Podcasts about get scrappy smarter digital marketing

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

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!

“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!

This week, we have a special LIVE episode of the On Brand podcast — on stage from SXSW Interactive. Recorded last Saturday, March 11 in Austin, this episode featured a timely discussion of a big question that many brand builders are struggling with in these divisive times — should your brand take a stand socially and politically? Joining me were guests Duff Stewart of GSD&M and Heather Whaling of Geben Communication. Next week, I’ll be back with a full-length brand builder interview. In the meantime, enjoy this week’s special episode. About Duff Stewart and Heather Whaling Duff Stewart is a 27-year veteran of GSD&M, where he serves as CEO. Through purpose-based branding, GSD&M helps articulate and activate a client’s core purpose and creates simple yet powerful ideas that make a difference. With a passion for bold creative and a well-developed business sense, Duff has led a profitable agency turnaround over the past five years. Since becoming CEO, more than 75% of the agency’s roster is new and the team has expanded capabilities in digital, design, experiential and many other areas. His other brand experience at the agency includes Southwest Airlines, BMW, Walmart and Molson Coors Brewing Company. In addition to his many operational contributions, Duff has long served as a cultural leader. He helped define and articulate the agency’s core values: integrity, curiosity, restlessness, community, freedom & responsibility and winning. Within the Austin community, Duff is president of the board of directors for the Austin Theatre Alliance and has lent his time and talents to causes like the Anti-Defamation League, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, LIVESTRONG Challenge and the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride. He is also active in local, state and national politics. Follow Duff on Twitter. Heather Whaling is founder/president of Geben Communication. In 2016, she was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in the Ohio Valley Region. After launching the company from her dining room in 2009, Heather’s fresh approach to best practices has helped Geben evolve into a highly respected, sought-after, award-winning PR firm. With offices in Columbus and Chicago, Geben was named the national media relations agency of the year by Ragan/PR Daily and a top 10 agency for startups by Agency Post. A board member of The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, Heather is a vocal advocate for issues impacting women and girls. Her perspective on paid family leave has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur.com, Refinery29 and a variety of local and national media outlets. Follow Heather on Twitter. And here’s the video we watched during the podcast — GSD&M’s “I Pee with LGBT” ad directed by Richard Linklater. More on I Pee with LGBT. I also wrote a post recently on why your brand should take a stand. 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. 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!  

“A brand is a relationship between a customer and an organization.” Don E. Schultz has spent his storied career navigating, teaching, and writing about that very complex relationship. He’s a Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University’s Medill School, President of Agora, Inc, and author of over twenty-eight books on marketing. He’s also this week’s guest on the On Brand podcast. About Don E. Schultz Don E. Schultz, BBA (University of Oklahoma), MA and PhD (Michigan State University) is Professor (Emeritus-in-Service) Integrated Marketing Communications, The Medill School, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL and President of Agora, Inc., a global marketing, communication, and branding consulting firm. Schultz consults, lectures, and holds seminars on integrated marketing communication, marketing, branding, advertising, sales promotion, and communication management in Europe, South America, Asia/Pacific, the Middle East, Australia, and North America. He is the author/co-author of over twenty-eight books and over one hundred and fifty trade, academic and professional articles and serves on the editorial review board for a number of trade and scholarly publications. He was the founding editor of the Journal of Direct Marketing, the associate editor of the Journal of Marketing Communications, and the International Journal of Integrated Marketing Communication. Schultz is a member of the American Marketing Association, American Academy of Advertising, Advertising Research Foundation, Business Marketing Association, Direct Marketing Association, Association for Consumer Research, and the International Advertising Association, as well as the director and US Chairman for Brand Finance, London. He also provides consultancy services to a broad variety of marketing organizations, agencies, media and non-profit groups around the world. Schultz has received numerous awards, including the AAA (American Academy of Advertising) Ivan Preston Outstanding Contributions to Research Award in 2014. He lives in Chicago with his wife Heidi who is also his business partner. Episode Highlights Northwestern University has been teaching advertising since 1903! To say that Schultz teaches at one of the most historic institutions for advertising instruction is an understatement. “In the 1980s — with so much new technology emerging — we started asking, ‘how do we bring all of this together?'” And that’s how integrated marketing communications was born. “You have to start with customers,” says Schultz. “What do they need? You’re really not trying to sell anything. Persuasion is out of date. It’s a reciprocal process of solving problems for the customer.” Even integrated marketing communications needs reinvention. “We found we needed to adapt or adjust the process. Today it ends with a sale and operates from campaigns. How do we get beyond solving the individual issue? We need to think about lifetime customer value. How do we get to be more responsive?” What skill is timeless for marketers? “The technology is coming so fast. If we started teaching the technology, it’d be out of date by the time students graduate.” What skill is timeless and valuable for marketers? “An innate curiosity about people. It’s very important to immerse yourself in culture.” What brand has made Don smile recently? “Wimbledon. Those people really understand branding and how their brand relates to the world.” To learn more about Don, you can send him an email at dschultz@northwestern.edu. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Darren De Matas 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!

“A brand is a set of promises. If you break that, you hurt the brand.” With a storied career in advertising including his current gig as co-founder and creative director of the Velocity Partners agency, Doug Kessler has spent his career helping brands create and communicate promises to their communities. This week, Doug stopped by the On Brand podcast for a chat about content, creative, and strategy. About Doug Kessler Doug Kessler is co-founder and creative director of Velocity Partners, the London-based B2B content marketing agency — and Content Marketing Institute Agency of the Year. Doug has written a lot about content marketing including the B2B Content Strategy Checklist, Insane Honesty in Content Marketing and Crap: Why the Biggest Threat to Content Marketing is Content Marketing. Episode Highlights We started the show with … crap. Doug has spent a lot of time writing about crap. Or specifically, what we need to avoid creating as content marketers. As he notes, “the biggest threat to content marketing is content marketing. Content makes too much sense to go anywhere.” Content quantity vs. quality. So what about the million-dollar question, ‘how much content should you create?’ Doug’s answer: “Do as much as you can above a certain quality level. Every piece you put out can either help or hurt your brand.” What you really have to do is … Create a content brand. You have to be more than just a brand builder and a content creator. You have to develop a content brand. But it’s harder and harder to hit a home run. How can you produce a content marketing home run? As Doug notes, “the first step is to aim for it.” This sounds obvious but so many of us fall prey to internal and external constraints that keep our content in the middle of the bell curve. That said, you still need to be strategic instead of following creative whims. “At Ogilvy in the ‘80s, we used to say, ‘you can always get attention from a gorilla in a jock strap.’” B2B content isn’t necessarily harder. “It’s different. Not all pieces have to do everything. There are heart pieces and there are head pieces. We need more content that celebrates the Simon Sinek ‘why.’” What brand has made Doug smile recently? “A B2C example is Everlane for their radical transparency in their supply chain and their margins. Thank you! For B2B, I’d say GE.” Doug then reminded us of their Hammer ad (below). To learn more about Doug, check out the Velocity Partners website and follow Doug on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Matt Reno gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Brad Flowers. Specifically, Matt said he “poured some bourbon, opened the sketchbook, and chilled while listening to an insightful branding podcast.” Thanks for listening, Matt! 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!

“When you don’t answer your customers — you’re sending them a message.” Today we have to meet our audience on an increasingly diverse array of traditional and digital media touch points. None has garnered more headlines over the past year than Snapchat. Jed Record joined us in Iowa last fall for the Social Brand Forum. Since then, both Snapchat and the emerging story media format have evolved even more. We discussed all of this on this week’s On Brand podcast.   About Jed Record A consultant, speaker, and educator, Jed Record guides corporate teams through the quickly changing landscape of emerging marketing technologies. He teaches marketing at Meredith College’s School of Business. Jed’s clients include both start-ups and global brands such as Lenovo, eBay, Thomson Reuters and Quintiles Transnational. He has worked with Toyota, Capital One, SanDisk and others on influence marketing campaigns as well. Episode Highlights Instagram stories vs. Snapchat stories. One big thing that’s changed since last summer/fall has been the emergence of Instagram’s own story feature. Recently, Instagram’s daily story stats have overtaken Snapchat total user counts. Does this automatically spell trouble for Snapchat? Not necessarily. “It’s a major millennial media platform. It is a highly different audience. If this is your core audience, this is still where you should be.” Why millennials still favor Snapchat. “Snap was the platform where their parents weren’t. It’s a very personal network.” Instagram stories may help preserve this feature. Just as parents and older demographics were starting to check out Snapchat, they had a new reason to stay on Instagram. The ‘story’ is a new media format. Whether it’s Snapchat stories, Instagram stories, or Facebook’s new story feature, one thing is clear. The story is an emerging new media format, composed of real-time photos and videos further personalized with sketches, scribbles, and emojis. How will you tell your brand’s story? “This is another form of communication but it’s not just another communications course.” Jed was very clear that though these are new formats and channels, we need to make sure that marketing curriculum doesn’t get lost teaching the tools. We need better instruction on distilling complex brand messaging into concise, ephemeral stories. What brand has made Jed smile recently? “Applebee’s. Out of the blue, they make me smile by tweeting at me.” Jed also pointed to exceptional service from American Airlines and Toyota. To learn more, check out Jed’s website and follow Jed on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Jasko Besic gave us a shout on Twitter for our episode featuring Brad Flowers. Thanks for listening, Jasko! 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 complicated when you try to define it." If there was an ongoing theme of the On Brand podcast, this week's guest hit the nail on the head. Of course, your brand is more than your logo but how do you organize the words and language around your story and communicate that internally. Brad Flowers co-founded and leads a language and story-focused branding firm, Bullhorn. We talked about all of that and more on this week’s On Brand podcast.   About Brad Flowers Brad Flowers co-founded Bullhorn in 2008. A graduate of the University of North Texas, Brad’s degree in Literature serves him well in his strategy and language work during the branding process. It does not serve him well in his operational work, which is primarily informed by his rugged real-world experience and self-taught MBA. He is also an avid cycler – for commuting and for competition. He co-founded and currently serves on the board of a non-profit community bike shop called Broke Spoke. Spreading the good word. Episode Highlights What does Bullhorn do? "We're a branding company but really people hire us to help them talk about their brand." Unlike other more visually focused firms, Bullhorn starts with words and stories. In the end, they provide a brand manual. But it's not the standard style guide you might expect. A coffee table book for your brand. While Bullhorn provided the digital assets most expect with a style guide or brand manual, they also include a printed document that's more aspirational. "It's like a coffee table book for your brand. Employees can read it. It can be used for onboarding." "Your culture is a culmination of your brand voice." As Brad reminded us, there's no one-size-fits-all approach for brand voice.  How can you maintain a consistent brand voice internally without encouraging your team to talk like robots? "It really depends on the organization. The culture." Flowers went on to share a story about a more formal, hyperbolic client that needed help with their brand voice. Instead of more jargon — that would almost certainly lead them to sound more robotic — they provided a visual inspiration in the form of a photo of Paul Newman playing ping-pong. (I know, I said I'd put it in the show notes but I can't find a creative commons pic.) What brand has made Brad smile recently? After reading Kondo's best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying, Brad set out to find the objects that gave him joy. His Patagonia fleece fit the bill. And also provided a textbook example of a brand that's made him smile many times through the years. To learn more, go to the Bullhorn Creative website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Alex Mastrianni gave us a shout on Twitter for our recent episode featuring Marcus Sheridan. Thanks for listening, Alex! 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 art of the question has fundamentally been lost.” As a global speaker and consultant in digital marketing and sales, Marcus Sheridan has made name for himself and his business by answering all of the questions. I couldn’t wait to talk to the content marketing legend and author about all of this, on this week’s On Brand podcast.   About Marcus Sheridan Called a “web marketing guru” by The New York Times, the story of how Marcus Sheridan was able to save his swimming pool company, River Pools, from the economic crash of 2008 has been featured in multiple books, publications, and stories around the world—and is also the inspiration for his newest book, “They Ask, You Answer.” Today, Sheridan has become a highly sought after global speaker and consultant in the digital sales and marketing space, working with hundreds of business and brands alike to become the most trusted voice of their industry while navigating the ultra-fast rate of change occurring within consumers and buyers today. Episode Highlights The 20-second version of Marcus’ story. “In 2008, I was going to lose my business. I had two consultants tell me to file for bankruptcy. I started reading about inbound marketing and content marketing and created a four-word philosophy.” They Ask, You Answer. This philosophy applied to content marketing helped Marcus save River Pools. It’s also helped countless marketers who have read his story and heard him speak. “If you can’t explain it — if you can’t answer the questions — it’s no good.” These four words are also the title of his new book. They Ask You Answer, which is full of case studies of “digital Davids” like River Pools. “It’s 50% marketing, 25% sales, and 25% implementation.” The most important social media question. “It’s not ‘how can I be great on Facebook today?’ It’s ‘how can I be great on Facebook forever?’ You do that by solving customers’ problems.” How can you cultivate a culture of questions? “Businesses need to think more like buyers and less like businesses. Marketers aren’t subject matter experts.” You have to get out of your bubble and seek the expertise of leadership, engineering, and sales to effectively answer your buyer’s questions. What question is Marcus asked most often? “It’s not, ‘I’m a leader/business owner — how do turn my business around?’ It’s ‘I’m in sales and I need leadership’s buy-in.'” Marcus recommends getting leadership re-acclimated with customers’ needs for a better connection between the business and the buyer in your sales and marketing execution. What brand has made Marcus smile recently? “I’m gonna use this example because it would be easy for them to say, ‘but we’re too big’ — Home Depot.” Citing their “exceptional blog where they teach, teach, teach,” he noted that it features products without being too sales-y. To learn more, go to The Sales Lion website, check out his book They Ask You Answer, and follow him on Twitter. 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 recent episode on millennial marketing featuring Gabriella Mirabelli. Thanks for listening, Sean! 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 way to stand out is to build a brand." B2B marketers often focus most of their energy on sales funnels, lead generation, and analytics. But how do you stand out in the noisy marketplace? A few weeks ago, Jay Acunzo told a story on the podcast about how Drift made the bold move of un-gating all of their content. I couldn't wait to hear this story first hand from Drift's Director of Marketing Dave Gerhart on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast.   About Dave Gerhardt Dave Gerhardt is the director of marketing at Drift, a Boston-based startup that helps sales and customer success teams connect with their customers. Dave has spent the first seven years of his career working at SaaS marketing companies, including HubSpot and Constant Contact, and he was recently named one of Boston's 50 on Fire for 2017. He's also the co-host of Seeking Wisdom, a podcast about health, wealth, life, and learning. Episode Highlights Why would a brand un-gate all of their content?? Content marketing is powerful — especially in the B2B space — because you can drive leads and measure everything. Dave Gerhardt was initially taken aback when his boss, Drift CEO David Cancel, suggested they un-gate everything. Standing out. "So many products today are free. They want customers to dive in, try things out, and ultimately use it (and pay for it) more." Drift embraced this approach and extended it to their content, making it accessible and, in the end, more helpful as well. "The only way to stand out is to build a brand." How do you create stand out content? "My approach is simple. I create content that I would like. There's no sexy playbook." How do you establish a strong, consistent brand voice? Every brand wants a voice but it seems like we only have two gears — bland or irreverent. Dave sat down with CEO David Cancel and developed thirteen core values that guide all of their efforts. "Internally, we call this being 'Drifty.' We know we're about being authentic and human. When we come out with something new we make sure there's real people on it. Real people are Drifty." What brand has made Dave smile recently? “I'm gonna go with two — Slack and Mailchimp." Both excel at creating little moments of delight throughout their online brand experience. To learn more, go to the Drift blog and follow Dave on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Drew McLellan gave us several shouts on Twitter for the episode of the podcast he recorded with us last year. Drew also has a great podcast called Build a Better Agency. Thanks for being a guest and 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!

