Creating Content That Resonates: LinkedIn Success Strategies With Lucy Hall Be A Marketer With Dave Charest podcast

49:40

Andrea Marquez didn't set out to "just" launch a podcast. She built a fully branded experience, with research, structure, and intention behind every episode. As the host and Senior Producer of This Is Small Business , Amazon's podcast for entrepreneurs, Andrea treats the show like a product. That means creating branding guidelines, defining listener personas, building workflows, and committing to quality long before the first mic check. "We make sure to stay true to both of these," Andrea explains. "We're thinking about what our listener will take away from the story we're telling, while staying authentic to the person or business featured in the episode—our guest." That dual focus shapes every decision, from production to promotion. In this episode, Andrea joins Be A Marketer host Dave Charest to talk about why strong creative work starts with strategy. She shares how frameworks like "the five whys" and "test, fail, learn fast" help founders focus, why social media might not be the best marketing channel for a podcast, and how showing up consistently builds trust and community. Additional Resources A/B test an email subject line Using the audience growth center Grow your contact list with sign-up forms Enable Text to Join to grow your list Use an email to grow your contact list Meet Today's Guest: Andrea Marquez from This is Small Business 👤 What she does: Andrea Marquez is the Senior Producer and Host of This Is Small Business , Amazon's award-winning podcast for entrepreneurs. A first-generation Latina with a background in advertising, she built the show from the ground up to spotlight real-world business stories and provide practical guidance for small business owners. 💡 Key quote: "Everything starts from understanding who you're telling the story to and why they want to hear it, all the way to every single day of recording, guest chasing, scheduling, etc." 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn | Website | Instagram | TikTok | 👋 Where to find This Is Small Business: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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What an NFL Running Back Can Teach You About Marketing with Austin Ekeler 41:40

7 weeks ago41:40

41:40

From Colorado ranch life to NFL stardom, Austin Ekeler has built multiple successful ventures through resilience and strategic marketing. In this episode, Dave Charest , Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, explores how the Washington Commanders running back applies the same determination to his business ventures as he shows on game day. As founder and CEO of the Austin Ekeler Foundation and Eksperience content platform, Austin shares how his early marketing efforts yielded diminishing returns until he discovered the power of audience segmentation. "What makes marketing successful? Consistency," Austin explains as he reveals how automated messaging and targeted communication transformed his business relationships. Austin candidly discusses his $1.2 million tech investment misstep and how that painful lesson shaped his more measured approach to business growth. His marketing journey began with simple email collection during his Twitch streaming days and gradually evolved as he expanded into multiple ventures, including real estate projects and an investment fund. Whether renovating high school weight rooms through his foundation or helping athletes connect with fans via Eksperience, Austin demonstrates how proper audience segmentation builds authentic relationships. His methodical approach offers a practical blueprint: start small, test strategies, learn from setbacks, and thoughtfully implement technology to maintain personal connections at scale - a balance of automation and hands-on engagement that any business can adapt for their marketing efforts. Additional resources: Create and Manage tags Use the Automation Path Builder to add or remove tags from your contacts Automatically send a series of emails when a contact joins your list Meet Today's Guest: Austin Ekeler of the Washington Commanders and the Austin Ekeler Foundation 🏈 What he does: Austin Ekeler is the current running back for the Washington Commanders. He's also an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of multiple business ventures, including the Austin Ekeler Foundation, which renovates weight rooms in high schools nationwide, and Eksperience, a content management platform for athletes and organizations. 💡 Key quote: "I think it's important to know that the journey doesn't stop and it's not an unsuccessful journey if your business is not successful. I think it's only an unsuccessful journey in the business world, entrepreneurial world, if you don't take the lessons that are learned from your wins and from your losses." 👋 Where to find him: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram 👋 Where to find Eksperience: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn 👋 Where to find Austin Ekeler Foundation: Website | Instagram | Facebook If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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Ask Dave: 2025 National Small Business Week Edition 1:11:25

