Ep. 178, A Game Plan For Success And Enjoyment In 2024

Do you want to attract die-hard fans and turn them into loyal customers?  The fact is, 'the game has changed,' and faceless brands are dying off. So, for today's episode, we're sharing a Webinar that E-Commerce Guru Ezra Firestone just recorded. It's full of his insights and strategies for truly taking your business to the next level. You will learn his Engage and Filter Method and his ICOSA system, which stands for Ideation, Creation, Optimization, Syndication, and Amplification.  You Will Learn, How To You Build A Brand With High Repeat Rate What Types of Content Resonate the Most The Power Of A Tag line What You Need to Know About Technology  And more! "Rather than interrupting users' attention in order to market to them, the business opportunity is in capturing people's attention and channeling this attention to an appropriate offer when relevant." Ezra Firestone Links Ezra Is Teaching Train My Social Media Manager; find out more here: https://smartmarketer.com/train-my-social-media-manager/ Ezra Firestone, https://smartmarketer.com/about/ Follow and Tag @EzraFirestone on Socials   Time Stamps 01:10 Ezra Begins With His Family History 05:12 "We are the first generation of people who can communicate instantaneously with everyone worldwide and also do commerce with them, and we're still at the very beginning of this. You haven't missed the boat. We are at the very beginning of this. And it's incredible. Online commerce continues to grow and take over more and more of the marketplace". Ezra Firestone  05:46 What Is A Real Brand? 11:42 The Faceless Brand Is Dying 17:16 "The How": The Engage And Filter Method 20:45 Video Tips and Winning Formulas 23:58 "Marketing is 100 percent about communicating to a prospect what the ownership benefit of your product is. What will they get, feel, have, become, obtain, and use? When they buy your product or when they use your product."  Ezra Firestone 36:57 Molly Speaks To Those Looking For Direct Response Results 31.43 Other Content Strategies For Building A Brand 33:03 The ICOSA System 37:40 A Note About Technology 39:38 Brand Identity Affirmation 47:06 Amplification: This Is How You Create Engagement 49:36 It's About Resource Generation 51:08 We Can Help You Do This: Train My Social Media Manager 55:00 There Are Two Types Of Businesses YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS  Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This Podcast has exceeded what we expected, and we have YOU to thank for that. It makes a difference when you follow us (and leave a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.  We'd also love it if you repost this episode to your social media, share your favorite episodes with friends, and be sure to tag us in your next post, #WeOutHere. Have questions? Please send us an email at [email protected], and don't forget to…Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit.    

The most surprising part about today’s update from Molly, is that she doesn’t seem to be sweating it, at all.  In this #NotBusiness episode, Molly Pittman shares, for the first time (in a while), what’s going on in multiple facets of her life. You’ll be interested to hear what she loves about her new Brick-and-Mortar Business, the latest developments with the Dog Rescue, a first-time in-person opportunity for all of our listeners, and, of course, what’s happening with the wedding! Plus, she shares a “Transformative” new practice that has tripled her personal input into the business. As you’ve come to expect, Molly shares encouraging insights and honest reflections that will give you the boost you need and help you take steps toward realizing your own dreams.   LINKS Molly Pittman, https://mollypittman.com/ Smart Marketer, https://smartmarketer.com/ Kentucky Saving Them Together, https://www.facebook.com/KSTT.Rescue/ Morley’s https://morleysky.com/ Smart Marketer Live, https://smartmarketer.com/live/ TIME STAMPS 02:16 Let’s Dive In 04:02 The Wedding 08:53 The Restaurant 12:41 The Transformation  “And in my career, I feel like my personal contribution has 3X’d over the last few months (without me working more hours).” Molly Pittman. 15:49 The Dog Rescue 18:50 The Down Days 19:17 The Next Big Thing   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS!  Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This Podcast has exceeded what we expected, and we have YOU to thank for that. It makes a difference when you follow us (and leave a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.  We’d also love it if you repost this episode to your social media, share your favorite episodes with friends, and tag us in your next post, #WeOutHere. Have questions? Please send us an email at [email protected], and don’t forget to… Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit.

Learn How To Power-Up Your Click-Through Rates And Boost Profits! If Email represents less than 30% percent of revenue in your business, Email is probably an under-leveraged channel. If you send newsletter emails in your business (or content emails) or have an Abandoned Cart sequence (and by the way, you should), then guess what? You're going to learn something that you can use in your business today.  John Grimshaw (CMO of Smart Marketer) shares some case studies and split tests that had awesome results for their clients at the Smart Marketer Agency.    You Will Learn: The most important, most profitable campaign that you need to have running A Small tweak in your Newsletter layout that might give you a 25% lift in click rate. The Button that could give you a 200% Lift in Click-Throughs and Purchases "So this is a test where we said, Whoa, this worked really, really well. We better roll this out everywhere right away because that's a pretty insane result." John Grimshaw.   LINKS For more Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts John Grimshaw,https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwgrimshaw/ Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/ The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/   TIME STAMPS 03:03 Abandoned Cart Campaigns 05:02 Case Study 1 - The Newsletter Email 11:08 Key Takeaways From Case Study 1 13:22 The Second Split Test 17:03 Discount Code Links 18:56 "It's important to speak to buyers in their different states of mind." John Grimshaw 19:42 In Summary 20:12 If Email represents less than 30% percent of revenue in your business, Email is probably an underleveraged channel. We can help! Visit https://smartmarketeragency.com/   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations, and we have you to thank for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) And Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen.