"You are the steward of the cluster that’s drawn to your brand.” Today, we’re simultaneously in control of our brands and not in control, as we build an increasingly diverse audience across diffused media platforms and touch points. It’s this dynamic that Gabriella Mirabelli spends most of her time helping big media and tech brands navigate. We talked about millennials, media brands, and more this week on the On Brand podcast.   About Gabriella Mirabelli Gabriella Mirabelli is the foremost authority on translating millennial behavioral trends for executives at major media enterprises. She was listed on Inc. as one of the "5 Unsung Heroes of New Media" and is the CEO and co-founder of ANATOMY, a New York based, Emmy Award winning creative agency and branding consultancy. As the host of The Up Next Podcast, she talks with the brightest innovators, risk takers, and disrupters on the front lines of change from Hollywood, Wall St., Silicon Valley, and beyond. Over the last half decade, Gabriella has studied how the practices of media brands intersect with the media consumption habits of millennials. Her most recent in-depth report “Millennials At the Gate” is an examination of streaming, ad blocking, and piracy habits of young millennials. It has been cited by major publications such as Forbes, The Wrap, MediaPost, and Yahoo Finance. Episode Highlights What are the top millennial behavioral trends that brand builders need to be aware of? First, Gabriella focuses on what she calls "young millennials — ages 18–24. Two-thirds of millennials are ad blocking. Sixty-nine percent are pirating and, of those, 67% think there’s nothing wrong with that." How can we translate these trends into brand initiatives? “It’s all about the touch points, the overall experience. Social platforms are giving that emotional payoff.” As brand builders, we have to make sure that we’re creating a brand that means something to our audience. Surrendering control of our brands. “We’re both in control and not in control of our brands today. You are the steward of the cluster that’s drawn to your brand. Apple is a great example of this." When it comes to media, are we marketing the show — content brands — or the larger network brand? As Gabriella noted, “I have a strong opinion about this. It’s the show brand. You go to see the show. You don’t go to the AMC theater. You go to see the movie playing there. Unless you’re an art house theater that curates and adds meaning. They’re about creating a better experience with real butter on the popcorn, where the ushers care about film.” What brand has made Gabriella smile recently? “Netflix. And what I love is that they don’t market to me obnoxiously but they still have meaning to me. They care about audience and experience." To learn more, go to Gabriella’s podcast website (UpNextPodcast.com) and check out the ANATOMY website. As We Wrap ... Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Andrea D. Smith gave us a shout for our 100th episode featuring Seth Godin. 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!

“Brands that we look to, that are charismatic, know their audience. They know who they are.” Stories, personality, and experiences are the building blocks of modern brands of all shapes and sizes. This week, Carla Johnson of Type A Communications and co-author of Experiences: The 7th Era of Marketing stopped by the On Brand podcast to discuss all of this.   About Carla Johnson Carla Johnson helps marketers unlock, nurture and strengthen their storytelling muscle so they can create delightful experiences for audiences. She works as a trusted advisor at the highest level of blue-chip brands to establish open conversations, instill creative confidence and inspire an environment of receptivity that develops highly prized teams and stellar business results. Carla has worked with companies that include American Express, Dell, Emerson, Motorola Solutions, VMware, Western Union and Smurfit Kappa on how to tap into a wellspring of ideas and unveil new ways to bring their brand stories alive in fun and captivating ways. Named one of the top 20 most influential content marketers, one of top 25 business-to-business marketers, and one of the top 50 women in marketing, Carla is the co-author of Experiences: The 7th Era of Marketing, which teaches marketers how to develop, manage and lead the creation of valuable experiences for their organizations. She serves on the Executive Committee and as the Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for the Association for National Advertisers Business Marketing Association, an instructor for the Content Marketing Institute and the Digital Analytics Association, is a frequent speaker and writes about creativity and innovation, the power of brand storytelling, and customer experience for numerous media outlets. Dig deeper at Type A Communications and follow her on Twitter. Episode Highlights "When you tell a story driven by empathy, you’ll always see results.” Understanding your customers is a cornerstone of effective brand building. Yet with our focus on quantitative analysis and data, we often know too little about our customers and what they want. How can we fix this? Carla reminds us to “Just talk with them.” Conversations can yield powerful results. After talking with your customers, don’t forget your employees. Internal brand communication is key. Carla cited a study from Gallup noting that less than 40% of employees understand what their company stands for. If properly educated, your employees can be a powerful marketing engine. “If you get the internal right, you can reallocate your external resources." “Experience and story are tied together. Hand in hand.” As Carla notes, you have to ask yourself, “What are we going to be known for.” She then shared a great example from Big Ass Fans on how a simple brand touch point can inform an entire brand experience. As we head into the new year, what’s one thing brand builders and marketers should do more of? Look for ways to be “more creative, interesting, and different. Look at brands from outside your bubble.” What are they doing? How can you do more of that? What brand has made Carla smile recently? Carla pointed us to HP and their recent rebranding. “They spent us much time (communicating that) internally as they did externally." To learn more, go to the Type A Communications website and check out the site for her book with past On Brand guest Robert Rose, Experiences: The 7th Era of Marketing. As We Wrap ... Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Mike Smith from AWeber gave us a shout for our 100th episode featuring Seth Godin. 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!

“All advice is bad advice unless it’s contextualized to you.” As marketers and brand builders, we get advice left and right. Do this, not that. Send this many emails. Write this many blog posts. This week, Jay Acunzo of the Unthinkable podcast reminded us that we need to always ask ourselves why we’re doing this and who we’re doing it for if we want to close the chasm between average and exceptional.   About Jay Acunzo Jay Acunzo jokes that he’s the world’s most passionate “craft-driven” marketer. He is a highly sought after keynote speaker, writer, and host of the atypical-sounding podcast Unthinkable. Jay launched his career at Google as a digital media strategist, led content marketing for multiple startups, followed by the VC firm NextView, and today, he hosts his weekly show and travels the world exploring how people can trust their intuition to do more exceptional work. Episode Highlights Jay calls himself a “craft-driven marketer.” “Anything that’s craft driven is where the process is the point.” While your overall volume of work is important, ultimately you need focus. The chasm. As Jay defined his work on the Unthinkable podcast, he framed it as answering one question: “How to be exceptional? There’s a chasm today between average and exceptional.” How do you bridge the chasm? “You need an aspirational anchor. Something that you’re striving toward. If you ‘why’ something to death, you’ll find clarity.” Jay told us of Drift in Boston who ungated all of their content and ultimately grew their subscriber list. How can you get started today? As it’s the new year, I asked Jay if there was an easy exercise to move your brand toward the exceptional end of the chasm. “There’s a real simple exercise. I call it an extraction.” Simply put, you find something from outside of your echo chamber or industry that you admire and you extract the aspects of their brand that make them exceptional. For example, you may want to be the Anthony Bourdain of business. How would you go about doing this? What brand has made Jay smile recently? He pointed us toward Bill Simmons and the project he has going at TheRinger.com. To learn more, go to unthinkable.fm and follow Jay on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Dylan Diewold gave us a shout for our 100th episode featuring Seth Godin. 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!