7 weeks ago1:11:25

1:11:25

What happens when you take your marketing questions directly to the source, live and in person? You get real, unfiltered conversations with small business owners tackling everything from email strategy to AI content creation. To celebrate National Small Business Week, Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, hit the road for live Q&As at Small Business Expo events in Boston and NYC. In this special “Ask Dave” edition of Be a Marketer, he answers real questions from real business owners on the spot. In this conversation, you’ll hear insights on how to get started with marketing when you’re new to it, ways to clean up and grow your email list, how introverts can build a content strategy that feels natural, and how to use automation, segmentation, and AI to stay consistent without burning out. Whether you’re running a solo business or building a growing team, you’ll walk away with honest, tactical advice straight from the field. Additional Resources: Getting started with Constant Contact Understanding contact segmentation Schedule and send an email Create a Social Post and schedule it to publish on social media Create and activate an event Automatically send a series of emails when a contact joins your list "Ask a Trainer" Daily Drop-In Sessions Kickbox integration with Constant Contact Keeping clean contact lists View the location of your clicks in the Email Heat Map Use the Content Generator to write email, landing page, social, and SMS content for you SCORE Meet Today’s Guest: This episode features a wide range of small business owners who stepped up to the mic during our live Q&A sessions at the Constant Contact booth. From marketing agencies and HR consultants to spa owners, content creators, and market researchers, these entrepreneurs brought their most pressing marketing questions to the table. In their conversation with Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, each offered a different perspective on the small business journey. You’ll hear thoughtful questions about finding your audience, creating content that feels true to who you are, staying consistent with marketing efforts, and making technology work for you, not the other way around. As Sophie put it: “I’m trying to figure out the best way to connect with people when I’m stuck in that introverted way.” That moment captured exactly what this episode is about, meeting business owners where they are, and helping them build confidence and clarity with every step forward. These conversations were recorded live at the Small Business Expo events in Boston and NYC. Aleah Carter: Marketing professional at Jillian Circus, a full-service digital marketing agency based in Long Island, NY 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn David Williams: Founder of Triton Talent Solutions, an HR consulting firm focused on recruiting for small businesses 👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn Sophie Lee: Founder of a multimedia production company 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn Tatiana Guerrero: Director at Diamond Aesthetics Academy and co-owner of Diamond Skin and Body Spa in the North Shore area 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn Alice Sungurov: Freelance content and marketing consultant exploring a business in art licensing 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn James Saunders: Founder of EventAndTravel.com, a long-time event and travel professional based in NYC 👋 Where to find him: Instagram Rob Hebron: Commercial real estate broker and third-generation partner in a family-owned firm 👋 Where to find him: LinkedIn Martha Hayward: Founder of Bird Dog Insights, a market research company helping businesses better understand their customers 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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Smart Ways to Use Al as a Solopreneur with Mike Allton 52:53

8 weeks ago52:53

52:53

Four hours per week. That's all Mike Allton needs to run a content machine that includes newsletters, blogs, and multiple podcasts. As an AI strategist, podcast host, and chief storyteller at Agorapulse, Mike has mastered the art of efficiency. His secret? A strategic blend of AI tools and email marketing automation that turns one piece of content into many, all while building deeper connections with his 45,000+ subscribers. "AI is not a tool. It's a technology. It's an underpinning to everything that we're doing today. It's like electricity or the Internet," Mike explains on this episode of Be A Marketer. In his conversation with Dave Charest , Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, Mike reveals his approach to creating high-quality content at scale and how his open rates increased by 100% after switching to Constant Contact. He also shares practical ways to use AI as a collaborative partner in marketing and explains why welcome emails and segmentation are crucial to email marketing success. Additional Resources: AI Content Generator Automatically Generate a Marketing Campaign Agorapulse podcast episode with Dave Charest (Three Actions That Drive Small Business Marketing Success) Create a Segment of Contacts Grow Your Contact List With Sign-Up Forms Using Click Segmentation in an Email Resend to Non-openers Create and Manage an Automated Welcome Email Meet Today’s Guest: Mike Allton of The Social Media Hat and Agorapulse 🎯 What he does: Mike Allton is an AI strategist and podcast host at The Social Media Hat, as well as the chief storyteller at Agorapulse, a social media management tool. He has spent over a decade in digital marketing, helping marketers make sense of blogging, SEO, social media, and now AI. 💡 Key quote: "We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution, the AI revolution, where everything we do and know as a society is literally changing. And that's not just hype, that's actually what's happening right now." 👋 Where to find him: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram 👋 Where to find The Social Media Hat: Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn 👋 Where to find The Agorapulse: Website | Instagram | X, formerly known as Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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What Hurts and Helps Your Email Deliverability with Jennifer Nespola Lantz 43:27

