The Marketing RV Podcast with Ranalli and Volpe

010 #LifeHacks

SYNOPSIS

"Life hack (or life hacking) is any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life" (Wikipedia). #LifeHacks Speaker Series is the name of Jennifer Koenig McDevitt's business. Similar to traditional speakers' bureaus, Jennifer's speakers are experts in their fields who offer a valuable life hack and go through a vetting process. The secret sauce is how this business serves a broader niche and pairs speakers with businesses and organizations.

Jennifer is a Super Connector, who through skillfulness, perseverance, and risk-taking has been involved with the success of at least three major networking services as either founder, partner, or both. Jennifer shared her story of beating the odds after being hacked, if you will, personally and professionally by a former trusted paid consultant. Despite the attempted sabotage, Fabulous Shoe Night, a networking/social group with chapters across the country, prevailed. Fabulous Shoe Night has a for-profit model that raises funds for local charities or people in need.

PowerMatch is a networking group with which Jennifer has been involved for more than five years, and for which she now runs a territory. Its unique model takes the guesswork out of networking by pairing professionals with individuals working in fields with which they want to network. After joining the PowerMatch staff, Jen identified a need and started her #LifeHacks Speaker Series business. She's a serial entrepreneur who understands partnering to marketing, which made her an ideal Marketing RV guest.

After receiving a last minute invitation, Jennifer spontaneously joined Lorraine and Gene for this Marketing RV podcast from The Porch at the Lamb Tavern in Springfield. Everything about this episode is serendipitous—from the way it came about, to the topics and the various interconnections uncovered between hosts and guest.

While Lorraine and Gene were thrilled and delighted by providence, they were not surprised because this is exactly the type of marketing they practice and the intended outcome for which they strive via the Marketing RV podcast.

Unable to contain her enthusiasm as Jennifer described #LifeHacks Speaker Series, Lorraine divulged details about her 2017 #public speaking Twitter experiment that led to the release of her book, Impact! Deliver Effective, Meaningful, and Memorable Presentations. Like an excitable kid in a candy store, Lorraine continued connecting dots, pitching herself and Gene as #LifeHacks Speakers and offering Gene's digital marketing consulting services.

Pay particular attention to the very end of the show when Jen reveals the irony of a personal challenge in light of her newest endeavor.

HIGHLIGHTS

04:50 How Fabulous Shoe Night came to fruition.

06:06 Fabulous Shoe Night adopts a charitable model and grows.

07:49 The significance of the shoes—it's not about high end or high heels, it's about feeling fabulous.

09:34 For profit and charitable.

11:08 Gene describes serenading his wife … with about 100 Mummers.

13:32 Persevering after a trusted, paid consultant hacked Jen's business and her reputation.

16:13 Jen explains why she decided to forego legal action.

17:20 PowerMatch—a unique networking model.

19:42 Jen approaches Sara Rosenberg to become a part of the PowerMatch team.

20:14 Classic example of entrepreneurialism.

21:09 #LifeHacks partners with PowerMatch.

24:14 The #LifeHacks Speakers emblem.

26:10 ATTENTION BUSINESSES: #LifeHacks Speaker Series wants hosts. Opportunity!

28:15 Serendipity! Lorraine connects the dots.

30:05 Merge traditional networking and online networking to maximize marketing.

31:45 Irony—the other life challenge Jen overcame.

009 Leverage Employee Ambassadors

SYNOPSIS

How do you leverage your employees for marketing purposes? With the right protocols in place, the concept is not as risky as it appears. Lorraine advocates for identifying those within an organization who are most likely to actively cheerlead, and then equipping them to do so. Gene waves the caution flag, noting potential liability.

In the end, both Lorraine and Gene agree that all things considered—industry, type of organization, product, mission, etc.—with solid policies in place, clear communication, and sound training and development in place, employees or staff should be encouraged to function as brand ambassadors. Check out Gary Vaynerchuk's video, Why you might need to fire your most talented employee. He explains the value of emotional intelligence and how continuity and lack of politics will make your company grow faster. If Gary's three-minute video is not enough to convince you to choose wisely for your organization, read Jim Collins' Good to Great.

This episode of Marketing RV was recorded at The Porch at the Lamb Tavern in Springfield, PA. Lorraine and Gene make the rounds actively with Marketing RV. Get in touch to find out how to bring the podcast to your location.

