes the hard part - the pitch.

How do you get journalists and publishers to open your email, let alone read what you’ve written?

My guest today is Amanda Milligan, and as an experienced growth and content marketing specialist, she knows her way around words.

In this episode, Amanda shares insights on how to get your pitch noticed. She says that it comes down to just two things that, if done well, should get you noticed.

Topics covered:

• What exactly is digital PR and why do it?
• Why no amount of promotion is going to salvage a bad piece of content
• How to be something remarkable, that people will care about
• Creating an element of surprise
• How emotions play an important role in this field
• How Amanda comes up with her ideas
• Why you should be involved with a project from the beginning
• Answering questions to tell a new story
• How to spot worthy trends
• What you can do to ensure you have the highest chance of getting a reply from a journalist

Resources mentioned:

• Fractl
• Travelmath
• Porch
• BuzzSumo
• Answer the Public
• HARO
• Exploding Topics
• Buzzstream
• Keyword Surfer
• Women in Tech SEO group

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

When Wes Bush left a job that he hated, he knew he had to pursue something that would give him the energy and drive to work at it consistently every day.

Within three years of making that decision, he’d written a book, built a coaching program, and launched the Product-Lead Institute.

In this episode, Wes tells me how he got to that point in his career and the influences behind his decisions.

He also reveals his 16-step guide to building credibility.

Topics covered:

• Why Wes treats his LinkedIn profile like a landing page
• What led him to launch his own business
• If you can build demand you can build any business
• How to discover what it is that you truly love to do
• The benefits of specialising in an area
• Doubling down on what gives you the most energy
• How Wes created and ran a course for the CXL Institute
• Why you need to pick a villain in marketing
• Mistakes he made when building his personal brand

Resources mentioned:

• Product-Lead Institute
• Vidyard
• Eat Your Greens - Wiemer Snijders
• Key Person of Influence - Daniel Priestly
• The Unique Ability - Julia Waller & Catherine Nomura
• Dilbert
• CXL Institute
• Gainsight PX
• Drift
• HubSpot
• Pratfall Effect in Marketing: Admit Your Flaws to Win Customers

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

Benji Hyam is the co-founder of Grow and Convert, a content marketing agency that does things a little differently to other agencies.

They identify pain points to drive content, conversation, and sales, which is something of a novelty in the world of marketing agencies.

In this episode, I wanted to understand why lead generation was not a priority for marketing agencies, where Benji gets his ideas from, and how he creates high-quality content that converts.

Topics covered:

• How most agencies are focussed on output of content not leads
• Why many agencies choose not to measure ROI
• Is content here to stay?
• Figuring out which channel is best to convey what you want to say
• How all content starts with the written word
• Why engagement begins with customer research
• The impotence of doubling down on your strengths
• Tips for getting articles seen by the right people
• Short and long term tactics

Resources mentioned:

• Grow and Convert
• Pain Point SEO: How to Produce SEO Content That Drives Conversions
• SaaS Content Strategy: How We Scaled Leadfeeder's Signups to Over 200/month
• B2C Content Marketing: How We Grew a B2C Blog to 70,000 Pageviews in 14 Months
• Become a Top Content Marketer
• Think and Grow Rich - Napoleon Hill
• The Lean Startup - Eric Ries
• Contagious - Jonah Berger
• Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
• Bikeshedding in Marketing: 3 Keys to Being an Effective Marketer

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

It's been approximately four months since Justine Jordan took on the role of Head of Marketing for Wildbit.

In this week's episode, I challenged her to describe those formative weeks. I wanted to know how she worked, questions she asked, and did she have to compromise her beliefs?

The result is an insight into how she immersed herself in the role and how she rejects short-term tactics in favor of long-term, brand-building activities.