9 weeks ago43:27

43:27

Have you ever wondered why some of your emails land in the inbox while others mysteriously vanish? The secret to successful email marketing isn't just what you send, it's who you're sending to. The foundation of effective email marketing starts with how you build and maintain your list. Jennifer Nespola Lantz , VP of Deliverability and Industry Relations at Kickbox , brings over 15 years of expertise to this critical aspect of digital marketing. What began as an accidental career shift has blossomed into a passion for improving email deliverability and helping businesses connect reliably with their customers. "Consent is number one. And this consent needs to be clear and conspicuous so that when somebody gives you their address, they know exactly who they're giving it to, what they're getting in return, and how often," Jennifer emphasizes on this episode of Be a Marketer. On this episode, Jennifer joins host Dave Charest , Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact to explore why growing your email list the right way matters more than growing it fast, how to protect your list from bots and bad data, and what email verification does for your business's reputation. Additional Resources: Integrating with Constant Contact Install a Contact Sign-Up Form on a Website What is a DMARC Policy and Why Do I Need One? Collect new sign-ups with a Lead Generation Landing Page Create a Segment of Contacts by Choosing Specific Criteria 🎧 What You Can Do to Avoid the Junk Folder With Jon Marburger and Tara Natanson Meet Today’s Guest: Jennifer Nespola Lantz of Kickbox ✉️ What she does: Jennifer is the Vice President of Deliverability and Industry Relations at Kickbox, an email verification and deliverability service based in Texas. She leads Kickbox's consulting team, helping businesses improve the quality of their email lists and ensure their messages get delivered. She's been doing email marketing for over 15 years. 💡 Key quote: "An unsubscribe, though, is a much more desirable action than a spam complaint. I think we tend to forget that there are people on the other end of that email." 👋 Where to find Jennifer: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Blog 👋 Where to find Kickbox: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | GitHub | X, formerly known as Twitter If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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Building a Passion-Fueled Business with Jason Shron 51:11

10 weeks ago51:11

51:11

A section of a train in his basement isn't the most interesting thing about Jason Shron . It's how he turned an obsession with model trains into a thriving international business — simply by being himself. In fact, he left his PhD program in art history to pursue his passion full-time. Jason, two decades later, is the president of Rapido Trains Inc., Canada's largest manufacturer of high-end model trains, with operations in North America and the UK. Rapido is built on a foundation of attention to detail and radical transparency. "If we screw up, we just tell people," Jason explains on this episode of Be a Marketer. "Being totally straight with customers has transformed how they connect with our brand." What can small business owners learn from a company that achieves 81% email open rates? On this episode, Jason and host Dave Charest unpack how obsessive honesty drives customer loyalty, why embracing your passion is marketing magic, and the incredible ROI of knowing your audience. Tune in to discover how your business can harness Constant Contact tools to build deeper customer connections and resonate with your audience. Additional Resources: Overview: Email resend options Understanding contact segmentation Install a contact sign-up form on a website Create a sign-up landing page Meet Today’s Guest: Jason Shron of Rapido Trains Inc. 🚂 What he does: Jason Shron is the president of Rapido Trains Inc., Canada's largest manufacturer of high-end model trains and accessories. After leaving his PhD program in art history to pursue his passion, he built an international company with operations in North America and the UK. Fun fact: He has a 20-foot section of a real train in his basement. 💡 Key quote: "We want to tell people what's going on, and there will be people who are not reasonable… But that honesty, I think, is very important. And the newsletters are a great way. It's a direct way to communicate with the end customer." 👋 Where to find Jason: LinkedIn | Instagram 👋 Where to find Rapido Trains Inc.: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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How to Build and Manage a Healthier Email List with Constant Contact 35:42