Here are links to upcoming broadcast venues mentioned in this show:

Fearless Restaurants – reached out to Marketing RV via Facebook to schedule broadcasts from any or all of their seven restaurants. Holla!

White Dog Cafe

The Blue Octagon

Michael's Selling In Philadelphia and South Jersey

HIGHLIGHTS

02:00 Calling all RV dealers.

08:40 Gene wants to know the ulterior motive to employee enthusiasm.

10:30 Incentivize employees to be brand ambassador.

11:42 Bob chimes in from the background.

14:25 Shout out to Michael Giuda of KW.

14:50 Gene describes the unique marketing advantage that is underutilized by real estate brokers.

17:48 Gene predicts advertising will go VR and AI, soon!

19:28 First step to using your staff to market your business, is identifying your cheerleaders.

25:48 Avoiding social media pitfalls that could land you in court.

25:55 Basic elements your social media policy should contain.

27:00 Why you might need to fire your most talented employees.

28:32 Teaching technology vs. attitude.

008 Terrestrial & Web Radio SYNOPSIS Radio is not dead. It's more alive now than ever with a plethora of options, niche shows, and channels that include everything from podcasts, to traditional AM/FM to shortwave. While platforms and delivery methods vary, the common denominator is delivering content, providing listeners with value to keep them tuned in. Marketing RV welcomes veteran broadcaster and Nashville darling Paul Ladd to the show to discuss his program, which broadcasts worldwide over shortwave and online. Lorraine has fun discussing the industry with her fellow radio veteran and you'll appreciate how terrestrial radio seamlessly utilizes electronic marketing to attract listeners. This is just another example how new and traditional media unite. Paul's show, The English Hour, airs twice daily on World Christian Radio, a network he describes as "NPR got Religion." The English Hour is a human-interest show featuring well known authors, politicians, entertainers, journalists, etc. He tells the RV about several of his more notable interviews including news anchor Larry Kane, singer/song writer Michael McDonald, and the famed Fisk Jubilee Singers. Paul was in town for a keynote at the Shortwave Speakers Festival. In this episode you'll get a preview of Gene's new podcast Barbells & Brews as well as insight into his musical tastes, or lack thereof. Help Gene answer his burning question, "If I come to Nashville, will I want to kill myself?" We are grateful to DiFabio's for allowing us to take up valuable dining room real estate. The food was delicious as always. We are also grateful to Chico's Vibe for granting us permission to use their copyrighted music as show beds. Here's a great clip of Chico's Vibe from a few years back with Preston & Steve on WMMR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znr1MeOyHN4. HIGHLIGHTS

Skip the first minute! You'll never get those 60 seconds back!

01:20 Gene goes rogue with some sort of rap.

01:45 Shout out to Sterling Pig with free beer.

02:34 Introducing Barbells & Brews, Gene's other podcast.

03:20 Meet veteran broadcaster and Nashville darling Paul Ladd.

03:52 Paul plugs Impact: Deliver Effective, Meaningful, and Memorable Presentations

07:24 Paul is a storyteller. He talks about the shortwave network, his show, and some of his famous guests.

13:45 In light of our recent foray into intellectual property, Paul explains the extent to which his network goes to comply with fair use, and music royalty enterprises BMI and ASCAP.

14:51 Gene gets the lowdown on Nashville

16:55 Paul drops names—the musical artists he's interviewed.

24:00 Paul reveals some Philly favorites that he's interviewed.

007 Copyrights & Trademarks

SYNOPSIS

Intellectual property is a topic with which anyone active in social media, blogging, and any form of electronic media must familiarize themselves. Attorney Adam Garson discusses with Ranalli and Volpe various aspects of intellectual property with focus on his forte, copyright and trademark law. Copyright infringement comes in many forms. Adam explains that simply attributing content to its proper owner does not necessarily indemnify a poster from copyright infringement. Permissions are necessary. Likewise, by sharing content on certain sites, an author often relinquishes his copyright to that content. Of course, if the author is a known entity—an established brand—his name is protected by a common law trademark. That means anyone who claims attribution for his content is in violation of that trademark. The lines might appear fine and confusing, which is why it is always best to consult a professional.

