More than a Few Words

I got up this morning and there was snow outside.  And, quite honestly I was annoyed because it still fall.  The change in weather  completely messed with my plans. But, when I got over being annoyed I reached for a …

I was so excited to have another chance to talk to Andrea Liebross, a business and life coach who specializes in empowering female entrepreneurs.  …

These days everybody's trying to present themselves as an expert. So how do you stand out in your niche in a crowded market? Part of the magic comes from creating a visual brand. - That's what i had a chance to chat …

What will you do when Facebook goes away? Now I’m not trying to spread fear and panic and I don’t expect that the platform will disappear overnight. …

In this podcast interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jan Cavelle, a seasoned entrepreneur from the UK with a wealth of experience in running micro and small businesses. She is the author of two books, "Scale …

I know. you think we're living in a visual video world.  Maybe you believe  and you don't need to write anything anymore.  But that just isn't true. No matter what happens in the world of content it starts with words. …

​When you create your brand you are investing in something that should last for the long haul. The colors, the fonts and your overall style guide …

In this interview, I was excited to invite Patty Farmer, to join me once again for a quick conversation.  This time we dove into how to integrate marketing and sales activities to benefit your business. It all starts by …

If you missed my conversation with Tina Bakehouse about writing tips in late 2021, here's you chance to catch up.

Many "would be writers" …

​The goal of every page on your website is to get visitors to do something. Maybe that's fill out a contact form, pick up the phone to call you, download an e-book, register for an event or sign up for your newsletter. …

Why did I invite Lisa McDonald, a certified career coach  to join me for a conversation?  You are not looking for a job, but you are probably looking for employees,

And Lisa is probably working with those potential …

More than just marketing hype, your brand is about creating an impression of your company in the mind of your prospective customer. It is the basis …

My uncle used to say that he was going to write me a short note but didn’t have time, so he wrote me a long letter instead.  When you are limited in …

My friend Michelle McNally, the Executive Vice President of Customer Success for BoxCrush dropped by to talk about the importance of safeguarding digital assets, including passwords and resources. We talked about the …

When asked about their branding style, I often hear business owners say they "want to look like Apple." They admire the clean, sleek design. They …

In this podcast episode of "More than a Few Words," host Lorraine Ball interviews Geoffrey Klein, a story expert, TEDx speaker, and content producer, about creating captivating content. Klein's new book, "The Content …

In this conversation from our archive, Andrea Butcher of HRD  - A Leadership Development Company shares why she  believes you should live life by …

To develop really effective marketing, you need to be clear about your brand position, what makes you uniquely qualified to earn the business of your customers. Look beyond the technical skills and product …

​I had a wonderfully, thought-provoking conversation with Jon Rogers about a unique strategy for business growth – the idea of buying businesses …

Are you clocking in early and burning the midnight oil every single day? As a small business owner you may feel that is required to get ahead, but it doesn't have to be the pattern for your days.

It's not when you waltz …

In this podcast interview, I had a chance to chat with Che Brown, about the importance of building a high-performing sales team for entrepreneurs aiming to achieve 7 or 8-figure businesses. Che emphasizes the primary …

Almost ten years ago, I had a conversation with Juett.  We discussed the fact that people just don’t have the same attention span they used to. You …

I started my career in retail as the floor manager. It was my job to attract customers as they walked down the aisle, to pull them into the …

Deb Schell  joins me for a conversation about building and nurturing communities. Deb emphasizes that in today's information age, communities play a …

I've heard it said that entrepreneurs need three things  - smarts, guts and luck.

Your smarts can be street smarts, book smarts or creative smarts. You've got to be able to use your intelligence to navigate decisions …

This week I had a chance to chat with Jeanette Stein, a seasoned business coach who specializes in using AI and automation for business growth. She shared insights into how to harness AI while maintaining a personalized …

If you missed this conversation about collaboration with your peers with Jon Tsourakis, then you are in luck.  You can listen to it now. 

When you …

How do you decide which software tools and digital trends deserve attention and resources and which don’t? So how did I answer the question? Simple, …

In this episode  I have a chance to chat with Richard Rosser about the intersection of artificial intelligence and storytelling.

Richard shares tips on how to use AI for brainstorming story ideas. He explains ChatGPT …

One of the things I love about living in Indiana is the color the seasons. There are bright pastels in the spring and rich greens in the summer and …

In this episode, the spotlight is on the challenging decisions that small business owners face amidst economic uncertainties. Joining the conversation is Beate Chelette, the growth architect and founder of the Women's …

Some people think that chaos is a dirty word. But as my guest Robert Raymond Riopel suggests, a little bit of chaos in your life is a good thing.  If you missed this conversation when it was first released in 2021, you …

If you're getting ready to hire someone new or add a person to your advisory board it is easy to look for someone with whom you'll get along.  That, however, might not be the best choice.

What you often need is someone …

If you are like most business owners you have lots of great ideas.  As a matter of fact you have so many ideas it is hard to get any of them done. 

In this episode, Annelise Worn shares her insights on the importance of …

Every time I go to the gym I see people using weights that are clearly too heavy for them. There is pain in their faces as they struggle to lift the extra weight. They are risking injury every time they do that. 

My …

If you are like most business owners, right now you are stressing about something.  You are probably thinking if you could only get rid of that …

 Tracy Brinkman shared some great  productivity hacks you can use to take control of the chaos in your day.

If you have a task, that …

Twenty years ago I wrote a book called the Science of Marketing and and recently I decided to update the book.  As I started editing, I realized most of the content is as accurate today as it was twenty years ago,

Sure …

Most of the time marketing planning consists of thinking about what are you going to do. My guest Derek Johnson suggests that maybe you need to be …

We routinely tell business owners that great blog posts are an important part of their sales, marketing and SEO strategy. With so much riding on each and every blog post, it’s tempting to push the sales element really …

 Great websites don't happen by accident. Sierra Janisse believes every decision you make on your website from what images  you use to the words you write , the pages you create and all the call to action buttons starts …

These days, it seems like everybody's talking about robots. It's easy to get swept up by trends like Google algorithm changes and AI generated content. But, guest Rai Hyde Cornell says those things are secondary to the …

Traveling through Central Europe I was in three different countries, with three different currencies and three different languages. I don't speak Czech, German or Hungarian, but managed to navigate bus, train and boat …

You always wanted to write book.  Now you've done.  It is published and you can just sit back, right?  Nope! Nancy Erickson says there is so much more you can do with the content of your book to expand your authority …

Did you miss this conversation with Rochelle Groh about networking animals?  She suggests the next time you go to a networking event, look for the …

One of the critical elements of building a marketing budget is understanding what a customer is worth.  Why? Because you can't decide how much to spend to acquire that customer if you don't really know the value of that …

Content marketing has been around for a really long time.  And it is probably going to be around for a lot longer. But as new tools arise, many …

One of the most important numbers in your business is your closing rate. The simple metrics tells you how well you are performing when face to face with a potential customer. The better your closing rate is the better …

Like many business owners I defined myself as the founder of my company, Roundpeg.  Lorraine Ball and Roundpeg were intricately linked.  The fact that the business was originally an outgrowth of my personality got lost …

If you've been listening to More than a Few Words for any length of time you know I was born talking. Standing in front of a group of people or facing a microphone is not uncomfortable for me.

But it is for many …

From our archive is a terrific conversation with Kyle Roof about SEO.  In it he addressed some common misperceptions about Google.  

For example, …

As business owners try to grow their business they assume they have to do it organically.  The problem with the organic approach is you have to be patient. It takes time for the business to mature and grow. 

But that is …

I had the strangest phone call the other day. It was from someone I have known for a long time. I wouldn't call us friends, but our paths have …

When I started my agency in 2002, clients and friends called me the Postcard Queen.  I was working with small businesses and postcards were a …

There is a cycle business owners get trapped in as they start to spiral toward burnout.  Coach Linsi Brownson says the first thing you need to do is recognize, you’re not doing anything wrong.  This is just a phase in …

These days everyone is talking about Chat Gpt Ai driven content. I find some people are either really excited about it.  Then there are others who are afraid we are the cusp of some dystopian world where the machines …

Social media is about engagement. This is something businesses forget when they start to use it as a …

So you want to be a podcast guest.  Before you start reaching out to potential shows my guest, Joe Matz suggests you need to start with Why do you want to be a podcast guest.

There are a number of reasons. Some people, …

From our archive. This conversation with Sharyn and Hank Yuloff was originally released in August of 2021.  If you missed it then you are in for a …

I would love to tell you that out of the gate I was a business genius and everything I did in marketing worked perfectly. Well that's not true.  We …

We’ve all had that marketing brainstorm sitting alone at a desk. It sounds like a good idea so you bounce it off other people. everybody excitedly supports the concept. You execute it the best that you can, but it …

Getting up in front of an audience and speaking is how I make a living. Even if that's not your career goal you need to be a good public speaker. Whether you're standing up in front of an audience  or one-on-one with an …

From our archive.  This conversation with Mike Wittenstein was originally released in August 2021.  If you missed it then, you should definitely …

You have a great product. That's wonderful. But a product by itself is not enough to guarantee success. Shaun McAndrew believes you need to build a …

Let’s face it, sometimes mistakes happen and things go wrong. How you handle the situation will often determine whether your smallest mistake becomes a big crisis 

Even if you can’t predict what will go wrong, having a …

These days so many people are hot on social media and whatever the new platform is this week.  But Nicole Krug says that year after year email …

Maybe you think that when someone says something negative you shouldn't dignify their comment with a reply. According to David Oates, that's actually …

Athletes love to play on their home court. Being intimately familiar with every square inch of the field is reassuring, and the supportive crowd gives them the confidence to play their best.

