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The Heart Of Marketing

Despite all the latest digital marketing technology, the fundamentals of good marketing haven’t changed a whole lot. At its core, we still need a solid strategy. And we still need to make human connections. That is The Heart of Marketing. Join hosts Jayme Soulati and John Gregory Olson for an informative and entertaining romp through the digital marketing world today. You get an insider view of a variety of topics to help you win customers and grow sales. Some of the topics we’ll cover include: online publishing, public relations, content marketing, social media, mobile, branding, message mapping, marketing integration, and lots more. All delivered with the wit and wisdom of two accomplished marketing pros. Meet your hosts ... JAYME SOULATI is president of Soulati Media, Inc. and is a message mapping master. She hails from Chicago's public relations firms and delivers strategically blended marketing based on core PR with content, social and digital. She is an award-winning blogger since 2010 and brings perspective in business since 1984. Jayme is a past president of the Publicity Club of Chicago. Find her at Soulati.com. JOHN GREGORY OLSON has more than 25 years of B2B marketing experience in both agencies and corporations spanning manufacturing, legal publishing, imaging supplies, healthcare, and nonprofit. John has designed and executed marketing strategies that have generated in excess of $300 million in revenue for 3M, Thomson Reuters and other global businesses. John is a past president of the Midwest Direct Marketing Association. In 2014, John was ranked #52 on Onalytica's list of the top 200 content marketing influencers in the world. John specializes in helping midsized business organizations grow customers and sales with integrated digital marketing strategies. Find John at JGODigital.com.
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Jun 5, 2017

Bernadette Jiwa joins The Heart of Marketing to share ideas from her new book Hunch: Turn Your Everyday Insights into the Next Big Thing. In it she busts some of the myths we believe about “creative genius” and how innovation really happens.

“We covet groundbreaking ideas and the people who have them,” Jiwa writes in the introduction. “We believe in superstars and visionaries, in the power of Eureka! moments and special circumstances that set great ideas and their creators apart. But when we dig deeper, we find that the secret of these visionaries isn’t necessarily their pioneering nature, but rather that they made connections others overlooked.”

The good news is that YOU can learn how to make those connections and cultivate your intuition to transform your marketing and your business. Listen in to discover how.

What you will learn:

•    How ANYBODY can develop the “ordinary genius” that turns everyday insights into the next big thing
•    Why hunches are more important than data in coming up with breakthrough ideas
•    The reasons why data and technology can actually be the enemy of insight
•    Three human characteristics that fuel intuition for birthing new business ideas
•    How a brand or an idea becomes meaningful (and why it’s critical to success)
•    How to make your brand story much more than just a storytelling message

About Bernadette Jiwa
Bernadette Jiwa is a recognized global authority on the role of story in business, innovation, and marketing. She is the author of five best-selling books on marketing and brand storytelling, including:

•    Marketing, a Love Story: How to Matter to Your Customers
•    Make Your Idea Matter: Standing Out with a Better Story
•    Difference: The One-Page Method for Reimagining Your Business and Reinventing Your Marketing
•    The Fortune Cookie Principle
•    Meaningful: The Story of Ideas that Fly

Bernadette is based in Melbourne, Australia. She works with global brands like LinkedIn, Zappos, and Adidas to intentionally create products, services, and marketing that help them matter to their customers. She has been named one of the Top 100 Branding Experts to follow on Twitter. She also spoke at TEDx in 2012 about “The Secret to Spreading Ideas.”

Her new book titled Hunch: Turn Your Everyday Insights into the Next Big Thing releases in the U.S. on June 6, 2017.

Jun 1, 2017

Did you hear the news? Coca-Cola has eliminated its chief marketing officer (CMO) and in its place, drum roll, please, John Gregory Olson! (Well,  you're going to have to listen to what Coca-Cola is doing in the C-suite.)

When you think about the role of the CMO, anyway, it's taking a beating. The average tenure for every big brand corporate CMO is, oh, about four years. They last less than a CEO these days.

Think, too, about who reports up to the CMO. How about maybe 10 different departments and hundreds of employees in marketing in various roles? Heck, even public relations reports up into the marketing leadership in most organizations.

