The Big Brand Theory

Do you have an email list built up for a decade, and still sending them a newsletter? Is your newsletter actually valuable for them, or is it valuable to you? Ask yourself that question every time before you hit send because if it isn't valuable to them, DON'T SEND IT!  Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

It's no secret that Elon Musk has had a love/hate relationship with Twitter over the years. Back in 2017, he was admittedly curious about how much it would cost to purchase. Now in 2022, he bought Twitter for $44 Billion. Do you think it's the right thing? Do you agree with his vision for the social media platform? Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you ALWAYS have a backup plan? Feels nice right. Safe. Well, it also could be the reason why what you are doing isn't successful. Are you putting 100% into the plan, or only 50% and relying on the backup as well. You should always plan for success! Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you look at Monday with disgust? How do you take criticism of your work? Something happen at home and you carried it with you into work, and it is now affecting your attitude? STOP! You are in control of your emotions, and how you approach problems.  Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

How long do you wait to ask for a referral? Are you even asking? Do you focus on the current relationships before attempting to scale? You should be! Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you get frustrated at having a bunch of social engagement, but not getting any leads? Are you valuing social currency more than you should? It's time to stop focusing on likes/follows, and focus on clients/customers! Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you feel like you're stuck without any new ideas? Are you setting aside time to be creative? Giving yourself the ability to be bored, can bring about so much inspiration. Don't run 100% all the time, start giving yourself some time to be creative. Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Are you overwhelmed with too many tasks? Do you have a team behind you that is willing to help or learn? STOP! DELEGATE! Utilize your team. It's time to optimize and get more done, by delegating the right things.  Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

You say that you are there for your team, but are you really? Do you advocate for them when the situation arises? Are you holding your customers to the same standard? Do you bite your tongue and allow the customer to be "Always Right"? Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

When you want a product or service, how often are you looking at quality? price? speed? Because in general, you only get to pick two. Want something fast and high quality, you will pay for it? Need something fast and cheap, then your quality will drop.  Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you work with everyone who walks through your door? Do you have a target for your leads? When is the breaking point when you finally say "This isn't working for us" and walk away from a problematic client? You should be targeting your ideal clients/customers, and not just working with everyone! Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you have a normal cadence for your social media? Are you posting every day? Every week? Are you talking to anyone? It's time to stop posting just to post, and start growing your community by having your own consistency to reach your target audience! Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you feel like you are adding enough to your Ad budget on social media? Do you HAVE an Ad Budget at all? We are not in 2012 Facebook anymore, things have changed! Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you feel like you are using your time wisely? How much time do you waste each day? Are you ACTUALLY busy, or do you just suck at time management? Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackwood-creative-co Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Do you think the likes that you have on your post/page are helping you grow your brand/business? How many of those likes are leads?

Do you ever look at your business or brand and think "What do I do that helps people?" That is something Drew Lofgren from Modern Property Solutions does on a daily basis. His outlook towards his clients is purely to help them and knows that sometimes that means not making the most he could otherwise. Do you think that's good for business overall? Let's talk about it! Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

Are you utilizing Social Media the best way? How often are you responding to comments or DM's? Is there value in what you are post? Who is doing your marketing/social media content? It's not your administrative assistant, right? oh no..... Let's talk about it! View our Video Podcast Here: https://youtu.be/pUVBg34-ix4 Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com  

So you have social media, and you're working hard, but are you "passively branding" by using promotional products? Like branded apparel, or pens, or vehicle wraps, etc. This gives your business a level of professionalism, along with consistent marketing opportunities. Let's talk about it! View our Video Podcast Here: https://youtu.be/H0NYV5F_QY8 Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com  

Do you enjoy working remote? Does it have the same productivity as being in the office? Do you think the office is needed anymore? What about hard conversations? Let's talk about it! View our Video Podcast Here: https://youtu.be/g9veOFqcyHs Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com  

When you are on a social media platform, what are you looking for? Do you just want short videos, or only text? Maybe audio groups? What about a one-stop-shop? That's Facebook. They do it all, but, are they doing it well? Lets about that! Interested in seeing the Video Podcast?  Click here: https://youtu.be/NV81R655hM8 Check out Blackwood Creative on other social networks: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwoodcreative/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blckwdcrtv? Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackwoodCreative Our Website: www.BlackwoodCreative.com

In this episode, we have Kyle Johnson, our host, and CEO of Blackwood Creative. Kyle gives his overview of previous guest appearances, along with a key element of keeping up with the grind of running multiple businesses, and just in general as a human being. Taking a break, the benefits of having one, and why you should take one if you haven't in a while. Don't forget to follow The Big Brand Theory Podcast! Facebook: http://bit.ly/BBT_Facebook Instagram: http://bit.ly/BBT_IG TikTok: http://bit.ly/BBT_TikTok Find Kyle on LinkedIn Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamkylejohnson/