In a way, the same is true …

It is often said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  That is definitely true on the journey to master your marketing message. In this conversation Tracey Watts Cirino and I explored the first …

In this episode I had a chance to chat with Alison K about research.  I know you're sitting there saying I already know everything about my business. Well guess what, you don't! So you need to listen to this short and …

Jennifer  Denney is obsessed with measurement and marketing data.  She believes you can't improve what you don't measure. But there are a lot of challenges for marketers right now, as they try to measure the …

Have you ever done something for the first time, without prior knowledge and been able to achieve success? If so, you’re truly unique. Most humans …

If your blog titles don't grab reader's attention, they're not going to read your blog posts.  While it might seem that people want to see something positive in these challenging times, surprisingly negative titles work …

Would you like to be a guest on a podcast?  If so, you want to pay attention to what Kelly Mosser has to say about pitches.

The biggest mistake most …

According to Stacey Hall when we create marketing content it should not be about our products and services.  So stop talking about your products and …

Social media is all about ego. No matter how many followers and fans you have, it’s always fun to see a new follower, a retweet, or reply, like, love …

Many potential customers read your bio to figure out who you are, and what it is going to be like to work with  you.  Danielle Hughes believes you need to give them a sense of who you are as a person instead of a litany …

During the pandemic many people started businesses and even more are sitting in a corporate role right now thinking you're going to start a business …

If you’ve been using social media for any length of time, you’ve probably seen your share of memes. What makes memes popular is the way they give …

I'm an extrovert. I love people.  I love being around people and talking to people.  But there are a whole bunch of people, introverts, who really …

I have a confession to make. I am a networking junkie. I love getting out in meeting people. Unlike people with other addictions, I'm not looking for a cure for my networking addiction, because I think it's healthy for …

It is time for a  Content Based SEO approach. You probably don’t want to hear this. I’m going to do it SEO wrong. You’re spending all your time focused on what search engines want, worrying about stuffing your pages …

Everyone knows testimonials are a powerful sales tool, so why don't more businesses have them?  According to guest, John Hubbard the biggest reason …

As a business owner there were things I had to do that I absolutely loved and there were other things that really pushed me outside my comfort zone.  …

 When you were little, your parents probably told you to use an inside voice because it wasn't polite to shout.

We've all been there, in a crowded …

There's a perception that authors are more credible experts than people who are not authors.  Kim Thompson Pinder thinks it is just a perception and not necessarily true. But why not go with the perception?

There are …

I am an email marketing fan so I was excited to invite Kendra Corman to join me for a conversation on how to make email marketing effective. 

She …

I don't ask for help very often. Maybe it's my personality I like to present this very competent, successful exterior. But the truth is everybody …

Stop for a minute and think about your inbox I know as soon as I said that that was that little pain in your stomach because you know there’s a lot of clutter there.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  

In this …

Wouldn’t it be great if your marketing could get people to buy from you? Unfortunately, as my guest Chris Hoyt explains, that’s not how marketing …

Today, I want to talk about your attitude, and how it can drive action. Why this topic now?

Let's face it, there are lots of things in the world which distract and impact us as individuals. And as business owners. There …

Everyone who starts a business thinks it's going to grow and grow.  They assume the growth will be wonderful as it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. …

If you are like most business owners you have developed a skill for making gut decisions. But my guest Dr. Gleb Tsipursky thinks that might just be the wrong way to approach your business decisions.  

The author of …

If you've just finished working on your business plan, you probably think okay I'm done. I can put it on the shelf and get on with the rest of my business.

If that's what you're thinking, you've missed the entire point …

There are lots of good reasons to create content for your website, social media and email newsletter.  In this episode, Lorraine chats with Louis Dalton about how to write content for a very specific purpose, converting …

Once upon a time marketers ran television commercials and put ads in newspapers and simply waited for the phone to ring. But that was a long time ago.  It was so long ago that it seems like a fairy tale, an expensive …

I know you think we've talked SEO to death, but the field keeps changing and there are different approaches. My guest Meg Casebolt explains many …

In this encore episode, we talk about how to use the frustrations, fears, wants and aspirations or your audience, as the foundation of your …

Once you're done writing your business plan, pulling together all the numbers, charts and other information the most important thing you can do is …

Most people think about email marketing as a sales tool. But my guest, Jeff Felten thinks it is so much more.  Email can play a valuable role as a …

What is the right price for your product or service? Most business owners struggle with this question because they confuse the cost of producing the product, with the value that it brings to the customer. Establishing …

Returning guest Ross Keating says that sales is a people business.  While people may say it is the product or the features, it ultimately comes down …

In this encore episode, our guest, author Matthew Turner doesn’t think owning a business needs to feel like your are on a treadmill running hard, and never reaching your goal 

In his book Beyond the Pale, he explains …

While I think business goals are important, there is more to life than checking things off your list. If you never stop and celebrate the win, it all becomes really tedious. So find a way to reward yourself, when you …

What is the marketing flywheel?  A real flywheel, that builds energy, as you push it slowly over time it gets faster and faster and faster.  A marketing flywheel will do that as well. With consistent action, the …

 It would be wonderful if you just hung a sign out, opened your doors and customers came.  Unfortunately, for most of us that's not how it works.  …

Maybe you think your business is too small to take advantage of PPC.  Our guest, Ameet Khabra doesn't think that is true. You can use this powerful …

I am an optimist. I believe things will work out.  However, when it comes to my business I also know that things can go wrong, and planning is not being negative, it is being prepared. Accidents happen. Even minor …

In this episode we chatted with Jan Cavelle about connecting your emotions to your marketing, and more importantly, connecting to your customer's emotions.  

How do you do that? Jan suggests you start by being …

From our archive: 

You have only a few moments to make that great first impression and you  won’t stand out by sounding like everyone else.  You need to find a way to be first, best or different. And if you choose …

I spent the early part of my career in manufacturing. One of the most important lessons I learned was that of capacity.  When you know how much you can produce you can set realistic targets for your our sales team, …

Influencers, people who have a following comprised of people who pay attention to who they are and what they do can help you deliver your message. 

…

With all of the emphasis on A.I. driven content, search and advertising, the question is how will human beings survive.

Like any good sci-fi, the answer lies in human innovation.  It is in our ability to think outside …

Stacey Hall wants to shift your paradigm on the role of the salesperson. She believes traditional, old school techniques of always closing and …

I a sci-fi geek.  As a kid I discovered Isaac Asimov's stories of good robots who were driven by a code driving them to helpful an supportive of …

I have often been told that I have a strong personality and it kind of came through in my business but I never really thought about the fact that all …

From our archive - Originally broadcast on 2/14/2020 enjoy this encore conversation with Matt Nettleton. 

Sometimes, as a sales person heads out to …

As you start working on the product portion of your overall business plan do not start with the features.  Go back to your customer research. What is most important to your customers?  Focus on the elements of your …

When it comes down to closing, people buy from people.  So before you can make a sale, you almost always need a relationship.  In B2B sales one of the best places to build that relationship is on LinkedIn.    …

One of the things that I love and hate about marketing is the research which allows you to describe your ideal client in very quantitative terms like age, income and level of education. I love this because if gives you …

We are living in a video world.  Our guest Chris Weiher thinks video should be in the tool kit of every small business.  The mistake he thinks many …

I am sure you think this headline is a mistake, that I meant to say something else, but I really mean this. If you want to build a successful …

Google wants you to succeed and in this conversation with Stormy Knight, we talk about what they're doing to help you do just that.

Remember that …

How do you decide which marketing tactics to try? Megan Prejzner says you should start with business goals in mind. Boil it all down to the ones …

Even new, completely innovative products have competition. Long before your product comes into the market, customers have found ways to solve their …

While you don't want to change your brand frequently, guest Amanda Guerassio suggests there are signs you are ready for a refresh.  

1. If you designed …

I know you think you are a business owner not a salesperson but everybody really is a salesperson. In this conversation with Tracey Beavers we explored ways you can create sales without "selling"

She suggests you start …

Too often inventors and entrepreneurs fall in love with their idea. Just because it can be built, does not mean it should be.  Before you launch your …

Many small business owners startup a business or launch a product with little or no budget. I asked successful founder, Jason Hubbard about some of  …

Small business owners, particularly solo entrepreneurs often forget that their personal and business on-line security are tightly intertwined.  

…

If you're a smart traveler you know can't head out on a long road trip without some kind of map or directions.  Without that there's a chance you'll get lost, drive in the wrong direction, show up late or never actually …

In this episode we talk about mentors, how to find one and how to be one. Why? Because even if we think that we're running our business' completely on our own it helps to have people to turn to for advice and …

Before we roll in 2023, I thought it would be fun to go back and revisit some of my favorite podcast interviews from last year. With more than 125 to …

“Welcome to More than a Few Words, a marketing conversation for business owners. This is your host Lorraine Ball. “

I have a version of that phrase hundreds of times over the last thirteen years. Yes, today is actually …

 What is the fastest least expensive way to get clients? Guest, Gall Doby suggests  there is one strategy that people often ignore, and it's right in front of them. 

Looking for new sales? Start with your current …

My favorite day on my most recent vacation was the day we got lost. We had an idea of what we wanted to do but we made a wrong turn. Instead of worrying about it we simply embraced the chaos. We stumbled upon a great …

In this episode, I chat with Sasha Willis about authenticity and why it is so important to be authentic in all of your content and branding. 

Sasha advocates for  showing up as yourself because people really tune into …

You've Got Mail!

Do you remember when those three little words used to make you smile?  It's hard to believe it's been more than 25 years since we first logged onto the internet via a very slow dial-up modem to hear …

Why should you make a to do list before you go to sleep?  It is a way of training your brain . Guest Elizabeth Louis, says when you do that you're …

I am a serious coffee drinker. A typical morning starts with two full mugs of coffee, after which I'm ready to face the world. So when I was in Italy …

When it comes to finding your ideal client Jonny Cooper thinks of the process like a three legged stool.  You need all three pieces.  Without one of …

When it comes to content marketing you need to be playing the long game. It is unrealistic to think  you're going to throw a blog post out there …

Your customers go through many steps and phases as you work with them, so your marketing needs to reflect where they are in their customer journey.  

