More Than A Few Words

Reddit: once the quirky cousin of the internet, now a front-row player in the SEO and LLM (large language model) game. If your carefully crafted blog posts are suddenly being outranked by Reddit threads, you’re not alone. That’s exactly what sparked this week’s conversation with Danny Kirk—musician-turned-marketer and the founder of Reddit Reach. Lorraine sits down with Danny to ask the question on every marketer’s mind: Are we ready for Reddit? Together, they explore why Reddit is suddenly everywhere, how it’s being used to train AI tools like ChatGPT, and what marketers can do to adapt and thrive in this new digital landscape. Key Points Reddit is no longer niche. It’s showing up in Google’s top search results and training AI models—which means it can’t be ignored. Reddit’s ad platform is cheap and underutilized, making it a hidden gem for budget-conscious marketers. Subreddits are their own little countries. Each one has different rules, moderators, and expectations. If you want in, learn the local c

Recruiter, podcaster, and process evangelist Darren Saul returns to More Than a Few Words to unpack a painfully relatable story: the one that got away. After weeks of work, multiple interviews, and a seemingly perfect match, Darren’s top candidate vanished right after receiving the offer—without so much as a “thanks, but no thanks.” Ouch. But this isn’t just a story about recruitment. It’s a wake-up call for marketers, sales pros, and anyone who works with humans (aka all of us). Because whether you're filling a role, closing a deal, or pitching a new client, the lessons are the same: assumptions kill deals, and skipping steps in your process will always come back to haunt you. Key Points Even perfect processes can fail if you don't fully qualify the people you're dealing with. Ghosting isn’t just rude—it’s bad business. Burning bridges happens silently and swiftly. Recruitment and sales are two sides of the same coin: both require curiosity, follow-through, and respect. Process isn't optional. Skippi

Do you remember marketing meetups? Not the polished, sponsor-filled kind. I mean the scrappy, “grab a coffee and chat” kind. No agenda. No name tags. Just people who geek out over marketing gathering to swap stories, ideas, and maybe a slice of pizza. Then  social media distracted us.  It was easier to post on Twitter and LinkedIn from the comfort of your bet then it was to get out of bed and come to a networking even . Then along came  COVID... well, it cleared the calendar completely. And somehow, we never bounced back… I missed those conversations. So I posted a note on LinkedIn and Instagram,  and an event on : “I’ll be at my favorite coffee shop, Friday 3–5. Join me?” No RSVPs, no pressure. Just show up. I was prepared to sit outside enjoy my coffee and read my book, but ... at 3:05, someone showed up. An old friend, I hadn’t seen since Covid, then along came someone who used to frequent the marketing meet ups.   And that was it.  The three of us, two hours, one fantastic conversation about work, marketi

I had a conversation with Laura Chattington, a strategist who’s helped companies with enough zeros to make your head spin. We didn’t talk about prompts, plugins, or the latest hack for writing Instagram captions in 30 seconds flat. We talked about something much more important: how to make AI part of your marketing strategy instead of just your to-do list. Laura reframed the conversation around two powerful words: speed and leverage. Yes, AI can make things faster. That part’s obvious. But where it really shines is in its ability to help you dig deeper, make better decisions, and build systems that scale without piling on more complexity. This episode isn’t about robots taking your job. It’s about how AI can support your brain instead of trying to replace it. Think of it as your intern who works 24/7, never gets tired, and doesn’t whine about the coffee. Key Points AI is a wave, not a trend. Like the internet and social media before it, AI is reshaping business at high speed. This is not just a shiny new t

Is It Too Late to Start a Podcast? Roy Coughlan Doesn’t Think So I sat down with Roy Coughlan, a serial entrepreneur turned podcast coach, to tackle a question that’s been floating around like last week’s leftovers: Is podcasting still worth it? If you’ve been wondering whether the market is too crowded or if there’s even room for one more voice (yours), Roy has a clear answer: Yes, there’s room. Especially for podcasters who stick with it. Because while millions may have started podcasts, only a small percentage are still active. The rest? Abandoned somewhere between episode 10 and a pile of unrealistic expectations. Roy’s message wasn’t just encouraging—it was refreshingly honest. He’s hosted six shows and coached countless others, so he knows both the magic and the mess behind the mic. Why Podcasting Still Matters 1. It's not just about downloads. Podcasting gives you a direct channel to build relationships, showcase your expertise, and create meaningful conversations. Think of it less like broadcasting a

I had a conversation with Deanna Russo, LinkedIn pro and founder of Leverage Up, about one of those ideas that sounded great in theory—but fizzled out in practice. Her LinkedIn group community was supposed to be the perfect extension of her one-on-one coaching work. But in the end, it didn’t quite land the way she hoped. Deanna built a network of over 30,000 followers on LinkedIn, so she knows a thing or two about creating connection. But even with that experience, launching a paid online community turned out to be harder than expected. She tried different formats. Played with cadence. Offered recordings. Bundled it with coaching. Unbundled it. But the reality was clear: the group wasn’t growing, and more and more people kept asking for one-on-one support. Sometimes, the business speaks for itself. And it’s not saying “try harder”—it’s saying “try something else.”   Key Takeaways from Deanna’s Story If it’s not growing, it’s not working. Pay attention to where your customers naturally gravitate. If one offe

I am going to start this marketing monologue with a story.  I'm going to start with a story. I was about four years old and I went into a bakery with my dad. And while he was ordering breads and pastries, I was standing there looking in the glass counter at these beautiful pastries. Eventually, my dad looked down and he says, Lanie, do you want one? Yes, Daddy. So the woman reaches behind the counter and she gets me a Charlotte Russe. Now, if you're not from New York, you may not know what a Charlotte Russe pastry is. It's a little piece of pound cake stuffed inside a tube about the size of a toilet paper roll filled with whipped cream. And then on the very top, there's a cherry. She hands it to me, and I say thank you—because I was a very polite child. I ate the cherry off the top and as we were leaving, the pastry falls to the ground. Before I had a chance to say anything, the woman came running out from behind the counter and said, Don't cry, sweetie, I'll get you another one. Lanie, do you want another on

What if I told you there was one metric that could truly move your business forward—and most business owners aren’t even paying attention to it? That’s what we’re diving into in this episode of More than a Few Words. I had a conversation with jake Tlapek, aka the Wizard of Marketing, who’s spent the last decade helping struggling brands become high-growth success stories using battle-tested SEO and creative problem-solving. Episode Recap: When most people think of marketing metrics, they zero in on traffic, leads, or social likes. But Jake makes the case for a bigger-picture indicator: Share of Brand Voice—a measure of how often your brand shows up compared to competitors. It’s not a tidy little number you can find in a single report. Measuring it requires stitching together insights from a variety of sources. It’s not a tidy little number you can find in a single report. Measuring it requires stitching together insights from a variety of sources. But if you’re serious about building a visible, respected bran

Joseph ( Dr. Joey) Drolshagen, left behind a high-powered corporate career to launch his own coaching business built on the SMT Method—Subconscious Mindset Training. He's seen incredible success helping companies grow, but in this conversation we’re not talking about the wins. We're digging into one of his biggest flops: a year-long coaching program called Struggle to Soar—designed for men navigating divorce, loss, or career upheaval. He spent over a year building it and more than $50,000 on development and ads. The result? One client. Just one. And yet, buried in that failure were the seeds of everything he does today.  What Was the Idea? A high-ticket, year-long personal development program tailored to help men rebound after major life disruptions. The concept was born from personal experience and fueled by his passion for mindset transformation. What Went Wrong? Two things, really: The audience wasn't ready. Joey targeted men, a group far less likely (at that time) to seek out emotional or mindset suppor

What Went Wrong: I Was Talking to the Wrong Audience After years of interviewing guests about their marketing mistakes, I decided it was time to turn the microphone on myself. This solo episode of More than a Few Words dives into one of my biggest missteps—fifteen years in the making. When I launched More than a Few Words, I imagined it as a smart marketing resource for small business owners. I was running a digital agency, working with contractors, lawyers, and local service pros. Naturally, I figured a podcast could attract more of them. The idea seemed solid. The conversations were interesting. The episodes were sharp and useful. But there was one little problem. My audience wasn’t listening. Turns out, the folks I built the show for—the small business owners—weren’t looking for deep dives into marketing trends or strategy debates. That’s why they hired me in the first place. They wanted solutions, not theory. So even though the podcast was fun to make and attracted listeners, those listeners weren’t poten

 Phillipa Games, has spent more than 25 years swimming in the deep end of digital strategy and analytics. With experience across nearly 500 clients and websites that have brought in hundreds of millions of dollars, Phillipa has seen it all from the good, to the bad, and the wildly overlooked. In this conversation, we peeled back the curtain on website analytics, not the overwhelming, chart-filled dashboard version, but the real, human-centered data that tells the story of what your customers are doing (and not doing) on your site. If you  who would rather schedule a root canal than log into Google Analytics, this episode is your guide to looking at just the data that matters and learning to use it to make smarter decisions.   Key Discussion Points: Why most business owners avoid their analytics dashboards (and why that’s a mistake) What to track first — hint: it’s not bounce rate The real value in knowing if anyone actually sees your call-to-action Why long, scrolling pages might be quietly killing your conv

Imagine being a fly on the wall, hearing what people really say about your business when you’re not in the room. That’s the promise of AI-driven SEO today. I sat down with Michael Buckbee, a marketing and tech veteran, to talk about how tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are reshaping brand visibility. This isn’t your standard SEO conversation, it’s a peek behind the digital curtain to discover what AI thinks about your business. Trust me, it’s more revealing than you might expect. Whether you’re refining your brand, trying to figure out your target audience, or stalking your competitors (in the most professional way, of course), AI can offer surprisingly honest and useful feedback. If you know what to ask. Key Takeaways: AI tools reflect public perception: AI platforms synthesize massive amounts of data and offer a “consensus view” of your brand. This feedback can be shockingly accurate, or totally misaligned with your goals, but either way, it’s insight you shouldn’t ignore. Your content influences

My guest, Steven Lewis, broke one my big rules.  It is ok, to make mistakes, you just don't want to make the same mistake twice.  And he did. Yep, Steven started not one, but two businesses that were—how shall I say this?—a bit too far ahead of their time. And in this candid chat, we unpack what he learned, how it shaped the work he does today, and what you, as a business owner, can take away without having to make the same mistakes. Key Ideas  Timing is Everything (But Not Everything) Steven launched a web business in 1994 and a social media agency in 2004—both solid ideas, just way too early. He found himself selling websites before people knew what the internet was, and social media services before anyone knew what a tweet was. The market wasn't ready, and he learned the hard way that even the best ideas need the right audience at the right time. Sell the Symptom, Not the Cure Like a podiatrist treating knee pain, Steven learned that people don’t buy solutions to problems they don’t know they have. If your

Have you ever had that one brilliant idea—the one you were sure would be a game-changer—only to watch it sputter out despite all your careful planning? Oh, friend, you’re not alone.  I sat down with Whitney Bateson, a passionate entrepreneur who helps wellness professionals build their online credibility. But this time, we weren’t talking about wins, we were unpacking a launch that landed with a thud. Whitney shared the story of her well-intentioned (and very elaborate) launch strategy that missed the mark. And just like that favorite casserole recipe that looked amazing on Pinterest but turned into a burnt mess—there were lessons everywhere. So pull up a chair and let’s dive into the real, raw, and ridiculously relatable side of launching, failing, and getting back up. Key Takeaways: Keep It Simple Whitney’s biggest lesson? Simplicity wins. She over-engineered her launch with a multi-day video series that drained her energy and diluted her message. The complexity confused her audience and fractured their att

“Yes, the world feels like a hot mess right now. But what if the real power lies not in fixing the chaos ‘out there,’ but in finding our footing ‘in here’?” That was the heart of my recent conversation on More Than a Few Words with the always wise and wonderfully grounded Deborah Sunderland. We didn’t talk strategy or spreadsheets this time—we talked soul. How we, as women business owners, can navigate the storms of our external world by coming back to the steady center within ourselves. Because let’s be honest: things are weird out there. Between the economy, politics, and everything in between, it’s easy to feel like we’re being tossed around in a storm we didn’t sign up for. But as Deborah gently reminded me—and now, I’ll remind you—we’ve been through a lot, and we’re still standing. That resilience? It’s no small thing. Key Takeaways for Women Business Owners: You’ve already weathered storms. Recognize your resilience. The past few years have tested everyone, and you’ve made it through. That alone deserve

