Marketing Smarts
306 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 33 ratingsFrom brand-building and marketing veterans Anne Candido and April Martini comes a podcast committed to cutting through all the confusing marketing BS so that you can actually understand how to take action and change your business today. They deep-dive into topics most would gloss-over, infusing real-world examples from their combined 35+ years of corporate and agency experience. They tell it how it is so that whether you are just starting out or have been in business awhile, you have the Marketing Smarts to immediately impact your business.
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Episodes
The Necessity for Creative Strategy w/ Steve Leder, Founder, Chief Creative Officer, Badge Design
November 23, 2021 05:00 - 1 hourFor this episode, we welcome a special guest, Steve Leder, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Badge Design to discuss an important, and often controversial topic in the marketing world...creative strategy. We often talk about the importance of a brief because it gets everyone on the same page. In terms of design, it is imperative that the brief translates into a creative strategy that the entire team can get on-board with from the get-go to produce the desired result. We dive deep into how...
The Top 4 Misnomers In Becoming Your Own Boss
November 16, 2021 05:00 - 54 minutesFor those that dream of being their own boss one day, YES, it is rewarding and exciting and worth it. BUT spoiler alert, you are on the hook for EVERYTHING! If you are thinking of going out on your own or have recently, we discuss the top 4 misnomers to give a realistic inside look of being your own boss. And as always, if you need help in building your Marketing Smarts, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at: Forthright-People.com.
Building Brand-Love: How to get More People to Choose You
November 09, 2021 12:59 - 55 minutesWhy is Brand-Love important? Because 90% of decisions are made from the heart. As consumers, we are constantly inundated, which means setting your business apart from the competition requires you to emotionally connect to your consumers. After learning the tools we discuss in this episode, check out Anne’s book “The Super-Highway of Relevancy: Getting More People to Choose Your Brand, More Often, Indefinitely” (available on Amazon here) for a deeper dive! And as always, if you need help in...
Franchising: The Gateway to Entrepreneurship w/ Lance Graulich, founder of ION Franchising
November 02, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourOn the fringes of traditional marketing and branding lies franchising. Whether it’s a career change, the beginnings of a second career or a way to diversify your investments, we welcome guest Lance Graulich, founder of ION Franchising to discuss how franchising can be the gateway to entrepreneurship. From clarifying your “why” to establishing the right mindset to starting the process, it is all in this episode. And as always, if you need help in building your Marketing Smarts, don’t hesitat...
How Writing a Book Can Stimulate Your Marketing Efforts w/Nikki Nash, Author and Creator of the Market your Genius Brand
October 26, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourOur world is inundated with highly popular short-form content like podcasts, blogs, video and social media. You may wonder if there’s a role for books anymore. The answer is YES! We welcome the author and creator of the Market Your Genius brand, Nikki Nash to discuss why writing a book is still important and how to use it to your advantage especially in establishing credibility for your POV and generating leads for your business. She also is offering additional content for you at: https://nik...
Communicating Effectively to Influence
October 19, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourMany of us have found ourselves or seen someone trying to strong arm those around them in order to push their agenda...either overtly or through crafty manipulation. This may work occasionally to get temporary complacency. But, the only way to create relationships which will lead to reaching your goals and dreams is through influencing communications. This is a skill which we teach in great detail in this episode. And all brought to life based on our personal experience of influencing convers...
The Right Way to SEO w/Steve Wiideman, CEO of Wiideman Consulting Group, Author and Professor
October 12, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourSearch engine optimization (SEO) plays a major role in today’s marketing world. So, what exactly is SEO, how do you do it, and how can you make it work for you? In this week’s episode we dive in and answer these questions along with special guest Steve Wiideman, CEO of Wiideman Consulting Group, who specializes in SEO consulting, training, strategy and procurement. He shares a multitude of tools for how to get started on your SEO strategy (links below). And, he gives a promo code so you can t...