Are you Boot-strapping your business? You’re not alone. Even the huge E-Comm brands that we often talk about on this show - they had to start from somewhere, and most started from scratch.  If you’re tight on cash and in the early phases of your business, every penny counts, and you need every dollar to work for you! In this episode, Pepijn Hufen (CEO of the Smart Marketer Agency) looks back at his humble beginnings and shares what he would do if he were starting from square one again.  He breaks down exactly what he would do to launch Meta Ads with just $1000 in budget so that you can have a simple and smart plan to follow. Whether you’re starting out, starting again, or if everything you’ve tried isn’t working, this episode will give you clarity and confidence on how to proceed.  YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS  Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This Podcast has gone above and beyond what we expected, and we have YOU to thank for that. It makes a difference when you follow us (and leave a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.  We’d also love it if you repost this episode to your social media, share your favorite episodes with friends, and tag us in your next post, #WeOutHere. Have questions? Please send us an email at [email protected], and don’t forget to… Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit.   LINKS Pepijn Hufen, on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ and Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/pep_hufen/ Ep. 158, The Four Stages Of Scaling Facebook Ads https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407?i=1000623662285 The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/   TIME STAMPS 01:00 Let's Dive In: Everybody Starts Somewhere 02:32 "And that is the benefit of direct response advertising. You start from zero; you start with a small budget, but you can get momentum. You can get a feeling if your Product, your offer, your messaging has something to it if you can actually acquire customers with it." Pepijn Hufen 05:33 First, Let's talk about your Product. 09:24 The best advice regarding sales pages, product pages, pre-sale articles 11:25 How to set up your Ad account  14:23 Where to start with your Creatives 15:34 A few notes about Ad Copy 17:15 What to do when you launch your 32 Ads 18:23 Look at these metrics 22:25 In Summary

The excitement is palpable. The latest "What's Working Now" episode is here, and all the Meta Media Buyers are scrambling… Pepijn Hufen is back on the show with the must-know strategies and campaigns that are working best across their agency clients.  Whether you're serving E-Commerce clients or running Ads for your Info Business, this episode has a tactic or tip that you need to hear. You will hear how Pep and his team are shifting their campaigns to best serve their clients. You Will Learn: The Campaign Type that is DOMINATING right now Where to start your daily budget How do you run Creative Isolation to get more scale out of your account? Which creative types are working really well right now, And more "Creative isolation is something that we use in almost every single ad account -and highly recommend it." Pepijn Hufen LINKS More Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts Pepijn Hufen, on Twitter, https://twitter.com/ and Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/pep_hufen/ Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/ The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations, and we have you to thank for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) And/Or Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen.   TIME STAMPS 00:30 Let's Dive In: Campaign Types That Are Working Great Right Now 03:27 What's shifting with Creatives? 06:35 What's the best way to test Creatives? 07:26 Creative Types that are working well right now 09:38 A Note about Targeting 11:20 "Our job as marketers and entrepreneurs is not as much to say; what is the 100 percent accurate attribution model? No, it's our job to understand each attribution model's possibilities and limitations." Pepijn Hufen 12:30 What's working for Lead Generation? 13:30 In Summary  

Does your brand have a soul?  Molly Pittman talks with special guest Marshall Morris in this inspiring episode for Marketers and Entrepreneurs. Morris believes that Businesses have the power to solve most of the world's problems, and by the end of this episode, you will, too.  Morris is the Inc 500 Founder of Home Life Media, a portfolio of E-commerce and media brands that focus on people and their pets. They've donated over 1 million to veterans with PTSD and fed over 30 million shelter pets. Listen for how he launches all of his brands with "Passion Groups," how you can move toward more meaning and purpose as a marketer, and why you can be excited about AI's role in the world. You Will Learn: That whatever you're selling can be a tool for something greater The power of building your own communities and "passion groups." Tactical ways to wrap your purpose into the Identity of your company (and remain profitable) Why many brands fail in their attempts to have an impact  How do you identify what purposes you should align with? "If you are not willing to actually care about a group of people and how they feel and what they want, I honestly don't even believe that you deserve to be selling the product any longer." Molly Pittman LINKS Marshall Morris, https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshallsmorris/ More Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts Molly Pittman, https://mollypittman.com/ Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/ The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations and we have you to thank for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) And/Or Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen. TIME STAMPS 00:00 "We have a portfolio of companies, not because we go out and acquire them. But just because we find a product and service and we find a purpose. And those things sometimes just have a life of their own, and we just allow it to expand and run its race." Marshall Morris 02:33 "Marketing Can Be A Dirty Word" 09:07 Build Your Audience First 11:39 A Brand Has To Have a Soul 13:40 Three Phenomenal "Passion Groups" 20:12 Where most brands fail 22:56 Two Components To Giving Back (The Impact and The Story You Can Tell) 26:00 Products That Invoke Head and Heart Decisions 27:28 Should you structure your business as a non-profit? 33:55 "I'm most excited about AI because it creates a world where Creativity wins. It will win. If everyone can code and everyone can design - the creation of the IDEA will become the most valuable asset." Marshall Morris 34:33 How to identify what purposes you should align with.

The podcasting opportunity has indeed changed, but in this episode, you will hear why we believe Podcasting is still one of the best organic mediums for marketers and entrepreneurs (no matter what type of business you have).  Smart Marketer CEO (and veteran Podcaster) Molly Pittman talks with Darren Clarke (Executive Producer for HubSpot Original Podcasts) and Jessie Clarke (the producer of this show) about how far Podcasting has come and where it is going.  You'll hear about the impact of Podcasting on Molly's career (and how the medium continues to feed and grow their businesses), as well as the impact of AI, YouTube, and the value of Niche Podcasts. You Will Learn: The biggest reason to do a Podcast in 2024 How to fuel and improve your content distribution system How much should a Podcast be scripted? An episode planning tip that will remove 80% of the potential problems "Talking into the mic is probably 20 percent of what actually goes into making a really amazing show". Molly Pittman LINKS The Business Podcast Blueprint, https://smartmarketer.com/podcast-blueprint/ Connect With Darren and Jessie Clarke, https://www.clarkelane.com/ Molly Pittman, https://mollypittman.com/ More Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS  Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations, and we thank you for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) Also, please Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen. TIME STAMPS 00:00 "Once you have that subscriber and that person becomes a loyal listener - they will just keep coming back and coming back and coming back, and it's amazing - the idea that you can spend hours and hours with that person. And that's what happens if you have the right kind of podcast for the right kind of audience". Darren Clarke 04:01 Darren shares some back story (Perpetual Traffic) 06:58 Molly Introduces the Business Podcast Blueprint   11:38 Podcasting Is Perfect Source Material 16:08 Objectives, Goals, Strategies & Measures (Our new Business Planning Process)  18:04 "If you're considering starting a podcast, it's way more than just the benefits of the podcast. It can also feed your business's entire content or editorial system." Molly Pittman 20:14 Video First Podcasts 25:52 Don't underestimate the role of Chemistry 29:30 The Value of Niche Podcasts 30:17 "Thousands of people listen to our show every month. We don't have events that have thousands of people. I mean, that is substantial. So if you want to do this, do this now because the podcasting space is only getting more saturated every year". Molly Pittman

Do you believe your goals will happen? If you've listened to the last three episodes, this one may surprise you! Molly Pittman takes a step back and delivers an all-important #NotBusiness episode to round out the series.  The last growth Lever in our mini-series is likely the most important: Your Mindset. You'll hear five Questions you need to answer that will make you happier and increase your Success as a Marketer or Entrepreneur. You Will Learn, How to set goals that create Success as opposed to goals that create hustle and strife Practical ways to keep the big picture in focus Why you need to stay in tune with the people you work with (and the people you serve). One of the most significant blows to a business (that happens time and time again) And More! "Whether you're a business owner or work in marketing, it doesn't matter. We all want to feel fulfilled. We all want to feel happy. We all want to ensure that our time on earth is spent in the best way possible. And I think, especially in America, there can be a misguided idea of what Success is." Molly Pittman Episode 183: LEVER 1, Your Offer System Episode 184: LEVER 2, Your Traffic System Episode 185: LEVER 3, Your Monetization Plan Episode 186: LEVER 4, Your Mindset.   LINKS Train My Traffic Person, https://smartmarketer.com/train-my-traffic-person/. More Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts Molly Pittman, https://mollypittman.com/ Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/ The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/   TIME STAMPS 05:35 Question #1: Do you believe your goals will actually happen? 08:22 Question #2: Are You Keeping The Big Picture In Focus At All Times? 10:30 Question #3: Are You Protecting Your Energy? 13:40 Question #4: Are You Staying Connected To Your People? 18:00 Question #5: What Do You Need to Do to Stay in Balance?   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations, and we have you to thank for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen.

Do you need help building a promotional calendar? What's Your Monetization Plan?  If you've listened to Episodes 183 and 184, you've been learning about the Acquisition plays you can employ to grow your business online in 2024. Today, in part 3 of this Webinar series, Molly Pittman shifts gears to talk about Monetization! You'll hear how to run promotions that make sure that you're generating more revenue from the people you have paid to bring into your ecosystem. In the same style as Parts 1 and 2, Molly gives examples of E-Comm and Non-Ecomm businesses at different stages of the growth journey. You Will Learn, How to develop a promotional calendar that will unlock business growth in 2024 Three Types Of Broadcast Campaigns (and why you must switch them up). A key to keeping your Email List Healthy And More! "What's really important for promotions is that there is an obvious opening, and then there is a clear closing when it ends. Even if this is an excitement promotion, scarcity (something that is going away) is what is going to drive action. And usually, about 50% of your sales or activity happens in those last couple of days as people respond to that scarcity'. Molly Pittman Make sure you hit "Follow" to get the final session. Episode 183: LEVER 1, Your Offer System Episode 184: LEVER 2, Your Traffic System Episode 185: LEVER 3, Your Monetization Plan Episode 186: LEVER 4, Your Mindset.   LINKS Train My Traffic Person, https://smartmarketer.com/train-my-traffic-person/. More Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts Molly Pittman, https://mollypittman.com/ Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/ The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/   TIME STAMPS 00:00 Molly sets the stage 02:37 Let's Dive Into The Playbook: Growth Lever 3 03:41 Three Types Of Broadcast Campaigns 09:40 A Sample Promo Planning Checklist 10:41 Planning Your Promotional Calendar 13:06 If you're just getting started…(Level 1, E-Comm Business) 16:34 Level 1, Non-E-Comm Business 17:57 Level 2 And Level 3 Promotion Planning 20:51 Segmentation Is Key (As You Start To Scale)   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations, and we have you to thank for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen.

What does every marketer and entrepreneur need in order to have success in digital business? The CEO of Smart Marketer, Molly Pittman, recently sat down and dove deep into this question and wrote our most popular webinar to date, The Business Growth Playbook for 2024.  If you haven't already listened to Episode 183, start there. We shared audio of Molly teaching the first of four growth levers: Optimize Your Offer System. Today follows on from that session, and now it's time to focus on the flow of traffic through your offer system. Molly shares 12 different "plays" for you to choose from. "Offers are what people consume. It's what they say yes or no to. Traffic is how they get there". Molly Pittman.  Today, You Will Learn, How to move people from one offer to the next (almost like an assembly line) How to measure the success of each step so that you can do effective Optimization work Why you need to assign every step a Primary Goal And More! Make sure you hit the follow button because the whole playbook will be dropped here over the next two weeks.  Episode 183: LEVER 1, Your Offer System Episode 184: LEVER 2, Your Traffic System Episode 185: LEVER 3, Your Monetization Plan Episode 186: LEVER 4, Your Mindset. LINKS Train My Traffic Person, https://smartmarketer.com/train-my-traffic-person/. More Episodes and Resources, https://smartmarketer.com/blog/?cat=podcasts Molly Pittman, https://mollypittman.com/ Smart Marketer Courses, https://smartmarketer.com/courses/ The Smart Marketer Agency, https://smartmarketeragency.com/ TIME STAMPS 00:00 "It's not the sexiest thing we could have given you. It's not the thing that would make our market go wild, but it's what people need, right? It is, in the chocolate-covered carrot analogy, the carrot. Right? The chocolate is the Ad stuff that everyone thinks they need to figure out (and they do). But the carrot is the actual offer flow. It's the traffic flow. It's the big-picture strategy. And then the tactics". Molly Pittman 03:36 Let's Dive Into The Playbook: Growth Lever 2 04:17 A Guide To Your Paid Traffic Budget 05:30 "To do optimization work, you have to set specific goals for each step, or you're going to get lost on which part is working and which part is not working." Molly Pittman  12:50 What could a Level 1, Non-E-Comm Evergreen traffic system look like?  18:11 What could a Level 2 Traffic System Look Like for a Non-E-Comm business? 21:43 Level 2, E-Comm 24:15 Level 3, Non E-Comm 26:24 The Bought X But Not Y Campaign 30:12 Last But Not least: Level 3, E-Comm.   YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS Thank you to our listeners for the 5-Star Reviews and meaningful messages! This podcast has surpassed our expectations, and we have you to thank for that! If you're enjoying the show, please be sure to follow us (and leave us a review) on Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-smart-marketer-podcast/id1522629407) Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts! Please also share these episodes on social media and tag us on your next post #WeOutHere Instagram: @SmartMarketerIG, @mollypittmandigital, @johngrimmshawdigital, @pep_hufen.