Marketing from the Roosevelt Room

Katya Sarmiento, the founder of Reach and Make Millions is a business consultant who helps busy entrepreneurs scale to 7 figures or more per year by giving her clients repeatable processes, “tough love” business and marketing advice, and market-tested systems design. In this episode, Katya shares how to manage and setup a transparent system to cut workload on your business and how to scale up your business successfully.

John Bourgeois is a writer, investor, and dreamcatcher. He hosts The Dreamcatchers Show, which is an award-winning, top-rated podcast that discusses strategic and practical tools to help you stop chasing your dreams and start catching them both in life and business. In this episode, John shares how to fight for your dream, pursue your vision and accomplish it with other people.

Tony Banta is a managing partner at Venture Greatly; he works with client businesses to generate remarkable client results, lifetime client retention, and endless referrals. He believes when you install systems for client success, your time, worry, and frustration also plummet. Along with his team, Tony creates predictable client fulfillment operations.

Nate Bailey is a speaker, author, and coach whose mission in life is to impact men and women who are ready to truly have the life they have always desired. His career started in the United States Army where he was charged with the safety and leadership of 40 soldiers. Now, Nate is the Lead Trainer and Lead Coach of the Prosperity Revolution, ManWealth, and Shield Maiden programs, where he focuses on creating a better life for people and their families.

In this episode, we'll be digging into the roles finance and accounting play for a successful entrepreneur with our guest Adam Rundle. Adam Rundle is a qualified Accountant & Tax Professional and the owner of ABR Consulting. ABR Consulting is a strategic consulting firm specializing in accounting, tax, and consulting for entrepreneurs specifically Digital Marketers, Coaches, and Consultants.  Adam shares insight on key factors that entrepreneurs should keep in mind when running a business, the first being if you’re not measuring your finances than what’s the point?

Jason Priest is the founder of Dad Bod Health and is a registered nurse, personal trainer, health coach and fitness nutrition specialist. Jason is extremely passionate about health and wellness and was featured in Men's Health for his own body transformation.  As a father, Jason always tries to lead by example and he is on a mission to change the lives of 1,000,000 men so they can become the leaders of their family in every aspect. Jason is also a contributor at Future Sharks and Thrive Global and is the host of THE Dad Bod Pod podcast.

Over the last decade, Kevin Thompson has created over 16.1 million in revenue solely through strategic partnerships. Depending on who you are, this might not sound like a big number, or it may seem huge. But here’s the best part... Kevin’s an expert at structuring profitable and rewarding strategic partnerships that are a huge win for everyone involved. He’s proven the process he’ll be sharing with you today over and over again… 453 times over the last ten years to be exact. After years of experience, Kevin now serves his clients by delivering appointments with pre-qualified high-end buyers who want to talk about working with them. He knows things many people don’t when it comes to strategic partnerships. He knows how to set them up, he’s done it hundreds of times and is passionate about showing other entrepreneurs how they can have the same kind of results.

Landon Porter AKA the Sales Gorilla joins Marketing from the Roosevelt Room to discuss the topic of sales.  Landon is a sales therapist who helps business owners get the results they want by building real relationships. His main philosophy is that people can make sales without being salesy, which is why he created Sales Gorilla; an online course teaching exactly how to do that. In this episode, Landon shares insight on his non-traditional approach to sales and how it’s effective.

This episode is about the toolkit of advertising with our guest Bobby Stocks.  Bobby is a business strategist and an accomplished serial entrepreneur with vast advertising, marketing, and business growth skills. He has built a successful empire of his own by teaching other advertisers and agency owners on how to scale their business. Bobby shares his strategies, tips, and tricks related to ads and discusses how advertising plays a role in the marketing mix for an entrepreneur.

Sarah Temte is a messaging strategist; she helps high ticket coaches and consultants understand their offer, their market, and their clients better so that they can start selling more. Sarah discusses her process of creating compelling content and how she allows the client’s voice to guide where the content creation comes from. Today’s episode is all about understanding your audience and how to communicate with them.

Malorie Nicole is a mindset coach who helps entrepreneurs transform their business through science-based mindset work resulting in massive revenue and fulfillment increases as well as a huge decrease in stress. Malorie focuses on mindset issues such as stress, feeling overwhelmed, money scarcity, underearning, boredom, and many other common mindsets issues entrepreneurs experience.  In this episode, Malorie shares insight on how an entrepreneur can bring mindset into their toolkit.

Marketing from the Roosevelt Room podcast is back with a new series! In this episode, Kyle Willis discussed what’s to expect in the new series called The Complete Entrepreneur. He shares the idea behind running and operating a business and together with his friends, mentors, and colleagues who are respected and experts in their fields will share their tactics, skills, and experience that will help you grow and scale your business. Not an entrepreneur? No worries you will benefit from this series as you work for somebody else right?

