More Than A Few Words

I love podcasts! As a host and a guest, I’ve seen firsthand how they spark connections, showcase expertise, and open doors to new opportunities. But being a podcast guest isn’t just about showing up—it’s about building relationships, adding value, and promoting your appearance long after the recording ends. That’s why I was so excited to chat with Angel Tuccy, who knows the podcasting world inside and out. With 15 bestselling books and a knack for connecting hosts and guests through her Need a Guest Facebook community, Angel shared some practical, no-nonsense advice on how to make the most of podcast guesting as a marketing strategy. Key Points from the Conversation: Quality Over Quantity in Podcast Pitches: Instead of cold-emailing dozens of podcast hosts, focus on building genuine relationships. Engage with hosts by listening to their shows, sharing their content, and interacting meaningfully before pitching yourself as a guest. Promote Your Appearances: Don’t let your podcast interviews fade into obscurity

Consistency, Community, and Credibility There’s this common myth that as a business owner, you’ve got to do it all. LinkedIn can feel overwhelming, but today, Nina Froriep debunked that myth and showed us how to simplify and thrive on the platform. Her approach is a breath of fresh air—practical, doable, and built for business owners who’d rather spend time serving clients than battling algorithms. Key Takeaways: Consistency Beats Frequency: Posting once a week at the same time and day yields better results than flooding the platform randomly. Think of it as training both the algorithm and your audience—regularity builds recognition. Engagement Builds Credibility: Your LinkedIn feed is a virtual business card. Posts with thoughtful comments and genuine engagement show potential clients and collaborators that you’re active and respected in your field. Small Groups, Big Impact: Nina’s LinkedIn engagement group thrives because members prioritize reciprocity and accountability. They comment on each other’s posts

You know that sinking feeling when you realize you’ve been ignoring great advice or giving up on something that actually worked? We’ve all been there, myself included. That’s why I loved this conversation with Matt Nettleton. As my most frequent podcast guest, Matt brought his signature blend of insight and candor to our “What Went Wrong?” series. Together, we revisited the missteps that taught us valuable lessons—like ditching a successful accountability group, setting goals that feel more like a prison sentence than a roadmap, and stubbornly resisting good advice. If you’ve ever tripped over your own decisions, this one’s for you. Actionable Takeaways Stick With What Works: If a process, group, or habit is driving success, don’t abandon it just because things are going smoothly. Consistency beats complacency. Shrink Your Timeframe: Break those massive annual goals into manageable chunks. Try a “12-week year” approach to stay motivated, track progress, and pivot as needed. Listen to Advice (Even When It’s H

When I was Vice President of Creative Services at Conseco, we were always out of literature for key products. In the insurance business literature is all you have to sell, so these outages would cripple our sales team. Out out of stock list was routinely close to 300 different items and climbing. While we had numerous meetings on the subject nothing ever changed. So I stopped talking about procedures and policy and asked a simple question "If our goal was a back order level of 100 what would we do?" Defining a specific target, instead of vague "get better" gave a focus to our discussions. Every day we knew exactly how far we were from our target. As an added incentive, I offered to take the print team to any restaurant in town if we reduced our back orders to 100  by September. 1. The date gave us the sense of urgency we needed to keep this in the forefront of our discussions. We kicked off every production meeting with a brief conversation about the back-order list and the ideas started flowing.  We institut

I love games. Whether it’s playing cards with family, a quick round of trivia, or even the occasional video game, there’s something so engaging about the world of play. But I’ve never really thought about applying the principles of games to business—until I spoke with Rob Alvarez of Professor Game. Gamification, as Rob explains it, is about using elements of play to motivate action and achieve goals, and it’s not just for big companies. From language apps to skincare quizzes, the possibilities are endless. Gamification Defined: At its core, gamification uses elements of play and game design to achieve goals that would otherwise be difficult to reach. It’s not just about entertainment; it’s about motivating people toward meaningful actions. Two Approaches to Gamification: Rob shared examples of gamification in action: Duolingo: This language-learning app gamifies the process with streaks, leaderboards, and rewards, encouraging daily engagement in small increments rather than overwhelming sessions. Skin Ca