11 weeks ago35:42

35:42

Building your business on social media is like renting a house—you've decorated it beautifully, but the landlord can change the rules anytime. Your email list, however, is property you own outright. This distinction can make or break a small business when platforms change algorithms or face potential bans. In this episode, Dave Charest speaks with Constant Contact product leaders Jesus Flores , Product Manager focused on audience growth; Ryan Burke , Director of Product specializing in small business growth; and Mike Crawford , Senior Product Manager responsible for the contacts experience. They discuss the risks of relying solely on social media for marketing and why building a contact list you actually own is the foundation of sustainable marketing. "Owning your audience means having a direct line of communication with people who have explicitly shown interest in your brand, typically through an email list without a dependency on a governing social platform," explains Jesus. "It's your list, you own it. You can carry it from platform to platform." The team discusses how businesses can convert social followers into email subscribers, introduces Constant Contact's new Lead Magnet tool, and explains how contact data helps create more effective marketing campaigns. Whether you're just starting to build your contact list or looking to better leverage your existing contacts, this episode offers actionable strategies to help turn audience growth into business growth. Additional Resources: Create a Facebook and Instagram Ad Create a Pop-Up Contact Sign-Up Form for Your Website Create a QR code from a URL Create a Google Ad with Kliken Using Contact Lists, Tags, and Segments Based on Your List Size Overview: Email Reporting Install a Contact Sign-Up Form on a Website Create a Sign-up Landing Page to Collect New Email and SMS Contacts Online Create a Lead Magnet and Capture Leads Create and Manage Custom Contact Fields Latest Small Business Now Report Meet Today's Guests: Jesus Flores, Ryan Burke, and Mike Crawford of Constant Contact Jesus Flores 👨‍💼 Who he is: Jesus is a Product Manager at Constant Contact who works on the audience growth team. His entire initiative is focused on helping small businesses and nonprofits grow their audience through multiple channels. He specializes in strategies that convert social media followers into owned contacts through website traffic, social media platforms, and in-person interactions. 💡 Key quote: "That engaged email list allows you to nurture those leads, build customer loyalty, and directly promote your products or services without the reliancy on social platforms that you just candidly don't own." 👋 Where to find Jesus: LinkedIn Ryan Burke 👨‍💼 Who he is: Ryan is a Director of Product at Constant Contact focusing on small business growth. He helps businesses early in their journey get up and running, and hit "day zero" when they're ready to operate. Ryan has been at Constant Contact for about 18 months but brings almost 15 years of experience in product and digital marketing. 💡 Key quote: "It's a marathon, not a sprint. So I think there's trying, there's changing, there's pivoting and being comfortable with that kind of ambiguity that how you're working and how you're running and launching and growing your business, it takes time." 👋 Where to find Ryan: LinkedIn Mike Crawford 👨‍💼 Who he is: Mike is a Senior Product Manager at Constant Contact responsible for the contacts experience since 2021. He focuses on helping businesses manage their contacts and all the data around them, working to make Constant Contact the source of truth for contact information. Mike specializes in leveraging contact data to power more targeted marketing campaigns. 💡 Key quote: "We see a lot of return on users doing a segmented send rather than just a bulk list send. They get better opens, they get better clicks. So that would be the first step I would take." 👋 Where to find Mike: LinkedIn 👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest | LinkedIn | Podcast If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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Build a Fans-First Business From the Ground Up with the Savannah Bananas 48:14

