Advertise on podcast: More than a Few Words

Are Your Headlines Putting Readers to Sleep? (Let’s Fix That.) I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the polite little headlines we keep sending out into the world—you know, the ones that tiptoe into a reader’s feed, whisper “excuse me,” and then wonder why no one pays attention. This month, I’m diving into the power of bold, spicy, “oh-no-she-didn’t” titles that make readers stop mid-scroll. Because if we want people to actually read what we write, we might need to ruffle a feather or two. Ready to stir the pot with me? Why Negative Titles Win (Even When Everyone Says They Want Positivity) Here’s the not-so-secret secret: people are drawn to headlines that poke at their fears or frustrations. Negative titles stand out in crowded feeds because they tap into emotions folks already feel but haven’t said out loud yet. Sure, I could have called this piece “5 Ways to Improve Your Blog Titles,” but… yawn. If your goal is to be memorable, negativity—used thoughtfully—is your new best friend. Your Language Might Be Way Too Nice (And Nice Is Boring) Let’s talk about limp headlines built from words like improve, tips, and common mistakes. They blend right into the beige wallpaper of the internet. Meanwhile, words with a little edge—like hate—stop readers cold. One of my most successful content series ever was built around “Why People Hate Your Website.” That one tiny word did all the heavy lifting. Edgy phrases don’t fit every brand, but when they work… oh, they work. Fear-Based Headlines: Your Audience Notices Them (Because They Can’t Help It) If edgy makes you nervous, fear can still be your friend. Terms like failure and waste are irresistible because they trigger that little “uh-oh” moment in the brain. Think of titles like “Is Your Sales Team Wasting Your Marketing?” or “Don’t Waste Time Trying to Be Good at Social Media.” They grab attention because they speak to real anxieties—whether it’s the marketing–sales tug-of-war or the social media fatigue we all secretly carry. Negativity Is a Tool… Not a Lifestyle As much as I love a headline that hits like a splash of cold water, too much negativity starts to feel like, well… spending a whole week with someone who only complains. Mix it up. Pepper in the punchy stuff, but save the truly bold language for when it matters most. A little goes a long way. Your Turn: Go Write a Negative Headline Go ahead—try it. Add a little bite, a little edge, a little “oh no, they didn’t.” And because I refuse to end this newsletter on a dire note… Have a lovely day!

I love the What Went Wrong  conversations because they remind me that even when things look like they’re working, there’s usually a crack or two hiding under the surface. In this episode, we dig into one of those uncomfortable moments every business owner faces. Growth slows, the numbers get fuzzy, and suddenly the team you built so carefully starts to feel… expensive. I sat down with Matt Levenhagen, founder of Unified Web Design and host of the Builder Podcast, to talk about what happens when you hold on just a little too long. Here’s what really stuck with me: • Hope is not a hiring strategy Matt kept his team based on where revenue had been, not where it actually was. When projects stalled, he filled time with “busy work” instead of facing the numbers. That gap between reality and optimism gets expensive fast. • The warning signs are usually obvious, we just ignore them Delayed projects, slow client responses, and scrambling to keep people busy. Those were all signals. The lesson? If you’re getting creative just to justify payroll, it’s time to pause and reassess. • Flexibility beats the “perfect team” Matt realized he didn’t need a full bench all the time. Now he’s building a more flexible structure with a mix of core team members tied to revenue and others brought in as needed. It’s not about loyalty, it’s about sustainability. • Invest in sales before you need it This one hit home. When things were good, he didn’t push marketing or sales hard enough. By the time revenue slowed, it was too late to quickly replace that pipeline. Yes, you want to invest in growth. But when the business shifts, you have to shift with it. Because holding on too long doesn’t just cost money. It costs momentum.  