We’ve heard from some of the cigar industry’s leaders in both retail and manufacturing, but now let’s hear from someone who just brought their cigar to market. Lee Marsh, co-owner of Stolen Throne cigars, joins us in the Roosevelt Room to share his story of how Stolen Throne was born, how their first release, Crooked Crown, sold out within the first month and with no reps or promotional efforts, and how they leverage relationship and service to make waves in the cigar industry. As one of the hottest cigars on the market, amidst a very crowded market of new cigars being released, Lee gives us his take on how he made room for his brand years before the cigar was ever blended or produced...even when industry vets told him not to create a cigar.

Our cigar retailer series gets super practical and real as Brett Fry, owner of Tobaccology in Virginia, shares what goes into building an identity and following for a retailer online. Brett has leveraged social media to create an incredible community around his shop. He’s built immense trust within Facebook groups and shares what has led to his success and how others can replicate it. Brett’s real and no-nonsense approach will equip you to know how you ought to spend your time online and how to assimilate into online communities so you start off making the right connections, but also know when the time is to form and grow your own social communities.

As we continue our series for cigar retailers, we hear from one who’s crushing it in building a community of friends and fans all across the country.Vince Hill manages BNB Cigars in Philadelphia and has helped what would appear as a little shop in Chestnut Hill create a nationwide presence through social media and incredible customer service. Vince shares how he uses social media to serve customers without having to come across like a guy just trying to sell and how he’s built a great community with consumers, manufacturers, and even other retailers.

Here at the Roosevelt Room, we’re big fans of cigars and have a passion to help cigar retailers grow their business and better serve their customers.In this new series, we’re bringing you some of the industry’s top shops and manufacturers on what’s worked well for them to build rapport across the country and how to create an experience in their brick and mortar that is unmatched.   Our first episode features Danny Vazquez, National Key Accounts Manager at Roma Craft.   Roma Craft is regarded as one of the strongest small-to-medium premium cigar companies in the world.    Danny shares his insights in working with retailers across the country on what he’s seen work in being able to sell cigars, promote the boutique lines, and build strong relationships with sales reps so that your brick and mortar gets the attention and priority you greatly desire.

Andrew Kaplan, host of iTunes Top 200 podcast, Shatter the Mold, joins us to break down methods  and mindsets in our copywriting, messaging, positioning, and dramatically improve the way we serve our customers.   This interview has been one of my favorites as he hates status quo just as much as I do, so we go deep and able to cover a lot of topics in a short amount of time.

Cassie Fields is the VP of Sales at FieldEdge, the leading SaaS management platform for those in field services.   She’s taken her company from $7M to $35M in a very short time and shares with us what lead to a magnificent growth without her losing her mind or passion for her job.   She gets very practical on the five keys that led to this growth and how you can implement them in your business.

Dan McCann brings impactful lessons from over 30 years in sales and starting multiple sales enablement businesses to teach us how we can tune into the buyer’s needs and better serve them. There’s a science behind scaling a sales team. In mastering the mindset and methods of what goes into sales cultures, you’re able to scale faster and in a safe environment. This begins when sales development reps (SDRs) confidently understand the story behind their product or service.

You a fan of hamburger because we’re killing some sacred cows today. Guest Adam Zais brings his almost 40yrs of sales experience onto the show as we tackle common mantras in the sales industry and the need for chage.

Chad Burmeister is equipping today's modern sales professional with AI-powered sales strategies and technologies to dominate their market! As Founder and CEO of ScaleX, Chad is responsible for building a next generation AI for a Sales company, that enables salespeople to be 10X more productive.

Discover how business owners, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders leverage the power of podcasts to build their authenticity and authority. Zachary  Babcock has leveraged his podcast to get in front of Andy Frisella, Grant Cardone, Brad Lea, and many other juggernauts in the industry. He shares why podcasting is more than a trend  and what you need to know to setup a podcast that will rank in iTunes Top 200 within your first 48hrs of launch.