12 weeks ago48:14

48:14

Imagine a baseball team that throws out the rulebook—not just for the game, but for how they do business. Meet the Savannah Bananas , a team that's less about scoring runs and more about sparking joy. Led by owner Jesse Cole, this isn't your typical sports team. As Jesse puts it, "We have no interest in being a billion-dollar business, but we want to create a billion fans." The Bananas have grown into a fan-driven phenomenon built on a simple but radical idea: put fans first and never stop entertaining. When most teams chase sponsorship dollars, the Bananas ditch ads and create experiences people can't stop talking about. Their approach is delightfully unconventional. They've removed third-party ticketing fees, sent handwritten thank-you notes, and featured players who might break into dance mid-game. Marketing that doesn't feel like marketing. The result? They recently sold out their first NFL stadium, are building a passionate fanbase, and proving that when you truly put people first, the money follows. Join Jesse, Kara, Carson, and host Dave Charest for this masterclass in customer experience that any business can learn from. Additional resources Create and Manage Tags Understanding Contact Segmentation Getting Started with the Automation Path Builder Connect your Shopify account to Constant Contact Meet Today's Guests: Jesse Cole, Kara Heater and Carson Bowen of Savannah Bananas 🍌 What Jesse does: Jesse owns the Savannah Bananas and founded Fans First Entertainment. A former baseball GM turned showrunner, he reinvented the sport by blending Broadway-style entertainment with baseball, building a loyal fanbase and a sellout sensation that puts fans at the center. 💡 Key quote: "We will never put added fees on people. We will never do things just for money. We will never take a sponsor just to take money. We will never do any of that. If we can do things to be a better experience for fans, we'll always try to find a way to say yes to that." 👋🏼 Where to find Jesse: Linkedin | Instagram | X, formerly known as Twitter ⚾ What Kara does: Kara is the Vice President of Marketing at the Savannah Bananas. Starting as an intern in 2018, she now leads a cross-functional team that turns live moments into viral content. Her strategy: tell stories that fans love, without pushing product. 💡 Key quote: "We never want to be the people who are sending 52 emails a day, and they have to unsubscribe 82 times to try and finally get rid of them out of their inbox. That's not us. We want people to get the information that they've asked for." 👋🏼 Where to find Kara: Linkedin | X, formerly known as Twitter 🎫 What Carson does: Carson is the Director of Ticket Experience for the Savannah Bananas. After six years with the Wilmington Sharks, he joined the Bananas in 2020 to rethink ticketing from the ground up—building a system that removes friction and centers joy in every detail. 💡 Key quote: "It's not just buying a QR code; it’s buying a family outing. It's celebrating someone's birthday. These things represent something. It's not just buying a ticket." 👋🏼 Where to find Carson: LinkedIn | X, formerly known as Twitter 👋🏼 Where to find Savannah Bananas: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X, formerly known as Twitter | Youtube | TikTok If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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How Two Brothers Built a Marketing Agency from Scratch with Dan Knowlton 48:03

13 weeks ago48:03

48:03

Dan Knowlton didn’t plan to build a top-performing content agency by dressing up in wigs and fake mustaches — but that's what helped him stand out. In 2015, Dan and his brother Lloyd launched their marketing agency, Knowlton, from a spare room in their parents' house. No roadmap. No fancy setup. Just two brothers figuring it out as they went. What changed everything? Defining clear roles, setting long-term goals, and creating content people actually want to watch. "It has taken us so much longer to get to where we are now than I thought at the start point," Dan says, reflecting on the patience and persistence it took to grow a sustainable business. In this episode of Be A Marketer, host Dave Charest talks with Dan about growing from chaos to clarity. They unpack how to align your marketing with your strengths, what most small businesses get wrong about content, and why measuring results will sharpen your focus. You’ll hear how Dan treats his agency like a client, how one strategy helped them double in size, and what Dan thinks every small business owner should start doing today. Additional Resources: Getting started with the Automation Path Builder Using Constant Contact SEO tools How to Set Up an Effective Automated Welcome Email Series (with Examples) Set up to automatically resend to contacts who don’t open their email feature in Constant Contact Meet Today’s Guest: Dan Knowlton of Knowlton Marketing ☕ What he does: Dan Knowlton is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Knowlton , a UK-based marketing agency he started with his brother in 2015. The duo is known for blending creativity with strategy to create content people actually enjoy. Knowlton has worked with major brands like the BBC, Nestlé, and Constant Contact. 💡 Key quote: "No one cares about your brand. All they care about is problems they've got and how they can most effectively solve them." 👋 Where to find Dan: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | Podcast 👋 Where to find Knowlton Marketing: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

