Podcasts about businesses big

Nuacom, a leading provider of cloud-based VoIP communication solutions, has unveiled its latest AI-powered product that promises to revolutionise how businesses - both big and small - manage their communications. This cutting-edge solution is a first for the Irish telecommunications industry, providing businesses with powerful tools to enhance their customer interactions and streamline operations. With a suite of intelligent features such as Call Summary, Key Points, Call Transcription, and Call Emotion and Sentiment Analysis, Nuacom's new AI product is designed to make every business call more insightful and productive. Igor Toma, CEO of Nuacom, is confident that this innovation will change the landscape of business communications not just in Ireland but globally. "We are incredibly proud to bring this groundbreaking AI product to market," says Igor. "This isn't just an upgrade to existing technology - it's a complete shift in how businesses should think about their communication strategies. By providing deeper insights into every call, we are helping businesses understand their customers better and make more informed decisions." Benefits for Businesses Big and Small Nuacom's new AI-powered product is designed with versatility in mind, making it beneficial for both small local enterprises and large multinational corporations. For smaller businesses, it levels the playing field by providing them with access to sophisticated tools that were previously only affordable to larger companies. These features can help small businesses enhance customer service, streamline sales processes, and gain valuable insights into customer preferences and pain points. For larger companies, it adds a layer of intelligence and automation that can scale across multiple teams and locations, optimising operations and reducing costs. Key Features of Nuacom's New AI Product The newly launched AI solution comes packed with several key features that aim to optimise business communication: Call Summary: This feature provides a concise summary of every call, allowing businesses to quickly understand the context and content of conversations without having to listen to lengthy recordings. It ensures that crucial information isn't missed and can be easily referenced later. Key Points: Designed to provide a quick snapshot of the most important topics discussed during a call, the Key Points feature enables businesses to save time by quickly glancing over the most relevant details. This is especially useful for busy professionals who need to stay on top of multiple client interactions without getting bogged down in details. Call Transcription: Unlike traditional call recordings that require tedious listening to identify who said what, this feature transcribes calls. This makes it easier for businesses to track conversations, assign action points, and understand the flow of dialogue more efficiently. Call Emotion and Sentiment Analysis: This innovative feature analyses the sentiment and emotion behind each phrase spoken during a call, highlighting key moments where a customer may have been particularly satisfied or frustrated. It allows businesses to understand customer sentiment better and to address any issues more proactively. Changing the Landscape of Irish Business Communications The introduction of this AI product is significant not just for Nuacom but for the entire Irish business landscape. According to an American Express study, nearly 75% of consumers believe that phone calls will help them get a quicker response from businesses. The ability to gain insights from these conversations in real-time is a game-changer, offering businesses a competitive edge in understanding customer needs and improving their overall service quality. "As the first of its kind in the Irish telecoms industry, our new AI product provides businesses with an unprecedented level of insight," adds Toma. "We believe that understanding the sentiment and key points of customer conver...

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES Join us for some QUALITY Bitcoin and economics talk, with a Canadian focus, every Monday at 7 PM EST. This week: -Small businesses are fucked -Housing collapse -BRRRRR -BoJ defends the undefendable -McDonald's going upscale -Banks on the brink of bailouts -Pissing in the SPR tanks -Canadian economy and so much more From a couple of Canucks who like to talk about how Bitcoin will impact Canada. As always, none of the info is financial advice. Website: ⁠www.CanadianBitcoiners.com ⁠Discord: https://discord.com/invite/YgPJVbGCZX A part of the CBP Media Network: ⁠www.twitter.com/CBPMediaNetwork This show is sponsored by: easyDNS - ⁠⁠https://easydns.com/⁠⁠ EasyDNS is the best spot for Anycast DNS, domain name registrations, web and email services. They are fast, reliable and privacy focused. You can even pay for your services with Bitcoin! Apply coupon code 'CBPMEDIA' for 50% off initial purchase Bull Bitcoin - ⁠⁠https://mission.bullbitcoin.com/cbp⁠⁠ The CBP recommends Bull Bitcoin for all your BTC needs. With their new kyc-free options, there's never been a quicker, simpler, more private and (most importantly) cheaper way to acquire private Bitcoin. Use the link above for $20 bones, and take advantage of all Bull Bitcoin has to offer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/canadian-bitcoiners/message

Erron Stark discusses celebrating entrepreneurial spirit and what's top of mind for small business owners and how their contributions are critical to the economy. National Small Business Week is April 28th – May 4th! Dr. Nataraj Nagaratnam covers how to scale AI with a hybrid by-design strategy, offering organizations advice on how to manage risk while also meeting the security and compliance requirements needed to unleash the true potential of AI transformation.

Right before the pandemic, Ali Huntoon decided she wanted to quit her corporate job to start her own HR consulting business, Allied HR Solutions. During the pandemic, Ali began scouring the internet for freelance jobs, but soon began working for people all over the country. Every engagement is different for Ali and the small businesses she works with. Her work involves anything from attending staff meetings to working with budgets and recruiting for small businesses. Ali's business not only offers HR services, but anything a small business needs – from advertising to marketing to audits, Allied HR is a catalyst to make sure these operations are seamless. Although she does it all, Ali's favorite part is the “people stuff.”Starting her own business during the start of a pandemic had Ali noticing how the job market is changing. For her recruiting services, she has noticed more workers value their time and families, and more people are looking for a hybrid-remote work environment. Ali manages her work-life balance by mixing her other business, Allied Group Fitness, with something she loves. Her trick is to catch burn out before it happens. Connect with Ali: Ali Huntoon | LinkedInAllied HR Solutions

Ryan Koral interviews Jon in this episode of the TELL Crossroads Podcast: Grow Your Business Big. Very Big. Listen to hear Jon's background, entrepreneurial path, business tips and more.   Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: @jdwoskin  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/  Website: https://jondwoskin.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/ Email: jon@jondwoskin.com  Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big!

Simon Mulcahy is the founder and lead of C02, a company created to help businesses of all sizes become net-zero—the point at which the greenhouse gasses we put into the atmosphere are equal to the amount we remove from it—and nature-positive. CO2 offers climate-action portfolios that support high-quality carbon dioxide removal and reduction, as well as the protection of important carbon sinks, all while benefiting nature and communities. CO2 will also include a learning hub to provide guidance on pathways to becoming net zero and nature positive. CO2 is a new division of TIME, Inc., where Simon is also President of Sustainability. TIME itself will be CO2's first customer as the company works towards becoming net-zero by 2026 (or earlier). TIME will also continue to focus on climate leadership in its editorial coverage. Simon and I met earlier this year at Dreamforce where I was on a panel called Sustainable To The Core that he moderated. I'm so excited to have him on the podcast and to share the work he's doing. In this episode we discuss: The difference between CO2 and a carbon offset marketplace Why it's important to invest in a diverse set of climate solutions How CO2 is using a “shark tank” of climate scientists to select their portfolio Key Takeaways: Analogies are a great way to give a frame of reference and put new ideas into context, but it is equally important to highlight where an analogy falls short. An analogy can shed light on where a familiar concept has been repurposed while leaving room to explain what aspects are entirely new. Using an investment portfolio as an analogy for CO2's Planet Portfolio is a great example. While the analogy captures the reasoning behind the portfolio approach CO2 is offering, the analogy falls short in other ways. For example, the Planet Portfolio's “return” is a planetary return, not a financial return. Also, every carbon credit from the Planet Portfolio is retired the moment it is sold, so there's no trading of the carbon credits the way there is trading of shares in an investment portfolio. Simon does a great job highlighting where the concepts are the same, and what the key differences are. An important takeaway about the Planet Portfolio is that it is a unique approach that any sized company can include in its sustainability strategy to complement its internal sustainability efforts. When embarking on an unfamiliar journey, it's important to have trusted experts and advisors who can support you along the way. Regulations on businesses are changing across the globe. As these changes accelerate, TIME Inc. identified a knowledge gap. This gap, if left unchecked, will limit the speed of adoption and will miss the opportunity to maximize the effectiveness of the sustainable business practices that are adopted. TIME created CO2 to fill that gap, and they are walking the walk. TIME is leading by example, becoming the first customer of CO2. The pace of economic revolutions seems to be increasing. An economic revolution is defined as the rapid and thorough displacement of a regime or system by a new and very different regime or system. The world's first economic revolution was the Agricultural Revolution. This marked the switch from hunter-gatherers to farmers. The transition period took about 7500 years. The world stayed in the agricultural revolution for about 6500 years, until the Industrial Revolution kicked off in England in the mid-1700s. With the industrial revolution, industry began to forge ahead. The Industrial Revolution includes three chapters: the steam engine, the age of science and mass production, and the rise of digital technology. The transition period from the agricultural age to the industrial age was significantly shorter than the previous transition. Both of these revolutions drastically changed the way societies functioned, and the laws that were needed to govern them. It seems we're on the edge of a new economic revolution. A displacement of systems we now know are degenerative is needed to protect the future of the planet and society. I hope this revolution centers on the values of humanity, equality, and conservation. I hope we are on the verge of a Regenerative Revolution. References: Connect with Simon on LinkedIn com The Edelman Trust Barometer Project Drawdown “The Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Carbon Offsetting” (PDF) Conservation International Connect & Share: If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading them! If this episode resonated with you, I ask you to send it to a friend. Help bring even more visibility to these leaders that are using business as a force for good! Subscribe to the Purpose and Profit newsletter to make sure you don't miss future episodes. This podcast is for you, the listener. I'd love to hear what resonated with you, or if you have a suggestion on who would be a great guest for this show. Please send me a note at info@KathyVarol.com.

Businesses regardless of size have to beef up their cybersecurity, says Angel T. Redoble, founder and chairman of the Philippine Institute of Cybersecurity Professionals (PICSPros) and first vice-president and group chief information security officer of the PLDT Group. “Everyone is a probable target. We all have something cyberattackers want," Mr. Redoble tells BusinessWorld reporter Patricia B. Mirasol in this B-Side episode. Recorded onsite in Pasay City on Oct. 6, 2022. Produced by Joseph Emmanuel L. Garcia, Earl R. Lagundino, and Sam L. Marcelo.