“ Our actions aren’t random. What we believe to be true determines how we experience life, which determines the thoughts and emotions we have, which determines our actions.” - Erin Phiel (9:17-9:53) Kyle Willis: Marketing from the Roosevelt Room Every entrepreneur eventually has to face the mindset barriers that keep them from achieving what they want to achieve. Your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions influence your behaviors. If you’re struggling to grow your business, then you need to explore the root cause of your beliefs and ideas. “So many challenges that people think are permanent or are character traits are just patterns that we can shift and change in a short period of time.” - Erin Phiel (26:24-27:05) Erin Phiel is the CEO of Mindfix Group, a collection of experts specializing in helping entrepreneurs and other high achievers overcome the mental roadblocks that hold them back. Erin began her journey running a nationally ranked website consulting agency for almost 17 years. In her work with clients, she saw many challenges they all shared. These include challenges that exist outside of ourselves, such as growing and streamlining teams and generating more revenue. But there are also patterns related to the roadblocks that cause entrepreneurs to get stuck in their professional and personal lives. What are Mindset Barriers? Some of the patterns that result from mindset challenges include perfectionism, chronic fear and self-doubt, and imposter syndrome. But entrepreneurs can change and overcome the obstacles that keep them from achieving real and lasting growth.  Sharing your challenges and limiting beliefs with others can help. It’s hard to see your own behavior when you look out from within. It’s like being inside a bottle and not being able to read the label on the outside. “A byproduct of transformation is that you deal with what you need to on your own to open doors of opportunity that were previously closed.” - Kyle Willis (28:08-28:34) How to Overcome Mindset Barriers. Look closely at whatever it is you believe to be true. One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is spending all their time trying to change their behaviors first. But what you believe to be absolutely true is the engine that drives all your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.  Until you’re able to root out the beliefs that aren’t serving you, it’s going to be difficult to make lasting change in your business and in life. Many entrepreneurs discover they’ve attached their self-worth to their achievements. But this can create internal conflict when they aren’t able to achieve a goal, making it hard to overcome the mental roadblocks they’ve created for themselves. There are other ways to measure your self-worth such as the value you bring to the lives of others. The fear of failure and the need for perfection can prevent you from creating the life and business you want. When it comes to overcoming the mindset barriers that limit entrepreneurs, it’s important to realize that real change can happen fast, and it doesn't have to be hard. Reevaluating what you believe to be true helps you uncover the hidden drivers of behavior. You can create permanent change in a short period of time and open new doors of opportunity for you and everyone around you. How to Get Involved Visit N2Q online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group. If you want to learn more about Erin Phiel and Mindfix Group, visit their website at www.mindfixgroup.com.

“Gratitude helps you focus on what you have versus what you don’t have. Gratitude turns what you have into enough.” - David Brooke (3:00-3:10)Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room Entrepreneurs are no strangers to the importance of mindset. Your ideas, beliefs, and opinions impact the decisions you make and the results you achieve in business. But there’s one foundational mindset element that isn’t always mentioned when talking about entrepreneurship. “Gratitude means raising employees up instead of dragging them down. That’s what good managers do.” - David Brooke (11:56-12:03) David Brooke is an expert on developing mindset and daily activities to produce significant and lasting results for your business. Known as “the Gratitude Guy,” David has made gratitude his life message even after losing his wife and experiencing other significant losses. Many of the coping mechanisms that people use in difficult times can be destructive. Cultivating gratitude transforms your own thought processes in ways that contribute to your goals in life. Learn to be content. What you have now is enough. Gratitude gets you to focus on what you have instead of what you don’t have. But more importantly, gratitude lets you see that what you have now is enough. Something as simple as writing down what you’re grateful for each day shifts your way of being and the success you achieve in business. Too many people compare themselves to others. Over time, they see themselves as “less than” others. Their attention turns to the things that are missing in life at the expense of recognizing what they already have. “You are the only one who can control your joy and what you’re grateful for. When life happens...choose joy.” - Kyle Willis (21:37-21:52) Gratitude is inspiring, magnifies your impact, and it’s contagious. Life has its ups and downs, and no one is immune to the challenges that arise in business and in personal relationships. Gratitude is essential for today’s leaders. Those who cultivate an attitude of gratitude are more likely to get others on board with their vision.  Setting a good example for others is one of the most important skills you can have as a business leader. Showing gratitude for others and the work they do raises them up instead of dragging them down. They’re more likely to want to work with you, leading to more effective collaboration and better business results. Gratitude can come naturally to some people, but it takes work for others to learn and develop the gratitude habit. There are steps you can take to incorporate gratitude into your mindset and actions. The process begins with looking at yourself and asking, “How is my life working for me?” Then ask yourself, “Do I want to improve?” Become accountable to yourself while recognizing the things in life that bring you value. Keep a gratitude journal and write down everything you’re grateful for. This is a simple yet powerful way to make gratitude a foundational part of your routine. It sets you on the path to set a positive example for others. When you understand and foster gratitude, it carries over to your employees, family, and other relationships. You choose the emotions you experience instead of letting your emotions dictate your actions. You restore the good in every situation. A few minutes of gratitude each day may be all that you need to transform your business and the people whose lives it impacts each and every day. How to Get Involved Visit N2Q online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group. Learn more about David Brooke and how to develop an attitude of gratitude at www.thatgratitudeguy.com.