1
Art, Story, and the Business of Wonder with Gregangelo Herrera and Team 57:31

14 weeks ago57:31

57:31

The Gregangelo Museum wasn’t supposed to exist. It began as a run-down rental in San Francisco — a place where artist Gregangelo Herrera patched collapsing rooms with found materials, turning repairs into creative experiments. One of those repairs became a full-blown art installation. One became two. Then three. Forty years later, the house is a city landmark, and the team behind it is reshaping what immersive art and marketing can look like. In this episode, host Dave Charest talks with Gregangelo Herrera, Artistic Director of the Gregangelo Museum and Velocity Arts & Entertainment ; Angelica Irreno, Artist Manager and Marketing Coordinator; and Marcelo Defreitas, Creative Director. Together, they share how they transformed a private home into an immersive storytelling experience — and how that became their most effective marketing tool. “We didn’t sit down and make a strategy,” Marcelo says. “By doing it, we reinvented.” Tune in to hear how they leaned into storytelling over ads, how this small team markets through meaning, not money, and how their outdoor art garden helped them stay open during the pandemic. Additional Resources: Create a reusable email template Guide: Create, customize, and send an email Understanding contact segmentation Compare reporting stats for multiple emails Constant Contact: Email Marketing Meet Today's Guests: Gregangelo Herrera, Angelica Irreno, and Marcelo Defreitas of Gregangelo Museum and Velocity Arts & Entertainment. 🎨 What Gregangelo does : Gregangelo is the Artistic Director of the Gregangelo Museum in San Francisco. A lifelong artist and performer, he founded the immersive museum experience inside his own home, blending storytelling, installation art, and cultural rituals. He’s also the founder of Velocity Arts and Entertainment. 💡 Key quote: “My form of marketing has always been to show up and invite people in.” 👋 Where to find Gregangelo: Facebook | LinkedIn 🎭 What Marcelo does : Marcelo is the Creative Director at the Gregangelo Museum. He brings a background in nonprofit leadership, events, and design. After hiring Gregangelo’s troupe for an event years ago, Marcelo joined the team and now leads strategy, operations, and creative direction for the museum and its experiences. 💡 Key quote : “We’re not just performing anymore. We’re helping people reconnect—with themselves and with each other.” 👋 Where to find Marcelo: LinkedIn 📱 What Angelica does : Angelica is the Artist Manager and Marketing Coordinator at the Gregangelo Museum. Originally from Colombia, she began as a marketing intern during the pandemic and helped reimagine how the museum connects with its audience through storytelling and content. 💡 Key quote : “At the beginning, I didn’t quite get the selling point. Then I realized—it’s not just the art. It’s the stories.” 👋 Where to find Angelica: LinkedIn 👋 Where to find the Gregangelo Museum: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok 👋 Where to find Velocity Arts & Entertainment: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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How to Make Marketing Work for You with Lorraine Ball 41:51

15 weeks ago41:51

41:51

Selling a business wasn’t part of Lorraine Ball ’s original plan. But after nearly two decades of running her marketing agency, Roundpeg, she knew it was time for a change. Rather than walking away entirely, Lorraine kept the pieces she loved — her podcast, “ More Than a Few Words ”, and her consulting work — while selling the rest. “The day you start [your business], you need to think about your exit,” she says on Be A Marketer . “You want to build a business that someone will want to buy.” On this episode of Be A Marketer , host Dave Charest sits down with Lorraine to explore the key lessons she's learned along the way. She shares why answering customer questions is one of the most effective ways to improve marketing, how business owners should plan for their exit strategy from day one, and why automation is essential for filtering and prioritizing leads. As a longtime Constant Contact Partner, Lorraine also dives into how marketing automation and email segmentation have helped her streamline her efforts, engage her audience more effectively, and deliver personalized experiences that drive results. Additional Resources: Email Marketing Automation Software Click Segmentation Feature Constant Contact Integrations Constant Contact Partner Programs Meet Today's Guest: Lorraine Ball of More Than a Few Words ☕ What she does: Lorraine is a marketing strategist, Constant Contact Partner, and host of the More Than a Few Words podcast. After nearly two decades running her agency, Roundpeg, she transitioned into consulting, helping businesses refine their marketing strategies and improve their results. 💡 Key quote: "When you get people from different kinds of ways that they find you, and you dump all of them into one email list, and you send them all the same email every single week, you're going to watch your open rates fall, you're going to watch your engagement fall, you're going to see a lot of unsubscribes. When you start tying different people based on how they come to you to different campaigns, and you start sending them information that is relevant to what they're looking for, it has a level of personalization. It feels more like you're talking to them. People love that.” 👋 Where to find her: X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram 👋 Where to find More Than a Few Words: Website | Facebook | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Amazon | Pandora | Podbean If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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The Power of Personalized Email Marketing with Marc Newberry and Jasmin Bollman 25:25