In the 5th episode of #TechnologyForAChange, our Co-founder and CMO, Abeer Raza, sits down with Jeremy Harbour, Founder of Unity Group and Harbour Club, to discuss his experiences in mergers and acquisitions, how to make a successful exit from a startup, how volatile small businesses are, his goals for next five years, and more. In the podcast the following brands have been mentioned, you can add the logos and no-follow links to their websites. Here are the links and logos are attached.

Nurseries and pubs don't often have a lot in common - but Sean looks at why both sectors are warning of closures. The EU seeks answers to its energy problems, and Sean hears why the Edinburgh Fringe's return may not have been a laughing matter.

Small business owners in Louisiana and nationwide are reporting that inflation is hurting their bottom line and adversely impacting their ability to hire and retain workers, according to new survey data from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices. This week's podcast features Joe Wall, the organization's national director. He discusses the new report and what he hopes will be done to help.

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT PROVIDING NEW SUPPORTS FOR BUSINESSES Libby Znaimer is joined by Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Lindsay Broadhead, Senior Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. The Ontario government is introducing new supports for many of the businesses that are most impacted by public health measures in response to the Omicron variant including a new Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program and a six-month interest- and penalty-free period to make payments for most provincially administered taxes. But is it enough? OCHU/CUPE WANT MORE SUPPORT FOR HOSPITAL STAFF Libby is joined by Michael Hurley, President at Ontario Council of Hospital Unions Ontario

Lots of agencies, consultants and experts throw around the word "brand" but don't ever seem to really grasp what it is and explain it in a way you can understand it. Nick Westergaard has spent a career trying to fix that. His Brand Driven Digital agency has done so for many businesses over the years. He's turned that expertise into two books: Brand Now - How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World, and Get Scrappy - Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Nick joined us on Digging Deeper to help better define the concept of brand and branding. He also explained what brand storytelling is and how businesses should use it. His ideas can help you understand your brand and what it takes to make it stand out in today's noisy marketplace. This episode of Digging Deeper is sponsored by Julius, the end-to-end influencer marketing solution. If you’ve read Jason Falls' book Winfluence - Reframing Influencer Marketing to Ignite Your Brand, you know he and Cornett have depended on Julius for influencer discovery and campaign management for some time. When we look for the right influencer for client projects, Julius allows us to search across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, Pinterest, Blogs and more. When we click into an influencer’s profile, we see their audience demographics, what other networks they have reach through and quickly scan their recent posts to decide if they’re a right influencer for the client in question. All the pieces of campaign management are there, too. Julius allows you to reach out, document contracts, share and approve influencer content and, of course, measure the ROI of each campaign, influencer or post. You owe it to your brand or agency to do a demo of Julius today. Go to jason.online/julius and request one. That’s jason.online/julius. If you like this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague. Don't miss the video show each week by subscribing to our YouTube channel or our audio podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or Spotify. And we could use some reviews on each platform, so do give us a quick rating or review! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bankrate.com Senior Analyst Mark Hamrick assesses the recently passed stimulus spending plan. He discusses both the short term and long term economic effects but, more importantly, how the stimulus payments to households and additional subsidies of businesses could change current job conditions.

Big event in downtown Nashville for OutKick VIPs Big Ben staying with Steelers WFT releases Alex Smith Fans disagree with Disney firing Gina Carano Arizona lifts Covid restrictions on businesses Andrew Cuomo hid nursing home deaths Les Miles LSU mess Use code "VIP15" for 15% off VIP! Visit https://bit.ly/OutkickVIPSignUp

About the guest:     Jackie Berlowksi is the founder of GreatHerGood.com, a boutique public relations firm supporting entrepreneurs and changemakers. Prior to launching GreatHerGood, she founded JackieDeals, a website offering a gallery of undiscovered products created by female founders which has since become a part of the larger GreatHerGood community. Jackie's motto “If you're a woman in business, it's essential to support OTHER women in business” has resonated with women everywhere and has helped her achieve her own success. Through the GreatHerGood community, Jackie has partnered with amazing leaders and personalities where she specializes in sharing the story behind the brand and providing strategy-driven plans that amplify all aspects of their story. As a native New Yorker, Jackie worked for several years in the television business including the Late Show with David Letterman and the Oxygen Network. She has transformed her booking and PR talents into GreatHerGood PR where her clients' needs are the top priority. GHG earns stellar media placements, credibility and bottom-line results for their clients. She has worked with top producers, writers, musicians, actors and stylists from around the world and greatly values the relationships she has built over the last 15 years. Jackie also booked top-tier talent for national radio markets including Yoko Ono, Dick Van Dyke, Rosie O'Donnell, Larry Hagman, David Cassidy, Bobby Flay, Martha Stewart, Ray Davies, Gary Busey, Marilu Henner, Marlo Thomas, and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. Jackie herself has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, on MSNBC, Lifetime Television, Thrive Global, Buzzfeed, Star Magazine, Boca Life Magazine and Savor Life Magazine. Jackie also has an extensive background in event planning and marketing. Now, you can find Jackie in south Florida with her 9-year-old son Tyler and her husband, Steve.   In the episode:     In this episode, Jackie Berlowksi joins Nancy to talk about why public relations is an essential part of your business plan. Often PR and marketing budgets are the first to be cut, but Jackie explains how your business cannot grow without PR and why it is so important to make PR an integral part of your business plan. Jackie also points out that PR is not just for big businesses. Whether big or small, find out how to grow your business through PR in this episode. 3:23 - Jackie explains why businesses need PR, no matter the size. 7:26 – Jackie describes how to measure ROI for PR. 12:15 – Jackie talks about the differences between a good publicist and an exceptional publicist. 20:33 – Jackie shares a story that left a lasting impression on her PR career. 32:20 - Jackie explains why persistence and relationships are so important. 36:53 – Jackie talks about why PR should be built into a business model right from the beginning. 39:28 – Jackie shares some resources that have helped her.   Quote: “Some of us tend to think that PR is really only for large, multinational brands that have these huge marketing budgets. The reality is any business owner at any level, I think, can benefit from PR greatly. It's extremely powerful. It's a tool that I feel like a lot of businesses should be utilizing and it's often underestimated.” - Jackie Berlowski, publicist and founder of GreatHerGood PR   Links: GreatHerGood: http://greathergood.com/   Oprah: https://www.oprah.com/ Marie Forleo: https://www.marieforleo.com/   Activate the PR Maven® Flash Briefing on your Alexa Device.  Join the PR Maven® Facebook group page.    Looking to connect:           Email: jackie.berlowski@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-berlowski-4bb8638/ Instagram: @greathergood

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the biggest American business lobbying group and a typically reliable supporter of conservative and Republican politicians, said Tuesday that President Donald Trump “undermined our democratic institutions and ideals” last week. A chamber leader also said some members of Congress “will have forfeited the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Period. Full stop.” Small business owners aren’t feeling great about things either, with optimism at a seven-month low. On today’s show: the business world outlook. Plus, a look at systemic racism in farming and the pandemic’s continued impact on working mothers.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the biggest American business lobbying group and a typically reliable supporter of conservative and Republican politicians, said Tuesday that President Donald Trump “undermined our democratic institutions and ideals” last week. A chamber leader also said some members of Congress “will have forfeited the support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Period. Full stop.” Small business owners aren’t feeling great about things either, with optimism at a seven-month low. On today’s show: the business world outlook. Plus, a look at systemic racism in farming and the pandemic’s continued impact on working mothers.

Hannah Uhler is a business coach for the heart felt visionaries. Helping conscious entrepreneurs grow aligned and thriving businesses. You can check her out on Instagram (@hannahuhler) as well as her website (www.hannahuhler.com) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coolerconversations/support

Local business news from Wichita Business Journal Editor Bill Roy

Welcome to episode #624 of Six Pixels Of Separation - The Mirum Podcast.  Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation - The Mirum Podcast - Episode #624 - Host: Mitch Joel. He's one of the nicest and good-hearted people that I have ever met in this industry. Hands down. Salt of the earth. A real human being trying to help businesses connect to consumers in a real way. That's reason enough to follow Nick Westergaard. He is a strategist, speaker, author, and educator. As Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital, he helps build better brands at organizations of all sizes. Nick is the author of Get Scrappy - Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small, and - most recently - Brand Now - How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World. Nick is also a contributor to the Harvard Business Review and host of the On Brand podcast. He teaches at the University of Iowa, where he sits on the Advisory Council of the Marketing Institute at the Tippie College of Business and the Professional Advisory Board for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is also a mentor at the Iowa Startup Accelerator. Enjoy the conversation... Running time: 49:35. Hello from beautiful Montreal. Subscribe over at iTunes. Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation. Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook. or you can connect on LinkedIn. ...or on twitter. Six Pixels of Separation the book is now available. CTRL ALT Delete is now available too! Here is my conversation with Nick Westergaard. Brand Now - How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World. Get Scrappy - Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Brand Driven Digital. On Brand podcast. Follow Nick on Twitter. This week's music: David Usher 'St. Lawrence River'. Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels Of Separation - The Mirum Podcast - Episode #624 - Host: Mitch Joel. Tags: advertising advertising agency advertising podcast   brand brand driven digital brand now business blog business book business conversation business podcast digital marketing digital marketing agency digital marketing blog digital marketing podcast disruption get scrappy harvard business review hippie college of business innovation iowa startup accelerator j walter thompson jwt leadership book leadership podcast management podcast marketing marketing agency marketing blog marketing podcast mirum mirum agency mirum agency blog mirum blog mirum canada mirum in canada mitch joel mitchjoel nick westergaard non fiction book on brand podcast podcast six pixels of separation university of iowa wpp

Branding has always been a cornerstone of my own agency. We've spent a ton of time and effort building brands for clients. We have, like all of you, created what we think of as a proprietary process around brand, and it's a topic that I have a great passion around. Many of you are either too polite to ask or have point-blank asked me, "Drew, what is the deal with you at Disney." Brand is part of why I love them so much. One of the aspects of Disney that I really admire and connect to the most is that I think they're just about as good as it gets in terms of understanding their brand, building their brand, and evolving their brand over time. One of the guys in the agency space who I think is really brilliant at branding is an Iowa based agency owner named Nick Westergaard. His new book, Brand Now: How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World, just came out and it is a brilliant blueprint for how to create a memorable, meaningful brand in today's chaotic time and space. Nick and I talked about are how building a brand has changed in this digital crazy, crowded, distracted time, and what are some of the elements that we as agencies can really spotlight and offer as a huge value to our clients. How do we use brand as an agency offering to stay sticky with our clients rather than a one and done project? Nick is a strategist, speaker, author, and educator. As Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital, he helps build better brands at organizations of all sizes — from small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to President Obama’s Jobs Council. In addition to his new book, Nick is also the author of Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Nick is a sought-after keynote speaker at conferences and corporate events throughout the world. He teaches at the University of Iowa where he sits on the Advisory Council of the Marketing Institute at the Tippie College of Business and the Professional Advisory Board for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is also a mentor at the Iowa Startup Accelerator. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Working with brands in a distracted, digital age How the world changed our views about how we should be looking at branding Why simplicity in branding is more critical than ever How agencies can help their clients understand what storytelling really is and how to help them construct better brand stories Why “Story” is a buzzword and how we can rescue it Why the main character in the story shouldn’t be the brand and why it should be the client’s end user Why making sure employees understand the brand is so important for your agency culture and the work that they do for clients The role agencies play in building brands and moving the brand forward How to provide real value to clients in this era of distraction and rapid change The opportunities agency owners are missing out on during the brand discovery process Why a brand is everything a company does – and why that doesn’t have to be overwhelming Why it’s important for you to plant your flag for your brand How Nick’s book can help agencies work together on their own brand The value of getting outside perspective on your own agency Ways to contact Nick Westergaard: Website: www.nickwestergaard.com Website: www.branddrivendigital.com Book: Brand Now: How to Stand Out in a Crowded, Distracted World We’re proud to announce that Hubspot is now the presenting sponsor of the Build A Better Agency podcast! Many thanks to them for their support!

