Conquer Local Podcast

816 | She Built 11 AI Agents and Cut 80% of Her Workload (Here’s How) | Ashley Gross

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:23:30 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 AI automation isn’t about doing everything faster. It’s about deciding what shouldn’t require a human at all. 🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Ashley, AI operator and founder of AI workforce Alliance, who cut her workweek from an unsustainable 80 hours to 25 hours, by systematizing the exact workflows that quietly drain most modern businesses.

It’s a real breakdown of the 5 workflows Ashley automated first, and the 11 AI-agent “workforce” she built next.

If your team is:

• Drowning in inbox + follow-ups

• Spending hours repurposing content

• Doing the same research before every call

• Losing deals after hours (and weekends)

• Struggling to define what “sales-ready” actually means

This episode will give you a clear playbook for what to automate first and what to protect as human-only work.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The 5 workflows Ashley automated.

• 11 agents that act as 80% of her operational muscle

• How to build a content engine that only costs $75

• How to automate your inbox without automating relationships

• How to build an after-hours AI agent that qualifies, enriches, and books meetings

• How to use an AI CFO persona to stress-test pitch, offer, and closing hook

• A simple 3-question filter for deciding what to automate first

• Why 2026 will be messy and how to build foundations before you build agents

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED IN THIS VIDEO

AI workflow automation

Content repurposing systems

Inbox triage + drafted responses

Lead qualification + CRM enrichment

After-hours AI agents (chat + voice)

SOPs, SLAs, and knowledge bases

Renewal prep + relationship intelligence

Client sentiment tracking (“happiness meter”)

AI CFO roleplay for sales enablement

The automation-to-agents autonomy spectrum

2026 readiness: foundations → automations → agents

CONNECT WITH ASHLEY GROSS:

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/theashleygross/

🌐 aiworkforcealliance.com/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn

ABOUT VENDASTA:

Vendasta is an AI-powered customer acquisition and engagement platform that helps businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our platform unifies fragmented tools across marketing, sales, and operations, and uses AI assistants plus proprietary SMB data to automate busywork, streamline workflows, and amplify the humans on your team.

We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.

👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demo

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

815 | What AI Search Actually Cares About (GEO & AI SEO 2026) | Chris Long

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:09:31 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 AI search isn’t broken. It just doesn’t work the way most people think it does. 🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Long — AI search researcher, co-founder of Nectiv, and one of the leading analysts studying how LLMs actually read, search, and cite the web — to unpack why traditional SEO playbooks are quietly failing in the age of AI.

This isn’t about better keywords. It’s not about ranking higher. And it’s definitely not about writing longer content.

If your team is:

• Ranking well in Google but not getting mentioned by AI

• Watching traffic decline while visibility feels unpredictable

• Confused by contradictory SEO advice around AI search

• Still treating AI like “Google with a chatbot interface”

This conversation will finally make AI search make sense.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why AI engines don’t read pages top-to-bottom like Google

• How AI uses context windows and “chunking” to extract answers

• Why most of your web page may be invisible to AI

• How one search can fan out into dozens of unseen queries

• Why keyword lists collapse in AI-driven search

• What AI engines actually look for when choosing sources

• Why tables, bullets, and structure outperform “great writing”

• How citations influence ChatGPT and AI Overviews

• Why traffic is becoming a vanity metric in a zero-click world

• What KPIs actually matter as we move toward 2026

• How to rethink SEO strategy for a world where AI is the reader

Key concepts in this episode:

AI search Behavior

Context windows and content chunking

Fan-out queries and query expansion

AI vs Google search mechanics

Zero-click search and declining CTR

Brand mentions vs traffic

AI citations and third-party influence

Content structure for LLMs

Search visibility in 2026

The future of SEO and GEO

CONNECT WITH CHRIS LONG

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-long-marketing/

🌐 https://nectivdigital.com/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn

ABOUT VENDASTA

We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.

👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demo

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

814 | He Fired $2 MILLION worth of Clients (and it grew his agency) | Robert Patin

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:18:36 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 Most agencies have a client alignment and retention problem 🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Robert Patin — agency advisor and growth strategist who’s helped firms scale by 800%+ — to unpack where real agency growth actually comes from (and why chasing new logos is usually the slowest, riskiest path).

Robert has helped agencies fire up to $2M worth of misaligned clients, not because they weren’t big enough, but because they were quietly killing profitability, morale, and momentum.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The early warning signs that a client is misaligned

• Why clients who nickel-and-dime upfront are the most expensive later

• How to calculate effective bill rate per client (and why it’s eye-opening)

• Why your lowest-paying clients often drain the most energy

• How one agency discovered they were losing $4 per hour on a “top” client

• When firing a client is the most profitable decision you can make

• How to set and communicate boundaries without damaging relationships

• Why retention — not acquisition — drives 70%+ of agency growth

• How a 5% increase in retention can unlock massive revenue upside

• The simple framework for quarterly business reviews that surface expansion

• How to turn one-off projects into 3–4 year retainers

• Why agencies already have the clients they need to hit their next revenue milestone

• How a single outreach email uncovered $1–2M in revenue in 90 days

• Why value articulation — not more work — keeps clients longer

If you’re an agency owner, founder, or operator who feels stuck on the growth treadmill — selling more just to stand still — this episode shows you how to stabilize revenue, increase profitability, and grow without burning out.

👉 Hit play to learn how the fastest way to grow your agency might be doing less — with the right clients.

CONNECT WITH ROBERT PATIN

💼 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/creative-agency-success/

CONNECT WITH US

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn

About Vendasta

We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.

👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demo

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

813 | The BIGGEST AI Mistake Most Companies Can Avoid in 2026 | Dajana Achelpohl

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 17:24:12 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯Your AI rollout didn’t fail because of the tools. It failed because no one wanted to use them.🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Dajana Achelpohl — former Google and PayPal leader, founder of AI Changemaker, and one of the most trusted voices in human-first AI adoption — to unpack the real reasons AI initiatives stall inside organizations.

If your company has:

• Rolled out AI tools that barely get touched

• A small group of power users and a large group of skeptics

• Teams quietly using their own AI tools behind the scenes

• Leaders saying “we need to do AI” without a clear outcome

This conversation will fundamentally change how you think about AI adoption.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why most AI rollouts fail after launch — not before

• The hidden danger of “silent non-use” and fake adoption metrics

• Why fear of job loss leads teams to actively sabotage AI

• What “Shadow AI” is — and why it’s already inside your organization

• How to align non-technical teams around AI without overwhelming them

• Dajana’s AI Building Blocks Framework for practical adoption

• Why small, boring wins beat ambitious AI moonshots

• How to create guardrails that enable innovation instead of blocking it

• What an AI Team Charter is — and why it works better than policy docs

• Why AI adoption only succeeds when teams co-create the rules

• How agencies and service-based businesses are uniquely positioned to win with AI

Key concepts in this episode:

AI adoption barriers

Silent non-use of AI tools

Shadow AI risks

Human-first AI strategy

AI change management

AI literacy for non-technical teams

AI guardrails and governance

AI ethics and data security

AI team charters

Bottom-up vs top-down AI adoption

AI in agencies and service businesses

Agentic AI and workflows

AI implementation frameworks

Practical AI use cases

AI culture and trust

From AI hype to real value

If you’re a CMO, agency leader, founder, or operator who’s frustrated by low AI adoption, unclear strategy, or teams that feel anxious instead of empowered — this episode gives you a practical, human-centered path forward.

👉 Hit play to learn how to turn AI from a mandate into momentum.

CONNECT WITH DAJANA ACHELPOHL

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dajana-achelpohl/

🌐 https://www.aichangemaker.com/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn

ABOUT VENDASTA

We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.

👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demo

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

812 | AI Agents Change EVERYTHING in 2026 (And Most Marketers Aren’t Ready) | Scott Brinker

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:12:30 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯Your Martech stack isn’t broken — your mental model is.🎯

Your Martech stack isn’t broken — your mental model is.

In this episode, we sit down with Scott Brinker, Godfather of Martech, editor of Chief Marketing Technologist and VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot, to unpack a reality most marketers miss:

The Martech explosion isn’t chaos — it’s the early stage of an AI-orchestrated system that’s about to collapse thousands of tools into workflows.

If you’re feeling crushed by:

An exploding Martech landscape, AI tools launching daily, integration hell, unused software, and pressure to “simplify”… this episode flips the narrative and shows why the winners won’t have fewer tools, they’ll have better orchestration.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why the Martech Landscape Keeps Growing (and Why That’s Not the Real Problem)

The Shift From Tool Accumulation to Stack Orchestration

How AI Is Changing the Role of Marketers — Not Replacing Them

Why Integration Matters More Than Ever in an AI-Driven World

The Hidden Cost of Unused Software and Fragmented Data

How Smart Teams Are Simplifying Without Losing Capability

Where Agencies Can Create Massive Value as AI Integrators

What “Composable Martech” Really Means (Without the Buzzwords)

Key concepts in this episode:

Martech landscape explained

AI in marketing operations

Marketing automation vs. orchestration

Composable Martech stacks

Platform ecosystems and integrations

AI agents and copilots in marketing

Tool sprawl and software waste

Operational efficiency in marketing teams

Future of Martech and AI

Marketing technology strategy for agencies

Data fragmentation and system silos

Human-in-the-loop AI workflows

How agencies can monetize AI implementation

The evolving role of the CMO

From execution to orchestration in marketing

If you’re a CMO, agency leader, or marketing operator struggling with an overcomplicated stack, unclear AI strategy, and tools that promise everything but deliver little — this episode will help you rethink Martech as a system, not a shopping list.

👉 Hit play to learn how to simplify your stack, use AI intelligently, and turn Martech complexity into a competitive advantage.

CONNECT WITH SCOTT BRINKER

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjbrinker/

🌐 https://chiefmartec.com/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast

...

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn

...

ABOUT VENDASTA

We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.

👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demo

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

811 | The Godfather of AI attribution says Your Marketing Dashboard Is a Lie | Jeff Greenfield

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 15:03:17 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯Are your Google Analytics dashboards lying to you and killing your best marketing?🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Jeff Greenfield, CEO and co-founder of Provolytics, to rethink how we measure marketing in a world where clicks, last-touch, and GA4 can’t see the full picture.

If you’re tired of:

Google saying one thing, Meta saying another, numbers that never add up, and CFOs who don’t believe in branding or CTV... this episode will show you a new, impression-first, AI-powered way to measure what actually works.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why Your Clicks and Dashboards Don’t Add Up

Impression-Based Measurement: The Metric That Actually Matches Reality

Why marketing doesn’t buy clicks

How AI Finally Solves Multi-Touch Attribution (Without Tracking Every User)

Finding the “Hidden Experiments” in Your Media Plan

Exactly Where to Scale—and Where to Cut Spend

How to use impression-level data and AI

A DIY Framework If You Don’t Have an Enterprise Measurement Stack

Key concepts in this episode:

AI marketing measurement

Marketing attribution without cookies

Impression-based attribution vs. click-based attribution

Multi-touch attribution is broken

Incrementality & lift measurement

CTV advertising measurement (Connected TV)

Digital out-of-home & podcast ad measurement

Upper-funnel vs. lower-funnel budgeting

Branding ROI and financial impact

How to prove marketing to your CFO

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) limitations

Full-funnel marketing mix optimization

Micro-experiments in your media plan

AI for media mix modeling & budget allocation

How to measure brand campaigns and awareness

Performance marketing vs. brand marketing

Future of marketing analytics in a privacy-first world

If you’re a CMO, performance marketer, or agency leader who’s drowning in conflicting dashboards, over-spending on bottom-of-funnel clicks, and struggling to prove the value of brand and CTV, this episode will show you a practical, AI-powered path out of the chaos.

👉 Hit play to learn how to move beyond clicks, unify your metrics, and get more revenue from the same marketing budget.

CONNECT WITH JEFF GREENFIELD (Provolytics)

💼 linkedin.com/in/jeffgreenfield

🌐 provalytics.com

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast

...

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn

...

About Vendasta

We help digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs scale profitably, deliver better outcomes for local businesses, and grow long-term revenue with less manual effort.

👉 Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Book a Demo

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

810 | From 20% to 80% Margins (The NEW AI Agency Model explained) | Frans Riemersma

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:36:04 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯Go from 20% to 80% Agency margins, without hiring a single new person🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Frans Riemersma, Martech legend, co-author of the Martech Landscape, and one of the sharpest thinkers on AI, composability, and the future of services to break down the new AI Agency Model that is quietly redefining how agencies build, deliver, and scale their work.

Frans explains why we’re entering the golden age for agencies, not because of more tools, but because AI is turning services into software, unlocking product-level margins for businesses that previously sold labor.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why Agencies Are Entering a Golden Age

How AI shifts work from human execution → human orchestration, and why agencies with standardized knowledge stand to benefit the most.

Service-as-a-Software: The Model Behind 80% Margins

Why AI is unleashing a new category next to SaaS and how agencies can package expertise into repeatable, scalable, automatable outcomes.

Where a 10-Person Agency Should Start

How to find your highest-value, most-repeatable outcomes, follow the money, and turn them into automations and AI-powered products.

The Biggest Pitfall: Building Tools Before Testing

Why most agencies create tech they never use and Frans’ “Hack → Pack → Stack” method for validating before investing.

Composability, Atomization & The New Martech Stack

Why the future isn’t mega-suites or tool sprawl, it’s small, composable “Lego block” tools that integrate cleanly and keep your stack lean.

The 12% Rule

How top performers identify the tiny percentage of features and tools that drive 80% of customer value and cut everything else.

The Skills That Matter in the AI Era

Why the differentiator isn’t technical mastery anymore, it’s customer obsession, storytelling, distribution, and discovering viable ideas.

Key concepts in this episode:

AI Agency Model

Service-as-a-Software

80% Margin Framework

AI-Powered Delivery Systems

Standardizing Agency Knowledge

Hack → Pack → Stack Method

Composability & Martech Architecture

Atomization of Tools & Labor

AI Agents & Autonomous Workflows

Productized Services for Agencies

Lead Mining & Lead Intelligence Automation

Customer-Centric Innovation

Feature Bloat & Decommissioning Strategy

Future-Proof Agency Skills

AI + Services Convergence

Distribution & Community Moats

If you want your agency to escape the 20% margin trap, and build AI-powered services that scale like software, hit play.

CONNECT WITH Frans Riemersma

🌐 https://www.martechtribe.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/fransriemersma/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCooW1kDrMUb1EORhDbmciOw

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vendasta/

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vendasta/

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...

Vendasta

Vendasta is the leading AI software company for customer acquisition and engagement, helping businesses get more customers—and keep them. Our AI-powered platform unifies marketing, sales, and operational workflows, eliminating the need for fragmented tools and streamlining every stage of the customer journey. Powered by proprietary SMB data, intelligent automation, and AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, Vendasta helps businesses attract, engage, and retain customers with unmatched efficiency.

Our solutions empower digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.

Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Available

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

809 | AI Took Over the Follow-Up and Recovered $650,000 in “Dead” Leads | Jason Kramer

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:45:44 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯What if your business is losing 60% of your deals after the first call?🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Jason Kramer, founder of Cultivize and one of the leading voices on CRM-powered sales systems, to break down why most agencies and businesses bleed pipeline revenue and how AI + CRM automation can rescue lost deals you didn’t even know you had.

If your team is still manually taking notes, chasing cold leads, or keeping the pipeline in the owner’s head, you’re leaving massive revenue on the table.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why Most businesses Lose Deals After the Discovery Call: The #1 place where good prospects disappear and why speed-to-lead still wins deals.

The Follow-Up Math That Changes Everything: Why 60%+ of prospects aren’t ready today but will buy and how 7–10 personalized steps increase conversions by 30%+

How to Use AI to Rescue “Dead” Leads: Using AI signals to see who’s re-engaging, and how Jason closed deals from year-old prospects.

The exact “good news or bad news?” email that gets same-day replies.

Why your CRM Is Your Sales Brain: The data you must track, how to automate discovery-to-close workflows and why follow-up without a CRM is basically impossible today.

Event & Trade Show Follow-Up (Done Right): How one business generated $1M from an event using his follow-up automation.

Key concepts in this episode:

AI-Powered Follow-Up Systems

CRM Automation for Agencies

Pipeline Leakage & Lost Deals

Follow-Up Email Templates That Convert

Lead Nurturing & Intent Signals

Speed to Lead (and Why It Matters)

Personalized Multi-Step Sequences

LinkedIn Automation for Sales

Event Follow-Up Strategy

Sales Process Playbooks

Data-Driven Sales Prioritization

AI + CRM Integration

How to Keep Leads Warm for 12+ Months

Agency Sales Operations & Systems

If your business is tired of losing deals that should have closed… hit play.

CONNECT WITH Jason Kramer:

🌐 https://cultivize.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonleighkramer/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta

📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendasta

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast… 💜

💬 Leave a review on Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...

Vendasta

Our solutions empower digital agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.

Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Available

https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

Transcript

808 | AI SEO & GEO Only Work If You Optimize This First (It’s NOT Keywords) | Andrew Holland

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:48:41 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯What if AI started deciding which businesses get discovered?🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Holland, Director of SEO and one of the world’s leading voices on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), to unpack why traditional SEO is collapsing and how local agencies are uniquely positioned to win in the age of AI search.

Learn why keywords are dead, why AI is becoming the real “reader” of your website, and how agencies can rebuild their SEO services around revenue, positioning, and problem-space optimization instead of traffic and blog posts.

In this episode, you'll learn:

The Collapse of Traditional SEO

Keywords Are Dead. Problem Spaces Are the Future.

Why Local Agencies Will Win in AI Search

How to Identify Problem Spaces for Local Businesses

Prompt-Ready Content vs. SEO Content

The New Rules of Authority: Brand, Mentions & Mutual Information

How AI Reads Your Website (and What It Looks For)

Category Entry Points (CEPs)

Key concepts in this episode:

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Future of SEO in AI search

Problem-Space Optimization

Category Entry Points (CEPs)

AI Search Behaviour

Local SEO & Revenue-Driven SEO

Brand Positioning for AI Search

Authority Building (mentions, citations, PR)

Search Without Keywords

AI-First Organic Strategy

Mutual Information Signals

Content Strategy for Agencies

User Intent in AI Search

Collapse of Top-of-Funnel SEO

If you want your agency to survive (and thrive) as AI takes over search… hit play.

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CONNECT WITH Andrew Holland

🌐 https://www. zoogly.co.uk

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-holland-seo/

-----------------

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta

📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendasta

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this podcast... 💜

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...

🟢 Leave a rating on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0KWXAOn...

Vendasta is the leading AI software company for customer acquisition and engagement, helping businesses get more customers. And keep them. Our AI-powered platform unifies marketing, sales, and operational workflows—eliminating the need for fragmented tools and streamlining every stage of the customer journey. With proprietary SMB data, intelligent automation, and AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, Vendasta helps businesses attract, engage, and retain customers with unmatched efficiency. Our solutions empower partners like digital marketing agencies, franchisors, and MSPs to scale operations seamlessly, optimize campaigns, and drive long-term growth.

Transform Your Agency with Vendasta – Demo Available https://www.vendasta.com/request-demo/

806 | Every CEO Needs to Hear This About AI (Before 2026) | Brett Schklar

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:57:37 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 Are CEOs ready for the 2026 acceleration🎯

2026 is the year AI stops being optional. It’s the year your competitors’ AI advantage becomes your business problem.

In this episode, AI adoption strategist Brett Schklar reveals the new CEO playbook for AI transformation, showing exactly how leaders can set the tone, accelerate efficiency, and prepare their organizations for what’s coming next.

In this episode, you'll learn:

🚀 AI-ifying the Pain: How to identify the daily tasks that waste your time and automate them with real AI tools you can deploy today.

📈 Return on AI (ROAI): The six lenses to measure AI’s real impact

🏗️ Creating a Safe AI Sandbox: How to set up a private AI playground for your team to experiment, fail safely, and innovate faster before going live.

🧠 Prompting as the New Leadership Skill: How the best leaders are moving beyond “prompt engineering” to “AI conversation design” and training their teams to do the same.

📞 Voice AI and ChatGPT for Business: Why customer-facing AI assistants are the new front line for customer experience and revenue.

💬 The Trust-But-Verify Rule: Why CEOs should never delegate AI blindly and how to build systems that draft, learn, and improve alongside your team.

🔥 Culture Before Code: The #1 mistake CEOs make when adopting AI, and how to unlock innovation across the company.

Key concepts in this episode:

AI transformation strategy for CEOs

AI readiness audit

Return on AI (ROAI) metrics

AI adoption roadmap 2026

ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot integration

AI sandbox for business leaders

AI change management

Voice AI and customer experience

AI automation in daily operations

Leadership in the age of AI

How to build trust and safety in AI systems

How CEOs can lead AI innovation

Generative AI in business strategy

AI productivity and automation tools

If you’re a CEO preparing for 2026, this episode is your wake-up call.

The leaders who win next year will be the ones who make AI a cultural movement, not just a technical upgrade.

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CONNECT WITH BRETT SCHKLAR:

🌐 https://www.growpowered.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bschklar/

📩 brett@aifirstleadership.com

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CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta

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805 | LLMs Are LYING About Your Business (Here’s How to Control It) | Steve Toth

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:45:49 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯Do businesses know how they are being represented by LLMs? 🎯

If LLMs (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews) are where buyers now begin, your job isn’t to just “rank in Google”. It is to be the #1 brand AI recommends. In this episode, SEO expert Steve Toth from the Notebook Agency, shows exactly how to win with AEO and make AI engines accurately represent and recommend your business, using his unique Framework and a practical playbook you can implement this week.

In this episode, you'll learn:

👉 Why LLMs are lying about your brand: Why AI Gets Your Business Wrong, why it misrepresents you, and what you can do about it.

👉 The truth Pack: How to compare what LLMs say about you vs. your sales-grade answers, then close the gaps so AI gives the right recommendation.

👉 Reverse-Interrogation Audit: The exact prompts to ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Google AI overview, to reveal your pricing, feature, fit, proof, and support gaps—and how to fix them.

👉 Deal-Breaker Coverage: Use “Deal Breaker Detector” style prompts to surface ICP-critical questions (budget, team size, integrations, timelines) and ensure LLMs can cite accurate answers.

👉 Create “Recommendation-Ready” Content: Build hyper-specific AI content fuels so AI can confidently match you to buyer constraints and get a canonical, up-to-date source.

👉 Narrative Cleanup: Identify and retire outdated content sources that keep AI stuck in the past; consolidate and redirect to your current offer.

👉 Off-page Reality Check: Monitor and update off-site assets to correct misinformation LLMs may retrieve.

👉 From Volume to Velocity: Why smaller but highly qualified AI-assisted traffic converts better and how to message that shift to clients and stakeholders.

Key Concepts covered:

ChatGPT AEO strategy

Gemini AI and Google AI Overviews

Perplexity search and buyer decision-making

Truth Alignment Framework by Notebook Agency

LLM brand representation audit

HACK: The "LLM Info" Page to Feed AI Correct Information

AI SEO vs. traditional SEO

Deal Breaker Detector (AI Notebook)

Hyper-specific comparison content for LLMs

How to fix outdated reviews and Reddit narratives

High-quality traffic vs. high-volume traffic

📈 If you want your brand to be confidently recommended by AI — not casually mentioned — this episode is your roadmap.

CONNECT WITH Steve Toth:

🌐 https://notebook.agency/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevetothjr/

📩 steve@seonotebook.com

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

YouTube: / @vendasta

LinkedIn: / vendasta

X: https://x.com/vendasta

Instagram: / vendasta

Thanks for listening!

804: Meet the Agency Growth Expert with a $10M Shortcut | Corey Quinn

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 16:25:35 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 The $10M agency shortcut no one talks about 🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Corey Quinn, former CMO of Scorpion and author of Anyone, Not Everyone, to uncover the exact strategies that helped scale Scorpion from $20M to $200M.

Corey has advised 100+ agencies on breaking free from the generalist trap and shows how vertical specialization creates a flywheel of growth, retention, and profitability. If you’re an agency owner aiming for $10M+, this conversation is your shortcut.

In this episode, you'll learn:

👉 Why generalist agencies stall out and how to avoid the “iceberg problem”

👉 The 3 filters every agency must apply before choosing a niche

👉 How to find hidden vertical opportunities inside your current client list

👉 The 3% Rule that shows why you only need a tiny slice of your market to build an 8-figure business

👉 How deep specialization unlocks operational scale, higher retainers, and repeatable systems

👉 The role of AI in verticalized agencies—and why niche focus makes AI even more powerful

🔥 Soundbites you’ll hear in this episode:

“If you are everything to everyone, you’re nothing to the market.”

“1% of your vertical equals an 8-figure business.”

“More deliverables don’t mean more revenue. We cut from 40+ to 5—and doubled client spend.”

📢 If you’re tired of custom projects, shrinking margins, and constant churn, this episode will show you how to build a scalable, specialized agency that wins bigger deals and grows faster.

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CONNECT WITH COREY QUINN:

🌐 https://www.agencygrowthscore.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyquinn/

📩 corey@coreyquinn.com

-----------------

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta

📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendasta

803: Agency Pricing Expert Reveals the Psychology Behind Getting Paid More | Casey Brown

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 21:53:41 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 The Biggest barrier to getting paid more REVEALED!

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Casey Brown, founder of Boost Pricing, who has helped companies generate over $1 billion in profits by mastering pricing strategies. Casey shares actionable tips on how agency owners can:

👉 Break free from fear-based pricing

👉 Handle pricing objections with confidence

👉 Use psychology to make clients want to pay more

👉 Apply the 65% rule to determine if it’s time to raise your rates

📢 Discover how to stop leaving money on the table, master your pricing conversations, and confidently charge what your services are worth.

👉 If you’ve ever felt undervalued or underpaid, this episode will change how you approach pricing forever.

🚀Transform Your Agency with Vendasta🚀 – Demo Available

https://bit.ly/3X1WGbl

🌐Or checkout our website:

https://www.vendasta.com/

CONNECT WITH CASEY BROWN:

🌐https://www.caseybrown.com/

🌐https://boostpricing.com/

💼https://www.linkedin.com/in/caseybrownboost/

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

802: The 6-Week Work Cycle for 10X Agency Productivity | Joe Martin

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:50:00 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 The 6-Week Work Cycle is Revolutionizing Agency Productivity 🎯

What if you could boost productivity, cut burnout, and give your team more time off—all while improving results?

Joe Martin, author of Six-Week Cycles, has helped agencies escape the daily grind and build a work schedule that fuels performance and happiness. His six-week work cycle is turning the traditional nine-to-five model on its head, and today, he’s sharing exactly how you can make it work for your agency.

In this episode, you'll learn:

👉 Why working harder isn’t the answer to burnout—and what to do instead

👉 How a six-week cycle can supercharge productivity without sacrificing quality

👉 The biggest mistake agencies make when trying to improve efficiency

👉 How to get your team on board with a work model that prioritizes results and well-being

📢 Ready to transform the way your agency works? Hit play now and discover why top agencies are embracing the six-week cycle!

-----------------

CONNECT WITH JOE MARTIN

🌐 hijoemartin.com

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/hijoemartin/

📩 me@hijoemartin.com

-----------------

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta

📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendasta

801: The #1 Reason Agency Owners Shouldn’t Stop Selling Too Soon | Jody Sutter

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:30:00 +0000

▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 Discover the Secret to Winning More Clients for Your Small Agency 🎯

In this episode, we sit down with Jody Sutter, author of The Small Agency's Guide to Winning New Business, to uncover the secrets behind her proven approach to sales and business development for agencies.

Jody has helped agency owners double their revenue and boost profits in less than a year — and she’s sharing exactly how she does it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

👉 Why your role in the sales process is more important than you think

👉 The biggest mistake agency owners make when trying to scale their sales

👉 When to step back from sales—and how to do it without risking revenue

👉 Expert tips for winning new business consistently

📢 Ready to unlock your agency’s growth potential? Hit play now and discover how to win more business without burning out.

-----------------

CONNECT WITH JODY SUTTER:

🌐 https://www.thesuttercompany.com/

💼 linkedin.com/in/jodysutter

📩 jody@thesuttercompany.com

-----------------

CONNECT WITH VENDASTA:

📹 Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@Vendasta

💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/vendasta

🐦 Connect on X: x.com/vendasta

📸 Connect on Instagram: instagram.com/vendasta

736: Why YOUR Sales Team Needs a Mindset Shift | Alan Versteeg

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 19:45:00 +0000

Join us for a deep dive into the world of sales management with Alan Versteeg, a former engineer turned sales expert and Global Chief Revenue Officer at Growth Matters. Alan shares his unique insights on the importance of mindset, pipeline management, and coaching for sales success.

In this episode, you’ll learn how a growth mindset can transform your sales team’s performance, the essential factors for a healthy sales pipeline, and how to effectively coach your sales team for optimal results.

Tune in to discover how Alan’s unique blend of engineering and sales expertise can help you elevate your sales team to new heights!

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta’s Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) make up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

735: Why Your Short-Term Wins Might Be HURTING Your Long-Term Goals | James Hurman

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 22:01:47 +0000

What's the future of creativity in advertising—can AI replace the human touch in building memorable brands?

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we’re joined by James Hurman, a leading figure in advertising and brand strategy. Throughout his career, James has won more than 50 awards for advertising effectiveness and was named the world’s number-one strategic planning director in 2013.

He’s co-founded and scaled global brands like Tracksuit and AF Drinks, and founded the venture studio Previously Unavailable, helping startups create innovative products and scale successfully.

James is also an accomplished author, with his latest book, Future Demand, offering insights into how startups can move beyond early adopters. He’s the mastermind behind multiple marketing effectiveness studies, including The Effectiveness Code and The B2B Effectiveness Code.

Tune in as James shares his wealth of experience and wisdom on brand building, creative strategy, and how to succeed in today’s competitive market!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

734: Sales Scientist REVEALS how Sales Leadership has CHANGED | David Priemer

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 20:10:00 +0000

Tired of outdated sales tactics that just don't work anymore? The sales landscape has drastically changed, leaving sellers frustrated and buyers annoyed.

Join us on this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome David Priemer, Sales Scientist, Founder of Cerebral Selling and author of the bestselling book Sell the Way You Buy. David's unique background blends research science with real-world sales expertise, making him a highly sought-after consultant and author.

In this episode, David discusses the evolving landscape of sales leadership, sharing his journey from a research scientist to a top-performing sales leader. Learn the essential strategies for building trust and strong relationships within your team, coaching effectively, and navigating the challenges of modern sales.

David also reveals data-driven approaches crucial for success in today's market. Packed with practical tips and actionable strategies, this episode will equip you to conquer the ever-changing sales landscape and transform your team's performance!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

733: The Single Metric That Defines YOUR Clients' Success | Tim Butler

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 22:00:00 +0000

What’s the secret to thriving in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing? On this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we’re joined by Tim Butler, a marketing expert with over two decades of experience in sales, marketing, and consulting.

As the founder and CEO of Innovation Visual, a leading UK digital marketing agency, Tim has been at the forefront of developing innovative solutions for clients in technology, manufacturing, healthcare, finance, and more since 2014.

From founding his first online business in 1998 to leading a dynamic team at Innovation Visual, Tim’s expertise spans digital marketing, e-commerce, and revenue generation.

Tune in to discover how Tim’s deep industry knowledge and hands-on approach are shaping the future of digital marketing!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

732: How Scaring Off Salespeople Creates a Stronger Sales Force | Kevin Gaither

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 20:05:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what it takes to build and scale a high-performing sales team? On today’s Conquer Local Podcast, we’re excited to welcome Kevin "KG" Gaither, a sales leader with an exceptional track record.

As the CRO and Founder of Inside Sales Expert, Kevin brings over 25 years of tech industry experience. He’s scaled teams from 30 to 550 salespeople and driven massive growth. Kevin’s book, "It Happened on the Sales Floor," reveals lessons from navigating eight startups and achieving three liquidity events.

Kevin’s insights come from real-world experience, not just theory. Tune in to hear his success stories and learn from the mistakes that shaped his career. Kevin has also provided valuable free resources, including 10 Free Sales Leadership Guides and his "Diamonds in the Rough" hiring course, to help you elevate your sales game.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the industry’s most seasoned experts!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

731: Expert Tips for Winning Procurement Deals | Mike Lander

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 15:30:00 +0000

Ever wondered what it's like to be on both sides of the sales negotiation table?

Our guest this week, Mike Lander, CEO of Piscari and Chairman of Re:signal, is a successful entrepreneur, an ex-procurement director, and a highly sought-after sales & negotiation consultant. He's not only grown companies to over £20 million in revenue but has also negotiated hundreds of deals worth over £500 million as a buyer.

Mike's unique perspective gives him invaluable insights into how to qualify leads better, convert more deals, and land the best possible outcomes, especially when dealing with tough procurement teams.

Join us as we chat with Mike about his experiences and learn how to close more deals, boost your margins, and ultimately drive higher company valuations!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

730: Create Systems to Automate and Scale Your Agency | Bradley Hamner

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:45:00 +0000

What if you could build an agency that ran smoothly without your constant involvement? This week on the Conquer Local podcast, we're diving deep into agency growth and scaling with Bradley Hamner, the mastermind behind BlueprintOS.

Bradley shares how to transform your one-person operation into a well-oiled machine, creating a sustainable and profitable business. Learn to build systems, delegate tasks, and achieve the freedom you crave.

Plus, get free resources! Head to Bradley's website, blueprintos.com/assets, and grab his starter kit to jumpstart your journey.

Tune in now to discover the secrets to scaling your agency!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

729: Creating a Winning Sales Culture | Hamish Knox

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 20:00:00 +0000

What does it take to build a sales team that consistently crushes its goals? This episode dives deep into that question with Hamish Knox, a sales expert and top Sandler franchisee. With a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs achieve massive success, Hamish shares his secrets to scaling sales and building a high-performing team. As a recipient of Sandler's highest honour and a multi-book author, Hamish brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

Join us as we explore strategies for scaling sales teams, fostering strong sales cultures, and practical advice for sales leaders looking to elevate their game. Don't miss this episode packed with actionable insights!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

728: From Growth at All Costs to Sustainable B2B Growth | Chris Walker

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 20:20:00 +0000

Are you tired of the same old B2B marketing strategies that just aren't cutting it? Join us as we dive into the world of innovative marketing with Chris Walker, a true industry disruptor.

Chris Walker, a visionary leader reshaping the B2B landscape, joins us today on the Conquer Local Podcast. As the founder of Refine Labs and Passetto, he's built a reputation for driving innovation and delivering bottom-line results. With a deep understanding of marketing, sales, and technology, Chris is challenging the status quo and offering fresh perspectives on B2B growth.

Learn how to build a thriving business, master organic social media, and navigate the shift from growth at all costs to sustainable profitability. From scaling startups to optimizing go-to-market strategies, we cover it all.

Tune in for actionable insights to supercharge your marketing efforts!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

727: The NEW WAY to Optimize Marketing Campaigns with AI | Lomit Patel

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 22:00:00 +0000

In a world driven by data, how can marketers leverage AI to transform their campaigns?

Get ready to level up, Conquerors! This week, we're thrilled to welcome Lomit Patel, the visionary Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Tynker, as our guest on the Conquer Local Podcast.

With over two decades of scaling high-growth startups like Roku, TrustedID, and IMVU, Lomit excels in turning big ideas into massive successes. As an award-winning author and speaker, he's also written the influential book, "Lean AI."

Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from Lomit's expertise!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

726: Using AB Testing and Segmentation to Improve Customer Lifetime Value | Valentin Radu

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 21:00:00 +0000

Do you want to turn customers into loyal fans who drive sustainable growth?

Valentin Radu, a pioneer in Customer Value Optimization (CVO), is here to show you how. In this episode, we delve into the world of CVO with Valentin, the founder of Omniconvert, CVO Academy, and author of the acclaimed book, "The CLV Revolution."

Valentin's passion for understanding and exceeding customer expectations has fueled his entrepreneurial journey. He's built four successful companies, including Omniconvert, a company trusted by retail giants like Avon and Patagonia to optimize their customer experiences.

Tune in to discover the secrets of the CVO Methodology, a framework for achieving sustainable growth, along with how to leverage cutting-edge experimentation techniques to optimize customer lifetime value across all touchpoints. Learn actionable insights from Valentin's experience building and scaling multiple businesses.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

725: SEO Hacks: Future-Proof Your Business Growth | Andrew Holland

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 22:20:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what it takes to crack the Google code and dominate search results? Millions of views, sky-high rankings, and booming traffic - that's the reality Andrew Holland has created for himself and his clients.

Join us in welcoming the mastermind behind over 20 million video views and 200,000 page-one Google keyword rankings. But Andrew's journey started in an unexpected place - the police force!

Join us as we delve into Andrew's unique path to SEO mastery, his experience building a successful agency, and his current role as Director of SEO at JBH, a leading Digital PR agency in Britain.

He's also the brains behind the popular "Growth Through Content" LinkedIn newsletter. Tune in for actionable insights and inspiring stories from an SEO guru!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

724: From Lead Gap to Customer Leap: How CRM Fuels Sales & Marketing Alignment | Jason Kramer

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 21:20:00 +0000

Do you struggle to bridge the gap between lead generation and customer conversion?

Jason Kramer, a CRM guru with over 20 years of experience in digital marketing and branding, is here to help!

Jason is the founder of Cultivize, a consulting firm that helps agencies leverage CRM to build stronger client relationships. Jason has been using lead magnets and funnels for years to turn prospects into loyal customers.

Ready to unlock the power of CRM for your business? Download Jason's FREE playbook, "A Playbook for Agencies: CRM Setup, Segmentation, and Lead Nurturing Strategies" and learn how to create a winning CRM strategy for your agency and its clients! ➡️ https://cultivize.com/learnmore/

Tune in to this episode of the Conquer Local podcast to hear Jason's insights on CRM and how it can transform your sales and marketing!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

723: Data Over Gurus: Building a Winning Local Marketing Strategy | Avi Kumar

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 21:45:07 +0000

Are you ready to shatter some marketing myths and get real results?

Join us as we welcome Avi Kumar, the Founder and CEO of KUWARE Inc., a marketing and advertising agency that excels in growing businesses through organic and paid media.

Avi takes an irreverent marketer approach, looking past the star power of marketing "gurus" and dismantling myths. His no-nonsense, results-driven approach to business has nurtured long-standing relationships between his agency and clients for over 15 years.

Tune in to learn how Avi prioritizes data-driven marketing science over subjective criteria, helping others stand out and succeed in today's saturated marketplace.

Don't miss his insights on how to achieve true marketing success!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

722: Unlock Your Leadership Potential: The Lifelong Learning Journey | Graham Wilson

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 20:55:00 +0000

Feeling lost in a sea of leadership advice? Wondering what it truly takes to succeed in today's ever-changing business landscape?

In this episode of the Conquer Local podcast, we welcome Graham Wilson, Founder of The Success Factory and a leadership expert passionate about empowering leaders to thrive in today's complex business world.

Graham's unique approach, honed through military service and global experience, equips leaders with the tools to unlock peak performance in themselves and their teams.

Join us for insights on strategy, innovation, and how to navigate change with confidence!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

721: Human Touch in Digital Age: Optimizing Customer Interactions | Alex Levin

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 21:05:00 +0000

Dive into the Growth Mindset of a Go-to-Market Guru!