On The Heart of Marketing, we've talked plainly about roles and responsibilities in the workplace.

You might like:

Episode 21: Specialist vs. Generalist

Episode 102: Hear the CMO Whine?

Episode 121: With Ann Handley on a variety of marketing topics

 

There are way too many things for a marketer to do. And, ROI is still an issue. Does your organization have a CMO? If not, which title is closest to that role and are they accomplishing what they need to to take  your brand to the next level?

And, we have a shout out today to our loyal listener, Shakirah Dawud. She's the most wonderful copywriter who knows how to deliver value. Reach out to her at Deliberate Ink.

Thank you, All loyal listeners! This is The Heart of Marketing, and I'm Jayme Soulati.

May 23, 2017

Did you recently hear of the trick Suave played on its consumers? Millennial women, actually. Unilever's Suave heard from its base that they wanted a higher end brand at value pricing.

Now, we all know that Suave ain't no top-shelf Tequila. It's often relegated to the drugstore shelf or the supermarket shelves with rows and rows of like products (think Head and Shoulders).

We're not making fun of the brand, just stating the facts, Ma'am.

So, some clever marketer decided to do this (take a listen and find out, K?). And, as a public relations marketer, I have to say I am duly impressed with this campaign.

All brands are interested in earning more customers. And, it's really funny to observe the category leaders try to lure the next generation of consumer to the check-out line. In this case, millennials are that newest generation, but they have no money! Remember? They're broke with college debt, and that's why they're asking for high-quality products at bargain basement pricing. (Say, whatever happened to Filene's Basement?)

We have some fun at the expense of Suave, and we also share a number of other episodes for your listening pleasure. You might like:

More on Influencer Relations Programs: Organic v. Paid, episode 88

Building Influencer Relations Programs, episode 94

May 16, 2017

If you're merely sharing on social media and not clueing into social listening, then it's likely your brand isn't powered up on social channels. There are way too many users on each social media channel and it's impossible to listen in on all the conversations without some help.

As John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati suggest in this episode of The Heart of Marketing, it's also important to know your objectives when you use social media. It's also important to better understand your customer so you can offer the right goods and services your customer is demanding right there on Twitter.

Every brand is suffering from negative customer sentiment; well, we only hear about the negative stories that impact a brand, right? The airline industry is one such vertical market truly suffering from poor customer service, irate customers and mission statements that fail to reach the frontline.

If you enact social listening with tools, your brand can get ahead of the negativity with some basics.

In this episode, we review a few tools to help you select social listening tools that are right for your objectives and budget.

Take a look at this PC Magazine article with a plethora of options.

Then, look into Sprout Social, one of the paid favorites, followed by Hootsuite, Clicky and Buffer.

The tools available are numerous, too numerous to count. Ultimately, it's going to depend on the size of your brand or agency, the number of clients/companies you're listening for, the budget you have to spend on these expenses, and the demands by the client in a reporting mechanism.

May 8, 2017

Veggie balls at IKEA are a hot topic, so much so that the global retailer is putting more attention on its food menus to attract a growing market of folks who just come to IKEA to dine.

Have you ever been to an IKEA, smack in the middle of nowhere to accommodate the massive warehouse and shopping experience people love to see and visit? Truly, it's not easy getting there, nor is it easy getting to the front doors depending on where you have to park.

Imagine traipsing to IKEA just for dinner?!

Well, that's what IKEA leadership began to see in the numbers of dinners served -- 650 million in one year, which caused the light bulb to turn on brightly.

IKEA has been revamping the dining experience for customers to capitalize on people who enjoy the food, like the modular dining, and want to dink around in the retail side of things and then feed the kids.

How is this a marketing story? You'll need to listen in to The Heart of Marketing and find out! And, while you're at it, you might tune in to episode 30-someting when we covered IKEA when it launched its brand new veggie ball story!

We are John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati, co-hosts of The Heart of Marketing.

May 2, 2017

There's an art and science to email marketing, and today on The Heart of Marketing your #RockHot co-hosts Jayme Soulati and John Gregory Olson share a few back and forths about an email that did and an email that didn't.