It started the way so many good ideas do, in conversation. Jen Edds, Lisa Mitchell, CFI, and I started talking about creating something different. Not another conference. Not another room where people talk at you. We wanted a space where smart women could actually talk with each other. And then, on March 26, we did it. This conversation is a bit of a celebration, a look back at what happens when you take an idea out of the group chat and bring it to life. Because honestly, that leap from “we should” to “we did” is where most ideas stall out. Here’s what stuck with me. Takeaways: • Pick one thing and go all in I’ll admit it, even as a marketer, I needed this reminder. One clear call to action, one place to send people. When everything matters, nothing stands out. Simpler really is smarter. • Borrow boldly and share freely Some of the best ideas in the room weren’t “original.” They were tested, tweaked, and passed along. That’s the magic. Less guarding, more sharing. We all get better faster. • Real conversations beat polished presentations We kicked things off by talking about what we’d messed up. And just like that, the walls came down. No posturing, no pretending. Just honest lessons and a lot of “oh good, it’s not just me.” • Create the room you wish existed Don’t wait for an invite. Build your own table. We kept it local, kept it small, and invited a mix of people we knew and people we didn’t. • Let the agenda breathe Instead of locking into a rigid schedule, we let the group shape the conversation. People voted on topics, and the discussion flowed from there. It felt more like a conversation and less like a conference. • Community doesn’t end when the event does The real opportunity is what happens next. Staying connected, sharing resources, continuing the conversation. That’s where the long term value lives. If you’re listening and thinking, “I wish I’d been in that room,” you might get your chance. We’re doing it again on June 11. Reach out. Raise your hand. Pull up a chair. Because the next great idea might be yours, and it deserves a room like this.   Links to our podcasts: Jen Edds https://brassybroad.com/podcast/ Lisa Mitchell https://divorcecurious.buzzsprout.com Lorraine Ball www.morethanafewwords.com   Everyone else in the room. .These are all podcasts you should check out Ally Brettnacher https://athletebouquets.com/pages/the-podcast Amanda Smith https://shareyourgenius.com/ Ericka Young, AFC®, CFEI® www.forbetterandworth.com Iris Goldfeder https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cookbook-recipes-for-marketing-business-success/id1627107453 Jennifer Denney 📈 https://elevatedmarketing.solutions/digital-marketing-podcasts Jennifer Longworth www.bourbonbarrelpodcasting.com Julie Kratz https://nextpivotpoint.com/podcast Kara Kavensky https://www.karakavensky.com/podcasts/ Tiffany Sauder https://www.tiffanysauder.com/podcast Rachel Randolph https://open.spotify.com/show/7GZgWJyTOcaVYNnSWXAqJm?si=tKRAKBA8R9uCC58itABUYA Katherine Coble https://borshoff.biz/in-the-loop/

When I moved from Texas to Indiana one of the things I loved best was the color of the seasons. Spring brings bright pastels which morph into the rich greens of summer. Then comes fall with the bring oranges, yellows and a few shades of brown. The only exception is winter filled with dreary colorless days which seem bland bland when compared to the vibrancy of colors throughout the rest of the year. I think that is why I appreciate  evergreen trees and the bright spot of colors they bring all year long. Just as these wonderful trees bring consistent color to my yard, evergreen content brings spots of color to a marketing calendar. What is Evergreen Content?  Evergreen content, unlike seasonal content or breaking news, this information is always relevant to your readers. Frequently asked questions, simple how-to blog posts, or product reviews make great evergreen content. These posts can be researched and written well in advance and be ready whenever you need some fresh content Start with the questions customers ask Look in your email folder for those long answers you have already written. This is a great starting point for a blog post. If one customer has the question, others will as well.  And these posts tend to index well on Google, as prospective customers search for answers. Include Key Words Brainstorm a list of keywords you want to rank for. Use a keyword tool such as Google Trends or Google Search Console to find alternatives and ideas. Look for niche words and phrases. which will have a better shot at rising to the top because there will be less competition Quality over Quantity If you want your post to stand the test of time, you can’t just slap up a 500 word article and call it a day. If you do, another article will come along pretty quickly and knock you down. Take extra time when you write evergreen content. Research the topic, add unique examples, and your perspective. Create an article which isn’t just another “5 Ways to Do This….”. Update Your Evergreen Content  I know, I said this would be the kind of blog post that would stand the test of time, it wouldn’t age and it would live on forever. All of that is true, but if it is a great traffic draw for your website, go back occasionally and add new content, a different image, and maybe a new CTA to keep it fresh.  