Alex Levin, Co-Founder and CEO of Regal.io, brings a wealth of experience to the table. His background spans product management at industry giants like Personal and Thomson Reuters to leading growth teams at high-growth startups, including the acquired Handy.

Alex has a proven track record of success. Join us as Alex shares his insights and breaks down the strategies behind launching and scaling businesses.

To learn more and access resources, visit the Regal.io doc here.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

720: Building Powerful Communities: How to Foster Leadership Growth | Tricia Benn

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Tricia Benn, the CEO of C-Suite Network, disrupts industries by building powerful communities. She's on a mission to empower C-level executives with "The Hero Factor" - success beyond just the numbers.

Her focus goes beyond financial success, emphasizing collaboration, integrity, and "The Hero Factor."

Tricia served as an executive with experience in market research, telecom, media, and advertising. She drove double-digit growth as a Global Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer and Managing Director at a $3 billion holding company and is a sought-after speaker.

Join us as Tricia shares her 20+ years of experience driving growth and creating a collaborative space for business leaders.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

719: Partnering for Profits: How to Build Powerful Affiliate Relationships | Amber Spears

Wed, 29 May 2024 16:00:00 +0000

Discover the secrets to affiliate marketing success with Amber Spears, an industry leader and co-founder of East 5th Avenue.

With over $530 million in sales generated for clients over eight years, East 5th Avenue's groundbreaking training methods have transformed over 2,500 companies.

As a sought-after keynote speaker, Amber spoke at events like Traffic and Conversion, Facebook, and Affiliate Summit West, captivating audiences with her expertise.

Join her journey as she unravels the secrets to affiliate marketing mastery!

Giveaway: visit east5thavenue.com/gift for exclusive affiliate marketing resources!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

718: Escape Founder-Led Sales: How Specialization Can Help Your Agency Grow | Corey Quinn

Wed, 22 May 2024 21:15:00 +0000

Hitting sales goals and scaling your agency? This episode is for you.

Corey Quinn joins us again on the podcast to share valuable tips. With over 15 years of extensive agency experience, he was the Chief Marketing Officer at Scorpion, helping skyrocket their revenue from $20M to an impressive $150M in just 6 years.

He's also the author of the bestselling book "Anyone, Not Everyone: a Proven System for Agencies to Escape Founder-Led Sales."

Now, Corey is on a mission to empower digital agency founders to scale their revenue and profits through Deep Specialization. Tune in and discover his secrets!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

717: Start Up Secrets: How This Entrepreneur Mentored 150+ Founders to Success | Feras Alhlou

Wed, 15 May 2024 17:10:00 +0000

Are you ready to dive into the world of entrepreneurship with an expert?

Join us in welcoming Feras Alhlou, an entrepreneur, author, speaker and board member who has not only founded and scaled businesses in Silicon Valley and beyond but also mastered the art of turning ideas into 7 and 8-figure ventures.

In 2019, he made headlines by selling his digital marketing consulting company, e-Nor, to Dentsu, a top-5 global media company. In his current venture, Start Up With Feras, he empowers aspiring entrepreneurs in the consulting and services sector to kickstart and thrive in their ventures.

With over 150 founders under his advisory wing, Feras brings a wealth of experience, insights, and a dash of martial arts prowess (yes, he's a 3rd-degree black belt in Aikido) to the table.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

716: Demystifying IT: How to Find the Right Tech for Your Business | Shane Mishler

Wed, 08 May 2024 17:13:16 +0000

Are you dreaming of Startup success? Hidden tech traps could be holding you back!

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we chat with Shane Mishler, Chief Operating Officer of SD Tech. Shane is a growth expert who will share his insights on avoiding tech pitfalls and achieving operational excellence.

Learn how to navigate strategic growth for your Startup and avoid common tech traps that can hinder your business. Shane's helped SD Tech triple their revenue and build a network of over 200 clients.

Don't miss this episode packed with actionable tips. Plus, grab your FREE guide on "6 Tech Traps That Can Stop Your Startup" at smallbusinesstechtips.net.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

715: Redefining Sales Success: From Seller's Journey to Buyer's Experience | Richard Harris

Wed, 01 May 2024 16:20:00 +0000

Ready to unlock explosive growth for your business? Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome sales veteran Richard Harris!

Richard is the founder of The Harris Consulting Group and brings over 20 years of experience, having worked his way up from SDR to VP of Sales. He's helped companies like Zoom, Salesforce, Dusty Robotics, and Human Interest achieve remarkable success.

In this episode, Richard will share his golden nuggets of wisdom on:

Developing Winning GTM Strategies: Craft a roadmap to market dominance that drives results.
The Art of the Question: Learn how to ask the right questions at the right time to build trust and close deals.
Sales Enablement: Empower your sales reps to become high-performing revenue generators.

Richard is also the co-founder of Surf and Sales, a thriving community for sales professionals, and host of the popular Surf and Sales Podcast. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a sales guru!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

714: 10x Your Growth: The Marketing Framework to Attract & Convert More Customers | Solomon Thimothy

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:21:48 +0000

Do you want to skyrocket your business revenue?

Solomon Thimothy, a USA Today & Wall Street Journal best-selling author with over 17 years of experience, can show you how. As the co-founder of two successful agencies, IMS and Clickx, Solomon is an expert in using the 10X Framework to help businesses achieve explosive growth.

In this latest episode of the Conquer Local podcast, Solomon dives deep into the worlds of marketing, sales, and lead generation. You'll learn from his experience helping startups grow, scale, and discover the secrets to customer acquisition that have made him a sought-after angel investor and startup advisor.

Tune in and get ready to take your business to the next level!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

713: Keep Your Customers: How to Stop Churn and Grow Your Business | Ali Cudby

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Are you struggling to keep customers engaged and loyal? The answer might surprise you!

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome Ali Cudby, CEO of Alignmint Growth Strategies. Ali's on a mission to transform businesses through intentional customer experiences, and her proven methods, outlined in her #1 bestseller, "Keep Your Customers," have helped countless companies achieve unstoppable growth.

Tune in to discover Ali's secrets and her practical MINT Method for building customer loyalty that fuels success!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

712: From Stagnant Sales to 6-Figure Success: Proven Affiliate Marketing Hacks | Seth Greene

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:45:00 +0000

Are you struggling to find high-performing affiliates to promote your business?

The Conquer Local Podcast unlocks the secrets to explosive growth with actionable strategies from marketing authority and Inc. 5000 founder, Seth Greene.

As the founder of an Inc 5000 company and co-host of the Sharkpreneur podcast, Seth's expertise in direct-response marketing is remarkable and shares insights on leveraging 50 DREAM affiliates to promote your business weekly for a year.

With nine best-selling books and features on major media outlets, Seth's undeniable impact speaks volumes. His achievements include being a three-time nominee for the GKIC Marketer of the Year award, with endorsements from industry giants like Dan Kennedy and Kevin Harrington.

Learn how to leverage powerful affiliates and skyrocket your sales. Don't miss this insightful conversation!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

711: The Value Sale: How to Simplify Your Message and Close More Deals | Ian Campbell

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 16:15:00 +0000

Are you ready to unlock the secrets of proving ROI and winning more deals in the digital age? Join us as we dive deep with Ian Campbell, CEO of Nucleus Research and author of "The Value Sale: How to Prove ROI and Win More Deals." Ian spearheads the company's investigative research approach, product set, and overall corporate direction.

Renowned for his expertise in technology ROI and TCO analysis, Ian is a sought-after speaker at both industry and business events. His insights have been featured in prestigious publications like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times.

Ian's influence also extends to academia, where he teaches an executive course at Babson College and is a guest lecturer at institutions such as Stanford University, MIT, and Harvard University.

Join us as Ian shares his invaluable insights and expertise, providing actionable strategies to help businesses thrive in the digital age.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

710: Boost Your Digital Customer Acquisition and Retention with Expert Tips | Peter Tandy

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 22:15:00 +0000

Curious about thriving in the ever-evolving world of Digital Marketing?

Explore the expertise of Peter Tandy, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in the advertising industry. With successful careers in both Real Estate and Hospitality, Peter's journey began at US WEST in Minneapolis, where he contributed to substantial revenue growth in the Yellow Pages industry.

Transitioning to AT&T during the digital revolution, he played a pivotal role in managing online platforms like yellowpages.com and yp.com. Renowned for his skills in new client acquisition and retention, Peter's clients have remained loyal advertisers, generating ongoing revenue.

In 2020, he founded the boutique agency One Four Three Digital, continuing to offer online advertising campaigns for national and international clients, including Western Union and Rasmussen College of Business.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

709: Unlocking SEO Success: Discover the Three Essential Pillars | Damon Burton

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:55:00 +0000

Are you curious about how to beat a billion-dollar company at its own game?

Meet Damon Burton, the mastermind behind outranking giants on Google. Over a decade ago, Damon achieved a remarkable feat by outranking a billion-dollar company on Google, igniting his confidence and paving the way for success. As the founder of SEO National, Damon has built an international search engine marketing company that has served Inc. 5000 and Shark Tank-featured businesses.

Despite starting his venture before the 2008 recession, Damon thrived during challenging times, tripling his revenue during the recent pandemic. He has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, BuzzFeed, and USA Weekly, helping clients achieve unprecedented success. Get ready to learn from Damon Burton on this week’s episode of the Conquer Local Podcast!

Special Audience Giveaway: Outrank: Your Guide to Making More Online By Showing Up Higher on Search Engines and Outranking Your Competition: https://www.freeseobook.com

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

708: Discover the Secrets to Financial Success | Chris Miles

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 15:40:00 +0000

Are you curious about turning your finances into a powerhouse of wealth? Join us on the Conquer Local podcast as we welcome Chris Miles, the Cash Flow Expert and Anti-Financial Advisor.

Tune in to discover how Chris teaches entrepreneurs and professionals to make their money work for them today. With his proven strategies, Chris has achieved financial independence twice, helped clients increase their cash flow by nearly $300 million in the last 12 years, and was featured in US News, CNN Money, Entrepreneurs on Fire, and Bigger Pockets. He has a proven reputation with his company, Money Ripples, for getting his clients fast financial results.

Don't miss this episode as we explore Chris' journey and his secrets to financial success!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

707: Exposing Strategies to 10x Your Sales Growth | Joe Ingram

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Discover the secrets to skyrocketing sales with our latest Conquer Local podcast episode featuring Joe Ingram, the Sales Genius himself!

With over 30 years of expertise and a staggering $1.7 billion in sales, Joe has revolutionized sales strategies, earning a reputation for delivering outstanding results across various industries.

Join us as Joe unveils his transformative approach, blending humour and real-life scenarios in an "edutainment" style that simplifies complex ideas. From turning struggling dealerships into #1 performers to extending his prowess beyond the automotive realm, Joe's insights are a must-hear for sales teams, Business development departments, service teams, and management staff.

Don't miss out on this episode packed with actionable tips to supercharge your sales game!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

706: Transforming Your Business in the Hyper-Digital Era | John Rossman

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:07:02 +0000

Ever wondered what it takes to shape the future of a tech giant?

Join us in this episode as we dive into a fascinating conversation with John Rossman, the early Amazon executive who played a pivotal role in launching the Amazon marketplace in 2002. With four bestsellers, including "The Amazon Way," John is a leading keynote speaker on leadership for innovation and transformation.

Founder of Rossman Partners, a strategy & leadership solutions firm, John's impact extends to roles as the senior technology advisor at the Gates Foundation and senior innovation advisor at T-Mobile. His latest book, "Big Bet Leadership: Your Transformation Playbook for Winning in the Hyper-Digital Era," released on February 27, 2024, and is available for just 99 cents throughout March 2024.

Join us as we unravel the secrets of Big Bet Leadership in the Hyper-Digital Era and explore John's journey in shaping the future of technology and business!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

705: Driving Business Success through Digital Evolution | Jen Swanson

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 16:29:34 +0000

Curious about the transformative power of digital strategies in today's business landscape?

Tune in to unlock the secrets of digital transformation and evolution with Jen Swanson, a professional with over 25 years of experience in customer relationship management, marketing operations, and IT. Her journey spans influential roles in higher education and healthcare, contributing to organizations like the University of Minnesota, Capella University, Children’s Minnesota, and UnitedHealth Group.

In 2019, Jen ventured into consulting, later founding Tuckpoint Advisory Group in 2023. Explore the realms of Digital & Operating Model Transformation, C-Suite Advisory, and more with Jen at tuckpoint.com. Dive into a legacy case study at tuckpoint.com/legacy-case-study for a deeper understanding.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

704: Unleashing the Secrets of Sales Success | Doug C. Brown

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 17:15:38 +0000

Ready to unlock the secrets of sales success?

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies and a Sales Revenue Guru. Ever wondered how to achieve an 864% boost in division sales in just six months? Doug, with an impressive track record at Intuit, CBS Television, and Procter & Gamble, shares his success strategies.

From leading high-impact web seminars for Tony Robbins to pioneering the game-changing Vibitno software, Doug's insights are valuable for scaling your business.

Tune in as he shares top-performing strategies via the Top 1% Academy, helping businesses skyrocket in revenue and profitability!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

703: How to Build a High Performing In-House Agency | Kasper Sierslev

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:08:10 +0000

Are you ready to be inspired by an accomplished and versatile marketing professional?

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome Kasper Sierslev, Chief Commercial and Creative Officer at Zite. With a remarkable career, including collaborations with global giants like Apple, Lego, and Mars, Kasper's expertise in building and guiding in-house creative departments is unparalleled.

An award-winning marketer and author of two best-selling books, 'Moving In-House' and 'Win-Win-House,' Kasper offers deep insights into in-house marketing dynamics that will leave you with a fresh perspective.

Get ready to be captivated by his expertise and remarkable adaptability in diverse business landscapes!

Giveaway Alert! Conquer Local Podcast listeners, grab your free copy of Kasper's 'Win-Win-House' book at www.win-win-house.com/vendasta

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

702: Strategies to Overcome Online Marketing Challenges for Small Businesses | Dave Charest

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 15:21:41 +0000

How can small businesses conquer the challenges of online marketing?

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, the trusted online marketing leader for millions of small businesses. An educator and advocate, Dave shares practical marketing advice for small business leaders and nonprofits.

With a passion for simplifying the complex world of online marketing, he's an award-winning marketer, dynamic speaker, creator, and host of the Be a Marketer podcast. Get ready for insights on email marketing and more!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

701: The Sales Doctor's Prescription for $100M Success | Chet Lovegren

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 21:07:33 +0000

Join us as we kick off Season 7 of the Conquer Local podcast with an insightful episode featuring Chet Lovegren.

With over a decade of sales and sales leadership experience, Chet is the creator of The Sales Doctor, where he challenges companies to take a holistic look at their revenue strategy. In this episode, he shares a prescriptive process to modernize training and enablement practices, shedding light on how he has helped companies raise over $100M in VC funds.

Chet's impact extends beyond the boardroom, having personally trained, coached, and developed over 1,000 students in his sales and leadership programs. Tune in to gain valuable insights from Chet's wealth of experience, with past clients including industry leaders like Zscaler, Funnel.io, Automattic, and Teampay.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

649: 2023 Year in Review | Brendan King

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 21:16:18 +0000

What were some of the biggest milestones achieved by Vendasta in 2023?

On this special year-in-review episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we are joined by Brendan King, the co-founder and CEO of Vendasta Technologies.

Brendan shares the milestones achieved by Vendasta in 2023, including the acquisition of Broadly and the release of new products in the customer engagement space. He also discusses the changing economic landscape and the importance of profitable growth in today's market.

Tune in as Brendan highlights the exciting trends to watch in 2024, particularly the advancements in AI and its potential to revolutionize customer relationship management. Join us on the latest episode to gain valuable insights and get a sneak peek into Vendasta's roadmap for the upcoming year!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

648: Building a Successful Agency and Establishing Long-Term Client Partnerships | David Reske

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 16:45:00 +0000

Are you looking to build a successful agency and establish long-term partnerships with your clients?

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, Jeff Tomlin chats with David Reske, the founder and CEO of Nowspeed Marketing, about building a successful agency and establishing long-term partnerships with clients. They delve into the importance of team-building, packaging services and managing risk in the agency world.

David, with a background in sales and website design, has successfully led his company to expand its services and acquire other digital marketing firms. He brings a unique perspective to the field and has shared his knowledge through his book "Digital Marketing in the Zone" and his podcast "In the Now." As an Adjunct Professor at Boston College, he also teaches a course on business planning.

Listen as David shares his insights on hiring the right people, creating scalable service packages, and leveraging AI to create world-class content.

Tune in to learn how to build long-term relationships with clients and take your agency to the next level!

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners. Learn more about Vendasta and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta’s Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

647: Leverage the Lighthouse Strategy to Attract High-Profile Clients | Dennis Yu

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:40:00 +0000

Ready to explore and build groundbreaking digital marketing strategies?

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, Jeff Tomlin welcomes Dennis Yu, a digital marketing expert and pioneer in search engine technology.

With a background in search engine engineering and advertising, Dennis has managed over a billion dollars in ad spend for enterprise clients like Nike and Red Bull. He is known for developing the "6 Phase Dollar a Day Program," a streamlined approach to digital marketing strategies.

Dennis shares insights on customer acquisition costs, the importance of high customer lifetime value, and the power of the lighthouse strategy for agency growth. He also discusses the $1-a-day strategy for testing and scaling digital marketing campaigns. Tune in to gain practical strategies and tips from Dennis' extensive experience in the digital marketing space!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

646: Boosting Non-Profit Impact with Affiliate Marketing Tactics | Chandler Boyce

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:15:00 +0000

What are the strategies to effectively communicate your organization's mission and engage with your target audience?

Join us on the latest Conquer Local Podcast as we chat with Chandler Boyce, Founder & CEO of The Business Co-op, a full-service agency specializing in developing custom-tailored marketing strategies for leaders.

With a focus on the non-profit sector, Chandler helps organizations effectively communicate their mission and engage with their target audience. He is also an affiliate marketer, utilizing his platform to recommend and endorse products and platforms that he believes in.

Tune in to learn more about Chandler's passion for storytelling and how he has helped others drive success in both the agency and affiliate marketing landscape!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

645: Boost Sales and Monetize Your Online Presence with Effective Strategies | Stefano Colonna

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 22:10:33 +0000

Discover the keys to effective small business marketing and sales growth in the latest Conquer Local Podcast episode!

Jeff Tomlin is joined by Stefano Colonna, the Founder and CEO of Movylo, an entrepreneur with a remarkable digital journey. Stefano, known for founding multiple companies in the mobile and marketing sectors, shares insights into his entrepreneurial path. Having secured investments from angels, institutional, and corporate VCs in the US and the EU, his expertise spans three continents.

In this episode, Stefano unveils the inspiration behind Movylo, a marketing automation service crafted for small and medium-sized businesses while advocating for simplicity in marketing solutions. Tune in to learn more about the need for effective lead capture to drive sales and monetize online presence, and how Movylo is transforming marketing for small businesses.

To learn more about Stefano and Movylo, visit www.movylo.com/vendasta

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

644: Scaling Global Brands to 10+ Figures Using Omnichannel Marketing | Justin Brenner

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 14:45:00 +0000

Are you curious about the secrets behind profitably scaling global brands to 10+ figures through a holistic approach?

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome Justin Brenner, an entrepreneur, brand builder, and community leader.

With over 15 years of experience, Justin has earned a reputation as an accomplished entrepreneur and marketer. His expertise lies in developing and implementing proven strategies that have successfully scaled numerous global brands to 10+ figures. His approach is comprehensive and utilizes omnichannel tactics to drive profitability and growth.

Currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer of AdLeaks, Justin plays a pivotal role in managing one of the world's largest digital marketing communities. AdLeaks has over 290,000 members across 12 Facebook groups, serving as a testament to Justin's leadership and ability to foster thriving online communities.

Get ready to gain insights into Justin's journey, learn from his experiences, and discover the strategies that have made him a standout figure in the industry. Don't miss this episode as we delve into the landscape of brand building and digital marketing.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

643: Transform your Agency with Proven PR Strategies | Catherine Bangel

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:40:00 +0000

Have you wondered what it takes to blend a successful PR career with a passion for advocacy?

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast as we welcome Catherine Bangel, the founder of Bangel PR, a boutique agency specializing in PR, media, content creation, and social media management. With over a decade of experience as a former CBC and Global Television reporter, Catherine brings a wealth of expertise. Beyond her professional achievements, she founded Bangel PR when her eldest was just nine months old.

Catherine's advocacy extends to supporting families with children with disabilities, collaborating with organizations like the Cerebral Palsy Association of Alberta. And her efforts have resulted in successful fundraising campaigns, securing government funding for essential drugs. Holding degrees in Political Science and Journalism, Catherine is passionate about storytelling, both professionally and personally.

Tune in to discover her inspiring journey, blending entrepreneurship, PR prowess, and a commitment to positive change!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

642: LinkedIn Strategies that Double Lead Generation | Geoff Chaney

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:40:00 +0000

Are you looking to boost your lead generation efforts on LinkedIn?

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we are excited to introduce Geoffrey Chaney, a seasoned professional with over 13 years of experience in SAAS technology.

Currently a partner at Relentless Venture Studio, Geoff's expertise has played a crucial role in multiple private-sector M&A transactions. He previously achieved remarkable success by overseeing licensee training and business development for SMS Masterminds, resulting in an Inc. 5000 award and a significant merger.

Today, he leads CASTANET, a LinkedIn lead generation platform, and is renowned for his commitment to creating value, delivering exceptional results, and cultivating enduring relationships with clients and partners.

Tune in for an insightful discussion on SAAS, automation, and relationship-building with Geoff Chaney.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

641: Mastering Success in Finance: Insights from a Renowned Business Coach | Geraldine Carter

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 15:55:00 +0000

Are you ready to conquer the world of finance and find the perfect work-life balance?

In the latest episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we're thrilled to introduce Geraldine Carter, a renowned business coach specializing in helping overworked solo CPAs and firm owners achieve a better work-life balance without sacrificing revenue.

With over 100,000 downloads, her podcast, "Business Strategy for CPAs," ranks among the top ten podcasts for financial professionals on Apple Podcasts, providing invaluable insights and guidance.

Geraldine holds a BS in Engineering from Cornell University and is a co-founder of a company where her cashflow forecasting models have made significant contributions to climate change efforts. Beyond her impressive career, she enjoys outdoor adventures like mountain biking and chasing after her two children in Ketchum, Idaho.

Join us on the Conquer Local Podcast to learn from Geraldine Carter as she shares her insights on achieving balance, revenue, and life satisfaction in the finance industry.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

640: Boosting Consultancy Success: Strategies for Navigating Today's Business Dynamics | Chris Knudsen

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Ready to uncover the secrets of thriving in the dynamic world of entrepreneurship?

Join us in welcoming Chris Knudsen to the Conquer Local Podcast. As a published author, university instructor, inventor, and consultant, Chris brings a wealth of experience, currently serving as an independent fractional CMO and CEO at StoicYeti, an advertising agency with a direct-to-consumer focus.

With a successful tenure as the former CMO of Purple Mattress and experience in founding and selling businesses, including 3DplusMe, a venture-funded consumer 3D printing and scanning company, Chris is also the author of the book "Trust Me, I'm a Consultant."

His primary consulting focus is to help businesses and ideas thrive in an ever-evolving technological landscape. Tune in to learn from Chris's remarkable journey and gain insights into his experiences that have influenced the worlds of business and technology!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

639: Key Steps and Strategies to Prepare Your Agency for Sale | Richard Parker

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:50:00 +0000

Today, we have industry expert Richard Parker joining us to chat about Mergers and Acquisitions. With over three decades of experience, Richard has been turning business aspirations into reality, leaving a significant global impact through his renowned program, 'How To Buy A Good Business At A Great Price.' This transformative program has made its mark in 80 countries, selling over 100,000 copies and empowering countless aspiring business owners.

Richard is not only a program creator but also a hands-on business acquirer. He's been at the helm of 13 acquisitions, ranging from $50,000 to over $200 million. In addition to his hands-on experience, he has played advisory roles in transactions surpassing $2 billion. Richard's insights and know-how have earned him recognition in top-tier publications like Forbes and The New York Times. He's even authored more than 300 articles, showcasing his authority in the field.

Join us as we dive deep into the world of mergers and acquisitions. Get ready for invaluable insights and expert advice that could transform your business aspirations into reality!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

638: Achieving Agency Success with Direct Mail | Brian Davidson

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:40:00 +0000

Join us as we explore the power of direct mail in the digital age with our guest, Brian Davidson. With over two decades of marketing experience, Brian's expertise spans both traditional and digital realms. He excels in creating comprehensive marketing strategies that boost sales and customer loyalty, benefiting clients from national banks to local restaurants.

Behind Brian's remarkable success is a deeply personal motivation. Witnessing a friend's failure due to poor marketing inspired Brian to establish Light Switch Media, a visionary agency focused on empowering business owners with time-saving solutions to foster genuine, impactful relationships, growth, and success.

Brian's mission is to bridge the gap between Main Street businesses and corporate marketing agencies, fostering authentic one-on-one relationships. Whether you're a local gem or an aspiring entrepreneur, listen in to learn how Brian Davidson and Light Switch Media are propelling businesses to new heights!

Giveaway: Download the eBook: 7 Step Online Marketing Plan eBook (https://zfrmz.com/hCCZftGXyFzOoYtxMT8F)

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

637: Unlocking the Secrets of Brand Positioning for Business Growth | Master Training Series

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:30:00 +0000

Ever wondered how to unlock the secrets of brand positioning for business growth?

Join Jeff Tomlin in the latest Conquer Local Podcast Master Training Series on branding. Learn more about uncovering the mysteries of effective branding as Jeff answers your questions about brand positioning, shares insights into Twitter's innovative brand X, and reveals common branding mistakes to avoid.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable branding knowledge and strategies that will help you connect with your audience and elevate your brand. Tune in and let Jeff lead you on a journey to brand success.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

636: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking | Brenden Kumarasamy

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:05:02 +0000

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we are thrilled to introduce Brenden Kumarasamy, the visionary founder of MasterTalk. With a remarkable passion for empowering individuals through effective communication, Brenden's journey began when he started coaching public speaking at just 19 years old. Recognizing the lack of accessible resources for those unable to afford coaching, he embarked on a mission to bridge this gap.

Brenden's dedication led him to create MasterTalk, a transformative YouTube channel providing free, practical communication guidance. His goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of age or background, becomes an exceptional communicator. Brenden firmly believes that the next visionary can emerge with the right communication skills.

Join us as we explore Brenden Kumarasamy's inspiring journey, his vision for a more communicative world, and the profound impact he's making through MasterTalk. Discover his commitment to democratizing communication skills and empowering individuals to confidently share their ideas with the world.

Giveaway: Visit www.rockstarcommunicator.com to attend one of Brenden's free communication workshops!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

635: Streamlining Business Operations with Virtual Personnel | Barry Coziahr

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:35:48 +0000

Tune in to learn from Barry Coziahr, an accomplished consultant and educator who has influenced over 10,000 small business owners through consulting and training, delivering more than 1,000 seminars and workshops across the United States.

Barry's presentations provide practical insights into business growth and marketing, supported by real-world examples and case studies, benefiting small businesses, authors, and non-profits striving for successful expansion.

His expertise also includes optimizing small businesses by implementing efficient personnel and systems to enable effective scaling. Barry's experience spans engagements with INC 500 companies, international corporations, and nonprofit organizations. His appearances on podcasts and speaking engagements for reputable organizations such as Chambers of Commerce, The U.S. Small Business Administration, and more, underscore his dedication to supporting small businesses and nonprofits.

As the co-founder of Freetime.Solutions, a virtual personnel agency, Barry assists small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, and professionals in building high-performing virtual assistant teams.

Giveaway: Download the eBook: 249 Things a Virtual Assitant Can Do For You. (https://www.freetime.solutions/downloads)

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

634: Solution-Based Selling: A Powerful Sales Strategy for Small Businesses | Kaylene Grieve

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:45:00 +0000

On the latest episode, we are thrilled to have Kaylene Grieve joining us today. Kaylene is the Managing Director of Sales, SEO, and Social Media (SSSM), a renowned marketing services agency based in Sydney, Australia. With an impressive track record of over 25 years in sales and marketing, Kaylene and her team at SSSM have consistently delivered exceptional results for numerous companies.

One of their remarkable achievements is their ability to identify the perfect volume and target markets, ensuring a consistent flow of 8-10 sales-qualified leads per month for their clients.

Through a strategic blend of inbound and outbound techniques, Kaylene and her team have consistently generated additional sales and marketing-qualified leads, providing invaluable consistency to businesses.

Tune in to learn from Kaylene's extensive expertise as she shares her insights, strategies, and experiences in the world of sales and marketing!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

633: Transforming Sales Coaching with AI | Michael Miranda

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:29:15 +0000

On our latest episode, Michael Miranda, CEO and Founder of OpTonal, an AI software that automates post-call tasks for sales teams, joins us on the Conquer Local Podcast.

Michael launched his sales career in Pennsylvania and New Jersey as a closer for a door-to-door company. Transitioning to software, he joined GitLab as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) and quickly became an overachiever, ascending through various Account Executive (AE) roles, distinguishing himself as a top performer in each position.

Having experienced first-hand the challenges and inefficiencies faced by sales teams, Mike founded OpTonal with a mission to leverage AI to drive results across revenue teams. Backed by leading investors, including GitLab's CEO, OpTonal had an impressive start.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

632: Transitioning from Hourly Billing to Effective Pricing Models | Jonathan Stark

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:47:18 +0000

On this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we're joined by Jonathan Stark, who has over 15 years of experience in software development, consultancy, and training. He's delivered sold-out talks on three continents, authored five books including "Hourly Billing Is Nuts," and hosts the popular podcast "Ditching Hourly."

Jonathan collaborated with major brands like Staples, Time, T-Mobile, Cisco, and Intel during his consulting tenure. He curates a daily newsletter focused on pricing strategies for independent professionals, and as the President of Jonathan Stark Consulting, he's passionately dedicated to eradicating hourly billing and promoting fairer pricing practices worldwide.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

631: Future-Proof Your Career: Why You Need to Prioritize Upskilling in Today's Economy | Master Training Series

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:52:24 +0000

Join Jeff Tomlin on the Conquer Local podcast as he discusses the significance of upskilling in today's evolving job market. Upskilling involves acquiring new competencies or enhancing existing ones through various learning avenues.

This episode emphasizes the importance of prioritizing upskilling in light of the constantly changing technological and economic landscape. As job demands shift rapidly, cultivating new skills becomes crucial for sustained career growth. Especially during economic uncertainty, upskilling offers a competitive advantage, enabling professionals to secure roles and clients effectively.

Tune in for an expert's insights on leveraging upskilling as a dynamic tool for career empowerment amidst change.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

630: Engaging Customers through Compelling Content | Rish Bhandari

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:25:00 +0000

Rish Bhandari is the Founder & CEO of Content Beta, a creative-as-a-service platform for tech companies. He is a Growth Hacker with a background in Investment Management and Engineering.

In addition to his role as CEO, Rish hosts two popular podcasts: "The Product Marketing Show" and "New Things in Customer Education," where he engages with thought leaders and industry experts to discuss strategies for scaling and growing through product marketing and customer education.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

629: Project Management Strategies for Global Success | Yasmina Khelifi

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 15:43:48 +0000

In our latest podcast episode, we feature Yasmina Khelifi, a seasoned French telecom engineer and project manager with over 20 years of experience in international projects. Collaborating with major handset manufacturers, Yasmina facilitated successful mobile device launches in the Middle East and Africa. Holding three Project Management certifications from the Project Management Institute, she emphasizes the importance of cross-border collaboration alongside technical expertise for project success.

Yasmina's commitment extends to volunteering with the Project Management Institute, while her writing contributions appear in the Harvard Business Review Ascend and PMWorld Journal. As the podcast "Global Leaders Talk with Yasmina Khelifi" host and founder, she interviews project management experts. Proficient in six languages and holding a Master's Degree in Mobile Telecommunications, Yasmina's diverse skills enrich her connections in the international project management sphere.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

628: How to Craft Successful Cold Emails | Frank Sondors

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 20:18:21 +0000

Tune in and join us in welcoming Frank Sondors, the Co-Founder & CEO at Salesforge, an innovative AI-driven cold email sequencing platform. With over a decade of experience in B2B Sales, Frank has made significant contributions to renowned companies such as Google, SimilarWeb, Black Crow, and Whatagraph. Throughout his career, he has excelled both as an individual contributor and a leader, successfully managing and leading large sales teams.

Currently, Frank is devoted to building Salesforge.ai, a groundbreaking solution that empowers every sales organization to execute personalized cold email outreach at an unprecedented scale. By facilitating the connection of unlimited sender accounts and harnessing the power of AI with seller and buyer data, Salesforge.ai enables businesses to craft unique emails and expand their pipeline coverage up to 10 times.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

627: Driving Business Growth through Effective SEO Strategies | Nic Padilla

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 15:20:00 +0000

Are you eager to elevate your online presence and achieve real success through search engine optimization?

Tune in to learn from Nic Padilla, Director of Business Development at Boostability and a seasoned SEO expert with over a decade of experience in the industry.

Since 2009, Nic has been at the forefront of the SEO world, selling thousands of accounts and training teams in 14 countries. His vast knowledge and expertise in the field have helped countless businesses achieve their goals through effective SEO strategies. With a passion for helping clients succeed, Nic has become a go-to resource for businesses looking to improve their online presence and drive results through search engine optimization.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

626: Unlocking Career Potential: Advice from a Talent Management Expert | Suman Cherry

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000

On this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we chat with Suman Cherry, the Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Cherry Talent Group.

Suman has over 20 years of recruiting experience, during which she has successfully placed over 500 employees across industries such as medical, oil & gas, construction, and real estate. Suman's expertise lies in being a hiring "matchmaker," dedicated to understanding both her clients' and candidates' needs.

Her approach involves comprehending the distinct qualities of each company, emphasizing long-term relationships based on trust, and aligning candidates not only with the required skills but also with the client's vision and culture.

Join us to gain valuable insights from this accomplished professional and learn more about her strategies for building successful connections between employers and talent.

Conquer Local listeners can connect with Suman Cherry on LinkedIn for a free 30-minute expert consultation. This consultation aims to provide guidance and support to both clients and candidates.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

625: Building a Strong C-Suite Community | Jeffrey Hayzlett

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 15:30:00 +0000

Tune in to our latest episode and welcome Jeffrey Hayzlett, a global business celebrity, best-selling author, and the Chairman and Founder of C-Suite Network. As a primetime television host, he is well-known for hosting shows such as C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives on C-Suite TV. He also hosts a business podcast called All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on C-Suite Radio.

With extensive experience, Jeffrey led one of the largest corporate turnarounds as the Chief Marketing Officer of Eastman Kodak. During his tenure, he successfully reinvented the brand and embraced new media, establishing himself as a business trend-setter and an early adopter of digital marketing and social media.

Jeffrey's mission is to help businesses transform themselves, which is reflected in his best-selling book, The Mirror Test. In addition to his role at C-Suite Network, he serves on numerous corporate boards and is renowned as a public speaker and author of multiple business books. He is actively driving the growth of C-Suite Network and its entities, including C-Suite Radio, the fastest-growing network for business podcasts.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

624: Is Organic Reach Dead? Exploring Pay-to-Play vs. Organic Social Media Strategy | Master Training Series

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:29:38 +0000

Are you struggling to navigate the changing landscape of social media?

With declining organic reach and platforms favouring paid advertising, finding the right balance for your brand is crucial. Our latest Master Training Series explores the pros and cons of pay-to-play versus organic reach, equipping you with insights to make informed decisions.

Discover the power of paid social strategies, from boosting posts to influencer collaborations. Increase your reach, target specific audiences, and track measurable results. But don't overlook the benefits of organic social media content. It's cost-effective, builds trust and loyalty, and feels authentic.

Jeff Tomlin shares how you can create a comprehensive social media strategy that strengthens your online presence, boosts brand awareness, and delivers optimal results. Don't let the changing social media landscape leave you behind, so tune in to boost your strategy and social media presence!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

623: The PepsiCo Way: Lifelong Learning and Leadership | Jorge Alzate

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Jorge Alzate, the R&D Senior Manager at PepsiCo, is joining us on this week's episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, where he will share his remarkable journey and insights.

Jorge has over 22 years of experience and a passion for guiding teams in their professional growth. With a chemistry and quality assurance background, he discovered a new calling in coaching and mentoring through Toastmasters and project management certification. During the pandemic, Jorge successfully led his team in implementing virtual and remote auditing techniques.

Moreover, Jorge's commitment to personal development led him to the Coaching for Leaders Academy, where he learned to align his goals with daily actions. As a result, he achieved an internal job change and promotion to digital solutions team leader. And his career shift highlights the transferability of project management and team leadership skills, emphasizing the significant impact of consistent and focused effort in achieving goals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

622: The Art of Traditional and Digital Marketing Strategies | Darren Anderson

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 16:15:00 +0000

Darren Anderson, the Business Development Manager of Anderson Marketing Group, is joining us live in the studio on today's episode of the Conquer Local Podcast.

With over 20 years of experience, Darren and his team have provided strategic solutions to businesses in Saskatoon and Western Canada, helping them grow and establish brand trust within their respective industries.

Darren's unique service offering focuses on enhancing clients' brand presence, enabling them to stand out in the competitive market. As a dedicated professional, Darren actively supports his clients in achieving their business goals and desired outcomes. His approach combines creative thinking, hands-on marketing expertise, and a deep understanding of his client's needs, resulting in tailored strategic plans that deliver remarkable results.

Darren goes above and beyond to cultivate lifelong relationships with his clients. And his genuine and personable nature has earned him a reputation as a trusted confidant to all who work with him.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

621: Building Trust and Growing Your Agency | Jack Pires

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:06:13 +0000

Jack Pires, a highly successful entrepreneur and CEO, joins us on this week's episode of the Conquer Local podcast. He is the founder and owner of SocialJack Media, a digital marketing agency that has achieved remarkable success in 5 years, growing into a 7-figure business. Jack's expertise lies in business development, marketing strategy, and leadership, which he has demonstrated through his accomplishments.

Jack's vision for SocialJack Media is to offer top-tier digital marketing services to small and medium-sized businesses, comparable to those enjoyed by large corporations. To accomplish this, he utilized a technology platform that works harmoniously with the industry's best marketing vendors and experts. By assembling a talented team of creatives, strategists, and business development professionals, Jack exceeds clients' expectations and maintains an excellent reputation and client retention rate for his agency.

Before starting SocialJack Media, Jack held positions as the COO and Executive Director for various hospitality brands, where he refined his skills in operations, management, and customer service. Leveraging his extensive experience and knowledge, he has assisted numerous businesses in achieving their digital marketing goals and enhancing their online presence.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

620: The Power of Verticals and Go-To-Market Strategies | Corey Quinn

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 22:35:00 +0000

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, we are joined by Corey Quinn, an accomplished entrepreneur, sales leader, and former Chief Marketing Officer of Scorpion, a digital marketing agency that experienced exponential growth under his leadership.

Corey shares his insights and strategies that propelled Scorpion from $20 to an astounding $150M in recurring revenue within six years and challenges the notion that more is always better.