Good marketing isn’t all one thing or another. It’s really about creating a hybrid approach, pulling together the best elements of different strategies to move your brand forward. In today’s episode, I spoke with Alex Thoric, a seasoned digital marketer and entrepreneur, about how combining organic content and paid advertising can create a winning formula. Our conversation reaffirmed something I’ve believed for a long time: successful marketing isn’t just about tools and tactics; it’s about understanding people—how they think, what they trust, and how they engage. Here are the key points from our conversation: Trust Takes Time and Touchpoints Alex shared a fascinating framework: on average, it takes 7 hours of content, 11 interactions, and 4 different channels for a potential customer to trust your brand enough to make a purchase. This means marketers need to think long-term, building relationships over time rather than chasing quick wins. Short Content for Quick Wins, Long Content for Loyalty Short-form

Failure can feel like a four-letter word for entrepreneurs, but it doesn’t have to be. It can also be an opportunity to learn and grow, but let's face it failure is painful, so sometimes it is nice to learn from other people's mistakes. That's why I decided to launch the What Went Wrong series, I wanted to create a space for honest conversations about missteps and miscalculations—and the incredible lessons they teach us. For the first episode, I invited Emily Aborn, a copywriter, speaker, and podcast host, to share her entrepreneurial journey. From opening a non-toxic mattress store to building a successful women’s entrepreneurship community before finding her true calling, Emily’s experiences are a masterclass in learning to pivot, listen to your gut, and embrace the opportunities hiding in what might feel like a dead end. Key Points from the Conversation Follow Your Passion, Not Someone Else’s Path: Emily’s entrepreneurial journey began in health education but veered into unexpected territory when she ign

Stand Out by Finding Your Unique Flavor How often have you been told that the first step to creating marketing is getting crystal clear on your customer. Who are they? What do they need?   That's just the starting point. The real magic happens when you figure out how to be different. And I'm not talking about different for the sake of being different. I'm talking about leaning into what makes you unique.   It's like choosing what kind of apple you want to be. If you just say you're an "apple" in general, you'll get lost in the crowd. But if you decide, "You know what? I'm going to be a Honeycrisp" - now you're really getting somewhere. Because the pears and oranges of the world can't compete with your Honeycrisp flavor. You've carved out your own niche, and you're owning it.   The same goes for your business. When you get clear on what makes you special - your origin story, your values, your signature process - that's when the magic starts to happen.   Sure, it might mean turning away some customers along the

If you’re like me, you’ve probably found yourself working so hard on your business that burnout feels inevitable. That’s why I was excited to talk with Rob Tracz, a performance coach who helps entrepreneurs transition from burnout to breakthrough. With his holistic Prime Performance Coaching framework, Rob tackles the physical, mental, and emotional hurdles entrepreneurs face. Together, we unpacked strategies for navigating burnout, building resilience, and sustaining success. 3 Key Insights from the Conversation Avoiding Burnout Starts with Awareness Rob shared that the first step in overcoming burnout is recognizing where you are on your journey. Reflect on the stressors you’ve been managing, how long you’ve been juggling them, and how much longer you can keep going. Setting clear deadlines can create a mental finish line, helping you endure challenges more effectively. As Rob reminded me, you’ve survived 100% of your tough moments so far—you’re stronger than you think. The Team Triangle: Your Built-In

I bet you're thinking this is going to be another marketing tip. Well, not today. Instead, I want to tell you about something I'm working on that I'm really excited about.  We all learn best from our mistakes, but mistakes can be painful. So I want to help you learn from other people's mistakes. That's why I'm inviting back some of my favorite guests to share stories of their adventures through entrepreneurship. We will talk about what were they hoping would happen, what went wrong, and what did they learn. Curious? Ready for a couple of lessons? Then join me every Sunday morning for a new series called What Went Wrong.  Then be sure to check out the other conversations during the week filled with marketing tips to help you grow your business. NEVER MISS ANOTHER CONVERSATION     

