Helping Stakeholders Help Themselves

Bill Shander is a data communication expert, renowned information designer, and founder of Beehive Media. With over 25 years of experience working with top-tier organizations like the United Nations, World Bank, and Deloitte, Bill helps professionals transform complex data into clear, compelling narratives. In this episode, he unpacks his latest book, *Stakeholder Whispering: Uncover What People Need Before Doing What They Ask*, sharing powerful insights on how to lead with questions, not just actions. If you want to elevate your communication skills, build trust faster, and stop being just an “order taker,” this conversation is a must-listen. 00:00 Introduction 01:38 What is a Data Communications Expert? 02:36 What Inspired Stakeholder Whispering 05:02 Doing What's Asked Versus What's Needed 08:20 Listen with your Ears, Not Your Brain 09:25 Silence is Golden 11:35 Common Mistakes in Stakeholder Whispering 15:08 Receptive vs Unreceptive Stakeholders 16:16 Is This a Leadership Book? 17:42 Remote and Hybrid Work 19:33 Real World Success Stories

Manick Bhan is the founder and CTO of Search Atlas, a cutting-edge SEO and content marketing platform powering over 20,000 websites and 5,000 agencies. A serial entrepreneur and respected thought leader in the SEO industry, Manick previously founded RankPay and has spent over a decade pushing the boundaries of search technology. In this episode, he joins John Jantsch to break down the future of SEO, the disruptive impact of AI and LLMs like ChatGPT, and how marketers can evolve beyond outdated strategies. Listeners will gain actionable insights into building high-converting content, mastering SEO automation, and future-proofing their digital marketing efforts. 00:00 Opening 01:03 Introducing Manick Bhan 01:32 Why Was Search Atlas Created? 03:53 Is SEO Dead? 06:12 Why is Conversion Higher From AI Search Than Google?:07:32 RIsk vs Opportunity with AI Search 09:12 Optimizing Content for Competitive Search 42 How Should Marketers Think about AI Today? 14:28 Quality vs Quanity 17:42 Rented vs Owned Spaces 20:09 Lessons Learned from a Founder Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

Alex Goldfayn is a three-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author and one of the world’s most sought-after sales speakers. He’s the CEO of The Revenue Growth Consultancy, helping B2B companies generate millions in organic sales growth every year. In this episode, Alex reveals how to Outgrow your competition by transforming reactive teams into proactive market leaders. Tune in to discover simple, powerful actions to win more business, build lasting customer trust, and outsell even in tough times. Today we discussed: 00:00 Introducing Alex Goldfayn 00:50 Transforming From Reactive to Proactive 02:56 Being Proactive Is a Necessity 04:46 Avoiding Rejection 06:28 Showing Up When Nothing is Wrong 07:45 The COPE Methodoligy 09:03 People Just Want to Be Helped 11:16 Swinging the Bat 15:54 Reminding the Customer 16:35 How Can Non-Sales Employees Be Proactive 18:20 How To Integrate a Proactive Mindset Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

We are diving into the future of marketing in 2025 with Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing. Together, we discuss how AI is reshaping the marketing landscape and why blending cutting-edge technology with timeless human elements, like emotional intelligence and storytelling, is key to staying ahead. John shares actionable insights on hyper-personalization, defining your brand voice, and building trust in a world of automation. Learn how to adapt, thrive, and create authentic connections in an AI-driven world! Today we discussed: [00:00] Opening [01:15] AI vs Previous Tech Excitement [03:25] Approaching AI Strategically [05:02] Adopting the Right Mindset Around AI [10:47] The Human Element Stands Out [13:04] Importance of Storytelling for Your Brand [13:49] AI's Impact on Marketing [16:08] The Future of Personalization [18:55] Marketing Focus for 2025 Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

Dan Sanchez is an AI marketing strategist, consultant, and creator of the AI-Driven Marketer podcast. He’s a leading voice in the intersection of artificial intelligence and marketing strategy, helping businesses harness AI for content creation, automation, and growth. In this episode, Dan shares how marketers can think strategically about AI tools like ChatGPT—using them not just to automate tasks, but to enhance problem-solving, productivity, and creative strategy. Tune in to learn how to cut through the noise, avoid overwhelm, and make AI your most valuable co-pilot in the ever-evolving world of marketing. Today we discussed: 00:00 Opening 00:09 Introducing Dan Sanchez 01:57 Approaching AI Strategically 04:04 Creating New Things with AI 06:36 Evolution of AI Prompting 08:50 Humans Changing Role in Marketing 11:38 Developing Skills vs Delegating Tasks 13:51 AI Agents Affect on Marketing 17:50 Advice on Using Deep Research More About Dan Sanchez: Check out Dan Sanchez's Website: https://danchez.com Connect with Dan Sanchez on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/digitalmarketingdan/ Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

Andy Crestodina is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Orbit Media Studios and a leading authority on digital marketing, content strategy, and SEO. With two decades of hands-on experience and author of Content Chemistry, Andy joins John Jantsch to explore how AI is transforming content creation, analytics, and marketing strategy. They dive deep into using AI for genuine performance gains, not just efficiency, and share practical insights to help marketers stay ahead. Tune in to discover how to leverage AI without sacrificing quality — and why building real human connections still matters most. Today we discussed: 00:00 Opening 00:09 Introducing Andy Crestonida 01:03 What is AI's Impact on Marketers in 2025 03:26 Making More Time for Relationships 04:59 The State of AI in UX 08:29 AI's Impact on Content Creation 10:09 Is Keyword Ranking Important in 2025? 11:14 There's More to Content Than Search 14:00 Important Metrics for Insightful Data 15:54 How AI Can Help with Analyzing Metrics 17:36 Tuning out Noise 18:46 How AI Can Help with Leads Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

Blair Enns is a globally recognized thought leader in creative agency sales and the founder of Win Without Pitching, a revolutionary approach that empowers agencies to lead client engagements without giving away free work. He is the author of bestselling books including Pricing Creativity and his latest, The Four Conversations. In this episode, Blair breaks down his powerful new framework for selling expertise—moving from pitching and price haggling to confidently leading sales conversations. Listeners will learn how to increase closing ratios, price based on value, and shift from being seen as a vendor to a trusted advisor. Today we discussed: 00:00 Opening 00:53 The Cost of Letting the Client Run the Show 04:36 What are the Four Conversations? 06:58 Show Your Expertise without Giving it Away 08:34 Avoid Evaluating the Client 10:08 Power Dynamics of the Sale 12:56 The Value Conversation 16:18 Working Around Client Budget 18:20 Price the Client, Not the Service 19:53 Moving From Vendor to Trusted Advisor Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

Jon Mest is the founder of JustReachOut.io, a cutting-edge PR software platform, and ChatRank.ai, a breakthrough tool for AI-driven SEO. With over a decade of experience helping entrepreneurs and businesses land powerful media coverage, Jon shares his insights on how AI is transforming PR and search strategies. In this episode, he reveals how to build authentic media pitches, win attention in AI-powered search overviews, and why hyper-specific storytelling is the new secret to visibility. Tune in to learn how to future-proof your SEO and PR efforts in the evolving world of digital marketing. Today we discussed: 00:00 Opening 00:45 How Has AI Changed the Way You Should Approach PR 02:31 Why PR is Rebounding 04:56 Relationship Between PR and the New SEO 06:55 How to Impact AIO 11:11 What Mistakes Do People Make when Pitching Media 14:32 How Important are Compelling Hooks 16:04 The Importance of Social Proof 17:40 Amplifying Your Current Press Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: https://dtm.world/freeprompts

As a small business owner, you're constantly wearing different hats, from CEO to salesperson to project manager – but what's the secret to juggling it all without burning out? In this insightful episode, John explores the seven critical roles every entrepreneur needs to master, offering actionable advice for delegating, automating, and optimizing your business operations. His practical strategies will help marketing consultants, agency owners, and small business leaders shift from being trapped in day-to-day tasks to focusing on meaningful growth, ultimately creating a business that serves you rather than consuming you. Today we discussed: [00:00] Opening [00:26] Juggling Multiple Roles [04:38] The CEO Role [05:37] The Sales Person Role [07:09] The Strategist Role [08:46] The Project Manager Role [09:49] The Marketing Role [12:59] The Client Manager Role [13:56] The 4-Prong Approach Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today! 👉 Get Your Free Prompts: ⁠https://dtm.world/freeprompts

In this solo episode, John unpacks why traditional SEO is no longer enough and how businesses must shift toward search visibility in the age of AI. He explores the impact of zero click searches, E-E-A-T, and AI overviews, and shares actionable strategies to stay visible across Google and beyond.