In 100 episodes we’ve had a lot of our expert guests define what branding is. Today we add a new definition to that list. Seth Godin joined me to celebrate, as he said, “showing up 100 times.” I’m happy to do it and happy to bring you more great guests like Seth in the future. Enjoy this week’s 100th episode of the On Brand podcast featuring the one, the only Seth Godin!   About Seth Godin Seth Godin is the author of 18 books that have been bestsellers around the world and have been translated into more than 35 languages. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything. You might be familiar with his books Linchpin, Tribes, The Dip, and Purple Cow. In addition to his writing and speaking, Seth founded both Yoyodyne and Squidoo. His blog (which you can find by typing "seth" into Google) is one of the most popular in the world. He was recently inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame, one of three chosen for this honor in 2013. Godin once again set the book publishing industry on its ear by launching a series of four books via Kickstarter. The campaign reached its goal after three hours and ended up becoming the most successful book project ever done this way. His book, What To Do When It's Your Turn, is already a bestseller. His new book is pretty big too. Episode Highlights Seth’s new book, What Does It Sound Like to Change Your Mind, is literally BIG. “It could kill a small mammal. It’s 17 pounds and over 800 pages long.” No kidding! Learn more at MoreSeth.com. Seth has continued to reinvent the publishing world as he did with What to Do When It’s Your Turn (fun fact: Seth designed the book’s innovative layout himself). So, what’s this big new book all about? “It’s about what it sounds like when you change your mind. That’s what we do in marketing — we change minds.” The new book follows the arc of his work, building on the foundation he first sketched out in Permission Marketing.  “If everything is marketing — how you answer the phone, etc. — then I get to write about everything.” Everything is marketing. Classic Godin. “In Purple Cow I asked if you can’t buy attention what do you do instead?” You have to create remarkable experiences. So, what is the Seth Godin definition of branding? “First let’s all agree that a brand isn’t a logo. A brand is a shortcut — a promise about what to expect if you engage. If you are known, you have a brand." Another industry Seth is turning on its head is higher ed with his altMBA program. As both a marketer and a university instructor, I’m fascinated by this. “I help people level up. It’s a 30-day workshop. In most online programs there’s a 96% drop out rate. Ours has a 98% completion rate. It’s experiential and project based. There are 13 assignments and no grades. Just feedback.” Our education system is "training people to work in 1937." As Seth notes, we need to do more than teach memorization and obedience. "We test people and hold them back if they’re a ‘bad batch’ because it’s based on industrialization. We need a different operator’s manual." What brand has made Seth smile recently? "They are un-extraordinary. In fact, they are extraordinary in how un-extraordinary they are. I buy all of my domains from Hover.com. When I call them, they answer the phone on the first ring. When a domain is about to expire they email me five days before they charge me money.” It’s the little things. Remember, everything is marketing. To learn more, go to sethgodin.com or just type “Seth” into Google. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Seth closed our 100th episode by thanking me for showing up 100 times. I'd like to pay it forward and thank you — our community of listeners — for showing up as well. Thank you all 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!

This week we have a very special episode of the On Brand podcast! Actually, it’s Part 1 of a two-episode special commemorating 100 interviews with industry-leading brand builders. To kick off Part 1, we go back to the beginning. Our first guest ever on January 1, 2015, was Patrick Hanlon, author of Primal Branding and The Social Code. A lot has changed since then and I couldn’t wait to catch up with On Brand guest #1. About Patrick Hanlon Patrick Hanlon is one of the leading brand practitioners in the world. He is CEO and founder of Thinktopia, a global strategic and brand transformation practice for Fortune 100 companies including American Express, Levis, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Kraft Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Yum! Foods, Wrigley, PayPal, Gap, the United Nations and others. His book Primal Branding, is the seminal work that looks at brands as belief systems that people opt-in to. Hanlon’s Primal Branding construct is now recognized by YouTube, as their recommended method for designing and attracting social communities. Hanlon’s latest book The Social Code: Designing Community In The Digital Age defines how to create communities via social media: and how to attract advocates who become so passionate about your success, they are willing to create it themselves. He has been quoted in Fast Company, Business Week Online, Advertising Age, ADWEEK, Entrepreneur, CNBC, and NPR, as well as media around the world. Hanlon is an online contributor to Forbes, Advertising Age, and others. He was also featured as a subject matter expert in the 10- episode TV documentary series “The Kennedy Files” from Aspyr Media.  Episode Highlights What’s changed since Patrick was last here on the show? “A lot!” Hanlon noted, talking about the results of the 2016 presidential election. “Many are wondering — is this the end of authenticity? It may be the end of the (buzz)word ‘authenticity but trust is still important. Your brand is community — what others say about you.” Trust is important if you’re building a community. Politicians and presidents are absolutely brands. Since his first visit, Hanlon was also a part of the TV documentary on the Kennedys where he was asked if they are a brand? “Yes — brands are belief systems made up of primal code.” Hanlon then took us through all of the pieces of the Kennedy’s code from their creed (“Ask not what your country can do for you …”) and numerous icons (fashion, sunglasses). But what about Trump? "The biggest lesson for American business in all of this is that now politics has been as disrupted as other industries have been. More than the end of authenticity, this is the end of political laundering.” Unfiltered messages (good or bad) are what resonated with the electorate and propelled both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders to unexpected heights. What remains to be seen is how the Trump brand squares with the brand of the United States. Hanlon’s primal branding system is so effective it can even be applied to our country with our creed (“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), icons (flag, liberty bell, etc), and rituals (voting, the fourth of July). What brand has made Patrick smile recently? “I know there are brands that make me smile less today — like Apple and Starbucks. The concept that really makes me smile is virtual reality — what can be done with the technology." To learn more, go thinktopia.com and the Primal Branding page on Facebook. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Conrad Chua, head of admissions and marketing for Cambridge MBA gave us a shout for our episode featuring Robert Rose (with his fun Oracle vs. Marvel fact). 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 don’t look far enough ahead to call myself a futurist.” Instead, Rohit Bhargava focuses on being a “non-obvious” trend curator, to the benefit of brands big and small. Each year since 2011, he has curated the digital trends businesses need to be aware of in his Non Obvious book series. The 2017 edition just came out and I couldn’t wait to ask Rohit about it on the On Brand podcast. About Rohit Bhargava Rohit Bhargava is a “non-obvious” trend curator, founder of the Influential Marketing Group, and an expert in helping brands and leaders be more influential. He is the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of five books on topics as wide ranging as the future of business, building a brand with personality, and why leaders never eat cauliflower. Rohit has advised hundreds of global brands and also teaches marketing at Georgetown University. A two-time TEDx speaker, Rohit has keynoted events in 31 countries and is regularly featured as a marketing expert by media such as The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and NPR. Episode Highlights Why Rohit does “the dumbest thing you could do as an author” … Because he keeps revising the same book. “I rewrite 35% of the book each year!” Since 2011, Rohit has curated 15 trends we need to be aware of. This along with his treatise on the future makes up his Non-Obviousbook series which tracks trends in the areas of Culture and Consumer Behavior, Marketing and Social Media, Media and Education, Technology and Design, and Economics and Entrepreneurship. Why your brand needs to embrace “lovable imperfection.” Rohit told us about how today’s irrational customers often require brands with lovable imperfection. “These are those brand who aren’t afraid to be flawed.” Like Jackie Chan having fun with his audience during the outtakes of his movies. What trends haven’t changed since Rohit began Non-Obvious? “The universal human principles. What we like, what we don’t like, and why. How technology is impacting our lives” is what’s changing. The human factors are the constant. What’s an ‘anti-trend’? “ Once something is identified as a trend, there’s always something that comes forward and succeeds by doing the opposite.” It’s important to note that this contrarian success doesn’t negate the impact of the initial trend. What’s one trend that businesses aren’t thinking enough about? “The role that technology is playing in our lives — even in ways we don’t know.” What brand has made Rohit smile recently? “Innocent Drinks — out of the UK. They make smoothies and are very British with their humor. Like their bottles that say, ‘Stop Looking at My Bottom.’” (Below.) We’re smiling just looking at it! To learn more, go to rohitbhargava.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Speaking of trends … recently former On Brand podcast guest Bryan Kramer released a list of 70 social media and content marketing trends from experts including several other former guests of the show. Check it out now! 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!

“Most content marketing is stuck in the ‘meh’ gear.” Robert Rose knows a thing or two about content marketing. He literally co-wrote the book on it. As Chief Strategist for the Content Advisory Group with the Content Marketing Institute and a Senior Contributing Consultant for Digital Clarity Group, he helps organizations throughout the world enhance their content marketing and customer experience. We talked about content today, tomorrow, and the new year ahead on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Robert Rose Robert Rose is in the business of helping marketers become stellar storytellers. He is the Chief Strategist for the Content Advisory Group with the Content Marketing Institute, and a Senior Contributing Consultant for Digital Clarity Group, Robert helps develop content and customer experience strategies for large enterprises such as Oracle, The Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation, Allstate Insurance, Microsoft, Capital One, AT&T, Petco and UPS – helping them create powerful customer experiences through digital media. As an author, Robert’s book Experiences: The 7th Era Of Marketing has been called a “treatise, a call to arms and a self-help guide” for “creating the experiences that consumers will fall in love with.” He co-hosts the podcast This Old Marketing with Joe Pulizzi, frequently a top 20 marketing podcast on iTunes and downloaded more than 50,000 times each month. Robert’s book with Joe, Managing Content Marketing, is widely considered the “owner’s manual” of the content marketing process. It’s been translated into multiple languages and spent two weeks as a top ten marketing book on Amazon.com since its debut in 2011. As storyteller, Robert is a frequent keynote speaker and web marketing expert, advising top professionals in the successful strategy of content marketing and customer experiences. Robert is, and has been, widely quoted worldwide in the press, including publications such as The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Wired, CBS Interactive and BusinessWeek. Episode Highlights As we prepare for a new year, I had to ask Robert ‘what’s next’ for brands and content marketing. “Brand has been disrupted by media and we’ve seen how that impacts marketing and brands. And we’re seeing agencies respond to this. I think in the year ahead we’ll see an agency acquire media like we’ve seen media acquire agencies." Why is it hard to be a content brand? “It baffles me that we’ve never quibbled when media productizes their content. But all of a sudden it feels odd when marketers create content about their products?!? Why can’t Starbucks provide a newspaper? No journalists? That’s a talent problem.” And one that can often be solved by acquisition or “acqui-hire” (I love this new term that Robert's friend coined). Speaking of content acquisition, Robert shared a surprising fact. “Did you know that the grosses from all of the Marvel films in recent years are still less that the quarterly revenue of Oracle? Look at CNN! Most businesses are surprised at how cheap the media business is." How can you create a content strategy in the new year? Robert provided a systematic formula for being a better content marketer in the new year. “Start with the business problem. Where in the buyer’s journey is the weakest part — where are we having trouble? Branding? Churn? From there we can look at what we could create that would help them — that would be worth subscribing to.” Finally, you have to map out “what would it take to do this? And then work backward." What brand has made Robert smile recently? Robert shared two recent holiday ads. First, the Polish auction company Allegro, melted hearts with a grandfather’s gift to his newborn granddaughter. And, of course, Amazon’s touching new holiday ad for their Prime service featuring two old friends who discover they share a problem. To learn more about Robert Rose, check out his website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Ron Vezina in Ottawa gave us a shout for our episode on naming featuring Mike Pile. Thanks for listening Ron! 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 future for both organizations and entrepreneurs is in leveraging innovation techniques to design masterful customer experiences." Nicholas Webb knows a thing or two about both customers and innovations. As an inventor, he's been awarded over 45 patents. He now channels his innovative skills to help some of the world's top brands excel at customer experience. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Nicholas J. Webb Nicholas Webb is a world-renowned technology futurist innovator. As an inventor, Nicholas invented one of the first wearable technologies and one of the world’s smallest medical implants. Nicholas has been awarded over 45 patents by the US Patent Office. Nicholas is the author of several best-selling books including, The Innovation Playbook and his recently released number one best-selling book, What Customers Crave. As the CEO at Cravve, Nicholas works with some of the top brands in the world to help them lead their market in enterprise strategy, technology, and innovation. Nicholas has been awarded his Doctorate of Humane Letters by Western University of Health Sciences, a Top Southern California Medical School for his contributions in healthcare technology. Episode Highlights How did an inventor like Nicholas end up in branding, marketing, and customer service? "I started out by inventing all of these bright shiny objects. But then wit the 'Uber-fication' of things I started thinking about how you could apply these innovation techniques to creating customer experiences." From demographics to nodes. "Experience design used to be based on demography. We don't think of ourselves as demographics. We're really a range of nodes. What we hate and what we love. The brands that have this figured out win." What are the five most important brand touchpoints? As Nicholas talks about in his new book, What Customers Crave, there are five key touchpoints we need to be aware of — 1. The Pre-Touchpoint Moment (mostly digital — before the customer has sought you out), 2. The First Touchpoint Moment (the first impression — usually one of the five senses), 3. The Core Touchpoint Moment (what you do for them day in, day out — online and off), 4. The Perfect Last Touchpoint Moment (that surprising bit of value you add at delivery — a special gift, etc.), and, finally, 5. The In-Touchpoint Moment (how you stay in touch with your customers on an ongoing basis). It sounds like a lot of work but ... "This (approach) is the least expensive way to grow your business and improve your workplace." As Nicholas has found, most companies are losing around 30% of their business based on average or "criminally bad" customer experiences. Avoid this by mapping all of your touchpoints and rising to the "customer value strata" that Nick notes. You want customer advocates, not "madvocates." What brand has made Nicholas smile recently? As someone who is constantly examining customer experience, Nick laughed that his family can get annoyed by his observations ("They usually leave the restaurant thinking 'Oh no — he's going to complain.'"). Nick smiled recently at the focus on people and policies at IKEA. To learn more about Nicholas Webb, check out his customer experience firm Cravve and his speaking website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently longtime listener Sean Carpenter gave us a shout for our episode on naming featuring Mike Pile. Thanks for listening Sean! 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!