Guest, Ellen McDowell shares tips on how to segment your customers …

When I was a kid and the doorbell rang I would jump up and fling the door open in the hopes of entertaining a neighbor, friend or unexpected guest. …

Since we were in middle school there's always been someone who said something negative about us. You'd think after all this time we'd learn how to …

When the phone rings, there's always that moment of excitement. This could be a customer! I've been through enough sales training so I feel …

This week we are talking about positioning. I know that sounds like some techie, marketing thing that you need an MBA to figure out but it really isn't. Your position is simply what you want people to think about you …

A friend of mine who is an improvisational artist, and a marketer told me there were many things he learned when studying improvisational comedy that …

In this episode Lorraine chat's with Maddie Osman about style guides. But the conversation is not about colors and fonts. Your brand is more than …

It seems like every day there is some new tool or trend. So how do you decide which  new technology, software tools and digital trends deserve …

I know you think we've talked about email a lot but we're going to dive into  one of the most overlooked parts of your email marketing, the metrics

Guest, Emily Maguire shares lessons learned over a decade sending …

I hate to say I told you so. Well,  actually I like saying it because I enjoy being right. So I am very much enjoying the most recent announcement by …

What do you do when external factors turn your entire business model upside down?  That's what happened to MeetUp.com at the beginning of their …

You need to protect the marketing assets of your business.

I got a call the other day from a client I hadn't worked with in 18 years. He wanted know if I still had the original art files for his business now. As strange …

Owning a business is lots of fun. There are all sorts of reasons you do it. But at the end of the day. It's about the cash. Alvin Narsey considers cash a  fundamental metric for any kind of business.  Many business …

This is one of the most common questions business owners must answer. Defining your pricing strategy is critical to your success because it tells prospective customers a lot about …

Most business owners did not start out thinking they  were going to be sales people, but somewhere along the line they figured out that was what they had become. 

Guest Susan Trumpler shares tips on how to manage the …

You've all heard of the sales funnel this marketing model where every sales starts at the top with a large group of unqualified prospects. In the middle are people who are mildly interested and at the bottom of the …

Testimonials are  marketing gold. But the trick is cultivate them.  So how do you get people to talk about you?  Guest, Erin Ollila breaks it down …

I started my career in retail. As a floor manager my job was to attract customers as they walked down the aisle of the store, to pull them into the …

Instagram is so much more than simple an app to share images of your favorite cocktail, flower or friend.  It is a powerful business tool with four …

I know you’re probably just starting out in your business. It is all really exciting and new. But, right from day one, you need to be thinking about building a business that someone else will want to buy someday.

To do …

Geotargeting is a valuable tool if you run a local business.  Connecting with customers around the block is what drives your business.  But guest, …

If you're like me, you never have your best ideas when you're sitting at your desk.  It is always when you're out walking or talking to someone or driving in your car.

Then by the time you get somewhere where you can …

This week, I chatted with Claire Gallagher about the unique challenges creatives face as they try to work on their branding.  The rest of the world thinks designers have it easy when it comes to developing their …

I love to tell stories. Not only because they're fun, but because they're great for business.  That's why I was excited to sit down with master storyteller, David Hutchins. 

He explains, regardless of who you are or …

Social media is a lot like going to a singles bar. You're going to meet a lot of nice people and have some interesting conversations.  But at the end of the day your goal is to bring your date home.

In the world of …

Let's start with the numbers

• 80% of small business owners use email marketing to get new clients and to keep their existing ones
• For every $1 you …

Your customers want to feel special. In interactions with you, they want the conversation to be focused on their needs and concerns. To communicate that focus in your marketing campaigns, add a little personalization to …

If you have been around the  business community as long as I have, or maybe even half as long you know there are cycles. There are ups and there are downs.  They way to survive the downs is to be prepared.

In this …

There is this wonderful song written by Peter Allen in the 1970 s.  Everything old is New Again. In a way that song sums up where marketers are these …

You spend all of your resources trying to drive people to your website. But what do they do when they get there? Well if you goal is to generate leads and build your email list that's where a great landing page comes …

One of my all-time favorite movies is The Sound of Music. While I love most of the songs, the scene where Maria teaches the children to sing, is definitely on top of my list. say.

She explains, when you read you begin …

Scott Murray thinks today's marketers have to stop selling, promoting and clinging to outdated strategies and tactics.  Instead they need to create content to spark engagement,  conversation and inspiration from their …

How well is your business performing?  Key Performance Indicators help you answer that question.  A KPI is  a quantifiable measure of performance over time for a specific objective. KPIs provide targets to shoot for, …

If you're like most business owners you've set lots of goals and in your life and you've never fulfilled them. It not be the goal, but because your …

When you started your business you probably assumed that sooner or later you would get around to building a life to go with it.  According to guest …

----more----Every woman has that little black dress in her wardrobe. Classic in design it is not too trendy and not too stodgy.  It is incredibly …

So you think you've got distractions and can't start a business. Well my guest, Renee Harris has nine children and still found a way to build a six-figure business.  How did she balance the demands of a family and the …

Social media and content marketing should be fun.  If you are not feeling the fun in the content you are creating then your audience is probably …

Facebook is on a mission to take the social out of social media.  They've announced changes to their algorithm that you're already seeing.

They're prioritizing ads and video from complete strangers over the updates from …

These days business is built on relationships. So when you are in a networking situation, guest Patty Farmer suggests you remember to focus on the …

These days, it seems everyone is talking about working remote. with advances in technology, you can work anywhere in the country or anywhere in the …

I know the economy is rocky. Yes, things have been bumpy for the last three years. But the truth is, this isn't the first time it's happened, and it will be the last. If you want your business to still be around when …

When it comes to finding your life's love or passion is there really only one? Maybe you think that's a strange introduction for a marketing conversation. But it's not.  Just as finding that one true love is important …

Sometimes when people write copy they forget they're not just writing for SEO.  They need to keep in mind they are writing to attract the attention of real people who have  specific reasons for reading the information 

…

What is the right price for your product or service? Most small business owners struggle with this question, because they confuse the cost of producing the product with the value it brings to the customer.

When it comes …

If you're a little bit of a sci-fi nerd. The idea that the robots are coming can be a little bit terrifying. But if you're a marketer in today's world the advent of Ai is an exciting opportunity. 

Guest Thomas …

Do you feel overwhelmed by social media if you do you're not alone but I've got some good news for you because there are things you can do to manage the chaos and make the time you're spending on social media …

One of the things I love about living in Indiana is the color of the seasons. There are the bright pastels of spring, the rich greens of summer, …

When it comes to creating content, the age old question seems to be " What do you write about? The biggest challenge of creating content is staring …

People tell me they're they don't think they're creative. But that's not true. Everyone is creative. We just express it differently. And you need …

What do you want people to say about you when you're not in the room. What do you want them to tell people. who are looking for someone who does what you do?

All of those comments add up to your personal brand. Now a …

You think you know everything about sales. You've heard all the presentations and everybody talks about pain and objections. Well, my guest Chandler Walker thinks that might be the wrong way to approach a sales. 

He …

I love a good networking event. but I know not everybody loves that process.  They're often confused and frustrated with how to start the conversation and where to go after they've opened it.  Laura Templeton suggests …

Every parent knows, It takes a village to raise a child. Each of the adults in the child’s life, relatives, teachers, coaches, brings a different …

Think you know how Google works?  Guest, Kyle Roof explains your assumptions may not be right. 

For example, many people think Google reads a web …

I bet you didn't know that you're sitting on a gold mine. but according to my guest Mary Henderson, you are. As human beings. we experiences built …

 Words have power to move, motivate, inspire, frightened and cheer, what you say and how you say it can have a strong impact on another person. Some words, called power words have more impact than others. These words …

Whether you're trying to hire a new person, work with an agency or close a sale, the very first step is really figuring out if you're sitting across the table from the right person.

The problem is that people don't come …

What if you could improve the amount of traffic that came to your website, the amount of conversions and the lifetime value of  customers by 26% …

Wouldn't it be nice if we all just got along. That might seem like a good idea but it really isn't. You can't eliminate conflict completely. and you …

All work and no play makes Jack or Jill very dull.  As a business owner you work really hard but you also need to find ways to get away and take a …

Why should I buy from you? That's the question we have to answer if we want to grow our business.  My guest, Rich Brooks thinks the answer needs to …

Let's go on a buying journey. Think about the last item that you bought, where you spent more than $100. Maybe it was something for your business or home. Write down the item you bought and work backwards through your …

If you're like a lot of people you may be under the misconception that you have to make a choice between doing what you really love or making money but that doesn't have to be the case.  Guest Joel Salomon doesn't …

Do you have a super toolkit for your business? Also called standard operating procedures (SOPs), when created correctly give business owners freedom …

When it comes to marketing, there are three simple truths. The first is that marketing hasn't really changed in 50 or 60 years. The basics of marketing are about what they were half a century ago.

What has changed are …

If every morning is an adventure and you're not quite what you should do first, Ryan Cote suggests you begin your day with a morning routine.    

…

This is a marketing story about personal branding that took place about 30 years ago, I had just started working for Lennox industries. At that time, Lennox Industries was a male oriented business. With men in all the …

Many business owners think closing the sale is the end of customer journey.  Guest Wayne Mullins doesn't agree.  He sees the act of attracting the …

We make buying decisions because we've been influenced by someone or something. Many companies are trying to cash in on this trend, hiring influencers to promote their brand. 

But our guest Jason Falls focusing on the …

Everyone likes to be right and to see their ideas put into practice but sometimes your ideas are not the best it. If, as a leader you are more focused on proving you're right and winning every argument people around you …

Great content helps small business owners build trust and compete with businesses significantly larger, by establishing authority and credibility. 