Thank you DiFabio's for allowing us to take up valuable dining room real estate. The food was delicious as always. Thank you Chico's Vibe for allowing us to use your copyrighted music as beds to our show. If you've never heard Chico's Vibe, check out this clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znr1MeOyHN4.

HIGHLIGHTS

03:12 Adam defines intellectual property.

05:35 Even with proper attribution, copyrights can be infringed.

09:15 One client learned the hard way that everything on the Internet is not free.

10:10 Gene and Adam define and discuss CCL—Creative Commons Licensing

11:27 Going off course, Gene makes a left turn and brings up Net Neutrality. It's not clear what he was thinking but Adam offers some keen insight into the subject.

15:35 Adam explains common law trademark and potential brand infringement.

18:05 Social media "terms of service" and the effect on copyrights and trademarks.

19:32 Gene's almost famous hairless head.

23:00 The growth of social media and its effect on the intellectual property business.

23:18 Adam's article, "Dos and Don'ts when posting images online."

25:30 Understanding trademarks. Adam explains and emphasizes the importance of doing a proper trademark search.

27:20 What Adam does when he's not wearing his lawyer hat.

Think about the fond conversations you have with family and friends as you sit around a kitchen table breaking bread. That warm, familial, and familiar feeling is akin to the Marketing RV podcast experience. Like a kitchen table conversation, this show moves quickly, entertaining while informing about the topic at hand. It is not too dissimilar to Cucina Chatter, Lorraine's radio show and podcast from 2010 to 2012 that Gene often references and intentionally botches.

In this episode Lorraine and Gene broach legal issues involving online content. Find out who owns copyrights, how easy it is for anyone to violate trademarks, and how infringement on either damages an organization's reputation.

Realtor Dave Joslin returns to the show to discuss Isagenix, the weight loss program that put his brand on the map. Isagenix is a weight loss program sold via multilevel marketing. Dave was never interested in it but purchased it in 2017 from a friend who pitched it incessantly. The product sat for months until one day in mid-2018 Dave got fed up with his body and decided to make a change. He has never looked back and by all accounts has not looked as good in years. Dave shares the story of his weight loss and his viral ham video.

Interesting and relatable as a weight loss story is, Lorraine and Gene were taken by the way this personal story boosted Dave's presence in the crowded real estate landscape. Sometimes successful marketing is a matter of sitting back, taking stock of all the elements that comprise your brand, and leveraging to the best of your ability. Dave said the key is to just start.

Gene echoes Dave's sentiments when Lorraine questions him about the most common concerns of his clients. When it comes to marketing, it appears getting started is the most difficult think for individuals and organizations, even those that have all the tools in place.

Lorraine touts Nike's hugely successful "Just do it!" tag line that will live in infamy. She latter posted the infamous swoosh on her LinkedIn page, inviting followers to share their favorite tag lines. The post is still going strong and attracting thousands of views.

Bringing the show full circle, Lorraine and Gene advise not to run from or hide negative responses and feedback to social posts and welcome your feedback to the Marketing RV podcast. So, listen and leave your comments! The podcast is free and you will not regret investing 30 minutes.

Shout outs to Chico's Vibe and Doc 7 for the show's theme music!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:33 We need 55,000 followers. Yo!

02:15 Broadcasting from DiFabio's Market & Tap, Gene and Lorraine give a virtual tour.

03:30 Shout out to theater companies. This is your chance to get involved in the hilarious stage show "La Famiglia."

05:11 Gene's favorite text game, "Where am I" is how we landed at DiFabio's. Shout out to Pagano's in Drexel Hill, which Gene also frequents.

07:15 Discussion of plagiarism, copyrights, and trademarks ensues, prompting an invitation for Intellectual Property Attorney Adam Garson to the show, which he later accepted. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss his appearance.

12:00 Gene puts Lorraine on the spot to giveaway Gravy Wars during a yet-to-be-determined contest. We need you to help us figure this out.

15:13 Good ethics is giving appropriate credit to those whose content you "borrow."

16:30 Dave Joslin talks about weight loss and selling anything.

26:22 Lorraine asks Gene what most people are most concerned about when it comes to electronic marketing. In response, Gene echoes Dave's sentiment, just start, and he explains how to avoid being overwhelmed by all the platforms.

30:15 While soliciting feedback, Gene suggests you "Tell everyone Gene's pretty and Lorraine's got a big mouth."

