The Promo Playbook by Cubic Promote

The Promo Playbook by Cubic Promote

By charles-auBusinessMarketing
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The Promo Playbook by Cubic Promote episodes

  • From Cold Calling to Scale: Price, Value and the Race to the Bottom

    Charles started Cubic Promote making one phone call at a time, selling pens. In this episode he walks Nathan through the stages that took the business from there to where it is now, and the idea that changed everything: a captive audience, where you say your message once and have it amplified instead of repeating it to one person at a time. 

    He covers the tactics that built that audience, including physical events, and why they still work in a digital-first market. The second half turns to pricing. Australians spent $82.6 billion online in 2025 — up 14% — yet the average basket has fallen to $96, with 81% of shoppers hunting for a deal. 

    So do you compete on price or get better at communicating value? Charles argues you need both, using Porsche, Mercedes and Louis Vuitton to show how the best brands build a range that reaches the middle market without giving up the top.

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    13 min
  • What Actually Makes Someone Good at Marketing in 2026

    Charles Liu and Nathan open the conversation with the question every business owner is quietly asking: with new AI tools landing every week, what separates a marketer who performs from one who just keeps busy? 

    Charles explains why he now screens candidates on what they follow on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube Shorts, why he personally tests two new tools every single week, and why the old “be persistent, build your network” advice is no longer enough on its own. The pair then get into content quality versus content volume, whether flooding the feed still works, why Sydney shopfronts full of AI-generated menus and A-frames look worse than ever, and why the marketer’s job is becoming curation. 

    They finish on the question of handing your marketing to an agency: what you gain, what you quietly lose, and why the knowledge in your own head is usually the hardest thing to brief out.

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    13 min
  • Ooshies, Licensing Fees and Why Your Logo Should Be Smaller | The Promo Playbook

    Woolworths credited Ooshies with adding up to two percentage points to sales growth, on a $69 billion business with 1,800 stores. Charles breaks down what those little collectables actually cost to make (about 20-25c each) and why the licensing fee, not the production, is the real expense: Marvel doesn't go easy on you, while Snoopy will hand you the IP for free and take a cut of every unit sold.

    Then: Nathan's click-and-collect disaster and why fast remediation kept him a customer · why JB Hi-Fi and Apple replace things no questions asked · what Australian businesses are actually ordering right now (notebooks, pens, mini cameras, golf balls, water bottles, mugs, sticky notes) · why sticky notes are the best low-cost giveaway going, ambient marketing that lives in a drawer for a year · and Charles's most counterintuitive piece of advice: print your logo SMALL. Make it loud and people subconsciously block it out.

    Nathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-tripolone/

    🔗 https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🎧 https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    10 min
  • What Separates a Great Salesperson | The Promo Playbook

    Nathan asks the question every business owner wants answered: what actually separates a great salesperson from a mediocre one? Charles gives his top three. being unafraid to ask for the sale, asking the right questions, and knowing when to zip it and listen.

    Also in this episode: why "let me know if you need anything else" is the safest and worst thing you can say · why you can't train personality (and should hire for it instead) · why scripts kill conversations · and the interview stunt Charles runs, he leaves a room full of mess and cleans it up in front of the candidate, just to see who offers to help. Only about one in seven does.

    Nathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-tripolone/

    🔗 https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🎧 https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    12 min
  • Australia's $19.8B Ad Boom, Why Offline Marketing Is Growing Just as Fast | The Promo Playbook

    Australian advertising just hit records on both sides: internet advertising reached $19.8 billion in FY2026, the strongest growth in four years (IAB Australia), while out-of-home advertising climbed 6.51% year on year (Outdoor Media Association, Aug 2026). Charles and Nathan unpack what that means for B2B marketers here in Australia.

    In this episode: why tactile things are back (physical cameras, vinyl, cars with real buttons) · the offline opportunity most agencies are ignoring · sponsoring in-person events to borrow someone else's database · the APPA research on branded merchandise, 77% purchase after receiving an item, 81% recall the brand, 84% tell someone else · putting QR codes on merch so you can finally track it · and why most marketing campaigns fail (and why that's fine).

    Nathan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-tripolone/

    🔗 https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🎧 https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    13 min
  • Why A Tiny Trade Show Booth Might Beat A Giant One

    Join Charles and Jasmine (Financial Controller at Cubic Promote) for an episode packed with marketing insights that matter in 2026.

    ChatGPT can now run ads and that single change raises a bigger question: are we about to lose the feeling of choice that makes marketing work? Charles sits down with Jasmine to map the real 2026 marketing mix, where AI discovery, search, and offline advertising collide. We dig into what it means when your brand shows up as an AI recommendation, and why early ChatGPT advertising can feel like a black box with patchy results, unclear triggers, and not enough metrics to confidently scale.

    We also talk about the psychology of ads in paid products versus free platforms. If you pay for a ChatGPT subscription, do you expect fewer ads than you tolerate on Google? And when AI presents only a couple of options, does that reduce the “self-discovery” people get from scrolling Google Ads carousels and search snippets? Those small user experience details matter because they shape trust, attention, and conversion, not just clicks.