Corey is the Fractional CMO and GTM Strategist at Corey Quinn, Inc., providing practical tips and secrets to help agencies and B2B SaaS businesses unlock their full potential. As the host of the "Vertical Go-To-Market" podcast and the author of the eagerly anticipated book, "Focus Vertical," Corey is at the forefront of the latest strategies and trends in the industry.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

619: Empowering Communities and Driving Economic Prosperity | Heather Thomson

Wed, 31 May 2023 16:55:00 +0000

Heather Thomson, Executive Director of the Alberta School of Business - Centre for Cities and Communities joins us on the latest episode. As the co-founder of this institution, Heather's passion lies in mentoring the next generation of business innovators and collaborating with influential leaders in the business community. With a focus on education, consulting, academic & applied research, and industry outreach, Heather shares invaluable insights on how to create thriving cities and communities.

Beyond her role at the Alberta School of Business, Heather is also a consultant at 13 Ways Inc., a Community Development Firm. Through this work, she conducts comprehensive business and community assessments and crafts specialized community plans centred around economic development, local business prosperity, and beautification. With her extensive experience collaborating with numerous communities and delivering keynote presentations across North America, Heather brings a wealth of practical knowledge and expertise to our conversation.

Before her contributions to the academic and consulting spheres, Heather built an impressive career journey that included roles at Lululemon Athletica, ATB Financial, and even McDonald's Restaurants. Her dedication to fostering business success and cultivating a talented workforce for the industry shines through in every endeavour. Join us as we delve into Heather's captivating journey, gain insights from her business advocacy and strategist work, and uncover strategies for empowering communities and driving economic prosperity.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

618: Mastering Partnerships and Go-To-Market Success | Barrett King

Wed, 24 May 2023 18:55:00 +0000

Barrett King, Senior Manager for Go-to-Market strategies for the Global Partner Ecosystem at Hubspot, joins us on the latest episode of the Conquer Local Podcast.

A dynamic and accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience in the SaaS industry, Barrett has honed his skills in forging strategic partnerships and executing effective go-to-market strategies.

Barrett's expertise lies in identifying untapped business opportunities, fostering growth, and establishing successful sales channels across diverse industries. His proficiency in developing and implementing sales and marketing plans has driven customer engagement and retention, resulting in remarkable revenue growth.

Renowned for his unwavering commitment to excellence, Barrett has consistently surpassed sales targets, earning him a coveted spot at the yearly Presidents Club. His exceptional performance in fast-paced and competitive environments demonstrates his unwavering dedication to providing outstanding customer experiences and fostering enduring relationships throughout the business landscape.

Join us as we delve into Barrett's remarkable journey and discover the strategies that have propelled him to the forefront of the SaaS industry.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

617: 8 Steps to Grow Your Business | Jason Swenk

Wed, 17 May 2023 16:10:00 +0000

Join us for an exciting episode of the Conquer Local Podcast featuring Jason Swenk, renowned advisor and coach from Agency Mastery 360, specializing in accelerating the growth of marketing agencies.

Jason's extensive knowledge and experience provide invaluable guidance to agencies seeking to scale. He authored the definitive book on building agencies from scratch to 8-figure powerhouses. And with his groundbreaking 8-system framework, Jason achieved remarkable success with his agency, collaborating with prestigious brands like AT&T, Hitachi, and Lotus Cars before selling it.

As the host of the acclaimed Smart Agency Master Class Podcast, Jason shares the strategies and stories from real agency owners, offering insights into what works in today's agency landscape.

Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to gain actionable insights and a roadmap to conquer the ever-evolving agency landscape. Tune in now to hear about Jason's fascinating journey and discover the latest industry trends!

Register for the Agency Insights Report 2023: Early Access Event here, or copy and paste this URL in your browser: https://www.vendasta.com/content-library/webinars/agency-insights-report-event/

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

616: The Evolution of B2B Content Marketing | Edward Purmalis

Wed, 10 May 2023 17:55:00 +0000

In our latest episode, we are thrilled to welcome Edward Purmalis, a freelance B2B content strategist who supports B2B brands, coaches and consultants to redefine their content strategy to reach, intrigue, educate and convert their buyers.

Edward's career had humble beginnings working at a call centre selling air travel, where he moved up the sales ladder and brought in over $400,000 in revenue in his last year. But when the pandemic hit, he moved away from the industry and started selling B2B SaaS for a California-based VoIP company.

He has always been a huge online content consumer and started listening to podcasts when he was 9 years old. As luck would have it, the Founder of the VoIP company he was employed for launched a new company - Salescast, where Edward had the chance to work with B2B content creators helping them build podcast strategies and generate revenue through content. Within a year, Edward became the Director of Revenue Operations and worked with over 100 B2B Podcast Hosts supporting them in launching, managing and growing their podcasts. And his newest passion is building social media strategies that help content creators make the most out of their content and conquer social media.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

615: Introducing Jeff Tomlin

Wed, 03 May 2023 15:26:20 +0000

Join us in welcoming Jeff Tomlin, the new host of the Conquer Local Podcast! In this season, Jeff will explore strategies and tactics to help businesses grow, covering topics from Go-To-Market strategies, technology and entrepreneurship, to sales, agency growth, and marketing.

With over 25 years of experience in marketing, strategy, business development, and digital communications, Jeff is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Vendasta, working with over 50,000 registered channel partners, and managing relationships with over 5 million local businesses.

Jeff is committed to providing insightful, actionable content to help listeners dominate their local markets, featuring industry experts and thought leaders every Wednesday. Join Jeff on this exciting new chapter of the Conquer Local Podcast, and stay tuned for new episodes next week!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

614: George's Farewell Top 10 Episodes

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 15:15:00 +0000

After over 265 episodes, three awards and thousands of listeners tuned in from over 50 countries, the time has come to bid farewell to our host, George Leith. Throughout his time with us, George has brought a wealth of knowledge, insight, and expertise to the Conquer Local Podcast. With his distinctive voice and engaging style, George has tackled a diverse range of topics related to sales, marketing, entrepreneurship and business growth, as he always delivered practical tips and actionable advice to our listeners.

From his interviews with industry leaders and experts to his deep dives into emerging trends and technologies, George has helped us navigate the ever-changing digital marketing and sales landscape. He has challenged us to think differently, take risks, and strive for excellence in everything we do.

In this special episode, George takes a trip down memory lane to recap the top 10 most popular episodes of the podcast, and as we look back, we are reminded of the wisdom and expertise that George has brought to the podcast. Let’s hear from some of our industry's most innovative and inspiring leaders to better understand the strategies and tactics driving success in today's business world.

As we say goodbye to George, we are grateful for his contributions to the Conquer Local community and the Vendasta ecosystem. He left a permanent mark on the podcast and its listeners, and we will miss his wit, wisdom, and infectious enthusiasm. We wish him all the best in his future ventures and look forward to continuing the journey he has helped us embark upon. Thank you, George, “we’ll see you when we see you.”

Stay tuned, the Conquer Local Podcast will return with a new host and episodes!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

613: Building Relationships with Handwritten Notes | Rick Elmore

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Rick Elmore is an entrepreneur, sales and marketing expert, and former college and professional football athlete. As the Founder and CEO of Simply Noted, Rick developed a proprietary technology that puts real pen and ink to paper to scale handwritten communication, helping businesses of all industries scale this unique marketing platform to stand out from their competition and build meaningful relationships with clients, customers, and employees.

Founded in 2018 and based in Tempe, Arizona, Simply Noted has grown into a thriving company with clients of various sizes across the country including hospitality, real estate, insurance, nonprofit, franchise, B2B, and many more sectors. Rick has served as the company's CEO since its founding, for more than three years, with over a decade of sales and marketing experience.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

612: Strategies for MSPs to Win Clients and Generate Profits | Paul Green

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:35:00 +0000

In our latest episode, we welcome Paul Green, an MSP marketing expert based in the UK. Paul is the founder of Paul Green's MSP Marketing, where he assists over 700 MSPs to succeed in today's business landscape.

Paul helps MSPs improve their marketing and generate more leads with his MSP Marketing Edge program. He is a former journalist and radio presenter and has worked with MSPs since 2016. And Paul is also the host of the world’s most popular podcast on MSP marketing – search for “Paul Green’s MSP Marketing podcast” in your favourite podcast platform.

Tune in to learn more about Paul Green's strategy as we explore steps and gain valuable insights to unlock success for your local business.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

611: Learning How to Sell | Rana Kordahi

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 14:20:00 +0000

In this episode, we are joined by Rana Kordahi, a renowned sales coach and trainer from The Selling Academy, to explore the art of selling. With over 20 years of experience in Sales, Rana brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, sharing insights and best practices for building successful sales teams and strategies.

Her work evolved into training and coaching in sales. For the past 10 years, Rana has trained and coached thousands of Sales and non-salespeople in sales communication, prospecting, pipeline management, and cold calling. She has also trained hundreds of consultants at some of the big 4 consulting firms like KPMG and PWC, in sales and influence.

Throughout the conversation, Rana breaks down a 6-step process, and key principles of effective selling. Although Rana conducts a lot of sales coaching and training, she also does a lot of selling in her own business. She still makes cold calls, demos and discovery calls, and believes that sales coaches and managers must do so because it’s the only way to be good at what they teach and preach.

Rana's achievements are speaking for TEDx on Sales, being featured as a Top 10 Female Sales Coach in 2020 by Yahoo Finance, recognized as Top 15 Sales Experts to Watch in 2021 by The Australian Business Journal. And she helped most sales and non-sales teams hit their sales targets by an average of 120%+ and achieved a 98.4% 5-star rating for her sales training for 10 years straight.

Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or just starting in the field, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tips for improving your sales performance and driving business growth. So tune in and join us for this informative conversation with Rana Kordahi from the Selling Academy.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

610: ChatGPT for Sellers: Useful Tool or More Meaningless Buzz? | Master Sales Series

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:30:00 +0000

ChatGPT is currently the most popular tool, but what do we know about the state-of-the-art language model, and how can we use it?

On this episode of the Master Sales Series, George Leith explores the latest trend, ChatGPT, an AI language model trained by OpenAI, to explain the latest advancements in natural language processing, its potential impact on society and how sellers can use it to their advantage.

ChatGPT was trained on a substantial amount of text data from the internet, enabling it to understand and generate responses to a wide range of topics and queries. Join us as we explore steps on utilizing it for your business and the risks and benefits of the cutting-edge tool.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

609: Unlocking Success with Managed Service Providers | Juan Fernandez

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000

What kind of solutions do Managed Services Providers offer?

Let's learn more with Juan Fernandez, an early-stage investor in software startups, Co-founder, and CEO of the MSP growth Coalition that has built a scalable framework to empower business owners to scale their MSP. Juan recently hand built and architected the design of a multimillion-dollar MSP that consecutively ranked one of the fastest-growing IT companies in the industry. He is also the creator and author of The MSP Handbook which empowers small businesses and personnel to implement the strategies needed to build great businesses and careers.

Juan is also known as The Chief Encouragement Officer for improving processes, and procedures, and empowering individuals to be successful while delivering business outcomes via technology his whole career. His passion is to help “move the channel forward” and is one of a few to have written the CompTIA A+, Network +, and Security + Tests. He sits on the CompTIA Subject Matter Expert Technical Advisory board, and his entire career is dedicated to creating effective scalable business models and educating others on his “Making IT Simple” approach.

Juan is the winner of MSP Shark Tank for best security and services presentation, and he currently sits on the CompTIA Channel Development Advisory Council as Co-Chair, Forbes Magazine Technology Council, CompTIA Infrastructure Certification Advisory Committee, a Channel Futures MSP mentor and worked with many other channel companies to develop the future of technology and XaaS models.

Juan was featured in CompTIA World Magazine, Channel Pro magazines - Peer of the year, HP DaaS innovator of the year and awarded CRN magazines fastest growing MSPs, ENX Magazines - Difference maker of the year, Channel Futures DE&I 101 Leadership Recognition, 2022 Channel Influencer of the year and CompTIA’s Industry advisory leadership award winner.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

608: 5 Skills of Innovators and Entrepreneurs | Bob Moesta

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 14:45:00 +0000

On our latest episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, George Leith chats with Bob Moesta, an innovator, entrepreneur, and co-creator of the Jobs to Be Done Theory to investigate consumers’ motivations and decision-making processes. The co-founder and president of the ReWired Group, Moesta helps leaders and companies repeatedly innovate and reliably predict and drive lasting success. He is the author of Learning to Build: 5 Skills of Innovators and Entrepreneurs, and co-author of Demand Side Sales 101 and Choosing College: How to Make Better Learning Decisions Throughout Your Life.

An experienced product developer and engineer by training, Bob worked on and launched over 3,500 new products, services, and businesses across nearly every industry, including education, health care, defence, auto manufacturing, software, financial services, and construction.

Bob is a guest lecturer at The Harvard Business School, MIT Sloan School of Entrepreneurship, and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He holds degrees from Michigan State University and Harvard Business School. He has studied extensively at Boston University’s School of Management, MIT School of Engineering, and Stanford University’s d.school.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

607: Why Broadcasters Need to Embrace Digital? | Erica Farber - Part 2

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 15:00:00 +0000

This week we continue the conversation with Erica Farber, the president and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau for part 2 of the webinar series. Erica leads Radio’s advocacy by driving business, growing advertising revenue, and communicating Radio’s digital transition.

She joined the organization in January 2012 as the Executive Vice President responsible for membership and driving professional development, and then she was promoted to President & CEO.

Erica held nearly every position in Radio Sales & Management by rising through the ranks at the INTEREP Companies and serving as Executive Vice President of Radio Development.

In 2000, Ms. Farber received an American Broadcast Pioneer Award from the Broadcasters' Foundation and has consistently been voted one of "The Most Influential Women in Radio" by the readers of Radio Ink Magazine. In 2009 she was awarded the inaugural Trailblazer award by the Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio Group, a group she was a founding member of in its inception of 1999.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

606: Are Radio Networks Embracing Digital Quickly Enough? | Erica Farber Part 1

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:35:41 +0000

Erica Farber, the president and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau joins us for a 2-part webinar series. Erica leads Radio’s advocacy by driving business, growing advertising revenue, and communicating Radio’s digital transition.

She joined the organization in January 2012 as the Executive Vice President responsible for membership and driving professional development, and then she was promoted to President & CEO.

Erica held nearly every position in Radio Sales & Management by rising through the ranks at the INTEREP Companies and serving as Executive Vice President of Radio Development.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

605: Elevate your Business with Managed Service Providers | Michelle Ragusa-McBain

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:10:00 +0000

Tune in for an all-new episode of the Conquer Local Podcast to learn about Managed Service Providers with Michelle Ragusa-McBain, a highly-visible thought leader in the global technology channel and serves as Provider Elevate Leader for the Global Partner Organization at Cisco.

Michelle's mission is to help MSPs elevate and succeed via a partnership with Cisco solutions and the Provider Elevate community. Entrepreneur Magazine named her as one of the top 4 people to inspire women to pursue a career in Tech, and SMB Magazine recognized her as one of the 150 most influential people in the global IT Business Community. CompTIA named her Advancing Women in Technology Leader 2021, and Channel Futures awarded her the Circle of Excellence for Channel Leadership & Innovation and DE&I 101 award and recipient of the prestigious Cisco Worldwide Innovation and Growth Award.

Michelle keynoted at the largest and most influential technology conferences globally including Channel Partners, CRN, CompTIA, IT Nation, and Kaseya. Michelle serves as Chair Emeritus of Advancing Women in Technology for CompTIA, sat on the board of CRN’s Women of the Channel, is Co-Founder of Tech Worlds Half non-profit; a longstanding member of the National Women in Technology Group, and most recently serves as Florida Leader for Alliance of Channel Women.

In her free time, she is a passionate advocate for Women, Diversity, and Inclusion in Technology and enjoys traveling the world with her husband Jay McBain and daughters Brooklyn and Cali with 85 countries and 6 continents to date, or spending time with her fur kids- Husky Auggie Doggy and Calico Kitten Luna Meow.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

604: Identifying and Overcoming Burnout | Rahaf Harfoush

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 14:20:00 +0000

Let’s discuss overcoming burnout with Rahaf Harfoush, a Digital Anthropologist and Best-Selling Author researching the impacts of emerging technologies on our society. Rahaf focuses on understanding the hidden behavioral shifts that are taking place as global digital infrastructures enable the unprecedented exchange of ideas, information, and opinions. She teaches “Innovation and Disruptive Business Models” at SciencePo’s School of Management & Innovation in Paris. Her third book, “Hustle & Float: Reclaim Your Creativity in a World Obsessed with Work,” was published in February 2019.

Rahaf is the Executive Director of the Red Thread Institute of Digital Culture, leading a team of researchers in exploring the implications of the first global digital culture on how we live our lives. Rahaf is a member of the German Marshall Fund’s Young Transatlantic Network of Leaders. She was named a top future thinker by the Hay Literary Festival and a Young Global Changer at the G20 Think Tank Summit. In 2018, Rahaf was nominated as one of the most innovative people in France by the prestigious “Les Napoleons.”

Rahaf supports organizations in navigating our new constantly connected reality to strengthen their innovation, talent management, and foresight strategies to ensure they are on top of the latest trends and best practices. Her clients include Starwood Capital Group, Estée Lauder, L’Oreal, UNESCO, The OECD, Cross Knowledge, A1, ING Direct, EuroRSG, and more. Her other books include “The Decoded Company: Know Your Talent Better Than You Know Your Customers”, and “Yes We Did: An Insider’s look at how Social Media Built the Obama Brand.” Previously, she was the Associate Director of the Technology Pioneer Program at the World Economic Forum.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

603: A Strategy That Doesn't Consider The Gen Z Buyer is Doomed to Fail | Master Sales Series

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:54:23 +0000

Millennials have long entered the workforce, but have you considered the Gen Z buyer in your strategy?

George Leith is a lone wolf this week with an all-new Master Sales Series exploring the significance of compiling a strategy inclusive to Gen Z buyers. Join us as we dive deep to evaluate why businesses need to consider Gen Z buyers, a 5-step strategy to explore, and many more learnings for the future of markets.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

602: An Expert's Guide To Digital Billboards | Gabriel Smith

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Explore the world of targeted TV ads and Digital Billboards with our guest, Gabriel Smith, Founder, and CEO of AdCritter, the small business advertising platform. As a nine-time small business owner himself, he deeply understands the challenges small businesses face, particularly with advertising.

Gabriel is a leading advocate for the democratization of advertising ecosystems and the removal of ad tech access barriers. He has helped over three thousand small businesses advertise successfully, making it his life mission to see them win.

In our conversation, Gabriel highlights the Performance Marketing and Campaign duration traps and three core principles in how digital agencies should set their expectations to generate an engaging campaign over the long run.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

601: Make Your Systemization Look Like A Million Bucks | David Jenyns

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Why is systemization important for a company? Let’s find out by chatting with the Founder and Author of SYSTEMology, David Jenyns, to discuss steps to consider for an effective strategy to improve business processes - and why you should start immediately.

David’s entrepreneurial journey began in his early twenties when he sold Australia’s most beloved sporting venue, the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Since then, his business experience spanned from franchising retail clothing stores to founding one of Australia’s most trusted digital agencies, Melbourne SEO Services.

In 2016, he successfully systemized himself out of that business, hired a CEO, and stepped back from daily operations. Through this process, he became a systems devotee, founding SYSTEMology.

Today, his mission is to free all business owners worldwide from the daily operations of running their businesses. To achieve this, David spends most of his time supporting the growing community of certified SYSTEMologists as they help business owners implement SYSTEMology. He also delivers workshops, keynote addresses and hosts his popular podcast – Business Processes Simplified.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

600: Vendasta Acquires Yesware | Joel Stevenson

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 17:45:49 +0000

On October 2022, Vendasta announced the acquisition of Yesware, a product assisting sales professionals in delivering positive buying experiences and building valuable relationships that customers deserve – making the process easier and more effective.

Join us to kick off the new season with Vendasta’s acquisition of Yesware. In this exclusive interview, George Leith chats with the former CEO of Yesware, and Vendasta’s Vice President of Growth, Joel Stevenson, to discuss the history of Yesware, the acquisition, the Hard Sell Podcast and Yesware’s tool for driving sales growth.

Joel Stevenson is VP of Growth at Vendasta which acquired Yesware in 2022 where Joel was CEO. Prior to Yesware, Joel built Wayfair’s B2B business from scratch to $400 Million in annual revenue. He also ran Wayfair’s UK business and oversaw the FP&A function as Wayfair transitioned into a publicly traded company. Before Wayfair, Joel worked as a consultant at ZS Associates and spent the early part of his career in various sales roles. Joel has an MBA from Yale, attended the University of Illinois for undergrad, and has a goal of being #1 for humor endorsements on Linkedin.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

552: 2022 Year in Review | Brendan King

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 14:55:33 +0000

2022 was a year of growth for Vendasta. For our last episode of season 5, we invite Vendasta's CEO and Co-Founder, Brendan King, to join George Leith for our annual Year in Review to discuss Artificial Intelligence Automation, Vendasta's 15 years, Yesware's acquisition, and many more.

Brendan has been named a winner of Canada’s Most Admired CEO™ Award by Waterstone Human Capital. Tune in as Brendan looks to his crystal ball to highlight how new businesses could expand, the implementation and use of technology, and the growth of Vendasta's ecosystem using 3-steps.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

551: The Future of Artificial Intelligence | Paul Zikopoulos - Part 2

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 22:19:27 +0000

Part 2 is now out!

Let’s continue the conversation with expert Paul Zikopoulos, the Vice President of IBM Skills Vitality and Enablement to explore AI fundamentals, job elimination or creation, using the cloud for storage, and the future of AI.

Paul is an award-winning professional writer & speaker who’s been consulted on AI & Big Data by the popular TV show “60 Minutes”. Paul’s been named to dozens of global Experts to Follow & Influencers lists, including Analytics Insight’s Top 100 Global AI & Big Data Influencers. Paul’s written 21 books - including The AI Ladder, Cloud without Compromise, and 3 ‘for Dummies’ titles - and over 360 articles during his accidental 28-year career as a data nerd.

At IBM, Paul leads from the front, helping to shape the strategic direction in a ‘tech years are like dog years’ world for the IBM Technology Unit’s (all IBM software & hardware) sales, tech sales, and partner ecosystem learning journeys and upskilling programs.

Paul actively supports Women in Technology and is a seated board member for Women 2.0 - now called Switch which he became involved with after his tweet was mentioned on the TV show, The View. He’s the only and first male to win IBM Canada’s Women in Technology Ally of the Year award, and is at the forefront of general workplace inclusivity, completing an intensive D&I certificate at Cornell University. Lastly, Paul is a seated board member of Coding for Veterans and sits on the world-recognized Masters of Management Analytics & AI program boards at Canada’s prestigious Queen’s University.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

550: Building Accountable Artificial Intelligence | Paul Zikopoulos - Part 1

Tue, 13 Dec 2022 14:47:28 +0000

Everyone’s biggest buzzword right now is Artificial Intelligence, but what is it really, and what does the future hold for AI?

Let’s find out in our 2-part episode as George Leith chats with expert Paul Zikopoulos, the Vice President of IBM Skills Vitality and Enablement to discuss fundamentals, ethics, and the future of AI.

Paul is an award-winning professional writer & speaker who’s been consulted on AI & Big Data by the popular TV show “60 Minutes”. Paul’s been named to dozens of global Experts to Follow & Influencers lists, including Analytics Insight’s Top 100 Global AI & Big Data Influencers. Paul’s written 21 books - including The AI Ladder, Cloud without Compromise, and 3 ‘for Dummies’ titles - and over 360 articles during his accidental 28-year career as a data nerd.

Paul actively supports Women in Technology and is a seated board member for Women 2.0 - now called Switch which he became involved with after his tweet was mentioned on the TV show, The View. He’s the only and first male to win IBM Canada’s Women in Technology Ally of the Year award, and is at the forefront of general workplace inclusivity, completing an intensive D&I certificate at Cornell University. Lastly, Paul is a seated board member of Coding for Veterans and sits on the world-recognized Masters of Management Analytics & AI program boards at Canada’s prestigious Queen’s University.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

549: Lead-to-Close Sales Execution | David Ledgerwood

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 01:00:00 +0000

Tune in to an all-new episode as we feature David "Ledge" Ledgerwood. David is the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Add1Zero, a team of senior sales experts who provide lead-to-close execution for B2B services and tech companies ready to advance from founder-led sales to 7 digits of revenue.

David is a Startup revenue growth professional focusing on business development, and his career closes topped $34M, with an average deal size above $150K. He is the founder or early hire assisting multiple companies grow into the mid-7 figures, and an experienced podcast host and guest with more than 200 interviews hosting leaders from Microsoft, Auth0, Netflix, and Google.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

548: Selling with Love | Jason Marc Campbell

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 22:35:00 +0000

Join us as we celebrate our 250th episode of the Conquer Local Podcast by transitioning to a video podcast.

In our latest episode, George Leith takes a trip down memory lane by chatting with Jason Marc Campbell about selling with love.

Jason Marc Campbell is the author of Selling with Love: Earn with Integrity and Expand your Impact. He is on a mission to inspire small business owners with sales reluctance to embrace it as a beautiful activity that transforms lives and teaches companies about their responsibilities and how to care more.

Jason is a public speaker, and the host of the Selling with Love Podcast, where he interviewed over 300 people and reached millions of people in the process. Previously, he worked for Mindvalley, a personal growth ed-tech company, for 7 years, and was responsible for million-dollar product launches, handling the PR for a New York Times best-selling book, launching the first membership platforms, and is still an author and a host on the platform.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

547: Strategies to Boost Radio Ad Sales | Corey Elliott - Part 2

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:12:40 +0000

Tune in Conquerors for the final part of a 2-part webinar series as George Leith chats with Corey Elliot about strategies to boost radio ad sales in 2023.

Corey Elliott is the Executive Vice President of Local Market Intelligence and is America’s foremost authority on local advertising. Corey leads Borrell’s ongoing surveys of local marketers — the largest survey of SMBs in the U.S. — and the company’s expansive database of local advertising and marketing expenditures.

Corey is the co-host of the Local Marketing Trends podcast and host of his bi-weekly video program, Corey’s Local Market Minute, seen on YouTube. Before joining Borrell in 2014, he was director of Market Intelligence at Gannett and holds a degree from Ohio University.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

546: Strategies to Boost Radio Ad Sales | Corey Elliott - Part 1

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 22:45:12 +0000

This week's episode is different than your usual Conquer Local Podcast. Tune in for the first part of a 2-part webinar series with Corey Elliot to explore strategies to boost radio ad sales in 2023.

He’s the co-host of the Local Marketing Trends podcast and host of his bi-weekly video program, Corey’s Local Market Minute, seen on YouTube. Before joining Borrell in 2014, he was director of Market Intelligence at Gannett and holds a degree from Ohio University.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

545: Stop Using the Recession as an Excuse | Master Sales Series

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Join George Leith on an all-new episode of the Conquer Local Podcast. In this Master Sales Series episode, George highlights why you should stop using the recession as an excuse. But instead can use it as fuel to explore other business interests that can generate revenue in an economic slowdown.

If you’ve enjoyed this episode of the Master Sales Training Series, stay up-to-date with weekly episodes by subscribing to the Conquer Local Podcast, and leaving us a review.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

544: Integrating Creative Design to your Brand | Fritz Colinet

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 17:05:08 +0000

Today's episode of the Conquer Local Podcast has a bit of a twist - What if you could incorporate Creative Design into your branding? Join George Leith in welcoming Fritz Colinet, a creative director who has been in the industry since 2001.

Fritz is the creative force behind Retna Media and has worked for over 25 years as a creative director, designer, and brand builder. His skills paved the way for opportunities to be the creative mind behind the rebranding of major brands such as Lady Foot Locker, Houston Open, Impact! Partners Financial, The Astorian, FullyRaw Kristina, and the Houston Dynamo.

Today, Fritz leads a full-service branding and marketing agency, Retna Media, based in Houston where he has managed over 200 strategic marketing campaigns. Since 2005, Retna Media has built brands from blue-chip companies to small businesses in diverse industries. This unconventional advertising agency uses strategic communication principles to analyze, target, and create campaigns with unrivaled results.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

543: Optimizing your LinkedIn Profile | James Watson

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Get ready for an all-new episode of the Conquer Local Podcast!

This week, George Leith chats with James Watson, a LinkedIn, and digital marketing expert who has personally consulted over 1000 business owners 1:1 and trained several thousand more via live workshops and online training courses.

From 2010-2014 James helped generate over $3.3m via three 7-figure online digital information product launches. And in 2014, he started a 7-figure nutritional supplement e-commerce brand which he sold three years later.

Today James is known as the @linkedIn_king on Twitter where he shares his favourite LinkedIn outreach and agency growth strategies.

542: 4 Red Flags Telling You a Buyer is a Bad Fit | Master Sales Training Series

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 14:10:00 +0000

Are you looking for signs that your customer isn't the right fit? Tune in to this week's Master Sales Series as George Leith highlights 4 red flags telling you a buyer might not be the right fit for you.

Here are 4 signs that a buyer is a poor fit:

Bad on paper
Flaky at best
Resources don't meet the need
Lets their emotion get the best of them

If you've enjoyed this episode of the Master Sales Series, stay up-to-date with weekly episodes by subscribing to the Conquer Local Podcast, and leaving us a review.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

541: SEO in the Legal Niche | Will Palmer

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 22:12:59 +0000

Join George Leith on the latest episode of the Conquer Local Podcast as he chats with Will Palmer about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in the legal niche.

While Will has 15 years of professional Sales and Marketing experience, he has dedicated the last nine years to the legal industry. His accomplishments include being a 4-time winner of The Sales President’s Club Qualifier by ADP & Thomson Reuters, and Regional Salesperson of the Year by Thomson Reuters.

He founded three companies; KyteStrings Digital, dedicated to Med Spa Marketing, Growth Lab, a Legal Marketing service, and lastly, Performance Content Partners, his most recent SEO content services.

To learn more about Growth Lab, visit: https://growthlabseo.com/about/

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta’s Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) make up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

540: The Power of Sales Discovery | Brandon Bornancin

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 15:52:00 +0000

How much of an impact is there in a Sales Discovery call?

Tune in Conquerors to this week's episode of the Conquer Local Podcast. Let's welcome Brandon Bornancin, a best-selling author of 3 books, a motivational speaker, an entrepreneur, and the founder of Seamless.AI - a software company with a $1 billion valuation.

Brandon is on a mission to maximize success and raised over $100 Million from the founders of Google, Facebook and other top VCs in the US, and speaks nationally about sales, entrepreneurship, marketing and venture capital.

Conquerors - Navigate to Seamless.AI to sign-up for free and type the referral code, Conquer Local for $500 in free leads!

Opportunity to connect: Join George Leith and the team for the latest installment of the Conquer Local Connect on Wednesday, October 12th. Click here to register for free and attend the virtual event!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

539: Finding Confidence in Conflict | Kwame Christian – Part 2

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 16:22:57 +0000

Conquerors, let's continue the conversation with the final part of the two-part series featuring Kwame Christian, who is a best-selling author, business lawyer, and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute (ANI).

Following the viral success of his TedxDayton talk, Kwame released his best-seller Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life in 2018. He also recently released his latest book, How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race in September 2022, and is a regular Contributor for Forbes and the host of the number one negotiation podcast in the world, Negotiate Anything - which currently has over 5 million downloads worldwide. Under Kwame’s leadership, ANI has coached and trained several Fortune 500 companies in applying the fundamentals of negotiation to corporate success.

Kwame was the recipient of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs Young Alumni Achievement Award in 2020 and the Moritz College of Law Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award in 2021. He is the only person in the history of The Ohio State University to win alumni awards in consecutive years from Law school and the Masters of Public Affairs program.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

538: Conflict-Resolution and Negotiation | Kwame Christian – Part 1

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 20:29:48 +0000

Get ready for part 1 of a 2-part series as we welcome Kwame Christian, who is a best-selling author, business lawyer, and CEO of the American Negotiation Institute (ANI).

537: Roadmap to Achieving Sales Success | Wayne Moloney

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 17:46:20 +0000

What does your roadmap to achieving sales success look like?

Let’s find out on this week’s episode of the Conquer Local Podcast as we chat with Wayne Moloney, an Australian Business Growth Specialist.

Wayne has four decades of global experience in a wide range of businesses from regions like Australia, Asia, and Europe and has assisted them in achieving revenue and profit. After leaving his corporate career, Wayne spent over 15 years helping B2B organizations across Asia-pacific to tackle their business growth challenges by adopting sound sales and business strategies in training their Sales teams and applying LEAN principles for sustainable sales success.

He is the co-author of the award-winning, best-selling B2B Sales Novel, The Wentworth Prospect, and is the author of his second book titled, Your Roadmap to Achieving Sales Success.

Tune in to learn more about Wayne, his experience, and the archetypes he developed.

536: Managing a Hybrid Team | Hassan Osman

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Are hybrid work environments the future?

Let's find out on this week's episode as we chat with an expert, Hassan Osman, a virtual teams and project management thought leader. He is currently a PMO Director at Cisco Systems (views are his own and not those of Cisco), where he leads global virtual teams on delivering large and complex programs.

Before joining Cisco, he was a management consultant at Ernst & Young LLP, where he helped business leaders and executives at Fortune 500 companies run their programs more effectively.

He is the author of several #1 Amazon Bestselling books, including "Hybrid Work Management," "lnfluencing Virtual Teams" and "Don't Reply All." Hassan has also conducted research at Harvard University related to virtual teams. He holds Master's degrees in management from Carnegie Mellon University and Harvard University, and PMP, CSM, and lTlL certifications.

To learn more about Hassan's writing on managing remote teams, visit www.thecouchmanager.com.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

535: From Media Sales To Entrepreneur | Annette Blaylock

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 14:30:00 +0000

Annette Blaylock is the founder and strategist of Insights Media Solutions, a brand consultancy agency, and with over 20 years of experience in Marketing and Sales, she has worked in some of the largest media companies in the US.

Annette launched hundreds of successful campaigns, placing millions of dollars in ads for brands like Pfizer, Simon Properties, GM Dealers, and ConAgra Foods. She also consults on personal brand strategies for Corporate Executives and Creative Entrepreneurs. Her work won numerous awards and accolades for sales and marketing excellence.

Tune in as we chat with Annette and learn more about her goal to achieve 1 million dollars in revenue by 2023.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

534: Old School Closing Strategies | Benjamin Bressington

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 15:05:00 +0000

Join us as we explore old-school closing strategies and why they no longer work. In this week's Conquer Local Podcast, we welcome Benjamin Bressington, CEO of Behavior Sales, a leading personality intelligence company. Benjamin is a "Social Engineer" expert, Speaker, and Author of multiple books; the latest book's title, "People Ignorant: Unlocking Success, Confidence & Influence."

Benjamin has a Law & Criminology degree from Australia and spent ten years helping Fortune 1000 companies apply gamification principles to their sales and communication process. He currently helps people improve their sales conversations - particularly how to close deals faster and discover the hidden opportunities visible in our daily communication.

Reach out to Ben at help@behavioursales.com and mention the Conquer Local Podcast to get a free edition of his digital course.

If you have enjoyed listening to this episode and many more, leave us a review!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

533: Emotional Intelligence | Colleen Stanley

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 14:20:00 +0000

Tune in as we delve into Emotional Intelligence and how it's linked to Sales success and leadership with our guest Colleen Stanley, the President and Founder of SalesLeadership, Inc, a Sales development firm. Before starting SalesLeadership, Colleen worked in one of the fastest growing companies in the US as the Vice President of Sales for Varsity and oversaw a sales team of 130 virtual sellers.

Colleen is the author of two books - Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success and Emotional Intelligence for Sales Leadership. Not only was she named by Salesforce as one of the top Sales influencers of the 21st century, but she was also the number three Sales guru of the top 30 Global Sales Gurus. And her clients include Harvard Business, IBM, Appian, Gallagher, Otterbox, HomeAdvisor, and Bosch Rexroth.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

532: Best Practices In Closing A Sale | James Muir

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:00:00 +0000

Join us as we welcome James Muir on the latest episode of the Conquer Local Podcast to share the best practices in closing a sale. James is the founder and CEO of Best Practice International and the author of a bestselling book on closing sales - The Perfect Close. James is on a mission to make the complex appear simple and is a sales veteran with over 30 years of experience serving in roles from Individual contributor to Executive VP.

James’ extensive background in healthcare led him to sell to and was invited as a keynote speaker for large companies in technology and healthcare from HCA, Tenet, Catholic Healthcare, Banner, Dell, IBM, and many more.

To find out more, reach out to James at PureMuir.com to explore a zero-pressure closing method that involves two questions, and has a 95% success rate.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

531: Becoming An Affiliate | Jordan Roscoe

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 15:30:00 +0000

Get ready conquerors for this week’s episode of the Conquer Local Podcast as we feature Jordan Roscoe, President & CEO of Unique Pro Media, an agency that helps local businesses launch, grow, and scale.

Jordan previously spent over a decade as a Journeyman Lineman. While he succeeded in that role, he aspired to achieve more and explored alternative ways of producing income. He quickly became obsessed with launching an agency capable of producing high-quality video content with the resources and skills to distribute digital media solutions.

Jordan shares how becoming an affiliate helped him in elevating his agency to new heights by offering services like Google Ads, SEO, Web Design, and an intuitive client dashboard that streamlines SAAS and reporting.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

530: Increasing Revenue With Social Selling | Jamie Shanks

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 14:10:00 +0000

Social selling is a technique that salespeople use to engage with interested buyers. And while it involves personal branding, social listening, and interactions via social networking platforms, it could also be online and offline.

Jamie Shanks, CEO of Pipeline Signals, a Relationship Signal Intelligence Monitoring, which monitors Competitive Intelligence, compelling events like job changes, and a list of Accounts for Relationship connections, joins us this week on the Conquer Local Podcast to explore social selling.

Jamie is a world-leading social selling expert who builds global learning communities that help customers scale their businesses and is the author of SPEAR Selling (2019) and Social Selling Mastery (2016), and chats with us about helping revenue teams succeed.

For over ten years, Jamie ran Sales for Life - the world's largest Social Selling training program for mid-market and enterprise companies. Sales for Life trained over 250,000 sales and marketing professionals in many industries. Jamie's workshops have been delivered across 6 continents, for brands such as Microsoft, Thomson Reuters, Oracle, American Airlines, and Intel.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

529: 10 Elements Of A Successful Sales Pitch | Master Sales Training Series

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 14:22:04 +0000

Are you looking to perfect your sales pitch? Tune in to this week’s Master Sales Series as we delve into “close prospects and open relationships.” Salespeople are not born, they’re made. While getting leads is hard, closing them is more complex. In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, George Leith highlights the ten elements of a successful sales pitch, how they all start with a dialogue, and why it is important to spend your first 90-days proving your value to your client.

For review, the 10 elements of a successful sales pitch are:

Research
Understand the problem
Know your offering inside and out
Ask questions
Tell a story
Use contrast
Focus on benefits > features
Differentiate
Show a success story
Follow up

If you've enjoyed this episode of the Master Sales Series, stay up-to-date with weekly episodes by subscribing to the Conquer Local Podcast, and leave us a review.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

528: Mastering Your Meetings | Caroline Goyder

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 16:18:19 +0000

Caroline Goyder is an expert speaker and trainer with large organizations who specializes in helping leaders go from anxiety to authority. Our guest speaker for this episode has a warm, engaging, relaxed, and highly efficient style and was named by Red magazine as one of Britain’s top coaches.

