Fast Forward Maine Podcast

You've heard about the power of storytelling, but exactly what kind of stories should you be telling as a business owner? Are there different stories for your customers, employees, and stakeholders? Different stories depending on where you are with growth? And when is the best time to deliver these stories? Chris Brogan, the creator of StoryLeader™ system, shares how to tell the stories that make a difference.

With fifty episodes under our collective belts, we take a look back on what we learned from our guests, the Coronavirus pandemic, and each other.

Video is a powerful tool for connecting you to your ideal prospects and customers. But what type of video should you be using, and how can you be leveraging video to best tell your story? Alex Steed from Knack Factory shares how you can create engaging, powerful videos to reach new audiences and grow your business.

Working with a remote team has both challenges and opportunities for growing businesses. Chris Clegg of Portland Marketing Analytics has been working with a remote team for years, long before it became fashionable or required. Because of that, he knows the tools, tactics, and apps to keep a remote team engaged and productive.

There are many paths to growth in business, but one that's proved successful for Maine-based FlowFold is in creating beneficial partnerships, most famously with L.L. Bean on their signature Bean Boot. Co-founder of FlowFold, James Morin, shares with us what owners can look for in strategic partnerships that benefit both sides.

Business owners often turn to Google to do research for their business plan or other marketing. However, that only scrapes the surface of what's available in terms of government and other data that's out there. For that, you'll need to travel to your local public library (in person or virtually.) You thought Google and Facebook knew a lot about you?!? Then you'll be blown away by the data your local public library has on you and your buying habits!

Do you see "sustainability" as an added cost for your business? An expense that hurts your bottom line? Then you're doing it wrong. By injecting sustainability into your business processes, you can reduce expenses, generate more revenue, boost goodwill, and run a more successful company. Marty Grohman from E2Tech shares some of the ways businesses can avoid "greenwashing" and actually get down to being a positive force in their community, all while improving their bottom line.

Whether employment is low or high, there's always a competition for the best talent. One of the ways you can set your business apart and help with the recruitment process is by employing videos. We sit down and chat with Rachel Knight of Destination Occupation, who shares tips and tactics for using videos and attracting the type of employees that will help you grow your business.

These days, the "customer journey" invariably takes people online. They Google their questions, they ask their Facebook friends for recommendations, they spend hours in their email inbox. How can your business position itself to meet your ideal custom

What is customer experience and why is it so important to your business? Regardless of your pricing, products, or positioning, at the end of the day you succeed or fail based on whether people enjoy working with your company. That comes down to customer experience, and it starts even before the top of the funnel and goes well past the purchase of a product. Yury Nabokov, the Customer Experience Manager at Machias Savings Bank (and regular co-host of this podcast) sits in the guest seat this week to help us improve our customer experience.