Guest John Hinson explains it is a cost effective strategy saving you …

The stories that we tell ourselves really are our most important stories. Our guest, Bridget Cook-Burch shared her thoughts on stories and how stories drive our destiny.  It is less about what is really happening and …

If you're a business owner, you are probably  always looking for ways to widen your circle and networking is certainly a great way to do just that.

In this conversation with Ryan Hansen, we talked about a slightly …

I love running my own business, getting to do things “my way” … most of the time. But I learned that to be successful, I need to also listen to the …

If you're a coach you can earn a living one conversation at a time. But if you really want to maximize your revenue opportunities. You need to consider group coaching Where do you start? 

Our guest Chris Williams says …

All too often people think the word freelancer is synonymous for broke. But according to my guest, Kate Bagoy, that's not true. You can make money and live the life you want as a freelancer.

Right now is a great time …

When you come home from a networking event with a stack of business cards, you either have something incredibly valuable, or a pile of garbage. What makes the difference? It's not the cards themselves, but what you do …

The next time you go to a networking event, guest Rochelle Groh suggests you should look for the four types of networking animals. 

• The shark, who is …

These days the world feels more than just a little crazy.  As you are processing all the crazy in the outside world you have a business to run.  So how do you balance the conflicting emotions and keep your  business …

Great strategic relationships are what make your word of mouth marketing work.  These partners  have complementary businesses to yours.  Serving similar customers they are likely to bump into people who will need your …

If you're looking for different results tomorrow than you had yesterday you need to make changes.  Sometimes it is a small change, but often it is a …

So you've been creating content for awhile. You've got blog posts, images and videos.  You share it on social media and place it on your website, but that isn't enough, because you aren't creating content for fun.  The …

Thinking about hosting a conference and wondering about which social media platforms will serve you best. While you should probably have a presence …

Do you have a personal brand? Do you even know what that is and why you need one?  My guest Ian Moyse explains that while the term "personal brand" sounds illustrious, something for celebrities and influencers, everyone …

Your business does not happen by accident. You have to have processes and procedures in place to make sure that everything gets done when it's supposed to.  Does that sound a little overwhelming? It doesn't have to be …

In the age of the great resignation, business owners of all size companies are struggling with employee turnover. The pandemic had accelerated the resignations, but if you have employees, sooner or later you will need …

It would be great if the rules of SEO would remain constant.  Unfortunately, SEO like most of your digital marketing is constantly evolving, as the …

If you're like me, you've started lots of things that you hoped would become habits. You run at them full bore for a little while and then you lose …

When it comes to content creation, more is not always better. I've been blogging since 2008. And I have a library filled with thousands of blog posts which I  wrote as resources for for clients and prospects and because …

If you could have a conversation with anyone, who would you choose?” Almost everyone has a first choice and maybe a second, but who has hundreds of …

No matter what your job is, sales expert, business owner or manager working your way up the corporate ladder, you're going to have to sell your ideas.  The prospect can be a little scary but it doesn't have to be …

Have you let your brand become marketing wallpaper. You've said the same things over and over and over again to build consistency which is great but you've said it so much people no longer hear it. 

If that's happened …

If you have something to say, you may be frustrated as you try to get that message out to the right people. Our guest, Jonathan Milligan shares some tips on how you can rise above the noise so prospective customers hear …

According to our guest, Ryan Sullivan, modern day marketers understand that the buying journey is not linear. so the content on your website should …

To develop really effective marketing, you need to be clear about your brand position, what makes you uniquely qualified to earn the business of your customers. Look beyond the technical skills and product …

According to our guest Merit Kahn, it is one thing to be really well versed in what you're going to say to a prospect and how you're going to go through your sales process but you need to engage the prospect.

If you are …

It isn’t practical to drive looking only in the rear view mirror. Even if you think you know what is in front of you, sooner or later you will run into something you didn’t expect. When you run your business simply by …

What is the difference between an thought and an idea.  It is not just semantics according to my guest Bruno Pesec.   A thought is something …

Has this happened at your house?  It is Christmas morning and after your child gleefully tears open a present, finding their much anticipated toy …

Some people think that chaos is a dirty word. But as my guest Robert Raymond Riopel suggests, a little bit of chaos in your life is a good thing.

He suggests that as as human beings, one of our primary functions is to …

What is a non-fiction brand?  It is a brand that is true and authentic in its reflection of a company.  To build your non-fiction brand, my guest DP Knudten you need to start with a hard look in the mirror.

As a …

The more you know about a prospect, the easier it is to sell. Asking questions is a great way to learn what you need to know and avoid wasting time …

If you are like me, you probably spend a lot of time on social Media. While these tools are helpful, are they the best resource for your business. 

…

Like many business owners I made the transition from paper to digital tools a few years ago, but some days it feels as if I am juggling too many …

Marketing is addicting. You do a little marketing, you get results, you do a little more and suddenly you’re hooked. You can’t imagine your business …

Lots of people make the mistake of thinking good design is just a pretty picture. But, as our guest Jacqui Naunton  explains, it is so much more that that.  And when done correctly can have an enormously positive impact …

Have you ever been to a website that just makes you feel right at home? Everything is where it's supposed to be. And you know, you've come to the right place. That's a website that's was designed with the user …

One of the things I love about living n Indianapolis is the activity at the racetrack.   Yes, it is true, I am a race geek.   I love the cars, the …

So you want to start a business but you really don't have an idea of what you want to do.  In that case, a franchise might be just what you're looking.

Our guest, Diane Pleuss has matched hundreds of entrepreneurs with …

Even for the most accomplished writer, creating an effective blog post takes time.  This is especially true as the word count requirements have grown.

Even if it is only an hour or two, over the course of the year, that …

Small business owners never have enough time. There is always more to do than than a day a day it fits in a day's work. Guest, Alex Brueckmann believes a good strategy becomes your system to prioritize rigorously where …

It often feels as if the world is just a little nastier than it used to be with online attacks to individuals and businesses.  Well it turns out that's not new. The internet has made it a little bit more visible, but …

My husband loves scotch and it was on his bucket list to see where it was made. So several years ago, I found myself wandering through distillery after distillery hearing about malting, mash and wort, the importance of …

We like to think of ourselves as evolved creatures, but according to Felix Cao the primal brain is actually the place where the subconscious mind …

 If I asked you where the keys to your house were, might take you a minute, if you're a little bit like me and put him down somewhere in the house, but within a minute or two, you'd know where your keys were. Why? …

As a business owner you are active on social media to do more than just make friends.  You are there because you ultimately hope it will lead to …

I am a fan of Walt Disney, not just his movies, but his vision and creativity as an entrepreneur.  He understood the importance of a clear company …

LinkedIn can be an incredibly valuable resource for your business, but it won't work if all you do is post content telling l people how awesome you are with a link to your blog or website. 

If you want to actually drive …

As the new year begins, take a few minutes to think about your goals and what you want to accomplish in 2018. Dream big both personally and professionally. Maybe you want to lose weight, expand …

Everyone talks about finding your ideal client. But how do you do that? Today my guest Tim Fitzpatrick of Rialto Marketing explains it can be as easy as answering three questions.

Who do you enjoy working with, because …

Your brand doesn't happen by accident.  Our guests Tonya Eberhart & Michael Carr, partners behind BrandFace have created The 3 D Process for building your brand. 

Define - In the define stage, start with a look at …

When I ask business owners about their website performance, most can easily tell me how much …

If you own a business, you have stress. It seems to come with the job, but our guest Debra Sunderland suggests that your stress often comes from lack of clarity. She says the reason we have stress is because the small …

I have been blogging since 2007. Back then blogging was popular among writers and geeks.  I am not sure which I was, but I enjoyed the opportunity to …

If you are a small business owner, there is a good chance you feel a little bit like a gerbil on a treadmill. You're running and chasing the food, but you never quite catch it. Our guest, author Matthew Turner doesn't …

We routinely tell business owners that great blog posts are an important part of their sales, marketing and SEO strategy. With so much riding on each and every post, it's tempting to push the sales element really hard. …

Business owners who believe in rapport and relationship-building often think of automation as a bad word.  This perception comes from the not really understanding how good automation words. 

Automation can be as simple …

Does it matter when you send out an email newsletter? People are going to read it whenever it lands in their inbox, right? Well, maybe not. There's a lot of research that suggests there actually is a best time of day …

You have probably heard multiple times you need to start your sales process by defining your niche because when you do, you can create more relevant …

Everyone is not your customer. And while some people might become customers sometime in the future, there are some people who never will. Make the best use of your marketing efforts by narrowing down to a niche.

Then, …

Many "would be writers" think they should start with a title and let the story unfold.  Our guest, Tina Bakehouse suggests starting in the middle.  …

If your blog titles don't grab reader's attention, they're not going to read your blog posts.  While it might seem that people want to see something positive in these challenging times, surprisingly negative titles work …

Ultimately, social media is a human platform. If we can read a story and we can relate to it, we're more likely to engage with that, we're more likely to comment on it, like it and share it. Our guest, Victoria Lee …

As you plan your next email marketing campaign don't overwhelm customers with multiple offers. They won't spend the time reading all that text. As a …

​Goals are an important part of a successful business, but we often don't achieve them as quickly as we would like.  Coach Cailen Ascher suggests …

You may not believe this, but negative reviews are a gift. They give you a chance to improve to change your customer perception, and maybe even be a hero.