16 weeks ago25:25

25:25

Running a successful marketing campaign doesn't require a massive team or unlimited resources. Sometimes, it just takes a small, dedicated group that knows how to connect with people on a personal level. That's exactly what Marc Newberry and Jasmin Bollman have accomplished at Genumark , Canada's leader in custom-branded merchandise and apparel. With a marketing team of just four people, they've mastered the art of personalized communication while expanding into the US market. "Having those emails coming from the account managers rather than the info@Genumark email is definitely the best half an hour I spend in my marketing week or month," Marc explains, highlighting a simple yet effective strategy that dramatically improves their engagement rates. By personalizing each email to come from the client's specific account manager, they achieve better open rates and direct client-representative communication. On this episode of Be a Marketer, Marc and Jasmin join host Dave Charest to reveal how their small marketing team achieves big results through authentic communication. They discuss their recent rebranding process, how they maintain a consistent brand voice, and why personalization is crucial for cutting through inbox clutter. Tune in to discover their 30-minute email marketing hack, how they organize their marketing calendar around a monthly newsletter, and practical tips for humanizing your business communications to build stronger customer relationships. Additional Resources: Create a New Email Contact Understanding Contact Segmentation Create a Sign-up Landing Page Create More Personalized Emails Meet Today’s Guests: Marc Newberry and Jasmin Bollman of Genumark Marc Newberry 🎨 Who he is: Marc is the Creative Director at Genumark, Canada's leader in custom-branded merchandise and apparel. He's been with this family-owned business for 14 years, starting as an account manager before moving into creative roles. Marc helps lead their small four-person marketing team, creating content for their expansion into the US market and supporting their certified B Corporation status. 💡 Key quote: "It's definitely consistency in timing, content and visuals is definitely key to kind of making the email marketing work as well as it can. I think that's something that we've got better at recently and it's definitely the biggest piece of advice I would give to others." 👋 Where to find Marc: LinkedIn Jasmin Bollman 🎨 Who she is: Jasmin is the Marketing Manager at Genumark. She joined the company as a freelancer after working in the tech industry and running her marketing consultancy. Attracted by Genumark's creative environment, she transitioned to a full-time role about a year ago. Jasmin handles all the written content for the company, from email campaigns to social media copy. 💡 Key quote: "I've always been a big proponent of — the way you talk online should be the way that you talk to somebody face to face, just like you're speaking with a friend. Because authenticity is what's going to make people connect with you." 👋 Where to find Jasmin: LinkedIn 👋 Where to find Genumark: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

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Your Real Estate Marketing Playbook: A Full Recap with Stephanie, Dave, and Kelsi 34:55

