Marketing Deconstructed

LinkedIn isn’t just a resume site anymore; it’s the #1 platform for building trust, expanding your network, and driving real business growth.

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, host Ali Schwanke sits down with Justin Nassiri, founder of Executive Presence, to break down how executives, founders, and sales leaders can create a LinkedIn strategy that actually works.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why email outreach is losing its edge and how to use LinkedIn for genuine, trust-building conversations
• How to transform your profile into a 24/7 sales funnel

• How to use commenting strategically to grow your influence (and even get clients)
• Why consistency matters more than perfection when posting

Let’s face it: business development often feels like a mystery, and for service providers, it can feel downright uncomfortable.

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Ali Schwanke talks with David Ackert, author of The Shortlist and CEO of PipelinePlus, to explore why traditional business development is broken and how professionals can build a more authentic, consistent, and scalable system for growth.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Real Difference Between a Touch and an Interaction
• How to Build and Manage a “Shortlist”
• 40 Follow-Up Tactics That Aren’t “Just Checking In”

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The Short List: How to Drive Business Development by Focusing on the People Who Matter Most: https://www.amazon.com/Short-List-Business-Development-Focusing/dp/B0DCQ2Q8MS

PipelinePlus: https://pipelineplus.com/

Connect with David on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidackert/

How do you earn the trust of technical buyers who are skeptical, logical, and allergic to marketing fluff?

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Ali Schwanke sits down with Anthony Garone, co-founder of Edify Content, to break down exactly how to communicate with technical audiences.

Anthony shares:

• How AI has permanently changed content marketing
• The 5 critical things your content must include to sell to technical personalities
• The surprising mistakes most companies make that kill deals late in the sales process
• Real-world tactics for speeding up sales cycles with better content (like security pages, architecture diagrams, and more!)

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Better Sales Content with Anthony: https://bettersalescontent.com/

Check out Edify Content: https://edifycontent.com/

Make Weird Music: https://www.makeweirdmusic.com/

Work with Anthony: https://anthonygarone.com/

Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonygarone/

How are content teams really adapting to AI in 2025?

Join Ali Schwanke and Josh Spilker, Content & SEO Lead at AirOps, as they unpack the latest insights from the State of Content Teams 2025 report.

Based on findings from 144 content leaders, this episode explores the future of AI in content workflows, why answer engine optimization (AEO) is rising, and how roles like the content engineer are reshaping what high-performing teams look like.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The 4 stages of AI adoption and why only 17% of teams have fully integrated AI
• How AI can reduce bottlenecks in research, ideation, and approvals
• The rise of the “Content Engineer” and why every team will need one
• A fresh look at content metrics in a zero-click, AI-driven world
• Why AEO matters now—and how to optimize for it

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State of Content Teams Report 2025: https://www.airops.com/

Check out the Descript Case Study: https://www.airops.com/blog/descript-drives-35-organic-traffic-growth-with-content-refresh-workflows

Explore AirOps Academy: https://www.airops.com/academy

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshspilker/

Struggling to grow beyond word-of-mouth and referrals? Ali sits down with Jason Pearl, founder of Nacre Consulting, to unpack the journey from unpredictable referrals to a scalable, trackable sales funnel—and how HubSpot played a key role in that transition.

Jason shares practical frameworks for overcoming growth ceilings, defining your ICP, creating a sales playbook, and building a reliable revenue engine for SMBs.

Learn how to avoid being too reliant on referrals, the metrics that matter, and why your delivery needs to match your marketing message.

More key takeaways from this episode include:

• The danger of relying solely on referrals for growth
• How to build your first scalable sales funnel
• Key metrics to track inside HubSpot
• Why GTM (Go-to-Market) strategy isn’t just for SaaS
• How Jason tracks and automates referral sources
• The power of productizing your services

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Nacre Consulting: https://www.nacreconsulting.com/

Follow Jason on X: https://x.com/jasonmpearl

Connect with Jason on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmpearl/

Content marketing is changing—are you keeping up? The old model of creating SEO-driven content designed for search engines is no longer enough. Today, successful businesses are winning by creating content designed for scrollers, not searchers.

In this episode, we sit down with Erik Jacobson, CEO of Hatch and host of 95% Content, to talk about the two essential types of content every business needs:

1. Brand Awareness Content (Attention-Driven) – Content that grabs attention and makes sure people recognize your name.

2. Demand Creation Content (Intention-Driven) – Content that builds trust, educates, and ensures your brand is top-of-mind when customers are ready to buy.