What does it take for you to open an email and read it until the end? Have you ever said, yes, I need to speak with this guy? Or, maybe mostly, it's delete, delete.

John and Jayme have a few stories to tell as to why one of their experiences worked while the other not so much.

And, along the way we recognize one of our buds -- Jason Falls for his enthusiasm about an email that didn't! (Remember, Jason was our guest on a recent podcast episode, and we always love speaking with him 'cuz he knows his stuff.)

Listen in today for a brief conversation about the elements that work and don't in an email you've received or sent recently.

Apr 25, 2017

Today on The Heart of Marketing, we have a shortie/mini conversation about a recent Wall Street Journal article relating to smart refrigerators.

These new formerly called ice boxes, can now dual as a television, screen for viewing what's inside and when it spoils, a note-taking panel with calendar, and way too much more.

The smart refrigerators are leading the way with the trend toward Internet of Things (or IoT, as it's known). Do you have designs on adopting a smart device to wire the inside of your home to the Internet?

Bet you don't even know that your thermostat operates on WiFi and your 'ring video doorbell' is easily hacked. How about those cameras you have hooked up with audio in your kitchen to see what Kitty is getting into every day?

Is IoT a marketer's dream or just another trend waiting to attract the masses? Take a listen and then tell us your opinion; we'd love to hear!

Apr 18, 2017

We are delighted to welcome Ann Handley to The Heart of Marketing today. She's interviewed by our also delightful co-host John Gregory Olson who is a self-professed "fan boy" of Ann and her work.

Taken directly from her website:

Ann Handley is a veteran of creating and managing digital content to build relationships for organizations and individuals. Ann is the author of the Wall Street Journal bestseller  Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content (September 2014, Wiley) and co-author of the best-selling book on content marketing, Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (2011, Wiley). She is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs; a LinkedIn Influencer; a keynote speaker, mom, and writer.

Today's Episode

Ann and John share solid insight into the customer and the importance of creating value, always. When marketers put the customer first and the needs of the customer first that's when empathy occurs.

Ann suggests that marketers need to slow down -- slow marketing. Slow marketing is where customer empathy, humanity and value are uncovered. It's when stories are created with the customer always first.

Through a lot of buzzwords, John and Ann identify a few that bother. Omnichannel is one, but it's also spot on as there are way too many channels where customers are communicating with one another and brands. That's why stories are so important; take an opportunity to tell a story even with a simple caption on Instagram, Ann's favorite channel.

Ann and John dive in to so much more; don't miss this really important conversation!

Ann, we thank you for joining us on The Heart of Marketing.

Now, everyone go buy Ann Handley's books, subscribe to Marketing Profs and attend the B2B Marketing show in Boston every year.

 

Apr 11, 2017

Jay Baer, no he's not our guest today and we're working on that, has been writing about the popularity of video in content marketing. He shares a really nice piece right here you need to read or view on the topic.

Today, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati take a stab at exploring the new onset of 'vlogs' or video blogs versus blogs or web logs.

There is more video streaming happening on practically every platform, and there are more folks taking a spin in front of the camera to push content. Did you know you can also do video with visuals, graphics and copy? You don't even need to be in front of the camera, right, John Gregory Olson?

The growing trend toward the visualization of blogging and content marketing is providing more and more and more people with just what they want -- 'snackable' content in yummy, bite-sized chunks. Shall we say good bye to the 1,000 word long-tail blog post?

What happens to SEO then? Well, that's a conundrum, isn't it? Google still wants to crawl your site and that means video isn't part of the SEO juice unless you put in a transcript.

Video marketing is one of the hottest sills marketers need right now. If you are a video marketer, this is your standing invitation to come on our show.  The Heart of Marketing needs you!

Take a listen today and get your vlogger hat going. Think of all the ways you can deliver more entertainment, or shall we say infotainment to your audience?

Is video for you? Well, it has to be and you'll get there kicking and screaming!

This is The Heart of Marketing.

Apr 3, 2017

Heading to a social media conference this year? How about a conference in marketing, public relations, SEO, content, email, or whatever your vertical is?