“We have to make a distinction between the name and the brand. The name piques your interest or curiosity. It’s like having someone over for coffee or dinner. The brand is the impression that’s left after the experience.” As the president and creative director of a verbal identity firm, brand names are Mike Pile’s business. We took a deep dive on this critical brand touch point on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Mike Pile Mike Pile is president and creative director of Uppercase Branding, a verbal identity firm that specializes in creating powerful and evocative brand names for new companies, products, and features. He has more than 25 years’ global brand development experience with advertising agencies, Fortune 500 firms, and startups. A name is the single most-used word in any marketing communication program, so Mike believes that a compelling brand name is a company’s most potent brand asset. While a name can’t help a bad business model or product, it can significantly aid a good concept by giving it buzz and a jumpstart that ignites the conversation with prospects. Using proprietary creative, evaluative, and research techniques, Uppercase develops names for B2B clients such as Nokia, General Electric, FedEx, and others in the financial, CPG, healthcare, and high-tech sectors. Mike is a published author, a frequent speaker, and word enthusiast who lives and works in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two children. When he is not working, he enjoys mountain biking, playing golf, and cooking. Episode Highlights Where do you start with naming? Usually with a brief. “Something that distils what it is you’re naming. Something that answers who, what, when, where, and why.” This baton is critical in developing the right brand name. From there, Mike and his team consult numerous resources including surfer dictionaries, cowboy dictionaries, gem dictionaries, and more. What does a brand name have to do? “We believe that a brand name has to work very hard. It has to work emotionally and it has to work rationally.” That’s why we present hundreds of options. Mike’s naming tip: What if your brand was a superhero? Asking yourself this simple question — if your brand was a superhero, who would it be and why? — is great for bypassing hurdles in the creative process. It’s a powerful trick for getting at your brand’s true essence. The Branded House vs. The House of Brands. Mike reminded us about this classic construct for organizing your organization’s brand platform. In some cases, you utilize a “branded house” like Ford — with the Ford Explorer, Ford Escape, and so on (all have Ford at the beginning). In other situations, you go with a house-of-brands model such as P&G, which is made up of strong brands like Tide and Crest. Others still find a hybrid model effective, like Hilton who has both stand-alone brands like Hampton Inn and extensions like the Hilton Garden Inn. What brand has made Mike smile recently? Tesla — but true to his roots in naming, Mike took us behind the scenes of the story of why this is a powerful yet unconventional brand name. To learn more, check out Mike’s website for Uppercase Branding. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently our man in Wisconsin Don Stanley gave us a shout for our episode on being your brand’s editor in chieffeaturing Ann Handley. Thanks for listening Don! 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 have to look beyond the color and logos with brand identity. They're really the product of something deeper." It's this kind of brand introspection that Gregory Diehl excels at. As the author of two best-selling books including Brand Identity Breakthrough, Gregory has a unique, global, and modern perspective on how we build brands both online and off. We discussed all of this and more on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast. About Gregory Diehl Raised in California, author Gregory Diehl embarked at age 18 on a global quest for learning, self-discovery, entrepreneurship, and inquiry. Since then, Gregory has lived and worked in 45 countries and continues to use his experiences to help others along the path of self-fulfillment through exploration. This year, he published two Amazon bestsellers in business, travel, and personal development. He helps entrepreneurs prepare complex value messages across many mediums, and offers unconventional lifestyle coaching and brand identity consultancy for impassioned individuals. Episode Highlights What's the secret to brand identity today? Gregory's answer was surprisingly classic. "Everybody talks about your unique selling proposition but few explore what it really means." Look for ways to really be different as a brand. As Diehl says, "You should be just beyond the edges of your comfort zone." You have to look deeper, beyond the surface. "Things like color and logo are a symptom of something deeper. People try to bypass this introspection." So how can brands go deeper? Start by asking difficult questions. "There are 50 questions I use in the book (Brand Identity Breakthrough) but here are my top three. Who are you? What do you do? And why should I care?" Answering these introspective questions often short circuits scripts and elevator pitches and gets closer to true differentiation. What's the role of story in brand building today? "Story is your main differentiator. We have functional aspects of our brands like speed, price, and quality — but what does it really mean?"   What brand has made Gregory smile recently? "McDonald's — They're kind of my go-to mega brand." Gregory shared some smile-worthy insights on the disconnect between their brand personality and product. To learn more, check out Gregory's books on Amazon and his website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Irene Gil us a shout for our episode on being your brand's editor in chief featuring Ann Handley. Thanks for listening Irene! 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!

“A brand is not just to make marketing better. It’s to lead the company into the future.” Erich Joachimsthaler of Vivaldi Partners has a decidedly global perspective on brand building. The author of Brand Leadership and the new Hidden in Plain Sight has spoken at conferences and corporate events around the world in English, German, and Spanish. We discussed the most recent developments in brand strategy and evolution on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Erich Joachimsthaler After a career of 15 years in academics and extensive professional work experience in several large multinational companies, Erich Joachimsthaler founded Vivaldi Partners. He is actively engaged in many consulting projects for leading companies and brands. In addition to his consulting work, Erich does extensive research on global brands and the formulation of corporate and business-unit level strategies. A sought-after speaker, he also conducts executive-level conferences and workshops around the world in English, German, and Spanish. Erich is a published thought leader and his book Brand Leadership, co-written with David A. Aaker and translated into 14 languages, is considered a groundbreaking discussion on the recent developments in brand strategy. He has just completed a new book, Hidden in Plain Sight, that focuses on the role of brands in creating economic value and growth for firms. Erich is also the author of more than 40 articles and case studies in leading academic and business journals, including Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, and Business Week. Erich has held academic faculty positions in the US and Europe and taught in various executive programs in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. He holds masters and doctorate degrees from universities in Germany and the U.S., and completed his education with a Post-Doctorate Fellowship at Harvard Business School. Episode Highlights “Brand has evolved significantly.” With social media, we can create “feelings and thoughts in our consumers’ minds. In the future, we’ll have an inner sanctum — an inner circle — of brands” who we rely on more and more. Branding on the front end and the back end. “The ‘60s was all about the golden age of branding … TV ads. In the ‘90s we started getting smarter about framework. On the front end, you have the brand. On the back-end, you have the overall business strategy.” What kind of education does a brand manager today need? “A CMO I knew once in Munich ended up running the firm’s financial operations in Asia. He then came back as CEO” with a better idea on the overall brand vision and direction. Brand thinking requires a broad business perspective. What is social currency and how has social media impacted brand building? That’s the focus on Erich’s latest work at Vivaldi Partners. The firm’s new study Business Transformation Through Greater Customer Centricity: The Power of Social Currency. View the report. What brand has made Erich smile recently? One of Erich’s favorite brands was recommended by his daughter. He likes GoPro because “they’ve leveraged their social currency so well.” To learn more, go to vivaldigroup.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Whitney Lyn gave us a shout for our episode on SEO featuring John Jantsch. Thanks for listening Whitney! 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 value of an editor cannot be understated. The editor is the proxy for the audience." As the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs and the best-selling author of Everybody Writes and Content Rules, Ann Handley knows a thing or two about writing and editing. Most marketers have staffed up for content creation but what about editing? How do you know if you're creating what's best for your audience and brand. We discussed all of this with Ann on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Ann Handley Ann Handley is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the world’s first Chief Content Officer. Ann speaks and writes about how you can rethink the way your business markets. Cited in Forbes as the most influential woman in Social Media and recognized by ForbesWoman as one of the top 20 women bloggers, Ann Handley is the Chief Content Officer of MarketingProfs, a training and education company with the largest community of marketers in its category. She was a long time monthly columnist for Entrepreneur magazine, is a member of the LinkedIn Influencer program , and the co-author of the best-selling book on content marketing, Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (Wiley, originally published 2011. Paperback 2012.) The book has been translated into nine languages, including Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Portuguese. Her most recent book, Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content (Wiley, 2014) is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. She currently has more than 350,000 followers on Twitter and writes about content, marketing, and life at the highly entertaining AnnHandley.com. A pioneer in digital marketing, Ann is the co-founder of ClickZ.com, which was one of the first sources of interactive marketing news and commentary. She started her career as a business journalist and editor. Episode Highlights "Most writers are not great editors." Many of us have staffed up for content creation but what kind of quality control do we have in place? "The value of the editor cannot be understated. The editor is the proxy for the audience." How can brands up their editing game? "Peer editing is a great start. There's also the Hemingway app and Grammarly." What about your brand's tone of voice? Branding is often squishy to many. Brand voice is something that's harder still for businesses to get their arms around. But a deeper focus on brand voice can yield stronger content. "I always ask, if your logo or label was masked, would your customers' know it's your content and not your competition's?" Looking for a great example of a brand style guide? Ann points to UberFlip. The best part? Their online style guide is public! Everyone can be involved. Ann also reminded us that a good style guide should be like "bumpers on a bowling alley." It should help you stay in the lanes. In praise of slow marketing. At Content Marketing World, Ann spoke about slow marketing. "Today we want more funnel, more pipeline, more credit. Conventional wisdom tells you that if you slow down you're road kill." In many cases "you have to slow down before you can speed up." What brand has made Ann smile recently? Freaker USA. The beverage insulation category is decidedly unsexy but not for her friends at Freaker. Ann loves getting their fun emails. To learn more, follow Ann on Twitter, check out MarketingProfs, and her website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Anna Yunker who gave us both a shout out Twitter with copies of both Get Scrappy and Everybody Writes in her reading stack. Thanks for the shelfie! 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!