"A lot of content being produced is not good. That's because it's not telling a great story." As Editor-in-Chief and Director of Content Strategy at Contently, Joe Lazauskas understands the interconnected relationship between content and story. It's the focus of his new book, The Storytelling Edge, and our discussion on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast. About Joe Lazauskas Joe is the co-author of the Amazon #1 New Release The Storytelling Edge: How to Transform Your Business, Stop Screaming Into the Void, and Make People Love You with Contently co-founder Shane Snow. He’s also the head of Content Strategy for Contently and Executive Editor of The Content Strategist, winner of the 2016 Digiday Award for Best Brand Publication. A technology and marketing journalist, Joe is a regular contributor to Fast Company and has written for Mashable, Digiday, and Forbes, amongst other publications. Episode Highlights Why does story matter for brands? "When we hear a good story our brains react. It releases an empathy drug called oxytocin." This neurotransmitter is powerful as it helps us develop empathy for brands. The four elements of great storytelling. How can content marketers embrace story? Joe reminds brands to focus on the four elements most great stories have — (1) relatability, (2) novelty, (3) tension, and (4) fluency. Tension can be tricky as most businesses "don't want anything bad to happen." Who embraces these four elements? "American Express Open Forum and GE." The community AmEx created helped bring Small Business Saturday to life while GE Reports is a blog run by a former Forbes editor that reports on innovations inside GE. Why do marketers need to be better journalists? "Because journalists ask the right questions as they interview engineers, salespeople, even customers." How can marketers become better journalists and storytellers? Don't forget to look outside your bubble — Joe finds inspiration in New Yorker collections and the writing of David Sedaris. "If you want to reach Wall Street Journal readers, then study Wall Street Journal writing." A serving of content marketing vegetables. When I asked Joe what marketers need to be focused on in 2018, he surprised me by not pivoting to story. Rather, he served up some classic content marketing vegetables — audience (what do they really care about?), distribution (we have better tools than ever before), and leveling up the business impact of our content (it can't just be page views and impressions). What brand has made Joe smile recently? "Track Maven. At Content Marketing World a few months ago, they had people put on goggles and throw spaghetti at a wall." This powerful brand experience brings to life a story many marketers know all too well — throwing things/tactics at the wall and seeing what sticks. To learn more, go to The Storytelling Edge website and connect with Joe on LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … In keeping with the theme of The Storytelling Edge, I gave a shout out to a previous guest of this podcast, Melanie Deziel, who mentioned the Joe's new book on Instagram. Here's her On Brand interview. Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

"Everyone thinks that branding isn't important today but branding is the new advertising." Despite media and technology shifts, the brand behind your stories and status updates is more important than ever. We unpacked all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast featuring brand strategist and author Fabian Geyrhalter. About Fabian Geyrhalter Fabian Geyrhalter is a renowned brand strategist and the founder and Principal of FINIEN, a Los Angeles-based consultancy specializing in turning ventures into brands. Geyrhalter is also a columnist for Inc and Forbes, and he has been published by the likes of The Washington Post, Mashable, Entrepreneur and The Huffington Post. He is an advisory board member of Santa Monica College and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California and Art Center College of Design. A frequent speaker and mentor to entrepreneurs worldwide, he is a “Global 100” mentor at the Founder Institute, and his book How to Launch a Brand is a #1 Amazon Bestseller. His newest book is Bigger Than This. He lives and works in Long Beach, California and is a graduate of Art Center College of Design. Episode Highlights Why is branding so important today? "Things have really changed. It's so intrinsic today. Take Everlane, for example. It's all about transparency." In everything they say and do. Branding is easier for startups. "Startup brands have it easy — all they have is the brand." Due to their small size, they can also exert greater control over the various brand touchpoints. Look at Shinola — The innovative watch company acquired an inactive brand name — Shinola — and established a sense of place around Detroit, endowing the new brand with meaning in the hearts and minds of their customers. How can a brand that's lost its way successfully rebrand? "Hire the next generation. You also have to find the secret sauce again. It all comes down to why the founders (of the business) did what they did." What brand has made Fabian smile recently? Fabian told us about Poppin — a company that's disrupting the office supplies category by delighting customers through quirky touchpoints such as the order confirmation email. To learn more, go to the website for Fabian's new book Bigger Than This, follow him on Twitter, and connect with him on LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Frequent listener Sean Carpenter gave On Brand a shout on Twitter in a roundup of his favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Stories can be powerful tools for moving people and building brands. This isn’t as easy as it could sound. Storytelling is both an art and a science. We unpacked all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast with Patti Sanchez, Chief Strategy Officer at Duarte. About Patti Sanchez Patti Sanchez, Duarte’s Chief Strategy Officer, creates IP and counsels clients to create authentic connections with their audiences through persuasive presentations and story-based communications. She is the co-author, along with Nancy Duarte, of the award-winning book, Illuminate: Ignite Change Through Speeches, Stories, Ceremonies, and Symbols. Patti leads an expert team of communication consultants and creative writers who help clients move their audiences in one powerful moment or in a movement over time. Applying insights from more than 25 years of communication experience, Patti helps leaders and persuaders understand the inner workings of the human mind and heart and then use that knowledge to craft engaging narratives that cut through the clutter and resonate on a deep level. Patti packages her expertise into inspiring and educational keynotes for executives, entrepreneurs, and marketing and communication professionals on how they can lead movements, use storytelling as a strategic tool, and harness the power of presentations as a persuasive communication platform. She has delivered highly rated presentations at conferences and events including Khosla Ventures CEO Summit, The CEO Alliance, Vital Speeches CEO Communications Summit and Leadership Communication Days, IABC World Conference, HBR, Marketing Profs, Salesforce ExactTarget Connections, Invent Your Future, WATT, CASRO, and Presentation Summit. Patti also delivers custom keynotes, addressing corporations such as Facebook and Google as well as higher-education institutions such as Stanford and Rice University. Her work has been honored by IABC, BMA, Vital Speeches of the Day, and Axiom. Episode Highlights Co-author connections. This may be the first episode of the On Brand podcast where both co-authors were interviewed separately! I chatted with Patti’s Illuminate co-author, Nancy Duarte, last summer. The inciting incident. How did Illuminate come to be? “We noticed a changing nature of the questions coming from our clients. More and more were saying, ‘We want to use the power of stories.’” The Duarte storytelling methodology. “It follows the heroes journey — the 3 part story where we meet the hero, something happens, and the hero is changed.” We can use this archetype in moving ideas internally and building brands externally. What brand has made Patti smile recently? Mini! Talk about a brand full of smiles. Every part of the MINI experience has Patti grinning from ear to ear. To learn more, go to duarte.com and follow Patti on Twitter and LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Steve Hutt gave us a shout on Twitter for several of our recent episodes. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“I love looking at other industries and seeing what they’re doing.” As Director of Agency Marketing at TopRank Marketing, Ashley Zeckman has a lot on her plate working — both agency marketing and client marketing. In some organizations, these two pursuits don’t always play nicely with each other (see “the cobbler’s son has no shoes”). But Ashley makes it work. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s On Brand podcast. About Ashley Zeckman Ashley Zeckman is the Director of Agency Marketing for TopRank Marketing, a fully integrated digital marketing agency. In addition to finding innovative ways to showcase the exceptional work of her team, she is also responsible for creating digital marketing programs that drive customer acquisition and growth for the agency. Her background includes expertise in content strategy, branding, influencer marketing and social media. Episode Highlights What about the “cobbler’s son” thing? “The cobbler’s son is something we talk about constantly internally. It’s fun to test out all of the cool things we do with our clients on the agency and vice versa.” TopRank specializes in influencer marketing. What’s their definition of this rising trend? “Basically, we’re co-creating content with influencers.” Like many marketing strategies, this was something that TopRank experimented with on their own first by doing influencer ebooks with Content Marketing Institute. Where does Ashely go for inspiration as a marketer? “I love looking at other industries and seeing what they’re doing. I also love the Social Media Masterminds group on Facebook and everything from Ann Handley.” What brand has made Ashley smile recently? “BarkBox —they have the perfect combo of humor and tugging at your heartstrings.” For more on BarkBox, listen to the On Brand episode with Stacie Grissom, Head of Content at Bark. To learn more, connect with Ashely on LinkedIn, check out the TopRank blog and agency website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Don Stanley gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Andy Cunningham.Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Learn how SAP customers are running mission-critical workloads on AWS. An amazing number of enterprise customers are moving their entire SAP landscapes, including production environments, to AWS to increase business agility and reduce costs. British Petroleum, Kellogg's, and Lionsgate are examples of enterprise customers running their core businesses on AWS today. Learn how we guide Fortune 50 companies as they rapidly adopt emerging technologies and accelerate greater innovation with the AWS Cloud.