Content Co-Creation with AI: The Human Touch Makes It Greater You know, when it comes to creating standout content these days, the real magic happens when you get humans and AI working together. Now, I know what you might be thinking - "But Lorraine, won't the AI just do it all?" Well, let me tell you, that's not the case at all. You see, while AI is getting smarter every day, there's still one thing it can't quite replicate - the unique human perspective. And that's the secret sauce of content co-creation. If you just hand an AI a prompt and let it go, sure, you might end up with something slick and well-written. But is it going to have that special something that really resonates with your audience? Probably not. That's where you, the human, come in. By collaborating with the AI, by guiding it, by infusing your own experiences and creativity, you can take that initial AI-generated output and turn it into something truly remarkable. It's like baking a cake - the AI can give you the recipe, but it's up to you

There’s a common myth that as a business owner, it’s your business, so you must do it all. Carolyn Bisaleeski’s journey shows just how limiting that mindset can be. A former accountant turned coach and author, Carolyn shared her story on More Than a Few Words about breaking free from micromanagement, finding clarity, and creating a business aligned with her true purpose. Her insights are a must-listen for anyone feeling stuck in a role they’ve outgrown. Here are the key takeaways from our conversation: Recognizing the Red Flags Carolyn explained how feelings of dread, stress, and misalignment with her work signaled that she was no longer in the right place. For her, the daily grind became unbearable, and she realized it was time to reevaluate what she truly wanted. The Power of Clarity Once Carolyn became clear on her goals, she made decisions quickly. Within a month, she let go of her accounting firm, resolved her commitments, and transitioned to a career that felt meaningful. Clarity, she said, makes de

Every great story starts with a spark—an idea that captures attention and draws people in. But to tell a story that truly connects, you need more than just inspiration. You need a clear picture of your audience and the problem you’re solving for them. Whether you’re talking to customers, your team, or the world at large, a good story is your secret weapon for building relationships that matter. These conversations, full of practical tips and real-life example will help you unlock the art of crafting a great story.    Feedback in our listener survey indicated an interest in deeper dives on specific topis.  So what do you think?  Do you like the format?  I would love to hear from you!  https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/AWHOIJ0/MTFW

You know the feeling - you're staring at a blank screen, desperately searching for inspiration. The creative well has run dry, and no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to come up with any fresh, innovative ideas. Been there, done that, right? Well, my friend, the solution is simpler than you might think. Just like your car needs gas to keep going, your creative engine needs a little fuel to really get revved up and running. So, how do you fill up that creative tank? Let me share a few of my favorite tips: Listen More, Talk Less  It may seem counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to spark new ideas is to actually talk less and listen more. You see, when you're constantly running your mouth, you're not leaving any room for new information to seep in. And trust me, you never know when that random tidbit of knowledge could be the missing puzzle piece you need to solve a thorny problem. So, practice being a better listener. Ask thoughtful questions, lean in, and soak up everything the other person i

If you’re trying to grow your business, one of the best places to go is where other businesses hang out—and that’s LinkedIn. But maybe you’re there already and just not getting the results you want. That’s exactly where Deanna Russo, founder of Leverage Up, comes in. Deanna took her LinkedIn following from a modest 400 to an impressive 30,000 and counting. She joined me to share her best tips for building a LinkedIn presence that actually works—no jargon, no gimmicks, just practical advice grounded in her own success. As someone who's been experimenting with LinkedIn myself, I couldn’t wait to learn more . Here’s what I learned from our conversation: Start with Your Profile Your LinkedIn profile isn’t just a page—it’s your billboard. Deanna emphasized the importance of customizing your profile to speak directly to your target audience. Think of it as the foundation for all your LinkedIn activity; without a solid base, everything else wobbles. Understand the LinkedIn Triangle Deanna’s LinkedIn strategy revolv