"It's not about crisis preparedness. It's about how culture approaches challenges." Social media has created a powerful new dynamic for brands of all shapes and sizes. When things are going great, it can be an incredible business communications tool. When things go badly, they call crisis communications expert Melissa Agnes. We discussed crisis planning, culture, responsiveness, and more on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast. About Melissa Agnes President and co-founder of Agnes + Day Inc., Melissa Agnes helps global brands and governments prevent and manage a wide range of issues and crises. Her client list includes financial organizations, technology companies, healthcare organizations, government agencies, cities and municipalities, energy companies, global non-profits, and many others. Melissa speaks worldwide to audiences including NATO, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Ministries of Foreign Defense, Ministries of Health, as well as a wide range of private and public companies, universities and non-profit organizations. She has been honored to share the stage with members of the Ukraine government and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In 2015, Melissa gave a TEDx talk in Los Angeles where she discussed the secret to successful crisis management in the 21st century. Melissa’s recent press coverage includes Forbes, WSJ, VIBE Magazine, USA Today and more. She is the editor of the highly acclaimed Crisis Intelligence Blog, and the host of the internationally recognized Crisis Intelligence videos and podcast. Published regularly and followed by government agencies and Fortune companies alike, her blog, videos and podcast help organizations manage issues and crises in today’s connected and real-time world. When she isn’t managing crises or speaking in front of an audience, Melissa enjoys adventuring around the world (usually on a sailboat), reading, writing and sipping champagne in good company. Episode Highlights How does one embark upon a career as an expert in crisis? "Growing up my dad always said to me 'Paranoia will destroy 'ya.'" Jokes aside, Melissa notes that she is someone who can be paranoid but she's harnessed this into a powerful tool for helping organizations navigate today's tricky digital marketing waters. You don't have a 'social media crisis.' Melissa used to agree with the buzzword 'social media crisis' but not anymore. "It sounds like you have an issue that's a result of social media or that's confined to social media." In many cases, the true impact is much bigger than social media. What does it mean to be a crisis ready? "It's a lot of different things. It's a mindset for the corporate culture. You have to create a plan but it's not always just about working those steps. Things can get very emotional — and very impactful — very fast. We have to be ready for that and that's not easy. It involves a lot of education. How to analyze the potential virality of a crisis. "We never know if something's going to go viral but I always look for two things — emotional impact and relatability."  What brand has made Melissa smile recently? “Wells Fargo — that's a crisis of corporate culture." We kept pivoting back to the importance of culture in managing a crisis. Melissa smiled — shaking her head in disbelief — at Wells Fargo's crisis response. "They blamed their customers, their employees — everything except owning their own role in it." To learn more, follow Melissa on Twitter and check out her website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Arnie Kuenn gave us a shout out on our episode on SEO featuring John Jantsch. Thanks Arnie! 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!

“SEO isn’t done unless your done growing.” Growth is something that John Jantsch has helped countless small businesses with in his decades of experience. As the author of the classic Duct Tape Marketing and founder of the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network, Janstch has written five books on marketing. His latest, SEO for Growth, asks marketers and brand builders to rethink how they think about SEO. About John Jantsch John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker and author of Duct Tape Marketing, Duct Tape Selling, The Commitment Engine, and The Referral Engine and the founder of the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network. His latest book, SEO for Growth - The Ultimate Guide for Marketers, Web Designers, and Entrepreneurs, is changing the way the world thinks about SEO. Episode Highlights Why SEO? Why now? John noted that he gets this question a lot. “I wanted to change the mindset around this. SEO is a huge driver of growth. PR is a channel, content is a channel — so is SEO.” Yet too many view SEO as tactical. Something done after the fact. “They say, ‘we’re done with the campaign — now it’s time to SEO it.’" SEO for growth starts strategically. "You have to know who your customer is. You have to do keyword research and spend time on forums, Wikipedia, Google’s keyword manager, KeywordTool.io, and more.” SEO is not an easy box to check. What about SEO and branding? “Take out everything like the logo and the real workhorse of branding is messaging.” That gets you back to SEO. How do you position your brand around the people and problems that you serve? "We overcomplicate SEO.” While many SEO firms focus on how complex Google’s search factors are, Jantsch asks businesses to get strategic and systematic with SEO. How do we get started? “Make an editorial calendar for the year. Map out your topics and themes by month. This leaves you with both a content and an SEO asset. It’s like the confluence of rivers — when they merge there’s something new." What brand has made John smile recently? “The Hello Happiness Card Company makes me smile so much — I’m wearing their shirt today!” John loves reading the adventures of the founders via their email newsletter. I know I’ll be subscribing to this quirky company. To learn more, go to ducttapemarketing.com and SEOforGrowth.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Lynn Dye gave us a shout out on our episode featuring Aaron Weiche. Thanks Lynn! 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 don’t have stories. People have stories.” Paul Smith is an acclaimed speaker and expert trainer. Specifically his work focuses on how stories and storytelling can influence leadership and life. His latest book, Sell with a Story, looks at the impact stories have on the processes of selling. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Paul Smith Paul Smith is a popular speaker and expert trainer on business storytelling  techniques. A former Procter & Gamble executive, his clients include Hewlett Packard, Bayer Medical, Progressive Insurance, Walmart, and other distinguished companies. As the author of Lead with a Story and Parenting with a Story, he has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Time, Forbes, The Washington Post, Success, and Investor’s Business Daily. His latest book Sell with a Story, focuses on how to capture attention, build trust, and close the sale. He lives in Mason, Ohio. Episode Highlights From Lead with a Story, Parenting with a Story, and now Sell with a Story, Paul has developed a powerful personal brand through his books. How did this happen? “I wish I could tell you I had a master plan. The first one exceeded expectations so we just kept going.” What makes stories such powerful tools? “They tap into the emotional center of the mind — the irrational part of our brain. Stories are emotional delivery vehicles.” How do stories help deliver leadership? “When we look at leadership, we’re talking about change, collaboration, and feedback.” Stories are powerful tools in driving those actions. “Those are leadership tasks. You lead people. They aren’t management tasks.” What are some examples of stories that all salespeople need? “I outline 25 different stories that salespeople need in Sell with a Story. There’s the ‘value-adding story.'” Paul then shared a fascinating story he was told about a piece of art he ended up buying. The story added the value. He also talked about the “problem story,” which he gave an example of by telling — you guessed it — another story. What brand has made Paul smile recently? “Backroads is like a combination of a travel agent and sherpa guide.” Paul shared several smiles as he used stories to tell us why this company is one of his favorite vacation resources. To learn more, you can follow Paul on Twitter and learn more on the Lead with a Story website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Bhupinder Nayyar gave us a shout out all the way from India for our episode featuring Aaron Orendorff.Thanks Bhupinder! 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 always say it's not that a brand can't be successful. It's that they have already self-selected unsuccessful." As a  Moz Associate, Ronell Smith helps brand builders at organizations big and small overcome obstacles in digital marketing today. He's also an advocate for being a generalist when it comes to marketing skills. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Ronell Smith Moz Associate Ronell Smith, a business strategist with more than decade of experience helping businesses online and offline, assists companies looking to create a user experience their customers will recognize, appreciate, and reward them for with their business. His passion is for removing the obstacles keeping individuals and businesses from reaching their full potential, in large part by helping them think strategically about how search, social, and content work together successfully. Episode Highlights "Search isn't about getting found. It's about getting chosen." This is a big distinction. How does one bridge this critical gap? Through branding at "every touchpoint. They should see #1 and think, 'By God, no one could ever do this better than these guys.'" Sounds simple, right? "To use the old quote, 'If it was easy than everybody'd be doing it.'" Truer words were never spoken. So what is the single biggest obstacle marketers today face? “It's about having the right butts in the right seats. Too often, we focus on product and process. We have to remember that it should go people, process, product." In praise of the marketing generalist. Ronell reminded us that we often focus on being a specialist — "an inch wide and a mile deep" — on a particular subject. "You have to have enough skills to know what's what and to know what you can and should do and what you should hire out. In truth it takes a little bit of everything." What brand has made Ronell smile recently? "Does it have to be a search marketing brand?" Of course not! Ronell shared a Twitter ad from Wendy's that made him smile. To learn more, you can follow Ronell on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Mitch Matthews had me on his Dream, Think, Do podcast, which he shared out again this past week. Thanks Mitch! 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!

In this episode we talk to Nick Westergaard, Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital and Author of Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small.

“If you’re not amplifying the positive stories around your brand, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.” This past week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Social Media Rockstar event in Minnesota alongside last week’s guest Lee Odden. Also speaking at the event was Aaron Weiche, CMO of GetFiveStars, an online review platform. I couldn’t wait to share his insights with you on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Aaron Weiche A passionate, design oriented problem solver, Aaron has been involved in web design, development, and online marketing since 1998. In having helped grow 3 different digital agencies in the Minneapolis area, Aaron has helped launch over 350 websites for small business on up to Fortune 100 companies. In growing multiple agencies past the $2M mark in founder and executive roles, Aaron has a strong sense of brand, team building, user experience and the full digital life-cycle a campaign and its assets must deliver. Joining GetFiveStars in 2015, Aaron has led the marketing, sales, and product UX initiatives helping the platform serve over 18,000 businesses globally and growing. The platform is a customer feedback and online review platform that helps brands and businesses listen, evaluate, and market their customer’s experiences. GetFiveStars automates the customer feedback process while capturing their Net Promoter Score and encouraging and monitoring online reviews. Outside of his direct client experience, Aaron is a frequent conference speaker nationally on a variety of online marketing topics. His in-depth experience with web design, mobile, SEO, local search, and online reviews has led him to speaking at SMX events, SearchFest, MOZ events, MnSearch, SCORE, and many others. He helped launch Local University as a faculty partner, launched the MnSearch organization as a founding board member and has been an expert on the Local Search Ranking Factors report since 2010. When not online, Aaron is a husband and a father to 4 kids. He can be found snowboarding, boating, watching college football, and the Minnesota Twins. Episode Highlights So what is GetFiveStars? “It’s a simple-to-implement online platform for gathering customer feedback. Previously we lacked a way of doing this as brands.” “Gathering online reviews is like farming …” Aaron shared a great mindset for marketers thinking about online rating and reviews. “You have to plant seeds that you are listening — that you care about customer feedback.” What about that one-star review? I couldn’t wait to ask Aaron the million-dollar question that businesses of all shapes and sizes struggle with. What do you do with that less-than-ideal one-star review. “Most want it taken down but realize they can’t. You have to ask everyone else to leave a review. That (negative review) can’t be the only online representation of your brand.” Criticism is hard to take. “Small business owners wear many hats. We’re built to be defensive right away.” Aaron shared that GetFiveStars has actually built an innovative feature into the platform that holds responses so they don’t get sent in anger while emotions run high (a pretty smart response to human nature). What’s one thing marketers should be more focused on with online reviews? “Complete your Google My Business page.” That’s a critical step to capturing customer feedback that you can’t skip. What brand has made Aaron smile recently? Aaron told a great story about a little something extra — a smile after the sale — he got from the smart folks at Cambria countertops. To learn more, go to the GetFiveStars website as well as his personal site. You can also connect with him on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … This past week Aaron and I both spoke at the Social Media Rockstar Event in Willmar, Minnesota. Big thanks to Sarah Kuglin for putting this great event on! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“There's a gravity to shiny new objects and tactics that people can easily fall prey to." As CEO of TopRank Marketing, Lee Odden helps both B2B and B2C clients overcome the obstacles of today's shiny new things. He's also the author of Optimize and an expert on influencer marketing. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the podcast. About Lee Odden Lee Odden is the CEO of TopRank Marketing, a Minneapolis based digital marketing agency specializing in strategic internet marketing consulting services including: Content Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Organic and Paid Search Marketing, Organic and Paid Social Media, Online PR, Email and Conversion Optimization. Odden and his team have provided digital marketing consulting and services for some of the leading B2B and B2C companies including: McKesson, BT Syntegra, Virgin Pulse, Marketo, LinkedIn, Dell, Henry Schein, HP, Microsoft, Staples, General Mills, Content Marketing Institute, Copyblogger Media, and MarketingProfs. Odden has been frequently cited for his digital marketing and PR expertise by leading industry and business publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, Entrepreneur, and Fortune Magazine. Lee is author of, Optimize: How to Attract and Engage More Customers by Integrating SEO, Social Media and Content Marketing. A sought after public speaker, Odden has keynoted numerous digital marketing industry conferences and has given nearly 200 presentations in 13 different countries over the past 10 years. Episode Highlights The trouble with strategy. I'm a huge fan of Lee's book Optimize. The first part focuses on developing a marketing strategy. While most marketers acknowledge the importance of strategy, few devote appropriate time and resources. "Strategy is like the Loch Ness Monster of Marketing. There are sightings but it's hard to find!" Where to start with strategy? With Q4 on the horizon and a strategy deficit, many may be wondering where to start for the new year ahead. "Start by getting some clarity around your organizational goals and your customer needs. Then you can think about how to develop marketing that solves your business problems." How do you know when influencer marketing is a good fit? Lee is also an expert on the topic of influencer marketing. Like strategy, many like the idea of influencer marketing but few know where to begin. "Start with 'why.' Why does it make sense to partner and co-create content? Especially if it's for free?" With the right influencer relations in place, you can find the right people to help you create content that is the "best answer" for your community. What's next in marketing? Lee pointed to Scott Brinker's infographic featuring over 3,800 martech solutions! (Below.) In short, marketers today are overwhelmed but help could be getting closer as Lee points to increases in participatory marketing. "Participation makes marketing more scalable — more efficient and effective." What brand has made Lee smile recently? While in Cleveland, Lee had an amazing Uber experience riding in a BMW 7 series. "It was like getting in a spaceship. That made me smile!" To learn more, go to the Top Rank Marketing website. You can also connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … This week Lee and I will both be speaking at the Social Media Rockstar Event in Willmar, Minnesota. Come see us both! Big thanks to Sarah Kuglin for putting this great event on! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