In this episode, we have Julius Geis, founder of Identity Build Branding. Julius guides us through using a relationship-centric approach to building successful brands and organizations by connecting and strengthening all intrinsic and extrinsic relationships the brand has. Don't forget to follow The Big Brand Theory Podcast! Facebook: http://bit.ly/BBT_Facebook Instagram: http://bit.ly/BBT_IG TikTok: http://bit.ly/BBT_TikTok Find Julius on LinkedIn Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliusgeis/  

In this episode, we have Justin Maust, EOS Implementor and Business Coach for EntreLegacy Group. We talk about the fundamentals of having a core system of accountability and how putting the right people in the right seats will take your business further! Don't forget to follow The Big Brand Theory Podcast! Facebook: http://bit.ly/BBT_Facebook Instagram: http://bit.ly/BBT_IG TikTok: http://bit.ly/BBT_TikTok Find Justin on LinkedIn Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmaust/

In this episode, we have Chris Do, CEO, and Founder of The Futur. We talk about everything from the flaws of the current education system, the reasons why you need to be an early adopter to platforms, and the magic of providing value/solutions to your brand's community.  Don't forget to follow The Big Brand Theory Podcast! Facebook: http://bit.ly/BBT_Facebook Instagram: http://bit.ly/BBT_IG TikTok: http://bit.ly/BBT_TikTok Find Chris Do on LinkedIn Here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ Check out The Futur: https://www.thefutur.com  

In this episode, we have Jeroen Corthout, Co-Founder of Salesflare. Jeroen provides his knowledge of how his CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Software like Salesflare can be the ultimate tool for success. He also goes into detail about how sales and marketing are the ultimate team up to get things done! Don't forget to follow The Big Brand Theory Podcast! Facebook: http://bit.ly/BBT_Facebook Instagram: http://bit.ly/BBT_IG TikTok: http://bit.ly/BBT_TikTok Find Jeroen on LinkedIn Here: http://bit.ly/Jeroen_LI Check out Salesflare: https://salesflare.com

In this episode, we have Tom Ross, CEO of Design Cuts. Tom gives insight into the value of building communities, and details on how to approach scaling your business in a seemingly unscalable digital environment. Download his E-Book, Community Manual, CommunityManual.com   Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

In this episode, we have Kem Meyer, Brand Therapist at Kem & Company. Kem gives insight into the value of communication, and what real strong communication looks like when it comes to your brand.  Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

In this episode, we have Hannah Corn, Global Social Media Manager at Lippert Components. Hannah brings so much value with the different tactics of approaching Influencers for marketing, as well as what to really look for to get the best return on your investment.  Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

In this episode, we have Dain Walker, CEO & Founder of Victory Front. Located in Australia, Dain gives insight into what marketing truly is, and his perception of having a personal brand.  Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

In this episode, we have Kelli Stopczynski, the Director of Marketing of Quality Dining, Inc. With their corporate headquarters in Mishawaka, Indiana, Kelli gives insight into what she did to pivot in her industry during the pandemic and her thoughts on how to conduct business in a post-covid era.  Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

In this episode, we bring in two people from our very own team at Blackwood Creative. Joseph serves as our Digital Marketing Pro and Abby serves as the Digital Marketing Assistant. They give their insight on content creators and community managers, and why having two distinct roles can give your business the upper hand. Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Peter Wilken, Professional Speaker, author of Dim Sum Strategy, and Brand Strategy Consultant at Dolphin Brand Strategy provides insight into Creative Thinking in the workplace. Are you allowing space/time for creativity to naturally flow? Listen in to understand that it's time to start thinking outside of your bubble. Don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Chris Siebeneck, Vice President of Strategic Partners at SEOWerkz provides a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Search Engine Optimization. Are you doing SEO correctly for 2021? Do you understand what exactly SEO is? Take a listen - and don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Erica Boyle, product designer at Opendorse, Zooms into the podcast with insights for optimizing the user experience of your website, and a bunch of tactics to get the most out of your sites interface (navigation). Take a listen - and don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

Ashley Swanson, freelancer and web strategy extraordinaire, kicks off our second season with an abundance of great advice for building trust through your business's web strategy. Oh, and did we mention we have a new host? Take a listen - and don't forget to follow the Big Brand Theory podcast on Facebook and Instagram, and check out Blackwood Creative on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

In the penultimate episode of 2020, host Ryan Zerfas speaks with Blackwood Creative's CEO, Kyle Johnson, about what lies ahead in 2021. This year, many people felt more alone than ever. So, as we all look to 2021, building business relationships may pivot more toward being intentionally personal than exclusively profitable. Take a listen.