To blog or not to blog that is the question posed in this episode of Marketing RV. While businesses scramble to embrace content marketing, which is all the rage, how many understand the impetus for content. Lorraine, the PR traditionalist, touts the benefits of attracting attention by giving the audience key takeaways via content. Although Gene prefers video messaging over straight text, he explains why text is such an important part of all your electronic marketing.

Two guests get some airtime on this show. Real estate agent Dave Joslin reveals the best piece of advice Gene ever gave him. As Gene's former high school football coach, Dave also speaks candidly about Gene's athletic prowess, or lack thereof.

Christine Rizzo also dropped by DiFabio's Market & Tap to participate in the show and gain insight on leveraging social media to promote the Shevlin Family Foundation, where she serves as executive director. The Shevlin Family Foundation supports families of those struggling with addiction. They provide short-term housing for addicts going into or coming out of recovery. They also supply basic household goods. Christine also explains her transition from regulatory compliance consultant to teacher, to non-profit leader.

Food is always an integral part of Marketing RV but you'll also snag these takeaways:

• LinkedIn's blogging feature always ranks well.
• Simply having social media is no longer enough. You must provide relevant content consistently.
• Short videos make great content.
• "The Latest Tips for Branding Yourself on LinkedIn."

Plus, you'll learn how and why memes came to be.

Our goal is to reach 55,000 followers by summer. So, download the show free from your preferred podcast vendor and tell two friends about it. Then they'll tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends, and so on…

HIGHLIGHTS

We make it easy, providing markers for those who think they can't give up an entire half hour.

00:30 Gene conflates the show's name. …. Again!

01:46 "Six Bad Social Media Habits to Break" Also see "6 Bad Social Media Habits for Real Estate Agents to Break."

02:30 How memes came to be.

06:56 Lorraine tells the Bob meatball story.

09:00 Lead generation dictates what you put on your site.

09:40 What happened to Cucina Chatter, Lorraine Explains

12:00 Meet Dave Joslin, Emcee & DJ, realtor, and weight loss enthusiast

13:20 Lorraine invokes Sabastian Maniscalco to explain why Gene never played high school basketball.

15:00 Dave divulges the best piece of advice Gene ever gave him.

15:35 As a football player, Gene was "unimpressionable," said Dave.

17:00 Gene eats the mic and then complains, "We gotta get a new audio engineer. Our audio engineer sucks."

17:35 Meet Christine Rizzo, executive director of Shevlin Family Foundation.

21:00 Gene talks about how to engage Facebook followers.

30:20 Gene's hoagie goes viral. Gene and Lorraine tout their favorite roll, Liscio's because It's all about the bread.

On one hand, our Marketing RV hosts think the internet should be completely free from government regulation. Actually, that's the only hand that matters to both Ranalli and Volpe. They do recognize, however, that none are immune from making stupid decisions based on influencers. So maybe the solution is for individuals to be aware of the potential fraud in cyberspace and any space, and to do some homework before acting or reacting. Whether it's a purchase, a diet trend, trying a new exercise, or even commenting on a post, pause and think about the consequences. Sure, that's easier said than done but the alternative is a nanny state, and who wants that?

Social media influencers is the topic of this podcast. One story our food-enthusiast hosts did not cover was the Fyre that burned a lot of young people expecting a luxury vacation and music festival.

Fyre may have singed the entire influencer industry, or at the very least created permanent smoke damage. Click here to read about the scandal involving a remote tropical island, models, and much anticipated music festival. If you're not familiar with the story, check out Vanity.

HIGHLIGHTS

01:00 Gene auditions for WKRP

01:15 Gene reveals a secret: ha has no hair!

04:30 16 UK social media influencers agree to disclose they are paid sponsors see who they are here. Do you know any of these 16? Lorraine knew none; Gene knew one.

Here's an update to that story:

07:17 Should celebs disclose they are being paid to endorse products? Gene's use of UFC's Joe Rogan is just an example. He's still a fan!

13:20 "This is where Twitter stepped out of their space."

14:25 Is Twitter dead?

17:55 Lorraine contends Mac and Microsoft choose to not get along.

19:00 Gene and Lorraine contend that government regulation will ruin the internet.

20:15 Gene admits to being lost without GPS. Find out where he goes to recalculate his route.