This week, we have something a little different for our podcast listeners. Recently, I was asked to do a reading of my new book, Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City. Prairie Lights is something of a literary institution — both in the region and beyond. I was delighted to read from my book and answer a few questions. I thought I'd share the audio from the event as a special live episode.   Next week, we'll be back with a full-length brand builder interview. In the meantime, enjoy this week's special episode. About Nick Westergaard Look at this! I'm a guest on my own podcast! If you don't already know ... Nick Westergaard is Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital, where he helps build better brands at organizations of all sizes — from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies to the President’s Jobs Council. He’s also the author o fGet Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. An in-demand speaker at conferences throughout the world, he also teaches branding and marketing at the University of Iowa and hosts the popular On Brand podcast. Nick lives with his family in Coralville, Iowa. 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. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“The new normal is that there is no normal.” Geoffrey Colon opened this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast with these daunting words. Colon, a self-described data punk, DJ, podcaster, and author, serves as a communications designer and Microsoft. He also just released a new book on this very topic Disruptive Marketing. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the podcast.   About Geoffrey Colon Geoffrey Colon works at the intersection of marketing, tech, and popular culture. Data punk, DJ, podcaster, and author, Geoffrey is a communications designer at Microsoft, where he markets search advertising products for Bing. He has written for The Futurist, Advertising Age, and Fast Company, and been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Billboard Magazine, The Guardian andThe Los Angeles Times. He has also appeared on NPR and Cheddar TV. Colon has written his first book Disruptive Marketing: What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other Hybrid Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal (AMACOM) out now on Kindle, Audio and Hardcover. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2013, Geoffrey was vice president of digital strategy at Ogilvy & Mather, digital community supervisor at 360i, and social media strategist at Bond Strategy and Influence in New York City. Colon has done work for and with several of the most influential brands including Spotify, Netflix, American Express, IBM, The Economist, USA Network, WWE, History Channel and Red Bull. He also has worked with several high profile music artists including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, The White Stripes, and Moby. He is a graduate of Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. Geoffrey is host of the weekly marketing podcast for eccentric minds Disruptive FM, producer and host of video blog series The Disruptive Marketer and regularly writes on LinkedIn, Medium, DisruptiveMarketer.net and the Microsoft Search Advertising blog. He is an avid speaker on the global marketing conference circuit. Episode Highlights Forget the technology. After scaring us about the new normal and the constant disruptions marketers today face, Colon reminded us not to start with the technology. It’s easy to get distracted by these bright, shiny things. Segmenting or stereotyping? “Sometimes we focus too much on demographics. On millennials and baby boomers. Instead of on interests and roles. Both B2B and B2C marketers can do this.” Why engagement matters. At times, digital engagement can be a buzzword in marketing. However, Colon cautions us not to under-estimate simple engagement. “This can be entry-level predictive analysis. They want to hear from you. What really motivates your audience?” What business brands can learn from celebrity brands. Colon has worked with many artists and musicians. Due to the disruptions around us, both business brands and celebrity brands have to constantly adapt to stay ahead. Celebrities are small, scrappy, and fearless. This makes them open to trying new things, experimenting, and even failing. You’ve still learned something — even from a failure. What brand has made Geoffrey smile recently? “Aerie. They’re now creating digital ads that use real women instead of models. As a father with daughters that really makes me smile.” To learn more, go to his website geoffreycolon.net. You can also connect with him on Twitterand LinkedIn. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Rebecca Selby gave a shoutout to our episode featuring Samantha Hersil of Schwinn. Thanks for listening Rebecca! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. 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

“It’s brand or be branded.” That’s the ultimatum that Deb Gabor presented this week on the On Brand podcast. The founder and CEO of Sol Marketing and author of the new bestselling book Branding Is Sex explained that if you aren’t talking to your customers, finding out what’s important to them, and making that a part of your brand story, you run the risk of being branded by them. She discussed all of this on the On Brand podcast. About Deb Gabor Deb Gabor is the founder and CEO of Sol Marketing. Deb Gabor was born to brand. Deb is a brand dominatrix and investor pitch whisperer with legendarily bad travel karma. In her capacity as Sol’s strategic and spiritual leader, Deb has led research engagements and brand strategy development for organizations ranging from international household names like Dell, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and NBC Universal, to digital winners like Allrecipes, Cheezburger and Rentpath, to well-loved Austin icons like Austin Ventures, KUT/KUTX, ZACH Theatre, HomeAway, RetailMeNot, The University of Texas at Austin and St. Edward’s University. Deb is author of the bestselling book, Branding is Sex. Get Your Customer Laid and Sell the Hell Out of Anything. Before starting Sol Marketing in 2003, Deb was Senior Vice President at Citigate Cunningham, a strategic communication firm serving technology digital media and financial brands around the world. Prior to that, Deb was the managing director of brand research and strategy at IntelliQuest. Before crossing the chasm to agency work, Deb worked in house as a brand manager and marketing manager at several high tech companies in the Chicago area. Deb is a proud member of the Austin chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization and serves on the board as Learning Chair. Additionally, she has served on the board of directors of the Jewish Community Association of Austin and Austin Children’s Theatre, and on the ZACH Theater board’s marketing committee. Episode Highlights So what does it mean to be ‘born to brand.’ “The legendary basketball coach John Wooden said that he was ‘born to coach.’ He ‘couldn’t not coach.’ That’s how he sees the world. Brands are how I see the world. They exist in the hearts and minds of our customers.” Deb’s definition of a brand? “It’s the sum total of all relationships, connections, and emotions around a person or organization.” The Deb Gabor Mini MBA in Branding. “It comes down to three questions — (1) What does using your brand or your product allow the customer to say about themselves? (2) What single thing do you do better than anyone else? (3) How do you make your customer the hero of your story? Brands that do this — that make people feel — will win today.” Brand storytelling vs. the story of your brand. Deb reminded us that while brand storytelling — an extension of content marketing — is very big right now, it’s not the same thing as telling the story of your brand. “The story of your brand is one that your customer is the hero of.” Deb shared how Zappos does this masterfully. Beware of the ‘-ers’ and ‘-ity.’ These word extensions can be dangerous as they focus less on emotions and more on attributes that can ultimately be copied. Smaller, faster, lighter. You have to be more than this as a brand. What brand has made Deb smile recently? As someone with “legendarily bad travel karma,” Deb notes that her recent experiences with Jet Blue have made her smile recently. To learn more about Deb, check out Sol Marketing, Branding Is Sex (the book’s website), andfollow Deb on Twitter. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Josh Krakauer of Sculpt right here in Iowa City gave a shoutout to our episode featuring Daryl Weber, author of Brand Seduction. Thanks for listening Molly! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Don’t be afraid to to embrace your brand ambassadors. Make them a part of your marketing.” Schwinn Bicycles is a historic brand that’s part of the lives of generations. As Associate Marketing Manager, it’s part of Samantha Hersil’s job to communicate this history while finding new stories from customers, advocates, and their own innovations. We discussed all of this on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Samantha Hersil Samantha Hersil is the Associate Marketing Manager for Schwinn Bicycles and is a 2013 University of Wisconsin alumni. When not immersed in the digital world of marketing and communication for Schwinn Bicycles she can be found, volunteering, practicing yoga, riding bikes, running around her neighborhood, or knee deep in one of her many hobbies. Last year Samantha completed her first marathon and biked her first half century. An avid adventure seeker she currently is planning her next backpacking adventure with her boyfriend Chris. Samantha is highly involved in Girls on the Run and believes you can always make time to better your health and give back to your local community. Episode Highlights Scrappy marketing at Schwinn. I began the show by sharing my favorite story about Samantha Hersil. While refining the ideas that would become my book Get Scrappy, Samantha was instrumental in helping me define the term. It’s not just about your business size because, as she says, “We could all use a few people and a few dollars more.” “Communication is a key to a brand team.” A big part of Samantha’s job is communicating Schwinn’s message both internally to other team members and externally to their brand ambassadors. “We have about 24 brand ambassadors total. They are people that speak to every discipline, age, gender. Schwinn is really about bikes for everyone.” Message strategy is also key. “We’re like the auto industry. We’re always planning one year while executing another.” Stories matter. “We went to Winnebago’s event in Iowa. Our customers are similar — similar lifestyles — they’re people seeking adventures. We talked to real people and collected stories — emotional stories of people saving up for their bikes. These stories are important as they end up on our blog and in our marketing.” Living the brand. As you can tell from the adventures outlined in Samantha’s bio and her community involvement, it’s very important for her and other employees to live the brand. In fact, there’s an hour-long lunch break where many employees ride together and teach each other. There are road bikes, mountain trails, and gentle rides. In addition to living the brand, this is also great for company culture as it creates a cross-pollination of teams throughout the organization. “I don’t get to interact with people in accounting every day.” What brand has made Samantha smile recently? “With watching the Olympics I’d have to say the Apple iPhone ad with Maya Angelou. It’s so inspiring. It really speaks to what I do as a brand marketer.” To learn more about Samantha, you can connect with her on LinkedIn or the various Schwinn social media channels which you can find on their website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Molly Nicholson in Minnesota gave a shoutout to our episode featuring Daryl Weber, author of Brand Seduction. Thanks for listening Molly! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“It’s almost cliche to say but the Internet is challenging. There’s so much noise. Why do weed another blog or another channel?” While digital media has provided more opportunities for building brands online, it’s also created a level of noise that’s hard to break through. Aaron Orendorff helps college students, speaking audiences, and marketing clients do just that. We discussed all of this on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.   About Aaron Orendorff Aaron Orendorff is a regular contributor at Entrepreneur, Lifehacker, Huffington Post, Fast Company, Business Insider, Content Marketing Institute, Copyblogger, Unbounce, and more. When he’s not terrifying college students in the public speaking classroom, he’s busy “Saving the World from Bad Content” at iconiContent.com. Grab his Ultimate Content Creation Checklist or follow him on Twitter. Episode Highlights How heaven and hell play a roll in your marketing. “We’re all looking to be saved from hell and delivered to heaven.” Aaron reminded us that this classic structure along with these dramatic stakes can help us connect with our audience on an emotional level. Your story shouldn’t have your brand at the center of it. We have to make our audience an actor in the story. “It’s not just ME! ME! ME! in focus. We have to get into our customers’ shoes. What are they struggling with?” More content isn’t always better. Aaron and I spoke at great length (irony alert!) on the fact that too often we think that to get better at content creation we need to create more of it. “Everyone loves skyscraper (blog) posts but you can just be a retread of what others are already doing.” Where do you start with an Ultimate Content Creation Checklist? “I make people start with thinking a lot about who they serve. What stories do you tell internally today? And who do you admire? Which brands do you connect with viscerally?” You can download Aaron’s FREE content checklist here. What brand has made Aaron smile recently? “I’m a borderline cult member to anything Tim Ferris does. The thing is, he isn’t the one talking about how great he is everywhere.” To learn more about Aaron, you can follow him on Twitter and check out theiconiConent website. He also just wrote a piece examining the Trump vs. Clinton campaigns.Check it out now. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Marie Gabrielle gave us a shoutout from the Philippines for our episode featuring Erica McGillivray from Moz. Thanks for listening Marie! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“In marketing we’re trying to get people to do something. We need to understand why we do what we do. What motivates us?” Building on a career at Coca-Cola and brand consulting, Daryl Weber has devoted himself to connecting the dots of human behavior and branding. He’s the author of the new book Brand Seduction: How Neuroscience Can Help Marketers Build Memorable Brands. We discussed the book and the science behind it on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Daryl Weber Daryl Weber is a branding consultant whose work has influenced many of the best brands in the world, including Coca-Cola, Nike, Johnnie Walker, Gatorade, Old Spice, and many more. He is the author of Brand Seduction: How Neuroscience Can Help Marketers Build Memorable Brandswhich explores the unconscious side of brands in a way that’s inspiring for creative marketers. Previously, Daryl was Global Director of Creative Strategy at The Coca-Cola Company, where he oversaw brand strategy for many of the company’s global billion-dollar brands. Prior to that, he was a Director of Strategy at Redscout – a boutique brand and innovation consultancy where he advised Fortune 500 companies on new product innovation and brand positioning. Weber has a BA in psychology from Columbia University and resides in Atlanta with his wife, Jennifer, and son, Avi. You can follow him on Twitter @BrandedCortex. Episode Highlights What’s the connection between psychology and marketing? As a psychology major myself, I couldn’t wait to ask Daryl this. “The two are linked I think more than people think.” But where does a marketer start to connect these dots? You have to think about brands differently. That starts with your definition … “Brands are a collection of associations,” Daryl offered a new grounding for our definition of branding. “Not just a logo or icon. Your brand is not an endpoint. It’s a starting point. A vision, a process.” What’s an example of a brand that’s great at understanding their customers’ thinking? “Warby Parker. There’s an in-depth case study in the book. They wanted to telegraph how cool they were so they put together a strategy for doing that. They created a mood board for their brand personality. They knew that they needed to be a lifestyle or fashion brand first.” “Your first step is to look inside yourself as a company.” Daryl noted that brands need to ask, “Why you’re here? Then look outside at the what I call the ‘3 Cs’ — consumers, competitive context, and culture (what’s going on more broadly). Marketers are starting to understand that humans aren’t rational. We have to embrace the messiness that comes with that.” What’s one thing Daryl would tell marketers to do differently today? “It’s not about what you say. They (your audience) won’t remember the content of exactly what you said. But they’ll remember how you said it.” What brand has made Daryl smile recently? “I’m a musician so I love Fender. I don’t even need a new bass but I still find myself looking.” To learn more about Daryl, you can follow him on Twitter and check out his website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Jordan Schwartz gave us a shoutout for our episode featuring Lauren Friedman of Adobe. Thanks for listening Jordan! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!  

