My Takes

We often get stuck in a loop of feeling like every piece of content needs a heavy-handed CTA or call to action. But have you ever looked at your YouTube stats and wondered why viewers drop off exactly when you start your pitch? 

0:00 - The "Disney Model" of Content: Applying the experience-first approach to your brand strategy.

0:18 - The Problem with Constant CTAs: Why aggressive "calls to action" might be causing your audience to exit early.

0:35 - Building Emotional Connection: Shifting your focus from forcing purchases to cultivating a community.

0:50 - Proper Branding: Why organic growth happens when your audience feels truly connected to your brand.

Welcome back to My Takes! Today, we’re talking about creating magic—not just content. Have you ever wondered why some brands just "get it" without constantly pushing a hard sell? I’m drawing inspiration from my time at Mount Pisgah in the beautiful Adirondacks to explore what it really means to create a "Disney-like" experience for your community. If you’re tired of chasing sales and want to start building real traction, this episode is for you. Let’s dive into how we can turn your content into an experience your audience actually wants to be part of.

Highlights & Key Takeaways

0:00 – Adirondack Inspiration: Discover how the trails of Mount Pisgah—and their unique names—got me thinking about the fundamentals of brand storytelling.

0:25 – The "Disney-Like" Experience: Why the most successful organizations never seem to "sell" anything, yet gain the most loyalty.

0:40 – Content Fundamentals: Breaking down the pillars of great content—fun, connection, branding, and flow.

0:50 – Community First: Why your focus needs to shift from transactions to creating magic to see real long-term traction.

A quick follow-up about the importance of disconnecting and a lesson learned. I recently caught myself feeling a bit frustrated seeing everyone on their devices, and found myself being a bit negative. We all know the importance of disconnecting, but it’s also harder than it looks. So I want to take a step back and switch the script to be more positive. If you can get out there! Now let me put my device down :) 

0:00 - The Temptation of Negative Posting: I share my internal struggle with wanting to post about people on their devices and why I chose to stay positive instead.

0:15 - Why We Head to the Trail: A look at the real reasons we choose nature—mental health, clearing the mind, and connecting with friends and family.

0:35 - Living in the Moment: My final challenge to you: find a way to disconnect, embrace the outdoors, and fully enjoy your surroundings.

Have you ever tried to enjoy a beautiful day outside, only to find yourself constantly checking your devices? Today, I’m coming to you from the stunning Chedoke Rail Trail in Hamilton, Ontario, but my mind is on something a little heavier: the struggle to truly disconnect. Are we suffering from a digital "disease" of being too tied to our devices? Let's talk about why unplugging is so hard—and why we desperately need to figure it out.

Key Highlights & Timestamps

0:00 – The Digital Dilemma: Observations from the Chidoke Rail Trail on why disconnecting feels like such a struggle in today's world.

0:15 – Is Connectivity a Disease?: A candid take on how our constant reliance on devices might be impacting our ability to enjoy the present moment.

0:30 – The "Back Channel" Solution: My personal strategy for staying reachable for family without being tethered to everything else.

Hey, it's Jonathan Saar, and today's thought was inspired by Roxette's "Dress for Success." But this isn't just about what you wear—it's about the attitude or mindset you bring to your clients every single day. Are you truly dressed for success even when dealing with a challenging customer?  How much does your attitude impact your final work, and how can you ensure you're always putting out your very best, no matter who the client is? Stick around for my takes on success, attitude, and client care. Take care, everyone!

Key Show Highlights

0:00 - Why the song "Dress for Success" by Roxette sparked my attitude take

0:15 - The critical link between your work attitude and customer care

0:30 - Handling difficult clients: Maintaining your best attitude through challenges

0:45 - How to ensure you're always putting out your very, very best work

This week, I want to clear up a few things about how I feel about AI, one major mistake I see marketers make, and, of course, some tips to streamline your marketing content plan. 

Key Timestamps and Show Highlights

00:00 Why I am not anti-AI, but how it must be used as an incredible assistant.

01:17 The biggest content marketing mistake 

02:21 Leveraging AI for the pre-production phase and generating a basic session outline.

02:51 Why subject matter expert review and proofreading are essential steps.

Have you been caught up in the noise about making your content marketing "AI friendly?" In today's episode, I'm sharing some reassurance and simplicity behind using AI to assist you, not replace you. If you're already creating content, you're ahead of the curve—but are you answering the right questions? Plus, I'll share simple tweaks you can make today, like auditing your cornerstone content. Don't let the buzzwords distract you. Let's talk about making content for people and still seeing the benefits of AI search!

Key Timestamps / Show Highlights

0:00 - AI Content Marketing Mindset: Using AI to assist and the importance of ensuring your content is authentic to you.

1:00 - Content Creation Advantage: Why being a regular blog content creator puts you further ahead than those having to start from scratch.

1:45 - Answering User Questions: The simple, necessary content adjustment you need to make right now to align with AI search behavior.

2:26 - Cornerstone Content Audit: Why you need a republishing plan for your high-ranking articles and how to look at them through a new lens.

2:50 - Bypassing the Buzzwords: Don't get caught up in the "AI friendly" noise; if you're making content for people, you're on the right track.

3:30 - Real AI Search Benefits: What we're seeing in referrals from AI search without changing a whole lot.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the thought of content marketing or the high costs of a marketing agency? Today, I’m following up on my recent post to show you how investing in your content strategy can be easier than you think, especially when you use simple tools and AI to support—not replace—your efforts. We discuss an example of how to turn a short video into a website-supporting blog post, giving you two pieces of content instantly. Ready to learn how to turn one piece of content into so much more!

Key Timestamps & Show Highlights

0:00 - The crucial difference: How AI should support your content marketing plan, not replace it.

1:05 - The Start Small strategy: Using Riverside and inexpensive tools to create your first content win.

2:16 - Content Repurposing in action: Turning a video transcript into an engaging, conversational blog post.

3:00 - Content Strategy wins: Overcoming the daunting cost of a marketing agency by focusing on in-house growth.

Ever wonder what the secret is to content marketing that actually pays off? I'm stepping out of the office for a quick, important take today on why you need to stop thinking of content as a task and start treating it like a long-term investment. Is "AI search" the new buzz, or is the old wisdom about consistency still key? Stick around—I'm sharing the perspective that small to medium businesses are missing, and a look ahead at the practical tips coming soon on what you can do.

Key Timestamps / Show Highlights

0:0 – Why Small to Medium Businesses Struggle with Content Marketing Challenges.

1:05 – Content Strategy: Thinking of Content as an Investment (Like Exercise or Retirement).

1:45 – AI Search Buzz: Is it replacing proven Content Marketing Wisdom?.

2:19 – Stop Hacking at Chat GPT: Practical Tips for Consistent Content Creation

Good day, awesome, cool people! I'm Jonathan Saar, and on today's My Takes, I was mistaken for a complete stranger—and it got me thinking. How easily can your brand be misrepresented? We recently dealt with a major client issue involving copycats and brand protection. Stick around to hear why protecting your intellectual property is more critical than ever, and how you can make sure your audience is only interacting with the real you. Are you watching your back?

Key Timestamps/Highlights

00:00 - The awkward moment of being mistaken for a twin in Clinton Park

01:07 - Why a friendly chat turned into a major lesson on identity issues

01:25 - The danger of brand copycats and misrepresentation

01:45 - The importance of protecting your intellectual property