Sometimes the best way to explain marketing is with a good story. In this episode, I chatted with Ryan Ross, head of marketing at BrokersBloc and author of the novel Benefits with Friends. The book follows a very unlikely hero, Al Dente, a pasta manufacturer who suddenly inherits his father’s benefits brokerage. As Al tries to figure out how to grow the business, he learns some very real marketing lessons along the way. Ryan wrapped those lessons in humor, food puns, and a cast of memorable characters, but the marketing advice is solid and surprisingly practical. Here are a few ideas that really stuck with me. • Pick a niche before you pick a tactic Al starts with nearly a hundred clients but no clear direction. His mentor pushes him to choose a specific audience instead of trying to serve everyone. Because of his background, he understands manufacturing. Once he focuses there, everything else becomes easier. The message is clearer, the prospects make sense, and the marketing finally has direction. • Borrow credibility while you build it Al is still learning the benefits business, so he builds authority by creating content and connecting with experts. Speaking at industry events, hosting conversations, and sharing what he learns helps him build visibility faster than waiting until he feels like an expert. Teaching and learning at the same time can be a powerful combination. • Turn education into a marketing tool One of the smartest strategies Ryan shared was creating continuing education content for licensed professionals. If your audience needs CE credits to keep their license, offering approved educational sessions can dramatically increase participation. Even better, those sessions position you as a trusted resource while you help your audience solve a real problem. At the heart of Ryan’s story is a simple reminder. Marketing works best when you know who you want to help, show up where they gather, and share something useful. Turns out the recipe for good marketing is not that different from good pasta. Start with the right ingredients and keep it simple. About Ryan  Ryan Ross has is head of marketing at BrokersBloc, a GA for independent benefits brokers. He is the author of Benefits with Friends, a fictional book about a benefits broker, Al Dente, as he navigates reviving his father's benefits brokerage. Ryan spent 10 years in marketing and sales at Dow Jones, the Financial Times, and BrightTALK. He has completed 3 Ironman triathlons. Pre-order the book 

This week thousands of podcasters around the world take part in Podcastathon, a global effort that shines a spotlight on nonprofit organizations doing meaningful work in their communities. For one week, hosts swap their usual topics for stories about causes they care about and invite their listeners to learn more, get involved, or lend support. This episode is my contribution to that global event, and it gave me the perfect excuse to talk about one of my favorite nonprofits. Sometimes the hardest part of marketing isn’t getting attention. It’s helping people feel comfortable enough to try something new. That is exactly the challenge when you run a Fringe theater festival. In this episode, I chatted with Paul Daly, Executive Director of the IF Theatre in Indianapolis. IF Theatre is the home of the Indy Fringe Festival, one of the largest fringe festivals in the world, bringing dozens of performers and hundreds of shows to Mass Ave every summer. The festival celebrates creativity, experimentation, and the kind of performances you will not see anywhere else. But that same freedom can make newcomers hesitate. When audiences are not quite sure what they are getting into, they may stay home. Paul shared a simple marketing approach designed to make the experience easier to say yes to. Takeaways Give people a path into the experience Fringe festivals can feel overwhelming. With so many shows and styles, first timers do not always know where to start. This year IF Theatre plans to introduce curated show lists. Want a day of comedy? There is a list for that. Prefer serious drama or an eclectic mix? There are paths for those too. Instead of asking people to sort through dozens of options, the festival gives them a starting point. • Help people understand what to expect Younger audiences especially want clarity before they commit. What will this experience feel like? Is it funny, thought provoking, weird, or a little bit of everything? Clear descriptions and curated experiences remove uncertainty and make it easier for someone to buy that first ticket. • Tell the bigger story behind the brand Many people know Indy Fringe as a ten day festival. What they may not know is that IF Theatre runs year round programs, classes, and performances. One key message they continue to repeat is simple. IF Theatre is the organization. Indy Fringe is its biggest event. The lesson here is straightforward. When people feel unsure, they hesitate. When you guide them, they step forward. And sometimes all it takes is showing them where to start.              