Conferences are indeed best practice for in-real-life branding. You show up and immediately someone recognizes your face because of your avatar on Twitter or a Facebook post. (It's the coolest thing.)

So, you show up, you network, you make a connection and you hit the social media sphere and share what you're learning.

We got the idea for this episode from a reporter in the Wall Street Journal who wrote a jazzy piece about her attendance at social media conferences and how she used the experience to share business cards, network, grab some free books, and also be a presenter and thought leader.

There are so many reasons why you need to attend a conference, and I don't want to give it all away in writing. It's a quick episode and full of energy! Take a listen!

Shout Outs to:

Rosemary O'Neill
Mark Schaefer
Adam Toporek
John Gregory Olson (always gets a shout out)

This is The Heart of Marketing.

Mar 28, 2017

She's the official Ambassador of Happiness with a Circle R after that, and we're so delighted to have Maura Sweeney on the show today. She rounds out the third episode in The Happiness Series on The Heart of Marketing, and what a way to finish...or start your happiness journey.

Maura shares way too much sensory overload, so trust me when I tell you (this is Jayme Soulati with John Gregory Olson) that you're highly likely to listen to this episode twice. I've now listened to it four times, and I'm hearing things for the first time from expert-on-happiness-as-a-core-lifestyle Maura Sweeney.

So many people experience life with a negative vibe. Is that a choice? Maura says it is. We all have the opportunity to live positive and with mindfulness about being happier. It is a practice that when exercised provides a balance of spirit, heart core, and positivity that leads us and others around us to feel light and free.

Maura Sweeney has a variety of resources she shares on her website that you can tap into. We'd like to plug you into the Ambassador or Happiness today and every day:

Maura4U.com
Tweet with Maura here
Listen to Maura Sweeney's podcast here
Read and purchase her books
Hire Maura for a keynote presentation

Thank you, Maura for being our guest today! We heart you!

And, You Might Like our Happiness Series:

Are You Happy?

Dean of Happiness at the Wharton School

Mar 22, 2017

We're in the second episode of The Happiness Series, and today John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati are discussing the definition of happiness.

When you experience life at home, in the workplace or buzzing around the world, how do you comport your emotions? Laughter, mindfulness and happiness do contribute to a more healthful life.

The Harvard Business Review did a cover story on 'The Value of Happiness, How Employee Well-Being Drives Profits," in January-February 2012. It also commissioned a happiness study, and we reference many of the findings in the study within this episode.

So, as you experience life, some of what we mention today may help you take an inward look at your happiness quotient. And, if you're a leader in business, are you giving your star achievers a goal to accomplish?

The values happiness bring are powerful especially in the workplace. There are wonderful tips today that may make you regard people's emotions differently.

This is The Heart of Marketing.

Mar 14, 2017

When Kembrel Jones joined the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 2008 as the new dean of students, he was charged with "lightening things up" at the stodgy elite business school.

Essentially, the campus was a dull and boring place. The students weren't showing enough school pride, and there weren't enough programs to keep them happy.

Administrators were actually peering down the road into the future knowing that alumni giving looked pretty bleak. Without happiness on campus, wallets would stay closed after graduation.

Then along cam Kembrel Jones to bring in the champagne, open his heart and cell phone to 1,700 MBA students and to create a big, happy family.

In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati launch the happiness series with this short piece on what Mr. Jones saw and did to change up the attitude on the Wharton School campus.

Listen in and then take an introspective look at your own business and see if your team is happy. If not, then you're going to take away some solid tips on how to create an atmosphere built on smiles.

You Might Like

Bloomberg Businessweek "Dean of Happiness"

Mar 6, 2017

Ever wonder whether you should write a book and if that's a good idea?

In this mini (we try to make it a shortie), John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati share some solid reasons why you ought to write a book for instant cred, the experience, and the knowledge that it could lead to, well, leads.

Because Amazon Createspace has made it easier to self-publish a book, many are doing just that, but the work isn't done when that book is hot off the press.

Book marketing is the most important aspect of your book and the most challenging. Because there are so many titles nowadays, you need to ensure your book resonates with someone about something.