“It’s better to whole-ass one thing than half-ass several.” As the author of the book Badass Your Brand, my conversation with Pia Silva was bound to be both fun and irreverent. In all seriousness, powerful language helps you cut through the clutter. You can’t succeed by being everything to everyone. Pia and I discussed badassery in all of its forms this week on the On Brand podcast. Enjoy! Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Pia Silva Entrepreneur, speaker, and author Pia Silva is a partner and brand strategist at Worstofall Design where they build “Badass Brands without the BS” for 1-3 person service businesses in 1-3 day intensives. She is also a Forbes contributor and author of Badass Your Brand: The Impatient Entrepreneur’s Guide to Turning Expertise into Profit. Episode Highlights What’s in a name? A lot! And Pia’s branding firm has an interesting name — Worstofall Design. They’re so named because they help their clients — mostly small service businesses — create badassery. There’s another secret story behind the name that you’ll have to listen to discover. Why is branding so hard today? “There’s a very generic idea of how brands exist but that’s different for corporations, small businesses, fashion brands.” How is branding for a small service firm different? “The brand comes from the owner — it should really be pulled out of that.” This makes the brand more authentic and personal. What’s one thing Pia would advise impatient brand builders to do? “Identify your best, favorite customer and start saying no to everyone else.” Again, you can’t standout by being everything to everyone. What brand has made Pia smile recently? The email signature from The Middle Finger Project. You’ll have to listen to the podcast to learn why. To learn more, you can get a free chapter of Badass Your Brand online and you can follow Pia on Instagram. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Kerry O’Shea Gorgone gave us a shoutout on Twitter as a podcast she doesn’t miss. Thanks for listening, Kerry! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“The biggest problem we marketers face today is trying to be all things to all people.” Andy Cunningham would know. She’s spent her career positioning brands. As the jacket of her book says: “Trust Andy. Steve Jobs did.” That’s right. Andy played a key role in the launch of the original Macintosh. We discussed all of this on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Andy Cunningham Andy Cunningham is the founder and president of Cunningham Collective, a marketing, brand and communication strategy firm dedicated to bringing innovation to market. She is also the author of Get to Aha!: Discover Your Positioning DNA and Dominate Your Competition (McGraw-Hill), and the host of the popular podcast Marketing Over Ice. An entrepreneur at the forefront of marketing, branding, positioning and communicating “The Next Big Thing,” Andy has played a key role in the launch of a number of new technology categories and products (including the Apple Macintosh) over the past 35 years. Today she advises startups, serves on several corporate boards, is a Henry Crown Fellow and a trustee at the Aspen Institute. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and lives in Sausalito on an old wooden boat with her husband Rand Siegfried. Episode Highlights It’s easy to forget: “The first six months of the Mac were another dismal failure.” Andy reminded us of an early pivot of the now venerable brand that initially set out to replace the PC at work. “We realized it wasn’t the computer for the rest of us. It was for the best of us.” This led Andy and the team to focus on the creatives who “eventually brought the Mac to work through the back door.” “You have to find your tribe.” This now-accepted idea was pretty revolutionary at the time. But a lot has changed about how we build brands today. “Everything today is a dialogue, not a broadcast.” It’s about having a conversation with your customers and community. Speaking of the letter C … The Six Cs of Positioning. Andy’s new book Get to Aha! builds on the classic work of Al Ries and Jack Trout with a new framework for positioning brands today: Core Category Community Competition Context Criteria What brand has made Andy smile recently? “Cheddar — it’s like CNBC for millennials.” They’re engaging and they know their tribe. To learn more, check out the website for her book Get to Aha! and her firm Cunnigham Collective. You can also follow her on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Steve Hutt gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Amber Armstrong of IBM Watson. Thanks for listening, Steve! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“You’re only a brand if you have meaning beyond your name.” One of the more challenging questions I ask on a regular basis is, “How do you define what a brand is?” Strategist Robin Fisher Roffer didn’t miss a beat. You have to have meaning and communicate it across all touchpoints. You know, the easy stuff! We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Robin Fisher Roffer Brand strategist and storyteller, Robin Fisher Roffer has provided the rocket fuel that has launched and evolved dozens of media brands all over the world such as A&E, Animal Planet, CNN, Comedy Central, Discovery, FX, Hallmark Channel, History, Lifetime, MTV, and TNT. As Founder and CEO of Big Fish Marketing, Inc., she leads an award-winning creative team adept at unearthing a brand’s essence and filter, its look, feel and tagline, market positioning, value proposition and key messaging to both consumers and the trade. With a mission to inspire professionals to fearlessly reach their potential, Robin has authored four books, including Make A Name For Yourself (now available on audible) and Your No-Fear Career, 2nd Edition. Episode Highlights “Every day is a day to become brand new.” Robin offered this inspirational mantra for brands everywhere. You can further your brand’s story or write a new one every single day. How can you tell your story? It’s all about the mission statement. And, no, the mission statement isn’t that bloated couple of paragraphs at the front of your annual report or in a framed poster in your lobby. Robin reminds us that your mission — why you do what you do — should be seven words or less. She has a whole chapter on this in her book, Your No-Fear Career. What’s the purpose of your purpose? “Your mission should be what you walk, lock-step toward every day — your North Star.” Don’t bury the lede. FX didn’t. Like journalists, Robin reminded us not to bury the lede. Often we have to work to uncover our real purpose. Robin related a story about FX. While most of the network’s programming consists of movies, they have several award-winning original TV shows. “They put their best foot forward” by making their brand about original programming. What brand has made Robin smile? We all know Apple is great but Robin smiled when, after installing the new iOS software, she received a text from Apple with an emoji heart. “Every touchpoint, a brand has to do something to show their love. To learn more, go to Robin’s website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Marc Sauro gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Amber Armstrong of IBM Watson. Thanks for listening, Marc! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Brands today are looking for immediate feedback. And if it’s negative, they’re done.” What are brands missing today? According to Mod Op’s Jeff Suhy, it all comes down to one thing — consistency. Or lack thereof. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Jeff Suhy As President and Partner at Mod Op, Jeff is responsible for building the strategic function at Mod Op from the ground up. He oversees all brand, digital, media and interactive operations for the agency. His breadth and depth of experience across the advertising, music and technology industries provides a unique creative insight into building cohesive digital narratives for some of the world’s top brands including, Belvedere Vodka, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Nike, and Ubisoft. Jeff began his career in the music industry working his way up at A&R and promoted to Vice President while representing top artists such as Soundgarden. As the music industry experienced radical change with the advent of streaming music, Jeff launched Nine Systems, a technology company dedicated to developing software platforms for entertainment companies. In 2006, Nine Systems was acquired by Akamai Technologies, one of the world’s largest content delivery network providers for media and software delivery. With a unique hybrid of entertainment and technology experience, Jeff joined Zoic in 2009 to help media companies solve the riddle of how to market to consumers in the digital media era. Jeff worked with advertising agencies and gaming clients to build meaningful online media experiences. Episode Highlights A branding lesson from the band Soundgarden? Yes, please! Find this story in the first five minutes of the show. What’s lacking today? Consistency. In our hustle-and-pivot culture, brands today are afraid of doing the same thing for too long. This isn’t always the best move. Trusting the moment. Jeff’s background in the entertainment business meant we could talk about the gray areas of the creative process. What happens if your gut tells you to do something different than the research? “There are variables beyond what can be measured.” That is a great answer! What brand has made Jeff smile? Instead of a traditional smile, Jeff went with more of a smirk as he told us about the work Uber and Volkswagen are doing to turn the corner from their recent missteps. To learn more, go to modop.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Steve Hutt gave us a shout on Twitter for several of our recent episodes. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“There’s so much power in the spoken word.” Nancy Duarte would know. She’s the world’s leading expert on visual communication, ranked #1 on the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals. She’s also this week’s guest on the On Brand podcast. As you can hear at the very beginning, we had a delightful conversation.   About Nancy Duarte Nancy Duarte is a communication expert who has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Wired, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, LA Times, and on CNN. Her firm, Duarte, Inc., is the global leader behind some of the most influential visual messages in business and culture. As a persuasion expert, she cracked the code for effectively incorporating story patterns into business communications. She’s written five best-selling books and four have won awards. Duarte, Inc., is the largest design firm in Silicon Valley, as well as one of the top woman-owned businesses in the area. Nancy has won several awards for communications, entrepreneurship, and her success as a female executive. On the list of top 250 Women in Leadership, Duarte ranks #67 and on World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals for 2017, Duarte ranks #1 . She has been a speaker at conferences and a number of Fortune 500 companies, and counts many more among her firm’s clientele. Her TEDx talk has had over a million views. She speaks at business schools and has lectured at Stanford University several times. Episode Highlights “Slides don’t facilitate creative thinking.” Though the outputs of her work are very visual, Nancy is quite to point out that too often we jump too soon into digital tools like slides. We need to focus on story first. Transcribing Steve Jobs. For her latest book, Nancy spent three years transcribing all of Steve Jobs’s speeches. She learned many things, including that he often spent less time describing the current state (“what is”) and more time on the future state (“what could be”). The journey continues … Nancy’s latest work Illuminate poses a simple question: “If businesses are protagonists in stories, do they follow a plot or arc?” The answer? Of course they do — with the support of tools like stories and ceremonies. What’s Nancy’s #1 piece of advice for someone who wants to be a better speaker and presenter? “Understand empathy. We immediately want to make it all about us.” To learn more, go to duarte.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Mike Gerholdt gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Alan Alda. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“There’s a common theme to everything I do — I create content that helps people.” And Peter Shankman does just a few things as an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and thought leader on topics ranging from public relations, customer service, and working with ADHD. He’s also this week’s guest on the On Brand podcast. About Peter Shankman Peter Shankman is an entrepreneur, CEO, runner, skydiver, podcaster, Ironman Triathlete, and most importantly, a dad. He’s the founder of ShankMinds: Breakthrough, a private, online entrepreneur community with hundreds of members around the world. He’s perhaps best known for founding Help a Reporter Out, the largest source repository in the world, which fundamentally changed how journalists source their stories. His customer service and social media clients have included Re/Max, NBC/Universal, American Express, NBC, Universal, E Entertainment, Sprint, the US Department of Defense, Royal Bank of Canada, Saudi Aramco, Snapple, Walt Disney World, and many others. Peter is the author of five books, including his most recent best seller, Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans, and the upcoming Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain (Tarcher Perigee, 2017) Peter also hosts the top-rated Faster Than Normal Podcast, helping people understand that ADD and ADHD is a gift, not a curse. He’s based in NYC. Episode Highlights On building a personal brand with diverse areas of focus: “I’m very lucky to do things that I like to do. Someone told me earlier in my career that you have to earn money to enjoy the time you’re not working. That sounded crazy.” Shankman frequently appears on cable news talking about President Trump’s personal brand. His take? “You can get a lot of people to look at you by jumping up and down. Eventually, it’s misdirection.” When is a new project — like Shankman’s Faster Than Normal podcast and book — a stand-alone brand? “I let my audience do that. I learned from HARO that the audience will tell you what to do. I care about what I am building and how I can help people.” What brand has made Peter smile recently? “The Royal Mansour in Morocco. I have no status, no points.” Which made their customer service win even bigger. To learn more, go to shankman.com, shankminds.com, and the Faster Than Normal podcast. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Bruce Kennedy gave us a shout on Twitter as a podcast he likes listening to. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“We want to personify the Watson brand.” But how do you personify a machine? That’s one of the many challenges that Amber Armstrong faces on a daily basis as Director of Digital Amplification, Events, and Demand Generation and Customer Engagement for IBM Watson. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Amber Armstrong Amber Armstrong is an IBM Director, Digital Amplification, Events, and Demand Generation and Watson Customer Engagement. Amber joined IBM in 2006. She is responsible for performance marketing for three of the Watson cognitive (artificial intelligence) brands – Watson Marketing, Commerce, and Supply Chain — leading all aspects of demand generation inclusive of marketing automation, proprietary and third-party events, digital and web marketing, and social media and influencer marketing. Amber maintains a robust external presence on social by engaging over 110K followers on Twitter. She led the broad social employee advocacy launch at IBM which now has over 4,000 IBM participants amplifying IBM and influencer content. She takes an intrapreneur mentality to bring innovation to IBM social and digital and is passionate about electrifying marketing technologists. She has served in a variety of capacities including as marketing manager, manager of demand generation for the software and product innovation program, and program director. Prior to joining IBM, she worked in Marketing at LIS, Uniteq, and First Union. Episode Highlights As an Iowan, I had to share that my first exposure to IBM Watson was … by seeing Iowan Ken Jennings bested by Watson on Jeopardy! How to personify the Watson brand. “Watson isn’t a he or a she. It’s a machine. But we want to position Watson as a helper. When you look at the commercials it shows Watson helping. Watson isn’t taking over.” How are businesses using Watson? Amber told us about 1-80o-Flowers and their recommendation engine Gwyn, that helps customers select the right gift. Powered by Watson, of course. Previously, Amber led employee engagement at IBM. Her quick tip? “Find the right tech vendor. I have such a great feeling for Dynamic Signal. The right vendors have been through this before and know what to do.” What brand has made Amber smile recently? Located in Austin, Amber is acutely aware of the struggles those in Texas are facing with Hurricane Harvey. The Amazon Smile donation program lived up to its name. It made her smile. She also likes that she can allocate dollars to charities she cares about like Austin Pets Alive. To learn more, go to ibm.com/commerce to discover the three Watson brands that Amber manages. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Christa A. Nelson gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Alan Alda. Thanks, Christa! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“My whole life has been a big improvisation — I follow my nose.” Improvisation has played a big role in Alan Alda’s career in more ways than one. From his early theatrical work to founding the Alda Center for Communicating Science to his latest book — If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? The one, the only Alan Alda is On Brand this week (as Alan jokes, “I only brought one of me!”). About Alan Alda Alan Alda has earned international recognition as an actor, writer, and director. He has won seven Emmy Awards, received three Tony nominations, is an inductee of the Television Hall of Fame, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in The Aviator. Alda played Hawkeye Pierce on the classic television series M*A*S*H, and his films include Crimes and Misdemeanors, Everyone Says I Love You, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Bridge of Spies, and many more. Alda is an active member of the science community, having hosted the award-winning series Scientific American Frontiers for eleven years and founded the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University. Alda is the author of three bestselling books, If I Understood You, Would I Have this Look on My Face?, Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I’ve Learned and Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself. Episode Highlights Avoiding lecture mode. “I’ve interviewed hundreds of scientists.” However, Alda found that often, when explaining their work they go into “lecture mode.” That’s where you need to focus on relating instead of just communicating. On relating vs. communicating. “Relating is everything. Communication is developing the best possible way to say something. But is the audience getting it? Do they understand what they need to understand? It’s not-relating vs. relating.” Order matters. “Start with a story that matters to your audience.” This might not be the order that you would first think of to tell your story in. Why you should care about empathy. After talking with Alan, I’m inclined to stop using the word ‘target’ in reference to an audience. Instead, think of them as a communications partner. “Empathy means including the other person in your presentation. You need to practice over and over.” Not just your presentation but empathy, reading the other person. “It’s not about you. It’s about them. Focus on what the other person needs. That’s what a good salesman does.” To learn more, go to alanalda.com and the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … This interview would not have been possible were it not for my fellow podcaster, Kerry O’Shea Gorgone of the Marketing Smarts podcast. When I heard that Kerry had spoken with Alan, I begged her to connect me so I could use the work in connection with my communication classes and curriculum at the University of Iowa! Thanks Kerry! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Branding is finding what’s true in any organization.” Mark Viden has experience in brand advertising with lots of different types of organizations ranging from startups and financial services to his current role as Vice Preside of Brand Marketing at Dignity Health. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.   About Mark Viden Mark Viden is charged with building a consumer brand for Dignity Health to help drive patient and physician awareness and acquisition. He oversees brand advertising for the organization, and is responsible for developing branded experiences through sports sponsorships, pop ups, and other channels. He is also the business sponsor for Dignity Health’s consumer digital engagements, including website development, social media strategies and native content development. Prior to joining Dignity Health, Viden has held a number of marketing positions both in Boston and San Francisco. He started his career at the advertising agency, Hill Holiday, and then moved on to work in the financial services industry. He also led brand development for a boutique agency that served both startups and established brands, such as NBCi, Houghton Mifflin, and Hewlett Packard. Viden received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, has served on the San Francisco board of the International Association of Business Communicators, and is an active member of the Communication Leadership Exchange. Episode Highlights Branding as storytelling. “It’s all about telling stories — finding the stories” of the people whose lives your work touches. And health is a powerful part of people’s lives. “Patients want to tell their stories.” Recently, Dignity Health has actively sought patient’s stories, even using found footage in their videos. “Health is one of the most searched topics in Google.” That also creates a big disruption! Patients know more than ever before — even about marketing. “Consumers also more savvy today about advertising than ever before.” What’s missing in healthcare marketing today? “Authentic experiences. We want to start a movement.” What brand has made Mark smile recently? “Lyft — they’ve done a great job of positioning themselves as an irreverent counterpoint to Uber.” He also mentioned the recent Samsung ad, which paired an ostrich and a VR headset. To learn more, go to dignityhealth.org and check out their YouTube channel. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Peter Shankman gave a shout out on Twitter to his appearance on my previous podcast, The Work Talk Show where he shared how he makes work fun. We’ll have to get you on the On Brand podcast next! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“The future should be sustainable materials.” After years in finance, Hamilton Perkins discovered his new calling while shopping for a bag. A bag that he couldn’t find. This led him to found Hamilton Perkins Collection, a certified b-corp that crafts bags from recycled plastic bottles and lined with repurposed billboards. Talk about an engaging brand story! We explored all of this and more on this week's On Brand podcast.   About Hamilton Perkins Hamilton Perkins is the founder and President of Hamilton Perkins Collection, an e-commerce retailer, offering designer travel bags at an affordable price, while holding the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Hamilton Perkins Collection has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, The Washington Post, and Money Magazine. Hamilton Perkins Collection has hosted trunk shows at Bloomingdale’s and was the winner of the 2016 Virginia Velocity Tour business pitch competition hosted by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to starting Hamilton Perkins Collection, Hamilton was an Investment Advisor at Merrill Lynch and, earlier, worked as an Analyst at Bank of America. He has also served in a leadership capacity with various non-profit organizations and has been recognized for his volunteer work and service hours assisting low-income populations. Hamilton is also a contributing blogger for The Huffington Post. Episode Highlights “It started with a personal problem, really.” The story of the founding of Hamilton Perkins Collection starts with the founder. “I was looking for a bag that I couldn’t find. I realized I was going to have to create  it.” “I’ve always had an aesthetic.” While he worked in finance, Hamilton was always into fashion and design. “My background played into that. I’d also seen all of the waste in packaging and materials.” There had to be a better way! “The future should be made of sustainable materials.” That’s why Hamilton Perkins Collection uses recycled bottles, vinyl, and billboard in their bags. The bags are also cut and sewn in Hatai. What’s the biggest brand problem Hamilton Perkins Collection faces? “Style with a purpose can be hard to communicate.” A big focus of Hamilton’s work is stressing that people can have fashionable bags from sustainable sourcing. To learn more, go to hamiltonperkins.com, where guests of the show can save using promo code on brand. Thanks, Hamilton! As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Joe Morris gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Michael Brenner.Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“We create experiences that touch the heart.” In our increasingly digital world, it may surprise some to learn that creating engaging physical experiences for brands is still a priority for marketing leaders. Christian Lachel is an architect of these experiences through his work at BRC Imagination Arts creating “homes” for brands like Ford and Jameson. We explored all of this and more on this week’s On Brand podcast.   About Christian Lachel Christian Lachel is a world-renowned expert at turning brands into destinations. He’s an accomplished creative director and storyteller who brings creativity, design expertise, business acumen and strategic direction to BRC Imagination Arts. Christian creates emotional experiences that help guests gain a deeper appreciation of themselves and the world. He has done this for some of the top destinations in the world, including The Heineken Experience, The Guinness Storehouse, The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, The World of Coca-Cola and Story Garden by AMOREPACIFIC. Episode Highlights What is a brand experience? If you need a lesson in brand experience 101, “It’s the spiritual home of a brand — these brand homes are really popular as they create places that celebrate the brand and the stories they bring to life.” Experience isn’t easy. “I see a lot of neat ideas in the space but do they resonate with their audience? Do they deepen advocacy? It’s not just putting your logo on a big tent at Coachella. It’s a common struggle, connecting the brand to experience.” The key to brand experience at BRC Imagination Arts. “We have a saying — the best brands celebrate the world of the audience.” If your brand has a story, you have to find how those stories connect with the values of your audience. Once you understand that, you can start to create what Lachel calls “brand souvenirs.” What brand experience does Christian love talking about? Originally from the Chicago area, Lachel had the opportunity to be a part of the team that created the Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield, a spiritual home for the Lincoln brand. “My favorite part of any project is waiting for people to come through and seeing their faces.” What brand has made Christian smile recently? Lachel pointed us to a German ad for Volkswagen featuring horses backing up an SUV. He laughed so hard at the spot he got weird looks on the plane! More importantly, it tapped into that “sense of wit” that has been such an enduring part of the Volkswagen brand. To learn more, go to brcweb.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently, Kerry Gorgone gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Mack Collier. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“As marketing leaders, we have to give up control.” As CEO of Marketing Insider Group, author Michael Brenner knows a thing or two about marketing and leadership. With a career ranging from startups to SAP and Nielsen, Brenner helps organizations understand how they can build a better brand by answering the tough questions on strategy and leadership. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.   About Michael Brenner Michael Brenner is a globally-recognized keynote speaker, author and the CEO of Marketing Insider Group. He has worked in leadership positions in sales and marketing for global brands like SAP and Nielsen, as well as for thriving startups. Today, Michael shares his passion on leadership and marketing strategies that deliver customer value and business impact. He is recognized by the Huffington Post as a Top Business Keynote Speaker and by Forbes as a top CMO Influencer. Episode Highlights What big issue to marketing leaders face today? “I sense a lot of fear. Coca-Cola got rid of their CMO role recently. I joke sometimes that marketing has a marketing problem. We do better through leadership and innovation. And innovation doesn’t always come from the marketing department.” Mind = Blown. “Can I blow your mind for a second? As marketing leaders, we have to give up control.” Because human interaction is so important in brand building today, “We’re seeing HR become the new marketing department.” Your employees are the best way to tap into your customers. Speaking of your employees … “The average employee has 10 times as many connections as any brand. Plus, 3% of your employees are responsible for 30% of your website traffic.” What happens when you amplify this? Michael’s NPS for employee engagement. Everyone knows the Net Promoter Score or NPS. Well, Brenner has developed something similar to offer insight on employee engagement. “You have to ask employees if they feel that their ideas are encouraged. There’s a 100% correlation between employees having their ideas heard and having more loyal customers.” What brand has made Michael smile recently? “Amazon has changed my life.” Whether it’s delivering toilet paper to his house with four kids (as someone with five kids, I understand paper consumption) or helping his mom find an iPhone case, Amazon makes Michael — and many of us — smile on a regular basis. To learn more, go to the Marketing Insider Group website or follow Michael on Twitter. As We Wrap … Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now and SAVE for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“You have to be able to let go.” As brand builders, we’re used to being in control of our brands. But that’s something we have to get over today. Our brands are owned not by us — but by our community. Nicole Ertas knows this. That’s why she helps companies like Wrigley, Johnson & Johnson, and General Mills become what she calls “Free Range Brands.” This is also the focus of her new book. We spoke about all of this and more on this week’s On Brand podcast. About Nicole Ertas Nicole Ertas is a recognized global brand strategist, best-selling author, and speaker who has helped build many of the world’s finest and most powerful brands. Her thinking has been embraced by companies such as Beam Suntory, Wrigley, SC Johnson, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Johnson & Johnson, General Mills, Con Agra, Kraft, and Nestle. Nicole’s success in global innovation and brand leadership gained her recognition in Forbes, The New York Times and selected to be one of Crain’s Chicago “40 Under 40.” Based in Chicago, she and her team transform brands and cultures and train business teams to become Free Range Thinkers to thrive in the age of unpredictability. Free Range Brands is available on Amazon or you can sign up for free tips and tricks on how to Build a Free Range Brand at www.freerangebrands.com. Episode Highlights So what is a Free Range Thinker and a Free Range Brand? “It’s preparing for unpredictability. You have to be able to let go today.” We’re not in control of the ecosystem in which our brands exist today. “The old way simply isn’t working anymore.” How do you create a Free Range Brand? “There are two very distinct objectives — authenticity and relevancy. And sometimes these are at odds with each other as authenticity is very static. Today you also have to be a part of what’s going on in the world around you.” So who is an example of a Free Range Brand? “To see this you can ask yourself, ‘Who is the hero of the (brand) story?’” Traditionally, it’s been the brand. Not so, anymore. “You have to make your community the hero of your story.” Ertas advises brands to create multiple “entry points” for accessing the brand story. Taco Bell is a Free Range Brand. They’ve used their 7,000 stores to create a “cult of food.” They understand something else that’s important for brands to have — a brand purpose. What brand has made Nicole smile recently? “Dollar Shave Club’s ‘Butter Safe Than Sorry’ campaign. I love brands that are spot on with who they are. There are some … suggestive fruit arrangements.” You can see for yourself below. To learn more, go to freerangebrands.com or follow @freerangebrands on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, past guest Mack Collier gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Bill Samuels, Jr. of Maker’s Mark. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now and SAVE for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