Personal Brand Characteristics that Hold Back Aspiring Female Leaders
October 05, 2021 04:00 - 48 minutesAs a leader, your image and reputation are paramount in order to command the respect you need to influence. Personal Brand Characteristics have the potential to lead to behaviors and actions that can undermine and sabotage your brand. Although this applies equally to males and females, there are certain Characteristics that show-up more consistently in females that can lead to significant challenges. Join us as we highlight four tendencies we see most often that may not be moving you towards ...
4 Tips for Effective Tone-of-Voice (TOV) Communications
September 28, 2021 04:00 - 42 minutesYou’ve heard us talk about the importance of creating your brand’s Tone- of-Voice (TOV). Effectively carrying it across all marketing channels and types of communication can be tricky. Here we will lay out ways to create and properly teach your TOV to your organization. If you haven’t already, listen to our episode on creating a strong Brand Character because TOV work cannot begin until this is complete! And as always, if you need help in building your Marketing Smarts, don’t hesitate to rea...
How to Effectively Market to Different Cultures w/Doni Aldine, Founder of Cultrs Magazine
September 21, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourEffectively marketing to different cultures is part of our day-to-day as well as that of our clients. So as we often like to do, we focus on this topic in this episode through the lens of being more mindful of cultural nuances. This can make or break your marketing efforts, so it is important to discuss in detail. To join this discussion, we welcome a marketing to cultures expert, Doni Aldine, founder of Culturs magazine and expert in cross-cultural communications. And as always, if you need ...
Getting More Customers to Choose Your Business
September 14, 2021 04:00 - 58 minutesAre you struggling to close customers/clients/consumers like you think you should be? This episode is for you. As you can guess, accomplishing this is definitely rooted in branding and marketing. But we are going to assume you are a loyal listener and did your homework here. So, this episode is focused on taking your branding and marketing to the next level by giving you tactical approaches for getting those customers/clients/consumers to choose you. And as always, if you need help in build...
The Newest Marketing Channel: Business Podcasting w/David Spray, Podcaster and Entrepreneur
September 07, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourDavid Spray, Podcaster (Podcasting Stories)and Entrepreneur joins us for this episode to discuss the latest marketing channel to emerge: business podcasting. Businesses are finding podcasting a more flexible and authentic format for translating their Brand Story in order to build culture internally or grow reputation and credibility externally. There are lots of POV’s on what it takes to have a successful podcast and what a “successful podcast” even means which we talk in depth about. And as...
The Powerful Role of the PM (Project Manager)
August 31, 2021 04:00 - 41 minutesHave you ever been in a meeting where no one seems to ‘have it all under control’? Being left with an uneasy feeling that no one is taking the reins and making sure that everything that was discussed in the meeting is going to happen- balls are dropped and details are missed. In this episode, we define and detail what a good Project Manager is and why they are crucial to a business. It’s important to define the role of a successful PM and layout the characteristics of a great one. A great...
Show Up, Have a Presence, and Make Yourself Memorable w/ Keri Murphy of Inspired Living
August 24, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourOn this show, we talk a lot about personal brand and as a part of the work we do on the personal brand side and through our coaching we talk A LOT about what it means to show up, build a presence, and make yourself memorable- this can be in person, on screen or on video. We sometimes tend to focus too much on what other people think and forget to be our authentic, confident selves. On this episode, we welcome guest Keri Murphy of Inspired Living who joins the discussion on why it’s important ...
Stimulating your Business Growth: The Art of Marketing Campaigns
August 17, 2021 15:43 - 50 minutesMarketing Campaigns can be a powerful vehicle for stimulating your business growth. Embarking on the development and execution of a Marketing Campaign forces us to relook at and reevaluate existing consumer relationships as well as actively engage new people who may be interested in our brand. In doing this, we find new ways of creating Brand-Love connections with these consumers creating potential for more revenue. This episode goes into detail on how to develop a successful marketing campai...