Once the book comes off the printer, perhaps you want to use Braughler Books (Jayme Soulati used David Braughler twice already), then what are you going to do?

We have one idea! Run and get your copy of Mark W. Schaefer's book, "Known."

The craziest thing about that book? We probably mention it about 10 times on this show because Mark took the best word ever for the title of his new book (which he hinted about in episode 100 on The Heart of Marketing).

Mostly, we laugh and banter A LOT in this episode, but, promise, you will learn several tips about to book or not to book!

 

Feb 28, 2017

We've been doing a lot of talking about customer experience and often the stories we share are the ones we read. Today is no different as we grabbed a story from Fast Company to share with you the customer experience philosophies of Warby Parker and Union Square Hospitality Group (which owns Shake Shack, btw).

Fast forward....

Jayme Soulati ponders during this episode while John Gregory Olson waxes and wanes about Neil Blumenthal of Warby Parker and Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality.

Putting Customer Experience To Work

Jayme is pondering because she believes the really solid philosophies about customer experience shard today by the two executives are basic. Why wouldn't you know to teach servers to look patrons in the eye when taking an order? How come having a greater degree of hospitality is anything new or finding people who are proactive, curious and passionate about Warby Parker is something difficult?

In your business, do you have the people it takes to bring your own philosophy about customer experience to the forefront?

We'd like to hear about it, even if it's just a short story. As you can see, John and Jayme can build an episode out of just powder!

You Might Like

How Vitamin Water Caters to Hustlers
Cultivating Love is What Brands Should Do
Putting an Emphasis on Small Businesses with @JasonFalls

Feb 21, 2017

Cultivate love? It's not an esoteric thing, and we can honestly say so because we swiped that phrase directly from Fast Company. We owe this podder to our favorite business publication for giving us this idea for an episode.

How Brands Cultivate Love

In the Fast Company story, three brands were interviewed. On today's show, we talk about two of them -- Casper and Soul Cycle. And, John Gregory Olson, co-host, shares his favorite story about Dutch Bros. cultivating love for its brand, too.

When you listen, and it doesn't matter how large your brand truly is, you can get basic heart core ideas for how your brand can cultivate love every day with all of your audiences.

Maybe you've heard of Casper? The mattress company you buy online from? Its website is extraordinary with such transparency and reviews flowing in by the day. It has a majority of 5-star reviews and tons of YouTube videos documenting the unpacking procedure. How does Casper cultivate love for its disruptive brand? You gotta take a listen to find out!

On the other side of sleep is exercise. Soul Cycle is all about the customer engagement and giving fitness instructors freedom within framework. We love that. The entrepreneurial spirit squared; each experience on the spinning cycle is different, up to the fitness instructor yet still conforming to company values.

There's a ton of discussion, too, about company values, so when you listen do recall the values you put on your employees and the heart core of your company, too.

This is The Heart of Marketing with Jayme Soulati and John Gregory Olson.

Feb 14, 2017

Today's episode is all about how you ensure your online reputation stays positive. Jayme Soulati, our illustrious co-host tells all about how you can begin to DIY your page one Google presence with a bunch of tips.

Here's the secret she uses -- Brand Yourself. You can enjoy a free or premium level services from this online reputation management platform, but Jayme recommends premium if you have a lot to solve.

In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, Jayme shares a DIY case study for which she created a variety of assets, content, backlinks, site maps, and all for the purpose of moving a negative ranking down to the bottom of the first page.

Did it work? You'll have to listen.
Don't understand a thing written here? Listen in, and you will!

John Gregory Olson attempts to chime in with some poignant questions, but Jayme insists on carrying the show; because it's her birthday month, after all!

Here are some resources you can use in your own quest to have a sparkling online reputation:

Moz
Search Engine Land
Search Engine Journal
Yoast plug in for WordPress

Enjoy, and go be #RockHot!

Feb 7, 2017

There’s something about Pinterest …

It is different from other social media platforms out there on ‘The Webz’.

If you are thinking about marketing your business, your brand or your service on Pinterest, good for you! A unique marketing opportunity awaits.

But to succeed, you need to understand the different mindset of Pinterest users. And you need to understand the different kind of culture and interaction out there.