"It takes time to cultivate relationships." Mack Collier has been cultivating relationships for a long time. The social media strategist, speaker, and author has been blogging for 12 years and has hosted the Twitter chat #Blogchat since March 2009. He's also the author of the book, Think Like a Rockstar: How to Create Social Media and Marketing Strategies That Turn Customers Into Fans. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.   About Mack Collier Recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 25 Social Media Marketers in the World, Mack Collier is a social media strategist, trainer, and speaker located in Alabama that specializes in helping companies better connect with its customers via social media and digital marketing channels. His clients include businesses of all sizes, from sole proprietorships to Fortune 100 companies. Some of the companies Mack has worked with include Dell, Adobe, Paper.li, Red Lion Hotels, Club Med, and much more. Mack is a highly sought-after speaker on social media and customer-engagement topics and has presented at some of the top social media conferences and events, including South By Southwest Interactive, Blog World and New Media Expo, Content Marketing World, and Social Media Tourism Symposium. Additionally, Mack has spoken and trained on-site with companies such as Delphi, BazaarVoice, Dell, Utica National Insurance Group and much more. Additionally, Mack’s thoughts and expertise on Marketing, Brand Advocacy and Social Media have been sought by some of the world’s most prestigious news sources, including The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, USA Today, CNBC, ESPN, The Washington Post, CNET and Entrepreneur Magazine. His first business book, Think Like A Rock Star: How to Create Social Media and Marketing Strategies That Turn Customers Into Fans was published in 2013 by McGraw-Hill and is an Amazon Best Seller. Episode Highlights BREAKING NEWS – You don't have to be everywhere! "In 2008–2010, there was a social media land grab with new networks coming out almost weekly. And everybody was on them for about a week!" Mack pointed out that we only have so much time for so many tools. We have to take time and figure out what works best and when. How can brand builders today keep up with all of the shiny new things out there? "If you understand the behavior — the 'why' behind something — you can spot the trends." Forget about all of the social networks your customers are on. Instead, focus on what they're doing there. What are they getting from the experience? How can you create brand ambassadors and brand advocacy? One thing Mack pointed us to was not missing the potential ambassadors you already have, who already love you. "You have to listen first." Where to start ... "It takes time to cultivate relationships. That's why my advice is to start small and then go big if you can." What brand has made Mack smile recently? Collier shared a story on how the small town where he lives saved him from having to go to the Walmart Super Center by adding a Publix. "It's a completely different customer experience. They're just nailing the basics." To learn more, go to mackcollier.com. You can also follow #Blogchat Sunday nights at 8 PM Central on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, Melanie Deziel gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring ... HER! Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now and SAVE for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