    Then we shift to the offline side, where trade show marketing ROI continues to hold strong. We unpack why smaller trade show booths can convert better than massive flashy displays, and why attendees often prefer talking to founders or senior leaders instead of hired booth staff. Finally, we share a simple, practical tracking upgrade: put QR codes on promotional products, custom printed uniforms, and giveaways to drive people to unique landing pages with discounts or freebies and measure what actually worked.

    In this episode, we break down:

    ✅ The New Marketing Mix – How AI discovery, automation, and offline advertising are reshaping campaigns
    ✅ ChatGPT Ads vs. Google Ads – Why user experience matters and which platform actually converts
    ✅ Trade Show ROI Reality – Why 98% of trade show marketers report steady or increasing returns
    ✅ The Booth Size Paradox – Why smaller booths outconvert million-dollar exhibitions
    ✅ Smart Tracking Tactics – Using QR codes on promotional products to capture and measure customer engagement
    ✅ New AI Tools – Google Analytics AI Summaries and AHREF's Letaido for competitive intelligence


    If you like smart, practical marketing conversations that connect AI trends with real-world results, subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.

    Perfect for marketing managers, business owners, and anyone running promo campaigns—whether online or offline.

    Follow our host, Charles Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-liu-042b9124/

    Follow our guest, Jasmine Liu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-liu-993bb63/

    🔗 Learn more: www.cubicpromote.com.au

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    10 min
  • Online Noise vs. Real-World Attention: How Brands Get Found by AI (and Still Get Remembered) | The Promo Playbook

    In this episode of The Promo Playbook, Charles sits down with Cubic Promote's own Aubrey Vitor and Ly Mai to unpack a question every brand is facing in 2026: when customers ask AI instead of Google, how do you avoid becoming invisible?

    We cover: how to get your content picked up and cited by AI engines · why real-world data beats generic content · who's actually to blame when AI gets it wrong · why physical advertising is growing again (outdoor ad spend up 5.58% YoY) · the ICC Darling Harbour trade show story · and a fun round of "influencer vs AI vs a bag of stickers."

    If you're rethinking your marketing mix for 2026 — this one's for you.

     🔗 cubicpromote.com.au
    🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    19 min
  • PR Mentions That Move The Needle

    Charles got featured in 20+ publications in two weeks — and explains why PR mentions are now the key to showing up in Google, ChatGPT and Claude. Plus his controversial take on big SEO agencies.

    In this episode:
    • How PR coverage feeds AI / answer-engine visibility (AEO)
    • Why AI scraping paywalled articles matters for your brand
    • "Large SEO companies are a scam" — genuine relationships vs link building
    • Selling with a real conversation, not a hard pitch

    🚀 Australia's promotional merchandise experts → https://www.cubicpromote.com.au

    🎧 Listen: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438 · Buzzsprout https://thepromoplaybookbycubicpromote.buzzsprout.com

    Hosts: Charles Liu (Cubic Promote) & Nathan.

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    11 min
  • The T-Shirt Campaign That Paid Back Fast | The Promo Playbook

    Charles reveals the direct-mail campaign that turned ~$7K into $10K in sales in a week, why every company should send branded merch, and how AI tools now find buyers the moment they're ready.

    In this episode:
    • The "T-shirt you wear for getting things done" campaign
    • Why long-term marketing beats chasing instant returns
    • Email marketing — the one medium you can actually control
    • Using buying-signal AI (like Profitate) to reach the right buyer at the right time

    👕 Order custom branded merchandise your customers will actually use → https://www.cubicpromote.com.au

    🎧 Listen: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438 · Buzzsprout https://thepromoplaybookbycubicpromote.buzzsprout.com

    Hosts: Charles Liu (Cubic Promote) & Nathan.

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    14 min
  • How to Double Client Referrals Without Spending a Dollar on Ads | The Promo Playbook

    Referred clients spend more, stay longer, and are 3× more likely to refer others — yet most businesses leave referrals to chance. Nathan breaks down a simple referral system any professional-services firm can put in place.

    In this episode:
    • The 4 reasons happy clients don't refer you
    • How to "paint the picture" of your ideal referral
    • Planting the referral seed during onboarding
    • Using pre-gifting & branded gifts to trigger reciprocity

    🎁 Branded merchandise makes the perfect referral thank-you — explore ideas at https://www.cubicpromote.com.au

    🎧 Listen: Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/6A4FemFnpCDqdzMoeOu1AP · Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-promo-playbook-by-cubic-promote/id1813988438 · Buzzsprout https://thepromoplaybookbycubicpromote.buzzsprout.com

    Hosts: Charles Liu (Cubic Promote) & Nathan

     Follow Cubic Promote:
    🌐 Website: https://www.cubicpromote.com.au
    🔗 LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/cubic-promote
    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cubicpromote/
    👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CubicPromote
    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cubic_promote
    📌 Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/cubicpromote/
    ⭐ Google Business: https://share.google/hskqvOCdVzgckNmYJ
    ✖️ X: https://x.com/cubicpromote 

    17 min

About The Promo Playbook by Cubic Promote

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The Promo Playbook by https://www.cubicpromote.com.au Here we discuss promotional products, AI, marketing, Custom uniforms and business-related topics. Tune in if you want to learn, grow, market,…