Don’t let that intimidate you, though.

Because in this episode, we’ve brought in a Pinterest marketing expert to point you in the right direction.

Get the inside scoop from our guest Alisa Meredith. She shares tips, strategies and examples for how companies are driving amazing amounts of traffic to their websites from Pinterest.

Episode highlights:

  • How Pinterest users use Pinterest and interact on the network
  • The ‘long game’ benefits of Pinterest marketing
  • Which businesses are best suited to generate leads from Pinterest
  • Real world examples of Pinterest marketing success stories
  • The anatomy of creating highly ‘pinnable’ images for Pinterest


More on Alisa Meredith

Got a question for Alisa Meredith about Pinterest?

You can find her in many places IRL and on the Interwebz, too:

She has recently written a book on Pinterest Promoted Pins, which has established her as a Pinterest marketing authority.

She has been a featured blogger for HubSpot, Tailwind, Social Media Examiner, and of course her own blog at alisameredith.com.

She is also an in-demand speaker. She has presented at the Agents of Change Conference, Social Media Examiner’s Success Summit, and will appear at the upcoming Social Media Marketing World conference in San Diego this year.

Jan 31, 2017

In case you missed it, there is a mini renaissance happening.

In our world ruled by emails, social media posts, text messages and emoji we are seeing a return of the handwritten note.

Call it a mini-renaissance of analog communications to distinguish your brand in the digital world.

In this episode we take a look at the resurgence of the simple handwritten note and how to use it to stand apart from your competition. Join us for a look at how going ‘old school’ gets you to the head of the marketing class.

Episode highlights:

  • The trend towards more handwritten communications
  • Why a handwritten note is remarkable today
  • Four ways a handwritten note makes a powerful statement about your brand
  • Three tips for writing a note that resonates with your audience

When was the last time you received a handwritten note? As a marketer, receiving a handwritten note makes a great impact; as a professional, sending a handwritten note is the best way to make an impact.

The art of communication does, in fact, include letters, although the cost of a stamp is nearly an obstacle. And, speaking of stamps, make the extra effort to choose stamps that say something. You can always buy the flag roll, but isn't it more fun to send a stamp with something special on it because having the circus, an artist, Elvis, flowers, and sports always speaks greater on an envelope than merely Old Glory.

In this episode we have a few shout outs, too:

Adam Toporek is CEO of CTS Solutions, and he has been on this show in the past speaking about customer service. Adam recently shared a story of his own on the art of the handwritten note. You can access that right here. And you can find our episode with Adam about customer service right here, too.

John Gregory Olson, our cohost, mentions Paperless Post. Jayme Soulati, our cohost, loves Levenger, a gorgeous writing utensil and office accessories for the professional company, as well as Cardthartic. a lovely card company with the most unique and special messages you can find to send.

Mark Schaefer is always our inspiration, too. With his Content Shock approach and his tips for realtors on taking better Instagram pictures, Mark provides some fodder for today's episode.

 

And...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE HEART OF MARKETING! WE ARE TWO!

Thanks for listening! Now, go write a handwritten note!

Jan 24, 2017

This episode has a ton of casual banter that truly gets relevant to the topic today. John Gregory Olson is an incredible writer with a style and tone that is unique, special and engaging.

Co-host Jayme Soulati has always known this about John, and she's consistently nudged him to consider becoming an author.

After two full years of The Heart of Marketing, publishing weekly without skipping a beat, John Gregory Olson has finally agreed that becoming an author is where he wants to be and go.

We talk about that decision, the podcasting journey, and Jayme asks the questions that provoke John into sharing why this podcast has made him a better writer. In addition, John shares insight into why he will be that author although marketing books are a dime a dozen these days.

This is more an escape from our usual fare, but it brings more inside perspective of your co-hosts on The Heart of Marketing.

Jan 17, 2017

You may have already been introduced to none other than Mr. Jason Falls, the Louisville-based guru of anything and everything digital marketing; however, in today's episode of The Heart of Marketing, we snare Jason unplugged.