“Every top film is going to have an underlying hero’s journey. For many companies, the hero is their customer.” - Jason Pamer (11:30-11:44) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room Storytelling is a powerful and essential marketing tool. As consumers become better at tuning out marketing messages, businesses that craft compelling stories are more likely to stand out and gain a leading edge over their competitors. Jason Pamer, founder of Thespis Films, has made a living telling stories that elicit emotional responses and compel audiences to take action. The right story engages your target audience. It lets them know they’re being seen, heard, and valued. They become empowered by your products and services and are more likely to tell others about the value you provide. “There is a different story for each potential customer that you have to tell to get people to act.” - Kyle Willis (17:36-17:40) Storytelling is a skill that grows with practice. Maybe you have the ability to command the room, drawing a customer in through a powerful anecdote, and feel like storytelling is one of your strengths. Or perhaps, it isn’t your forte. Either way, there is room for growth, and the best way to hone this vital skill is to practice. The more stories you tell, the better you become at engaging others. Over time, you will find more compelling stories to tell and develop a unique voice for you and your brand. Storytelling is powerful, but it must be in an authentic way. Your audience can sense when something is genuine. And they’re also good at sniffing out marketing messages that don’t put their needs first. Consumers are tuning out the endless number of marketing ploys thrown their way every single day. With each gimmicky ad they grow more skeptical, making it even more important for you to share real stories that match the needs of your target audience. When clients feel that they’re being treated as a human - valued, seen, and heard - they’re going to tell others because that’s unique. It’s not the norm.” - Jason Pamer (24:54-25:06) Crafting a compelling story for your marketing campaigns is both a science and an art. Stories can be integrated into your blogs, social media posts, online and offline advertisements, email marketing, and other channels. The hero’s journey is at the heart of any great story. In your business, the client is the hero looking to achieve some goal or transformation. The journey starts when they leave their world and enter unfamiliar territory filled with insurmountable obstacles. In many films, the hero comes into contact with a wise mentor who provides the guidance needed to reach their goal. Your business plays the role of that guide. Compelling stories come from understanding your clients, what they want, and where they are along the journey. What obstacles will they encounter? How can your business help them overcome those challenges? You engage your audience with your story when you provide ongoing value along each step of the journey. But your actions need to be consistent and match the needs of each person. If you’re struggling to create your own brand story, revisit the “why” behind your business. Prioritize the client as the hero in your story, and give them the tools and resources they need to achieve their vision of success. The better you are at telling your story, the more your clients will want to be a part of your business journey. How to Get Involved Visit N2Q online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

“Not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur. It’s something you’re either born with or you can develop a skill into, but it’s not meant for everyone.” - Kyle Willis (3:16-3:25)Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room Knowing when to embrace the risks and rewards of entrepreneurship is often the first hurdle on the path to success. More than half of all small businesses fail within their first four years, making the prospect of stepping out on your own even more daunting. Asking yourself the right questions helps eliminate much of the fear that holds entrepreneurs back from making their dreams into a reality. Dorothy Liu is an expert on what it means to be an entrepreneur. Having spent time in top roles at companies like Apple and Microsoft, Dorothy eventually started her own consulting agency. She now mentors others who want to blaze their own business trails by helping them get clear on who they are as entrepreneurs and on the path to success. The DNA of the Entrepreneur “The thing that’s hard for entrepreneurs to believe is that you are worth every penny. That belief is the ‘X factor’ for entrepreneurs.” - Dorothy Liu (25:25-25:48) Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. The traits that make a successful entrepreneur are either natural, innate giftings or developed into a skill set that makes it possible to turn an idea into a thriving business. While some people are willing to take risks and try anything, others are more measured in the actions they take. Many entrepreneurs follow the traditional life script. They take the academic path, earning business degrees and other qualifications that drive them to work for established companies. But like Dorothy, many feel unfulfilled with the work they’re doing. So they look to entrepreneurship as a way to pursue their passions and create something valuable for the world. Successful entrepreneurs understand the foundational principles and have the discipline to implement them in their business. When the fundamentals are in place, it is possible to make the decisions that move you forward towards building a business despite the risks that entrepreneurship brings. “When people are dissatisfied with what they’re doing every day, it’s because they’ve moved away from what’s truly important to them.” - Dorothy Liu (11:22-11:30) Find Guidance Along the Way Every entrepreneur's journey is unique. While building a business, it is really important to make sure that the choices made honor your core values. Working with a coach or mentor who can guide you through this process can help to overcome whatever obstacles may stand in the way. When we take the time and space to discover core values, the result is clarity and a clear path for the next logical steps. When looking at the path forward, it’s important to remember that comfort level for risk is unique for each entrepreneur. When you move closer to honoring your values in the actions you take, achieving success in your business becomes just a matter of time. Consider the purpose of your entrepreneurial journey. How can you break it down to the next 10 minutes, 10 days, 10 weeks? What do you need to feel safe and secure as you move forward? What needs must be met to take the next big leap in your business? Answering these and other questions puts success within your reach. Choosing the path to entrepreneurship is a courageous choice. Knowing what risks are reasonable to you and applying the fundamental principles give the confidence needed to pursue the dream of building and growing your business. How to Get Involved Visit N2Q online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