"Brand identity helps doctors see the patient behind the condition.” Vince Parry has spent his career at the forefront of the healthcare branding industry. He has launched some of the most iconic healthcare brands, such as Lipitor, Botox, and Prozac. He has also been instrumental in transforming the way society is educated about illness and the possible options for relief. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.   About Vince Parry Vince Parry, a 30-year veteran of the health and wellness communications industry is the founder of the Parry Branding Group. Throughout his distinguished career, Vince has worked on many of the most well-known corporate, franchise, service, and product brands. He was previously the Chief Branding Officer at inVentiv Health, the Founder and President of Y Brand, the Founder and President of GSW NY and the Chief Creative Officer at Sudler & Hennessy. Vince has appeared on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams and BBC radio, has been featured in Medical Marketing and Media, PharmaVoice, Pharmaceutical Executive, and MedAdNews, and guest lectures at the Rutgers Pharmaceutical MBA program on healthcare branding. He’s also the author of Identity Crisis: Health Care Branding's Hidden Problems and Proven Strategies to Solve Them. Episode Highlights Why is healthcare branding so different? “The big difference between consumer branding and healthcare branding is that consumer branding is a celebration of self. The new iPhone reinforces your identity. With healthcare branding, it restores your identity. It restores what an illness has taken away. It’s a protection.” Healthcare branding and storytelling. “Illness is a great drama.” That’s because it comes with an antagonist. Something else that you’re fighting against. “Take overactive bladder vs. incontinence. Overactive bladder personifies the illness.” “You can’t walk into a store and buy Lipitor.” We talked extensively about the challenge pharmaceutical marketing presents as the end-user can’t buy the product. But they can ask the physician. Vince stressed that you still need to educate the doctors on the drugs and illnesses as they don’t like being uninformed. What can other businesses learn from healthcare branding and marketing? You have to learn about your customers and asking questions is the best way to do that. “But you can’t ask direct questions like ‘How do you feel about this?’” Consumers today are informed about market research and can inadvertently skew their responses. That’s why you need to approach them in an indirect manner. What brand has made Vince smile recently? “If it’s a real smile I’d say the New York Yankees — because they’re my team, my brand.” Then Vince pointed us to more of a “shaking my head” smile at pharmaceutical brand Movantik, for their creation of the concept of opioid-induced constipation. “You mean … constipation?!?!” joked Vince. To learn more, go to parrybranding.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, Seth Price gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring his Road to Recognition co-author Barry Feldman. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Register now and SAVE for Social Brand Forum 2017 — September 14, 2017, at the Iowa Memorial Union featuring past On Brand guests Jason Falls, Marcus Sheridan, Melissa Agnes, and more. Learn more. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“There’s often some confusion and conflict around personal branding.” It’s true. For whatever reason, some people and companies have trouble with this concept. But in the interconnected digital age, personal interaction and influence matters more and more for brands. Barry Feldman’s new book, The Road to Recognition, provides a handy reference guide for those building new personal brands as well as seasoned personal brands. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Barry Feldman Barry Feldman is a copywriter, content marketing strategist, digital marketing consultant, blogger, speaker, and podcaster. Barry is a voice of authority in personal branding, SEO, content marketing, copywriting, and social media marketing. He works with companies big and small all over the globe to plan and create content that matters, guiding clients in their efforts to drive more traffic, leads and sales via their digital marketing efforts. Barry’s “the marketer’s marketer,” providing creative direction to many of the world’s top martech brands, marketing service providers and digital media agencies. Barry publishes regularly on The Point at Feldman Creative and contributes to many of the world’s leading digital marketing publications. Episode Highlights “It can be scary to set your people free,” Barry noted while talking about concerns over personal branding. However, it’s a natural progression. Many had concerns about turning employees loose on social media. In both cases, the reward to the brand can be greater than the risk. It all started with an infographic. As Barry shared, the idea for The Road to Recognition started with an infographic he and co-author Seth Price developed on personal branding (below). However, they organized it in a unique way … The A to Z guide … Both the infographic and the book are organized alphabetically with a table of contents that leads with A is for Authenticity, B is for Blog, C is for Content and so on. Beyond being a handy organizational tool, this also makes the book easy to reference on the go. Need help with video for your personal brand? There’s a chapter on that. Need help with email? They’ve got that too. Who are some of Barry’s favorite personal brands? He mentioned Ann Handley, Michael Brenner, Brian Dean from Backlinko, and Andy Crestodina. I threw in Neil deGrasse Tyson as a favorite of mine for good measure. What brand has made Barry smile recently? Barry pointed us to Dollar Shave Club for their hard copy “Bathroom Minutes” newsletters that they send out with their shipments each month. He also smiles at Amazon for delivering exceptional customer service in spite of the size and scope of the company. To learn more, go to the Feldman Creative site or theroadtorecognition.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, Sean Carpenter gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Maker’s Mark Chairmen Emeritus Bill Samuels, Jr. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Research shows that our psychology is very similar in situations where we’re struggling with branding and marketing challenges and when we’ve crash-landed on a mountain.” Today’s marketplace is chaotic. Jonathan David Lewis, partner at McKee Wallwork + Company, calls this new normal we find ourselves in “the wild.” This is the focus of his new book, Brand vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments. We chatted about survival, leadership, and how your brand can avoid walking in circles on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.  About Jonathan David Lewis The author of Brand vs. Wild: Building Resilient Brands for Harsh Business Environments, Jonathan David Lewis is an engaging and authoritative speaker on shaping a brand that can survive—and thrive—in today’s tough, uncertain world. As partner and strategy director at McKee Wallwork + Company, Jonathan led his firm to be recognized by industry purveyor Advertising Age as a national leader in branding and marketing, winning the Southwest Small Agency of the Year, national B2B Campaign of the Year, and national Best Places to Work awards. A branding and business strategist, Jonathan honed his skills during the lean years of the Great Recession, helping brands navigate today’s unforgiving new business paradigms. Jonathan’s opinions are highly sought by numerous business and marketing publications, including Forbes, Digiday, and Advertising Age, where he explores the factors that lead to stalled growth and the principles proven to help companies navigate the ambiguities and dangers of the brand wilderness. Episode Highlights What happens when we find ourselves and our businesses in this chaotic wild? “We’re overwhelmed. There are seven factors that affect business growth. Three are external — the economy, aggressive competition, and industry disruption. The other four are internal factors.” These can be especially damaging for brands today. “The wild turns brands wild.” We get erratic and inconsistent. “What used to work — things like size — are a vulnerability today. And when you’re lost, you lose your confidence and increase your fear.” What do most of us do when we’re lost in the wild? Lewis pointed us to the research of Dr. John Leach, one of the world’s leading experts on survival psychology, noting the 10-80-10 theory. This states that in survival situations, 10% are prepared, 80% are paralyzed, and 10% panic. “Fight, flight, and freeze. You see this in brands too — especially recently with United and Pepsi.” So, what do you do when you discover that you’re lost as a brand? “STOP. It’s the hardest thing to do. It’s an acronym survivalists use — Stop, Think, Observe, Plan. Take the time to orient yourself. That’s how you avoid walking in circles.” What brand has made Jonathan smile recently? “I’d have to say Carls Jr.” Lewis cited their abandonment of their previous sex-focused strategy. Go Daddy has done something similar as well, trading the axiom of “sex sells” for telling better stories about small business websites. To learn more, go to jonathandavidlewis.com and you can check out the book on Amazon. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, past guest Gabriella Mirabelli had me on her podcast — Up Next — where I chatted about scrappy marketing. Thanks Gabriella! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Our brand values are up on the wall but there’s more to it. We have a very specific way of talking.” In addition to being a part of Nationwide’s Member Experience Team, Seth Sparks has a lot of the same non-branding interests as I do. In addition to talking branding, we managed to work in The West Wing, Doctor Who, and Star Trek on this week’s lively episode of the On Brand podcast. About Seth Sparks Seth Sparks is a blogger, vlogger, podcaster, and aspiring author. Professionally, he’s the head of media and technology for the Member Experience Network, a private community for strategic partners of Nationwide, as well as a partnership marketing manager for national member-based organizations. Episode Highlights How does Nationwide share their brand culture internally? Beyond the standard style guide, Nationwide has what Seth calls, “A particular way of talking. Bullet points instead of paragraphs. Visuals instead of words. Speak simply.” While this could sound like clarity in communications the outcome creates a consistent brand across all touchpoints. Doctor Who + Branding? Yep, we went there. When you have a couple bona fide nerds on the podcast conversation can take a turn to the Whovian. We discussed how the Doctor regenerates/rebrands every few years but he’s still the Doctor. “They have their Why statement down.” So what does Seth do? I work in a small department at a giant company. His team works to develop affinity offers for member organizations. They do this by developing affinity of their own. The Member Experience Network. With so many nonprofit organizations as partners, Nationwide developed a partner network to create value for their members by teaching them about fundraising and direct mail through hosted trainings and live events. “It’s an opportunity to take something we know and do something for our members. What brand has made Seth smile recently? While an Arby’s gyro commercial made him laugh, Seth invited us to check out the Nerd Writer YouTube channel. To learn more, follow Seth on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently, AQs Blog & Grill gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Kerry O’Shea Gorgone. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“For us, marketing meant polishing the apple. Not chasing people, letting them find you.” Over the past 59 years, quite a few people have found Maker’s Mark. The distinctive bourbon has grown from being the hobby of founder Bill Samuels, Sr. His son, Bill Samuels, Jr., led much of that growth. From their wax-dipped bottles to their brand ambassador program, Maker’s has built a brand as unique as their spirits. I couldn’t wait to discuss all of this and more with Bill on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Bill Samuels, Jr. Growing up on Distiller’s Row in Bardstown, Kentucky – son of Maker’s Mark Founder Bill Samuels, Sr. and godson of Jim Beam – Bill Samuels, Jr. has been an eyewitness to many milestones in bourbon history and has made history himself. As the current Chairman Emeritus of Maker’s Mark, Bill ran his family’s company for 35 years as President and CEO. Under his watchful eye, he followed his father’s stern but simple piece of advice for him: “don’t screw up the whisky,” which is the advice he passed on to his son Rob Samuels, Maker’s current COO. Before passing on the torch in 2011, Bill left quite a legacy which included the introduction of Maker’s first new expression, Maker’s 46, the brand’s beloved Ambassador program, and more. Bill’s current role is perfectly suited for the very first Maker’s Mark Ambassador: travel around the world, introduce Maker’s Mark and Maker’s 46 to folks and share a story or two about all of the incredible history he’s been an eyewitness to. Episode Highlights Commercializing a hobby sounds daunting. But that’s exactly what Bill Samuels, Jr. was charged with doing. His mandate was simple — “never compromise on the spirit.” Bill Samuels, Jr. had to carefully exploit this hobby. “We hired an agency not to do advertising.” What Bill and their agency partners did instead was building on the “discovery” process. “We didn’t want to sell something that people didn’t want to buy. It had to be something you heard about from a friend.” What about those distinct dipped bottles? “Mom was a chemist and started playing around with wax.” As a patent attorney, Bill Samuels, Jr. patented the process, cementing the red wax drippings as a key brand touchpoint. And the ambassador program? “That was the mother of necessity. All of our customers previously had been in Kentucky. All of a sudden a credible source praised our product — The Wall Street Journal. That was the moment we became a national brand. Everything we did with customers was personal — 1:1.” The ambassador program helped them identify and embrace those fans who “raised their hands.” Another benefit to ambassadors … “It’s not a story you want to tell but every once in awhile you screw up.” Like when Maker’s thought the only way to answer demand was by reducing the proof the spirit. They communicated this to their ambassadors first and were met with immediate resistance. “It took Coke nine months to see what they did (with New Coke). We knew in two days.” They took immediate steps to reverse their decision, restoring the spirit to the delight of their fans. “We like to have fun with it, too.” That’s why Maker’s sends out gifts to ambassadors at the holidays. What brand has made Bill smile recently? Bill reminded us about the story of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a collaborative effort between competitive distilleries that’s been a big hit with tourism in the state. “Don’t try to do it all in one day,” cautioned Bill. To learn more about Bill and Maker’s Mark, check out the Maker’s Mark website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently former guest Bruce Kennedy and Rogue Jess gave the podcast a shout. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Branding is thousands of tiny punches that add up.” And few deliver as many meaningful little punches as Bark & Co, the powerhouse brand dedicated to bringing joy to dog parents everywhere through innovative products and services like BarkBox. The company and its people love what they do and who they do it for. And it shows. This week, Bark’s Editor in Chief Stacie Grissom joined me for a chat on the On Brand podcast about all of this and much more. About Stacie Grissom Stacie Grissom is the head of content at BARK, the company building a next-generation brand for dogs and dog people. Stacie leads the team behind the BARK’s interactive, humor-driven content strategy and is a co-author of the New York Times bestseller, Dogs and Their People. She lives in NYC with her rescue mutt, Pimm. Episode Highlights What’s the difference between a dog owner and a dog parent? And, does it matter? It does to Bark & Co. “A dog owner is someone who looks at their dog as property. Not as a part of the family. A dog parent throws parties and cares about the gifts they get their dog.” It’s this seemingly small distinction that Bark has built its brand around. “We’re obsessed with dogs.” So how does Bark understand their audience? Do they develop complex personas rich with quantitative and qualitative demography? Not so much. “We only hire people who get dogs. Not everyone here has a dog but we all value dogs.” ‘Hump Day’ is a little different at Bark. When your business is dogs, ‘hump day’ takes on a new meaning. Looking for way to celebrate the middle of the week with their fans on social media, Bark leaned into the innuendo. Would this offend some? Sure. But again, they know their customers. “If it makes us giggle we go ahead and post it.” This mix of culture, audience, and content, also informs their brand’s distinct voice, usually bringing a smile to their customers’ face. What brand has made Stacie smile recently? Stacie pointed us to the hip swimming trunks brand, Shinesty. “They’re super bro-ey. The way they about their products shows that they really know their audience.” To learn more about Stacie, connect with her on LinkedIn or check out her content at BarkPost. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Melanie Deziel gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode on native advertising featuring Melanie Deziel! Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“The only policy you need is ‘don’t be a jerk!'” While this may seem like surprising legal advice, it shouldn’t be considering the source. In addition to being a lawyer, marketing professional, and podcaster, Kerry O’Shea Gorgone is one of the nicest (read: not jerky!) people both online and off.  We discussed the legal implications of new forms of media, copyright, podcasting, and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Kerry O’Shea Gorgone Kerry O’Shea Gorgone, JD, MBA, is a lawyer, podcaster, speaker, and writer. By day, she designs training programs for marketing professionals in her role as Director of Product Strategy, Training, at MarketingProfs. By night (and on weekends) Kerry writes for some of the most authoritative sites in the marketing and PR industry, including Mark Schaefer’s {grow} blog, Social Media Explorer, Entrepreneur, Spin Sucks, and MackCollier.com, and also contributes to Huffington Post. Kerry hosts the MarketingProfs weekly interview series, Marketing Smarts, named by Fast Company as one of the best business podcasts on the internet and one of “19 Podcasts Worth More Than an MBA” by Inc. The show features industry stars and authors like Chris Brogan, Ann Handley and Gary Vaynerchuk, as well as business personalities like Jon Taffer of ‘Bar Rescue’ and actress Jane Seymour. She’s also interviewed c-suite executives from organizations like IBM, National Geographic, Dell and the Baltimore Ravens. Learn more about her at KerryGorgone.com. Episode Highlights Legal 101 — what’s the difference between a copyright and a trademark? “A copyright protects your bigger works — books, blogs. Trademarking is for smaller things — logos and phrases.” At the end of the day, Kerry warns that you have to decide to what extent you’re going to pursue small infringements. So, what should you protect as a brand? “Your employees’ privacy. Like Crackerbarrell saw this week when they fired ‘Brad’s wife.'” You should also protect your copyright — both what you share from others and what they share of yours. Can Snapchat sue Facebook? This week, as Facebook launched stories, a very Snapchat-like feature, students in my marketing class (which Kerry spoke to via Skype) asked if Facebook could be sued by Snapchat for copying the stories features. “You can’t copyright an idea. It has to be expressed. At this point, stories are so pervasive.” Podcasting tips? As you can see from her bio, Kerry is one of the most popular marketing podcast hosts. What tips can she share for businesses wanting to get started with this growing form of media? “Start with conversation research and listen. Figure out what your audience is into and see if you can be a part of that.” What brand has made Kerry smile recently? Kerry pointed us to the outdoor brand Orvis. She recently had Orvis’ Simon Perkins on the Marketing Smarts podcast. She loved the engaging conversation and the real-life brand touchpoints she received afterward that made her smile. To learn more about Kerry, follow her on Twitter and check out her blog and the Marketing Smarts podcast. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Sean Carpenter gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode on authenticity featuring Bruce Kennedy. Thanks for listening, Darren! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Too often today we over-survey our customers.” As Amazon’s first Worldwide VP of Customer Service, Bill Price is a legend in the field of customer service. As an author and advisor, he continues to drive home the fact that service is one of the most critical brand touchpoints. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Bill Price Bill Price is a Partner with Big Data player Antuit leading its global customer experience and customer service advanced analytics program and is President of Driva Solutions that has worked with over 150 clients to forge the balance between cost controls and greater customer loyalty. Bill co-founded the 9-country LimeBridge Global Alliance; chairs the 41-company Global Operations Council; has taught at the University of Washington and Stanford MBA programs; and is the lead author of The Best Service is No Service: Liberating Your Customers From Customer Service, Keep Them Happy, and Control Costs (Wiley 2008) and Your Customer Rules! Delivering the Me2B Experiences That Today’s Customers Demand (Wiley 2015). Bill served as Amazon.com’s first Worldwide VP of Customer Service and before that held senior positions at MCI, ACP, and McKinsey. He was named “Call Center Pioneer” in 1997 in its inaugural year. Bill graduated from Dartmouth (BA) and Stanford (MBA), and lives in Bellevue, WA. Episode Highlights What’s this Amazon alum been up to recently? “Lately I’ve been focusing on the fact that we over-survey customers today. We keep sending out surveys and yet the survey response rate is declining. A lot of companies just fill in the blanks.” “Connecting the dots makes me excited about big data.” We need to supplement the survey with other actions along the customer journey. “We can have a data feed that starts to calculate a score as you’re going.” From there you can test out coupons and other incentives. Qualitative vs. quantitative insights. In writing Your Customer Rules!, Bill interviewed several service leaders like Nordstrom. “We learned that they valued statements like ‘You make it easy for me’ and ‘You recognize me.’ They don’t always know what they mean but they know they like them. They also know to look out for ‘failure statements.'” These are the opposites — ‘you don’t make it easy for me’ and ‘you don’t recognize me.’ All companies are full of stories. While external-focused marketing stories can help communicate who you are, Bill noted that internal stories represent “tribal knowledge. Good brands collect stories. They don’t curate — they even share bad stories.” Stories help communicate what you value and what you want to avoid as a brand. What brand has made Bill smile recently? “I like to smile but don’t always get to do it!” One recent smile-worthy experience came during Bill’s most recent visit to his Tesla service center. A rep stepped forward and remembered him by name. “She remembered me — that’s one of the the three drivers in my book.” More importantly, she remembered that Bill liked to run. Little things can make a big difference. To learn more about Bill, connect with him on LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Darren DeMatas gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode on influencer marketing featuring Lee Odden. Thanks for listening, Darren! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“If you want to be authentic as a brand, you have to be able to make a mistake.” As social media manager for Cision, Bruce Kennedy is on the front lines of the brand's online conversations. Last week, he was in the front row for our live podcast onstage at SXSW, where we talked about how brands need to be more authentic than ever to stand out today. I couldn't wait to continue this conversation with Bruce on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast. About Bruce Kennedy Bruce Kennedy is a social media manager at Cision, where he manages Cision's global brands. Previously, he worked in public relations in tech and entertainment, helping brands from early stage startups to household names like Red Bull, Disney on Ice, Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey, Techweek and more. Connect with him on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter. Episode Highlights What does brand mean today? "We're seeing this change — especially with social media. Increasingly the brand is who's behind the brand." Why those photos of your office that you post on social media matter. "More and more today people care about what's going on behind the scenes of brands." Authenticity is all about access. Live video has created a new branded content ecosystem. "For example, that Red Bull jump would be so much more today." You'd have live video before and after and lots of content leading up to the main event. How can smaller brands take advantage of some of the amazing things big brands are doing? We chatted about Disney's Jungle Book marketing. Specifically, a campaign using 360-video to showcase the digital King Louie character, voiced by Christopher Walken. "You may not have King Louie and Christopher Walken but maybe you can do a 360-video in an interesting place. Or with an interesting person." What brand has made Bruce smile recently? Wendy's! Bruce shared how their recent candid yet authentic Twitter exchanges have helped the brand stand out — both in the news and in the analytics. To learn more about Bruce, check out the Cision blog, where he is a regular contributor. In fact, he wrote a great recap of our SXSW episode just this past week. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Rachael Sperling gave us a shout on Twitter for our live episode from SXSW (where Bruce was in the audience and asked a question). Thanks for listening, Rachel! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