He's with Jayme Soulati (and John Gregory Olson), who leads Jason through a litany of topics on:

  • The future of social media
  • Can small companies compete with big brands on social
  • The top 5 things you need to be present
  • What is conversation research
  • AND...what the heck is Holy Smokes Marketing?!

Jason is an international speaker, influencer, and A-lister (because that's what everyone in the lead is called, apparently) who is an authority for you to know and hear.

He has recommitted to small businesses to educate them about everything they're missing and everything they need to know to continue immersion in learning.

Don't miss this episode as it is certain to be informative and current.

Meet Jason Falls

His blog is full of teaching tips.

Book him to speak at your next gig.

Get small business insight on lead nurturing.

Jan 10, 2017

Mini-episode alert! This is probably the shortest episode on The Heart of Marketing; yet, it's chock full of solid ideas for all sizes of company on how to spend $10,000.

From Inc. magazine, we got this idea and decided to do our own brainstorm on how to spend $10K across the organization or just in our own marketing department.

John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati proffer some ideas, and they may be ones you would consider or not. Do listen in because every business often puts its own doorstep last on the list of cash infusion or business strategy.

While $10,000 is not a ton of money in business, it will ensure:

1. Consultant time with a possible gap analysis

2. Planning

3. Tradeshow participation

4. Or...just ask the team!

Thanks for listening!

Jan 3, 2017

Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus. P.T. Barnum. The Greatest Show on Earth. Disney on Ice. Monster Truck.

Do you know these brands and film? Indeed. Iconic they are and if there's one family on Earth that has endured decades of entertainment success and crisis it's the Feld Family -- owners of Ringling Bros.

In the late 19th century, P.T. Barnum defied odds as the greatest circus master of all time. As technology advanced, so too did the circus. Today, the Feld family has overcome a variety of crises -- most notably whether or not to keep the elephants in its circus -- and the need to acquire a diversity of products and shows to keep people coming to the big top.

Is your brand a juggling act?

Listen in to The Heart of Marketing today and get some thoughts going around your big top to ensure that you're continually reinventing to be absolutely creative to keep the customers rolling in.

Disruption is not going away...how you manage to handle it is up to you.

Dec 28, 2016

You know that company Snap Inc., formerly known as Snapchat? Well its campaign to launch Snap Spectacles is pure PR genius, and the textbooks will tell the tale time and time again.

The beauty of scarcity and gamification is what made the launch of Snap Spectacles so sweet. With Snap Bots popping up with 24-hour notice in innocuous places, peeps were clamoring and racing and competing to sweep up multiples to keep, sell and laud over others unable to get in on the fun.

In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati weave the stories as told in the Wall Street Journal and also showcase the campaign elements that make this strategy such a success.

There is so much fun in this strategy, and the timing couldn't be better as Snap Inc. readies for IPO. Take a listen and get in on some of the cleverness that should have the marketing team sweeping the PR Anvil Awards.

Oh, and if you grab a pair of the specs and have a story to share, please be sure you fill us in on your experience; we'd love to know!

Dec 20, 2016

The 2016 POTUS election created a firestorm among advertisers; so much so that the new whisper on the street is that advertisers are missing the mark.

What's the mark, you might ask?

Why, it's Middle America -- that mark! Advertisers have always targeted coastal elite as their consumer of choice. Those folks who walk Michigan Avenue, Rodeo Drive and 5th Avenue with disposable income for luxurious products, you know, all the gorgeous people who inhabit the nation's largest metropolises.

Today? After the election that brought the U.S. Donald Trump? NOT SO MUCH.

Advertisers are definitely in a hot spot spiral without a connection to the new mainstream -- those consumers who live and breathe the fresh air of small-town and rural America. That's the new consumer, and advertisers haven't a clue how to relate with them.

While Jayme Soulati heads down about three rabbit holes this episode, John Gregory Olson shares his professorial approach to what's happening and why voice of customer is so important with which to align.

For sure the main point emanating from this episode is 'Get Local.' Advertiser? You're gonna have to do just that and that goes for brands, companies, businesses and the like that want to better understand the new mainstream.

Collect your data. Plot some inference. Draw conclusions. And revamp the strategy. It's the only way to get in touch with the new normal.

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