If you're looking for something short-term, B2B marketing is not for you. Plus, you might be in the B2C business. Zachary Conover and our host Ryan Zerfas discuss the long game of building business relationships, getting on the first page of Google search results, and how vital it is to establish brand equity. Check it out!

Higher education branding is about so much more than your college's mascot - no matter how cool the suit may be. Our host Ryan Zerfas is joined by Terry Linhart, Bethel University's Executive Director of Extension Studies, and the pair delve into the intricacies of branding an academic institution and understanding the scope of your reach, while staying focused on what matters most: the students. Check it out!

Copy isn't just the Command-C function on your keyboard - it's the best way to drive traffic...well, just about anywhere online! Join our host Ryan Zerfas as he speaks with Dan Marzullo, founder and CEO of Marzullo & Associates in Colorado Springs, CO, as well as one of Blackwood's copywriters, Maddi Keaton. The trio delves into the power of organic reach, how to generate keywords and blog topics, and why you might want to "steal" other people's work. Take a listen!

Videos are the number one way to reach people for a reason! Smart Insights says 88% of marketers would agree that video marketing provides them with positive ROI - their power to convey a message is absolutely unmatched. Hear our host Ryan Zerfas and Zac Nelson from Transpo speak about how video marketing can level up your marketing plan. And...action!

From a platform for Harvard students to one of the most downloaded apps worldwide, Facebook has evolved into one of the most successful platforms for organic business growth. Our host Ryan Zerfas sits down with Karli Saner, Blackwood Creative's content creator to talk about the best practices for your business Facebook page. We think you're really going to “like” this one - check it out!

Michael Yoder of Truth Work Media joins host Ryan Zerfas in the studio to chat about all things podcasting. Yup. This is a podcast episode about podcasting. Whether you've never considered podcasting, are dabbling in the early stages, or feel like an expert, Michael reminds us podcasts cultivate accessible stories, brand influencers, and space for thought leadership. So friends, turn up the volume and get to listening.

This week, our host Ryan Zerfas sits down with...wait, no. Let's try that again. This episode, our host Anna Letens, Blackwood's former Executive Assistant, sits down with the podcast's usual host, Ryan Zerfas, to talk about the wonderful world of LinkedIn! From the etiquette of sending connection requests to what should be on your profile all the way to how the platform itself is evolving, we have a lot to learn from our resident LinkedIn specialist. Give this episode a listen!

There's a reason that “branding” and “brain” have a lot of letters in common. (Just...go with it.) In this episode, host Ryan Zerfas sits down with Matt Esau, Marketing Strategist from the University of Notre Dame's International Department. Together, they discuss the many aspects of putting together a successful brand strategy: from (not) being a jerk on the phone, to having an awesome logo, to filling the needs of your community. Take a listen! 

Branding your business is one thing, but how much have you thought about your own personal brand? Our host Ryan Zerfas hears from Macy Troyer, commercial real estate broker with Cressy Commercial Real Estate and expert on personal branding, about how to authentically present yourself on social media. You don't have to hide your true personality in an effort to look more professional - check this out!

In the seventh episode of The Big Brand Theory, our mustache-laden host Ryan Zerfas welcomes The South Bend Clinic's VP of Marketing and Communications, Jacque Stahl! The two discuss one of the marketing industry's most vital aspects: customer experience. Listen in as Ryan and Jacque explore how customer experience is intertwined all throughout marketing & branding, despite the assumption that the two are completely separate.

Print is dead, right? Wrong! Print still serves a purpose in 2020, and we're convinced that it will continue to be a valuable marketing tool for years to come. In this episode, Ryan talks with Carlos and Melissa from Zipp Printing about how modern companies can still use print as a profitable marketing and branding plan. From business cards to mugs, print is a huge industry and we shouldn't ignore it. As Carlos puts it, “print marketing is putting your brand, your culture, your image into object form and then giving it to the people.” We couldn't have put it better ourselves. Check it out!

In episode five, we wrap up our series Marketing Vs. Ryan brings in Blackwood CEO Kyle Johnson and Blackwood EA Anna Letens to chat about communications and marketing, how they're different, how they work together, and how you should use them to grow your business. This topic is timely as our country has recently experienced multiple situations where proper public communications are vital. 

For episode four of our series, Marketing Vs., we bring back Blackwood founder, Kyle Johnson to talk about marketing Vs. sales. Kyle and Ryan discuss how the sales team and marketing team should work together to build a strong system and growth plan. 

We continue the Marketing Vs. series with Marketing Vs. PR. In this episode, Ryan chats with one of Blackwood's writers, Maddi, on the importance of PR within your marketing plan.    Go here for more info on putting together and sending out a press release.

Marketing and advertising are often lumped together as the same thing. In this episode, Blackwood CEO, Kyle Johnson, joins Ryan to discuss the difference between the two and how they work together.