Caroline appeared on TEDx as a keynote speaker hosting “Surprising Secret to Speaking with Confidence,” which was streamed over 9 million times. Her latest book, Find Your Voice unpacks and develops the secrets for speaking with confidence explored in the hit TEDx talk.

In this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast, not only does Caroline speak about how to make an impact, but she shares with us the techniques she wrote about in her book.

Enjoyed this episode among many more? Please make sure to subscribe and leave us a review!

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

527: Scaling Your Business | Jason Herman

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 15:45:00 +0000

Jason Herman, CEO & President of OnePoint Business Solutions joins us on the Conquer Local Podcast to chat with George Leith and share tips on scaling your business, how mistakes lead to growth, and building relationships with clients. With an experience of over 30 years of startup, operations, and training experience, Jason created an industry-standard practice metrics formula used on three continents by over 500 practices, and is the co-author of two best-selling practice manuals, “The Meat and Potatoes of Chiropractic Marketing” and “501 Ads for Chiropractors”.

He is the co-founder of the Global Marketing Mastermind Group featuring members in continents - North America, Europe, and Africa - to synergize SEO, SEM, and Social strategies for a worldwide audience.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) make up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

526: Selling From The Heart | Larry Levine

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 16:03:12 +0000

Larry Levine joins us this week on the Conquer Local Podcast, to highlight the importance of inner self-awareness and how it links to the overall success - both physically and mentally. Larry Levine is the best-selling author of Selling from the Heart and the co-host of the Selling from the Heart Podcast. Larry has 30 years of in-the-field sales experience within the B2B technology space knowing what it takes to be a successful sales professional, and the importance of taking a second to debrief. In particular, Larry encouraged waking up an hour earlier every morning to focus on ourselves without distractions to get our brains focused and avoid burnout.

In a post-trust sales world, Larry Levine helps sales teams leverage the power of authenticity to grow revenue, grow themselves, and enhance the lives of their clients. He coached sales professionals globally, from tenured reps to new millennials entering the salesforce. They all appreciated the practical, real, raw, relevant, relatable, and “street-savvy” nature of his coaching. Larry is not shy when delivering his messages, and believes people would rather do business with a sales professional who sells from the heart, as opposed to a sales representative who is an empty suit.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) make up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

525: Building Connections With Your Customer | Todd Duncan

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 21:09:28 +0000

Todd Duncan, one of the most sought-after coaches, a New York Times bestselling author with over 17 books, and was a top 1% Loan Originator financing over 5,000 transactions in 12 years is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. Todd shares his wisdom with us on building connections with your customer to get past that filter the buyers have and we can do that by transferring the spotlight from us to them. Make the sale about the buyer, and trust will follow. It's about connection, and not only building connections but emotional connections. Most people focus on cost, ROI, sales decks, which matter but focusing solely on these things is a great way to get lost in the mass of emails, cold calls, and other talking heads.

Todd Duncan is the founder and CEO of the Todd Duncan Group the most s 2022 marks the 20th anniversary of Todd Duncan's New York Times bestselling book, "High Trust Selling." It's his life mission to reach and impact the lives of every mortgage professional in the industry through his proven method of High Trust Selling. Todd Duncan is a transformative speaker, presenting solutions for the real-life challenges that allow you to walk away with a vision, confidence, and a plan to get more out of your business and life! His mantra is, "you can make a living with transactions, but a fortune with RELATIONSHIPS!"

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) make up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

524: Top 10 Sales Metrics | Master Sales Training Series

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 15:10:06 +0000

Get ready for the Top 10 Sales Metrics on this Master Sales Training Series, Conquerors. Calling all sales leaders, managers, and captains - 74% of companies who fall short of their goals weren't tracking their lead or sales opportunity numbers. When it comes to sales, accountability is vital. As sales leaders, it is up to us to keep our sales team accountable to personal and organizational goals. But how can you do it? In this episode, we're going to round up the top 10 sales metrics you need to be tracking to lead a high-performing sales team. There are countless sales metrics we can be looking at; this top 10 list is just a drop in the bucket. At the end of the day, you can't manage what you don't measure. So start here and see where it takes you.

Win rate
Conversion rate
Average deal size
Average days to close
Sales reps meeting quota
Time spent in each stage of the pipeline
Monthly sales
Churn rate
Lead response time
Effort

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) make up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

523: Lead Generation through Podcasting | Collin Mitchell

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 17:11:25 +0000

You need to approach lead generation through podcasting as you would anything in life: ignore the myths surrounding quick gratification, stumbling across millions of listeners, and easy monetization. It takes time, and you need to invest in these channels and have patience. We are bringing the expert—Collin Mitchell, Chief Revenue Officer at Salescast. Collin shares a few key insights; Be mindful about your ads; if you focus too much on monetization, installing programmatic ads that don't appeal to your audience, you may lose your audience. Being strategic about your ads will allow you to maintain the integrity of your show and build a brand while earning an income to grow. Collin also goes through the fundamentals of podcasting, but the one thing we want to highlight is SEO. Care about your show notes, titles, and the name of your podcast. Put yourself in the mind of your audience. What would they be searching? What are they typing? Use those keywords and establish some good stories and hooks surrounding it.

Collin's first Sales Job was at 22, then VP of Sales at 24, and Founder at 25. After that, he and his wife started their first company which5 which grew to 5M ARR in 26 months. Collin is a 4X Founder passionate about Sales, Entrepreneurship, and Podcasting! He is the Co-Founder of Salescast and Host of Sales Transformation. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife, four kids, and a new puppy!

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

522: Monthly Recurring Revenue | Mark Girvan

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 17:29:11 +0000

Mark Girvan, CCO of Freshbooks, joins the podcast this week - Mark got into sales at a company involved with the early days of voice recognition software, and this is where he fell in love with the art and science that technology can behold. George and Mark cover three topics: Monthly recurring revenue, the sale indicators, and acquiring new vs. engaging existing customers.

Monthly Recurring Revenue: We buy differently now—try before you buy is the new normal. As consumers, we do not want to get locked into a 2 or 3-year contract, and what we see as a consequence of this new pricing system is that customers will pay more over time. Consider the pricing model you are utilizing currently and if you are still locking in your customers. Monthly recurring revenue is not a "right," you must still deliver.

The Indicators for a Sale: Are you preparing your prospects to buy? There are certain signs that both your agency and your customer will show you they are ready to move forward with the buying process. Develop a checklist that has you engaging at the appropriate times with the right calls to action to scale your customers.

Acquiring New vs. Engaging Existing Customers: Nurturing current customers instead of chasing new ones. It is not always best to dig for diamonds in another backyard before you analyze your own. Instead, consider focusing on revenue AND churn. You can have a high NPS score while leaking revenue out the back door.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

521: Personal Branding | Libby Gill

Wed, 25 May 2022 15:41:17 +0000

Executive coach, leadership expert, and award-winning author - Libby Gill guides organizations to build a culture based on an inspiring vision of the future. We are so lucky to have such an enthralling guest join us this week. Libby speaks on the 3-step process: Clarify the vision for life (professional and personal), simplify the pathway for yourself (we clutter lives with things that don't matter), then execute! Personal branding. Even if you work for that big company- they have the logo and the brand, but who are you?! Yes, it is tough to try and promote yourself when you’ve never been visible. Whether it be analysis paralysis in saying “What will people think of me? They’re going to think I’m bragging” or perhaps the old sales excuse of “I can promote anyone but myself!”. Become more confident in your expertise and realize that you have something to say. This is marketing, self-promotion is not a bad thing.

Libby has been featured on NPR, the Today Show, in the New York Times, Time Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal, and she is now here with you today on the Conquer Local Podcast. Libby is an awarding winning author of SIX books:

Leadership Reckoning: Can Higher Education Develop the Leaders we Need
The Hope-Driven Leader: Harness the Power of Positivity at Work
You Unstuck: Mastering the New Rules of Risk-Taking at Work and in Life
Capture the Mindshare and the Market Share Will Follow: The Art and Science of Building Brands
Traveling Hopefully: How to Lose Your Family Baggage and Jumpstart your Life
HR Directions

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

520: Body Language on Zoom | Mark Bowden

Wed, 18 May 2022 15:44:24 +0000

Get excited, Conquerors - Mark Bowden is a world-renowned body language expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. He has been Voted Global Gurus' #1 Body Language Professional in the world. Mark is dropping the knowledge bombs on us; a few highlights from the episode are planting pieces of your DNA in working through zoom, setting a virtual work environment, and what it means to separate "work-self" and "home-self". In addition, Mark's unique GesturePlane system of nonverbal communication helps audiences maximize the power of using their own body language to stand out, win trust, and gain credibility every time they communicate.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

519: How to Provide Digital Accessibility | Alisa Smith

Wed, 11 May 2022 16:50:21 +0000

We welcome Alisa Smith, Accessibility Evangelist at AudioEye, to the podcast this week. She is a passionate accessibility advocate with a 20-year technology career working in design, development, and quality assurance in the digital marketplace, automotive, and financial services industries. We cover three quick wins you should start doing to bring accessibility to your's and your client's websites:

Label your buttons
Organizing your content by having clear and distinct headings
include text descriptions for your displayed pictures

While doing this, remember, it’s not about just getting all the information but creating an equivalent experience. There are 1 billion people worldwide with disabilities where digital accessibility is a real hindrance to purchasing. Alisa partners with AudioEye leadership to provide strategic direction to the teams who create their accessibility solutions.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

518: Digital Accessibility | Ty D'Amore

Wed, 04 May 2022 22:10:38 +0000

Ty D'Amore, VP of Strategic Partnerships at AudioEye Inc., joins the podcast this week, talking about digital accessibility. 20% of your addressable market will have a disability that alters their digital experience. It’s not just necessity platforms that need to adjust- this is a statistic for customers of any industry you happen to be operating in. Being proactive with digital accessibility can reduce liability and unfortunate conversations with clients and allow you to prepare for the maturing legislation and guidelines, saying that this is a necessity for conducting your business digitally. We see large organizations turning down contracts because partners aren’t confident in stating that they are digitally accessible, and this is the new business environment we are entering.

Tyler D'Amore is a leader in the accessibility space and a vocal advocate for digital inclusivity. Ty possesses an in-depth understanding of the legal and technical demands of ADA-related digital accessibility requirements. He participates on the Member Committee of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals and previously served as a Committee Chairman.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

517: Everyone has a Seat at the Table of Culture | Paul Epstein - Part 2

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 17:08:25 +0000

Get ready for the second part of the 2-part series with Paul Epstein. The main takeaway for this episode is the Head, Heart, and Hands equation. As you go through your day, pay attention to those decisions that either your head or heart aren’t on board with. Then dive deeper into why one or the other isn’t fully committed to the decision to either stop the action or move forward and let your hands get into action. At one point, there was passion, drive, and genuine enthusiasm for any idea. So, how do we reconnect to get to the original purpose point? Crack the code of purpose- logically repurpose the vision or goal to get your head behind the cause or create a new story around it so your heart can reignite.

To quote Paul, “life began when I started to live life on purpose.”

Paul is the host of The Playmakers Podcast: ON PURPOSE - It's an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out-of-reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us” it begins to happen “for us.” You’ve talked about being focused on interviewing people with a “full trophy case” tell us a little more about this methodology and the Podcast. Paul has installed his “Playing Offense” playbook with professional sports organizations, Fortune 500 leadership teams, Chief People Officers, MBAs, and professional athletes to live and lead with greater purpose, performance, and impact.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

516: Everyone has a Seat at the Table of Culture | Paul Epstein - Part 1

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 02:49:48 +0000

Get ready, Conquerors, joining us for part 1 of a 2-part series - Paul Epstein. He is an expert in leadership and organizational culture with nearly fifteen years of experience as a professional sports executive for multiple NFL and NBA teams. As Founder of Purpose Labs, Paul is on a mission to impact millions of lives by sharing his message of Playing Offense as an author, keynote speaker, business coach, and leadership trainer. Paul and George discuss what it means to have a Bias for Action in leadership and where culture begins. Is it top-down? No, everyone has a seat at the table of culture.

Paul is the host of The Playmakers Podcast: ON PURPOSE - It's an all-access pass to a purpose-centered tribe of leaders in business, sports, and life who are on a mission of meaning and impact. The show takes purpose from an out-of-reach North Star to a practical and tactical exploration of how we can step into each day, ON PURPOSE, where life no longer happens “to us”, it begins to happen “for us”. You’ve talked about being focused on interviewing people with a “full trophy case”, tell us a little more about this methodology and the Podcast. Paul has installed his “Playing Offense” playbook with professional sports organizations, Fortune 500 leadership teams, Chief People Officers, MBAs, and professional athletes to live and lead with greater purpose, performance, and impact.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies, and enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta, and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta’s Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Then, keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

515: 10 Best Business to Business Prospecting Methods | Master Sales Series

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 17:59:41 +0000

George Leith is a lone wolf this week, ready to share his industry secrets for the 10 best business-to-business prospecting methods. We know how draining prospecting can be, ensuring that new opportunities are constantly added to your funnel. You need to be a hunter, partner with other organizations, and deliver a message that's short and to the point. It's easy to get lost in these numerous communication channels, and operating uniquely in each can be tedious. You have probably heard of the items on our list, but George's use-cases and methodologies will provide you with an entirely new perspective on them. In this episode, George goes in-depth on the following B2B prospecting methods:

Face to Face
Email
Webinars and Virtual Events
Networking
Referrals
Cold Calling
Content
Advertising
Mail
Relationships

This episode is about taking care of clients. If you run a good business and take care of your clients, they will feed you.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

514: Current State of Vendor and Media Company Relations | Martin Kristiseter

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 18:04:05 +0000

Martin Kristiseter joins George Leith this week to discuss the current relationship between vendors and media companies, automation, and the adoption of streaming. Martin is the Managing Director at Compulse, a marketing technology and managed services company that makes omnichannel advertising more efficient and profitable for local agencies and media companies. Prior to joining Compulse, Martin led innovative digital media initiatives at a number of companies, including Marketron, where he developed a reputation as a leader who can take a vision and turn it into a reality. Compulse and Vendasta can both strongly agree on a few things:

Lower take rates are important in empowering businesses to Conquer Local
Automation is absolutely necessary for agencies to succeed
Streaming is here to stay, and accessing this source of communication is imperitive in remaining relevant

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5.5+ million local businesses through 60,000+ channel partners, agencies to enterprise-level organizations. Learn more about Vendasta and we can help your organization or learn more about Vendasta’s Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

513: Advertising vs. Marketing; Video is Your Best Friend | Gordon Borrell

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 14:38:16 +0000

Gordon Borrell is the Founder of Borrell Associates Inc. and is considered the local media industry’s leading analyst. He is ranked in the top 2% among Gerson Lehrman Group’s 150,000 consultants worldwide and is quoted frequently in advertising and media trade publications, as well as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Ad Age, Forbes, and other publications. In this episode, Gordon discusses advertising's evolution into marketing. Marketers young and old need to realize the unique advantages they each have and work together to fill in gaps. Just as emerging platforms like TikTok are skyrocketing brands- radio, print, and television still have their place. We've experienced 2 prior waves, being; search and social media. Gordon goes into detail about the 3rd wave of marketing which is video. Brands that can adopt this way of communicating will be leading the marketing atmosphere in 2022 and the next several years. Your audience can find you- they are aware that you exist- now they want to get to know you! Allow them to see you in motion, be personable and watch the trust matrix amplify tenfold. We all have video cameras on our phones, take them out and hit record. That's what to expect this week on the Conquer Local Podcast.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

512: The Future of Customer Experience | Steven Van Belleghem

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:39:58 +0000

Even local competition has become international in 2022. Consumers are smart, informed, and intrinsically motivated to find the best offering for their wants and needs. So, how do we compete? How do we stand apart from the other businesses in our corner? This is what we're conquering today. Steven Van Belleghem is a global thought leader in the field of Customer Experience. His passion is spreading ideas about the future of customer experience. He is the author of multiple international bestselling books including ‘The Conversation Manager’, ‘When Digital Becomes Human’, ‘Customers the Day after Tomorrow’, ‘The Offer You Can’t Refuse’ and a technology thriller called Eternal. In this week's episode, Steven highlights; how 5% of customers are a pain although we mustn't make decisions based on them, the misconception that digital is taking over the human side of business, and how to overcome challenges in creating content to grow your following by the thousands.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

**Announcement relevant as of March 24, 2022:

If you enjoy our Podcast, we have a major virtual event for you. Join us at our free Conquer Local Connect event on Thursday, March 24 – our virtual event series dedicated to helping you sell, market, and fulfill with ease, while delivering an amazing customer experience. At Conquer Local Connect, you’ll hear from Vendasta Chief Customer Officer, and your Host here at the Conquer Local Podcast, George Leith. As you know, George is an incredibly powerful presenter and you can witness this live at Conquer Local Connect where he’s going to deliver some of his industry secrets about taking a prospect from pitch to close to growth. REGISTER HERE

511: 11 Mistakes Customer Success Professionals Should Avoid | Master Sales Series

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 14:31:26 +0000

Another master sales episode brought to you by your favorite sales leader, George Leith. Today he lays out the 11 (straying from the round numbers because it's that important) mistakes customer success professionals should avoid. George has dedicated a massive part of his career to serving customers. In that time, he's seen the good, bad, and ugly. Today he's going to go over what he thinks are some of the most common mistakes. Think of a common practice like using jargon. We maybe don't want to sound as though we lack knowledge, so we use this industry-specific knowledge. However, our customers likely don't know these meanings. In an attempt to be perceived as in the know, our clients may not say that they don't understand. So, when trying to create a better client experience, we've actually tarnished the relationship. Avoiding these will absolutely cement stronger relationships with your customers, build trust, help you establish authority in your niche, and make your life a lot easier. George goes into detail about how you can avoid these, and some mental models as to how to maintain the good habits established.

The 11 mistakes customer success professionals should avoid as discussed in the episode:

Not Actively Listening
Poor Discovery: Sample questions you should use
Spinning the Truth
Not Saying Sorry
Absence of Ownership
Lack of Knowledge
Using Acronyms
Displaying a Lack of Empathy
Using Acronyms and Jargon
Failing to Follow Through on a Promise
Taking Customers for Granted

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

**Announcement relevant as of March 24, 2022 👇

510: Why Salespeople Need To Behave More Like Doctors | Keenan

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 18:10:58 +0000

Keenan joins George Leith this week on the podcast. Through his business, A Sales Growth Company, he has helped companies increase sales by 300%, positioned companies to raise millions of dollars in funding, rebuilt sales cultures, implemented ABM strategies, built sales teams for multi-million dollar mergers, and stopped negative sales growth for all types of companies, from start-ups to Fortune 25. In this episode, he provides his unique perspective on CRMs, who own the success in a coach and coachee relationship, and a new communication style to increase productivity. You can view his passionate, daily videos by following the hashtag #KeenanVids on LinkedIn but today we’re going to give you the whole package here on the Conquer Local Podcast.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

**Announcement relevant as of March 24, 2022 👇

509: Human Resources In A World With No Physical Boundaries | Lauren B. Jones

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 14:54:52 +0000

Leap Consulting Solutions, Founder, Lauren B. Jones joins the Conquer Local Podcast to discuss human resources' massive shift in our everchanging environment. This entails remote working environments, hiring across the globe for your organization, building trust in your organization, and being proactive in acknowledging when your employees are crushing it. Lots of great takeaways and an overall brilliant conversation with HR tech super nerd, Lauren B. Jones.

Lauren B. Jones has been a leader, influencer, and innovator in the staffing industry for just over 24 years. Her focus on mindful and responsible usage of technology in the human capital industry is helping businesses align their future desires with the technologies of today all with a singular focus in mind - keep the process human. She founded Leap Consulting Solutions with the intent of supporting businesses in adding clarity to the steps required to digitally transform with excellence. Lauren has been named Top 15 Staffing Professionals to watch in 2021, Power List of Top 200 Thought Influencers to watch in 2021. Lauren has been featured on almost every industry podcast from Settle Smarter, You Own the Experience Podcast (and is now Co-Host), Ivy Podcast, Staffing Hub, HR Lift Off, and more to share her passion for technology. Her LinkedIn vlog has grown her following by over 200% in 2020 with hashtag days like #technologytuesday and #womencrushwednesday as her most popular segments.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

508: Vendasta Acquires MatchCraft | Sandy Lohr, Brendan King

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:53:07 +0000

On January 11, 2022, Vendasta, our organization, announced the acquisition of MatchCraft from Advance Local. MatchCraft is a leading global software company specializing in search, display, and social media advertising solutions for digital marketing agencies and resellers who serve small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) at scale. Brendan King, Co-founder and Vendasta CEO says the following:

“MatchCraft and Vendasta have been longtime friends, and we’re fortunate to have them join the Vendasta team... This partnership will bring MatchCraft’s enterprise-level technology to all our channel partners, allowing them to have a superior technology stack only large companies could previously afford. We know MatchCraft exceeds expectations because we hear it from many of their partners—who happen to be our partners, too.”

The deal marks an acceleration of both companies’ strategic growth plans, which aim to enhance and expand technology offerings for the benefit of partners and their SMB clients around the world. The addition of advertising technology to Vendasta’s portfolio of offerings allows channel partners to use one unified system to help their SMB clients build customer interest, awareness, connections, delight, and loyalty. In this episode, listen to George Leith, Brendan King, and MatchCraft CEO, Sandy Lohr discuss this new partnership and what it means for local economies.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Continue your learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

507: How To Think More Profitably As An Agency | Marcel Petitpas

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:32:01 +0000

Marcel Petitpas is the CEO & Co-Founder of Parakeeto, a company dedicated to helping agencies improve their profitability by streamlining their operations and reporting systems. He’s also the fractional COO at Gold Front, an award-winning creative agency in San Francisco working with brands like Uber, Slack, Keap, and more. As well as the head strategic coach at SaaS Academy by Dan Martell, the #1 coaching program for B2B SaaS businesses in the world.

Today he's going to dissect agency profitability. This is a coast-to-coast breakdown on the financial aspects, how to manage time, and how to approach clients. Everything you need to increase margins and scale your business is in this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

506: Price Negotiating; A masterclass for sellers | Chris Croft

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 16:15:47 +0000

Leading expert on time management and selling negotiations, Chris Croft from Chris Croft Training and Management joins us again this week to discuss price negotiations. He is one of the most viewed authors on udemy.com and on Linkedin Learning with 36 courses, 24,000 views a day, and 18 million students in total. His Negotiation Skills course on udemy is the most popular negotiating course in the world. Most negotiations are from the buyer's perspective. We're flipping the script today. SMBs and agency owners especially need someone rooting for them. Here's how to become more confident in charging what you're worth. Actually, it's more than charging what you're worth- here's how to get what you're worth. Listen to Chris' Top 10 Price Negotiating Tips for sellers in this week's episode, and find them listed here:

Set a walk-away point
Buyers have weaknesses
Say 'no' the first time
Instead of 'yes' or 'no'... negotiate!
Try not to open first
Don't open with a round number (sounds made up)
Open beyond your best hope
Do the flinch; watch for the flinch
Justifying opening price after reducing price (what's the trade?)
Look out for the nibble

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

505: Time Management: Life Is Long, Here's How To Get Your Time Back | Chris Croft

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 19:15:32 +0000

Leading expert on time management and negotiations, Chris Croft from Chris Croft Training and Management joins us this week for part 1 of a 2-part series. He is one of the most viewed authors on udemy.com and on Linkedin Learning with 36 courses, 24,000 views a day, and 18 million students in total. His Negotiation Skills course on udemy is the most popular negotiating course in the world. This week he joins George Leith to discuss time management. Chris has this brilliant ability to make the impossible very attainable through incredibly clever tactics and his realist approach to taking on projects. We are all very busy, and time is historically known as being a "scarce resource". Let Chris guide you into finding its abundance in this week's episode of the Conquer Local Podcast.

Chris' 5 choices you have for getting more time:

Say no - ie. "I can't do it."
Negotiate - ie. "I'll do it, but only if this..."
Say yes and give it to someone else - ie. establish a trusted team you can delegate to (like Producer Bret for George)
More efficient systems - ie. standard emails to send, files, spreadsheets for automation etc.
Be less fussy - ie. is your input really going to impact output enough to justify your time and energy expense? If not, don't sweat the details.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

504: Zero-Waste Marketing and $100,000+ Websites | Andy Crestodina

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 18:03:55 +0000

Andy Crestodina started building websites in the early 2000's with a roommate and to this day has not pivoted. Through what he likes to call "zero-waste marketing" (and doing phenomenal work) he has turned this into Orbit Media Studios; a 48 person, ~$7million project-based yearly revenue business. His LinkedIn newsletter "Digital Marketing Tips" has accumulated 120,000 subscribers in its first year and he has facilitated $600,000 worth of digital marketing services donated through Chicago Cause, a nonprofit he helped create.

Andy Joins George Leith this week to discuss account-based content marketing and webinar building through LinkedIn, zero-waste marketing and how to align sales and marketing teams, and meeting what you know will work vs. what the client thinks they need.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

503: Anatomy Of An Entrepreneur | Master Sales Series

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 16:20:26 +0000

This week, renowned sales leader and your host, George Leith goes over the anatomy of an entrepreneur. Every entrepreneur is different. We all have certain skills and capabilities that we have specialized over the years that are unique to our craft and our own grind. George Leith goes over 8 underlying characteristics that he has seen successful entrepreneurs exhibit and relates them to his own experiences. As you listen to this episode, note the anatomy highlighted and cross-reference it with your own strengths and weaknesses. Are there aspects you could improve on or have you checked off the entire list? Lastly, understand that everyone is unique. If some aspects of the anatomy highlighted don't come as easily, that's when we build a complimentary team to take us to the next level.

The anatomy of an entrepreneur as discussed in the episode:

Calculated & Logical
Motivated & Focussed
Confident& Outgoing
Risk-taker & Courageous
Strong Work Ethic
Creative & Innovative
Patient & Persistent
Versatile & Agile

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

502: The ABCDE Of Marketing Re-Invented, Part 2 | Rishad Tobaccowala

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:04:41 +0000

Back for part 2. Last week Rishad Tobaccowala gave us some insight on staying human in the age of data. This week, he's expanding that conversation by discussing what he calls the "ABCDE of Marketing Re-invented" (access link for Rishad's blog). Rishad's ABCDE framework for how marketing has changed and continues to change is used as a way for him to help guide people he advises. He believes that this is the future of marketing, below are descriptions for his framework as discussed in another can't-miss episode:

a. Audience: Who we are marketing to, how we find them and their mindset has shifted greatly over the past decade.

b. Brands: Brands continue to be important but the way they are built is changing greatly. Today Experiences, Purpose, and Employee Joy matter the most in building brands. These changes explain the long-term secular decline of advertising and communication but the renaissance and rise of marketing.

c. Content: Content has always been a key to marketing. The three big differences are that there is much more of it, it is far faster and there are many new ways of making it.

d. Data: Data is key to the future of marketing. It is like electricity. Without electricity, one can not keep the lights on. Without strong data, a company cannot compete. It is necessary. But it is not sufficient. Because just like few companies differentiate themselves by how they use electricity, very few companies will find a competitive edge in data. It will be a key ingredient and not the be-all or end-all of strategy. And very few companies will be able to live on their own data.

e. Enterprise: If a company is to deliver experiences in a world of people with god-like power while steering itself with a purpose and looking after its stakeholders particularly its employees but also making sure it delivers tangible results today it will new to sculpt itself into a new form by building new muscles.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

501: Staying Human In The Age Of Data, Part 1 | Rishad Tobaccowala

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 17:29:32 +0000

Rishad Tobaccowala is an author, speaker, and advisor with four decades of experience specializing in helping people, organizations and teams re-invent themselves to remain relevant in changing times. Rishad’s best-selling book “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in the Age of Data” was published globally by HarperCollins in January 2020 and focuses on helping people think, feel, and see differently about how to grow their companies.

In the first episode of a 2-part series, Rishad is going to go over restoring the soul of business and what it means to remain human in an increasingly digital landscape, the 6 C's in how to navigate change, and curing your inner dinosaur disease. As mentioned in the episode, the 6 C's include: Cognition, Creativity, Curiosity, Collaborate, Communicate, Convince.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

500: Creating Confidence: Auditioning For The Role Of Yourself | Heather Monahan

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 18:35:37 +0000

Heather Monahan is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, and Board Member of Healthlynked Corporation. As a former C-suite executive in media, she was named one of the most Influential Women in Radio in 2017, and Thrive Global named her a Limit Breaking Female Founder in 2018. Heather’s podcast Creating Confidence is a Top 100 show in the Business category on Apple Podcast. Heather was named one of the Top 40 Female Keynote Speakers of 2020 and Top 50 Keynote Speakers in the World 2022 by Real Leaders and her new book Overcome Your Villains is available now.

Heather joins us this week to propose the idea of auditioning for the role of yourself. It's a new year, and entering a new year typically comes with some new goals and ambitions. These require a new set of habits, routines, and a shift in mindset. How do we maintain and rewire ourselves in a manner that will finally allow us to take those steps necessary to accomplish what we desire? Listen to Heather layout what made her realize she was quite literally building someone else's mansion. This is when she decided that she had the knowledge and resources to build her own. In this episode, she covers her Beliefs, Actions, and Knowledge model to overcome adversity. Alongside this, how she got Gary Vaynerchuk as her first podcast guest, and how driving the revenue for her CEO of 14 years finally triggered her big move to becoming who she was meant to be.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

451: 2021 Year in Review | Brendan King

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 23:45:51 +0000

2021 was a historic year for Vendasta and the Conquer Local ecosystem. In this episode, Vendasta CEO and Co-Founder, Brendan King takes us through it all with a 2021 year in review. Brendan and George Leith discuss macroeconomics and how inflation is building, robotic process automation (RPA) and how we leveraged it to win in 2021, and the big topic of adapting to change. As always, we ask Brendan King what's in his incredibly accurate crystal ball. This year he's seeing images of robotic process automation, inflation, and how technology and automation can help with this, and possibly the "end" of Covid in 2022. Adaptation continues to be the name of the game and in 2022 it will be absolutely necessary. However, small businesses can pivot and adapt faster than anyone and will continue to win the day.

Thank you all for a record-breaking year with the Conquer Local Podcast. It has been with great pride that we continue to bring you the best of the best, ensuring you have the resources and knowledge to set yourself up as the local trusted expert.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5+ million local businesses through 50,000+ channel partners. Learn more about Vendasta and we can help you build your dream agency or learn more about Vendasta’s Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

450: A Realistic Approach to Sustaining Your Unique Happiness | Gretchen Rubin

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 17:00:42 +0000

Gretchen Rubin is the author of several books, including the #1 New York Times and international bestseller, The Happiness Project. Her books have sold over 3.5 million copies and have been published in more than thirty languages. Her "Four Tendencies" personality framework on sustaining happiness divides people into Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. More than 500,000 people have taken the quiz to figure out which tendency they hold, and you can to here. Millions of people read her blog each year, where she reports on her daily adventures in the pursuit of happiness and habits. As you can probably tell, Gretchen is the real deal and we could go on and on. The last note is that listening to her podcast Happier with "Gretchen Rubin" has been referred to as "one of the 10 life-changing things to do" by BuzzFeed.

Gretchen dives into her Four Tendencies framework, going over how you can self-assess and determine which one you fall under. This is determined by how you react to internal and external expectations and frames routine in a way that we've never experienced before. Why is this so important? It directly relates to your happiness. How often are you trying to mimic others' routines and processes for finding happiness and success? As you listen to this episode, debrief. Be honest with yourself and be confident. Do you hold yourself accountable? Or do you find motivation in knowing that an external party is counting on you? Consider this and the much deeper dive within the episode, and let's find a little more happiness moving into 2022. Gretchen Rubin and your host, George Leith leave you with some insights into your own happiness and some very realistic measures you can take to make your personal happiness not only more attainable but sustainable.

Are you an entrepreneur, salesperson, or marketer? Keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

449: A Mind For Sales | Mark Hunter

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 00:19:55 +0000

Do you have a mind for sales? Mark Hunter joins us to discuss this very topic. Mark was recognized as one of the top 50 most influential sales & marketing leaders in the world. He is the Author of 3 books, High-Profit Prospecting, High-Profit Selling, and his newest book, A Mind for Sales. He has an online program “The Sales Hunter University” which is ranked as one of the top 10 sales learning programs due to his unique style of coaching and engagement. He spoke on 5 continents and travels more than 200 days per year working with people, helping to show them how to find and retain better prospects. His integrity-centered sales strategies are used each day by thousands of salespeople from “Fortune 100” firms to small start-ups. Regardless of the industry, his strategies work. He’s known for his engaging style that empowers sales teams to move to a higher level.

In this episode, Mark is going to teach us about what it takes to be a salesperson, a genius process to getting more referrals, and his renowned 10:00 am rule. What is one significant thing you can accomplish by 10:00 am that will leave you feeling accomplished regardless of how the rest of the day goes? Get out out your pen and paper, Mark has prepared a conversation that will set you up for success, and help you develop a mind for sales.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

448: Rewiring Your Brain: How to navigate opportunity | Cathy Poturny

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:58:00 +0000

Long-time Vendasta Partner and Principal at Creative Canvas Media, Cathy Poturny joins George Leith this week to offer a reimagination and new approach to navigate opportunity. With great admiration, we don't think we've met anyone quite as tenacious, blunt, and having quite the "go for it" attitude that Cathy has. There's a famous saying, "it can always be worse". This allows you to find comfort in potential roadblocks. Our guest this week flips the script, transversely saying, "it can always be better". Listen to Cathy as she discusses the strategy behind her 92% close rate (yes, you read that correctly), how she leverages the Vendasta Community (Conquer Local) in running her digital marketing agency, and the importance of finding your niche and specification.

REGISTER HERE If you enjoy our Podcast, you’re going to love our Conference. We are inviting you to join our action-packed, half-day conference, Conquer Local Connect on December 9 beginning at 11:00 AM EST (GMT -5). At Connect, we will be distilling insights and themes from this year’s top podcast episodes. Learn best practices for prospecting, overcoming challenges, and setting yourself up for success in 2022. Join us live to win big through our giveaways or- at the very least- leave with actionable lessons learned and a massive boost in energy and focus.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5+ million local businesses through 50,000+ channel partners.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

447: The Top 10 Skills You'll Need To Win At Work | Master Sales Series

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 14:57:07 +0000

Vendasta CCO and Conquer Local Podcast Host, George Leith is taking us to school this week with another Master Sales Series episode. Finding success in our careers is all about development. It's that self-awareness and knowing where you excel and where you need to invest more time. Those tasks you've been wanting to cross off, the conversations you've been wanting to have, why aren't they happening? We get so focused in execution mode, where we just "do", "do", "do". However, it's imperative we debrief now and then to assess how we are operating and HOW we can be better. George is going to go through the following top 10 skills to win at work and discuss how you can implement them today:

Ability to self-manage
Stay organized
Emotional intelligence
Focus on teamwork
Being able to make decisions
Dive deep
Active listening
Good writing
Speaking
Networking

REGISTER HERE If you enjoy our Podcast, you're going to love our Conference. We are inviting you to join our action-packed, half-day conference, Conquer Local Connect on December 9 beginning at 11:00 AM EST (GMT -5). At Connect, we will be distilling insights and themes from this year’s top podcast episodes. Learn best practices for prospecting, overcoming challenges, and setting yourself up for success in 2022. Join us live to win big through our giveaways or- at the very least- leave with actionable lessons learned and a massive boost in energy and focus.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5+ million local businesses through 50,000+ channel partners.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

446: The 5 Levels of Leadership and Universal "ASPIRE" Model To Coaching | John Hoskins

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 16:44:59 +0000

In this episode, you’re going to hear John Hoskins and George Leith discuss topics from John's book; Level 5 Coaching System: How Sales Leaders Are Developing Preeminent Sales Teams. John has experienced many levels of leadership. He started his career as an account executive with Xerox Learning Systems and moved to Director of US Sales and Marketing, joined Omega Performance as EVP Sales and Marketing, and then founded Advantage-Performance Group and The Real Learning Company which grew to serve over 300 clients and were eventually acquired by Stockholm-based BTS Group AB. From his vast experience in different levels of leadership, he developed an analysis of leadership that involves the 5 levels individuals may find themselves at (Buddy, Parent, Boss, Expert Coach, then Partner in Performance) and how to guide the progress through each. He also discusses his ASPIRE model to leadership, how anybody can be a coach, and how we use this model with our sales teams, sales leaders, and executives.

REGISTER HERE If you enjoy our Podcast, this conference is for you. We are inviting you to join our action-packed, half-day conference, Conquer Local Connect on December 9 beginning at 11:00 AM EST (GMT -5). At Connect, we will be distilling insights and themes from this year's best podcast episodes. Learn best practices for prospecting, overcoming challenges, and setting yourself up for success in 2022. Join us live to win big through our giveaways or- at the very least- leave with actionable lessons learned and a massive boost in energy and focus.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5+ million local businesses through 50,000+ channel partners.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

445: How Defining Quality Sales Calls Has Increased Revenue 91% | David Pearson

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:09:32 +0000

David Pearson is the CEO and Partner of Level Five Selling, an organization that has mastered quality sales calls planning and execution skills that deliver top-line revenue growth for sales teams all over the globe. Prior to joining Level Five Selling, David was the Chief Operating Officer of Vistage Worldwide, the world’s largest CEO executive coaching and leadership development organization, with over 23,000 members. Looking back even further, he was Senior Vice President for TrueBlue, a $2.7 billion global talent solutions company. He led sales of a $1.6 billion business unit, leading the selling efforts of 1,000 sellers, serving over 120,000 customers. He also served as president of TrueBlue’s $100M+ aviation business under the brand name PlaneTechs.

In this episode, you're going to hear David Pearson and George Leith discuss topics from the books; Level 5 Coaching and Level 5 Selling. So, what is the Level 5 coaching system? David walks us through how to move from a Professional Visitor (Level 1) to a Value Creator (Level 5) and how selling at levels 4 and 5 have historically brought individuals and teams a 91% increase in revenue, not to mention the immense decrease in "scrap and waste" quality sales calls. Managers need to know the levels at which their sales teams are selling, then through tactical and strategic coaching, take them to a level 5 selling. What level are you selling at?

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

444: The Psychology Of Starting And Running An Agency | Robert Davis

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 16:45:53 +0000

This week we welcome Robert Davis, Vendasta Partner and CEO of KOR Unlimited. KOR stands for Knowledge, Opportunity, and Results. Robert has 25 years of sales and marketing experience within the financial services industry. As a financial advisor, he provided sophisticated financial solutions to 250+ high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as small-to-mid-sized businesses. The opportunity presented itself to start his own agency. He approached this new venture with the same results-oriented, incredibly methodical, and passionate demeanor he carried throughout his financial career. In this episode, Robert takes us through his psychology to starting and running an agency. This includes; the 3 P’s to keeping your sanity, why positioning matters and how to position your agency, how to structure your day with categorized tasks and time allotment, prospecting with efficient funneling, and real-time, in the wild Google My Business audits (a must-listen tactic).