Andrew Laws has back in my guest chair (if you missed our first conversation, find it here) it, you’ll find the link in the show notes). This time we shifted away from SEO tips and took a different route—down a bumpy road lined with good intentions, disastrous mistakes, and a hacker with way too much free time. Andrew’s story is packed with humor, hard-earned lessons, and a healthy reminder that if a business idea sounds too easy, it probably isn't really Chasing “Easy Money” Was the First Mistake: Andrew thought starting a web hosting company would be a simple, hands-off business. Instead, he discovered that businesses built on the idea of “set it and forget it” rarely turn out to be easy—or hands-off. The Danger of Blurring Business Boundaries: Hosting friends’ and acquaintances’ websites felt natural at first, but quickly became overwhelming. When you don’t set clear expectations with clients, small favors snowball into major responsibilities. When Things Go Really, Really Wrong: A hacker infiltrated Andr

If you've been around here for a while, you already know—I’m an email marketing geek. Not the kind of geek who builds robots in her basement, but the kind who gets excited about subject lines and open rates the way some folks get excited about the first tulips of the season. That’s why chatting with Ellen McDowell Strauss felt like talking to an old friend who also happens to alphabetize her spice rack. Ellen and I first connected over our mutual affection for email, but our latest conversation had a more urgent tone—thanks to Microsoft’s recent announcement that could throw a wrench in the way we all send emails. If email is your small business’s secret weapon, it’s time to sharpen it. Main Points from the Conversation: Microsoft’s Email Policy Changes Microsoft has announced stricter deliverability rules—emails that don’t get opened or clicked may not make it into inboxes at all, even if the sender is marked safe. This shift will force marketers to pay more attention to engagement metrics like never befo

You know, I’ve spent years telling business owners to get laser-focused. Find your niche, talk to your niche, sell to your niche. It’s like that old saying: “You can’t please everyone, so pick your people.” But every once in a while, someone comes along and flips my perfectly organized marketing world on its head. That someone was Matt Diamante, founder of Hey Tony, a marketing agency that helps small business owners tackle SEO and social media in ways that actually work. When Matt pitched me the idea of going broad to find your niche, I raised an eyebrow — and then I leaned in. Because sometimes, you have to plant wildflower seeds everywhere before you find out which patch of soil will let your business bloom. Start Broad to Get Noticed Matt shared how narrowing his content too quickly meant missing out on visibility. Early SEO how-to videos flopped because algorithms didn’t know where to send them. By widening his content to appeal to a broader audience, he started generating massive reach — and, surprising

We've all had those “seemed like a good idea at the time” moments. Hers involved a Voxer coaching program, and in the spirit of learning from those detours, we unpacked what happened, what she learned, and how there might still be life in that idea yet. Main Points: Great ideas don’t always land the way you expect. Danielle created a Voxer-based coaching program for personal brand support between sessions. Despite promotions and enthusiasm from peers, it never gained traction with clients. Sometimes it’s not the audience — it’s the offer. Danielle realized her clients come to her for hands-on, real-time messaging work, not asynchronous voice messages. There was a disconnect between what she offered and what her brand promised. Experimentation is always valuable, even when it “fails.” Danielle isn’t sad she tried it. Every experiment, whether it works or not, is a chance to learn, adjust, and discover what truly fits your business and community. Ideas can evolve. Lorraine suggested reframing the Voxer

In this edition of What Went Wrong, I got a chance to explore mistakes, missteps, and the humbling reality that even seasoned pros can land flat on their face with repeat guest Robin Waite. This time, he didn’t come with a polished pitch or a shiny success story. He brought a cautionary tale about Facebook ads, cold leads, and a £9,000 lesson in what happens when you trust the algorithm more than your instincts. Key Points from the Conversation with Robin Waite Even Experts Trip Up Robin isn’t new to marketing—he ran an agency for 12 years. But when it came to Facebook ads for his own coaching business, he got caught in the allure of automation and scale. What started strong eventually crashed, all because the warm audience he’d been nurturing for years dried up. Your Audience Isn’t Infinite Facebook ads worked—until they didn’t. The moment his familiar, friendly audience was exhausted, the leads stopped flowing. Robin kept the campaign running for three more months, hoping it would fix itself. It didn’t. Tur