Welcome to episode #529 of Six Pixels Of Separation - The Mirum Podcast. Some people you just want to become friends with in this industry. I've had the pleasure of meeting thousands of professionals over the years. There are (sadly) a lot of fake folks running around. Nick Westergaard is one of those true friends. He's the real deal. That's who is. He really wants to be friends and help your business do better. There's nothing more endearing than someone who is that passionate. He's also a person who sticks to his words, and wants marketing to make the world a better place. Nick is a strategist, speaker, author and teacher. He runs a boutique firm called, Brand Driven Digital, and recently released a great book, Get Scrappy - Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. He also runs an amazing event called, Social Brand Forum, in Iowa that I had the pleasure of speaking at last year. Enjoy the conversation...  Here it is: Six Pixels Of Separation - The Mirum Podcast - Episode #529 - Host: Mitch Joel. Running time: 50:56. Hello from beautiful Montreal. Subscribe over at iTunes. Please visit and leave comments on the blog - Six Pixels of Separation. Feel free to connect to me directly on Facebook here: Mitch Joel on Facebook. or you can connect on LinkedIn. ...or on twitter. Six Pixels of Separation the book is now available. CTRL ALT Delete is now available too! Here is my conversation with Nick Westergaard. Get Scrappy - Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Brand Driven Digital. Social Brand Forum. Follow Nick on Twitter. This week's music: David Usher 'St. Lawrence River'. Get David's song for free here: Artists For Amnesty. Download the Podcast here: Six Pixels Of Separation - The Mirum Podcast - Episode #529 - Host: Mitch Joel. Tags: advertising podcast audio blog blogging brand brand driven digital business blog business book business podcast david usher digital marketing digital marketing agency digital marketing blog facebook get scrappy google itunes j walter thompson jwt leadership podcast management podcast marketing marketing blog marketing podcast mirum mirum agency mirum agency blog mirum blog nick westergaard social brand forum social media twitter wpp