More key takeaways from this episode include:

• The “Shortlist Effect”: When buyers finally decide they need a solution, they already have a list of brands they trust. How do you make sure you're on it?
• Why B2B content isn’t boring, but your strategy might be: Erik breaks down why expertise and storytelling make all the difference.
• How to repurpose content like a pro: You don’t need to start from scratch. Erik shares cheat codes for turning existing conversations, calls, and internal knowledge into high-impact content.
• The power of teaching-based marketing: Content that helps and educates is the best sales tool you have.

Want to stand out in today’s saturated content landscape? This episode will show you how to simplify your content strategy and start generating real business results.

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Visit Hatch: https://www.hatch.fm/

Listen to 95% Content:

https://open.spotify.com/show/45MRFs9GEwJsXHtJSUByrs?si=3a3b222f1d3641b2

Connect with Erik Jacobson on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-jacobson-hatch/

Is your business stuck because you’re the only one who can close deals? In this episode, Ali Schwanke interviews Scott Peterson, author of Beyond the Founder Rainmaker, to break down why so many founder-led companies struggle to build a successful sales team.

Scott shares his Revenue Compass methodology, revealing how to identify blue-chip clients, avoid dirty money, and build a repeatable sales process that scales beyond the founder.

We also discuss:

• Why 20% of clients generate 80% of revenue (and what to do about it)
• How to transition from networking-based sales to a scalable strategy
• Using LinkedIn and CRM tools like HubSpot Playbooks to operationalize sales
• The surprising way marketing and sales misalignment can tank revenue

Take Scott’s free Revenue Compass Assessment: https://www.carverpeterson.com/

Read Scott's Book, "Beyond The Founder Rainmaker: Build Your Blue Chips Sales Strategy"https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Founder-Rainmaker-Build-Strategy/dp/B0DXF6ML6K

Connect with Scott Peterson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carverpeterson/

Want to unlock game-changing creative ideas?

Ali Schwanke sits down with Craig Mangan to talk about the science behind creative thinking, idea generation, and how to avoid the dreaded “Swoop and Poop” that kills great ideas.

Craig shares his proven frameworks, including Jealous Inspiration Sessions, Worst First, and Crazy Eights, to help teams unlock their best ideas while navigating workplace politics.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

• Why “having good ideas” isn’t the real problem—momentum is
• How to use proven exercises to spark originality
• What happens when executives swoop in last-minute with unexpected feedback—and how to prevent it before it kills your best ideas

This episode is packed with actionable insights to level up your strategy.

Connect with Craig Mangan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigmangan/

The hardest thing in marketing today? Attention.

It’s easier than ever to start a company and build a product, but getting attention? That’s the real challenge.

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Mark Kilens, CEO & Co-Founder of TACK, reveals why the traditional go-to-market playbook is outdated, and how companies need to shift toward a People-Led GTM strategy to thrive.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The core of people-led GTM: Why relationships, storytelling, and partnerships matter more than ever
• The death of brand-led content: How consumer trust has shifted from brands to individuals
• The new GTM channels: Why community-driven content, zero-click strategies, and direct audience engagement outperform traditional methods
• AI’s role in GTM: What works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid automation mistakes

The bottom line? If your cost per acquisition is rising, conversion rates are dropping, and traditional marketing feels less effective, this episode is for you.

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Check out Mark's Marketing Leadership Mastermind:

https://www.tackgtm.com/marketing-leadership-mastermind

Learn more about TACK: https://www.tackgtm.com/

Join the TACK Network: https://www.tackinsider.com/

Connect with Mark Kilens on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markkilens/

What if the secret to accelerating marketing growth was actually slowing down?

In this episode, operations educator Jen Bergren joins Ali Schwanke to reveal the counterintuitive truth: fast-moving marketing teams thrive because they prioritize documentation.

Discover how the "move fast and break things" mindset can sabotage growth—and how simple, strategic documentation can be your competitive edge.

Learn how to:

• Build a culture of documentation that accelerates execution
• Identify and eliminate hidden process bottlenecks
• Use project management tools to create momentum, not meetings
• Create MVP-level documentation that evolves with your growth

Whether you're an overwhelmed marketer or a leader seeking scalable growth, this episode will change the way you think about speed.

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Explore Jen's Courses: https://www.jenbergren.com/courses

Join the MarketingOps Community: https://marketingops.com/

Connect with Jen Bergren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenbergren/