Tony Guarnaccia, Head of Growth, Castocity Tony Guarnaccia discusses the growing popularity of podcasts and their potential for brand marketing. He explains how podcasting has gained momentum, and how it presents an opportunity for brands to differentiate themselves in an oversaturated and fragmented marketing landscape. He emphasizes the importance of content creation and leveraging podcasts to build influence. Tony highlights successful brand podcasting examples like HubSpot, which has built a network of podcasts to demonstrate thought leadership and engage their target audience. He share’s his “4 P’s” formula for success and suggests that agencies can start by helping executives become guests on relevant podcasts, which can then lead to launching their own branded shows. He introduces his upcoming book series that provides insights for both podcast hosts and guests, offering strategies for maximizing the impact and revenue potential of podcasting.

Ross McDaniel, Founder of Fencepost Ross McDaniel, a seasoned expert in the home services industry, talks about the highly effective Local Growth Formula. Ross explains how this formula, consisting of four key ingredients, can be applied not only to the home services industry but also to any local business and national brands with a local presence. The formula emphasizes the importance of visibility, competency, social proof, and referrals in driving local business growth. Ross highlights the significance of personal touch, consumer behavior, and lead quality in the formula's implementation. He shares valuable insights on how agencies can add value by improving business operations and offering measurable results.

Joey Lowry, Digital Marketing Specialist at Media Shark  In this episode of Simpli.fi TV, David and Joey discuss the world of programmatic advertising and CTV. They dive into the dos and don'ts of working with advertisers using these strategies, emphasizing the importance of not assuming expertise and the critical role of creative artwork. Joey shares success stories of clients who have achieved remarkable results through programmatic advertising, showcasing increased landing page submissions and e-commerce rates. He also discusses the mistakes to avoid and highlights the significance of blending programmatic with other tactics like SEO, paid search, and social media.

Samantha Bedford, Founder and CEO of Pico Digital Marketing Samantha Bedford revolves discusses the impact of AI on marketing agencies in 2023. She emphasizes the need for agencies to be ready and adaptive to AI technology. She also discusses using AI to improve time management and enhance strategic focus. One challenge highlighted is the existence of silos within agencies, which can hinder collaboration. Samantha also emphasizes the importance of tracking and analyzing the customer journey for successful AI-driven campaigns. Boutique agencies are praised for their passion and client dedication.

Natalie Guzman, CEO and Co-Founder of Nadora.org Natalie Guzman shares her inspiring story of building a successful business while working from home with two young children. She discusses how becoming a virtual assistant allowed her to have flexibility, choose her clients, and create her own schedule. Natalie emphasizes the importance of routines and establishing clear communication channels both within her business and with her family. She offers insights into training virtual assistants effectively through detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs), combined with video and audio recordings to cater to different learning styles. Natalie also highlights the capabilities of her virtual assistant agency in supporting marketing agencies worldwide and addresses common concerns and misconceptions about working with virtual assistants.

Drew Stein, founder and CEO of Audigent In this dynamic Simpli.fi TV interview, Drew Stein from Audigent and David McBee from Simpli.fi discuss the innovative concept of data curation. They explore how data curation packages data and inventory into pre-packaged deal IDs or private marketplaces, offering real-time data and optimization. They highlight its significance in the cookieless future, providing privacy-safe and consumer-friendly solutions. The partnership presents exclusive contextual deals and over a thousand private marketplace deals across various verticals, driving performance and efficiency for brands and media agencies. Overall, the interview showcases the power of data curation to revolutionize AdTech, shaping more effective and privacy-conscious marketing strategies.

Mark Savant, Owner of Mark Savant Media Mark Savant is an advocate for the impact of podcasting on branding. He emphasizes the significance of establishing an online presence in today's digital landscape, where podcasting serves as a powerful tool for businesses and brands to differentiate themselves. He speaks to the value of consistent content creation, ranging from short clips to longer conversations, and how podcasting helps brands stay relevant and engage with their audience. Mark also shares insights on emerging trends, the importance of networking, and how podcasts can generate new leads and sales. Additionally, he highlights the importance of challenging commonly held beliefs and creating moments of tension to captivate listeners. For those new to podcasting, Mark suggests seeking assistance or guidance from experienced professionals while emphasizing the simplicity of starting a podcast with the right systems in place.

Sandy Dedeian, Founder and CEO of Rectified Inc. In this episode, Sandy Dedeian emphasizes the critical error made by D2C brands when they rely on short-term hacks and tactics for immediate gains instead of building a strong foundation for long-term growth. She shares cautionary tales of brands going viral on platforms like TikTok, only to struggle with inventory shortages and logistical challenges.

Barrett Matthews, Founder of Media Boss Pro Join host David McBee as he interviews media expert Barrett Matthews, who highlights podcasting as a game-changer, allowing individuals to easily start their own shows and reach a wide audience. He emphasizes that businesses can benefit from corporate podcasts to educate and engage their target market, citing research showing podcast listeners' affinity for business-oriented content. Matthews also recommends other multi-media strategies, such as Roku television, YouTube, e-books, audiobooks, newsletters, print media, and corporate documentaries, to effectively reach different segments of the audience. 

Gordon Firemark, CEO of Firemark Enterprises In this Simpli.fi TV interview, “The Podcast Attorney™” Gordon Firemark discusses the intersection of media law and advertising. Firemark explains that media and entertainment law are closely tied to advertising and intellectual property, including deals, contracts, compliance with regulations, and privacy concerns. McBee highlights the relevance of artificial intelligence (AI) in advertising and its legal implications. Firemark emphasizes the need to consider intellectual property issues when using AI-generated content, as it may incorporate copyrighted material without proper consent. He also raises concerns about the ownership of AI-generated work and the potential lack of recourse for agencies if their creations are used without permission. Firemark predicts a surge in legal battles surrounding AI, including questions about the extent of AI's protection under copyright law, biases in AI technology, labor disputes, and consumer protection concerns. 

Tyler Horsley, Founder and CEO of Nuclear Networking In this interview, Tyler Horsley talks about helping clients create a unique identity for their advertising campaigns. He emphasizes the importance of differentiating oneself from competitors by going beyond secondary qualifiers like ratings and years in business. Instead, Horsley encourages clients to delve into the core DNA of their company, uncovering their true differentiators and the passion behind their founders. Once these benchmarks are established, he helps them craft a clear and concise message that communicates value and drives action. Horsley also discusses the importance of targeted advertising, creating hyper-controlled environments, and utilizing platforms like SEO, direct-to-consumer advertising, paid ads, and OTT (over the top streaming television).

Katie Brinkley, Founder Next Step Social Communications David McBee interviews Katie Brinkley, a social media expert, who expresses her strong belief in organic social media, emphasizing the importance of pushing out content in the right way to reach the right audience and build awareness. She acknowledges that paid social can be effective for clients who are less engaged or reluctant to appear on camera. She suggests using paid social to create awareness by showcasing what makes the business unique and leading potential customers through a customer journey. Katie emphasizes the need to be social on social media, connecting with people and building relationships. She advises agencies to hire individuals with specialized skills and allow them to embrace their strengths. Katie also emphasizes the importance of finding a unique selling proposition to stand out from competitors and tailor services to specific industries or niches.

Armando Yanez, President of Primary Lens Armando Yanez, an expert in using data for marketing campaigns, explains the importance of data in targeting the right audience. He shares examples of campaigns where data-driven approaches led to increased conversions. Armando discusses the use of geo framing to retarget individuals exposed to billboards and emphasizes aligning conversion metrics with actual store sales. Armando also emphasizes the need to align conversion metrics with actual store sales to accurately measure campaign effectiveness, stating that a comprehensive view of all relevant data elements can prove campaign effectiveness.

Patrick Smith, Founder and Creative Director, C2 Creative Studio Ann Kraus and Patrick Smith discuss the significance of out-of-the-box thinking and branding strategies. Patrick emphasizes the importance of breaking the rules and shares the example of a water brand that disrupted the industry. They also explore why some organizations focus on specific products rather than the overall brand, and the benefits of investing in branding for smaller B2B businesses. Patrick suggests allocating around 5% of the budget for B2B brands and up to 10% for B2C brands. The conversation highlights the value of innovative approaches, strong brand image, and the long-term benefits of branding.

Kara Rozek, VP of Media at SPM Marketing In this conversation, David McBee interviews Kara Rozek, a healthcare marketing specialist. They discuss the benefits of specializing in a single industry like healthcare, highlighting the ability to understand common challenges and provide tailored solutions. Kara mentions the importance of using digital tactics such as search, programmatic advertising, and Connected TV to reach healthcare audiences effectively. She also addresses privacy concerns, emphasizing the need to comply with regulations and protect consumer data. Kara concludes by advising marketers to stay informed and adapt to the ever-changing media and marketing landscape.

Augie Johnston, CEO of Vidchops In this conversation between David McBee and Augie Johnston, they discuss the importance of video advertising strategies in 2023. Augie emphasizes the ease and affordability of creating videos with today’s technology, making it a powerful tool for growing businesses. He advocates for online video advertising, including pre-roll videos and user-generated content (UGC), which he believes to be highly effective and cost-efficient. Augie mentions that UGC ads, created by customers using their smartphones, tend to have higher conversion rates. He also introduces Vidchops, a video editing service that helps businesses produce and edit professional-looking videos without the need for a large production crew. Augie shares insights into the types of videos Vidchops edits, such as vertical videos for platforms like TikTok and YouTube, as well as horizontal videos for longer content. He concludes by expressing his passion for the video industry and mentioning his own podcast, The Video Creator Podcast, for further inspiration.

Rich Brooks, Founder and President of Flyte New Media In this conversation, David McBee interviews Rich Brooks about his formula for uncovering remarkability in marketing. The formula, called the Remarkability Formula, consists of four lenses: Find, Focus, Forge, and Frame. By applying these lenses, businesses can identify unique qualities that set them apart from the competition and build strong barriers to entry. Rich provides examples, such as a painting company that completed a job in record time with a large team, and Red Bull’s successful repositioning as an energy drink. The Focus lens emphasizes the importance of narrowing down and specializing in a specific market or service to become an expert and attract the right customers. Lastly, the Forge lens encourages businesses to create something outside their core offering, like hosting a conference, to differentiate themselves and establish a competitive edge. Throughout the discussion, Rich emphasizes the need to understand remarkability from the customer’s perspective.

Frank Neill, Founder of FN Digital Marketing Frank Neill, a marketing expert with a background in radio and digital marketing, specializes in inspiring action. In this episode of Simpli.fi TV, Frank talks about the power of storytelling and crafting messages that resonate with consumers. By understanding their desires and motivations, marketers can create effective campaigns across various channels. Frank talks about his data-driven approach, validating hypotheses and uncovering valuable insights. Through A/B testing and optimization, he maximizes campaign impact. Inspired by thought leaders like Malcolm Gladwell and Rick Rubin, Frank’s expertise goes beyond marketing tactics.

Jason Barnard, CEO and founder at Kalicube Discover the power of Brand SERP (Search Engine Results Page) in this engaging interview on Simpli.fi TV featuring Jason Barnard, the renowned expert in this field. Jason explains how a well-crafted brand SERP can positively impact your digital marketing strategy by influencing potential customers’ perception of your brand. He emphasizes the importance of a positive and convincing brand SERP that showcases your brand’s credibility. Jason also highlights the significance of the knowledge panel, which represents Google’s understanding of your brand and plays a crucial role in establishing trust. By aligning your brand SERP, organic SEO, and knowledge panel, you can enhance your brand’s visibility and reputation. Don’t miss this insightful discussion with Jason Barnard, the go-to authority on all things brand SERP.