“A bad marketer is one who does things based on their gut.” As the co-founder of Orbit Media, an author, and host of Content Jam in Chicago, Andy Crestodina helps marketers quantify those gut impulses with actionable data and strategies. Andy is also a speaker at Social Brand Forum 2016 in Iowa City this September, where he’ll be talking about Google Analytics Fundamentals: How to Measure What Matters For Your Business. We discussed all of this on this week’s On Brand podcast.   About Andy Crestodina Andy Crestodina is a co-founder of Orbit Media, an award winning, 35-person web design company in Chicago. Over the past 15 years, Andy has provided web strategy and marketing advice to more than 1000 businesses. Andy has written hundreds of articles on topics including search optimization, social media, Analytics and content strategy. He is also the author ofContent Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing. Episode Highlights You have to practice data-driven empathy. Andy is one of the most actionable speakers I’ve seen. His talks are loaded with practical, tactical insights. He even shared one on the podcast. “If you put a search box on your site that’s great. It’s helpful. But it also provides an opportunity for listening.” Andy offered a step-by-step hack for creating a Google Analytics report based on search queries your users run. “This allows you to practice data-driven empathy. You can create more content around these searches.” Don’t let your marketing get taken over by hippos. “A bad marketer is one who does things based on their gut. If you’re not applying data then you’re just going by HIPO — Highest Paid Opinion.” Why live events make potent content. Andy and I both host live learning events (Content Jamand Social Brand Forum). “In person content blows people away. Live events rule the day.” He also quoted our mutual acquaintance Blair Enns who says that, “The only differentiator creative firms have is their expertise.” Live events allow you to put this asset front and center. More from Blair. One more actionable marketing tip from Andy? “If you do something, if someone says something nice about you online, add that evidence to your website. Not just a testimonials page because no one reads those. Make every page your testimonials page. Use embedded tweets. We have to condition ourselves to put that stuff in the good file.” What brand has made Andy smile recently? “The daily Quora emails. They make me smile every day.” To learn more about Andy, you can follow him on Twitter and check out Orbit Media andContent Jam! As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …This week, I want to give a shout out to my friends at Marketo. I’ll be doing a free #GetScrappy webinar coming up this Thursday July 21st. Register now. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“It doesn’t matter where you interact with us — you’re part of our community.” Being on the community team at SEO software giant Moz isn’t just focusing on social media. As senior community manager, Erica McGillivray interacts with the brand’s community both online and off. As you’ll learn, Erica also has a formidable comic book collection. We talked about all of this and more on this week’s On Brand podcast.   About Erica McGillivray Erica McGillivray spends a ridiculous amount of time being geeky, both professionally and personally. At Moz, she’s the senior community manager, wrangling 500,000+ people and co-running their annual conference MozCon. Erica also is a founder of GeekGirlCon, is a published author, and has a comic book collection that’s an earthquake hazard. Follow her at @emcgillivray. Episode Highlights How does community management work at Moz? Erica is a part of a six person team charged with the three aspects of community management at Moz — social media, onsite Q & A/forums, and live events including MozCon and MozTalks. A powerful benefit of hosting live events? “People have created friendships with each other at our events.” Being that convener of both value, support, and friendship is a powerful role for a brand to play. What about brand advocacy? “We actually have been lucky because we haven’t had to do a lot of purposeful brand advocacy. We help our community, we answer questions, we host great events.” All of this has helped Moz create a brand rich with advocates simply by being helpful and providing value. Erica loves comic books. I love comic books. How can we make this episode about comic books … We sure tried! Actually we had a very on brand  discussion on the state of comic books. While the blockbusters from Marvel and DC get a lot of attention they don’t always connect the dots as effectively as they could on the related books. Erica gave us some great inside information on the role of distribution in the equation. What comic book would Erica recommend? “The Midnighter series. He’s basically the gay Batman. And he kills people a lot more.” Sounds awesome! Check it out now. What brand has made Erica smile recently? “Herschel bags.” Erica had a great customer service experience via Twitter when a borrowed bag broke. “They saved me from being the bad guy who broke the bag!” To learn more about Erica, you can follow her on Twitter, check out the Moz blog, and her comic book review site sliverofice.com. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …This week, I want to give a shout out to my friends at Marketo. I’ll be doing a free #GetScrappy webinar coming up on July 21st.  Register now. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“Employees are trusted more than the organizations they work for.” Citing this simple stat from the Edelman Trust Barometer, Adobe’s Lauren Friedman described her job in a nutshell. As the head of Global Social Business Enablement, Friedman spends her time doing just that. Social engagement, activation, and advocacy across Adobe. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Lauren Friedman Lauren Friedman is the head of Global Social Business Enablement at Adobe. She’s a social marketing authority, with extensive experience working with brands such as Safeway, Levi’s, Hyatt and Disney, to create their social personas, nurture their Facebook and Twitter communities and curate their social conversations. She is currently working across Adobe functions to enable all employees to be successful using social for marketing and community building. Episode Highlights So, what is Global Social Business Enablement? “It’s a mouthful! I infuse social into every aspect of how Adobe does business. I help employees stay true to the Adobe brand and also help them build their personal brand.” Why does personal branding matter? “We believe that people trust people. People buy from people. Relationships fuel our overall success.” While Lauren works to engage employees via social media through one-on-one coaching, they don’t want to brainwash people. “We don’t want to create an army of Adobe-bots!” “I’m product agnostic,” said Friedman. “I can work with the sales team, HR, or product teams. My favorite part of my job is finding a-ha moments.” When employees are able to see how social media engagement impacts their job. What does brand advocacy mean at Adobe? “It’s both internal and external. It started with the employees taking what they’d learned in our Social Shift program. From there, we started thinking — how can we get influencers and customers involved?” Ultimately, Adobe wants everyone to be a part of their brand experience. This was at the forefront during their recent Adobe Remix campaign, where they encouraged creatives to reimagine their logo. Talk about trust! What brand has made Lauren smile recently? “I love brands that do cool, innovative things that step outside of their corporate box.” Examples that have made her smile recently include Baileys for their Instagram soap opera (below) and IHOP’s use of Facebook Live.   To learn more, you can follow Lauren on Twitter and Instagram. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …This week, I want to give a shout out to my friends at Marketo. We’ll be collaborating on a #GetScrappy Twitter chat and webinar coming up very soon. The Twitter chat is this Thursday, July 7th! Register for the July 21st webinar now. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

In this episode of the DREAM. THINK. DO. podcast, my guest Nick Westergaard shares some amazing insider tips on how to do marketing that's right for your business. Listen To The Podcast:                             Do you need to break through the noise to reach more people? Maybe you're trying to grow your social media presence. You want to spread the word about your big idea. Maybe you're trying to let people know about your product or service.  Or… maybe… you're doing something that's freakishly cool… and you're wanting to invite people to be a part of it. You're passionate. You're awesome at what you do. You know you can help people. At the same time… you feel like you're being drowned out. You're sinking in a sea of social media. Can you identify? Well… maybe it's time to get scrappy! With this episode of DREAM. THINK. DO., I'm interviewing Nick Westergaard.  He's a recognized brand strategist and the author of Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses. Nick and I talk about… How to ask the right questions to learn what your customers really want Why developing a 3-word brand story is so important What it means to embrace ‘People Power' Great content repurposing strategies to get the most value from the content you create so you can stand out! If you're feeling a little overwhelmed… this episode is for you! [Tweet "“Constraints inspire creativity.” – Biz Stone"] EPISODE RESOURCES Get Scrappy – Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small  by Nick Westergaard Brand Driven Digital Nick Westergaard Rudyard Kipling Dan Pink DREAM. THINK. DO.

