The Marketing Essentials Podcast

A #MarketingFail can be costly, embarrassing and at times, devastating for brands and companies. (Anyone remember Rhode Island’s own “Cooler, Warmer” campaign?). This week on the podcast we cover some cringeworthy big brand marketing fails. Hashtag mix-ups, off-color humor, branding disasters, and costly social media contest are just some of the topics we highlight.

So how do you avoid letting your marketing campaigns go to $h!%? Listen in as the Marketing Essentials Team helps you understand what can (and does) go wrong with marketing campaigns in today’s digital world so that you can avoid the same mistakes.

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

HRI chief marketing officer resigns after 'Cooler & Warmer' debacle (WPRI)

Facebook promotion of Timothy’s coffee brews social media backlash

Cultural epic fails: brands gone wrong, and what brands can learn from KFC, Mercedes Benz and Pepsi

Lil’ Rhody Marketing Support Group

Whether you’re a small business owner who likes to DIY your social media, or a social media agency looking for some time-saving tools to better service your clients this podcast is for you! Our resident social media maven, Alicia Piazza of The Spark Social, gives us her list of top ten tactical (and mostly free) tools for social media success.

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

The Spark Social (Alicia’s agency)
5 Simple Steps to Getting Started with Google Analytics
How to Get Started Using the Facebook Pixel
Sprout Social (social media management software)

Bonus Content: Alicia’s 10 Tactical Tools for Social Media Success (PDF)
(available only to podcast subscribers)

Do you feel like you are crossing your fingers and hoping that your marketing works? If so, it could be that your company is missing the essential marketing element of brand storytelling. A good brand story makes you distinctive; but how can your company move beyond a name and a logo and craft a unique story that resonates with clients and prospects?

This week, we meet with James Kwon, owner of Figmints marketing and branding agency, to learn why crafting a compelling brand story can make the difference in growth and sustainability for your company.

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

Figmints

James Kwon on Instagram

Bonus Content: 14 Questions to Ask When Crafting a Compelling Brand Story (PDF)
(available only to MET Podcast subscribers)

How do you market historic people and periods in an engaging and compelling way? Bring them to life! The Marketing Essentials Team jumps in the wayback machine this week with John McNiff, native Rhode Islander and historical reenactor. John has been bringing historical figures to life since 1974 and loves educating the public about people like Roger Williams and William Blackstone. If you love a good story you’ll want to tune in to this episode.

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

John McNiff on Facebook

A Lesson in R.I. history: An hour with Roger Williams (Providence Journal)

Students to Retrace Roger Williams’ Footsteps in England (RWU)

Free Men of the Sea (pirate reenactment group)

This week we invite The Designer CPA, Peter Lang, on to our podcast to discuss a counter-intuitive way to approach your marketing & brand position: developing a niche. Niche marketing is offering products or services that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population. Through niching, Peter went from the “boring CPA” (his words!) to the specialized, laser-focused “CPA for Creative Designers” and realized tremendous growth in his business.

Can you apply niching to your business? What does this mean for your marketing? And will the act of excluding certain types of customers and clients, actually INCREASE your business? Listen to our interview with Peter to find out!

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

The Designer CPA

How to Find a Niche Market and Make It Your Own

Lil’ Rhody Marketing Support Group

Print advertising is on the decline and we are becoming a paperless society. Linkedin connections can be made in an instant and emails can be exchanged on our phones. It seems that everything about marketing and making connections is changing on a daily basis.

So you have to wonder... will the classic business card be retired soon? Is it still a necessary part of your marketing?

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

Haptics: The Science of Touch

How to design a business card: 10 top tips

Justin’s favorite business card vendor: Moo.com

Lil’ Rhody Marketing Support Group

Networking is essential to grow your business, but if it gives you cold sweats just thinking about it that’s understandable. Walking into a room of strangers to introduce yourself, make small talk, and connect with other business professionals can be downright intimidating!

No one wants to be the person standing alone, checking the weather on their phone for the 10th time that night. Everyone wants to be “that person” who seems to glide into group conversations with confidence and ease. But how do you become a better networker?

This week we talk to Bob Salvas, Rhode Island networking veteran turned networking teacher. Bob has spent years on the networking circuit and has turned his natural talent and ability to make connections into a workshop. He shares some of his top tips and advice so you can become a networking rockstar!

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

Bob Salvas Consulting

Bonus Content: Networking for Success Checklist (PDF)
(available to MET Podcast subscribers)

If you feel like your social media marketing efforts are not paying off, it could be that a social media pitfall is to blame. However, think of it as a slump and not a curse. You can break the pattern and find social media marketing success. This week we join Nicole Eller, of Ginger Green Marketing, and discuss the ultimate pitfalls of social media marketing and what to do differently.

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

What is a Social Media Algorithm?

Airtable Social Media Presence

What is News Jacking?

Goldfish’s tweet reply to @liildweeb

Oreo Wins the Super Bowl of Social Media

Lil’ Rhody Marketing Support Group

Real estate photography done right has a huge pay off. It will increase the asking price of your home, get you more showings, and move it off the market faster!

In this episode, we discuss marketing a home with proper listing photos. Our resident photographer Bill explains how to DIY it, and when you should just hire a professional. His invaluable photography tips are true SELLING points on why good photography is always a marketing necessity.

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

100 Bad Real Estate Photos

Lil’ Rhody Marketing Support Group

Social media is a great venue for showcasing your business and giving you an opportunity to speak to your audience. However, if you feel like you are running out of ideas for posts, it can be tough. Here are 9 creative social media post ideas that you can plan out on your calendar, reuse, and get your creative juices flowing!

Stuff we mentioned during the podcast:

Airtable: online database for organizing your social media content calendar
HootSuite: manage all your social media in one place
Buffer: schedule posts, analyze performance, and manage all your accounts in one place
Sprout Social: social media management software

Bonus Content: 9 Types of Social Media Posts Checklist (PDF)
(available to MET Podcast subscribers)