Brittney Garcia-Dumas, owner of BGD Digital Marketing Brittney Garcia-Dumas discusses the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in marketing campaigns. She emphasizes that reflecting the diverse demographics of the consumer base is essential for long-lasting brands. Her company prioritizes DEI strategies by listening to clients and aligning campaigns with their values. Brittney shares a successful DEI campaign example for a Black-owned restaurant in Memphis. She challenges the assumption that diversity is unnecessary based on target markets, emphasizing the statistical improbability of a homogeneous consumer base.

Charity Huff, CEO of January Spring Our guest today is Charity Huff, CEO of January Spring, a digital marketing and advertising agency that works exclusively with niche publishers. Charity has designed and delivered multimedia sales programs working alongside 5,000-plus sales professionals from the media and tech industries over her 25-year career. She and her team have built a proven model of third-party vendor offerings to include offsite digital using a combination of geofencing, device targeting, household targeting, paid social and search marketing. Charity sits on the board of several privately held companies, including Questor, previously known as Swift Communications. Charity, thanks for joining us on Simpli.fi TV.

Kyle Duford, President and Executive Director of Creative at The Brand Leader In this episode, Kyle Duford emphasizes the importance of the creative portion of digital campaigns and how it conveys the message of a brand. He shares that creative is the message itself and the visual expression of it, whether it’s in words, campaigns, or sales messages. Kyle also provides best practices for creatives and highlights the importance of investing in experienced professionals rather than relying on cheap or inexperienced services. Kyle discourages using platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or AI to create campaigns, but does share some clever ways that his agency has leveraged artificial intelligence to be more productive.

Josh Richardson, Owner/Partner at Influence Digital Agency In this interview with Josh Richardson, a marketing veteran with over 25 years of expertise, Josh emphasizes the importance of building campaigns specific to each client’s needs rather than creating generic campaigns. He gives an example of a recent campaign he designed for the Camping Carolinas Association (CARVC), in which he utilized lookback technology, addressable geo-fencing and keyword search retargeting. Josh also discusses the benefits of combining programmatic and search engine marketing to increase direct traffic and brand searches. The interview provides insights on the importance of tailored marketing campaigns and the value of a holistic approach to digital marketing.

Adam Mark, Area Manager at 2060 Digital David McBee and Adam Mark speak on the topic of combining search engine marketing (SEM) and programmatic media in digital marketing. The conversation highlights the importance of map rankings for local and regional businesses and how SEM and programmatic media can be used together to improve a client’s campaign. Adam discusses how paid search is a valuable tactic but is not a strategy, and therefore programmatic is typically added to provide more visibility and reach for the client. They also discuss how programmatic and SEM have different roles to play in different industries and how programmatic can help increase direct search for clients.

Shannon Kinney, Founder of Dream Local Digital In this conversation, David McBee of Simpli.fi TV interviews Shannon Kinney, the founder of Dream Local Digital, about the changes and trends in digital marketing, particularly in social media. Kinney shares that they have evolved from providing social media services to coaching clients on how to be part of the process and improve their engagement rates. They have also seen a growth in demand for a full-service solution, including lead generation and SEO. Kinney’s advice for agency leaders is to meet their clients where they are and provide coaching to help them achieve their goals while also accounting for the cost of quality customer service. Dream Local Digital has helped over 65,000 small and medium-sized businesses and media companies through their services.

Erin Strong, Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing, BrandMuscle In this episode of Simpli.fi TV, David McBee interviews Erin Strong, the Senior Vice President of Strategic Marketing at BrandMuscle, who has worked with brands such as BMW, Toyota, T-Mobile, Verizon, and many others. They discuss the top tactics utilized in 2022 by local marketers, including social media posting and engagement, email marketing, and paid social advertising. They also talk about the perception of what’s effective and the investment of time and money in in-person marketing tactics versus digital marketing tactics. The discussion provides valuable insights for businesses looking to make the most out of their marketing budget.