We all love a good story. But here is the twist. If you are the hero, you are doing it wrong. In this conversation, I chatted with John Elbing, creator of the Story Building Method and author of a new book on the topic. We dug into the difference between storytelling and story building. It is not a play on words. It is a shift in perspective that can change how your marketing connects. John believes storytelling has turned into a coat of paint. Hooks. Tricks. Presentation tips. All fine. But before you polish the story, you need to decide which story you are telling. And here is the big idea. It is not your story. It is your customer’s. A few takeaways you can use right away: • Recognition comes first Before someone cares what you do, they need to see themselves in your message. In your words. In your images. In the problems you describe. When they think, “That’s me,” you have their attention. Skip this step and they scroll right past you. • Perception shapes your value People want to quickly understand what you do and where you fit. If they cannot put you in a category, they get confused. And confused people do nothing. Be clear about what makes you different and why that difference matters. • Projection closes the gap Help them imagine life after they work with you. What changes? What feels easier? What problem goes away? When they can picture that future, they are already moving toward a yes. One of my favorite examples John shared was about lawn care. You can say, “I mow lawns.” Or you can talk about the exhausted homeowner who wants to feel proud of her yard again. Same service. Completely different story. That is the shift. When you build your story around your customer’s aspirations, struggles, and trigger moments, your marketing feels less like a pitch and more like a conversation. And that is when people lean in. If your message is not landing, maybe it is time to stop being the hero and start being the guide.

I am going to be honest right from the start. This is a rant. A friendly one. But still a rant. I’m a geek at heart. I love shiny tools, clever plugins, little bits of tech that make my marketing life easier. But lately it feels like some of my favorites have decided to test me. Really test me. It started with my email marketing platform quietly turning off a third-party API I relied on. Their decision, fine. But maybe a heads up would have been nice. Instead, I spent four months wondering why new subscribers were suspiciously quiet. Turns out, the connection was dead. And I only discovered it while building a completely unrelated page on my website. When I reached out to support, they casually mentioned they don’t use that interface anymore. Terrific. Then my chatbot decided to hallucinate. I asked it to summarize an interview and create a teaser. Simple request. Except it thanked a guest who wasn’t even in the conversation. Not even close. I have no idea where it found that name. Apparently, creativity is a little too free these days. And just when I thought I had hit my quota for weird tech behavior, the tool I use to make reels took a detour. This is the tool I trust to pull clean little snippets and generate accurate captions. Instead, it rewrote my perfectly articulate guest into something that sounded like bro speak. She deserved better. I deserved better. The whole episode deserved better. So yes, this is a rant. But it is also a reminder. No matter how good a tool is, no matter how long you have trusted it, you still need to double check. Tools change without warning. Interfaces break. Technology goes off the rails. And if you are not paying attention, your marketing can end up in a ditch you did not see coming. Takeaways Check your tools regularly. Even the ones you think are rock solid. A quick test can save months of missing data or embarrassing surprises. • Never hand over your voice completely. AI is helpful, but it is not infallible. Review everything before it goes into the world with your name on it. Because in marketing, the only thing worse than tech that fails is not noticing it failed. More than a Few Words - Marketing Conversation  A bite-sized marketing podcast that cuts through the noise and delivers actionable ideas, with no fluff and no jargon.

If smarter marketing really worked the way the tools promise, we would all be done by lunch. Instead, most days feel like standing in the cereal aisle staring at fifty boxes that all swear they are the healthiest choice. That is why I sat down with Lisa Raehsler to talk about what to skip when everyone is promising smarter marketing. Lisa is a PPC strategist with more than twenty years in the trenches and the founder of Big Click Co. She spends her days helping businesses sort out what actually works from what just looks shiny. Why this matters Paid ads are not plug and play. Between Google, Meta, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and the parade of AI tools promising instant results, it is easy to feel behind before you even start. Lisa reminded me that the problem is not a lack of tools. It is too many tools pretending they know your business better than you do. Key takeaways from our conversation Skip the “easy button” marketing. Every platform now offers a button that says “generate headlines” or “create images.” Lisa’s advice was simple. Use those ideas as a starting point, then step away. The platforms do not know your goals, your customers, or what makes you different. If you use what they hand you, you will look like everyone else. Start with your basics, not the platform. Before worrying about ad sizes or image specs, get clear on what you are selling, who it is for, and why it matters. Once that foundation is solid, you can adapt the message to fit how people behave on each platform without losing your brand voice. Real beats perfect every time. AI images and stock photos can feel polished, but they often trigger that subtle “something is off” reaction. Lisa shared that real photos from your business, even lightly enhanced, build more trust than flawless AI faces that look like they belong on a romance novel cover