When someone writes a negative review, they're annoyed at your …

You spend hours creating content so you may be disappointed to discover that nobody's reading it. But it doesn't have to be that way. Our guest, …

Ask most small business owners what makes their company unique. And they'll tell you it boils down to the people and the culture. That great culture …

There is a cycle business owners get trapped in as they start to spiral toward burnout.  Coach Linsi Brownson says the first thing you need to do is recognize, you're not doing anything wrong.  This is just a phase in …

Are you frustrated by the lack of engagement and results from your Facebook pages? Maybe it is because you are treating Facebook like any other …

What would you learn in one hundred networking conversations?  And how would those conversations change your business? That is what our guest, Chella …

If you think Instagram is just about pretty pictures, you're really missing out on opportunities. Sure, a pretty picture is going to stop your audience in their tracks, but it's not necessarily going to be enough to …

When you collaborate with people you would, on the surface level think of as your competitors, it is amazing what happens You will discover your …

The other day, I got the nicest note from a prospect,  who by the way is now a client. He said "The information you shared was valuable and easy to …

According to our guest, Ellen Goodwin, you can have all the plans in the world, manage your time, block out time for specific activities, but if you have no energy, you're going to be dead in the water.

Without energy, …

I always say there are three days in the life of a project give me an emotional left.

When I make the sale

When I send the invoice 

When I get the check.

The foundation of cash management starts with an understanding of …

There, there's about seven different qualities that are highly associated with someone's credibility, trustworthiness and perception of leadership when it comes to vocal qualities. The research around this astounding. 

…

I want to ask you a very specific question. Who were you writing for? Now, if you have a personal blog and you're documenting the days of your life, you're writing for yourself. But if you have a business blog then you …

There are many elements in a successful ecommerce program, but email is at the top of the list.  From simple promotional campaigns to event specific …

Long before I ever worked on my first website, I was developing brochures and direct mail campaigns for business owners. Many of the rules of good …

As you drive down the road, you have to be ready to make small adjustments.  The same is true for your marketing.

This week's guests, Sharyn and Hank …

When I started my career, I was full of crazy, innovative ideas which were routinely shut down by senior managers. I grew to hate hearing "That isn't …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners.  MTFW is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features interviews with marketing professionals from around the world. 

In today's conversation, Mal …

You have a blog for your business, that is an important first step.  But if you want to transform a good blog into a great one, there are several things you can do to improve your company blog,

First you need to do is …

According to our guest Sheri Kay Hoff, the trick with good marketing is to be everywhere, but show up slightly different so your message is relevant to your audience. 

Customers can smell a sales pitch a mile away, so …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional …

More than a Few Words is a Marketing Conversation for Business Owners.

Why does your business exist?  If you answered to make money, you are missing the point.  That may be  why your own a business, but the business …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation hosted by Lorraine Ball featuring brief interviews with entrepreneurs and marketing professionals …

Did you know that  57% of all purchase decisions are actually made before a customer ever talks to a supplier.

Think about that! More than half of the people who pick up the telephone to talk to you have already made up …

More than a Few Words is a Marketing Conversation for Business Owners. 

Sometimes you just have to jump in.  Video is so important as part of your marketing mix, and most business owners are not expert videographers., …

The Marketing Minute is a quick bite of marketing from Lorraine Ball, host of More than a Few Words

 You probably don't want to hear this. I'm going to do it SEO wrong. You're spending all your time focused on what …

The world is getting smaller all the time.  Today, even small business can afford to compete globally.  This week we talked with Wendy Pease about free resources, and tips for business owners interested in selling their …

Organizations, movements, products, companies thrive or fail when their stories thrive or fail. So if you have a deeply resonant, emotionally significant functionally relevant story, then the organization will continue …

There are lots of cool tools and features that you can add to a new website. The problem is sometimes companies try to do everything; ,stunning …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

Every business owner …

One of the most interesting findings in this year's digital marketing survey was on the topic of blogging.  Fewer small business owners than ever …

The marketing podcast More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball. Each week she interviews marketing professionals from around the world. 

This week, our guest, Breanna Gunn is a copywriting professional.  She …

Each week, host Lorraine Ball chats with marketing and business professionals from around the world.  This week, Connie Jones, author of  WARRIOR ARISE, brings her perspective on how our beliefs limit our success. 

We …

Let's face it, sometimes mistakes happen and things go wrong. How you handle the situation will often determine whether your smallest mistake becomes a big crisis 

Even if you can't predict what will go wrong, having a …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox   If the thought of …

Every week, Lorraine Ball, chats with marketing professionals around the world. This week, the conversation is about Accountability.  Her guest, Don Markland shared thoughts on developing an accountability habit for …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

SEO can be  very …

This week in our marketing minute, Lorraine Ball continues the conversation about building a successful inbound marketing campaign.

Once someone …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

Social media used to …

More than a few words is a marketing conversation for business owners.  Each week, host Lorraine Balls spends a few minutes chatting with guests …

Last week I shared a few tips building effective landing pages. This week we're going to turn our attention to the submission or inbound form because …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners.  Hosted by Lorraine Ball marketing experts from around the globe share tips, tricks and inspirational marketing and business ideas. 

With Neuro …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners.  Each week, podcast host Lorraine Ball chats with marketing professionals from …

Last week I shared a few tips on building your offer.  This week we're going to focus on the landing page.

The landing page is your opportunity to convince prospective customers to say yes, I want that.

When building a …

More than a Few Words, hosted by Lorraine Ball is a marketing conversation for business owners. 

Social media can be overwhelming, because it seems as if there is a new platform every week.  So, as a small business …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners, hosted by Lorraine Ball

In this episode, our guest Anna Parker-Naples explains …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

If you are like most entrepreneurs, you always have too much to do on any given day. It often feels like you are a gerbil on a treadmill, because I keep running, but you don't get anywhere.

This week, our guest David …

The hardest thing about blogging is staring at that blank sheet of paper trying to decide what you should be writing about.  The answer is pretty …

More than a Few Words, a marketing conversation hosted by Lorraine Ball.

If you are like most business owners, it is a struggle to stand out in a crowd. You can elevate yourself above the rest with a little bit of …

More than a Few Words is a marketing and business conversation hosted by Lorraine Ball.

Why do business owners need to build social relationships?  Aleya Harris is pretty clear when asked that question. She believes …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

Today we are going to …

This marks the 600th episode of More than a Few Words, a marketing conversation hosted by Lorraine Ball.

Even if you’ve never thought of yourself as a teacher it is time to look strategically how a course might support …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

What if you could …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

As a business owner, …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox 

Since the dawn of the …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox

When I started my …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

When it comes to content marketing, the process is key.  Without structure, you are always chasing the program instead of …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox

These days, video is so …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball, founder of the Digital Toolbox

As a business owner, …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

Our guest, Thomas Libby spends a lot of time on LinkedIn. And the time pays off, because he uses the platform to help people …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

I love a good story.  I love to listen to a good story and tell one.  Stories are a valuable element in building your …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

As a small business owner, particularly if you are in  …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

If you are like most business owners you want your website to be attractive and functional.  This week we chatted with Wayne …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

When it comes to generating leads from LinkedIn, our guest  Susan MacConnell thinks most people make several critical mistakes. 

1 - Trying to …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

As a business owner, sometimes it is hard to figure out where your business ends and you begin. It can be challenging to …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

You are not charging enough for your products.  If you are like most business owners you make the mistake of looking at your …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

You work hard to build your email list and it is …

More than a Few Words is a marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball

Everyone wants to do more than just work in their business. The challenge for small business owners is how to find the time …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world.

Introduced in September 2020, LinkedIn Stories offers entrepreneurs …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world.

When someone subscribes to your email list your first communication set …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

According to Andrea Petrone, attracting clients starts with three …

Today I want to talk about what a customer is worth because I think all too often business owners look at what a customer's spending today and see that as the only value of that customer. But if you're in a business …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Where does marketing end and sales activity begin?  These days, the …

If you’re like many business owners, you started your company to do something you enjoyed. Maybe you were a chef and you started a restaurant, or a doctor who wanted to take care of people, or a marketer who …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

You have only a few moments to make that great first impression and …

The marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features brief marketing tips and conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Okay, so you’ve launched your new website and …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Before you can create an irresistible offer, you have to have a clear …

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 …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

These days there is a lot of noise out there. With the increasing …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Good marketing starts with the basics.  You need to have a plan.  …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

he weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

These days everybody's trying to present themselves as an expert. So …

The podcast More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with marketing professionals from around the world.

A heart-centered business has purpose and intent, connected to your superhero …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world.

Many business owners assume they know the answer. They believe they …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

This week we explore the importance of sales and marketing working …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast. Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, host …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Handling the mental health challenges (mostly stress, anxiety, and …

I happen to love things that are quirky and a little off balance. That should come as no surprise considering the fact that I named my company …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

…

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

So often small businesses make their web copy and marketing …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

These days, we're not doing a lot of face to face interactions with …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

We are living in a relationship centric era.  Long gone are the days …

Often when I talk to business owners about their Google Analytics, they focus a lot of attention on how many people came to their website, how many unique visitors, and what their bounce rate was.

They miss  some of the …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world.

As more and more people are working from home, physical networking is …

If you want to run a direct mail campaign, you can buy a mailing list. There are reputable sources for addresses and phone numbers of local homeowners and businesses. And the lists are relatively current, and you can …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world.

…

Why should I buy from you in a cluttered marketplace with many companies all claiming be able to solve a problem that a customer has? How do you …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Creating great marketing content takes a while It is important, but …

Did you know that 57% of all purchase decisions are actually made before a customer ever talks to a supplier.

The marketing minute is a shorter …

More than a Few Words,  a weekly marketing podcast, hosted by Lorraine Ball features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

This week,  Shane Barker joined us for a conversation about email engagement, …

These days, it seems like everyone is talking about content marketing. But what is it really?

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the …

More than a Few Words,  a weekly marketing podcast, hosted by Lorraine Ball features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

This …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Getting Started

These days a lot of people who never thought they …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Many business owners think marketing is all about tactics and actions, …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcasts, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features marketing conversations with professionals from around the world. 

Many people assume they need to …

The marketing minute is a shorter version of the popular More than a Few Words podcast.  Instead of a conversation with a marketing professional, …

The weekly marketing podcasts, More than a Few Words is hosted by Lorraine Ball and features marketing conversations with professionals from around …

In an age where most people would rather text than talk, we've seen a dramatic rise in live chat features on websites. And while sometimes I get …

Each week host Lorraine Ball and her guest have a marketing conversation for business owners.  This week the topic is how to make a great second impression.