Making a Successful Career Pivot into the World of Freelance w/Allie Martin, Video Producer and Host
August 10, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourNow, more than ever, it seems that there are lots of folks out there re-examining their priorities and what makes them happy, productive and applies the best use of their skills. In this episode, we talk about the necessary steps to making a successful career pivot into becoming a freelancer and starting your own gig. And we do it with special guest, Allie Martin, Video Producer and Host, who is in the middle of her very own pivot right now for a first-hand view of someone in the trenches as ...
Developing Sales Stories that Hook Buyers
August 03, 2021 04:00 - 55 minutesWhether you are selling to consumers, customers, retailers, third-parties or clients, creating a compelling sales story is key to hook buyers. This can be difficult to do if you don’t understand the wants and needs of your buyers. We are going to give you that insight today through 4 different scenarios. And we know this because we have been intimately involved in all of these scenarios helping to create and deploy these stories. Grab a notebook and something to write with. You will need it! ...
How to Get Good at Saying NO
July 27, 2021 04:00 - 46 minutesSaying NO effectively and being okay with it is not an easy thing to do. But if you never learn to say no, you will eventually find yourself serving others at the sacrifices of serving yourself. And that is not a good place for you to be or the people on the receiving end of your “help”! In this episode, we help you break the bad habit of always saying yes and build the necessary skills to effectively say no so that you can better serve yourself and those around you in the long run. And as al...
Transforming your Employees into Brand Ambassadors w/Chris Wallace of InnerView Group
July 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourIn this episode, Chris Wallace, Co-Founder and President at Innerview Group, joins us to discuss strategies for transforming your employees into Brand Ambassadors for your business. Your employees can be your most effective word-of-mouth marketers. But only if they have a clear and compelling story to tell. Taking the time to secure and internalize what Chris calls “front-line insights” to shape, tighten and power your Brand Story can be the key in converting sales and ultimately driving reve...
4 Ways to Appropriately Show Vulnerability in the Workplace
July 13, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutesThe role of vulnerability in the workplace is a tricky discussion for most of us. As soon as this word comes up people visibly tense and become uncomfortable and yet we know that vulnerability definitely has a role in the workplace since we are humans and not robots! Its role is directly tied to each person’s Personal Brand, the brand of the organization, and how the people in the organization interact with each other. If you are too vulnerable, you are thought to be highly emotional and soft...
4 Techniques for Defining and Engaging your Target Consumer
July 06, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourJennifer Knoeppel, Senior Director, Team, Driver & Industry Communications at NASCAR (@jennieannknoeppel on IG, Jennifer Knoeppel on LI, and @JenKnoeppel on Twitter) joins us in this episode to discuss defining and engaging your target consumer. We have talked a lot about the need to clearly define your consumer so you can develop a compelling brand and marketing outreach to engage and win them. It is also important to continue to revisit your consumer profiles because the environment we live...
4 Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Quality Employees
June 29, 2021 04:00 - 49 minutesThis episode is for all of you who are struggling to attract and retain quality employees. From those who are competing in the “who can pay the most” game in filling in your hourly positions to those who are constantly trying to up their game to attract top candidates for salaried positions. It is crazy out there! And it is costing you a lot of time and money that frankly you don’t have. This episode dives deep into specific strategies and tactics to help you play smarter in attracting and re...
4 Steps to Building a Company Mission that Leads to Business Success
June 22, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourIn this episode, we focus on the value that comes with setting the right company mission and living it at your core. And how when it is done right, it leads to financial success, which is the ultimate goal of any business. As a reminder, a mission is externally-focused and should therefore reflect both “why we are here?” and the impact you plan to have on our external audience. With the help of our guest, Mark Patchett, Founder of Growth Shop and all the way from Kiev, Ukraine, we discuss how...
4 Tenants of Tough Conversations
June 15, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourTough conversations are just that - tough - and as a result human nature is to avoid them whenever possible. However, this approach does no service to the person that needs the feedback, your team, or the broader organization as a whole. In this episode we talk about how to successfully manage - and perhaps more importantly, have - tough conversations. Part of which is to do so in a timely manner, but with enough time to prepare. Because it really doesn’t have to be as painful as people make ...