As a small business owner or consultant, creating consistent marketing content can feel like yet another task on your already long to-do list. That’s why I invited Sally Loftus, an expert in human resources and organizational improvement, to share her practical approach to using themes to simplify content creation. By organizing her marketing around key topics tied to her work, she developed a system that keeps her messaging clear and aligned with her audience’s needs throughout the year.  Whether you’re a one-person operation or managing a team, her tips are easy to adapt and implement. Key Points from the Conversation: Use Themes to Anchor Your Marketing: Sally structures her marketing around a few central themes tied to her expertise. This helps her create consistent, targeted content throughout the year that speaks to her audience's evolving needs. Adapt to Timing and Trends: By aligning her themes with seasonal shifts and key industry dates, Sally ensures her content stays relevant and timely, such a

On a cold rush hour morning, a good looking man, dressed in jeans and a baseball cap walked into a train station, carrying a violin case. He opened the case, dropped a few dollars in to encourage others to do the same.  Over the next 45 minutes, he earned less than $35 for his performance.  Most people simply walked by, barely stopping to listen to the classical violin piece, played flawlessly by the young man. Who was he?  Joshua Bell, one of the world’s most renowned musicians.  As part of a social experiment, arranged by a writer from the Washington Post, he played for 45 minutes to see what would happen.  The results are depressing.  More than 1,000 people walked by missing a chance to hear this amazing musician perform.  Depressing not just because they missed a once in a life time chance to hear Joshua Bell, but because their behavior is very typical of how we live our lives.  We get so focused on the end game; we miss so much along the way. So the lesson for today, is not strictly business. Take a few

What if managing your marketing was  more like hosting a party? That’s the premise behind the Party Principle, a concept Dave Charest of Constant Contact shared with me. As someone who loves both a good metaphor and a well-organized shindig, this approach clicked immediately. Social media becomes the lively main event, email is the cozy afterparty, and SMS? That’s your VIP lounge, reserved for your most engaged fans. Each channel plays its role, ensuring that your marketing not only entertains but also builds genuine relationships. The Party Analogy Social media is where your audience gathers, much like guests at a bustling party. It’s about meeting new people and sparking initial connections. From there, email brings a more intimate setting—your “afterparty”—where relationships deepen. SMS steps in as the exclusive VIP lounge, offering a direct, timely way to connect with your most loyal customers. Tailoring Content to Each Channel Avoid the mistake of treating all platforms the same. Just as you wouldn’t se

From The Archive -  Online advertising can feel like navigating a dense forest without a map—especially for businesses trying to sell nationally without the resources of big-name competitors. That’s why I invited Krystal Covington,  to share her expertise. Originally released in September 2022, Krystal's tips are still relevant today.  Together, we explored how businesses can use geo-targeting and smart collaborations to stretch their advertising dollars further and stand out in targeted markets. Here are the highlights of our conversation: Focus Your Efforts With Geo-Targeting Even for businesses that can sell anywhere, narrowing the focus to specific regions can make a big impact. Tools like Google Trends help identify where demand is strongest, allowing companies to allocate their budget effectively. For instance, a $500 geo-targeted ad campaign in high-interest areas can yield better results than a $3,000 national campaign competing against industry giants. Collaborations and Partnerships Pay Off Buil

I teach marketing at a local university, and this week I was talking to my students about Ansoff's Marketing Matrix. In this structure, he identifies four ways that you can grow your business. 1) Sell more of what you're already selling to your existing customers. 2) Sell more of what you're selling, but to new customers. 3) Develop a brand new product and sell that to your existing customers. 4) Sell a new product to a new group of customers. Of the four strategies, that last one, diversification is really hard to do because you're in uncharted waters with people who don't know and love you. So my recommendation if you're ready to grow, figure out whether you have a product that has broader appeal and you just haven't introduced people to it, or if your current customers are ready for something new. What did you think of the episode? I would love to hear from you.  Please take a quick minute to complete the listener survey I can create shows that  that keep you coming back, with a few laughs and a lot of pra