Our guest, Janice Porter explains that it starts with being a …

My uncle used to say that he was going to write me a short note but didn’t have time, so he wrote me a long letter instead.  When you are limited in …

Each week host Lorraine Ball and her guest have a conversation for business owners.  This week the topic is how to work from anywhere.

2020 has been an interesting year.  It has created lots of challenges for business …

If you are like me, you have that one thing that you always put off, it's something that has to get done. But there is always something else more important that gets in the way.

It is time to break the cycle of guilt …

Why build a dream team?  On the one hand things are so much simpler when it is just you.  On the other hand, when it is just you, then you are wearing all of the hats, all the time.  You have to do everything. If you …

The internet is filled with calls to action. Everywhere you go, there are brightly colored buttons commanding you to read more, get the content, …

A wise man once said, there is nothing so constant as change. That is especially true when you are a business owner. The key to success is often identifying opportunities to pivot and being brave enough to make the …

Celebrity endorsements aren’t new. I mean, they’ve been around for a really long time as far back as the 1760s, when producers of pottery in China …

People often ask me if I work with my husband.  And I politely explain that I would rather remain married, than try to navigate that challenging …

A few thoughts to start your blogging checklist.

I am a big fan of blogging because I think it can be a very powerful part of your overall marketing. …

This week our guest Mark Dunsmore explains the best way to become an expert in your niche is not to try to learn everything about your industry.  You don't have to be a superpower in the industry and teach everything …

If a prospective customer went to Google to look for a business like yours, what words would they use? Your website must contain those words. They …

When people throw around the term customer experience, what are they really talking about? They're talking about the experience that customers go through when interacting with your brand.  It is not just a single …

Every day when you leave your home, you lock the door and you take your keys. That's what you do to protect your home. 

As a business owner with a website, you need to lock your website to protect that as well. To do …

It is human nature to be judgmental, to look at things which are different and judge them good or bad.

What is the difference between judgement and curiosity?  Actually, they're two sides of the same coin.  They occur …

In this week's Marketing Minute, we look at the art of the Meme

If you’ve been using social media for any length of time, you’ve probably seen a …

This week's guest Robby Slaughter discusses the pros and cons of remote work.  He shares tips on how to make  working remotely more productive without allowing it to take over your life.

Stop using the phrase wok - …

Remember when everyone thought the internet was free, you could put your message out there and suddenly traffic came to your website? It was like …

Ten years ago, More than a Few Words was in its infancy. We tested a lot of formats, short programs, live broadcasts, and interviews with marketing professionals.

And for about a year, simply the show was comprised of  …

Everyone wants their website to  look awesome, with interesting pictures and cool animation. Unfortunately, none of that matters if the words don't …

When you're trying to get someone's attention, get them to open your email, or click on a link from social media, you have to be able to tell them what's in it for them.  You need to use what's called a Gain Headline.

…

Some web hosting firms are definitely better than others.  While they were once your very best choice, these days we find ourselves saying No Daddy to GoDaddy. 

When someone stumbles across your content or social media or it’s dropped into their inbox, you have just a few seconds to make them care enough to click and read more.

With so much information thrown at potential …

Building a website is easy, but building it correctly is not.  In this episode Sam Moss of the 1Click Agency shares the five most common web design …

We are living in a visual world. And as a brand, every image you choose has to support the message you want customers to receive. 

Jennifer Riley Simone of Fresh Figs Marketing joined me for a conversation about how …

Why You Should Conduct Web Performance Reviews

If you have employees, you're probably conducting performance reviews on a regular basis, evaluating …

In the early days of SEO, it was all about the links. It was about quantity, how many inbound links could you build for your website.  These days, …

Let's face it, everyone wants to feel special. When you walk into a coffee shop and you're greeted by name, or a waitress remembers that you like your eggs over easy before you order, you feel at home. And the next time …

Why do reviews matter?  Part of the answer to that question lies in the psychological phenomenon of social proof. We look to others for advice and …

“I can do that,” I said calmly, as I looked across the table at a potential client.  All the while in my head, I could hear a loud frantic voice …

Since starting my first Twitter account in 2008, I've had a love hate relationship with the platform. It's fast moving and entertaining.  There are …

Nobody told me when I was a kid how much harder it was going to be to make friends when I got older. Changing jobs and moving to new cities, I always …

Want to grow your business from zero to 1000 fans?  Start by asking people what they want from you. Sounds simple, right? But that's exactly what my guest Josh Tapp, The Lucky Titan,  said he did to grow his business.

…

Let’s face it, everyone is not your customer. Even if you sell the most basic of products like crackers or toilet paper, some people will like your …

Think Instagram is just for pretty pictures of food, fashion and flowers will think again. With Instagram stories, your business can deliver relevant messages to an audience that really cares. Our guest today Bobbi …

Have you noticed that everyone seems to be changing their name lately? I mean, every time I turn around, Dunkin Donuts is now Dunkin and Weight Watchers is WW, Burger King is trying to slide in there with BK.

What's …

Let's face it, things happen. Businesses take twists and unexpected turns. But are they really all that unexpected? In today's conversation, Sam and I talk about how you can proactively plan for the crises, you know, …

Wouldn't it be great if your marketing could get people to buy from you? Unfortunately, as our guest Chris Hoyt explains, that's not how marketing …

The Marketing Minute: Patience

Let's talk about patience, because that is something  small business owners typically don't have.

We start our businesses with grand plans.  We go out and start marketing our product and …

The problem with automated marketing is that well, it feels automated. There's a not quite human sound to the way those emails and chat bots respond to questions from real customers. Your challenge is to humanize your …

Today's conversation is a bit of a departure for us, but it is such an important topic, property taxes. I know , nobody wants to talk about property taxes. But  if you don't talk about it, and you don't think about it, …

Is email marketing or social media a better tool for your business. The truth is, it’s not an either or situation. Each of these marketing tools has …

What is a rich snippet? 

Rich Snippets is the term used to describe structured data markup that site operators can add to their existing HTML, which in turn allow search engines to better understand what information is …

What if you had an employee who could be hard at work as you were doing something else. Sounds wonderful, right?  Well that is the idea behind …

If you're like many business owners, you started your company to do something you enjoyed. Maybe you were a chef and you started a restaurant, or a doctor who wanted to take care of people, or a marketer who enjoyed the …

These days inboxes are overloaded and social media news feeds are controlled by the platform algorithms.  So, as a small business owner how do you …

If you have ever read a comic book you know that the Super Hero has amazing powers, but also the one critical weakness.  Business owners are marketing super heroes with amazing skills and talent, but weakness which can …

Do you have a plan for your business? I don't mean a vague generic, "Yeah, we kind of want to do this." I mean, a specific plan that outlines the steps that you're going to take to reach your goals.

If you're like many …

The next time you go to a networking event, ready to launch into your hard sell pitch stop and try something new.  Don't ask the same tired questions.  Instead, our guest Patti Farmer suggests three quick questions …

Small business owners are often very short sighted when they consider the value of a customer, looking only at what they are going to spend today and maybe in the the years to come.

But if you delight that customer, …

Are you looking to expand your organization?  If its a struggle to find qualified candidates. you might need to change your focus.

Typically the focus is on the candidate.The hiring company tells them to change their …

Does your heart sink when someone suggests having a meeting to discuss something?  If you are like me, you have attended so many bad meetings, that it is hard to be excited about the prospect of another one. 

But Dr. …

This is a marketing minute with Lorraine Ball. When was the last time you updated your website? If the answer is more than two years ago, you're doing a disservice to yourself and your customers.

You are not providing …

Great marketing starts with a strategy and a great strategy starts with questions.  What do you do if you don't know what to ask? Well Limehub…

If you want to encourage someone to buy from you, tell them how to solve their problem without you.  That might sound crazy, but our guest John Welch …

Content answers the questions customers have as they're trying to decide if they want to do business with you.

Once upon a time marketers ran television commercials and put ads in newspapers and simply waited for the …

Contagious content is something that SOME people will find so interesting they will be unable to resist the urge to share it. Andrea Breanna, the founder of Rebel Mouse explains we share things  because we want to show …

It may sound crazy, but this week's guest Dr. Shirag Shemmassian says you can actually sell more when you give away free stuff.  He sat down with …

This is a quick marketing tip from Lorraine Ball host of More than a Few Words. Here's an interesting statistic. More than 88% of online shoppers incorporate reviews into their purchase decision. Why? Because people are …

Ken Cloke is a conflict resolution expert.  In this conversation with Lorraine Ball he shares some very simple tactics you can employ to diffuse a …

If you want insight into hot marketing trends, it is best to ask more than one person.  That is exactly what Melanie Allen and Meghan Martin of Green Loop Marketing did.  They reached out to nine marketing professionals …

Marketing Tip from More than a Few Words

My husband is an amazing cook. He reads recipes and comes up with his own variations, blending and layering ingredients in new and delicious ways. And even though he's amazing in …

Imagine stepping on to an elevator and the person inside greets you warmly and begins to engage you in a conversation.  Does the prospect of that conversation make you smile or horrify you?

The answer will depend on …

If you want to be a consultant, you need to write a book.  You may not be a best selling author, you don't have to be.  The purpose of this book is …

Denise Praul is the owner of Whiteboard Learning a training company that provides referral marketing training to service based business people.  Her …

In an effort to dominate on social media and in SEO businesses are churning out lots of content.  Unfortunately most of it is crap.  

So if you want to attract people, not just search engines, you need to be a better …

Ten years ago when social media was kind of a new thing.  While there was a lot of research about how big businesses were using these new tools, …

Whether you are hoping to rally your team around a strategy or resolve interpersonal issues an off-site retreat or team building session can be an …

Sometimes, as a sales person heads out to make cold calls, it feels like they are trying to storm a castle.  They prepare to battle their way in the …

When you face a challenging situation, before you look outward, our guest Lauralee Hites suggestion you use the process of introspection, to look inward.  