Most business owners think success means being everywhere. Every platform. Every city. Every zip code. But the truth is, real growth usually starts much closer to home. Sometimes right down the street. In this episode, I sat down with Kyle Bailey, who spends his days helping home service businesses win where it matters most. Their local market. We talked about hyperlocal blogging, community connection, and why Google is paying attention to more than keywords. And yes, this is one of those conversations that makes you rethink how you show up online and in real life. Why this matters If you serve a local audience, broad and generic content is working against you. Google wants proof you belong in the neighborhood. Your customers do too. Hyperlocal content bridges that gap by showing, not telling, that you are part of the community you serve. ABOUT KYLE  Kyle Bailey has been helping Home Service Businesses increase sales through SEO, Local SEO, Social Media Marketing and Website Conversion for over 15 years. He founded Frontburner Marketing in 2010 to help Home Service business owners tell their story more clearly and help their ideal customers find them and buy from them faster and more often. With more than 30 years of sales experience, he brings deep passion and knowledge of the sales process to each engagement, and knows that every business owner wants one thing from every marketing engagement: more sales! 

Ever notice how being underestimated can light a fire under you? Too young. Too old. Not the right look. The wrong box. It’s frustrating. And it’s also fuel, if you know how to use it. In this episode, I sat down with Trevor Storm, a student entrepreneur running Media Wolf Marketing while earning his finance degree at Butler University. Yes, you read that right. And no, he’s not waiting for permission. We talked about what happens when clients look at you sideways and wonder if you can really do the job. Spoiler alert. That doubt can work in your favor. Here are a few moments that stuck with me. Say yes, then earn it. Trevor’s mindset is simple. Say yes to the opportunity, then do the work to make that yes pay off. Not reckless, just confident enough to learn fast and own the outcome. Use what they doubt as your advantage. Youth. Flexibility. Fewer layers. Trevor reframes all of it. More time. More focus. More care. When clients are your whole world, they feel it. The magic lives in the final 5 percent. Anyone can start strong. Credibility shows up in the follow through. The details. The batteries charged. The checklist signed off. That last little bit is where trust is built. If you’ve ever worried that you don’t look experienced enough or polished enough, this conversation is a reminder that credibility isn’t about age or titles. It’s about showing up, doing the work, and finishing strong. Sometimes the best way to prove them wrong is to simply do the job better than anyone expects.      

There was a time when conferences felt a little bit magical. You’d show up, coffee in hand, and before the first session even started, you’d be deep in a hallway conversation that changed how you thought about your work. Those little moments, sitting on the floor near an outlet, laughing over lunch, that’s where the real magic happened. But somewhere along the way, that magic started to fade. Big events got flashier. More sponsors, more VIP packages, and a lot more “networking opportunities” that felt like thinly disguised sales pitches. It stopped being about connection and started being about clout. I found myself missing the kind of conversations that left me inspired instead of exhausted. So, with a few fellow podcasters, Lisa Mitchel and Jenn Edds, we started dreaming about something smaller, more human. A gathering for women behind the mic who aren’t chasing followers but chasing meaning. That’s how Beyond the Mic was born. Not a conference, but a conversation. A cozy afternoon in Indianapolis this March, no panels, no presentations, just 10 or 15 women sharing stories, scars, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. We’ll talk about the messy parts of podcasting, burnout, creativity, community, and how we can keep making something meaningful, one episode at a time. So if that sounds like your kind of magic, come join the conversation at talkbeyondthemike.com. Because maybe the best conference isn’t in the ballroom, it’s in the hallway, over coffee, between two people who get it.   Join me for Beyond The Mic in Indianapolis on March 26  - https://talkbeyondthemic.com