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

443: The Voice Of Generation Z | Dr. Morissa Schwartz

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 16:02:00 +0000

DrRissysWriting.com is ranked #1 in PR and top ten in Social Media and SEO for New York and New Jersey. Dr. Morissa Schwartz (aka Dr. Rissy) has been featured on Forbes and MTV. She speaks professionally about inspiring others through words and entrepreneurship, and through her publishing, was named the “Voice of Generation Z” by Community Magazine.

Dr. Rissy talks with George Leith about 360-degree marketing; SEO, Social Media, Ads, PR, and how these 4 pillars need to work together in your marketing strategy. She discusses trials and tribulations such as lacking confidence in your content creation and the 95% "no" response rate she got when approaching publishers before she became a proprietor with GenZ Publishing. This episode will make you reimagine what it means to think "inside" the box, "outside" the box, or what this box people keep speaking of is? Is there even a box? Dr. Rissy doesn't think so. All this and more in this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

442: Mastering Predictive Sales: Data and Instinct | Chris Bondarenko

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 16:16:36 +0000

In this episode, George Leith and Chris Bondarenko discuss data and instinct and their role in mastering predictive sales. Chris is a software sales leader and self-proclaimed "math geek" with over 15 years of experience, currently responsible for leading Docebo's North American sales organization. Previously, Chris held sales leadership roles at high growth start-ups BERA Brand Management and Maropost, in addition to nearly 10 years with Vision Critical (now Alida); where he built best-in-class sales teams, consistently led significant client growth, and played key management roles in Toronto and New York office locations. Listen to George and Chris discuss data-driven sales; how to ensure your sales tech stack is all working together (Salesforce, Outreach, Gong, etc.), understanding predictive data, and your intuition's part in it all.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

441: Less Is More When It Comes To Your Social Media Strategy | Krista Neher

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 19:10:19 +0000

Have you ever felt like you were spreading yourself thin across the hundreds of social media platforms? Are you trying to apply one social media strategy across too many platforms? Krista Neher is a social media pioneer. She is a 6-time bestselling author, international speaker, award-winning entrepreneur, global thought-leader, and the CEO of Boot Camp Digital. Krista has written 6 books on digital marketing, including a textbook and a “Dummies” book on social media marketing. She has worked with companies like Facebook, Nike, Procter & Gamble, GE, Macy’s, Google, and the United States Senate and has been featured as an expert in the New York Times, CNN, Wall Street Journal, NBC, CBS, Entrepreneur, and the Associated Press. Krista is passionate about digital marketing and created one of the first accredited certification programs in the world.

In this episode, George Leith and Krista Neher discuss specializing on just one platform and perfecting it, adapting content to different cultures and considering infrastructure when doing video campaigns in different countries, and paid Facebook ad strategies- what strategies break through the masses and gain attention.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

440: Stop Selling, Start Evangelizing | Donald Kelly

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 17:34:27 +0000

Why should you stop selling and start evangelizing? Donald Kelly, a once struggling salesperson and now a top-performing seller. Donald hosts a popular sales podcast called “The Sales Evangelist”. The show has over 2.3 million all-time downloads and is heard in over 150 countries. Donald and his podcast have also been mentioned in Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes, Inc, and HubSpot as a top B2B sales podcast. In this episode, Donald discusses how becoming a sales evangelist allowed him to incorporate sales as part of his identity, which gave him no option for failure. He goes over how he engages his message recipient's senses when making contact, creating affirmations in order to do more than you ever thought possible (proven), and how to show your best self on LinkedIn in order to create word of mouth and infinite referral value. Visit Donald's Blog to hear more about his unique evangelization of sales or inquire with Donald on how he can help you generate more revenue consistently with his Sales Training.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5+ million local businesses through 50,000+ channel partners. Learn more about Vendasta and we can help you build your dream agency or learn more about Vendasta's Affiliate Program and how our listeners (like yourself) are making up to $10,000 off referrals.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

439: The Fundamentals of Managing 1000 Salespeople at 21 Years Old | Nick Kane

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 18:15:45 +0000

A renowned thought-leader on the fundamentals of managing salespeople and Co-Founder of Janek Performance Group, Nick Kane joins George Leith this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. At just 21 years of age, he managed 1,000 salespeople. Nick is widely regarded for his ability to distill the sales process and block out the excess smoke and mirrors. He lives in quantitative results and direct, A to B relationships- continuously enhancing what works. He has trained 15,000+ professionals worldwide and Co-Authored the book Critical Selling: How Top Performers Accelerate the Sales Process and Close More Deals. In this episode, he and George go over emotion and defensiveness in handling objections, how to reduce complacency in high performers, and how research has truly become Nick's best friend.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

Conquer Local is presented by Vendasta. We have proudly served 5+ million local businesses through 50,000+ channel partners. Vendasta provides an end-to-end eCommerce platform to experts who deliver digital products and services to local businesses worldwide. Whether it’s introducing new products to your catalogue, generating hot leads, driving new business through marketing automation, fulfilling effectively, or providing proof of performance reporting, Vendasta provides the tools you need to provide SMB clients with a delightful digital experience.

438: Customer Loyalty; RBC Royal Bank is Light-years Ahead of Free Toasters, with Darby Sieben

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 17:25:45 +0000

Customer loyalty initiatives are expected. What isn't expected are banks spawning software companies to let you know which day is garbage day. Darby Sieben is currently head of RBC Ampli Inc, an engagement cashback platform that connects consumers with merchants. Ampli.ca is part of the RBC Ventures which is the beyond banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada. Leading a team of 60, Ampli was launched in July 2019 and since then has grown to a national brand and has established itself as an effective platform for merchants to acquire and reward its customers. Listen to George Leith and Darby discuss RBC Royal Bank’s new-age customer loyalty programs including an app that informs you when to roll out the garbage bin, an app that streamlines the incorporation process for business owners, and an app that walks users through the immigration process to Canada. This “beyond banking” is all about solving bigger problems and it's yielding massive results.

**For Canadian listeners only: Download the Ampli App and use promo code DARBY10 for $10 in your account, courtesy of Darby.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

437: Every Job is a Sales Job, with Dr. Cindy McGovern

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 17:13:43 +0000

Every job is a sales job but nobody wants to be a "salesperson". Even right now, we are trying to sell you on this episode through a cleverly written description and perhaps some great anecdotes from the episode. We are all salespeople- so, how do we recognize these processes and become better?

This week’s guest is an internationally renowned business and motivational speaker and is the Author of the Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Every Job is a Sales Job: How to Use the Art of Selling to Win at Work. Cindy McGovern aka "Dr. Cindy" is the Founder, CEO, and First Lady of Sales at Orange Leaf Consulting. She is an expert in the areas of sales, leadership, and management, and has a Doctorate in Organizational Communication. Dr. Cindy helps take the ‘ick’ out of sales and empowers people to embrace their inner 5-year-old to use the art of selling to achieve their personal and professional goals.

In this episode, George Leith and Dr. Cindy go over her 5 steps in becoming a better salesperson:

Creating a plan for success
Looking for opportunities
Listening and establishing trust
Asking for what you want
Following up with gratitude

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

436: Your Tech Stack Increases Valuation by 6-7x, with James Ciuffetelli

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 16:26:05 +0000

This week an A-List transformational leader joins us, James Ciuffetelli. Our host George Leith and James discuss the importance of adopting new technology and investing in your tech stack backed by real-world examples of great success and undisputed numbers, how the baby boomer generation is approaching an exit in 2021 with their long-established businesses, and how prepping your business for exit is strikingly similar to prepping your house for sale.

Establishing show notes for this week's guest was a pick-and-choose from a long list of incredibly large numbers and tremendous accomplishments. James Ciuffetelli is a transformational leader with 30+ years of experience. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Whiteark, a consulting firm based in Melbourne, Australia. James was a digital transformation lead for a $1Billion Telco/Marketing Services business, a member of the carve-out of an $800Million turnover business from an ASX Top 50 to Private Equity, and has led teams of 1000+. James also generated >$1.8Billion of cumulative free cash flow for a global shareholder post-acquisition of an SMB Marketing Services business which resulted in value creation of >$1.2b to investors, has 2 Bachelor's Degrees (Industrial Design & International Business) and a Master's in Marketing. The list goes on.

James Ciuffetelli's education and accomplishments are quickly prevalent as you tune in to another fantastic conversation on the Conquer Local Podcast.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

435: Adapt to Digital, In Memory of Paul Plant

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 14:21:27 +0000

We are taking a break this week from our regular schedule to pay tribute to one of our own. We said goodbye to our good friend and fellow Vendastian last week, Paul Plant. We want to share his episode from season 3 and revisit his passion for people, and the ever-changing digital environment.

Paul was described as an absolute pleasure to have around. He immensely cared about the people and projects he was involved with, which is showcased in the words of many Vendastians as they described Paul as “a great laugh”, “incredibly unique”, “an absolute pleasure”, and “Vendasta’s most interesting man in the world”. We thank Paul for not only his significant contributions at an organizational level but his “make others better” mentality. It didn’t matter if you were a complete stranger or if he had known you for years, he would do whatever he could to see you succeed. Paul Plant, thank you for everything you’ve done for Vendasta, and for everything you’ve done for our people.

Paul was an experienced Strategic Marketer, Digital Thought Leader, Entrepreneur, and Change Agent. He had worked with some of the world’s largest media and telecom companies. His approach was to apply strategic market and customer insights, aligned to a strong commercial focus, to bring about sustainable and profitable change to companies of all sizes, regardless of industry or sector. He Co-Founded BigFive Digital to champion technology adoption within the local small business sector throughout Africa & The Middle East. They continue to aim to provide meaningful news, networking, and business development partnership opportunities for the diverse range of media and technology companies delivering Search, Social, Mobile, Location, and Payment solutions to SMEs.

Above all of these accomplishments, he was our friend and a genuinely wonderful human being. Paul, you are deeply missed.

434: Outsourced Marketing: Joining Your Client’s Team, with Stephanie Krummenacker

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 19:28:37 +0000

Outsourced marketing is becoming a common theme as business owners are realizing the necessity that is digital marketing, and how diverse it is. This week's guest takes it a step further and fully divulges into the role of her client's outsourced CMO, internalizing goals and truly operating as if her client's business was her own.

We are happy to welcome a Vendasta Partner, Stephanie Krummenacker of MediaBrush Marketing, on the Conquer Local Podcast with George Leith. It quickly becomes apparent in Stephanie's discussion that MediaBrush Marketing’s doubling growth rate year over year, primarily on organic referrals, is no accident. She truly internalizes the notion of joining her client’s team, acting as an outsourced CMO. In this episode, expect a robust conversation about taking that step and starting your own agency, battling the “salesperson mentality”, what it means to become an in-house marketer for clients and its benefits, and recognizing when we need to “break up” with a client. If you are attempting to scale your business, increase your brand equity, or looking for a nudge to fully commit to your side-hustle, this is your episode.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

433: 39 Ideas When You Don't Know What to Post on Social Media

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 15:47:55 +0000

This week our host, George Leith, goes over 39 ideas for you to pick and choose from the next time you’re struggling with what to post on social media. Now, this list isn't to be implemented all in one day. However, it's important to understand that this is social media, and content can come from absolutely anywhere. Don't get stuck thinking you must post your offering and only your offering. Social media is a place to connect with your audience. Be authentic, be honest, and most importantly- be confident. Show the world who you are and what you're up to and watch opportunity unravel.

The 39 ideas for when you don't know what to post on social media:

Remind people of who you are, write a post about how you started
Behind the scenes
Personal story or struggle
Share a quote from someone who inspires you
Share your morning routine
Share what inspired you to create your product, service, or brand
Ask a question
Post a poll on a subject
Share a review of your favorite book
Ask for recommendations (apps, tv shows, local restaurants) anything related to your industry
Host a giveaway
Post a how-to tutorial
Build infographics
Weekly recurring post (tip Tuesday, fantastic Friday)
Share learnings from loss or failure
Celebrate a win
Post a testimonial
Share the secret sauce of your offering
Throwback Thursday
Motivational Monday
Thank your followers
Post something seasonal or highlight a holiday
Talk about top pain points and how your solution solves it
Share a client success story
Share a tweet
Let a team member or fellow influencer take over your social for a week
Show someone else using your product or service
Do a shoutout or mention other brands
Shoutout or mention of your clients
Host an interview with a guest
Give people a compelling reason to join your email list
Give your audience a gift
Post about events you are hosting or attending
Post upcoming speaking events or presentations
Share contact information for each channel you are on
Ask your audience how they found you
Share your other social profiles
Answer FAQ
Post new blogs, case studies, and other written content from your website

Tag @ConquerLocal if you end up using any of these ideas, we would love to join in on your conversation and see what you created!

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

432: Sales Integrity and Same Side Selling, with Ian Altman

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 18:27:34 +0000

Sales integrity means aligning needs, not enforcing yours. “The most widely used metaphors in sales are those related to sports, battle, or games. The challenge with this mindset is it requires that one person wins, and the other loses.” - Ian Altman, Same Side Selling

In this week's podcast, George Leith hosts Amazon #1 best-selling author of Same Side Selling, Ian Altman. Ian highly values sales integrity and the effective communication needed in order to ensure both parties winning, or in some cases understanding that the buyer and seller aren't a good fit. We explore how to communicate effectively with buyers, how to show your buyer what they want to see when they want to see it, the integral part layout of a contract plays in decision making, the relationship of price and value for price-focused buyers, and integrity-based negotiations.

Ian started, sold, and grew his prior companies from zero to over $1 Billion in value. He has since spent more than a decade helping others to achieve explosive growth based on his research on how clients make and approve decisions. He’s helped companies to thrive when their competitors struggle to merely survive. He’s co-author of the bestseller, Same Side Selling, now in its second edition (IdeaPress Publishing). You can read hundreds of his articles on Forbes and Inc. He is recognized as one of the 30 Global Gurus on Sales, and his Same Side Selling Academy is rated one of the top 5 Sales Development Programs globally.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

431: Outcome Based Selling, with Phil M. Jones

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:02:28 +0000

Outcome based selling requires understanding where satisfaction comes from, and what if we always knew exactly what to say in this process? Don't get us wrong, there's a bit more to it than that. But when incredible feats were being accomplished, this week's guest recalls, “I would never say wow, I’d simply ask how. And then dig in and say yea- but really, how?”. This is how Phil M. Jones molded a robust, outcome based, and quite frankly very impressive career.

George Leith speaks with Phil M. Jones, Philmjones International on this week’s podcast. Phil takes great pride in adding value. He discusses at what point we should celebrate a sale, outcome based selling, preparation, and understanding an audience's capacity to understand your message.

Phil went from single-handedly washing cars at weekends to hiring a fleet of friends working on his behalf, resulting in him earning more than his teachers by the time he was 15. Soon after, at just 18, Phil was offered the role of Sales Manager at fashion retailer Debenhams - making him the youngest Sales Manager in the company’s history. His early career went from strength to strength, as he worked with a host of Premier League football clubs to help them agree sponsorships and licensing agreements, to then being a key part of growing a £240m property business. Since then, Phil has made it his life’s work to completely demystify the sales process and bring both simplicity and integrity to a world that is often full of big egos and even bigger lies. With this as Phil’s core mission, he has written 8 best-selling books, produced two original programmes for Audible and delivered over 2,500 presentations in 57 countries across five continents. To date, more than two million people (both sales and non-sales professionals, leaders and experts) have benefitted from his teachings and now have more influence, confidence and control when steering their conversations. Phil’s unique philosophy of using specific word choices to teach people “Exactly What To Say” in order to influence, persuade and drive outcomes, has made Phil one of the most practical and in-demand business experts on the planet.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

430: Modern Sales Driven by Authenticity, with Morgan Ingram

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:46:38 +0000

The modern sales process doesn't have any smoke or mirrors. Instead, sales are being lubricated with researched inquiries, catered scripts, and genuine interest in order to optimize value for the person on the other end. This is business in 2021, and we welcome it with open arms.

Our host, George Leith interviews the renowned Morgan Ingram on this week's episode. At only 27, Morgan has been named one of the Top 50 Sales Leaders to follow by LinkedIn, a Top 25 Sales Development Thought Leader by Inside Sales, and LinkedIn's Top Sales Voices of 2018, 2019, and 2020. Morgan’s work has been featured in Forbes, Sales Hacker, the Hubspot blog, and the Harvard Business Review. He is the Director of Execution and Evolution at JBarrows Sales Training, focusing on delivering to sales development teams to enhance their skill sets and performance. In addition, Morgan started his own YouTube series, The SDR Chronicles, with more than 100 videos providing SDRs with motivation, advice, and tactics. In his previous role, Morgan was the Sales Development Manager at Terminus where he managed a team of 13 SDRs to help B2B marketers do account-based marketing at scale. Morgan joined Terminus in early 2016 and helped scale the company to become the fastest-growing startup in Atlanta.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

429: 8 Skills Every Top Performer Should Possess | Master Sales Series

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 16:00:17 +0000

A top performer is labeled as such because they internalize the work in front of them. This is not just a job- this is a very exciting life and duty becomes a wonderful opportunity to provide value. This means confidently stamping their name on the day's work and approaching the next hill ready to sprint.

Our host, George Leith is eager to sneak you some industry insight on common denominators (listed below) throughout every top performer he's come in contact with over the years- and how he has leveraged these skills in his own career. If you're looking to outperform or perhaps are in pursuit of some defining skills to focus on to maintain your current output, you're not going to want to miss this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast.

8 skills every top performer should possess:

1. demonstrate active listening

2. resilience and grit

3. show empathy

4. always prepared

5. self-motivated and competitive

6. strive to establish trust

7. ask the right questions

8. considered the authority

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428: Introverts Networking, with Matthew Pollard - Part 2

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 17:13:30 +0000

Introverts networking, approaching events like they're building a rocketship to go to space. They are methodical, attentive, and interact with scripted purpose- and that is how the new-age introvert is conquering networking events and developing lasting, meaningful connections.

Matthew Pollard, the Founder of Rapid Growth Coach moves on to his second book in this 2 part series podcast. The Introvert's Edge to Networking challenges our preconceived notions toward introverts networking through Matthew Pollard highlighting the following;

Why introverts make better networkers
Channeling your superpower
You can’t please everyone
We all tell stories
Our differences define us
Speak to the right people
What to do in a room
The step everyone forgets
The feedback factory
The Digital Frontier

If you tuned-in to last week's episode, you already know that Matthew Pollard is responsible for five multi-million-dollar business success stories, all before the age of 30. His humble beginnings, the adversities he faced, and his epic rise to success show that anyone, with the right motivation and the right strategies, can achieve anything they set their mind to.

Today, Forbes calls him “the real deal,” Global Gurus lists him as a Top 30 Sales Professional, Top Sales World Magazine named him a Top 50 Speaker, and BigSpeak lists him as an international Top 10 Sales Trainer. He’s also the bestselling author of The Introvert’s Edge, which hit the Amazon charts as the 8th Most-Sold Book of the Week, appears on HubSpot’s list of the “Most Highly-Rated Sales Books of All Time,” and was selected by BookAuthority as the #2 “Best Introvert Book of All Time.” His soon-to-be-released second book, The Introvert’s Edge to Networking, has already received endorsements from Harvard, Princeton, Neil Patel, Michael Gerber, Dr. Ivan Misner, and Marshall Goldsmith.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

427: Introverted Salespeople, with Matthew Pollard - Part 1

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 17:03:06 +0000

Introverted salespeople seems like a typo. Taking a deeper dive, the fact is that introverts have a special set of innate skills comparable to superpowers that can be leveraged to not only compete with but greatly surpass extroverts in a sales setting.

On this episode, we bring you the Founder of Rapid Growth Coach, Matthew Pollard. We immediately knew this had to be a 2 part series and couldn't be more excited to showcase this incredibly insightful topic of introverted salespeople. We explore Matthew's first book, The Introverts Edge, that covers;

Set the Stage - Step 1: Trust an agenda

Mine for Gold - Step 2: Ask probing questions

Speak to the Right Person - Step 3: Qualification

Don’t sell - tell - Step 4: Story-based selling

Don’t argue—augment - Step 5: Dealing with objections

Take their temperature - Step 6: Trial close

Ask without asking - Step 7: Assume the sale

Matthew Pollard is responsible for five multi-million-dollar business success stories, all before the age of 30. His humble beginnings, the adversities he faced, and his epic rise to success show that anyone, with the right motivation and the right strategies, can achieve anything they set their mind to.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

426: Educating Your Clients, with Jenni White

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 15:37:43 +0000

Educating your clients makes them feel that you want to improve their experience and encourage them to make better, more informed decisions.

We are excited to bring you marketing guru - Jenni White. She is the CEO & Founder of Polaris Marketing & Consulting; they help businesses enhance their marketing strategies, widen their reach, and increase their revenue. Jenni has an excellent tip on how to save time while educating your clients. She explains why it's important to educate clients on the fundamentals while balancing your precious time. Not everyone wants to be engaged, but if they know more about the products and ROI, it will mean less work for you in the long term. When you take the time and effort to educate your clients, they feel taken care of.

Jenni has been a much sought-after marketing guru from tech start-ups to long-term established businesses. She specializes in building strategic partnerships, business development, marketing strategy implementation, and product development and ideation. In addition to managing the digital services offered by Polaris Marketing & Consulting, Jenni also consults with companies across the United States. She donates her time to multiple charities as well. She is a Dale Carnegie Black Belt, studied undergrad at The Claremont Colleges in Claremont, CA, and is originally from Portland, Oregon.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

425: 5 Mistakes Leaders Make with their SDRs, with David Dulany

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 15:40:02 +0000

By recognizing and avoiding mistakes leaders make, your Sales Development team will have greater ROI and deliver better results for years to come.

David Dulany, Founder and CEO of Tenbound, joins the podcast this week. We are talking about building the most robust SDR team that is laser-focused on qualifying leads and filling calendars with meetings. David shares with us the 5 biggest mistakes leaders make with their sales development program.

Mistake 1: Hiring SDRs before setting up their processes

Mistake 2: Hiring SDRs without an experienced Manager in place

Mistake 3: Using unstructured data

Mistake 4: Not having a go-to-market script or strategy in place

Mistake 5: Set it, forget it, and then criticize it

David is the Founder and CEO of Tenbound, research and advisory firm focused and dedicated to Sales Development. Tenbound has become the hub of the Sales Development industry, with a thriving online research center, market map, tool directory, training and consulting programs and The Tenbound Sales Development Conferences held yearly around the world and virtually. He recently published his first book, The Sales Development Framework, now available on Amazon.com.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

Resources: 5 Mistakes Leaders Make with their Sales Development Program E-book

424: Learning from your Misadventures, with Larry Long Jr.

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 15:05:02 +0000

Misadventures are bound to happen throughout your life; it's how you react, grow, and help others learn from your experiences.

The passionate Larry Long Jr., Founder and CEO of Larry Long Jr LLC, is this week's guest on the Conquer Local Podcast. Larry shares how his career started with his dream of being a baseball player in the MLB to scaling sales team and being a keynote speaker. This episode has a bit of everything - we discuss building relationships with your clients, learning from your misadventures and failures, being passionate about what you do, helping your clients succeed, and segmented sales teams. Larry has an infectious personality and speaks in such an engaging manner that you can't help but smile and laugh with him.

Larry Long Jr is the Founder and CEO of Larry Long Jr LLC, which focuses on sales motivation, inspiration, training & coaching, and the host of the ‘Midweek Midday Motivational Minute.’ He is also Co-Founder and Lead Instructor of The Sales Allies, an online sales training course and supportive community designed to uplift the sales community. Larry is extremely passionate about coaching and helping professionals take their game to the 'next level.' As an experienced sales leader with a demonstrated history of success in SaaS sales, Larry brings a unique perspective to the table and understands many of the challenges faced by sales professionals.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

423: Building a Positive Team Culture | Master Sales Series

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 18:31:30 +0000

By fostering a positive team culture, we see better performance, higher employee retention rates, increased profitability, and improved employee morale.

Today on the Master Sales Series with our host, George Leith, we are talking about building a positive team culture. A great quote around this topic comes from Henry Ford:

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”

Teamwork is a practice and a skill, a skill as leaders, collaborators, and colleagues we can embrace and improve on continuously.

We explore 16 ways to create a positive team culture.

What are the Benefits
Build a Culture of Success
Set Goals
Identify Values
Respect
Responsibility
Commitment
Continuous Development
Kudos & Praise
Support
Working Together
More than Just Work
Lead by Example
Clear Expectations
Communicate, Over and Over Again
Be Patient

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

422: A Guide to Google Ads, with Mike Rhodes

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 16:41:45 +0000

You have to play by Google's rules to know who will convert and when - how to get an $8 return on your $1. So what is the ultimate guide to Google Ads?

Founder & CEO of WebSavvy.com.au, Mike Rhodes, joins the podcast this week all the way from Melbourne, Australia. WebSavvy is an award-winning agency based in Australia named by Google as one of the Top 18 agencies worldwide. Mike gets into the nuts and bolts of Google Ads, Artificial Intelligence Learning, and Google Shopping. We also take a look at privacy concerns and how it impacts the usefulness of the information.

Mike is the CEO and founder AgencySavvy and WebSavvy, and co-author of the world's best-selling book on Google Ads, ‘The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads.’His award-winning digital marketing agency WebSavvyis based in Melbourne, Australia. Since 2006, Mike and his team have been running campaigns for brands around the globe, and it's one of Australia’s largest independent Googleagencies. Mike’s passion for the future of AI and Machine Learning has seen him invited to speak at over100 events around the world, including Traffic & ConversionSummit, Baby Bathwater, and Digital Summit Moscow. A teacher at heart, Mike is passionate about the AgencySavvy community and helping agency owners to ‘do’ Google Ads better and scale their agency.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy

421: Passionate Marketing Agency Owner, with Cheryl O'Hern

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:00:20 +0000

A Passionate Marketing Agency Owner means ensuring your client's needs are met by educating, building a relationship, and getting involved.

We bring Cheryl O'Hern, Founder of Spin Markket + Digital, on the podcast this week to discuss what it means to be an agency owner. Chery is the definition of a passionate marketing agency owner; she is dedicated to her clients and the local businesses they serve. In this episode, Cheryl and George explore what it means to build a connection with your client, why it's crucial to the success of the working relationship, educating on what you as their marketing guru deliver, and when they will hear the cha-ching!

As a Digital Marketing Specialist, Cheryl develops innovative campaigns across a wide range of businesses that create the EXPERIENCE to engage the targeted audiences' hearts and minds. By utilizing data that evaluates the behaviors, interests, diversity, and the EXPERIENCE to the right market at the right time, she can ultimately drive the results her clients are reaching for. Cheryl is known as an envelope pusher with Kickstarter marketing in a freshly brewed social and digital world. She ventured out as a small business owner after years in the corporate circle in 2012 with Spin Markket. With a background in various fortune 500 businesses and marketing platforms, she can bring a wide knowledge base of experiences for her clients. Several of her campaigns have garnered national attention and notice from the industries they represent and media giants.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

420: Entrepreneurial Life, with Jeff Adamson

Wed, 26 May 2021 18:13:11 +0000

The Entrepreneurial Life is less about skills and more about the drive. What matters is that you determine your goals and live them out, whatever that looks like.

Jeff Adamson, Co-Founder & CMO at Neo Financial and Co-Founder of SkipTheDishes, is on the podcast as he is the definition of embracing the entrepreneurial life. He shares the nitty-gritty details of what he went through to ensure he succeed in his undertakings of being an entrepreneur. From sleeping in his car, having nothing but doubters saying this won't work, and using his credit card limits as the investments. Jeff has not only successfully co-founded not one but two organizations to a multi-billion valuation.

Jeff Adamson is a former world-class athlete who ditched his comfy corporate job to co-found Canada's most popular consumer tech brand, SkipTheDishes.com. Having grown SkipTheDishes to a multi-billion dollar brand, Jeff is once again venturing outside his comfort zone as co-founder and Chief Merchant Officer at Neo Financial, where Jeff and his team are building the future of Canadian banking and rewards. When he's not building startups, Jeff can be found running ultra-marathons or at home changing diapers with his amazing and ever-supportive wife.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

419: Four Fastest ways to Burn a Lead | Master Sales Series

Wed, 19 May 2021 16:55:17 +0000

In this Master Sales Series, we’re talking about the Four Fastest ways to Burn a Lead. We work tirelessly to market, attract, and qualify leads. We can burn them in a single step, with a click of a button, and we spend a lot of time talking about how we can do it right. In this episode, we hone in on where we might be going wrong.

We will cover:

The cost of wasting leads
How slow follow-up impacts conversion
Not enough points of contact
Not having a specific person assigned for follow-up
Weak discovery and qualification

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

418: Become a LinkedIn Expert, with Viveka von Rosen – Part 2

Wed, 12 May 2021 18:24:23 +0000

Positioning yourself as a LinkedIn Expert, Industry Expert, or Thought Leader is all around creating a personal brand and adding meaningful value to your business network.

Viveka von Rosen, Co-Founder & Chief Visibility Officer of Vengreso, is back for Part 2. She is the ultimate LinkedIn Expert and is sharing the 101 ways to rock LinkedIn. In part two, we discuss:

Connect: Connect and network with target buyers with the objective of turning every online conversation into an offline.
Feed: Feed or nurture your network with regular content to help them on their journey and create further engagement.
Cadence: Develop a daily, weekly, and monthly set of digital selling activities to drive more conversations and/or expand relationships.

Cofounder of Vengreso, the largest provider of full-spectrum Modern Digital Sales transformation solutions. Known as the @LinkedInExpert, she’s the author of the best-selling “LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day” AND “LinkedIn: 101 Ways to Rock Your Personal Brand!”. She’s been named in Forbes (4 years running) as a top social media expert and is a regular contributor and has been featured in Forbes, BuzzFeed, Inc, CNN, Entrepreneur, Selling Power, and the Social Media Examiner. Her business mission is to help sales professionals and business owners create more quality and qualified conversions on LinkedIn.

Resources:

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

417: Become a LinkedIn Expert, with Viveka von Rosen - Part 1

Wed, 05 May 2021 15:04:24 +0000

Becoming a LinkedIn Expert is vitally important, now more than ever, to create a strong personal brand so that you stand out from your competition.

We get to speak with Viveka von Rosen, Co-Founder & Chief Visibility Officer of Vengreso, the ultimate LinkedIn Expert. Viveka is on the podcast for not one but two episodes sharing 101 ways to rock LinkedIn. In part one, we discuss:

Mindset: today’s modern seller must recognize that buyers have become better at buying faster than sellers have become at selling. Adapt or die to the buyers' decision;
Brand: establish a personal and professional presence online with a social profile that drives your prospective buyer to engage with you;
Engaging: find and engage with your buyers by discovering and sharing valuable information to help solve real business problems.

Cofounder of Vengreso, the largest provider of full-spectrum Modern Digital Sales transformation solutions. Known as the @LinkedInExpert, she’s the author of the best-selling "LinkedIn Marketing: An Hour a Day" AND "LinkedIn: 101 Ways to Rock Your Personal Brand!”. She's been named in Forbes (4 years running) as a top social media expert and is a regular contributor and has been featured in Forbes, BuzzFeed, Inc, CNN, Entrepreneur, Selling Power, and the Social Media Examiner. Her business mission is to help sales professionals and business owners create more quality and qualified conversions on LinkedIn.

Resources:

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

416: Empathy in Sales, with Jerry Acuff

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 16:10:01 +0000

For sales professionals, empathy in sales is essential because, without a relationship, there's no trust. Don't reserve it exclusively for deals you're trying to close immediately.

We have Jerry Acuff, CEO & Founder at DeltaPoint, as our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. Jerry was a reluctant salesperson. When he realized his dream of becoming a college football coach wouldn't come true, he stumbled into sales. He says so himself that he would never hire himself. Every step of the way, Jerry has remained humble to his success. Jerry drops his vast amount of knowledge with us; do what is right by your customer—even if that means they don't do business with you—trust is the most important thing you can have with a customer. Empathy in sales has to be there right along with trust.

"People buy things from people they like; people buy from people they like and trust."

Jerry’s expertise has led to numerous awards and recognitions, including the title of one of the 50 best salespeople of all time and one of the top 10 sales experts in the world, according to salesgurus.net. Jerry has been featured on MSNBC and the ABC Radio Network, as well as on TheStreet.com, WSJ.com, Fortune, Sales and Marketing Management Magazine, Investor’s Business Daily, Managed Care Pharmacy Practice, Fast Company, Selling Power, and “Selling Power Live.” He shares his passion for selling and building business relationships in his 3 best-selling business books: The Relationship Edge, The Relationship Edge in Business, and Stop Acting Like a Seller and Start Thinking Like a Buyer. Jerry is the CEO and founder of DELTA POINT in Scottsdale, Arizona. DeltaPoint works with sales and marketing leaders to implement innovative ways to sell and market in today’s crowded marketplace.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

415: Analyzing the IT Channel, with Andrew Down

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 03:28:33 +0000

If you have ever worked in B2B software for any amount of time, you have probably stumbled across the IT Channel and didn't even know it.

Andrew Down, Director of Sales for the IT Channel at Vendasta, never thought of himself as a technical person, but 13 years in the IT industry says otherwise. In this episode, we discuss the MSPs (Managed Service Providers), the VARs (Value Added Resellers), and what the difference is between them. The reseller channel is essential in B2B tech, both for end-users, many who buy 100% of their technology through a reseller, and for software companies, some who sell exclusively through the channel. Like almost everything else in technology, the IT Channel is changing. Fast.

Andrew Down is a Saskatchewan-based business professional and entrepreneur with strong corporate, non-profit, and public sector sales experience. Other experience includes senior leadership, strategic planning, business development, VAR/MSP/IT Channel, marketing, event management, consulting services, and training. Andrew has a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing from the University of Saskatchewan and has been in the IT industry for over 12 years. He has a passion for empowering businesses to embrace leading-edge technology solutions to improve business operations. Andrew possesses a keen interest in personal and professional development, including networking, non-profit/community engagement, connecting, and continuous learning.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

414: Finding Success Through the Pandemic, with Mitchell Slater

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 18:05:29 +0000

How does a marketing agency find success through the pandemic, and how can they help their community? It's about keeping local businesses informed and helping them succeed. If they succeed, you succeed.

We have Mitchell Slater, Founder and CEO, from Slater Strategies joining us from Alaska/Florida. Mitchell got his start at just 17 years old in print advertising and quickly realized he had to make the shift to the digital space. He found early success by attending conferences and learning from others' mistakes who have tried and failed. As many agencies went through the same problem, finding success through the pandemic, he knew he needed to figure out how to adapt and help local businesses. Through the challenges that 2020 brought, Mitchell had his most successful year to date. He did this by educating the local businesses around him, finding his niche, and utilizing his network. A key piece to Mitchell's success was no longer being bound by geography because the entire world went remote.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

413: Benefits of Marketing to Existing Customers | Master Sales Series

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:36:58 +0000

The probability of selling to existing customers is 60-70 percent, and the probability of selling to a new prospect is only 5-20 percent.

Master Sales Series is back again; we are reviewing the benefits of marketing to existing customers. As sales professionals, we put a ton of effort into lead generation, but we miss out on opportunities by ignoring the customers we already have. We will go through these five steps:

What are the benefits?
Before you sell - re-discover
Marketing to customers in the retention stage
Marketing to customers in the advocacy stage
Onboarding at every stage

Studies show 65% of a company’s business comes from existing customers, but most only spend 21% of their marketing budgets on customers they already have. It's so important to redirect some of our time and effort towards customers who already see the value. They will thrive, and so will you.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

412: State of Local Businesses in Italy, with Roberto Giacchi

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 22:51:50 +0000

What does the state of local businesses in Italy look like as we reach the pandemic's first anniversary?

Conquer Local travels to Italy to speak with Roberto Giacchi, CEO at Italiaonline. Italiaonline is the largest and top digital group in Italy; they are an email provider, web advertising sales agency, and digital communication agency. They truly act full circle in the digital world, both in what they do and who they talk to. George and Roberto discuss what makes Italiaonline's business model unique and different than the rest of the country, the state of local businesses in Italy due to the pandemic and how businesses adapted to the mandatory lockdown, and the toil of working remote as we reach the first anniversary of when the pandemic started.

Born in Turin in 1968, he graduated in Economics from La Sapienza University in Rome. His career began at KPMG in 1994. In 1998 he joined TIM group and followed the M&A activities for the international development of the group in Latin America and Europe. In 1999 he joined Bain & Company, where he followed projects of strategic, commercial, and financial nature, in particular for the Telecom, Internet & Technology sector, becoming Partner in 2005. In 2007 he was appointed CEO of PosteMobile and leads the company from its foundation throughout the start-up phase until its success on the market. In 2014 he moved to Poste Italiane and assumed responsibility for the Mail, Communication, and Logistics business unit, participating with this role in the group's successful IPO up in 2015. Subsequently, in 2016 he assumed responsibility for all Poste Italiane Group products of the Business and P.A. Market. In 2017, he became Group Chief Financial Officer of Poste Italiane; in December 2018, he is appointed CEO of Italiaonline.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

411: The Channel Software Tech Stack, with Jay McBain

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:00:00 +0000

The channel software stack comprises a group of technologies that help companies develop, design, and execute plans to find, recruit, onboard, develop, enable, incent, co-sell with, manage, measure, and report on partners.

Influencer of the year - Jay McBain, Principal Analyst - Channels, Partnerships & Ecosystems at Forrester, joins the Conquer Local Podcast this week. Jay brings the fire by bringing the knowledge around everything around Channel Software, Channel Partners, and Channel Tech Stack. He can speak to almost everything; we dig into Google eliminating cookies, why 76% of CEOs believe their business model will be different in 5 years, and how Apple updated their phones to be completely anonymous. He shares four things that every company in every vertical is becoming a tech company: Automation, Cloud Acceleration, Remote Technology, and Partner Experience.

Jay McBain is one of the most visible and respected thought leaders in the global channel. Named 2021 Channel Influencer of the Year by Channel Partners Magazine, Top 40 Under Forty by the Business Review, and numerous channel magazines top influencer lists, he is often sought out for industry guidance and future trends. He has spent his 27-year career in various executive channel sales, marketing, and strategy roles within IBM, Lenovo, and ChannelEyes. Jay is the principal analyst for global channels, partnerships, and ecosystems at Forrester, one of the world's most influential global research and advisory firms.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

Resources:

Channel Software Tech Stack 2021

What I See Coming For The Channel: 2021

410: Top, Middle, & Bottom of Funnel | Master Sales Series

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 02:22:27 +0000

The sales funnel: everything you need to know about top, middle, and bottom of funnel.

Master Sales Series is back with another episode. This time we are exploring the various segments of the customer journey. We examine the top of funnel, middle of funnel, and bottom of funnel. The customer controls the journey as to where they are in the funnel. A staggering 83% of the customer's journey in 2020-2021 is now spent doing independent research, and 17% of the time is spent talking to a salesperson.