She defines introspection as the ability to examine your mental …

You're familiar with Braille lettering on signs and blue rimmed parking spots which make it easier for people who are differently-abled to access traditional physical brick and mortars spaces.  Now we're seeing this …

Ready to leave your nine to five job behind? Before you do, our guest Anna Lundberg suggestions you think about the following five elements necessary …

We talk, write and create messages all day long. But do our messages actually create the impact we're looking for?

That was the topic of the conversation with Patrick Donadio. We discussed a six step process for …

Before we get into the how, let’s talk about the why. Well, the easy answer is that employee profiles are great content! They are the perfect …

As a business owner,  every day you make choices about how to spend your time, dividing it between the mundane things that have to get done, and the interesting things that move your business forward.

If you find that …

Being a successful business owners depends on lots of things, but this week's guest Henriette Danel says it starts with just three things.  Mindset, …

Great content does not happen by accident. The more planning you do up front, the better your results will be. In this episode, Lorraine sat down to …

A cold call should really be called a new call because your goals is simply to build a new relationship.  Start the conversation with your power …

On January 7, 2010 we published the first episode of More than a Few Words on Podbean.  We had no idea how where the journey would take us, but we …

As a leader it can be frustrating when employees make mistakes but it may not be their fault.

Before you blame them, Randy Clark suggests you step …

Kerry Kathleen Heaps, founder of Book, Speak, Repeat  joins Lorraine for a conversation about becoming a public speaker.

If you want to grow your professional speaking business focus on your story.  Think about the …

If you are nervous and anxious when attending a new networking event and the thought of shaking someone’s “maybe unwashed hands” gives you chills, then this conversation with Raven Richardson …

If you are like most business owners you have developed a skill for making gut decisions. But my guest Dr. Gleb Tsipursky thinks that might just be the wrong way to approach your business decisions.  

The author of …

Every day for the past six years, Robby Slaughter has been asking a question of the day. Sometimes, silly, sometimes serious these questions generate responses between friends and strangers. 

I sat down with Robby to …

If you could go back and start your business over, what would you change? This week's guest Barry Magliarditi has three processes he wishes he had …

Like the index in the back of a book, you web site map outlines all the information on your website. It is a powerful tool while you are building the …

We have all attended meetings where nothing got done. Maybe there were great discussions, and maybe you had lots of notes when you left, but nothing changed. This week, out guest Randy Clark, the author of the new book, …

Susan White, co-host of the Joy Powered Workspace Podcast  dropped by for a conversation about creating a work environment where people look forward to walking in the door every day. 

About Susan

Susan White is the …

We all have lots of contacts, but most of the people we know are just that, contacts.  Only a small, select few are true strategic relationships for …

Thinking about a side hustle?  Or maybe you have an employee who wants to do some freelance work on the side.  In this episode, we talk about the …

Monday morning at Roundpeg, right around 11 am, we set up the camera and shoot a Facebook live video.  Why do we do it?  That's the topic of this week's episode of More than a Few words, with Sam Von Tobel, the new host …

Life happens and sometimes it is hard to keep the distruptions of your life or of your employee's lives outside the workplace. This week's guest …

When you are developing social media, where does the information come from? How do you figure out what to write?  These are questions we get asked every day as we write content for companies as different as a flooring …

Many of us started out as a solo entrepreneur. However, somewhere along the way the business grew and we had to make that transition from worker bee …

As we get close to the 10 year anniversary of More Than a Few Words, I've been digging around in my archives.  This week I've put together two episodes that both deal with small businesses and the economy. Although the …

We've all been there, with so many things to do, feeling overwhelmed and stuck.  If you find yourself staring at  a to-do list that is three pages long, or a giant task between you and success, then today's conversation …

Robby Slaughter is a man who uses time well.  The author of five books, he dropped by to talk about his newest one, The New Science of Time Management. 

We can't change the amount of time we have, but we can change …

Just when you got used to millennials, along comes Gen Z. As these younger professionals are now entering the workforce and making their own purchase decisions they bring a very different set of experiences and a …

Let's face it, most companies need a little HELP with their content.  This week, my guest Kevin Mullett shared his special forumula for content HELP. 

Today, Heneka Watkis Porter is a succesful entrepreneur.  How did she get there, and what did she learn along the way?  Listen to today's episdoe to …

This is a special episode of More than a Few Words, recorded live at She Podcast, a women's podcasting event.  Lorraine caught up with JoDee Curtis of the Joy Powered Podcast and Danielle Ireland of Don't Cut Your Own …

One to one marketing is great, but it takes a lot of time. This week, my gest Anna Osherov, an Eventologist explains that events allow you to be more …

Looking for a trade show give away or something for your team, Dean Kapsalis has a simple three step process to help you select the perfect item.

About Dean 

Our guest, Fuel Merchandise Group founder, Dean Kapsalis, has …

Are you constantly comparing yourself to other people to see how you measure up or are you proudly different? This week our guest David Di Giorgio thinks that perhaps cases you're suffering from "Comparanoia"

What is …

Everyone has a story to tell. This week, my guest Alexandra Rufatto-Perry the owner and CEO of Practically Speaking, LLC, talks about how to use storytelling as part of your business communication.

About Alex

Alexandra …

Ten years ago, Bill Caskey inspired Lorraine to create a podcast. Today, he shares why every B2B company needs one.  

About Bill Caskey

Bill Caskey writes books, records podcasts and produces videos with one intent: …

Our guest, Jaime Slutzky is passionate about technology.  Since 2011 she's been helping businesses run more efficiently so their owners can spend …

Mel McMahon is on a mission to to create healthier, stronger communities and more jobs in Indiana by encouraging and facilitating greater use of independent, Indiana-based businesses.

And while that may sound a bit …

This week my guest is JessicaKupferman the co-founder of She Podcasts and the Podcasting School for Women.  We talk about the challenges of expandin …

According to this week’s guest Liana Allison, anger is actually an emotion that we need to bring passion and creativity to life. The trick is to channel that emotion.

Liana Allison is the Australian-based founder of The …

In America they are called zip codes in Australia they call them post codes.  Whatever the name, this week’s guest Ross Keating believes there are lots of ways business owners can use geographic information to target …

Burnout has been recognized as a legitimate medical issue. This week my guest, Dr. Ganz Ferrance shares his Me Method, as a way to reduce the chance that you will suffer from burnout.

From busy moms to business owners, …

What do you say when someone casually asks "What do you do? "  

Coach and professional speaker, Jim Karrh, believes that being able to answer that question in a clear, consistent and conversation manner is a distinct …

Consistency may seem boring, but according to this week's guest Barbara Stuhlemmer of Blitz Business Success creating consistent messages and processes is actually the key to business success. 

This week's guest, Andrea Butcher of HRD Advisory Group believes you should live life by design, not by default.  Taking control of your daily …

It is hard to believe that this is the 400th episode of More than a Few Words.  That is a lot of conversations.  Over the years, we have had some terrific guests, some serious and some silly conversations. I thought it …

No matter what business you are in, if you have employees you are in the leadership business. This week our guest, Kyle Gorman of the Employer Blueprint explains how even novice managers can be more effective leaders. 

Joel Russell, founder of eImagine has built company by creating a culture that makes people want to come to work.

Our friend, Javed S. Khan is back with part two of his conversation about LinkedIn. Today he share's some little known tips to help business owners get the most from the professional online community.  

Javed is the …

Buying a franchise can be a great way to become a business owner. But be sure you look before you leap! This week, our guest Stephanie Ewing talks about her process from preliminary investigation to final purchase of a …

Stress is a part of the package when you start a small business. Dr Pete, stress relief expert and author of the book Lighten Your Day, says it doesn’t have to be. 

In this conversation with Lorraine he shares tips and …

Where should a small business start if they want to reduce their environmental footprint?  The short answer?   Listen to this conversation with Julia …

Julie Kratz knows that sometimes conversations are uncomfortable.  Maybe you need to tell a boss, coworker or subordinate that something they doing …

Lindsey Anderson, the founder of Traffic and Leads University thinks webinars are a thing of the past.  How should consultants and coaches reach new …

Author and consultant, Charmaine Hammond shares her perspective and experiences building a collaboration network to support her business. Beyond …

Life is about reinvention. This week, our guest media entrepreneur, Lesley Jane Seymour shares lessons from her journey from corporate leadership …

Don't wait till you need cash for your business to go looking for a business banker!

This week's guest Stephanie Ewing of Key Bank explains why it pas to develop that relationship when you start your business.

MTFW is a …

This week, Lorraine is joined by one of her social media buddies, Stephanie Daily. The conversation jumps from social media topic to social media topic with an emphasis on some restaurant marketing tips. 

Grab a cup of …

This week's guest, Arin Anderson believes we are living in an age of creative democracy.  Is that a good or bad thing?  Actually it is a little bit of both. 

MTFW is a production of Roundpeg, a digital agency  and is …

Which is better 1% of a big market or 100% of a small one?  Today’s guest, Gerard Doyle of Fractal Marketing believes there is way more benefit in being at the top of a small market.

MTFW is a production of Roundpeg, an

In this week’s episode, Javed S. Khan shares five tips to improve your LinkedIn profile. Be prepared to stop the podcast and improve your profile …

LinkedIn is not just for B2B communications.  In this week’s episode Jennifer Denney of Elevated Marketing shares an example of a consumer product …

Brainstorming by yourself can feel like playing tennis alone. You hit the ball really hard and watch it fly, but it's not that satisfying because you don't get the return.

My guest Carrie Anton the author of Me, Myself …

Your host, Lorraine Ball will be one of 9 featured speakers in the Day of Digital Online conference.   