“It’s important, that aspect of recognizing the availability of expertise and resources, but we have to have the confidence and willingness to ask for help.” - Kyle Willis (31:50) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room Growing a company, and the staff to go with it, is not unlike growing a family. The phrase “company culture” gets thrown around a lot in marketing circles. But what does it take to build a company that really thrives as its own functional family unit? This is a concept Andrew Considine knows a lot about from his experience building Small Batch Cigars and its tight-knit staff dynamic. Building a solid brand, and team, begins with innovation. Small Batch has owned this concept in its effort to shine a spotlight on boutique cigar companies and help them tell their stories. The cigar community is a close community. In fact, Andrew's online business was birthed when he transitioned out of a tech job asked his favorite local cigar shop about making a website. From there, the mission became giving small cigar companies a platform and customers unique and excellent service. Word spread easily through online cigar communities without any big marketing push. Building a strong business requires patience and strategetic planning. “These guys went to my wedding. These are guys that I go out to dinner with. And I think the team that I built, I don't really view them as employees.” - Andrew Considine. (14:35) If there were ever a story to echo the adage, “don't quit your day job,” this is it. Andrew gave Small Batch the time it needed to grow, supported by capital from his other job until the time came naturally for him to fully transition to his new venture. He moved into the new phase confident that Small Batch had grown enough to serve as a solid income source. The staff of Small Batch is unique. The feeling throughout the company is more like an afternoon with family than a stressful day at work. Cigar shops are most often hubs for conversation, relaxation, and general good vibes, an atmosphere Andrew encourages. In fact, most of his employees began as customers and moved smoothly into their careers. The barrier between boss and employee is there, but it's intuitive. Because the company culture is familial and comfortable blending professional with personal, egos are kept at a minimum and knowledge is shared freely. This is also, as it turns out, an excellent way to keep your employees. In the years since Small Batch Cigars was established, they have maintained a 100% retention rate. Celebrating individual skill sets is the key to a happy staff. “Part of the secret sauce of what we do is we care about our customers and we care about each other.  There's a balance there.” - Andrew Considine. (28:08) Within the work environment, each staffer is praised for his individual strengths, in the knowledge that he'll lean into what he does best and continually improve as a team member. No one is expected to start out perfect, and everyone is empowered in a way that makes initiative easy. Decisions are a group effort, with employees kept in the loop and consulted about the company's trajectory, large decisions that need to be made, or simple task delegation. And when someone inevitably drops the ball, Andrew approaches the subject in a caring and supportive way, rather than coming down hard on the person who came up short. When your employees feel supported and cared for, they're much less likely to bring up issues in the future. The barrier between employer and employee can remain intact, without being overly rigid. All these components come together to form a team that radiates care, both for the customer and for each other. This team mentality is definitely unique and may seem like a foreign way to operate a business. However, when you invest time and energy into building a cohesive team, the results will filter down to your customers, creating a brand and business that continually gains success and momentum. Take a look at your team structure this week. Perhaps there are small changes you could make to begin fostering a greater level of healthy connection, and building a team that wants to stand by your business for years to come. How to Get Involved Visit N2Q online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