Ready to be a smarter marketer? With blogs, podcasts, videos, snaps, chats, and tweets coming at us from all directions, it's getting harder and harder to find the content that will truly level up your chops. One way to ensure your getting the proper marketing nutrition is to have a well-balanced content diet, including not only digital content, but also great marketing books. In this episode of the Ask Me About Email Marketing podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Douglas Burdett, expert marketer and host of the Marketing Book Podcast. Douglas shares with us his experience reading the best marketing books, and interviewing their authors. Books provide us with an opportunity to fully immerse ourselves into a topic, and as Douglas puts it "rewire your marketing brain." In this episode, you'll learn about: Douglas' personal book recommendations and journey into marketing and podcasting The benefits of a well-balanced content diet Ways to evaluate if a book's worth your time Books to read to level up your email marketing Some great marketing tips for email marketers of all levels ... and much more! Here is a list of all the books we mentioned on this episode: Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small by Nick Westergaard Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers by Jay Baer Audience: Marketing in the Age of Subscribers, Fans and Followers by Jeffrey K. Rohrs The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results by Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, Nick Toman Here are a few other links that were mentioned on the show: Douglas Burdett The Marketing Book Podcast "How to Avoid the 19 Year-Old Dude Move" by Douglas Burdett Hubspot Academy's Email Marketing Course (Douglas' recommendation) "Why Marketing With Purchased Email Lists Is Like Unprotected Sex" by Douglas Burdett Study from McKinsey stating email marketing is 40 times more affective for customer acquisition than Twitter and Facebook. Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

What sets apart good branded content? “Strategic tools, storytelling, and understanding your objectives.” Melanie Deziel helps brands and publishers better understand the shared goals and potential wins that are possible through native advertising. She’s worked with The New York Times, Time, Inc, Netflix, and more to do just that. We discussed all of this including her upcoming talk at Social Brand Forum 2016 on this week’s On Brand podcast.  About Melanie Deziel Melanie Deziel is an award-winning branded content strategist and consultant, and the founder of  The Overlap League, the native ad newsletter. She is a board member of the Native Advertising Institute, has served as an executive judge for the Digiday Content Marketing Awards, and travels the country educating marketing, sales and editorial teams on branded content strategy. Melanie is the former Director of Creative Strategy for Time Inc., where she led ideation for sponsored content programs across 35+ publications, and was the first editor of branded content at The New York Times, where she conceived and wrote in-depth pieces sponsored by advertisers, including the “Women Inmates” piece created in partnership with Netflix and Orange Is The New Black and the “Grit & Grace” feature on The New York City Ballet presented by Cole Haan, which earned the OMMA for Best Native Advertising Execution in 2014 and 2015 respectively. You can find Melanie on Twitter and elsewhere as @mdeziel. Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …This past week Victoria Taylor gave us a shoutout for the our recent episode featuring Brian Fanzo. Thanks for listening, Victoria! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

“There’s something inherently valuable about viewing television.” Andy Bryant and Charlier Mawer would know. As the creative force behind the UK’s Red Bee agency, they help global clients such as the BBC, NBC Universal, and Fox market their networks and shows. They’re also co-authors of the new book The TV Brand Builders: How to Win Audiences and Influence Viewers. I couldn’t wait to discuss TV brands past, present, and future on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.   Andy Bryant and Charlie Mawer Andy Bryant is Managing Director of Red Bee, a London-based, internationally acclaimed creative agency specializing in marketing and design for TV brands. He is a recognised thought leader in his field and frequent speaker at leading industry conferences globally on TV brand strategy, marketing, and creativity. He is an Honorary Professor of Film & TV Studies at the University of Nottingham in the UK. Charlie Mawer is Exec Creative Director of Red Bee, responsible for their global creative output. Acknowledged world leaders in channel branding and entertainment marketing, they have worked in over 30 countries with clients including BBC, UKTV, NBC Universal, and Fox, winning a myriad of creative awards including European Agency of the Year for four successive years. A BAFTA nominee, and former Promax UK chairman, Charlie has lectured around the world including for a variety of universities, for TEDxTalks, the BFI, and D&AD. Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community …Recently Sean Carpenter gave us a shoutout for the our recent episode featuring Jen Slaski of Spiceworks. Thanks for listening, Sean! 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com.

“Everything we do as employees translates into the brand.” I’ve been fascinated by the Spiceworks brand since I first read about them in Jay Baer’s new book Hug Your Haters. This people-focused community platform for IT professionals is the very definition of an inside-out brand. I couldn’t wait to discuss this philosophy and more with Spiceworks’ Exec Brand Muse Jen Slaski on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Jen Slaski Jen Slaski is the Executive Director of Marketing Communications at Spiceworks but she’s more commonly known around the office as the “Exec Brand Muse” where she’s responsible for the essence of the Spiceworks brand – a brand that’s previously won MarketingProf’s Brand of the Year. And a brand that Jen refers to as an “inside-out” because of how Spiceworks company culture helps fuel it. Jen joined the company in 2006 and has been helping to create and evolve the company’s brand and marketing efforts ever since. Jen has always had a passion and flair for the start up world. Before Spiceworks, she held multiple marketing positions at companies like pcOrder.com and Motive, and ran a full spectrum of guerrilla, online and offline marketing programs, and events as an independent marketing consultant. Jen graduated from Stanford University with a Liberal Arts degree. In her spare time she enjoys day-tripping to classic Americana towns, vintage thrifting, journaling, collaging and facilitating self-discovery workshops and retreats for individuals, teams, and small interest groups. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com.  

“Snapchat is Twitter meets YouTube.” The meteoritic rise of this new network has left many marketers scratching their collective heads. Not Carlos Gil. An early adopter of social media from back when it was called AOL, Gil has led social teams for brands such as Winn-Dixie and LinkedIn. Today, as Global Head of Social Media for BMC Software, he’s become a leading authority on Snapchat for business speaking at events like this fall’s Social Brand Forum. I couldn’t wait to learn more on this week’s On Brand podcast. About Carlos Gil Carlos Gil is the Global Head of Social Media for BMC Software. Previously, he served as Senior Social Marketing Manager for LinkedIn. His proven track record includes leading consumer-facing digital and social media programs as Social Media Manager for Winn-Dixie, where he developed strategy and led the launch of all Winn-Dixie’s social channels, social listenings, and blogger influencer program. In addition, Carlos served as the Head of Digital Marketing for Save-A-Lot food stories. A true digital native, Carlos maintains an active presence on Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube in addition to speaking at industry conferences. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com.

“You learn more by doing than by watching.” Jason Keath knows a thing or two about learning and doing. As CEO and Founder of Social Fresh, he helps marketers stay on top of the latest, greatest, FRESHEST digital marketing insights through their Social Fresh Conference as well as their blog, podcast, and emails. Recently, they raised the bar on their mission even further by releasing the Future of Social research study. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Jason Keath Jason Keath thrives on ideas and inspiring others to build something new, to take chances. As the Founder and CEO of Social Fresh Conference, he curates some of the smartest voices in online marketing. Graduating from UNC Charlotte with a fine arts degree, Jason’s roots are firmly in the creative arts. Jason lives in New York City, where you can find him blogging from a local coffee shop or roaming the streets of Manhattan as a full time tourist. Jason is a keynote speaker, presenting to thousands on digital marketing, creativity, and how to make organizations more innovative. Jason has consulted with Fortune 500 and Inc 5000 companies on social media strategy and development. He is routinely quoted by media in the NY Times, USA Today, MSNBC, the LA Times, AdAge, the Washington Post and other outlets. Jason is the editor of SocialFresh.com, where Social Fresh Conference shares free social marketing tips. He also cohosts of the Social Toolkit Podcast. And each week, Jason publishes the Social Fresh Tip, a social media email newsletter. 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. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com.  

On this episode of Ask Me About Email Marketing, we chat with writer, podcaster, speaker and brand strategist Nick Westergaard to get his take on the current landscape of digital marketing. Nick shares with us actionable insights on how to build a strategy, connect your digital dots, and get the most out of your limited time and resources. Nick's latest book, Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small, offers a fresh perspective on how to develop a multi-channel marketing strategy, whether you are a solopreneur, or on a large team at a big business. In this episode, you'll learn: The essence of scrappy digital marketing How to do more with less Why email marketing is very much still 'alive' How businesses of all sizes could benefit from asking the right questions Tips for repurposing content for email The value of curated content ... and much more! Take a listen above and let me know your thoughts in the comments. Here are a few links that were mentioned in the post: Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small On Brand Podcast - Why Having a Brand Filter Makes Decisions Easy at AWeber with Mike Smith NickWestergaard.com Nick on Twitter Daniel Pink's Pinkcasts Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

“You have to build marketing inside out today. It has to come from inside the company.” It’s this kind of hard work that drives John Zissimos, Chief Creative Officer for software giant Salesforce. His work includes growing a coherent brand and bringing a promise to life across a variety of channels online and off. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About John Zissimos John Zissimos is the Chief Creative Officer at Salesforce. As CCO, John is responsible for building the Salesforce brand and crafting the company’s story around the world. He leads the creative organization across digital, strategy, interactive design, films, events, customer stories, and UX. Over the past 6 years, John has inspired a design-led culture and built a full-service, creative agency within Salesforce to inspire, innovate, and tell the story of the fastest-growing software company in the world. Prior to joining Salesforce in 2010, John spent over two decades as an advertising creative executive, film director, and photographer. John began his career in marketing at Chiat/Day and has held top creative leadership positions at McCann Erickson and J. Walter Thompson. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Radio, Television, and Film from Temple University. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Pam, and daughters Alexandra, Ellie, and Katie. 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. Pre-Order now for the best price and digital extras at GetScrappyBook.com. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com.

“Branding today isn’t that different. It’s just harder.” Jason Falls is a branding, digital marketing and PR expert. The founder of Social Media Explorer, author of No Bullshit Social Media and The Rebel’s Guide to Email Marketing, and VP at Elasticity joined us for a raucous “Jason Falls” brand conversation around social listening, branding with attitude, and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast. About Jason Falls Jason Falls is the no-nonsense, loud, brash, straight-shooter who is more apt to tell you the truth about digital marketing, public relations and social media than try to sell you something. Sure, he drives strategy and content for clients through his work with Elasticity, but when Falls talks, people listen. Unabashed, unafraid and unfiltered, Falls leaves audiences thinking, laughing and wanting more. Aside from his engaging talks, he is a well-respected social industry analyst, oft-interviewed and quoted by the likes of the BBC, Reuters, Forbes and more. Falls writes at JasonFalls.com, GoElastic.com and for Entrepreneur.com, among others. He has authored two books, neither of which are about his favorite topic (bourbon) and is an unabashed fan, resident and advocate for the city of Louisville and the State of Kentucky. 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. Pre-Order now for the best price and digital extras at GetScrappyBook.com. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com.

"Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small" by Nick Westergaard Click here to view the show notes! https://www.salesartillery.com/marketing-book-podcast/get-scrappy-nick-westergaard