Listen to  a preview now, then check out her …

Jasmine Jenkins is one of the featured speakers in Day of Digital. Learn more at www.dayofdigital.com

Karen Leonard is one of the featured speakers in Day of Digital. Learn more at www.dayofdigital.com

Want more free time?  This week’s guest Matt Nettleton shares his tips for working smarter, not harder

Bryan Caplan thinks most small businesses are missing out on the opportunity to improve their SEO and advertise their business, essentially for free with Google My Business

Our guest, professional writer Scott Flood is passionate about writing content for human beings.

This week, our guest Grant Carlile  of the Mountains explains that a successful event is about so  much more than the food and the venue. 

More …

This week business and life coach Halle Simpson talks with us about the seven steps of a coaching conversation.

MTFW is a production of Roundpeg, a …

This week our guest Bryan Caplan (Bryan Caplan Marketing)  talks with Lorraine  about how to spice up your Google My Business Page with Photos and Video

This week it is two for the price of one as the Co-founders of Green Loop Marketing Melanie Allen and Meghan Martin join Lorraine Ball for a conversation about social media audits.

More than a Few Words

This week Doug Karr dropped by Roundpeg for a conversation about why companies shouldn't hire a web designer.

Sometimes you have to narrow your focus to increase your profit.  In today's conversation with Laurie Knechtel of Truss Marketing we dive into the topic of how finding a niche can actually drive more business. 

This week we spoke to Bobbi Baehne of Think Big, Go Local about how to use Facebook chatbots to deliver messages your customers will notice.

This week’s speaker, Grant Carlile believes that instead of constraining creativity, rigid process can actually set you free

More than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg

This week our guest, Karmen Fink describes her networking / mastermind group which offers entrepreneurs a safe space to learn, grow and succeed.  

Start with this conversation with Will Hardison

High tech products often solve problems people aren't even aware they have. So how does a salesperson convince someone to buy something they don't …

What do you do when a much larger, more well funded company comes into the market and starts bidding on the same ad words you want? 

Well you have two choices, pay more or get creative. In today's conversation Michelle …

We are living in an era of unprecedented innovation. At the core of this explosive growth in new businesses, new products, and new ideas is the …

Not all ideas are good ideas.  According to our guest Chris Hoyt, most even suck.  But even so, with the right team, and a willingness to listen to …

If you were about to head out on a long road trip to somewhere you had never been, you would want a roadmap.  The specific outline, with milestones …

As a business owner, you don't always get to spend your day doing the things you love. But if too much of your time is being spent on tasks you don't love, if you are starting to burn out it may be time to consider …

Innovative, unconventional and low-cost marketing techniques aimed at obtaining the maximum exposure.

That is how Alan Silber of the Guerilla Agency describes his approach to marketing. 

For the most part, we think of podcasts as a method of reaching out beyond your organization. But they can be a very effective tool for internal …

When you leave your home you lock your door.  Makes sense, right? You wouldn't want anyone to steal your stuff. But what about your website? Do …

We've added a new program to our line up. In addition to the weekly conversation with marketing professionals from around the world, we're launching Just a Few Words.  

This is a quick daily marketing tip available as …

I love talking with business owners.  I am always surprised at where their ideas came from and what they learned along the way. Well, I discovered I am not alone in that curiosity when I spoke to Heather Chastain, the …

Many people think that influencer marketing is about paying someone to endorse your product.  While that can work, Shane Barker says there is much …

Often, potential customers don't know you have what they want, or even that they want what you have.  That's ok, you can peak their curiosity with an advertisement on Facebook.

Once you have their attention, retargeting …

Customers can smell advertising a mile away.  That's why inbound marketing, which drives potential clients to your website looking for information …

47 million Americans have smart speakers in their homes.  So whether they say Hey Alexa, or Hey Google, or even hello Apple these consumers are turning to these devices every day to turn on and off other electronics in …

There is more to email marketing than just sending out a simple newsletter. With segmentation and click funnel tools, they can be an integral part of …

After the sale, the real work begins.  Unfortunately, many organizations do not have a specific process for a smooth handoff between the sales and execution teams. 

Amy Woodall explains that without a well-defined …

Thinking about selling your business? It doesn't happen overnight.  As Ryan Parshall of Peterson Acquisitions explains there is a lot of work to do before you are ready to sell. 

The good news, you can start working on …

What if you could put your product or service in front of a prospective customer just as they are thinking about buying? 

With Google Adwords you …

Hosting a conference isn’t as difficult as you think and Jennifer Crawford believes the pay off can be huge .

Planning an event for 200 or frewer …

You don't need to be a WordPress wizard to craft a quality site. Content is key to getting your message across, and you shouldn't just focus on your …

Trade shows are overwhelming. There are so many people to talk to, products to look at, and business cards to hand out. It seems easy to get lost in the flurry. You need to stand out. What are some things you can do to …

A new workplace brings with it a whole set of challenges. It can be intimidating being in a foreign space with a completely new set of coworkers. …

Adapting to change can be difficult, not just in the work-place. What do you do when you're suddenly thrust into an unfamiliar position? You can …

In the span of a month, the International House of Pancakes affectionately known as IHOP changed their name to IHOB and then back again. Was this savvy marketing or a silly prank gone hopelessly wrong? 

Page Jones …

Indiana is taking bold steps to introduce Hoosiers to the World, and the World to Indiana. Through the ISBDC (Indiana Small Business Development …

For generations, accountants relied on handwritten ledgers, carefully written recording every transaction generated by a business.  Then came …

If you have been paying attention to changes on Facebook lately, you will notice blue and grey check marks appearing next to company listings.  These …

When June rolls around, suddenly everything gets a bit more colorful. Rainbow flags adorn porches and automobiles. It's very tempting to hop on the …

This week, Lorraine talks with Waylon Wright and Diana Caldwell of life science company Pearl Pathways about their web design process.  If you have a company which sells expertise, not products, this episode is a must …

Memes are almost synonymous with the internet. Memes are a constantly changing inside joke, shared by millions and distributed via the web. They can be inclusive or exclusive. They serve as commentary on shared …

While some people come to your website to browse, the vast majority come for a purpose. They are looking for a specific piece of information or resource.  Custom, landing pages help visitors find exactly what they are …

Everyone has a network. it is comprised of family members, friends, and former coworkers. Some people have large networks, and others have smaller, supportive groups, but every one of your employees has a network. 

As a …

No matter how interesting your content is, if you miss the mark with your headline, no one will read it.  

In today's conversation, Allison Carter and Lorraine Ball talk about the art of a headline, why writing …

If your products or services aren’t represented on Pinterest, you could be missing out on a growing stream of potential customers. Discover the ins …

Part of what makes a podcast interesting is the skill of the interviewer.  Professional podcaster, Jen Edds boils down the process of preparing for …

Google is always happy to help you spend more money.  They will always show you new ways to do more with your advertising.  That's how they generate $17 Billion a quarter. 

While you can spend more money, the question …

The first step to creating really interesting and relevant blog content is to release the idea that the blog is about you and your business. It isn't. 

As Jennifer Riley Simone, founder of Fresh Figs Marketing explains, …

For business owners overwhelmed with a long task list, that is the message business Coach CJ McClanahan wants them to hear. Once you accept the idea that some things are just not going …

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from video media. If you're thinking about adding video into your marketing strategy, might start by looking at what other people are doing.

Look for trends and styles which stand …

Google My Business has evolved a lot over the years. If you have it, maybe you're not using it to the fullest. Everything in marketing is about …

What is the difference between marketing and PR? They're basically the same thing, right? Well, kinda. But not really.  As Roundpeg's Page Jones to explains PR is focused much more on the top of the funnel, while …

Whether you're working with a complete stranger or your best friend, there are a few things you should expect when embarking on a design project. …

Has your inbox been flooded with  “Improvements to Our Privacy Policy” emails? It isn't an accident. Most global websites are scrambling to come into …

Storytelling has always been a part of marketing. But how do you tell a story in 140 characters, or with just one image?  Jason Falls thinks social …

Twitter is a social network, which means that you should be interacting with other people and brands. One of the best ways to have a conversation and …

Is your site showing signs of age? Like deciding when to get a new car, it may be unclear if you should throw more money at your website or go for a …

Keeping your things secure in the digital world can be scary. A good password can help a lot. If your passwords look like a cat walked across a keyboard, you may not be as secure as you think. 

Join Roundpeg's Lorraine …

Jen Edds is the Brassy Broad in charge.  She is a musician, a podcaster and the founder of Brassy Broadcasting, a podcasting coaching company.  She helps ordinary business owners find their voice on this growing …

When does 1 + 1 = More than 2?  When you are adding the power of multiple marketing channels together.. 

Each piece of your marketing delivers …

With new details emerging almost every day about the Facebook data breach founder Mark Zuckerberg is apologizing, a lot.

This isn’t the first time …

More than a few Words goes global as Lorraine chats with Javed S. Khan., the owner of Empression, a Marketing Services Company based in Toronto, Canada about video messaging.

Just like their American counterparts, …

Do you own your contacts?  If you are building a community exclusively on social media, the answer to that question is actually no.  You are simply …

Twitter can be hard. Having a successful Twitter account is all in the details. Love it or hate it, Twitter is a great tool for business. Thankfully …

Earlier this year, Facebook announced that they will be refocusing their social media platform on the individual. But what does this mean for businesses, small and large?

It's time to start rethinking the way in which …

Branding. It's not just who you are, it's how you present yourself. Is your current brand doing everything it can? When should you start thinking …

Tune in with Lorraine of Roundpeg and Randy Clark while they explore what it means to be a good leader.

Great leaders aren't born. Sure, some are born with more of an aptitude for socialization, but this doesn't mean …

In today's episode, Lorraine and Jennifer from Social Media Rescue talk about what to do on social media when things go wrong.  

Mistakes are inevitable. Things will go wrong.  Don't wait until the moment a crisis …