Topics covered:

• The benefits of building relationships to get the job you want
• Why and how you should build a trust bank
• Learn to shut up and listen more
• How marketers really can be customer first
• How patience can be a real strength in marketing
• Justine’s number one tip for uncovering pain points
• Why you have got to talk to people
• Read psychology books to better understand how humans work
• The definition of design thinking

Resources mentioned:

• Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely
• Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dunbar
• Drive by Daniel Pink
• MozCon
• Indie Hackers
• The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
• Zag by Marty Neumeier
• Brand flip by Marty Neumeier
• Litmus
• Wildbit
• Postmark
• Seth Godin’s Marketing Secrets to Launching a New Business
• Edward Neuvraumont - How to Stop Marketing With Your Ego
• Guillaume Cabane - How to Find the Right Growth Channels
• 6 ways guaranteed to drive growth by Agata Celmerowski

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

In this episode, you will learn how to set up a one-year strategic marketing plan and lead your team to success.

My guest today is Kevan Lee, the Director of Marketing at Buffer. Tune in to hear us discuss your big picture gameplan, how to lead a team effectively, and Kevan's personal career path.

He reveals insight into the transition from content writing to strategy and what happened when he tried to take marketing shortcuts in the past.

Topics covered:

• The difference between your company vision vs. strategy
• How Kevan created Buffer’s one-year strategic marketing plan
• Why step one of a marketing strategy starts with your purpose
• The powerful vision framework exercise for creating goals
• Which marketing channel is the number one driver for new signups
• How to determine which projects are your first priority
• Why marketers today should become multiskilled generalists

Resources mentioned:

• Buffer
• Simplified One Page Strategic Plan for Every Team by David Cummings
• Vision Framework by Jim Collins
• The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman
• Reforge: Growth Programs for Experienced
• Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur by Derek Sivers
• Forget the Funnel by Georgiana Laudi and Claire Suellentrop
• KevanLee.com
• @KevanLee on Twitter
• Kevan on LinkedIn
• Mark Ritson: 4 Steps to Creating a Rock-Solid Marketing Strategy

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

There is no magic formula to helping your brand stand out amongst the crowd. But if there is one takeaway from today’s episode on how to get your brand noticed it is to take some fucking risks.

Today’s guest, Paul Mellor, founder, and design director at Mellor & Smith, shares with us why their brand and ad agency is successful by keeping it simple, breaking the rules, and you guessed it, taking fucking risks.

Topics covered:

• Why companies struggle to get noticed and the research that backs it up
• Creativity should inform the tactics not the other way around
• How Innocent Smoothies set themselves apart with a simple marketing idea
• The first step Paul and team when working with a new client
• Why actual consumer observation is more valuable than any other consumer information
• Why it is easier to get noticed in the B2B world rather than the B2C world
• The marketing world needs more troublemakers
• Why Mellor & Smith only presents one idea to their clients
• Talented team members outproduce proprietary systems
• The “Yes, and...” Technique
• Why the best ads all have one common theme
• The reason Mellor & Smith got rid of 70% of their clients after 5 years

Resources mentioned:

• Mellor & Smith
• Take Fucking Risks Events
• Ryan Wallman Twitter
• Innocent Smoothies
• David Abbott
• Mark Ritson: 4 Steps to Creating a Rock-Solid Marketing Strategy
• Dave Trott
• Dave Dye
• Vikki Ross
• Paul on LinkedIn
• Pratfall Effect in Marketing: Admit Your Flaws to Win Customers

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

Growing your audience faster, storytelling that informs your prospects, and moving your customers down the sales funnel -- these are just a few benefits of video marketing.

In this episode, Chris Savage from Wistia joins us to chat about building an audience with video (starting from zero).

Topics covered:

• The truth behind the rise of video and its true power in marketing
• What happens when you find the spot where customers get stuck in your funnel
• How to create a compelling storyline that makes your audience problem-aware
• Why you should turn to your best customers for help identifying your mission
• The difference between what your product does and what your mission entails
• Getting clear with your metrics up front when you’re building an audience with video
• How to use metrics to help leadership understand the risks that you're taking
• Why you should pay attention to how media companies market their content

Resources mentioned:

• Wistia
• One, Ten, One Hundred Series by Wistia
• ProfitWell
• Masters of Doom by David Kushner
• Good to Great by Jim Collins
• The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh
• Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy
• @csavage on Twitter
• Savagethoughts.com
• Why Marketing Storytelling Matters Now More Than Ever

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

Is keyword research still relevant to SEO? Do backlinks matter anymore?