21:30 Gene and Lorraine are afraid of autonomous vehicles.

22:15 Two teens stumped by rotary phone challenge. Watch it here.

25:15 According to Buzzsumo, LinkedIn is the Heavyweight in B2B Content Marketing.

28:00 Gag me! Are we listening to Ranalli & Volpe or those polite little cartoon chipmunks Chip & Dale?

28:40 When did Lorraine become the grammar police?

When marketing our businesses, it is easy to use the tools with which we are most comfortable. However, as Lorraine constantly stresses in her writing and soft skills training courses, it is always best to cater to the audience by communicating in their preferred style. The concept seems obvious. Often businesses or business leaders think they do just that when in reality, they do not. That is because we are wired to go with what we know, and we assume what is familiar and comfortable to us is familiar and comfortable to others, too.

"Like, duh! Everyone knows that."

Wrong!

The truth is we all grow up accepting the reality that has been presented to us. So, we use the tools that we find most comfortable. For generations of people born around 1980 or later, those tools are likely electronic in nature. It's what they know because electronics have always been part of their lives. Those born before 1980 have to learn the new tools. Many embrace change and take it upon themselves to learn the new. Thus, the learning curve is seamless. Reluctant types find adapting a little more difficult. Still, some refuse to learn, rendering themselves or their businesses obsolete.

Gene and Lorraine explore the effects of adopting technology on personal and professional success and the direct correlation to wealth accumulation. They reference the Bloomberg article, Super Rich Americans are Getting Younger and Multiplying. This show is not all about facts and figures, unless you consider the effect of beer on your figure, which is the central theme of Gene's soon-to-be-launched podcast Barbells & Beer. Lorraine, on the other hand, isn't really a drinker but seems to really enjoy hanging out at bars, which is why the pair broadcasts from Pica's in West Chester, PA. They welcome you to the table. So, keep an eye on the Marketing RV social pages to find out when you can be part of their next broadcast.

Shout outs to Chico's Vibe and their spinoff band Doc 7 for the Marketing RV music bed. The song you hear is She is There by Doc 7.

HIGHLIGHTS

6:00 As a group, the 35 – 54-year-old age range has experienced a 41% decrease in net worth in the past decade because their money is wrapped up in the housing market.

7:30 Gene's experience with professionals has been that those within ten years of retirement are being hammered by their reluctance to embrace technology.

8:00 Gene discusses how tech has completely turned real estate marketing around.

10:20 Bullying is no longer relegated to the recess yard. Technology makes it a 24/7 game. What impact does that have on kids' psyche?

19:00 Beermeister or kegerator? Meet a sea faring beermeister.

24:00 Heat maps can pinpoint exactly where people are clicking on your site, enabling you to direct traffic. Crazy Egg says you need heat maps. Gene and Lorraine want to know what you think.

27:00 This is the best marketing tool for Real Estate or any business.

28:00 Gene says insights should drive marketing. Do you think he answered his own question about heat maps? Weigh in.

There are two common mistakes made regarding marketing: incorporating it after establishing a business rather than making it an integral part of a business plan and placing it first on the chopping block during rough fiscal spells. Ranalli and Volpe advise otherwise. It is always important to make marketing a priority from the get-go and beyond. The cost involved does not have to be astronomical but be ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Better yet, hire a pro to do the work for you.

In this episode, Gene discusses the importance of social media analytics, and offers three steps to dealing with negative online reviews. You will learn how your business can show up at the top of a web search, Google in particular, and how to ensure positive news appears first.

In terms of promoting your business and maintaining a positive image, always control your messaging. Get in front of any story about you, your business, or your product. This require active marketing.

HIGHLIGHTS

06:20 Tracking marketing and the importance of allocating a percentage of revenue to marketing—always!

08:22 Maintaining relationships, instigating word-of-mouth advertising, and the importance of consistent messaging.

10:00 The Pica's example.

15:04 The importance of Googling yourself and doing so anonymously. Learn how here.

19:25 If you are not aware of negative press about your brand, you risk missing the mark when trying to increase sales.

23:00 Gene discusses how web marketing affects your search results.

29:00 Why Gene uses the in his Instagram and Twitter handles.

Lorraine leads Gene in the conversation about branding and marketing for your business. This episode covers everything from where certain companies got their names from all the way to why 7/11 has locks on their doors.