4 Steps for Defining the Right Marketing KPI’s
June 08, 2021 04:00 - 50 minutesMeasuring the success of marketing efforts can be really challenging especially since they may not be directly linked to your business success metrics like sales and growth. Or if they are, it may be challenging to isolate the tactics in order to have certainty that it was indeed those specific efforts that delivered business sales and growth. In this episode, we give specific steps for defining the right marketing KPI’s so that you can optimize your marketing efforts with more confidence and...
4 Principles of Successful B2B Marketing
June 01, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourWe often get challenged that B2B marketing is just not the same as consumer marketing. Our argument is that IT IS the same as consumer marketing, although with some caveats. In this episode, we cover the 4 Principles of Successful B2B Marketing. We break down the barriers associated with the old assumption as well as offer insight into how to use consumer marketing to your advantage in this space. Learn all you need to know to build a successfully differentiated B2B marketing strategy with a ...
4 Elements of a Strong Workplace Culture
May 25, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourThe importance of a strong workplace culture was only further highlighted with the advent of COVID and the subsequent work-from-home orders. And now, as the world opens back up and some people head back to work while others stay at home, it can be a challenge to figure out how to navigate and manage workplace culture. In this episode, we outline the 4 Elements of a Strong Workplace Culture, with many examples from our experiences through the years of both good and not so good work cultures. T...
4 Guidelines for Creating a Strong Brand Character
May 18, 2021 04:00 - 49 minutesNow, more than ever, it is critical to brand success to spend the time and focus building a strong brand character. Between the limited in-person interactions we continue to face, and the proliferation of online channels, it is imperative to speak authentically and personably across all touchpoints. This episode focuses on the needed approach for a strong brand character, culminating with a best-in-class example, Grove Collaborative, and their ability to promote a genuine personality in a cro...
4 Principles for Leveraging Partners to Create Content that Drives your Brand
May 11, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourA key way to drive credible reach and stretch your equity is by leveraging influencers and partners who already have a relationship with a consumer you want to tap into. From sports properties to events to philanthropic organizations to industry organizations, partners can help drive your business...if you approach branded content with the 4 principles we discuss in this episode. Our guest, Samantha Baier (on twitter and LinkedIn), of Tepper Sports & Entertainment, is the Digital Partnerships...
The Framework for Creating Digital Content People Want to Watch
May 04, 2021 04:00 - 57 minutesThe digital space is crowded, and it is hard to capture enough attention for your content to break-through the noise. As our guest Dan Gadd (on twitter and LinkedIn), Sr. Director of Digital Strategy at the Atlanta Falcons will attest: “It is a street-fight for attention!” What is needed first is a mindset shift that embraces the reality that “there is no reach with reaction”. His proven framework which we outline in depth in the episode is your guide for getting this reaction and creating di...
Welcome to Marketing Smarts!
May 03, 2021 18:05 - 1 minuteFrom brand-building and marketing veterans Anne Candido and April Martini comes a podcast committed to cutting through all the confusing marketing BS so that you can actually understand how to take action and change your business today. They deep-dive into topics most would gloss-over, infusing real-world examples from their combined 35+ years of corporate, agency and entrepreneurial experience. They tell it how it is so that whether you are just starting out or have been in business awhile, ...
4 Components of a Results-Driven Brief
April 27, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutesIn this episode we talk about how to write a brief that actually serves the teams working on the project as a meaningful foundation and continued point of reference, and that also leads to results at the end of the process. We have been on the receiving end of some pretty bad briefs in our time, so we thought it was important to educate around the process of building an effective brief, and specifically what needs to be included vs. not. It takes time and energy in the short term, but fuels t...
4 Tips for Utilizing Brand to Differentiate in a Crowded Space
April 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourIn this episode, we discuss brand as a key means for differentiation in a crowded category. Brand is THE starting place for any company to build the right emotionally-led foundation to connect with consumers. And it is those emotional connections that when built authentically, drive consumers to choose you more often, indefinitely. Joining us for this episode is Andy Snyder, Brand Manager at Rhinegeist Brewery, to speak to the use of brand in arguably one of the most crowded categories today,...
