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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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Now displaying: May, 2016
May 31, 2016

Were there enough hints in the title and sub-title to guess what John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati banter about today? You got it -- The Honest Co. and its trial and tribulations of being, well, honest. This is the Heart of Marketing.

Whomever names a brand Honest is striving for the holy grail, right? Especially in this disrupted age of category change agents, which, ahem, The Honest Co. definitely IS!

We're backing into this episode with cultural values and to say that if you want to be upright and honest with customers, then watch out for the packaging and ingredient vigilantes. They will have you for lunch.

What is a Brand?

Jayme let's John do the talking while she looks up the word 'cache' trying to catch the too-smart John in a mis-pronounciation that fails; alas.

Jessica Alba is a celebrity businesswoman with her own powerful brand, and the company she launched, The Honest Company, is struggling to reach IPO status. Hear what we recommend about branding, legal affairs, and the continuous struggle to keep it above board with all the eyes dotted and major claims that raise the eyebrows.

May 26, 2016

Today's special edition of The Heart of Marketing Go for Heart program includes Mr. Neal Kielar, owner and creative director at MidModMen+friends, a St. Paul, MN retailer of restored and modern home furnishings.

The award-winning store takes a fresh approach to retailing based on consistent quality of goods, everyday attainability, authentic customer interaction, and social and physical community.

Neal has parlayed his 30 years in brand and content marketing with some of the biggest brands in a variety of industries into his mid-century modern retail operation that puts customer experience and quality first.

Neal shares some of his secrets to keep customers coming back, not to mention is quite modest of the awards his business has won for its value, passion for furniture, approach to creativity in business, and more:

  • Instagram has been a favorite channel of MidModMen as Neal's business is visual, of course
  • Customer conversation fuels creativity; the more knowledge from the customer, the more ideas for new finds and staging
  • Storytelling is just normal, and because of Neal's decades-long career in branding, the stories about piece restoration and the back story on its history are helpful in creating a spark of interest in customers.

Take a listen as John Gregory Olson interviews Neal Kielar of MidModMen+friends. You will learn just how cool furniture can be.

Resources

Website https://midmodmen.com/

Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MidModMen/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/midmodmen/

 

May 24, 2016

What does it mean to have a heartful business? Believe me it's not woo woo or Kumbaya, but it is being genuine and outwardly compassionate to customers from the inside-out.

When was the last time you explored your heartfulness inside your culture, eh? I'm betting it's been awhile, and perhaps never.

Today, John Gregory Olson and moi, Jayme Soulati, explore the ins and outs of being heartful in business. We have this discussion surrounding our 5 Pillars of Heart Marketing, and we encourage you to listen and understand the concept of what heartfulness means in today's disrupted, fast-paced world.

But, you know what? You can't fake it. If you don't abide by and embody a core of true customer care and compassion, people see right through it. It's not real; it's fake and phony. When you're labeled fake and phony, it's really hard to battle that.

So, listen in and especially guffaw alongside us both as I poke fun at myself, too, for the wrong word choice at the very top of the hour! (In fact, I laughed out loud at one point as I was listening to this episode before I sat down to write; wonder if you will?)

May 17, 2016

We cover a wide array of topics today all centralized in the end around the customer experience. It's something we've been consistently addressing on our show, and today you'll find some solid examples for your nimble business.

How do you greet your customer after disruption? Are you building new tech opportunities like 3-D printing or an Espresso Book Machine for those who want to self-publish on demand?

This episodes centers around the cool things independent book retailer, Shakespeare & Co., is doing. John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati jump start the conversation with this neat bookstore story and catapult (see that? jump start and catapult) the conversation into business models, customer experience, creating loyal customers, and understanding what customers need.

You might also like:

Tory Sport Exemplifies the New Customer Experience

Slow Shopping is Experiential Marketing

Trader Joe's is a Hawaiian Experience

May 10, 2016

We often forget that a website is still the face of our business. Too often, we hit a website that is not mobile responsive, has poor imagery, isn't appealing visually, and has no clear message.

Is that your website?

In this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati are back with a volley of tips to remind you that your website needs a refresh.

Do check:

1. Images

2. Message

3. Navigation

4. Interaction

5. What else? Take a listen to find out!

Thanks for tuning in!

May 3, 2016

It's guest appearance time! Today our very special VIP isMichelle Mazur, PhD who is one of those extraordinary speechconsultants (no, she doesn't help you with diction, although sheprobably could) who helps folks determine how to monetize theirspeeches.

So, is a speech the same as a presentation, and what's the best wayto get one cooking for real time, I asked Michelle in this episode.(I am Jayme Soulati, co-host of The Heart ofMarketing podcast with John Gregory Olson, my arch frenemy --because we always nag one another on the show).

BTW, the answer to those two questions are 'blowing in the wind!'(Remember that song??)

Then, I asked whether it was OK to write my deck in my head andthen hit the PowerPoint and create. I'll answer that one --Michelle said, " not usual, Jayme!" Oh, well, I never did conformto the rules, right John?

Michelle has a great story about helping people make money, or not,on stage as an edutainer. The operative word here is STORY. What'syour story? Is it good enough to hit the speaking circuit? How doyou make that leap from free to paid speaking engagements,anyway?

Honestly, I am stuck in the free. I have been paid to speak, butit's not consistent every time. Michelle shares her tips of thetrade, and her energy is boundless. We love this woman for all herexpertise. She has a book, she has a course, she is brilliant atemail marketing and community nurturing, and if I had designs onspeaking for greenbacks, I'd make her my coach -- in a heartbeat(soundbite, please, John!).

Resources

Learn more aboutMichelle Mazur, PhD here

Get her book,'Speak Up for Your Business' here

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