Find out the answer in today's episode.

My guest is Tim Soulo, the CMO and the Head of Product Strategy at Ahrefs. Listen in as we deep dive into the technical side of ranking higher on Google -- and exactly how to approach keyword research right now.

Topics covered:

• Why keyword research is still important for SEO campaigns
• The major disadvantage of using free tools for keyword research
• What “seed keywords” are and how to find them for your niche
• Why Google ranks nearly identical pages for multiple relevant queries
• The absolute best thing you can do during the keyword research phase
• When the keyword difficulty metric won’t help you rank #1 in Google
• Why unique linking websites add more value than the volume linking pages
• The truth about building backlinks in an ethical and nonaggressive manner

Resources mentioned:

• Ahrefs - SEO Tools & Resources To Grow Your Search Traffic
• Ahrefs.com/Tim
• Ahrefs Academy: Blogging for Business
• @TimSoulo
• @LouisSlices
• How to Increase Organic Traffic: 7 No-Fluff, Practical Methods

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

Does your sales process line up with your buyer's journey?

In this episode, you'll learn why addressing your customer's concerns during the buying experience can reduce friction and boost conversions.

Tune in as I chat with Barron Caster, the Director of Growth at Rev. He reveals the methods his team used to triple Rev's conversion rates over the last three years—and how you can become a better marketer by applying these principles to your business.

Topics covered:

• Why inexperienced marketers focus on selling the product features
• Where to get started with identifying your customers’ concerns
• Barron’s favorite place to find out how to improve conversion rates
• What happens when you only focus on the leads who don’t convert
• The surprising reason why you can’t rely on accurate tracking data
• Exactly what type of questions you should ask customers over the phone
• How to sort through your research data (and create a hypothesis)
• The pros and cons of running A/B tests individually vs. group testing

Resources mentioned:

• Rev.com
• Hotjar
• Mixpanel
• Hiten Shah
• Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder
• Scientific Advertising
• Influence by Robert Cialdini
• How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• [email protected]
• How to Convince People to Buy (Without Being Pushy)

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔

I've just launched a new YouTube channel!! The concept? I take real businesses struggling to stand the f*ck out, provide my positioning/branding/lead gen help, and record it all for YouTube. The first mini-series features three freelance marketers (copywriter Rob, ecommerce designer Laura, and non-fiction book coach Vicky).

I hope you'll set aside half an hour to watch it through. Maybe with your morning coffee? Or lunch break? Or evening onion soup? And then, the usual "Subscribe, Like, Share" would go a long, long way too.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q

***

It can be intimidating when it’s time to launch a new product for your business.

Tom Morkes joins the show to explain why a simple and straightforward approach will lead to a high converting marketing campaign.

Tom has helped over 100 companies grow their traffic, leads, and sales using his own launch methodology and in this episode, shares the four steps you must execute before launching your product.

Topics covered:

• The biggest mistake Tom sees businesses make during product launches
• How to set realistic expectations for your product launch
• Tom’s thoughts on email marketing and why it is key to a successful product launch
• Why you shouldn’t try to convince your audience they need your product
• Keeping your message straightforward and simple
• A simple process Tom uses to identify his audience’s problems
• How to identify, develop, and utilize strategic partnerships during your launch
• Tom’s “slide-in” approach to developing relationships
• Why effective story-telling is important when developing relationships

Resources mentioned:

• Tom’s Website
• Insurgent Publishing
• Teachable
• Right Message
• Ash Maurya
• John Lee Dumas
• Seth Godin on Everyone Hates Marketers
• 80/20 Principle with Perry Marshall
• Infostack
• Humble Bundle
• AppSumo
• Contactually
• Andre Chaperon on Everyone Hates Marketers
• How to Influence Buying Decisions Without Being Shady

***

→ Buy my book: book.stfo.io
→ Watch my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdNXaHHVnVntg5gpveB-5_Q
→ Take my 60-second quiz: stfo.io/q
→ See my pretty face on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louisgrenier/
→ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3p4wL4r
→ Leave a review on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7iEF1qovZZiaP1iRtxGARo

🐔