Remaining Resilient - The Art of “Test-and-Learn”
April 13, 2021 04:00 - 57 minutesMany are struggling to figure out how to make decisions about their business amidst an uncertain economy. In this episode, we discuss how you can stay resilient by adopting “Test-and-Learn” practices. This is the cycle of doing, learning, refining, repeating. It allows for fast-cycle iteration, saving money and time and it can be applied to all aspects of your business. We talk about specific practices and examples based on our experience so you can immediately integrate Testing-and-Learning ...
4 Steps for Translating your Brand into an Effective Marketing Strategy
April 06, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourIt can be challenging making the transition from a strong brand foundation into a strong and successful marketing strategy and executed plan. But it is THE thing for translating your WHY into meaningful emotional connections with your customers and consumers. In this episode, we focus on the HOW of getting from a strong brand foundation to executing a strong marketing plan and how to keep it going for the long haul. Joining us for this episode is Mike Hines, Team Leader at Build Collective, w...
4 Reasons to Start with a Brand Story
March 30, 2021 04:00 - 50 minutesA Brand Story is a powerful tool when created and utilized properly - it is a key differentiator to any business’ success. But unfortunately too many companies phone it in when it comes to their brand story or even worse...decide not to create one entirely. And at some point, it catches up to them in a bad way. In this episode, we discuss how to ensure you have the right Brand Story to set your foundation and the ability to use it as a lens for every decision your brand makes, leading to the ...
4 Ways to Generate Word-Of-Mouth (WOM) Marketing
March 23, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourWord-of-mouth (WOM) is the most coveted yet elusive channels of marketing for many. It is generated by a consumer who loves your brand so much they openly and frequently recommend you and talk about you to others. You can’t buy your way into these authentic testimonials. You must earn them. For this episode, we invited Sue Frech, co-founder and CEO of Vesta , a digital community platform company, to discuss ways to generate WOM marketing. And as always, if you need help in building your Marke...
Being a Woman in Business: Everything We Wish Someone Would Have Told Us
March 16, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourOur ultimate goal in doing this episode is to shine a light on the realities of being a woman in business, so that women can approach their careers and lives with their eyes wide open. Many of these realities are highly controversial, so they are rarely talked about...especially within the walls of a company. Which means that sometimes we don’t know we are losing the game until it is too late. And, yes, it is a game that we all must become competent players in to achieve our goals. But the on...
4 Guidelines for Effective Cause and Purpose-Based Marketing
March 09, 2021 05:00 - 53 minutesWhether it is to cater to millennials, participate in socio-cultural based conversations, or show support in times of need, it seems like every brand has jumped into cause or purpose-based marketing. Which begs the question...am I missing out if I don’t? The truth is that “doing good” is definitely one way to differentiate and give people a reason to choose you, but it can also be detrimental to your brand and business if certain rules aren’t followed. In this episode, we go into detail about...
4 Roles Your Business Coach Should Play
March 02, 2021 05:00 - 55 minutesA career coach can be one of your most valuable assets. An unbiased resource who has nothing at stake except your personal growth and success, a career coach can help you see blind-spots and give you tools and practices that people closer to you may not. In this episode, we examine the “4 Key Roles your Business Coach should Play”. We also provide lots of personal anecdotes for how we chose our coaches, and how we get the most out of the relationships. And now we offer coaching as part of For...
Vigilant Leadership: The Art of Leading from Afar
February 23, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour“Leading from afar” has become a hot topic due to remote working environments. But even before our current situation mandated it, we have found that the very best type of leaders have the ability to do so from afar. This means giving their teams space and autonomy to do things their own way. And the benefit? They end up with higher performers and better results than those that micromanage. We call this Vigilant Leadership, meaning a leader is keeping careful watch over progress and results, b...