“I hate the status quo. What is no one else doing? Where is nobody else looking? That’s what we’re constantly asking ourselves.” - Kyle Hoover (48:53-49:03) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room   Building a compelling and memorable brand isn’t easy. Consumers face an endless array of options anytime they make a purchase. To stand out, and create a culture of raving fans, requires an ability and willingness to go above and beyond.   Co-founders Kyle Hoover and Chris Kelly of Ezra Zion Cigar Co. have done what many would consider impossible. They turned a weekend idea into a thriving business while establishing a brand name in one of the most difficult markets to break into. Ezra Zion Cigar Co. is a boutique cigar company that offers coffee, whiskey, and related products to dedicated fans. Boutique cigars appeal to enthusiasts who want something other than the typical big-name brands. They look for products that reflect their lifestyle, interests, and tastes.   “Humility, along with tenacity and drive, propels a business forward.” - Kyle Willis (15:27-15:34)   Successful businesses understand the value of true craftsmanship. They infuse brand ownership into every detail of the products they create. Companies like Ezra Zion Cigar Co. take a hands-on small-batch approach to make the kind of products they always wanted for themselves.   The right mindset is key to creating a business with a culture of raving fans. You need to have the confidence to take risks even when you’re facing huge competition. Every business starts with nothing more than an idea. But desire, passion, and a willingness to learn can turn a single idea into a thriving business.   Entrepreneurs need to become students of the product they want to share with others. The path to business success may be longer than you think. If you’re willing to listen, put in the work, and do what others aren’t willing to do, then you can create something of real and lasting value.   There is no fast track to success. Finding a mentor who can educate and guide you along the journey is an invaluable strategy for building your business. Without the right guidance, business owners rush to market and end up offering an inferior product. Instead, foster a willingness to learn, grow, and become better. Learning from industry competitors takes humility, but it helps you learn from the mistakes of others.   “There are two ways you can learn: Your mistakes or somebody else’s mistakes. I’d rather learn from somebody else’s.” - Kyle Hoover (13:58-14:04)   You turn customers into brand champions by delivering top-level service. When things go wrong, it’s an opportunity for you to exceed the expectations of your customers and give them another “wow” moment. When you listen and respond to their needs, you create a culture of raving fans, and those needs can inform the products you offer in the future. Ezra Zion Cigar Co. began offering coffee and whiskey based on what they knew about their cigar customers. This approach made their business more accessible and communal for their fans.   You grow a culture of raving fans by improving the quality of your product and the customer experience. Successful businesses are always challenging themselves to make something better than before. Figure out what’s unique to you and your business. What is it that makes you different? Use your unique gifts to your advantage so you come out of the gate with an amazing product that blows people’s minds. Look at what others in your industry aren’t doing. What can you do better than the rest?   When you love what you do, it’s easy to build a culture of raving fans because you’re one of them. But you have to take the time to learn and put in the work. Focus on making a great product, meeting the needs of your customers, and making sure they love your brand.   How to Get Involved   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group. Interested in becoming one of Ezra Zion Cigar Co.’s raving fans? You can find their incredible brand and fantastic products at ezrazionstore.com.

“You’re better served if you have a specific area that you focus on, and you’re better in that area than anyone else.” - Randy Wootton (22:43-22:50) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room   The marketing landscape is rapidly changing, and keeping up is harder than ever. In order to succeed in your industry, you have to be the best at what you do. Knowing how to identify what you’re great at, leveraging “moments of influence,” and connecting with your audience at the right time with the right message leads to long-term success.   Randy Wootton has been a marketing leader for over 20 years, and he’s seen the drastic changes that have occurred in that time. Marketing has become more personalized as it intersects with technology and data. The result is a marketing future that relies on your ability to manage data in order to identify your customers, know where they are at any moment, and deliver the content that speaks directly to their needs.   “While some advertising may spark interest, it’s the content that helps customers know who you are and why they should buy from you.” - Kyle Willis (15:55-16:15)   Having the capacity to create personalized content is one of the biggest challenges marketers face. Content creation takes time, money, and other limited resources. Customers have a wide range of channels to connect with your company. You have to know who they are, what device they’re using, what they’ve done in the past, and what they’re doing now.   Traditional approaches to marketing just don’t work anymore. Today’s consumers are less likely to share an advertisement than they are to share a piece of content. The online social landscape has changed what customers are looking for at every point in the buying process. You must identify the moments of influence when you can send the right message at exactly the right time.   “The real challenge is differentiating your message. How do you get in front of customers? When you’re in front of them, how do you help them understand what you do is different and why it’s something they need to have?” - Randy Wootton (16:48-17:07)   Social media and other tools let you see where customers are in the buying cycle and build content that is directly tied to their point in the process. Customers rely on business websites before, during, and after they’ve made a purchase. Create a website that gives them access to the information they need to get the most out of your product or service. Interact with customers so you can continue to market to them over time.   Let your audience know who you are and why they should purchase from you. Are you differentiating your message? How are you delivering that message? You create and own your own category when you get clear on what you do well. It’s the difference between trying to do everything versus specializing in one service you deliver to the right customers. Some marketing agencies offer a full one-stop-shop experience. Others focus on one thing and do it better than everyone else.   Modern-day marketing is harder because it involves so many components. In order to move vertically up, figure out what horizontal skills you need to learn. For most marketers, that means becoming better at understanding data, technology, processing, and building systems and teams. You gain a leading edge by learning how to collect and evaluate data so you don’t have to rely on analysts to make decisions about your marketing campaigns.   Marketers have to react in real time to the changing environment and market needs. You need systems that give you a clear idea of what’s going on while orchestrating your actions for maximum results and efficiency. Marketing is radically different, and your business better keep up.   How to Get Involved   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