You know that feeling when you spend half your day chasing trends, tweaking hashtags, and wondering why your brilliant post is showing up three days late in someone’s feed? Yeah, me too. That’s why I sat down with Alice Seba, a content marketing pro who’s been helping online publishers turn persuasive content into real revenue for more than twenty years. She’s sold millions of dollars’ worth of content — and she swears the secret isn’t outsmarting the algorithm. It’s out-connecting it. As Alice put it, “You don’t need the algorithm to notice you if your community does. When you connect, collaborate, and share stories, you build something the algorithm can’t touch — real relationships.” And that’s the magic. When you stop trying to please the algorithm gods and start showing up for actual humans, you get noticed by the people who really matter — even when the social media winds shift. Here are a few big takeaways from our chat: Stop chasing the algorithm. Your business isn’t with code; it’s with people. Spend your energy on conversations — comments, DMs, collaborations — the kind that build real community and loyalty. Build your own audience. Social platforms change faster than fashion trends, but your email list is forever. Offer something useful, keep it conversational, and land in their inbox where you actually belong. Make your offers sound human. Ditch the sales pitch. Mention your freebie or toolkit the same way you’d share a good book recommendation with a friend. Helpful, not pushy. Use social time wisely. Ten intentional minutes beats an hour of doom-scrolling. Pop in, connect, and get out before you start comparing your breakfast to someone else’s curated lifestyle. When you strip away all the noise, the algorithm might be unpredictable, people aren’t. They remember who shows up, who listens, and who actually cares. Because no algorithm can replace a genuine connection — and honestly, that’s the best kind of marketing there is.

How do you establish meaningful milestones in your business? For years I treated my business plan like a glorified spreadsheet, a place to park projections and hope the numbers magically pointed me in the right direction. It took me longer than I care to admit to realize a plan without milestones is a lot like taking a road trip without those familiar green highway signs. You may get somewhere eventually, but you will spend a lot of time wondering if you missed your exit three miles back. The trick is to start with honest, challenging and absolutely measurable goals. I learned this the hard way. In one of my earliest ventures, I confidently announced we were going to grow. That was it. Just grow. Predictably, no one knew what that meant, least of all me. Was I talking about five new clients or fifty? Without specifics, we drifted instead of charging ahead. Once I began treating my goals like real mile markers, things changed. I set targets I could count, track, and celebrate. I tied them to timelines that forced me to make decisions instead of waiting for the perfect moment. Suddenly the business plan felt less like homework and more like a map with clear directions and a few helpful rest stops along the way. Those measurable markers shape your timelines, clarify who is responsible for what, and give your budget a backbone. They turn vague intentions into a plan you can follow. So here is my question for you. How do you set milestones that keep your business moving in the right direction?  

When was the last time you were pitch slapped? You know what I mean — you comment on someone’s post, and suddenly your inbox is full of “personalized” pitches that feel anything but personal. In this episode, I chatted with Billy Sammons of Live Local Marketing, who believes it’s time to push back against the noise and get back to what actually works: real, human connections. Billy’s been building local marketing communities for 15 years, and his message is refreshingly simple — relationships still matter. Here’s what stood out from our conversation: Go old-school — because it still works. As digital spaces get more crowded, buyers tune out. Billy says the antidote is face-to-face connections that make people feel seen and valued. Start small, start local. Forget the cold calls. Walk into a business you already support, strike up a conversation, and collaborate on something that helps you both. Keep it simple. You don’t need a fancy setup. A phone, a $19 mic, and a tripod are all it takes to start creating local content that connects. Be genuine. Giving only works when it’s authentic. If you help someone and immediately flip to a sales pitch, you’ve lost the magic. Stop chasing viral. The diamonds are in your own backyard — meaningful, local relationships that grow your business organically. Billy’s reminder is a good one: You don’t have to go viral to be valuable. Sometimes the best marketing starts with a handshake and a conversation. About Billy Sammons With 15 years of experience, Billy teaches proven strategies—like filming video commercials with local business owners—that put you in front of the right people, build stronger relationships, and generate long-term clients. His goal is to help others replicate what works, saving time and replacing cold leads with warm growth.” LEARN MORE  https://www.livelocalwarmmarketing.com Try the 5 day Challenge and see for yourself if warm marketing is the right way to grow your business. I want to give something for free, a trial run, which is a quick and easy way to try Warm Marketing for themselves.