4 Attributes of Content that Drives ROI
February 16, 2021 05:00 - 1 hourThere is a mantra in the marketing and branding world that “Content is king”. And this couldn’t be more true. From digital to more traditional written and programmatic ]to OTT (over-the-top), we are now surrounded by content. And the reason it is king? It is the ultimate differentiator for a business and a brand. Not only does it drive awareness by increasing touchpoints with your consumers, content that is consistently branded across platforms can disproportionately build credibility, reputa...
4 Reasons You Must Focus on Your Brand to Build a Successful Business
February 09, 2021 05:00 - 59 minutesFocusing on your brand in order to build or maintain a successful business is more important now than ever. And we have unfortunately seen too many companies short change their brand given current business climates. So many excuses exist out there: 1) You will worry about brand later. 2) Brand is only for products. 3) It is what big businesses do. 4) It costs too much money. 5) To be clear, this is NOT the way to go about building or maintaining a successful business. In this episode, we will...
4 Realities about Digital Interfaces and AI that can help you Improve Customer Experience
February 02, 2021 05:00 - 1 hourSo many customer interactions have been replaced with digital and automated interfaces. When executed well, the customer appreciates the convenience and flexibility they provide aiding in purchase and re-purchase of products and services. And what’s more, businesses benefit by reducing cost and improving efficiency. But there is a downside. In this digital world, the customer experience is in essence flat...almost creating a commoditized effect. Here, the brand can lose control of their relat...
4 Unspoken Rules of Networking
January 26, 2021 05:00 - 55 minutesRemember the old adage, it is not what you know but who you know? Networking is fundamental to any person’s success in business - it does not matter who you are. And it isn’t always easy to put yourself out there, so in this episode, 4 Unspoken Rules of Networking, we focus on what NOT to do in an effort to get to how to network effectively, but also comfortably and authentically. This episode sets you up for networking success because although you never know where networking will lead, it w...
4 Tips for Using Influencers Effectively
January 19, 2021 05:00 - 56 minutesInfluencers and partnerships can be super helpful to brands and businesses. First, they can bring instant credibility through their endorsement. Second, they have a platform of engaged fans, which can add significant reach to a brand’s message. But leveraging influencers and partners needs to be thought through strategically, as you will be making an investment here. In this episode, we give you 4 Tips for Using Influencers Effectively so that you can make good choices and translate your inv...
4 Ways to Create a Highly Functional Corporate/Agency Team
January 12, 2021 05:00 - 1 hourWe come from the opposite sides of the proverbial marketing tracks, with Anne at P&G and April at several different agencies. And though we have never worked on the same project, we do share a common truth: the best marketing work comes from the most functional teams. NOT the teams who like each other the most or get along the best, which is a common misconception. In this episode, we distill down our 35+ years of experience into 4 Ways to Create Highly Functional Corporate/Agency Teams. You ...
4 Personal Brand Truths Every Leader Should Know
January 05, 2021 05:00 - 57 minutesMost successes and failures in business can be tied back to a leader’s ability to be aware of and manage their personal brand. Characteristics like empathy, ingenuity, and thoughtfulness are critical to bond people. If you have these as a leader, you are probably doing better than most, especially in the midst of a pandemic, where physical togetherness is limited. Now more than ever it is critical to be more intentional in your pursuits, which means inherently recognizing who you are at your ...
Partnerships and the Personal Journey of Forthright People
December 29, 2020 05:00 - 1 hourA partnership can be a beautiful thing when it works. But getting to the right partnership is definitely a journey. In this episode, we talk about what makes a successful partnership work (or not) through the lens of our personal experience in building Forthright People. You asked for our story and here we deliver! And in doing so, also share the top 4 steps to an effective partnership, so you can start your very own journey today. And as always, if you need help in building your Marketing Sm...
The 4 Elements of Every Successful Social Strategy
December 22, 2020 05:00 - 56 minutesIn this new world, many of you have taken to social channels to compensate for other channels that may have been cut-off due to COVID. Add this to the folks who were already there and now we have mass chaos. It is like LA during rush hour. And unfortunately, most businesses are getting sucked into the chaos versus rising above it and being heard. The secret to successful social channels? A brand-led social strategy. In this episode we give you the 4 elements of every successful social strateg...