“It’s easy to get so caught up in the big audacious goals of life that we neglect the important things right in front of us.” - Kyle Willis (3:30-3:38) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room     Theodore Roosevelt knew how to manage his time and activities to accomplish greatness. When you look closely at his life, you discover gold nuggets of wisdom that can help you perform better in your business and personal relationships.   Roosevelt said, “We cannot do great deeds unless we’re willing to do the small things that make up the sum of greatness.” This core belief made him productive in all areas of life. For entrepreneurs, it’s easy to get lost in the big picture view of what we want to accomplish with our work. But in the process, we overlook the more important things that need our attention each day.   “If you have so many unplanned things happening in your day that you can’t structure your time, then you have other issues to worry about.” - Kyle Willis (8:50-8:58)   Anyone running a business knows how overwhelming it can be to reply to hundreds of phone calls and emails each day. Entrepreneurs fear they’ll lose clients if they don’t respond right away. So they spend time and energy addressing the needs of their clients while their own needs fall by the wayside. Their personal relationships suffer and they miss out on the chance to be present with those they love and do the other things that are truly great. The “small things that make up the sum of greatness” never quite get done.   “What are the small things in your business or personal life that you’ve been neglecting that must be completed in order for great deeds to come your way?” - Kyle Willis (5:12-5:25)   While a student at Harvard, Theodore Roosevelt carried a full course load while pursuing extracurricular activities like boxing, wrestling, dance, poetry readings, and time spent in nature. His primary activities would fall between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Any gaps during that time were protected from distractions. Roosevelt would seclude himself from others and only take the books required for a class while devoting no more than a quarter of his day to studying.   Roosevelt knew that if he didn’t leverage the time gaps in his schedule, he’d have no way of making them up. After meeting all of his obligations within his scheduled time frame, he would allow himself to do all the other activities he enjoyed. Although it might seem like an extreme approach, it proved to be effective. He developed a system to get more done in the same 24 hours that all individuals have.   How can you take Roosevelt’s example and apply it to your own life? The first step is to sit down and map out your activities for the day. Create high-leverage windows of time where you eliminate distractions. Turn off your phone, email, and all the other things that pull your attention away from what really needs to get done. This lets you focus on one or two big projects instead of trying to manage too many things at once. Planning your activities allows you to look back each day and see what you’ve accomplished. You can also effectively plan your tasks for the next day. Your daily schedule is yours to control, and it’s up to you to protect your time.   Learning from Theodore Roosevelt and other high-performing leaders helps you achieve more in less time so you can be present with others when it matters most. You can never achieve perfection with your time management. But creating an environment that lets you focus on the small things paves a path to greater deeds.   Time is the only asset you have that you can’t make more of. Spend it wisely.   How to Get Involved   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

“The reality is that we’ll all embrace failure at some point in our lives. The goal is not the avoidance of failure, but the proper response to it.” - Kyle Willis (3:17 - 3:24) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room Why failure can be a positive experience.   For many aspiring entrepreneurs, the fear of failure can become a significant stumbling block. They might think that not enough people would want what they have to offer, or that they might lose all of their resources, among other things. The fear can become overwhelming to the point that they never even try.   However, potential failure is not a good reason to never give it a shot. In fact, mistakes and failures can be great teachers if you’re willing to embrace them and learn from them.   “The only time you truly fail is when you refuse to try again. Failure does not imply you’ve lost, it only means that you did not succeed in that attempt.” - Kyle Willis (6:08 - 6:18)   Regardless of what you’re trying to accomplish, the reality is that you’ll probably fail at some point in your life. While you don’t always have control over failure, you do have full control over how you view it, and how you respond to it. It might be tempting to look at your losses and decide you’ll never try again, but that would be failing a second time.   When you fail, it is important to remain confident in yourself, learn from your mistakes, and try again. Giving up not only hurts you, but all those you could have potentially helped had you not given up. Use your failure as an asset, and help others to avoid the same mistakes.   There are three important lessons to be learned from failure.   If you don’t succeed at first, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It only means that your method did not work that specific time. Walt Disney was refused loans over three hundred times when he was trying to build Disneyland and Sir Richard Branson was a high-school dropout. Yet, they believed in themselves, kept persevering, and ultimately found success.   Failure opens your eyes to new methods you would not have learned otherwise. Carefully examine all the reasons why you failed and the areas where you can improve. You might even gain some insights that end up being of higher value than if you had succeeded, and prepare you for greater success on your next attempt.   Failure shows you who is really in your corner. You’ll find out who sticks with you during the tough times and who you can count on. Also, it is highly likely that someone has gone through similar failures before, and you should try to seek them out and ask for guidance.   How to Get Involved   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