If we are looking at the lens from a content marketing perspective - The top of funnel is all about learning and exploratory; examples of this would be blogs, podcasts, videos, and infographics. The middle of funnel is the consideration stage where you build trust with the customer; this would include eBooks, case studies, gated content, and email campaigns. The bottom of funnel is all around buying and negotiation; this can look like product FAQs, free trials, demos, and presentations.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

409: Ecommerce Explained with, Stephanie Kirk

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 03:02:19 +0000

Out of chaos comes innovation. Ecommerce has grown leaps and bound in the last year due to the pandemic, but it's clear - it's here to stay.

Conquer Local is in Amsterdam this week talking with Stephanie Kirk, Director of EU & US Operations at Spotzer. Stephanie doesn't disappoint; she brings invaluable information on ecommerce. She provides talks tracks, breaks down what ecommerce means, and offers advice to the business owner who may be reluctant to jump on board the ecommerce train. It is expected that by 2040, 95% of all purchases will be via ecommerce. The top reason why people make online purchases is that they can shop whenever they want, 24/7.

Stephanie did her degree in Theatre & Film, and gained skills in many transferable areas, even though she found being a Magician’s Assistant wasn’t as fulfilling as she imagined. But adaptability is key to a varied life. In 2010 she began a career in Tech, working her way through several key roles with Yell, the UK’s most prominent directory service. Steph’s remit encompassed customer service & process improvement, and, eventually, she headed up Yell’s Digital Agency, the flagship function after their transformation from print to digital. Being invited to join the team at Spotzer in 2018, after collaborating with them on various projects, was a pivotal moment in Stephanie’s career. In the last 2 years, she’s helped Spotzer continue to be successful through rapid change and expansion and now works on partnerships with 19 partner companies across Europe and the U.S.

At some point, she had time to travel and thoroughly enjoys exploring new places across the globe, mainly by trekking, biking, or sailing. She and her team are really excited to work alongside Vendasta, and she’s eager to inject a little Spotzer magic to ensure top-quality products and services support more SMBs.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

408: The Digital Landscape in Singapore, with Fabian Lim

Wed, 03 Mar 2021 14:54:14 +0000

In the digital landscape, where businesses are heading in Singapore, digital marketing tools and techniques provide business owners the best chances for competition, survival, and even growth.

Get ready; our first guest from Singapore joins us this week - Fabian Lim, Founder of Click Media. He shares his interesting career path and how it led him to where he is today. We get a glimpse into what the digital landscape looks like in Southeast Asia, how their market is evolving into the same as western climates, and how they really dove headfirst in the DIY model to learn digital. Fabian shares how different countries have different levels of technology and understanding. For example, there was never a desktop and laptop phase. In Singapore, they skipped over it and went straight to mobile and tablet - the local businesses run everything off their phone.

Fabian Lim is a serial online entrepreneur with over 18 years of management consultancy & digital transformation experience. After a six-year stint with Deloitte Consulting, he ventured into digital marketing. Today, he is Founder of WorldInternetAcademy.com & one of Asia’s foremost Omni-Channel Marketing experts, having trained over 10,000 practitioners over the past 10 years worldwide; and LifestyleTrader.org - the World's first 'earn-as-you-learn,' ROI-based, lifestyle trading system.

He is also founding director of ClickMedia Pte Ltd, a digital marketing agency established in 2008 that specializes in Omni-Channel Marketing - specifically E-Commerce Marketing, Conversion Rate Optimization, Facebook Marketing, Google Search & Display, Search Engine Optimization, Content Marketing, Web Analytics, Usability Analysis, E-mail Marketing & Marketing Automation and ChatBot Marketing.

His online marketing clients include multi-national companies, public sector organizations, and top regional and local brands in the telecommunications, high technology, education, and retail industries, including Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Polytechnic, Estee Lauder, Asia Pacific Breweries, Bausch & Lomb, Fujitsu, Pet Lovers Centre & FarEastFlora.com. In 2016, he founded FlightSchool.sg - Singapore's first private flying school for aspirating aviators. From Sept 2017 to Jan 2019, he led Yellow Pages Singapore on a digital transformation journey as Chief Executive Officer. In fact, in just 8 months, he turned Yellow Pages from a traditional print publisher into a profitable digitally transformed organization.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

407: 10 Tips for Remote Selling | Master Sales Training

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:59:32 +0000

Sales is among the most challenging of occupations, even during the best of times. Toss in a global pandemic, and now we have to switch gears to remote selling.

Countless hours and resources are spent identifying potential customers, nurturing leads, and closing deals. Much of the working world in a time of pandemic is living through the awkwardness and frustration that can come with remote work in 2021. That is the exact reason we are bringing the next Master Sales Series of 10 Tips for Remote Selling. George Lieth wants to share his knowledge with what has worked with his sales teams and pass them along in hopes the Conquerors can leverage them.

Join early
Share an agenda
Dress for success
Be aware of your surroundings
Become the master of mute
Stay seated, stay in frame
Minimize distractions
Have empathy
Plan for an effective kick-off and wrap up
Shutdown other programs.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

406: Lead Generation Guide, with Brock Andony

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 17:26:00 +0000

Lead Generation to generating business leads the inbound way. Learn how lead generation fits into your inbound marketing strategy and easy ways that you can start generating leads for your company.

We welcome the Conquer Local Podcast's first Producer, Brock Andony. Brock started as an intern and now is a Content Marketing Strategist at Vendasta. He brings to life what it means to write a "Big Rock" content piece and the power it holds to continue to bring value and leads for your organization. Brock brings some shocking stats with him - 61% of Marketers say lead generation is their top challenge and 55% spend half their marketing budget on obtaining leads. He shares why organizations need to develop Big Rock pieces of content, create a release strategy, continue to gain leads of a large piece of content, and share what's next for lead generation.

Get the guide here.

Brock is basically a digital marketing Swiss Army knife. What started as a childhood passion for fine arts has blossomed into an affinity for the more imaginative parts of demand generation. His expertise spans email marketing, performance content marketing, content syndication, paid ad strategy, SEO, web design, and everything else you need to generate leads in today's business landscape. From co-founding early-stage startups, to winning the largest cash case competition in Canada, to pioneering new content strategies at large enterprises, he is always looking for the next immovable obstacle to overcome. Oh, and he also answers to Archie—for obvious reasons.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

405: How to Leverage the Power of Amazon, with Lisa McNab

Wed, 10 Feb 2021 16:55:38 +0000

Small and medium businesses can learn how to leverage the power of Amazon with our help.

We are bringing Lisa McNab, CEO & Co-Founder at Canbaba Network—Canada's only wholesaling and dropshipping marketplace. One of the things the Conquer Local Podcast has made its mission here in the first six months of the year is to align around the user journey that we are seeing as common themes in our channel partner network worldwide. We all know is that e-commerce has now come to the forefront. We are learning that people are thirsty to learn more about best practices around e-commerce. Business owners are trying to figure out, and they have this e-commerce entity now, how can we help really make it hum? How do I turn it into a store that rivals the revenue that I get through my physical doorway? Lisa McNab will give the inside scoop on how to compete with dropshipping and how to Leverage the Power of Amazon.

Lisa's goal is to unlock Canada’s manufacturing through ecommerce to make it more efficient for business buyers to buy high-quality unsaturated Canadian products for low Canadian dollars.

In 2013, Lisa graduated from Okanagan College in Kelowna, BC, with a business degree majoring in marketing with minors in international business, linguistics, and opera. She did 4 exchanges in Quebec, France, Croatia, and China. Her love of travel and language mixed with business has fueled her supply chain passion.

Lisa has spent almost a decade learning about and participating in online product sales on Amazon, Shopify, eBay, social media networks, and many more. She's one of the few people in Saskatchewan's whole province that is a dedicated Amazon merchant and wholesaling ecommerce specialist. She's looking forward to revolutionizing businesses worldwide with Canbaba’s unlimited marketplace syndication and leveraging tools.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

404: Reduce Churn, with Josh Glantz

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 17:25:16 +0000

To reduce churn is an ongoing struggle and will continue to be for however long your company exists. But that doesn’t mean that you should give up the fight.

This week on the Conquer Local Podcast, we have Josh Glantz, former CEO of SinglePlatform which was acquired by Tripadvisor. In this episode, Josh gives us a little bit of everything, so get ready for it. We explore retention strategies, reduce churn, the Do it For Me model, inbound sales strategies, and Josh digs into what he looks for when interviewing a potential employee, if they fit in the culture, and if they have grit.

Josh Glantz has 20+ years of experience scaling teams and businesses. Successfully selling, acquiring, and integrating several during his career, Josh most recently led SinglePlatform through its sale to Tripadvisor. Josh was the CEO at SinglePlatform for more than 4 years and turned around its financial performance making SP a Rule of 40 company. Before SinglePlatform, Josh led the digital business at the iconic marketer Publishers Clearing House. During his 4 years leading that organization, Josh’s team achieved 5x revenue growth to more than $100MM while delivering significant margin contribution to the parent company. Josh is an active fundraiser for cancer research and started an open water fundraising event that has raised more than $20MM for research and treatment.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

403: Prospecting 101 | Master Sales Series

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 17:07:21 +0000

Prospecting is the first step in the sales process of identifying potential customers, aka prospects. The goal of prospecting is to develop a directory of likely customers and then systematically communicate with them in the hopes of converting them from potential customers to current customers.

George Leith is back for another Master Sales Series for Prospecting 101. He uses his sales experience of 30+ years to share what works and what doesn't from tried and tested methods. George shares different tactics, failures of unsuccessful attempts and digs deep to show each tactic's value. The historical reference of the term “prospector” refers to individuals' effort to find gold by scanning creek beds and rock formations. When flecks of gold were spotted, the prospectors would spend time sifting through dirt to find the valuable nuggets. That’s what modern-day sales prospectors do – sift through large lists of potential customers to try and uncover those who are interested and ready to buy.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

402: Finding your Ideal Customer | Master Sales Series

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:19:25 +0000

All too often, marketers and salespeople think: “A customer is a customer. Any sale is a good sale." It’s time to break free from that mindset. In reality, there is a stark difference between an ideal customer and less-than-ideal customers.

Master Sales Series is back to explore Finding your Ideal Customer. Our host, George Leith, walks through six steps in finding your ideal customer.

Brainstorming
Surveying existing clients
Digging through Google Analytics
Social listening
Social media analytics
Spy on your competitors

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

401: Finding a Sales Mentor, with Stephen Defina

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 17:01:04 +0000

The goal of a sales mentor is to create an environment where team members feel self-motivated to grow, excel, and take greater responsibility for what they do. An effective sales mentor is the key to long-term performance improvement and organizational success. It is the most important job a sales leader has.

Our first guest of Season Four is none other than Stephen Defina; Stephen is the VP of Revenue, GTM at Clearbanc. He joins us this week to discuss what it means to be a sales mentor, how to do it with a team and one-on-one. Stephen refers to himself as the pusher, and he isn't afraid to keep pushing his mentees to keep striving for more. Now more than ever, sales teams are struggling with unqualified leads, missed sales goals, and lost opportunities. Increasingly, company and sales leaders are turning to finding a sales mentor as a solution—that and more on this episode of the Conquer Local Sales Podcast.

Stephen Defina is the VP of Revenue, GTM at Clearbanc, the world's biggest ecommerce investor. Clearbanc has invested $1 billion into 3,300+ ecommerce and software companies using data science to identify high-growth funding opportunities in less than 24 hours. This data-driven approach takes the bias out of decision making and has helped fund 8x more female founders than traditional VC. In his time at Clearbanc, Stephen has helped grow the sales team and revenue while funding some of the most exciting brands in ecommerce, including Haus, The Sill, and Untuckit. Prior to Clearbanc, Stephen has been the VP of Sales at 4 different startups, two of which, TradeGecko and Yodle, have been acquired for a total of over $430M. Stephen is also a founding member of the Toronto Revenue Collective, a private members-only organization consisting of top senior commercial leaders in the Ontario area.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

400: New Year, New Season of the Conquer Local Podcast

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 16:37:52 +0000

Welcome to Season 4 of the Conquer Local Podcast.

Our host, George Leith, wants to share a special message to all of our listeners. Happy New Year, Conquerors!

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367: That's a Wrap 2020, with Brendan King

Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:11:49 +0000

Farewell, goodbye, adios, cheerio, see ya later, don't let the door hit you on the way out 2020.

As we say so long to 2020, we bring back Brendan King, co-founder and CEO of Vendasta, to wrap up this insane year. We review what a forcing function COVID-19 has been for small and medium businesses to adopt e-commerce. In the last episode of 2020 and season 3, we look at the necessity for remote work, accelerated online e-learning, and what predictions Brendan has for 2021.

Intense, boisterous, imaginative. Brendan is the innovative force of the company. Responsible for providing the vision, thought leadership, and business strategy, Brendan’s ability to focus on the big picture while maintaining quality on the finest details facilitates Vendasta’s success.

Prior to co-founding Vendasta, Brendan proved his worth through many business ventures, including founding two other successful companies, one of which was nationally franchised. He also provided the entrepreneurial force behind Point2 Agent, a real estate software, where he grew its membership to over 165,000 agents and brokers in 85 countries. Brendan and Vendasta are almost synonymous. Both are governed by four core values: drive, innovation, respect, and agility. Brendan is extremely passionate about upholding these core values while leading Vendasta down a path of innovation to become the number one provider of essential brand management products.

The company has been recognized for its steady growth by Deloitte Fast 50 (Canada), Deloitte Fast 500 (North America), Profit 500, and Branham 300 programs and as a Local Visionary in marketing by Street Fight Magazine.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

366: Big Hairy Audacious Goals | Master Sales Series

Wed, 23 Dec 2020 16:33:52 +0000

It's that time of year when we reflect on our successes and our misses. It's time to move forward into the New Year with your Big Hairy Audacious Goals.

Now that 2020 is coming to a close, our host, George Leith, discusses how to create Big Hairy Audacious Goals. To put it simply, a Big Hairy Audacious Goal—a term coined by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in their book, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies—is a long-term, 10 to 25-year goal. But it’s more than just a goal. We’re talking about a challenge that is so audacious, outside-the-box, and hairy that it might feel as if you’d never achieve it. We’re talking about a ‘put a man on the moon’ level goal here.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

365: Ideal Customer & Saying No, with Janice Christopher

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 17:20:57 +0000

As a business owner, you understand the value of each of your clients. However, not every arrangement turns out to be mutually beneficial, and at some point, you may find it necessary to say no to a client who isn't your Ideal Customer.

Janice Christopher, Founder of the Janice Christopher Agency and Executive Coach—also known as The Queen Bee of Marketing—is this week's guest. Janice brings her fiery personality to share with our listeners that it's ok, smart, and necessary to say no to potential customers who don't fit your ideal customer profile. Janice shares her stories about when she had to say no to a potential client and why it was imperative.

Janice Christopher is no stranger to marketing, with 30 years of sales and brand management experience. Formerly a Certified Financial Planner, Janice decided to spread her wings and become a marketing consultant for small- to medium-sized businesses. As a business owner herself, she knows how to listen to clients, identify their needs – and then develop a strategy to help them WIN. Janice is competitive, relationship-oriented, and smart – out to sting the competition and get customers swarming to your door. Known as the Queen Bee of Marketing, Janice’s sweet-spot is taking the mystery out of marketing strategy and bringing the buzz to her client’s brands.

Coffee talk: Bulletproof is best

Pet peeve: Dusty dashboards

Never leaves home without: Fashionista accessories

Ideal holiday: A tropical island with an umbrella drink

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

364: Digital Ad Spend, with Zach Johnson

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:10:50 +0000

Digital Ad Spend is a vital piece of the new marketing stack for local businesses—and therefore, a must-have service to offer as a marketing agency.

Zach Johnson, Founder of FunnelDash, co-host of the Rich Ad Poor Ad Podcast, and author of the book Rich Ad Poor Ad, joins George Leith this week. Zach is here to talk about Digital Ad Spend. Zach sheds light on how to best prepare clients for the outcomes based on their budget. He wants to share the message of understanding the core messaging behind your product/service before you throw money behind it on an advertising channel. Make sure the rest of your online presence ducks are in a row, and keep them in that row for your advertising leads to fall into that purchase funnel. No single tip will work for every business, as every business is unique. The best thing to do is test, track, rinse, and repeat to unlock that "secret advertising sauce" for you and your clients.

Zach Johnson is the Founder of FunnelDash. Under Zach's leadership, FunnelDash has grown to over 5,350+ agency partners managing over $1 Billion in ad spend across 51,000 ad accounts. Zach's private clients have included online influencers, SaaS, and e-commerce brands such as BigCommerce, Dr. Axe, Marie Forleo, Dan Kennedy, Dean Graziosi, to name a few. Zach is a noted keynote speaker co-author of the book Agency Growth w/ Ryan Deiss @ Digital Marketer.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

363: Building a Content Marketing Team, with Dan McLean

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 18:05:06 +0000

There is no possible way to scale, manage, and optimize every channel to ensure a company’s story is being told without a dedicated content marketing team.

What does a content marketing team look like? Dan McLean, Director of Content Marketing at Vendasta, knows a thing or two when building one. Dan has not only developed a content marketing team in one organization but four organizations. He often sees stories getting lost when creating content because there has been a focus on content specifically based on SEO value. Dan makes a shift in the organizations he has worked with to tell the story that solves the problem. A content marketer needs to be purposeful, understand who they are writing for and the objective they are solving. Writers can lose sight of the audience; he reminds teams to deliver value, not a pitch.

Dan's words of advice, give a damn about what you do. Don’t think something is good enough, always do the best work you can do.

Dan McLean is the Director of Content Marketing for Vendasta Technologies. He is a seasoned communications professional whose previous experience as a content and corporate marketer includes stints at OpenText Technologies, Intelex Technologies, Rogers Communications, and Cisco Systems. Dan has a 25-year career in information technology as a journalist with IDG and the Globe and Mail, market researcher with IDC Canada, and executive communications manager who worked with the Canadian CEO for Cisco Canada.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

362: Rocking your LinkedIn Profile, with Morgan Hammer

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 03:17:50 +0000

A stellar LinkedIn Profile contains five key areas: Profile picture, job title, about description, experiences, and endorsements. From picture quality to endorsements representing you, your professional brand is the key to all new opportunities to build your brand and set yourself up for success.

Morgan Hammer, Relationship Manager, Mid Market - Sales Solutions at LinkedIn, joins us from Chicago's windy city to talk about how to rock your LinkedIn Profile. Morgan shares how to create a LinkedIn profile that brings your personal career story to life, whether you’re just starting, seeking to advance, or making a career change. Morgan offers tips on tailoring each section, starting with the key insight that a LinkedIn profile is unique and shouldn’t be approached exactly like a resume.

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Morgan has been living in Chicago, IL, for the past 5 years. Her LinkedIn journey was not a typical one, as she was a nontraditional hire coming from a retail background. Prior to LinkedIn, she managed several different shoe departments at Nordstrom throughout the Midwest. This is where she found my passion for working with other people in a sales environment and ‘style flexing’ to learn what makes each person happy. In Morgan's current role as a Relationship Manager at LinkedIn, she gets to help clients revolutionize their selling process to optimize their time and capitalize on all potential revenue. My priority is to help each client build their process through our leading-edge technology, embedding social selling as part of their sales cultures and processes. She loves learning about her clients' goals and how they can create a plan in place to achieve them. When she isn't working, she is trying out new restaurants in Chicago and playing with her adorable 6-month old Covid puppy, Max.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

361: The Macro Conversion Funnel, with Frank Cowell

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 17:14:06 +0000

A macro conversion funnel is the most important part of any sale procedure on any website. In fact, the macro funnel conversion is almost the final step before a sale is sealed.

The Conquer Local Podcast is in sunny San Diego this week to talk to Frank Cowell, CEO at Digitopia Agency and author of Building Your Digital Utopia. He found his passion for technology in the 90s, creating a webspace on AOL and built an information superhighway. His passion is sales and marketing, so he knows when to get technical in a conversation with a potential customer. Frank takes us through what a macro conversion funnel should look like, obsessing over the bottleneck in your conversion funnel, and how to get the testimonial from your customer.

With 20 years of digital marketing experience, Frank regularly works with executive teams who are looking to create amazing brand experiences while accelerating growth. Frank is the author of Building Your Digital Utopia, which details a concept he pioneered to help brands create digital experiences that systematically accelerate growth. Frank regularly presents an energetic and entertaining speaker to regional and national organizations on topics related to revenue operations, business strategy, and digital marketing. When Frank founded his first agency in early 2004, his primary focus was website development and Internet marketing. He started by developing a successful website content management system (CMS) from the ground up. Over the past 15 years, he has helped his agency morph into a digital marketing agency that works in the areas of digital strategy and execution.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

360: MSP Marketing Troubles, with Ayan Adam

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 22:44:01 +0000

MSP Marketing troubles start with not knowing how to spend their allocated marketing dollars to make the real magic happen.

Ayan Adam, Founder of CX Atelier, joins us this week to discuss MSP Marketing troubles. Marketing for MSPs requires a different approach and a deep understanding of the industry and technology trends. Ayan offers her insights on technology-focused marketing support to answer the MSP capabilities' prevalent gap to execute marketing activities in-house. Ayan's specialty focuses on the customer experience and cultivating relationships with the MSP and the world of marketing. In this episode, you'll learn why the IT reselling service layer is important and how they become the most trusted asset you can add to the products and solutions you offer.

For the longest time, channel marketing was the "poor relative" of all marketing branches, cookie-cutter campaigns and activities, and very little focus on the end customer experience. Meanwhile, the B2B landscape is shifting dramatically, and buyers now expect high-quality digital services when making a B2B purchase.

Ayan Adam is an experienced leader in the B2B IT Technology industry. She designed industry-recognized brands and delivered high impact marketing and branding campaigns for IT industry leaders. She has a deep understanding of the B2B technology space both from the OEM’s standpoint and at the VAR and MSP level. She is passionate about fulfilling the promise of digital marketing for B2B technology companies and meeting the next wave of digital transformation with customer-centric and experience-focused marketing.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

359: Inside Sales Training, with Ian Jones

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 16:54:31 +0000

Time is the biggest obstacle when it comes to inside sales training programs, but we can look at proven sales training best practices to help make sure that your team is set up for real success.

We hop the pond to talk to the newest Vendastian: Ian Jones, the VP of Sales Training and Enablement at Vendasta. Ian brings his vast knowledge to the listeners on what it takes to build an inside sales training program. His approach is widely adopted in the learning development of the 70/20/10 model. We dig into the forgetting curve and what information sticks in a 24-hour period, why it's important to walk through the journey with new hires and what it takes for them to become a sales rep, and how crucial it is to apply consistent training company-wide. This means having a repeatable and scalable training model. You can't scale suck.

Ian is an experienced sales leader with a track record of delivering transformation and change across a wide range of functions, including Sales, Operations, Training and Enablement, and Digital. He acquired his broad range of experience and knowledge working in a variety of industries over the past 20 years, including insurance, finance and banking, consultancy, media, and tech. Ian has a passion for people development and has led the development and implementation of a number of significant sales talent development programs for frontline sellers and sales leadership. To prove that he practices the personal development mantra that he preaches, Ian is constantly looking for opportunities to develop himself. In recent years, he completed an Executive MBA at The University of Cranfield and became a member of the Chartered Management Institute in the UK.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

358: The Membership Economy, with Robbie Baxter

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:48:40 +0000

The membership economy is focused on teaching people how to create their own. At the same time, it includes some deeper marketing and human behavior principles that are useful to know in other contexts.

We have Robbie Baxter, Founder of Penisula Strategies, author of The Forever Transaction and The Membership Economy, with us on this edition of the Conquer Local Podcast. Robbie coined the term membership economy to describe a massive transformation in every organization, from nonprofits and associations to the most profitable of companies. Which of the following companies do you think uses the subscription revenue model: Netflix, NBA, eBay, Oracle, Electronic Arts, or Microsoft? Trick question, they ALL are. We learn how an SMB can establish a subscription revenue model, the best way to target your audience, and why recurring revenue is the holy grail.

Robbie Kellman Baxter is a consultant, author, and speaker. She is also the author of The Membership Economy and The Forever Transaction and hosts the podcast Subscription Stories. Robbie has more than 20 years of experience providing strategic business advice to major organizations, including Netflix, Fitbit, Microsoft, and Consumer Reports. She has been focused on subscription and growth strategies for the past decade. Baxter has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on CNN. She earned her MBA from the Stanford GSB and graduated with honors from Harvard College.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

357: Brand Visibility, with Chris Dickey

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 16:30:07 +0000

Whether you are a new start-up or an established business, brand visibility is always key. If people don’t know about the new things you are doing, how can you make a sale?

We have Chris Dickey, CEO and Founder of Visably AND Owner and Founder of Purple Orange, on the podcast this week. Chris shares that 89 percent of B2B marketers labeled brand visibility and awareness as the most important goal over sales and lead generation. In this day and age, with so many communication platforms, advanced technologies, and modern ways of thinking, what are the most effective methods of getting your brand out there? In this episode, Chris unwraps the ROI for PR, the important pieces to measure brand success, and relates it all to the customer journey.

Chris Dickey has a resume that spans publishing, in-house marketing direction, public relations, and software development. Chris is the Owner + Founder of Purple Orange Brand Communications, a PR agency specializing in outdoor and active lifestyle brands. Chris started exploring the intersection of search engine marketing and public relations using his agency clients as the guinea pig. Chris started by having his agency audit search results for PR opportunities, eventually scaling that strategy to win over large swaths of highly valuable organic search results for his clients, using PR tactics.

In 2019 Chris took this strategy a step further by founding Visably – a new marketing / PR SaaS platform that audits search results for brand mentions and provides an analysis of a website’s “channel” for further segmentation and list building (so PR practitioners can extract clean media-only lists out of the keyword data).

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

356: Emotional Intelligence in Sales, with Jason Forrest

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 17:36:27 +0000

Episode 356 brings you the importance of emotional intelligence in sales. Low emotional intelligence prevents salespeople from achieving their success potential, impacting many areas of their sales performance.

We bring back an alumni to the Conquer Local Podcast, Mr. Jason Forrest. Jason, CEO of the Forrest Performance Group, is back to talk about his new book: How to Sell Through the Coronavirus, and emotional intelligence in sales. Jason walks through the four attributes of a great salesperson, the GUMP methodology: Goal-oriented, unleashed, motivated, and procedural based. Having a high level of emotional intelligence in sales allows a salesperson to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power of their own emotions during interactions with buyers to improve sales rather than derail them.

Jason Forrest lives on the leading edge of the sales industry. As a behavioral change expert and maverick entrepreneur. Jason believes the only way to break your sales plateau is to change the way you look at sales completely, that means an extreme focus on pulling the future of sales into the present. His mission is to give every sales professional, manager, and executive the tactical, real-world knowledge so they can remove any limiting beliefs keeping them from breaking their plateaus. In the course of that decades-long mission, Jason's trained billion-dollar companies and everyone from high-powered CEOs to frontline salespeople to increase their effectiveness by driving more profit. Jason established his speaking and training career as a top 1% sales professional. Still, as he is trained others, he realized something the rest of the training industry had yes to understand: the sales techniques widely taught at conferences and seminars were installing mental limitations in others.

Listen to Jason's previous episode on the podcast.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

355: Customer Deciding Journey, with Tim Riesterer | Part 2

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:29:12 +0000

The Customer Deciding Journey, part two: Expand. Acquisition vs. Expansion are complete opposite messaging, and we must treat them as it.

Tim Riesterer, author of The Sales Expansion, and Chief Strategy Officer of Corporate Visions is back! We dive into part two of our two-part series, the Expanding portion of the Customer Deciding Journey. The expanding portion's methodology is: "Keep them happy from the beginning to end." Tim walks us through his new book and why acquisition is not the only lifeblood of organizations. We learn if you give an existing customer the same messaging you would give to prospective customers; you can have them questioning if they should stay. Reinforce and remind them of the impact you have made by showcasing the value and demonstrating their ROI.

Tim Riesterer is responsible for leading the strategic direction of Corporate Visions in thought leadership, positioning, and product development. He also leads the company’s consulting team globally, including staff and certified contractors. Tim has more than 20 years of experience in Marketing and Sales. Before joining Corporate Visions, Tim co-founded Customer Message Management, LLC (CMM Group), where he was CEO until Corporate Visions acquired it in 2008. Before CMM Group, Tim was CMO and VP of Strategic Services for Ventaso. Additionally, Tim was President and CEO of Brady Marketing Group and has worked in marketing, communication, and sales support for world-class technology manufacturers such as Rockwell Automation and GE Medical Systems.

Tim is co-author of Customer Message Management: Increasing Marketing’s Impact on Selling (Thomson/AMA), Conversations that Win the Complex Sale: Using Power Messaging to Create More Opportunities, Differentiate Your Solution, and Close More Deals (McGraw Hill), and The Three Value Conversations: How to Create, Elevate, and Capture Customer Value at Every Stage of the Long-Lead Sale (McGraw Hill) and has a degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

Read the full transcription here.

354: Customer Deciding Journey, with Tim Riesterer | Part 1

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 21:52:42 +0000

Some call it the customer buying journey, or a sales cycle, but collectively, we are moving to the ideology of the Customer Deciding Journey.

This week's guest is Tim Riesterer, author of The Sales Expansion, and Chief Strategy Officer of Corporate Visions. In this two-part series, we will explore the first section of the Customer Deciding Journey: Create, Elevate, and Capture. This methodology revolves around presenting to the customer, "why should I change?" Creating the value gives the reason behind the change and develop that buying vision. Elevating value is explaining the rationale decision-making to that business outcome, so it is a rational choice. To Capture value is explaining to the customer why they should pay for what you're selling. Tim explains the psychology and has the science behind why this methodology works.

Tim Riesterer is responsible for leading the strategic direction of Corporate Visions in thought leadership, positioning, and product development. He also leads the company's consulting team globally, including staff and certified contractors. Tim has more than 20 years of experience in Marketing and Sales. Before joining Corporate Visions, Tim co-founded Customer Message Management, LLC (CMM Group), where he was CEO until Corporate Visions acquired it in 2008. Before CMM Group, Tim was CMO and VP of Strategic Services for Ventaso. Additionally, Tim was President and CEO of Brady Marketing Group and has worked in marketing, communication, and sales support for world-class technology manufacturers such as Rockwell Automation and GE Medical Systems.

Tim is co-author of Customer Message Management: Increasing Marketing's Impact on Selling (Thomson/AMA), Conversations that Win the Complex Sale: Using Power Messaging to Create More Opportunities, Differentiate Your Solution, and Close More Deals (McGraw Hill), and The Three Value Conversations: How to Create, Elevate, and Capture Customer Value at Every Stage of the Long-Lead Sale (McGraw Hill) and has a degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

353: Elevate your Personal Brand, with Nina Blankenship

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 16:22:16 +0000

Learn how to create and enhance your personal brand, and how can you encourage your employees to do the same.

Nina Blankenship, CEO of Let's Brainstorm, is this weeks guest on the Conquer Local Podcast. Nina comes from a background at LinkedIn where she spent the last five years in Singapore, won two of LinkedIn's prestigious awards, and is a contributing 2020 LinkedIn Learning Author "Video Strategies for High Engagement." In this episode, Nina walks us through a viral video strategy, how to activate your employees to become brand ambassadors, and how to elevate your personal brand. She also brings a special treat for our conquerors: use promo code CONQUERLOCAL and receive Nina's new book, Elevating your Personal Brand, for FREE!.

Nina Blankenship is an award-winning marketer and has five years of experience working for LinkedIn in NYC and the Asia Pacific Region. She has helped thousands of corporate customers to gain global recognition through media. Nina has always challenged her clients to be their best, and that helped her gain global recognition for the winner of the Open, Honest and Constructive award at LinkedIn. Nina is back in the USA and has started her own Viral Video and Marketing company called Let's Brainstorm. Let's Brainstorm's mission is to elevate corporations through collaborative brainstorming sessions, our genius-level team curates' custom video you've been missing for brand elevation.

Nina is Japanese/American and enjoys spending time with her family and eating delicious food! Now she is ready to share her secrets to help your company go viral!

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

Promo code: CONQUERLOCAL

352: Entrepreneurial Spirit, with Ryan Mason

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 19:20:33 +0000

How do you know if you have the Entrepreneurial Spirit?

Ryan Mason, CEO of BizBuzz Digital & CEO of Luxe Brand, joins us from Atlanta for today's episode to share his path to finding his Entrepreneurial Spirit. Ryan was recently named on the Top 12 Entrepreneurs to watch in 2020; this is an incredible achievement. Ryan believes that people, process, and platform are the key elements to building a robust business, and he's here to share the benefits of that approach with others. We learn from his failures and advises all other entrepreneurs out there.

Ryan Mason is the savvy Founder & CEO behind Luxe Brand. Americas leading luxury shoelace provider. It is featured on Good Morning America, NFL Network, Foot Locker stores, over 30 athletes and celebrities, and BizBuzz, providing integrated marketing automation software and services for over 250 small and medium-sized businesses. In each of these roles, Ryan is known as a disruptive force with an eye for setting new standards of excellence, and he never shies away from the opportunity to tackle new and interesting challenges.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

351: Cybersecurity Bootcamp, with Alex Ryals

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 14:15:35 +0000

Cybersecurity, what is it, why is it important, and how to train your clients to know the importance of being equipped with the right tools.

Alex Ryals, VP of Security Solutions at Tech Data, joins us from sunny Arizona this week to explain why cybersecurity is so critical. Alex and George explore the convergence of Martech and Security Solutions and how it contributes to amplify you being the real, trusted local expert. Whether that be adding cybersecurity solutions to your offerings or the physical hardware that needs to be installed. This episode is jam-packed with tons of golden nuggets, so hold on tight, take notes, and get ready to learn from the best of the best.

With more than 20 years in the IT and Channel industry, Alex joined Tech Data via the acquisition of Avnet Technology Solutions in February 2017 and currently serves as VP of the Security Solutions team in Tempe, AZ. Having spent several years helping Avnet build solution practices in areas such as Big Data & Analytics, Mobility, Security, Converged Infrastructure and Internet of Things, in his current security role at Tech Data, Alex’s team builds channel enabled solutions that leverage hardware, software, and services to grow the sales of Tech Data Vendor offerings in our partner community. Alex speaks at numerous partner and industry events each year and is passionate about transforming sales teams into solution sellers and enabling the channel with high growth areas of Technology.

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350: Creating a High Performing Sales Culture, with Neal Romanchych

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:12:57 +0000

Developing a sales culture comes down to a science, it's important to work with people you can win, and have fun with. We look at what does a successful culture looks like to attract new hires.

Vendasta's VP of Revenue, Neal Romanchych, joins us this week to talk about sales culture. We take a look at the science of selling and the structure of it, and he breaks it down to three points: People, Pitch, and List. Digging into the People piece, Neal uses the PAF approach: Performance, Accountability, and Fun. While president at 411, he found great success in his search for new hires and keeping a high performing sales team.

Neal comes with 30 years of senior sales and management experience, having been a founding partner in 411.ca back in 2006 and served as their president for the last five years. His experience includes six years at Motorola, 11 years at Sprint Canada, and has been a founding member in 5 start-ups. In total, Neal has over 35 impressive years of experience in the telecom and media sector. Neal holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Trent University and an eMBA from The Ivey School of Business.

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349: Four Stages of Competence | Master Sales Series

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:17:14 +0000

The four stages of competence, also known as the four stages of learning, show that individuals don’t know how little they know, or are capable of when it comes to a specific skill; they don’t know their incompetence.

George Leith is back with another edition of the Master Sales Series, we're exploring the four stages of competence. When the learner recognizes their incompetence, they start acquiring a skill and consciously using it. Eventually, the learner will begin to utilize the skill without even having to think about it: they will have reached unconscious competence.

The four stages are classified as:

Unconscious Incompetence,
Conscious Incompetence,
Conscious Competence, and;
Unconscious Competence.

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348: Adapt to Digital or Die, with Paul Plant

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 18:27:00 +0000

If businesses don't Adapt to Digital now, they may not be able to survive the long road ahead. The pandemic is the catalyst for businesses to make the switch to digital.

Conquer Local travels to London England so we can speak with Paul Plant, Co-Founder & Director at BigFive Digital. Paul is one of the co-authors of Aftershocks And Opportunities: Scenarios for a Post-Pandemic Future, it explores four core themes; Critical Shifts, Society and Social Policy, Government and Economy, and Business and Technology. In this episode, Paul and George dive into why organizations who were reluctant to adapt to Digital are trying to follow the small businesses blueprint to be agile and quick to act. Paul also makes a few predictions around the airline industry, Darwinism, and why a country within Africa could be the world's first "cashless" country.

Paul Plant is an experienced Strategic Marketeer, Digital Thought Leader, Entrepreneur, and Change Agent. He has been privileged to have worked with some of the world's largest media and telecoms companies. His approach is to apply strategic market and customer insights, aligned to a strong commercial focus, to bring about sustainable and profitable change to companies of all sizes, regardless of industry or sector. BigFive Digital has been created to champion technology adoption within the local small business sector throughout Africa & The Middle East. They aim to provide meaningful news, networking, and business development partnership opportunities for the diverse range of media and technology companies delivering Search, Social, Mobile, Location, and Payment solutions to SMEs.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

347: Reviewing your Sales Call | Master Sales Series, with Brent Blazieko

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 13:58:43 +0000

Reviewing your team’s sales call, or your calls can be cringe-worthy. We learn why and how we need to get over it.

This episode of the Master Sales Training Series, we dig deep into reviewing your sales call. We have special guest Brent Blazieko, Founder of Soundlounge by Tbone, AND Conquer Local’s very own Audio Engineer. George and Brent use their past careers in radio to discuss how and why to listen to your personal sales calls and not just your teams. They discuss best practices, how to give feedback, and what to look for when listening to yourself.

Brent is an audio engineer and producer, taking him from radio station imaging to theatre sound design, from production sound recording (on set for films, tv, and documentaries) to in-studio post-production mixing for advertising agencies. Music, sound, and, most importantly, listening have become his focus for work and life. Dedicated to the art of audio engineering, Brent will give your ideas the attention it deserves. Brent proudly produces many podcasts, including “Conquer Local” for George, Colleen, and the Vendasta Team.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

346: Video Marketing Strategy, with Brian Albert

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 14:44:10 +0000

Different segments of digital marketing can work independently, but adding a video marketing strategy can enhance and make them stronger.

We speak to Brian Albert, Founder and CEO of Videobolt, in Florida this week. Videobolt has a history of helping businesses grow by producing high-quality videos and pass it along to SMBs who can't necessarily afford it. Brian shares the two questions you should ask yourself before hitting the record button on your camera to create a video for your brand. He explains how to overcome objections, how to use video to your advantage during the pandemic, and why turning on your camera is a must for remote meetings.

Videobolt.com is the leading provider of spokesperson videos to businesses of all sizes, as well as an innovator in the personalized video space. Brian also founded thelaw.tv, a pioneer in lawyer video marketing. Prior to entering the business world, Brian was a television news reporter and anchor in New York and Florida (where he interviewed multiple presidents and Fortune 100 CEOs), as well as an attorney. He has more than 25 years of programming experience and is a skilled video editor. Brian is a graduate of Columbia University, where he played on the ice hockey team and the University of Miami School of Law.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and expand your knowledge in the Conquer Local Academy.