Stephon Jacob, Strategic Planner at The Martin Agency Stephon Jacob, a strategist at the Martin Agency, discusses various aspects of advertising and marketing. Jacob is a graduate of VCU Brandcenter, the top master’s program for advertising and branding in the US. He works on campaigns for clients such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Virginia Tourism, and Santander Bank. According to Jacob, social media is the biggest opportunity in 2023, and he believes it is still slept on. He also discusses the importance of creating interesting ads and using AI to help with content creation. In addition, he stresses the need for businesses to focus on their audience when creating ads and campaigns rather than their internal teams. Overall, Jacob’s insights provide a fresh perspective on effective advertising strategies that businesses can use to improve their results.

Anthony Clarke, Founder of ACC Unlimited In this interview with Anthony Clarke, founder of ACC Unlimited, a marketing and creative agency, David and Anthony discuss the hospitality and restaurant industry, with Clarke giving insights on why restaurants fail and how marketing can be used to help them succeed. Clarke cites lack of marketing and a poor location as the top reasons for restaurant failure. He emphasizes the importance of understanding what makes each restaurant unique and customizing marketing strategies to suit the individual needs of each business. Clarke recommends using social media to promote restaurants and taking advantage of the fact that food and cooking are popular topics on the internet. He also suggests that content production is crucial and that producing videos and photographs of food is a way to engage audiences and increase reach.

Marcie Cerillo, BrandBlaster Manager – Media Buying Team at Treehouse Marketing Ann Kraus interviews Marcie Cerillo, a brand awareness marketing professional from Treehouse Marketing. Cerillo works as the BrandBlaster manager for the media buying team, using out-of-home, traditional broadcast, social and programmatic marketing techniques for their clients who work in the area of home contracting. She has over 20 years of experience assisting small to medium clients with their marketing needs. Cerillo discusses her favorite marketing techniques, which include programmatic advertising and the obstacles of marketing for small and medium businesses, such as limited budgets. She also describes Treehouse Marketing’s unique office space, which features cubicles set up in miniature treehouses, and the challenges of managing a growing team.

Justin Croxton, CEO of Propellant Media David McBee interviews Justin Croxton, the CEO of Propellant Media, a digital advertising technology company. Justin shares his passion for marketing and provides tips on how to make it fun. He also gives advice on how to win larger clients by becoming a strategic partner and having conversations beyond programmatic advertising. Additionally, Justin talks about his experience with pitch competitions and how Propellant Media won a competition organized by The Minority Supplier Development Council, which led to the cultivation of relationships with larger brands like Coca-Cola.

Sierra Walker, Media Director at The Karma Group David McBee interviews Sierra Walker, Media Director at The Karma Group, who discusses the importance of media strategy in industries where human encounters and interactions are critical. These industries, such as healthcare and financial services, require a long-term relationship with their customers and a strong sense of trust. Sierra explains how creative storytelling and understanding customer pain points are crucial in persuading customers to make a change. The Karma Group emphasizes honesty in messaging and works with clients to make sure they deliver on their promises. Sierra also discusses being a woman in the media industry and advises other women to seek out companies that align with their values and to not be afraid to speak up and make their voices heard. The Karma Group, a woman-owned agency with 90% female employees, provides a unique and supportive work environment for Sierra.

 Michael Martoccia, Vice President of APG Digital and High Road Digital Agency David McBee hosts Michael Martoccia, who is responsible for revenue growth, digital audience development, and solutions, partnerships across 125+ brands and markets in 15 states. The conversation covers Michael’s experience of building successful digital sales and advertising teams, revenue growth, and audience development across media group markets of all sizes. Michael advises companies to start creating their own full-service digital agency team internally by finding some folks outside of the company who bring a different mindset and recruiting them. He also discusses his company’s experience of equipping their people in all markets with a digital onboarding program and an agency team that can quickly pull the trigger for any size of business in any state. The agency team has worked with a national Kubota campaign that’s well above six figures in spend and a naval airtime museum in Wyoming with $50,000 in statewide grant money.