“People don’t know how to communicate what they need. Our job is to take what is in their hearts and minds and put it into words.” - Kyle (3:10 - 3:29) Kyle WillisMarketing from the Roosevelt Room People first buy out of emotion and then justify their purchases with logic.   In 1906, MacArthur, blown away by Roosevelt’s popularity, asked him how he won the hearts of everyone around him. Roosevelt’s answer was simple. His ability to understand people gave him the power to give words to the thoughts and feelings they could not express. He had the power to, “put into words what is in their hearts and minds, but not their mouths.”   Our job as an entrepreneur and service provider is the same. Research shows that 95% of our purchasing decisions are made at the subconscious level. We purchase with our emotions and then justify the purchase using our logic. Our clients feel, therefore, they think. In order to meet their needs, we have to speak to their emotions.   “We feel, therefore, we think.” - Kyle (4:34 - 4:40) A good marketer knows how to tell you what you want to hear, but give you what you need.   The best way to put this concept into practice in our business is to begin discovering the emotional needs of our audience. Entrepreneurs can get stuck wasting valuable time and resources trying to tell individuals what they need. However, our “needs” are logical and our “wants” are emotional. It may seem like common sense to meet the needs of our clients. However, research shows that emotions win every time, even with the most logical individuals.   A good marketer knows how to tell you what you want to hear, but give you what you need. Tapping into the emotions of your target audience is the fundamental element of being able to increase sales and have clients knocking on your door. All your marketing efforts need to do is validate their desire to work with or buy from you.   “People buy out of emotion and justify out of logic.” - Kyle (3:51 - 4:00)   When you first address the emotional needs, you then have the opportunity with empirical evidence to assist the client in justifying their decision. When you understand how to discover the wants, and then communicate the needs that the individual has on top of their needs, you will be unstoppable. How to Get Involved   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.

Businesses don’t have a foundation that recognizes who they are, where they are, and what they have to work with today. So, they try to reinvent the wheel when the wheel they had was just fine, it just wasn’t being used effectively.   Welcome to Marketing from the Roosevelt Room. We know there are countless marketing resources out there, and the last thing we want to do is add to the noise. However, in our fifteen years of experience, we have gathered a lot of knowledge about what will work in the industry, and what won’t. Our mission is to help you learn from our victories, avoid our mistakes, and gain some practical tools to apply immediately to your business to see it start growing and thriving at new levels.   Marketing is more the management of perception than it it is the execution of tactics.   One of the downfalls of so many businesses is the energy wasted trying in the pursuit of new, innovative tactics, campaigns, or strategies. More often than not, forward movement in your business isn’t about starting something new, but leveraging what you already have. Some of the best resources for your business are things that you already possess. Current clients are an example of this often untapped potential. Take some time to check in with current clients. What do you have to offer that they don’t yet know about?   Before you can pursue growth, it’s crucial that you make sure you have clarity around the offerings of your business. If marketing is the management of perception, branding is the refining of that perception. When is the last time you assessed the different components of your business? What is your company’s greatest asset? How would you describe the best customer you’ve ever worked with? Effective marketing begins with having a clear understanding of who you are and what you offer. What do you have that you do better than anyone else? When you can answer that question in a clear, succinct way, it will change the way you market.   Marketing campaigns don’t succeed when they fail to alleviate their customers’ pain.   Roosevelt once said, “Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time.” The job of a good marketer is to be able to guide you and help you know when the time is right to do the new campaign or new website, the right tactics in the right timing. If you are serious about taking your business to next level, Kyle Willis and his team at N2Q (No to the Quo) can give you the support and wisdom you need, help you leverage the resources you already have, and clearly articulate your message and mission.   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.  

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” - Theodore Roosevelt   Welcome to Marketing from the Roosevelt Room. My name is Kyle Willis, Chief Strategist at No to the Quo (N2Q). I have an affinity for Roosevelt and a wealth of knowledge about marketing. It’s my mission to help you learn from my victories, avoid my mistakes, and implement strategies I have found effective to see your business grow and thrive. Your time is valuable, and the last thing I want to do is add to the cacophony of marketing advice that can be overwhelming at times. This podcast will be a mix of practical and tactical, and our overarching goal is that each week you will finish an episode with actionable intel that you can immediately apply to your business. We’ll look at industry trends, sales, staffing, and other aspects of your marketing that can make or break your business. If you are serious about taking your business to next level, Kyle Willis and his team at N2Q (No to the Quo) can give you the support and wisdom you need, help you leverage the resources you already have, and clearly articulate your message and mission.   Visit NQ2 online to learn how they can help you renovate your marketing strategies. Join the marketing conversation with Kyle on Facebook in the Marketing from the Roosevelt Room group.