345: Lighthouse Strategy, with Dennis Yu

Wed, 29 Jul 2020 17:00:17 +0000

The Lighthouse Strategy is all about how companies can hone in on a particular niche that they aim to serve. Their niche could be anything ranging from restaurants to dentists to real estate agents.

Dennis Yu, CEO of Blitz Metrics, is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. One of the most requested topics for the podcast is how to acquire new leads. When it comes to lead generation, this is the strategy Dennis recommends to all agency owners, regardless if you've got an established business or are just starting on their own. It's called The Lighthouse Strategy.

Who is Dennis Yu? Dennis is an internationally recognized lecturer in Facebook Marketing and has spoken in 17 countries, spanning 5 continents, including keynotes at L2E, PibCon, Conversion Conference, Gultaggen, and Marketo Summit. He has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, LA Times, National Public Radio, TechCrunch, Fox News, CBS Evening News, and co-authored "Facebook Nation" - a textbook taught in over 700 colleges and universities. When he isn't spreading his expansive breadth of knowledge, he can be found eating chicken wings, playing ultimate frisbee, and spinning wild metaphors with the enthusiasm of a thousand raging fires.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and keep learning in the Conquer Local Academy.

344: Customer-Centric Hiring, with Wayne Bischoff

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 13:00:00 +0000

By creating a culture of always serving the customers, hiring around customer-centric is an easy way to tell if the candidate is the right fit.

Wayne Bischoff, CEO of Mediamark, joins us on the Conquer Local Podcast all the way from South Africa. Wayne's sales career started at the age of 7 when he began selling pencils on the playground. He shares how his background in sales prepared him as the CEO to create a customer-centric organization. Hiring amid pandemic has been a significant theme on the podcast. Wayne explains when he is looking to hire new reps, and he focuses on how they are motivated. If a potential employee says they are motivated by money, he doesn't want them to be a part of his organization.

Keep the conversation going in the Conquer Local Community, and expand your knowledge in the Conquer Local Academy.

Wayne is a dynamic natural leader with nearly three decades of extensive experience in the sales, marketing, and advertising industry, both in South Africa, Sub Saharan Africa, and Europe. This experience covers the full media landscape from Print, TV, Radio, OOH to Digital and gives me a strategic birds-eye view of the fast-evolving disruptive media and advertising space. His senior leadership roles cover MD, Executive, and Directorships, including a board member of the Advertising Media Association of Southern Africa. Wayne's strengths involve creating high-performance sales cultures with a sharp focus on customer-centricity. He is exceptionally well equipped to drive digital transformation within legacy organizations.

Mediamark is a leading multimedia sales house that ensures brands derive maximum value from their advertising spend through tailored multichannel solutions. Mediamark is a specialist media solutions company comprising Mediamark Radio, Mediamark Digital, Mediamark Events, and Mediamark TV.

343: Digital Marketing Academy, with Jacqueline Cook

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 12:30:00 +0000

Did you know that Conquer Local has its very own Digital Marketing Academy? It's a game-changer because the SaaS industry changes under our feet.

We have Jacqueline Cook (Jackie), Chief Strategy Officer at Vendasta, on the podcast to discuss the strategy behind the Conquer Local Academy. After some research and listening to digital marketing agencies and entrepreneurs from different areas of the world, there was a realization that there was a need in the space for a digital marketing academy. It needed to be all-encompassing of various digital solutions that intertwine frequently. The Academy is built into a culture that embraces a community that agencies and entrepreneurs can grow and learn in. People learn differently; some learn by reading about it, and some want to watch videos at 2 am. The Academy was created to accommodate different learners in the way they want to learn, and on their time.

She works with the CEO to shape Vendasta's long term strategy and to align both the culture, organizational design, and company metrics toward those long-term objectives. Jacqueline works across a number of diverse teams to execute cross-functional initiatives, collect and share key customer insights, and test new initiatives to drive Vendasta's growth levers. She is also the General Manager of the of Vendasta's high-growth mid-market customer segment, which currently contributes over half of the company's revenue and includes marketing, sales, success, support, and four product teams. Most recently, Jacqueline played a major role in Vendasta's $40M growth funding round, which marks the single largest technology investment in the prairies since the Canadian Venture Capital Private Equity Association (CVCA) started collecting data in 2013. Jacqueline is an alumnus of The Next 36 Entrepreneurial Institute, Canada's premier entrepreneurial leadership initiative. During the program, she co-founded and was CEO of Triumf Mobile Rewards: a tablet and Smartphone-based platform for small and medium-sized businesses to customize their own loyalty rewards programs. She has been a speaker at events such as Tejo Talks, sponsored by Canada's Embassy to Portugal as part of Web Summit, TEDx UofS and WE DAY, and has represented Canada at the 2010 G8 and G20 Summits, the 2010 APEC Summit in Japan, and at the 2011 G20 Young Entrepreneur Summit in France.

Jacqueline has been a recipient of CBC Saskatchewan's Future 40 under 40 and a YWCA Women of Distinction Award and serves on the board of Co.Labs, Saskatchewan's first technology incubator. She was recently named as one of Betakit's Canadian women in tech worth watching.

Keep the conversations going in the Conquer Local Community.

342: A Buyers Journey, with Jeff Koser

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 16:12:20 +0000

For marketing agencies and salespeople alike, we must put the local business first. We have to be able to present a buyers journey to a client because whether we try to empower them or not, they are always in charge.

We have Jeff Koser, the spirited founder and CEO of Zebrafi, who is at the helm of the podcast this week. Jeff and George dig deep and analyze how the customer journey is shifting into a buyers journey. Jeff is the award-winning co-author of Selling to Zebras - How to Close 90% of the Business You Pursue Faster, More Easily, and More Profitably.

Jeff has more than 25 years’ experience in leadership roles in operations, sales, and marketing. In 2010, he was recognized as one of the best sales authors of all time in the book, The Sales Gurus. Zebrafi is the Guided Selling Cloud for the Enterprise, where sellers are guided to great fit prospects, armed with presentations that are automated and collaborative on a live platform that guides both the buyer and the seller, leading to value-based and business-issue focused discussions.

Keep the conversation going in the Conquer Local Community, and expand your knowledge and learn for industry experts in the Conquer Local Academy.

341: Forcing Function for Digital Transformation, with Marty Fisher

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 14:16:52 +0000

If you are ready or not, the pandemic is a Forcing Function for Digital Transformation that local businesses need to adopt.

Marty Fisher, President of Sherpa Marketing, is our guest this week; Marty started Sherpa Marketing in 1996. Since the global pandemic hit local businesses hard he started an initiative called Adopt a Business. He has a passion for local businesses, and when he saw the effects the pandemic would on the economy he knew Sherpa Marketing needed to step in. George and Marty discuss how the pandemic has been a forcing function for a digital transformation, they explain that now more than ever the importance of e-commerce on a website and being able to update their online listings in an instant.

Owning and managing Sherpa Marketing since 1996, Marty brings “Big Idea” thinking, marketing intelligence, and business acumen to every customer interaction. Providing solutions that deliver value is not an objective that can be met without a strong commitment from the leadership of a company. By encouraging the team to embrace this philosophy he ensures that all customers receive the full benefit of Sherpa’s capabilities. He tries to prove repeatedly that his breadth of knowledge and expertise affect positive outcomes for his clients. His experience with all types of technology allows him to offer the most current solutions to his client’s challenges. His belief in technology “as the great equalizer” means he is hard-wired to always think of ways to integrate marketing tactics. A commitment to uncovering the most effective and measurable communication strategies is one of Marty’s passions. He is not content to “phone it in”, He challenges himself and the Sherpa team to do more and find incremental value. Clients receive the benefit of this drive - successful projects with tangible and measurable results.

Keep the conversation going in the Conquer Local Community, and to learn more take a course in the Conquer Local Academy.

340: Intrapreneurship in Large Complex Organizations, with Dr. Chitra Anand

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 13:04:11 +0000

What if organizations can emulate intrapreneurship within their walls? What would that mean in terms of growth for the employee and the organization itself?

We welcome Dr. Chitra Anand, an advisor to high growth companies, she has recently received her doctorate of business in intrapreneurship. No, that isn't a typo—What is an intrapreneur? An intrapreneur is an entrepreneur within a large, complex organization: a startup within a company. Dr. Anand explains how organizations need to embrace intrapreneurship in employees to stay agile and to promote drive within. This includes risk-taking, running experiments and micro experiments, looking for constant opportunities, and allowing the ability to have the time to try and fail. Dr. Anand is also an author and published her book in 2019, the Green House Approach, which is now a required read for the Forbes School of Business MBA program.

Chitra Anand is an award-winning communications & marketing executive. With over 20 years in the technology industry, she has spent time as the head of Communications for Microsoft Canada, Director of Marketing at TELUS Corporation, and Director of Operations at Open Text. Projects she guided at Microsoft and TELUS have been awarded IABC Gold Quill Awards, Canadian Public Relations Society Awards of Excellence, the Corporate IT Hero award by the Information Technology Association of Canada, and the Business for the Arts Awards. Anand is at the forefront of an important new movement in the workplace: intrapreneurship. Intrapreneurs are the people within your organization who possess an entrepreneurial spirit, driving innovation, creative thinking, and new ideas. She is a doctoral researcher, innovation & culture change keynote speaker, professor, author, and advisor to high growth companies.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community and keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

339: Leveraging Branded Content, with Jared Merves

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 15:12:52 +0000

There is a lot of confusion about the difference between branded content and native content. Wundervue defines branded content as any sales or marketing initiative that uses content to engage a user, and that is paid for by a client.

Jared Merves, Founder of Wundervue, explains how to succeed through storytelling. He believes that branded content is the silver bullet that provides publisher partners a path to revenue and profit growth and the sustainment of quality local journalism. Jared explains how branded content is a full customer journey program that lives in the top-to-middle of the marketing funnel to measure awareness and engagement. A successful branded content initiative is connecting the client to their target audience to demonstrate the value of what they have to offer.

Jared Merves is a digital marketer, local advertising expert, and entrepreneur. Jared has more than 13 years of experience driving digital innovation for many of the nation’s largest local media companies. At Wundervue, Jared and his team develop turnkey branded content solutions designed to connect local brands and local audiences. Prior to founding Wundervue, Jared was Chief Digital Officer at Belo+Company, an 80-person digital agency in Dallas, TX. Jared has also held digital leadership roles at The Dallas Morning News, TEGNA and Cars.com. Jared is a featured speaker and panelist on local advertising topics and has served on the Local Media Consortium’s steering committee and Cars.com’s Affiliate Board. He lives in Colorado with his wife, Lisa, and their children, Jack and Birdie - and Crosby, their 135lb Great Pyrenees.

Join the Conquer Local Community to take part in the conversation and ask your questions directly to Jared Merves.

338: SMB Best Practices for going Back to Business, with Todd Rowe

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:53:58 +0000

Information shared by an expert at Google provides some SMB Best Practices can use when going back to business.

Todd Rowe, Global Marketing Director at Google, is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. He uses the information collected from SMBs across the globe to understand the best practices they can take when re-opening after the wave of closures from the COVID-19 pandemic. With his knowledge, organizations will be able to help local businesses get back to business with ease.

Todd Rowe has extensive experience in High Tech, in Sales, Marketing, and General Management with full P&L responsibility. Currently lead one of Google's fastest-growing business units. Extensive international experience building businesses in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Board of Director experience at privately held companies and Board of Advisors at Venture Capital firm. Todd specializes in building and running high-growth businesses. Background in Sales, Marketing, Product Management in Cloud, SAAS, and Search Engine Marketing Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Keep the conversations going in the Conquer Local Community and expand your knowledge in the Conquer Local Academy.

337: Building a Cooperative in Retail, with Lindsay Gaskins

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 17:07:53 +0000

To build a cooperative in retail, it started with only 12 retailers, which quickly grew to 300 in one short year.

"Ten thousand mistakes can lead to the ten right decisions." Lindsay Gaskins, President, CAA Member and The Bike Cooperative, at CCA Global Members, is our guest this week. Lindsay started a brick-and-mortar business in 2008 during the financial crisis in the United States; in turn, she sold nothing in the first three months. Lindsay explains how she refined her business to have 45 stores open coast to coast. After her refined approach and did market research, they sold more in one day than in her first three months in business. These struggles and success brought Lindsay to help found cooperative in retail, she shares her dos and don'ts, and the advice to retail storefronts to stay healthy.

Lindsay is a Senior Executive with deep retail industry expertise stemming from her experiences as a management consultant to top global retailers, as a head buyer for a large national retailer, as Co-Founder and CEO of a multi-channel retailer with 40+ stores nationally, and now as a top leader responsible for driving innovation and growth for one of the largest retail cooperatives in the world. Lindsay is currently leading the development of innovative technology solutions, services, and tools designed to empower and fuel the future success of small businesses. She is a charismatic, purpose-driven leader who possesses an innate curiosity for consumers, passion for team-building, and an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit.

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, and take a course in the Conquer Local Academy to keep the learning going.

336: Be the Trusted Local Expert | Master Sales Series

Wed, 27 May 2020 14:06:31 +0000

How to help the SMBs get back to business by being the Trusted Local Expert. What does it look like to reopen and how to communicate it to the SMBs customer base?

George Leith is back to bring you another edition of the Master Sales Training Series. We discuss two things, first, being the trusted local expert; that's you. Reviewing how you operate as an organization, is it making your appointments remotely? Is it reallocating your budget? How are you delivering value to your client? George explores what you should be talking to your customer base about, what really matters to them, and how can we - the trusted local experts - be there to help them succeed.

The second, are you open? Ensuring that once the SMB is open for business, they are able to communicate it to their clientele. The flip side to that, how are they communicating what they needed to scale back and possibly close their doors once again. How can we, as the trusted local expert's aid in the communicate it in these unprecedented times?

Join the conversation in the Conquer Local Community, as well as keep the learning going in the Conquer Local Academy.

335: Ecommerce, Now or Never, with Greg Sterling

Wed, 20 May 2020 14:01:40 +0000

Consumers want to support their favorite local businesses. For this to happen, local businesses need to embrace e-commerce and go online.

Greg Sterling, VP of Market Insights at Uberall, joins the conversation to give us the data on local business pivoting to e-commerce. Many local businesses have been able to embrace the digital shift, most fall into three groups: Successful in shifting to online, meeting expectations to stay open, and those who are struggling and may disappear. The successful cohort are businesses who have diversification online, a robust online component, and tighter integration between online and offline. To all the agencies and salespeople, now more than ever need to be the trusted local expert, and help the local business go through a digital transformation. There is an importance of communicating with customers, and strengthen relationships. Steers away from the sales pitch, and focus on doing right by them.

Greg Sterling is a recognized expert on a range of digital marketing topics and a contributing editor for Search Engine Land. Previously, Sterling was VP of Strategy for LSA (now Localogy). Before that, he had various analyst and executive positions at Opus Research, The Kelsey Group, Allbusiness.com, and TechTV. Sterling is also a former attorney.

Join the conversation335: E-commerce, Now or Never, with Greg Sterling in the Conquer Local Community.

334: The Customer Journey, with Ahsen M

Wed, 13 May 2020 15:09:22 +0000

Customers travel through a series of steps—whether they know it or not—before they purchase at a local business. This is known as the customer journey.

We welcome Ahsen Mohammad to the Conquer Local podcast this week to talk about the Customer Journey. Ahsen took the concept and built his marketing agency around it, Customer Maps, and only serves five customers. Instead of stretching out to bring more and more clients on, he prefers to go all-in with his clients and become a part of their team. For customers, the journey they undergo is not something they often think about, as they are just looking for an outlet to fulfill their buying needs. For local businesses, the customer journey is the difference between a sale and a consumer buying products/services from a local competitor.

Ahsen has extensive experience of working for multiple global brands. He started his career with European Fashion brands. Ambition to work for multinational made him moved to global sports giant brand Adidas. He took up the role of Project Lead Re-Launch Reebok as a fitness initiator and authenticator. With a healthy challenge ahead, he undertook this role to innovate and introduce fresh ideas in every aspect of business and co-develop a marketing, digital marketing & retail strategy to sharpen the position of Reebok & Adidas Sport Performance.

333: Onboarding a Remote Workforce, with Tricia Score

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:34:53 +0000

The way we hire has changed, what does onboarding a remote workforce look like in today's landscape?

Conquer Local heads to Denmark to bring you Tricia Score. Tricia is the Sales & Customer Engagement Team Leads at Microsoft; she shares what her experience has been as she has already onboarded three salespeople remotely. Tricia puts the emphasis on remembering human interaction, making the connection to establish trust, and keep the lines open for communication. Now is the time to connect with others and find a mentor, 50% of people have a mentor but 75% of people think it is crucially important.

With more than 15 years in sales leadership and strategy, Tricia Score has a proven record in global and market expansion initiatives with a focus on high-growth results. In her past roles, Tricia has been specializing in establishing and enabling teams for success and driving sales results through sales excellence in her sales teams. Tricia recently joined Microsoft in early 2020, and before her role at Microsoft, Tricia worked in multiple sales leadership roles focused on sales operations, strategy, and enablement roles across Africa, Europe, and the US. Tricia holds an MBA from Marymount University.

Join the Conquer Local Community to connect with other Conquerors, and to stay up to date with all that is Conquer Local.

332: Trust in Franchise Selling, with Joe Mohay

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 14:08:27 +0000

Franchise Selling must ultimately be around building trust with your customer base before getting started.

We welcome Joe Mohay, CRO & Co-Founder of Integrated Digital Strategies (IDS), on the podcast this week, and he is here to talk Franchise Selling. Joe shares what he has learned in his career regarding building trust with customers, "Businesses that go above and beyond are the ones who will succeed." He breaks it down into three sections, treat customers like family, prove to them you are trustworthy from advocacy from other customers, and be a raving fan for your customers.

Since the company was founded in 2012, Joe and the rest of the IDS team have worked closely with franchise organizations as a trusted franchise digital marketing partner. Their integrated approach to digital marketing focuses on franchise brands, local franchisees, and franchise development teams. This led to a stellar reputation in the franchise community and a Top-Tier Ranking by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018 and 2019. Using his 20 years of digital marketing experience, Joe manages the company's revenue growth, sales and marketing strategies, nurturing of professional relationships, and delivering a solid ROI for their 55+ franchise brands.

331: Creating a Buyer Persona, with Stu Richards

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 14:45:52 +0000

Developing a Buyer Persona, learning the dos and don'ts, and why it's essential to understand the mindset of small business owners.

Stu Richards, CEO of Bredin, is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. Stu is a frequent speaker on marketing to small and medium businesses in North America. Bredin works with some of the largest brands and companies that are trying to appeal to SMBs. Stu explains by doing topic research around the buyer persona, and it allows us to understand better where to invest the marketing dollars and how to spend it accurately. This would include hiring, purchase intent, and brand intention. Stu also sheds light on buyer actions, it is vital to have an eye-catching website, but it is critical to have the right things on it.

330: Brand Identity | Master Sales Series

Wed, 15 Apr 2020 14:22:15 +0000

Developing a brand identity for your agency is one of the best ways to take your brand to the next level.

Master Sales Series this week brings you the importance of having a robust brand identity. Strong brands are all around us. In our modern, digitized world, people are seeing an alarming number of brands everywhere they turn. Remember that study done in 2007 about people being exposed to 5,000 advertisements a day? Well that number has increased with the surge in mobile smart devices, increased social media usage from all demographics, brand placements, and everything you might see in day-to-day life. Companies and people leverage their brands to connect with customers and clients. With a strong brand, it is easier for your audience to get to know you.

329: Navigating a SaaS Startup, with Jordan McFarlen

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 18:30:00 +0000

You have to admire startup founders. Creating. building, developing, and growing a SaaS Startup is not an easy feat.

SaaS Startup founders put everything on the line to drive forward with their dream of solving a problem, building a unicorn, or even employing 500 people. Jordan McFarlen, Business Incubator Manager at Cultiavtor powered by Conexus, in our guest this week. He is currently working with key stakeholders, community members, and most importantly entrepreneurs to build out the strategy and design for a community hub, which inspires innovation and entrepreneurship. Jordan is the first to admit - because he sees it first hand - there are going to be struggles with developing SaaS solution. It starts with the educational piece and solving a problem. If there is no problem to be solved, the need to pivot is essential.

328: Be the Hero | Master Sales Series

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 16:50:05 +0000

Where are you going to be after the inevitable bounce? Will you Be the Hero? We are taking a different angle for this Master Sales Series episode. George brings to light what it means to be the hero during this time of crisis. Conquer Local's core purpose has always been to drive local economies by providing knowledge to our listeners. We support local businesses, and during challenging times like these, we’re committed to that now more than ever. We’re here to help our listeners clients through these challenging times. You may be facing staff shortages, remote work, and an evolving marketplace where changing customer habits are hurting your bottom line. We want to Protect Local. Join our Community.

327: Product-Led Growth, with Anna Tavares

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 21:40:47 +0000

In its simplest form, Product-Led Growth leans on product experience in order to grow a customer base. In the traditional acquisition model, marketers focus on attracting potential customers through inbound tactics like paid ads. Once a prospect shows interest and are vetted as a qualified lead, they become a market qualified lead and are sent to the salespeople. Product-Led Growth (PLG) is a strategy that puts the product right before the customer to lead the customer experience! Anna Tavares, Director of Strategy at Vendasta, explains how PLG is defined, and the reason you should be implementing into your business strategy. The concept of PLG is not new. You probably already know and use it all the time. Synonyms for PLG include ‘freemium’, ‘try-before-you-buy’, ‘SaaS 2.0’ and ‘free trial’. Anna explains even more on this episode of the Conquer Local Podcast. As Vendasta’s Director of Strategy, Anna is responsible for developing, managing, and assisting the implementation of projects that support Vendasta’s vision, as well as its short and long-term growth plans. She is responsible for initiatives that drive partner engagement and growth through product-led growth strategies, while at the same time fostering a culture of cross-functional team collaboration. Besides being a strategy nerd, Anna is passionate about female empowerment, gender equality and new yoga moves.

326: Direct to Customer, with Mitch Joel

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:07:36 +0000

The bar has never been lower to start a business by going Direct to Customer, but that doesn't change what the pillars of business are. Direct to Customer brands leverage their true purpose, technology, data, content, and speed to market in astonishing ways. Now, you can too. Brace for impact. Mitch Joel, Founder of Six Pixels Group, is our guest this week. He is one of the amazing speakers at the Conquer Local 2020 Conference in beautiful Montreal. Big and small business need to take it next level by going Direct to the Customer Customer. What do billion dollar companies like Kylie Cosmetics and Dollar Shave Club know that Starbucks and Walmart did not? Mitch explains why these startups quickly disrupted industries that took their competitors decades to decode. This new breed of Direct to Consumer brands has changed the dynamics of business today, What are these companies doing that is so disruptive? Mitch gives us the goods on what you need to know today about the power of direct to consumer brands, and how to build one and/or how to act like one (whether you are in B2C or B2B). Mitch believes that the fundamental traditional Four P's of Marketing - Product, Price, Place, Promotion - are still relevant in today's digital realm. Do you agree? Mitch Joel is Founder of Six Pixels Group - an advisory, investing and content producing company that is focused on commerce and innovation (although he prefers the title, "Media Hacker"). Prior to Six Pixels Group, Mitch spent close to two decades building, running and (eventually) selling his business. He was President of Mirum – a global digital marketing agency operating in 25 countries with close to 3000 employees. Mirum is owned by WPP. Mitch has been named one of the top 100 online marketers in the world, and was awarded the highly prestigious Top 40 Under 40.

325: The Art of the Elevator Pitch | Master Sales Series

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 14:26:53 +0000

A powerful Elevator Pitch can be magnetic. If it’s engaging enough, you can sell anything – whether it’s a product to a client, an idea to an investor, or convincing an employer that you’re the right fit. We held a live Elevator Pitch competition at Vendast'a headquarters. Our astonishing host, George Leith, was one of three on the panel of judges. We bring you the eight elevator pitches from the competitors, and George provides feedback on each. Who do you think will win? The objective of an elevator pitch isn’t to close a deal, but to convince someone that you have something worthwhile to offer! George's career in sales and marketing spans more than three decades. He has spoken to tens of thousands of people across the world at conferences and through seminars, helping businesses to overcome their difficulties and transform them into digital sales and marketing experts.

324: Converting Leads, with Existing Clients - Part 2 | Master Sales Series

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 18:48:23 +0000

Converting Leads Part 1 was all about the prospects, and we're now diving into Part 2: Converting Leads, with existing clients—selling after the close. George is back with Part 2 of Converting Leads on this episode of the Master Sales Series. You’ve closed the deal, you’ve won the sale, it’s time to celebrate, right? Yes, but there’s still work to be done. George explains the concept of looking at existing partners whose accounts are still active and treat them as a lead. Treat them the same and establish regular rhythms of communication and keep building the relationship. As stated previously, always be adding value. The biggest take away is to generate advocacy - turn happy clients into your best sales resource.

323: Converting Leads - Part 1 | Master Sales Series

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 23:11:11 +0000

Everyone always wants more and more leads, but what about the leads they already have? We bring you Converting Leads on the Conquer Local Podcast The Master Sales Series is back and we are talking about Converting Leads. We conducted a survey from our listeners to understand what they are looking to Conquer in 2020. The number one thing everyone put at the top of their list, you guessed it, getting more leads. Taking a step back and looking at that answer and uncovering the nitty gritty details, we determined that our listeners need to know how to convert their leads not just seek out new ones. George Leith, a sales transformation keynote speaker, top-ten iTunes ranked podcast host, author and guest university lecturer, has the unique ability to demystify concepts and inspire businesses and professionals to understand and truly embrace the potential that digital transformation has for many business objectives including sales, business development, and marketing for B2B, non-profit organizations, as well as government institutions. In his 30+ year professional career, he has developed key focal points that include market analysis, management development, online advertising, reputation management, mobile marketing, operations optimization, sales transformation, mentoring, public speaking, technology solutions, and project management.

322: Developing a Sales Strategy, with Donny Dye

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 14:30:14 +0000

Developing a Sales Strategy to implement with your sales team isn't a one and done, it has to tweaked and edited as you grow. We are excited to bring back Donny Dye, Founder of Quota NYC, to the Conquer Local Podcast. Donny updates on what he has been doing since we last spoke in Season 2. For the past year he has been the acting CRO for Eden Health developing and growing their sales team. Donny divulges the three things his tried and tested method of developing a sales strategy: Strategy, Team, and Conversation. He says it's a technique that is universal to all sales team. Donny has over 15 years of Saas and enterprise sales experience by selling, leading, and guiding companies scale predictable revenue. If you are building a sales team or have broken a sales team, Quota NYC can help. Prior to founding Quota, he has spent the last 2 decades building, leading (and fixing) sales organizations. Most recently, he helped build a company that sold for 9 figures. My journey has made me an expert in enterprise, B2B, SaaS and channel sales across several verticals.

321: Sales Procurement & Relationship Building, with Jens Hentschel

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 15:18:14 +0000

Sales Procurement is your friend, not your enemy. Jens Hentschel, Founder and CEO of THE FIVIS PARTNERSHIP, is on the Conquer Local Podcast this week talking Sales Procurement. Most people cringe at the word procurement, but procurement is just as important as sales. Sales organizations see procurement as a roadblock and avoid it at all costs. Jens explains that procurement is your best friend, and when you are selling a product or service reaching out to the head of the procurement department can actually lead to insuring the sale closes. Jen is the thought-provoking, customer centricity consultancy company for B2B relationship management. He and his team advise Sales, Procurement and Supply Chain Management teams on how to build winning, customer centric business relationships. Jens has more than 12 years of experience in procurement and professional buying and worked for companies such as Procter & Gamble, KFC, RWE and others in senior leadership roles. Jens lives and works in London, UK.

320: Defining SaaS Channel Partners, with Janet Schijns

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 16:58:29 +0000

SaaS Channel Partners are coming in hot, what and how does it affect our sales teams. Janet Schijns, CEO of JS Group and a former Fortune 500 C-suite executive, is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast and we are talking about SaaS channel partners. We define was a channel partner really is, why companies are making the shift to incorporate a tech sector, and what it takes to to make that shift. Schijns was named Channel Influencer of the year in March 2019 beating out a slate of nominees from the top tech firms in the world. She most recently was EVP and CMSO at Office Depot, where she led a major transformation to drive traction in IT services, generating recurring revenue from higher margin solutions. Prior to that, she was the Chief Channel Executive, Chief Marketing Technologist and ran business products for Verizon Business. She is a visionary leader who through innovation and transformational action-oriented plans drives tangible results. Schijns is dedicated to the advancement of Women in Technology, founding her not for profit “Tech World’s Half” in 2017 to address the issue of women dropping out of technology.

319: Creating Competitive Sales Battlecards | Master Sales Series

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 17:45:19 +0000

Battlecards are never done. Battlecards are trial and error. Battlecards are usually not pretty. But, battlecards are also a highly effective way to mobilize information from research, mentors, coaches, and more, into powerful sales assets. In this edition of the Master Sales Series we are talking about sales battlecards. What is a sales battlecard? It sounds like a buzzword, but probably because it is a buzzword. They originated as a competitor analysis tool, but today, battlecards are applied in a variety of contexts, including story development. For example, in large organizations, collaborating to build battlecards can bridge gaps between different stories being told and drive alignment through the entire sales floor. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

318: The Customer Journey After the Sale, with Michael Watkins

Wed, 22 Jan 2020 15:41:16 +0000

How to fix a broken Customer Journey after the sale is no easy feat, but we have the man who did just that. Originally from Australia, Michael Watkins VP of Partner Success at Vendasta, packed up his family and took on winter in Canada. Watkins takes us through the customer journey by reviewing all of the talk tracks, all of the scripts, and all of the vignettes, or whichever word you want to use for your customer success teams. It's important that it's not just a one and done, but instead takes iteration after iteration. It requires listening to the team, listening to customers, watching the conversion points, and seeing what's working and what's not. Once that process is defined, be prepared to make constant changes to refine it. Watkins is passionate about helping business owners and marketing professionals understand the digital ecosystem as it continues to evolve. His recent highlights include: - 11% Digital revenue growth benefit through successful digital sales transformation program. - $2.35 Million in revenue growth delivered through tactical webinar project. - Leader of 17 talented individuals, responsible for: 50+ Sales tools, L&D and customer experience. - Developed strategic partnerships with global vendors to improve and progress sales development. With over 10 years professional digital marketing experience, Watkins remains focused on expanding his skills, and continuing his career progression towards a Strategic Marketing/ Program Management role within Innovative Digital Products.

317: The Google Guarantee, with Justin Sanger

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:55:29 +0000

The average SMB is worried about staying open in today's competitive market. The Google Guarantee can help. Justin Sanger, Chief Revenue Officer at OMG National, provides insight on what the Google Guarantee means for SMBs. Sanger refers to it as a game charger because it has an overall effect on how SEO keywords and pay-per-click ads function. An SMB doesn't always to hear the gritty details of lead measures and tactics, they often want a salesperson to cut the chase to know how it is going to effect their business. SEO has been changing at a rapid pace being at the will of the Google algorithms. Sanger shares how dealing with a fragmented and crowded landscape can hurt your agency and speaks to verticalization.

316: Optimizing the Sales Day, with Steve Benson

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 16:48:46 +0000

Thriving in routine by Optimizing the Sales Day and nothing will be forgotten. Work smarter not harder. Steve Benson, CEO and Founder of Badger Maps, kicks off the first Conquer Local episode in 2020! Steve provides conquerors the insight in how to optimize the sales day, from the salespeople on the floor, sales managers, and at the executive level. Steve also tells us how his failures helped him succeed because frankly, SaaS startups are hard.

315: Qualifying the Lead, with Doug Campbell | Inside Sales

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 15:42:06 +0000

Three steps to get the conversion inside the sales funnel, getting the lead, qualifying the lead, and finally acquiring the customer. Listen to learn more! We spoke with the SDRs, the BDRs, and now it's time to talk to the big kahuna, the VP of Revenue, Doug Campbell. He sits down with George to discuss managing a sales teams of 40+ and soon to be 90+ by the end of 2020. Doug explains that because they are growing so quickly they needed a scalable and repeatable training model. There is a term Dougs team uses, called the Unicorn Lead. Doug got his start in the newspaper industry selling advertising, which he quickly excelled at and branched out into sports marketing, jack of all sales you might say. Doug is widely recognized as an award-winning leader in driving revenue growth via successful teams throughout his 20+ year career. He is currently is the VP of Revenue with Vendasta where he continues to drive hyper-growth working with businesses across the globe.

314: How to Have Effective Discovery Calls | Master Sales Series

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 18:33:58 +0000

Kudos to our listeners for providing this weeks topic! George pulls together best practices when it making Discovery Calls on this edition of the Master Sales Series. Imagine you had 200 leads that came in and you were only going to close 10% of them or if you are a rock star, 25% of them. We get the nitty gritty details and proven tactics when having that first discovery call. As salespeople, we need to be very careful and deliberate in the way we are communicating with a customer when having those first calls. George runs through everything from that first initial call to discussing how leads come into your funnel, there are some different tactics for different scenarios. In some instances, we have been doing this for a long time, we know we have the answers and we can solve the problems of any customer. We have a tendency to skip over very important pieces for building rapport and trust.

313: Location, Location, Location - Multi Location! With Mike Giamprini

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:23:12 +0000

Being able to sell to multi location businesses is becoming a necessity, we have Mike Giamprini to give Conquerors the scoop. Mike Giamprini, Managing Partner of G Partners, shares his struggles and wins when it comes to selling multi location listings to SMBs. He shares his experience with 411 on the transition from traditional to digital media and how he had to completely retrain an entire sales force. Mike tells us that if he were to go back in time and do it all over again he would focus more time on the educational piece because where there is confusion there is opportunity. Mike is a veteran of the “local” space and has been leading sales and marketing organizations focused on helping businesses of all sizes thrive in a digital world. Knowing that national brands need to connect with audiences at the hyper-local level, Mike founded G Partners in 2016 with a best-in-class digital marketing stack of products and services and combined that with a deep knowledge of G Partners’ clients’ businesses to effectively drive growth at every stage of their customer’s journey.

312: Pain Points of Forecasting | Master Sales Series

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:58:57 +0000

What is forecasting? It's about creating predictable revenue model—you need a plan, it needs to be concrete, and it needs to have a strategy behind it. The Master Sales Series tackles the pain points of constructing a revenue model for a new year. We take a look at the three different personas of forecasting; the sandbagger, the sharp shooter, and the optimist. George shares from his own struggles and the times when he has missed his projected revenue. After doing extensive research and having conversations with industry experts George has developed a new approach to forecasting. George is responsible for business development with Vendasta’s large channel partners, as well as managing our in-house sales team. As the host of the Conquer Local Podcast, George’s personal mandate is to make local sales better. A digital interpreter, George has preached the gospel of online reputation management directly to the local businesses of hundreds of cities across North America. He translates his knowledge of the digital landscape into accessible information for those still stuck in the rut of traditional media. With nearly three decades of experience in marketing, sales and promotion, George is a highly compelling speaker, always in demand across North America — vital content and emphatic delivery are combined for an enlightening presentation. George’s expertise in sales, training, networking, management and marketing comes from the numerous executive and ownership positions he has held across multiple media and service-related businesses. His track record of success is continued here at Vendasta.

311: Discipline Leads Results, with Steve Whittington

Wed, 20 Nov 2019 16:13:04 +0000

Discipline leads results with eight key metrics to drive revenue. Steve Whittington, Executive Vice President of the Flaman Group, is back for a second time! After getting plucked off the face of a mountain by a helicopter Steve gave up mountain climbing and decided to channel is passion into his work. We get the inside scoop on Whittington's new book, Thriving in the Customer Age. The book lays out the framework with eight key metrics that can be applied and used to measure the customer experience initiative results, tied directly to the bottom line. Whittington has over 25 years experience in the (B2C) business to consumer, (B2B) business to business and (B2A) business to any space. From consulting, marketing agency work and as an executive and board member for manufacturing and retail firms.He is also Managing Director of a boutique digital agency, Graphic Intuitions. Steve's current board work includes serving as Chair of the Board for Flaman Fitness Canada, a national retailer; President of the Glenora Child Care Society; and a member of the Marketing Program Advisory Committee for NAIT's JR Shaw School of Business. Outside his professional life, Steve is a leader in the mountains. An avid mountaineer, he has reached the summit of 50 mountains, including Mount Everest in 2013. On many of his climbs he has been the expedition leader and/or lead climber. Steve believes his leadership in the mountains has a direct application to his successful leadership in his business life.

310: Booth or No Booth at Conferences | Master Sales Series

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 15:10:08 +0000

The Master Sales Series is back! George Leith gives the dos and don'ts of conferences. The man has attended over 500 conferences in his 30+ years of sales. George divulges over 10 different methods on how to improve yourself and your team when attending conferences. Everything from making yourself memorable, creating goals for conferences, and how to gamify your team. This episode is one you will want to save and share with your sales teams before your next conference. George is responsible for business development with Vendasta’s large channel partners, as well as managing our in-house sales team. As the host of the Conquer Local Podcast, George’s personal mandate is to make local sales better. A digital interpreter, George has preached the gospel of online reputation management directly to the local businesses of hundreds of cities across North America. He translates his knowledge of the digital landscape into accessible information for those still stuck in the rut of traditional media. With nearly three decades of experience in marketing, sales and promotion, George is a highly compelling speaker, always in demand across North America — vital content and emphatic delivery are combined for an enlightening presentation. George’s expertise in sales, training, networking, management and marketing comes from the numerous executive and ownership positions he has held across multiple media and service-related businesses. His track record of success is continued here at Vendasta. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

309: Four Sales Formulas, with Mark Roberge

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 19:26:04 +0000

There are four sales formulas, one for hiring, training, managing, and demand generation for a scalable and repeatable revenue growth model. Mark Roberge, Advisor to HubSpot and former Chief Revenue Officer of HubSpot’s Sales Division, is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. Roberge and George Leith dive deep into his book, Sales Acceleration Formulas. They are four sales formulas, the sales hiring formula, the sales training formula, the sales management formula, and the demand generation formula. One important golden nugget from this week is for salespeople and sales leaders to get away from doing everything the same old way just because that's how their organization has been doing it. We need to apply data and be able to come up with ways to make it better. The most overused word is scalable, but that's what we're all aiming for. It’s to find repeatable models that are scalable to help meet the ever-growing goals in sales organizations. Mark Roberge is the bestselling author of the award-winning book, “The Sales Acceleration Formula: Using Data, Technology, and Inbound Selling to Go from $0 to $100 Million”. Mark is one of the instructors for HubSpot Academy's Inbound Sales Certification and also a Senior Lecturer in the Entrepreneurial Management Unit at the Harvard Business School, where he teaches Entrepreneurial Sales and Marketing in the second-year MBA program. Prior to his role as CRO, Mark served as SVP of Worldwide Sales and Services at HubSpot, increasing revenue over 6,000% and expanding the team from 1 to 450 employees. As a result, HubSpot placed #33 on the INC 500 Fastest Growing Companies list in 2011. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

308: Don't Miss the Opportunity in Political Advertising, with Steve Passwaiter

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 16:28:10 +0000

Conquerors you asked for it, we delivered. We are digging deep into the opportunity of political advertising. Steve Passwaiter, VP/GM for Kantar/CMAG, is on the podcast to discuss the ins and outs of political advertising. Steve and George look at the chance salespeople have to be a part of the action that doesn't come around too often. They are estimating $6 billion will be spent next year between broadcast television, cable network, digital, and radio. A nice cash injection that a lot of media companies and salespeople who live on commission are really looking forward to. There are elections everywhere in the world, when we think politics we often think presidential elections, but there is way more than that in the local markets. When we dig into the markets, there's Senate elections, election for sheriff, elections for governors, and elections for Congress and the Senate. Steve is responsible for general oversight of Kantar’s DC based political ad intelligence unit and leads business development efforts. Prior to joining CMAG as Senior Director of Business Development, Passwaiter was the founder and CEO of SLP Media Strategies, which provided outsourced business development services. He is also a former Board Adviser for Sportsdigita, an interactive sports agency that specializes in digital sponsorship, ticketing and fan engagement products for professional sports teams, and served as Vice President of Business Development for BIA/Kelsey. Steve is a graduate of John Carroll University where he majored in Communications and History.