16 weeks ago34:55

34:55

In this final episode of Be A Marketer - Real Estate edition, hosts Dave Charest , Stephanie Alfonso , and co-host Kelsi Carter , recap key lessons from their six-episode deep dive into marketing strategies for real estate professionals. But these insights aren’t just for real estate, business owners across industries can apply these takeaways to their own marketing efforts. From the power of education-based marketing to leveraging AI and automation, Dave, Stephanie, and Kelsi reflect on the most impactful advice shared by expert guests, including Marki Lemons Rhyal , Christine George , Verl Workman , Ian Hoover , and Anthony Lamacchia . They discuss: ✔️ Why giving away knowledge builds trust and authority ✔️ The importance of owning your niche and branding with intention ✔️ How to delegate effectively to scale your business ✔️ The role of culture in team-building and retention ✔️ Why embracing AI and automation is crucial for modern marketing Whether you're in real estate or another industry, this episode provides actionable marketing strategies to help you grow your business with confidence. Additional Resources: AI-Powered Marketing Tools for Small Businesses How to Build an Effective Email List Content Marketing Strategies That Drive Engagement Meet Today's Hosts: Dave Charest, Stephanie Alfonso, & Kelsi Carter of Constant Contact 🎤 What Dave does: Dave is the Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, He helps small business owners understand and utilize online marketing. Dave co-hosts the Be A Marketer podcast, offering practical advice and inspirational stories. 💡 Key quote: “Not everything you do is going to work. Not everything you do is going to be ‘the right thing to do’. And I think that's the mentality that you really need to come at this with — marketing as a whole is a learning experience.” 👋 Where to find him: Website | LinkedIn | Instagram 👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | X, formerly known as Twitter | Pinterest 🚀 What Stephanie does: She is the Senior Director of Vertical Innovation at Constant Contact. 💡 Key quote: “People do business with people they like, they know, and they trust. So we need to be intentional about getting people to like, know, and trust us." 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn 👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube 🎤 What Kelsi does: Kelsi is the Brand Production Coordinator at Constant Contact and co-host of the Be A Marketer podcast. She loves being deeply involved with projects, especially working with different types of creatives. 💡 Key quote: "It's really the trial and error, but also just looking at your data and then improving and enhancing so that it matches." 👋 Where to find her: LinkedIn 👋 Where to find Constant Contact: Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | X | Pinterest If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

1
Changing Your Behavior to Build a Stronger Business with Carissa Reiniger 45:03

17 weeks ago45:03

45:03

Running a business that lets customers choose what they pay might sound like a recipe for failure. But for Carissa Reiniger , Founder and CEO of Silver Lining , it's part of a 20-year mission to change the global economy one small business at a time. Using her background in psychology, Carissa used behavioral change to build a company that helps small businesses set and hit financial goals. Her SLAP (Silver Lining Action Plan) platform serves tens of thousands of businesses in 77 countries, focusing on giving entrepreneurs the structure and support they need to succeed. "I would estimate that on average, when small businesses come to SLAP, they are wasting — and I’m using that word very intentionally — about 80% of their time and 80% of their money. They are misusing it," Carissa reveals during her conversation on the Be a Marketer podcast. " I don't mean they're cheating, I mean that they're spending it on things that are not helping them grow their business." What has worked for Silver Lining so far? On this episode, Carissa and host Dave Charest , Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, explore the challenges of the "Cash Flow Capacity Catch 22" and how business owners can break free from it. Tune in to discover why focusing exclusively on the highest-priority activities matters and how building a business on your terms leads to both financial success and meaningful impact. Additional Resources: Tips for Building a Solid Content Marketing Strategy Email Marketing Conversion Rate: Enhance Your Campaigns for Better ROI Using The Customer Journey Map to Personalize Email Marketing Personalize and Connect: Customer Relationship Marketing Meet Today's Guest: Carissa Reiniger of Silver Lining 👩‍💼 Who she is: Carissa Reiniger is the founder and CEO of Silver Lining, a company she started in 2005 with a mission to change the global economy, one small business at a time. With a background in psychology, she created a SaaS platform based on behavior change science that helps small businesses set and hit financial goals. Her company offers a "pay what you can" model and has worked with thousands of businesses in 77 countries. 💡 Key quote: "I think people are looking for these magical, mystical answers. And the reality is it's very specific to each small business and their ideal client." 👋 Where to find her: Website | X, formerly known as Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram 👋 Where to find Silver Lining: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.…

Be A Marketer with Dave Charest

1
Building a Real Estate Powerhouse with Anthony Lamacchia 35:54

17 weeks ago35:54