Matt Brandenburg, CEO of Brandendo, A Clutch Solutions Company Brandenburg talks about how Clutch Solutions, an Indigenous-owned and recognized MBE (Minority Business Enterprise), has been successful in offering marketing solutions to different tribes and other larger businesses while Brandendo provides the marketing fulfillment. Brandenburg attributes his success to being okay with failing and choosing to have a positive mental attitude every day. He emphasizes the need to focus on making money instead of past failures.

Lasana Smith, Founder GAROI Media Lasana Smith, founder of GAROI Media, discusses how her full-service advertising agency focuses on delivering a positive return on investment for its clients, whether it be financial or through traffic or awareness. The company’s secret sauce is research and data-driven strategies that are unique and not intuitive. GAROI Media specializes in multicultural audiences and understands that the Hispanic and Black diaspora are not monoliths, so they break down into subgroups with different dialects and cultures. The agency’s targeting and creative strategies aim to be as granular as possible to reach the right audiences effectively.

Jason Holmes, Founder and CEO of Thrivefuel David interviews Jason Holmes, the founder and CEO of ThriveFuel, a marketing agency specializing in targeted digital advertising. Holmes discusses how the shift to streaming television and video has disrupted the traditional broadcast model and has allowed smaller businesses to afford video advertising, which was not possible before. With the ability to target specific markets and locations, clients have seen an increase in orders and engagement. Streaming TV also allows for more local ads to be shown, leading to a better viewer experience, and small businesses are finding success in this space, leading to a migration from traditional broadcast to streaming TV.

Ryan Sheehy, Director of Digital Training & Strategy at Townsquare Media Ryan Sheehy talks about the role of traditional advertising in a digital world and the importance of building brand equity and trustworthiness through traditional media platforms such as TV and radio. He emphasizes that having a diversified media plan is crucial for creating a strong consumer journey and achieving a return on investment. Sheehy also suggests that a mix of linear and streaming TV is complementary to one another and can be more impactful if one can afford to do it.

James Pacovsky, Advertising Director LOCALiQ James Pacovsky specializes in digital advertising and works with small, medium, national, and international businesses in the home services industry, such as HVAC, plumbing, solar panel installation, and self-storage facilities. He discusses how he finds clients through trade shows and Google mining, and uses tactics such as email marketing, display advertising, targeted display advertising, and social media to build brand awareness and generate leads. Pacovsky emphasizes that his focus is on efficiency, and his goal is to help businesses achieve their growth ambitions while proving a high return on investment.

Matthew Kilmurry, CEO & Founder of Intrinsic Digital In this interview, David McBee speaks with Matthew Kilmurry, the founder and CEO of Intrinsic Digital, a company that works with over 1,000 apartment, hotel and restaurant locations nationwide, providing a specific geo-fencing approach for each location that helped grow Intrinsic Digital from $900,000 in revenue to over $6.5 million. Matthew’s strategy involves neighborhood-level targeting and custom creative strategies that help his clients find and target where their customers live, work and play in their neighborhoods. Additionally, Matthew shares how he leverages reporting that proves the value of campaigns and keeps his customers coming back.

David Goode, Digital Director at Asher Agency David Goode, a digital marketing professional with 28 years of experience, talks about his work in media, specifically focusing on digital and marketing strategy, lead generation, customer journeys, analytics, social media strategy, website user experience, and SEO strategy. He emphasizes the importance of creating custom strategies for each business, based on understanding the target audience and finding a solution that will drive results. Goode also discusses competitive conquesting, which involves using digital marketing campaigns to target competitor locations and steal market share. Lastly, he mentions the challenges of data attribution in marketing and the need for adapting to changes in privacy regulation and tracking methods.

Josh Eliseuson, Founder & President of Jubilant Digital Marketing Josh talks about his agency’s theme: “the humble hustle” and how important it is to take care of clients. He also describes the loss of control that has happened to Search Engine Marketing over the years and how his team has learned to become stewards of Artificial Intelligence to best serve their clients.