307: Generation Z is Coming for Us, with Kimberli Lewis

Wed, 23 Oct 2019 16:48:38 +0000

Generation Z will shape the new SMB landscape, what does that mean for salespeople? The Conquer Local Podcast travels to the Czech Republic to speak with Kimberli J. Lewis, President and General Manager of the Search and Information Association Europe. Kimberli explains how Generation Z is slowly but significantly changing the SMB landscape. By 2030 it is projected that 42% of SMBs will have Generation Z owners. While every generation has contributed to its share of disruption in the way we do business, Generation Z will significantly change the way local businesses are operated. Kimberli and George discuss how this evolution will affect our business growth strategies, our products, and the way we connect with the Generation Z SMB owner. Kimberli has over 20 years’ CEO experience in media, search, and online companies. She has managed or served on the boards of companies in Germany, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Poland, Gibraltar, Israel, United Kingdom, and United States. Kimberli is recognized as an expert in the industry of search, information, and digital advertising and has won over 29 International awards in marketing and product development. Kimberli is also a certified Executive Coach, Systemic Team Coach and Organizational Leadership Trainer with graduate degrees from Henley Business School and London Academy of Executive Coaching. She specializes in helping organizations implement diversity, generational management and leadership programs for succession plans.Kimberli is the host of the radio broadcast Leadership Beyond Borders which airs on VoiceAmerica Internet Radio every Tuesday 3 pm, PT and is ranked with 5 stars on iTunes podcasts. The show focuses on digital transition and organization leadership. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

306: Four Mental Leashes, with Jason Forrest | Part 2

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 16:48:19 +0000

There are four Mental Leashes that are holding you back from being a top performing salesperson. Sales is a mental game and mindset is everything. Jason Forrest, CEO and Founder of the Forrest Performance Group, is back for the last two mental leashes—Rules and Self Image. Jason defines rules as anything that you need to see, feel, or hear in order to give yourself permission to engage. We are never going to have one prospect that meets all of our wishes. We need to be flexible, and like Jason said, we need to let those rules go because they are blocking our performance. The last mental leash is Self Image. Seems like a no brainer but sometimes as salespeople, we forget how important it is. Jason walks us through an easy to do exercise that anyone can do to gain perspective on their own self image. A special gift for all the conquers out there from Jason, a copy of his new book—The Mindset of a Sales Warrior—visit book-salesmindset.com. Jason is a winner of four international Stevie Awards for his Warrior Selling and Leadership Coaching training programs. He is an award-winning author and has written five books. Jason lives on the leading edge of the sales industry. As a behavioral change expert and maverick entrepreneur, Jason believes the only way to break your sales plateau is to completely change the way you look at sales. And that means an extreme focus on pulling the future of sales into the present. Jason’s mission is to give every sales professional, manager, and executive the tactical, real-world knowledge so they can remove any limiting beliefs keeping them from breaking their plateaus. In the course of that decades-long mission, Jason’s trained billion-dollar companies and everyone from high-powered CEOs to frontline salespeople to increase their effectiveness by driving more profit. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

305: Four Mental Leashes, with Jason Forrest | Part 1

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 16:06:29 +0000

Sales is a mental game and mindset is everything. There are four mental leashes holding us back, it's the challenge of unlearning vs learning. Jason Forrest, CEO at Forrest Performance Group, is our guest this week and he is a machine. He gives us a perspective and breaks down the gritty details on how sales is a mental game. Jason discovered a powerful realization that the best training isn't just telling people what to do, or how to do it, or even why to do it. It's unleashing their mindset. It's removing those mental chokeholds to help them see the true, fully realized picture of their abilities. The four mental leashes are limiting beliefs every person experiences it's that voice inside your head whispering you can't do something. We dig deep into the first two mental leashes: Stories and Reluctance. Jason is a winner of four international Stevie Awards for his Warrior Selling and Leadership Coaching training programs. He is an award winning author and has written five books. Jason lives on the leading edge of the sales industry. As a behavioral change expert and maverick entrepreneur, Jason believes the only way to break your sales plateau is to completely change the way you look at sales. And that means an extreme focus on pulling the future of sales into the present. Jason’s mission is to give every sales professional, manager, and executive the tactical, real-world knowledge so they can remove any limiting beliefs keeping them from breaking their plateaus. In the course of that decades-long mission, Jason’s trained billion-dollar companies and everyone from high-powered CEOs to frontline salespeople to increase their effectiveness by driving more profit. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

304: The Holy Grail - Monthly Recurring Revenue, with Sam Jacobs

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 17:32:00 +0000

Monthly recurring revenue is the holy grail of every business. Sam Jacobs, the Founder of Revenue Collective, joins George this week to compare notes on monthly recurring revenue and the effectiveness. Sam explains how not only does a product need to have market fit but that the product has to be ready and deliver value beyond a testing environment. He goes on to decode the notion that sales comes first, when in actuality it should start with product, then customer success, moving to marketing and demand generation, and then finally onto sales. Artificial intelligence is coming, what does that mean for our beloved SDR? George and Sam explore the importance of the human connection when it comes to sales. Sam founded the Revenue Collective in 2016 and in a few short years and it has sky rocketed to over 600 members. The Revenue Collective is an exclusive membership for growth operators dedicated to providing support, assistance, education, and career growth to their members. He helps commercial operators change the trajectory of their careers. They are a global organization with official chapters in New York, London, Denver, Toronto, Boston, Indianapolis, and Amsterdam and more chapters coming online in the next few months and years. For the past 15 years, Sam has helped companies scale from just north of $0 in revenue to just shy of $300M. During that time, he's developed deep operational expertise with particular emphasis on go-to-market strategy and execution mainly with SaaS and recurring revenue businesses. Sam has been a commercial operator at GLG, Livestream/Vimeo, The Muse, and Behavox. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

303: Life as a BDR, with Todd Roberts & Myron Kindrachuk | Inside Sales

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 16:50:08 +0000

Digging deep on inside sales, life as a Business Development Representative. We continue our new segment, Inside Sales! We are excited to have the opportunity to speak with a couple BDRs to gain their perspective. Todd Roberts, Director of Sales, and Myron Kindrachuk, Senior Business Development, join us on the podcast to share what it's like to be on the sales floor day-to-day. We talk through the proper way in motivating a sales team and as a leader, which sometimes means going above and beyond the standard. Negativity spreads like a virus in sales culture, Todd explains how to deal with it and why it's necessary to cut it out. Myron Kindrachuk, has been working in B2B sales for 10 years. He is experienced in Business Development with a demonstrated history of success in the Software As A Service industry. Skilled in negotiating sales, cold calling, sales operations and sales management. Myron has been with Vendasta for more than 4 years, he specializes in developing long-term relationships with clients by providing the solutions to maximize ROI. Myron has and always will be consultative selling by helping clients make the right decisions for their organizations and developing a long term partnership. Todd Roberts is the Director of Sales at Vendasta and leads a solution-focused and professional team on the Vendasta sales floor. He motivates by example and proves to partners that recurring revenue in local sales and marketing is not only possible, but essential. Before he began wowing potential partners into signing up for the Vendasta platform, some of his many skills included master bartending - just like Tom Cruise, except taller and better looking. Smiling with bugs in his teeth, and travel the world on his Harley every chance he gets. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

302: Building a Winning Sales Playbook, with Matt Sunshine

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 16:15:35 +0000

Building a winning sales playbook is no easy endeavour, but we have you covered. This week's guest is an expert at building them. Matt Sunshine is a Managing Partner at the Center for Sales Strategy, a sales performance consulting company that helps sales organizations attract, retain, and develop the highest performing sales people. Matt's extensive background in the broadcaster space brings a fresh feel to the Conquer Local Podcast. Matt walks us through how to build a winning sales playbook with a three step process, he shares his tried and tested three key elements for hiring a sales team, and he shares what is happening in the broadcasting space and explains the why they are getting into the digital marketing stack now. Matt’s areas of expertise include growing sales organizations, finding and developing sales superstars, sales process, lead generation, inbound marketing, and digital marketing, and he is a featured writer for one of the top sales blogs in America and a regular contributor to leading business blogs and magazines such as Inc., Sales and Marketing Management, Sales Hacker, and Entrepreneur. In 2012, Matt developed and launched LeadG2, an Inbound Marketing company that helps businesses establish thought leadership and lower lead costs. LeadG2 has earned the premier Hubspot recognition as a platinum Certified Partner and is the largest inbound marketing company serving the media industry in the world today. He is also the author of “Getting Prospects to Raise Their Hand” and Forbes magazine lists Matt as one of the 20 Speakers You Shouldn't Miss The Opportunity To See. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

301: Life as an SDR, with Glen Bowie & Michael Patola | Inside Sales

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 21:42:11 +0000

Winners do things losers don't want to do, the life as a Sales Development Representative. We have a new segment starting on the Conquer Local Podcast—Inside Sales. Glen Bowie, Manager of Agency Growth, and Michael Patola, Agency Growth Specialist at Vendasta, join us to divulge what it's like to work in today's sales landscape. We often discuss sales strategies from an executive level and we sometimes miss out on the nitty gritty details from the people who are on the floor crushing it day in and day out. We discuss the importance of culture, motivating your team within, organizing your thoughts, and why strategically planning your day will set-up you up for success. Glen Bowie leads an insightful sales team with an emphasis on identifying problems and providing solutions to prospects. He develops sales strategies to expand Vendasta's customer base and trains and motivates his team to achieve sales targets and revenue goals. Michael Patola is an accomplished sales and marketing consultant who has helped build and refine sales development techniques. He works with organizations to understand their goals and help them retain and grow digital revenue. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

300: Building Trust with Customers, with Jim Tracy

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 19:45:02 +0000

The most important detail of the customer experience is building trust, we must start on day 1. We are kicking off Season 3 with Jim Tracy, President and Founder of EZlocal. Jim manages a sales force that's spread all over the United States, and they continue to grow. He explains what the first thing he teaches his sales force, trust. We have to listen to our customers, if we're not listening to our customers, if we're not paying attention to them, if we're not communicating with them, they will leave. A simple question during the initial welcome call can solve it. Jim sheds light on his unique compensation model for his sales teams and how that leads into their customer service and success. Jim is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, Jim served as senior vice president of National Translink Corporation and, over a span of 10 years, worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to grow their businesses and reach more customers. Over the years Jim had witnessed countless small businesses going out of business as a result of heightened competition from big corporations and online retailers. This led to the inspiration in creating America's Best Companies. Jim strives to bring the issues of the small business owner to the forefront, while leading a dedicated and professional staff working to make a difference for the small business community. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

256: Voice Search & Listings, with Brooke Henderson

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 17:49:52 +0000

Voice search is our future, are you ready? Listings data and voice search are starting to become hand-in-hand. Brooke Henderson, Senior Director of Strategic Partnership Growth at Yext, is our amazing guest this week. Brooke and George take a deep dive into the listing sources ecosystem. It's happening people, the future is voice search. Brooke explains the value of having the capability and the know how to incorporate voice search into listings data. Set it and forget it is a thing of the past, especially when it comes to listings. Various listing companies are all working with one another to compare their data. Find out was Uber how stays current. Brooke grew up in small business, her experience running sales organizations, selling radio advertising, and co-founding a small digital agency has been the driving force behind her success in developing turnkey reseller strategies in the world of digital marketing since 2012. The demand to have the best marketing strategies for their small business clients are the sole focus of her partners, and her passion is to give them the strategies and resources to execute, drive revenue, and decrease client attrition with digital knowledge management. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

255: George's Top Tips - Talk Tracks

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 17:45:17 +0000

Is your presentation different every time? Why? If you have something that's working, why would you change it every time? Our extraordinary host, George Leith, walks us through the importance of having a talk track. They can also be called a value propositions. In this episode we're going to discuss writing talk tracks and building compelling value propositions. Talk tracks get a bad rap of being a way to keep a salesperson in a box. A talk track isn't an "insert name here" and run through a presentation like a robot. The purpose of a talk track is to identify problems and then work on writing a talk track on how your product or services solves those problems. By finding a sense of urgency or finding things that are critical for various reasons, you can start thinking about that when writing talk track. George is a thoroughly experienced, educational, and inspirational sales and marketing keynote speaker who can enlighten your company or professional association on best practices for transforming sales and utilizing social media’s innovative concepts to align your digital media marketing with current trends and prepare it for the unpredictable times ahead. As a sales transformation keynote speaker, author and guest university lecturer, he has a unique ability to demystify concepts and inspire businesses and professionals to understand and truly embrace the potential that digital transformation has for many business objectives including sales, business development, and marketing for B2B, non-profit organizations, as well as government institutions. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

254: 4 Keys to Retention, with Matt Tennison

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 16:17:04 +0000

Regardless of what your sales strategy is, you need to have some type of post-sales retention strategy. Tune in to learn the 4 Keys to Retention. Matt Tennison, VP of Business Development and Partners with Boostability, joins George this week to discuss retention. Matt gave such an insightful presentation at Conquer Local that we had to have him on the podcast to share it with our listeners. He walks us through the four keys to retention; Product Knowledge, Post Sales Engagement, Sales Training, and Product Sales Support. Matt and George dig deep into each key to retention, and provide examples and best practices. Matt has over 20 years of experience in the marketing and advertising field and over 15 years of experience in high-level business development and partner relations. Over his career, Matt has worked for large advertising publications and national agencies, where he achieved great success in advertising sales, business development, and sales management. Prior to joining Boostability in 2011, Matt ran an advertising agency for eight years, where he became very familiar with both traditional marketing methods and digital marketing techniques. He has an intimate understanding of the small business marketplace and an expertise in forging high-performing partner relationships. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

253: A Subscription Economy, with Patrick Campbell

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 15:25:47 +0000

Whether it's a gym membership, food box subscription, subscription software, or a media subscription, the subscription economy is here and is taking over. There is no one besides Patrick Campbell, Co-Founder and CEO of ProfitWell, that can discuss subscriptions as eloquently as he does. Patrick joins us this week to dig deep into what a subscription based price model looks like. The beauty of the subscription model is for the first time in history, there is now a revenue model where how we make money is baked directly into the relationship with the customer. How to price a subscription model is focused on two major pillars of growth, how it's priced and the cost per customer as well as retaining those customers. Patrick Campbell is the Co-Founder and CEO of ProfitWell, the industry standard software for helping companies like Atlassian, Autodesk, Meetup, and Lyft with their monetization (through Price Intelligently) and retention strategies. ProfitWell also provides a turnkey solution that powers the subscription financial metrics for over eight thousand subscription companies (it’s free and plugs right into your billing system). Prior to ProfitWell Patrick led Strategic Initiatives for Boston based Gemvara and was an Economist at Google and the US Intelligence community. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

252: Methodologies for Hiring Salespeople, with Butch Langlois

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:21:30 +0000

Methodologies for sales team structure, hiring salespeople, compensation, and more. Butch Langlois, a fellow Canadian, joins the Conquer Local Podcast this week. Butch is the President of North America at Vend, he has an accounting background which transited him into being an esteemed sales leader. Butch sheds some light on the Toronto Revenue Collective, what it is, why it exists, and how it's beneficial to all sales leaders. Butch and George explore best practices when a company starts expanding their sales team and hiring remote employees. Butch explains why he hires his salespeople in groups and how he has been successful doing so. Vend is the cloud based retail point of sale and inventory management system running in more than 25,000 stores around the world. Butch leads strategy and operations for Vends largest region, including managing North American headquarters in Toronto. He’s also the Chairman and Founding Member of the Toronto Revenue Collective, an organization designed to support the professional development of revenue leaders at high growth companies and facilitate the sharing of best practices. An accountant by trade, before Vend, Butch was the CFO for the internet division at Rogers Communication, a publicly traded Canadian telecom company with more than 25,000 employees. Prior to Rogers, his decades of experience in high growth startups includes senior roles at companies like comparative shopping site BuyBuddy.com, e-commerce platform Truition, interactive travel mapping platform PlanetEye and real estate listing platform Zoocasa. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

251: The Secret is Out, with Chris Montgomery | Highlights from Conquer Local 2019

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 13:31:49 +0000

The secret sauce has spilled! Sales prospecting tools and techniques are revealed to help Conquerors Conquer Local. Chris Montgomery, CEO of Social Ordeals, has come a long way since he first started using Vendasta's products. Chris is proud to be a Vendsata Partner and ready to share his wisdom. Chris and George explore different sales prospecting methods, how to attract the right kind of salesperson, and a few tips for the agencies and entrepreneurs of the world. Chris is a serial entrepreneur and knows what to do and what not to do when it comes to building a successful digital agency. Chris is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur with over twenty-five years of sales, marketing, and digital advertising experience. He has worked with companies from their early stages of development, as well as late-stage ventures. Chris was the founder of 411web.com, co-founded Digicities, and was responsible for the sale of the company to AmericomUSA. Chris is an innovator and uses his experience to take a realistic approach to how businesses unfold in the marketplace. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

250: Selling to the Multi-Family Market, with Erica Byrum | Highlights from Conquer Local 2019

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 22:15:41 +0000

Imagine 50,000 properties, each having hundreds or thousands of tenants—and that's your opportunity set. How do you successfully manage marketing, sales, and eventually fulfilment at that scale? The answer lies in alignment. Erica is the Assistant VP of Social Media for Apartments.com, but she's also an author, a serial award winner, and a phenomenal presenter. Today, she joins us on the Conquer Local podcast to share her expertise on social media, real estate, marketing/selling to the multi-family segment, and navigating business acquisition scenarios. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

249: Leading with Value, with Nick Roshon | Highlights from Conquer Local 2019

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 21:55:53 +0000

Does the first call decide the fate of the sale? Is the closing call becoming due diligence? This week on the Conquer Local podcast, we are joined by Nick Roshon, VP of Sales for Neil Patel Digital. Nick shares his knowledge on discovery calls, pipeline management, leveraging sales technology, and his own three-legged stool analogy for finding great sales talent. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

248: Disruption and Reorganization, with Matt Dosch | Highlights from Conquer Local 2019

Wed, 03 Jul 2019 18:35:36 +0000

Every organization that is conducting business for profit is dealing with some sort of disruption and they need to be thinking about reorganization. We have a series of episodes coming at you from Conquer Local 2019 where we snagged some infamous people in the sales and digital marketing realm. Matt Dosch, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Comporium, joins us to discuss how a business reorganizes itself after transitioning to digital. Matt explains that it isn't a one-time fix but rather an ongoing notion that always needs to be evaluated. How does an organization handle people that have been there for 25 years, or employees who are in their 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s? Each cohort of employees have different things they care about, different things that drive them, and different things that are important to them. George and Matt explore the level of aptitude a leader should have by speaking to the people they work with on a day-to-day basis. Matt joined Comporium, the nation’s 13th largest incumbent telephone company and 27th largest cable company, in 1994 and has served in a variety of capacities within the enterprise, culminating in his current position. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, he is responsible for designing and implanting relevant business strategies, plans, and procedures to achieve short- and long-term strategic goals. He oversees business development, sales, installation and repair, and customer care. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

247: The SEO Effect within Listings, with Jonathan Best

Wed, 26 Jun 2019 14:22:26 +0000

Listings aren't just names, addresses, and phone numbers anymore. They now have a SEO effect. Jonathan Best, Uberall's new Chief Revenue Officer, is our guest this week on the Conquer Local Podcast. Our audience can't get enough insight into how to sell the value of consistent listing data for a local business. Jonathan explains that Listings now need to include voice search capability and how that is impacting things like how it integrates into online reputation. The standard "Can I find you?" is now very closely matched with, "Can I trust you?" Jonathan Best is responsible for all revenue generating functions of the location marketing leader. Prior to Uberall, he was Senior Vice President and General Manager for Europe and Africa at Kony Inc. Earlier in his career, Jonathan served in various sales leadership roles at SAP, Oracle and a range of start ups. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

246: A Sales Force Army, with Morgan Stevenson

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 20:41:22 +0000

Continuous training of a sales force army in the ever changing digital market is crucial, a must, and a necessity. Conquer Local is in the UK this week with Morgan Stevenson, Director of SME Solutions at Newsquest Media. Morgan has an army of 1,000 salespeople in the UK and is a pivotal part in tearing down barriers that his army is facing in the transformation to digital. George and Morgan dig into the real transformation challenge in the digital marketing space, training the street-level sales force. They explain how investing in your salespeople is a must with the ever evolving Facebook and Google landscape. Morgan shares how salespeople need to demonstrate that one piece of content can be turned into a digital ad, magazine article, social posts, blogs, and the list goes on. Morgan is responsible for the delivery of best in class Digital Marketing solutions for local businesses in Newsquest markets. He leads the development of the Newsquest Sales Academy and is responsible for driving revenues via Newsquest Medias part in the UK media -first publisher partnership, 1XL. Morgan joined Newsquest from Trinity Mirror where he was Digital Innovation Director, and he has previously held positions as Commercial Development Director, Local World and Head of Display at Johnston Press. He started his career in advertising sales and has a degree in Engineering from the University of Leeds. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

245: George's Top Tips - Setting Goals That Get Results

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 16:58:38 +0000

Are you setting goals or just making wishes? Goal setting is a task that demands discipline, constant effort, and clear measures for success. But, how often should you revisit your goals? What expectations should you be setting for yourself? Should you be flexible or firm with those goals? How do you best measure results and hold yourself accountable? And most importantly, have you given yourself permission to succeed? All of your burning questions will be answered in this week's episode of the Conquer Local podcast. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

244: No matter the Industry, Sales is Sales, with Lance Tyson

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 13:47:42 +0000

Whether it's the sports industry, marketing industry, or insurance industry sales is sales. We have a special guest—Lance Tyson, CEO of the Tyson Group, joins us! Lance and George discuss how now more than ever buyers are becoming an expert before reaching out to a salesperson. Lance confirms our hypothesis that as salespeople, we need to be the trusted advisor, have and build rapport with our clients, and having credibility. Lance explains what it means to be a gritty salesperson, in a good way. Lance Tyson began his career more than twenty years ago with Dale Carnegie Training, where he built the most successful sales operation in North America. In 2010, Lance formed PRSPX, where he transitioned from trainer, to partner, to key business advisor for such clients as the Cleveland Cavaliers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and McGohan Brabender, among others. In 2017, Lance founded his current venture, Tyson Group, with a keen focus on coaching, training, and consulting with sales leaders and their teams to better compete in the midst of complex business environments. Tyson Group received an honorable mention on Selling Power’s 2018 list of Top 20 Sales Training Companies, and currently works with a long list of premiere professional sports organizations including TopGolf, the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and the San Francisco 49’ers, among others. Lance is the author of Selling is an Away Game: Close Business and Complete in a Complex World. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

243: George's Top Tips - Conquering the Gatekeepers to get to the C-Suite

Wed, 29 May 2019 16:14:03 +0000

Selling to the C-Suite can be difficult, getting past the gatekeepers can be even harder. George's Top Tips this week are brought to you by you! The listeners! We tackle how to get past the Gatekeepers to gain influence from the C-Suite. The ability to effectively influence C-level executives means you need demonstrate how your solutions solve C-level business problems. Gaining access to top executives is the first step towards influencing their buying decisions. George goes into detail about how to build yourself as a trusted expert by asking for warm intros and having case studies to show value. He shares how to present yourself as a brand and how to create an even stronger one. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

242: Selling Air, with Paul Jacobs

Wed, 22 May 2019 15:53:23 +0000

Air is a moldable commodity, audio in digital marketing is about framing the story on selling air. No story, no sale. Paul Jacobs, VP of Jacobs Media, joins us this week! George and Paul, two grey-haired radio salespeople, dive into detail how the transition from traditional radio sales and non-traditional revenue has evolved. They touch on how the radio audience has transformed and how broadcasters need to embrace other platforms to solve clients problems. Jacobs Media has been around for thirty-five years and has provided programming, digital, sales, and social media consulting to commercial and public radio stations, including Entercom, Cox, Beasley, Hubbard, Bell Media, NPR, PRI, and many others. The company is credited with the creation of the Classic Rock radio format for commercial radio, and its research studies, including its Tech survey studies for the radio industry. Jacobs has become a leading spokesperson for the radio industry regarding the changing in-car audio experience. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

241: George's Top Tips - How to Handle Objections

Wed, 15 May 2019 15:49:31 +0000

Since we were young we've had to deal with how to handle objections, whether it was convincing our parents to give us more candy before bed or being a teenager asking for a later curfew. Times have changed but handling objections during a sale sometimes never get easier. Mr. George Leith, our phenomenal host, takes us through how to handle objections. Prospects who say "No" or "Maybe" are not always the most pleasant to deal with. George's Top Tips include the secret sauce for effective salespeople, how to work through a sale when a prospect stalls, and how to reframe the conversation when a prospect flat out says "No." He explains the four different types of objections AND the five strategies to handle those objections. George is thoroughly experienced, educational and inspirational sales and marketing keynote speaker who can enlighten your company or professional association on best practices for transforming sales and utilizing social media’s innovative concepts to align your digital media marketing with current trends and prepare it for the unpredictable times ahead. As a sales transformation keynote speaker, author and guest university lecturer, he has a unique ability to demystify concepts and inspire businesses and professionals to understand and truly embrace the potential that digital transformation has for many business objectives including sales, business development, and marketing for B2B, non-profit organizations, as well as government institutions. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

240: The Battle of Positioning, with April Dunford

Wed, 08 May 2019 16:32:56 +0000

If we could convince our competitors to stop adapting and our customers to stop evolving we'd only ever have to position once. April Dunford, CEO of Ambient Strategy, gives us a sneak peak for her upcoming talk at the Conquer Local conference! She goes over how to nail product positioning, when to reposition, and how to adapt positioning to the ever changing marketing landscape. April shares two ways to think about positioning, from the perspective of the salesperson connecting with the SMB and from Saas companies to position themselves against their competitors. She provides insights on how to communicate what's really special about a product/service and what a business can offer so they can standout in the crowd. April Dunford is an executive consultant, speaker, and author who helps technology companies make complicated products easy for customers to understand and love. She is a globally recognized expert in Positioning and Market strategy. Previously, April has run marketing and sales teams at a series of successful technology startups and has launched 16 products into market. She is also a board member, investor, and advisor to dozens of high-growth businesses and is the author of the upcoming book Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get it, Buy it, Love it. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

239: George's Top Tips - How to Crush a Presentation

Wed, 01 May 2019 15:26:25 +0000

Are your presentations making your audience fall asleep? Do you read your slides? Do you have filler words? George's Top Tips for presentations can fix that. Our gracious host, George Leith, is back with another teaching episode! This week George tackles how to tweak your presentation skills to make them more effective, more concise, and to deliver them stronger. You, the listeners, will walk away with four new exercises to help you in making your presentation skills one to be reckon with. George is thoroughly experienced, educational and inspirational sales and marketing keynote speaker who can enlighten your company or professional association on best practices for transforming sales and utilizing social media’s innovative concepts to align your digital media marketing with current trends and prepare it for the unpredictable times ahead. As a sales transformation keynote speaker, author and guest university lecturer, he has a unique ability to demystify concepts and inspire businesses and professionals to understand and truly embrace the potential that digital transformation has for many business objectives including sales, business development, and marketing for B2B, non-profit organizations, as well as government institutions. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

238: The Curse of Commoditization, with Katie Martell

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 15:33:56 +0000

Commoditization is such a beautiful word that means nothing, but it is so important to understand. Katie Martell, CMO and co-founder of Cintel, will be speaking at the Conquer Local Conference in 2019, June 10-12 in San Diego! She can walk the walk AND talk the talk. Katie gives us a teaser on what she will be sharing with our Conquer Local audience, commoditization. She explains that it doesn't matter what you sell, you are likely selling into a commoditized market. It's an issue that all companies are facing every single day. Katie Martell is an independent voice in the marketing community and known as the “unapologetic marketing truth-teller.” She has been named “one of the most interesting people in B2B marketing,” a “marketing expert to follow” and a top marketing writer on LinkedIn. Katie is a frequent speaker and emcee at conferences including TEDx, INBOUND, and MarketingProfs, and serves as the Co-Executive Director of Boston Content, the city’s largest community of content professionals. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Rabble Rousers, and hosts the Explicit Content podcast with Enterprise Marketer, featuring direct and honest conversations about marketing.

237: George's Top Tips - Cold Calling

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 17:21:33 +0000

You asked for it, we listened! We are bringing back our coaching episodes. George Leith is a mad man that truly ENJOYS cold calling. Our wicked host, George Leith, breaks down cold calling this week. He walks us through George's Top Tips for being successful when making cold calls. He goes through how to handle the rejection when a prospect flat out says—no. He draws from his experience and tactics on how to win the "Unicorn" or the "Whale" that you've been dreaming of closing. George even tells you how to get rid of the uhmms out of your pitches. Listen to learn more! George is thoroughly experienced, educational and inspirational sales and marketing keynote speaker who can enlighten your company or professional association on best practices for transforming sales and utilizing social media’s innovative concepts to align your digital media marketing with current trends and prepare it for the unpredictable times ahead. As a sales transformation keynote speaker, author and guest university lecturer, he has a unique ability to demystify concepts and inspire businesses and professionals to understand and truly embrace the potential that digital transformation has for many business objectives including sales, business development, and marketing for B2B, non-profit organizations, as well as government institutions. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

236 : Started from a Survey now he's here - how Gordon Borrell Built a Business

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:47:59 +0000

Gordon Borrell built an entire business around a survey, and he's still at it! It's 10 years running and there isn't a stop in sight. Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates, has confirmed what we've been hypothesizing for awhile now. The customer journey needs to have a relationship built off trust, BUT he throws in a twist. Listen and find out what the secret sauce is. Gordon Borrell is ranked in the top 2% among Gerson Lehrman Group’s 150,000 consultants worldwide and is quoted frequently in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Ad Age, Forbes and other publications. He has appeared on CNN and other TV and radio programs discussing trends and forecasts for local media. Prior to starting Borrell Associates, Gordon was vice president for new media for Landmark Communications, where he worked for 22 years. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

235: There is no I in Team Sales, with Peter Urmson

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 17:00:24 +0000

The Solo Salesperson is a thing of the past. The new and proven approach is Team Sales. Conquer Local heads to Amsterdam! We get to pick the brain of Peter Urmson, CEO of Spotzer. We discuss the sophistication of customers knowledge and how it's evolving. The Sales Teams need to be on the cutting edge to keep up with the trends and the changes coming from the big guys like Google, Facebook, and Bing. In turn, this makes the Sales Team a trusted advisor. Peter tells us how the message and information that the salesperson shares with the customer needs to be simple and not oversell or over promise. Spotzer has gone through massive growth with Peter at the helm. Focused on websites, e-commerce, SEM and SEO in 23 countries and 18 languages. Producing several thousand sites and ad campaigns a month means Spotzer needs to be incredibly well organized as a high performing team. Peter advocates that the key to Spotzer's success is having great teams of people who are all trying to make a positive impact of the lives of their customers. It's what gives us a laser focus on quality of service and great products. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

234: He who Elevates, Doctrinates - with Donny Dye

Wed, 27 Mar 2019 16:34:31 +0000

Broken sales team? Sales team not meeting their quota? Sales culture not great? We have ALL of those answers. Donny Dye is the founder of Quota NYC. Quota NYC helps companies build sales systems that scale efficiently and can be managed through a simple quota. Donny gives us his inside scoop on what culture should look like and how it will motivate your sales team. He tells us why working from the bottom up in an organization gives you the strongest understanding. For an added bonus, Donny tells us the two things he would create if he had a magic wand and makes a great reference to the Will Ferrell movie, Ricky Bobby. Donny has over 15 years of Saas and enterprise sales experience by selling, leading, and guiding companies scale predictable revenue. If you are building a sales team or have broken a sales team, Quota NYC can help.

Market Qualified Leads in South Africa, with Lyndon Munetsi

Wed, 20 Mar 2019 16:43:30 +0000

No matter the market there is a common denominator, market qualified leads. Conquer Local travels to South Africa this week! We pick the brain of Lyndon Munetsi, Chief Revenue Officer for Trudon, the publishers of the Yellow Pages in South Africa. Lyndon takes us through the journey and the pain points he experienced coming into an organization that has been operating the same way for the last 30 years, the struggles from organization structure, and developing new ways of operating in digital. There is a unique nature to the South African market, there is the ultimate rich to dirt poor people, blue chip companies to small businesses, and capacity to have 500 qualified leads per day to 5 leads to day. Prior to Joining Trudon, Lyndon worked for Accenture as a Digital Transformation Lead, driving transformation activities with listed companies in the Resources, Retail and Telco sectors. He has also held Executive level roles with some of the leading Telco and Media entities in Africa. He has led multifaceted digital teams in driving company-wide digital transformation programs, product innovation, development & execution, digital sales and marketing. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

232: Think like an App, with Neal Polachek

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 15:38:54 +0000

It's not one size fits all anymore, it's all about thinking like an App. The best package to sell to a business is the one the business needs. On this weeks episode we have Neal Polachek, Analyst and Advisor to the Board Advisors, joining us. Are ROI's BS? Neal thinks there are better ways to measure a businesses success on their investment. Business owners are frustrated with all the different marketing tactics when they want to focus on what they do best, their business. Neal talks about the Baby Boomer generation slowly transitioning into retirement and developing an exit strategy. He explains how a different sales pitch is needed to a business owner close to exiting the business world and to someone who is taking over a business. Engaging the end consumer should be approached in an engaging format, like an App. No need to physically build one but thinking about the customer journey and experience. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

The Man who Eats, Lives & Breathes Sales, with Carson Heady

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 13:56:20 +0000

Microsoft sales wizard, Carson Heady, joins us for this weeks episode on Conquer Local. Carson started his career in a call center and now is a top performing sales leader at Microsoft. He has been through it all from dial-up internet, DSL, cellular, to when high-speed internet took off. He gives us his insight on how you can understand and work with the territorial sales person who doesn't want to give up control over their client. Carson explains the path that Microsoft transitioned to the new market while expanding to nearly 50 technology centers worldwide. He tells us how they switched gears to have sales specialists dedicated to accounts and work in tandem with their partners. Carson is also the author of the ‘Birth of a Salesman’ series, which details the art of sales - from interviewing through preparation, pitching, closing and advancing your career in sales. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

230: Mission: Radio to Digital, with Jamie Cohen

Wed, 27 Feb 2019 16:33:54 +0000

The hardest working man in digital gives us his take on aligning a businesses mission to a clients mission. The Conquer Local podcast is traveling to Malibu this week - we pick the brain of Jamie Cohen. Jamie serves as the VP of Local Digital for Salem Media Group and is the catalyst to the launch of their digital agency and go-to market model, Salem Surround. He explains how they reintroduce what they have been doing for clients by positioning it in a different way. Jamie tackles the commission shift from radio to digital and the go-to market philosophy by focusing on prospecting and selling. Salem Media Group is a publicly traded media company with direct ownership of more than 115 radio stations, 100's of websites and 1000's of apps. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

229: The Change from Print to Digital, the How with Luboš Čipera

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 15:21:06 +0000

The logical thing is when everyone in an organization supports sales—everyone wins, right? The challenges may surprise you. Special guest all the way from Czech Republic, CEO of Mediatel, Luboš Čipera! Mediatel transitioned from the traditional directory print side to a digital organization in a quick and efficient way. Luboš gives us the dirty details on what it really takes to transition a company successfully under the ever changing landscape of sales and marketing. He shares how he increased revenue by 12% year over year by focusing on profitability. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

228: Conquering Tomorrow, with Brendan King

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:41:24 +0000

Winter is coming to the marketing landscape, and change is inevitable. So, what will tomorrow hold? This episode is a special one as we reflect on the first full year of the Conquer Local podcast. We bring back the big guy, CEO of Vendasta, Brendan King. We address everything from why we branded the show "Conquer Local," to our formula for giving agencies and enterprises the tools they need to turn themselves into recurring revenue machines. We also discuss the DIY and DIWM models and why it's beneficial to get your clients engaged in the process of digital marketing. And lastly, we explain why SMBs demand more performance from digital marketing compared to more traditional ways of marketing channels. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

Local vs the Big Guys, with Brendan King | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 15:13:44 +0000

Equip your clients for battle against the Amazons of the world with the new digital marketing stack. Our very own Brendan King, CEO of Vendasta, is passionate about local businesses and ensuring they have the tools to succeed. In this week's episode Brendan shares his knowledge on how to equip the local sales teams with the new marketing stack and provides insight on how to compete with the top dogs like Walmart and Starbucks. Brendan explains how local businesses have an advantage by giving a different kind of experience, a personal experience. With a well-rounded digital marketing stack from an agency it allows local business to do what they do best, focus on their customers and develop relationships. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

226: Crushing Churn, with Jackie Cook | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 30 Jan 2019 15:57:48 +0000

Increase your client retention rate by 50%+. Discover data proven results and tips to help eliminate churn. Jackie Cook, Chief Strategy Officer at Vendasta, gives us the low-down on customer retention. In this week’s episode she shares the results from her comprehensive study on churn; where her team analyzed agency data to give us the details on how to retain customers and help them grow. She provides some great tips and insights, and also answers the all-important sales question: When do I check in to see how my clients are doing? Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

225: Websites - The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, with Jillian Als | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 23 Jan 2019 16:21:13 +0000

Websites, we need them, we love them, we got to have them - but what happens when a small business is hesitant to adopt new website tactics? Jillian Als, Head of Marketing & Communication at Mono Solutions, joins us on this weeks discussion on how small businesses can reap the benefits of keeping an up-to-date website. Jillian is a digital native and she spends a lot of her time thinking about improving the lives of small businesses. Tune in as Jillian shares her wisdom. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

224: Capitalizing on Social Media, with Dennis Yu | The New Marketing Stack

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 00:28:30 +0000

For years, Facebook has been THE platform for social media marketing, but this reign might be coming to an end. Dennis Yu, Chief Technology Officer at BlitzMetrics joins us this week to share his take on the complex world of social media marketing. Tune in to discover the keys to positioning social media solutions, unlocking the small business advantage, capitalizing on the new market of social media platforms, and driving authenticity through it all. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

223: Data Leverage Pt. 2, with Christian Ward | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 09 Jan 2019 16:18:04 +0000

What's the most valuable resource in the world? We'll give you a hint, it doesn't come in a barrel. Christian Ward, Chief Data Officer at SourceMedia and co-author of Data Leverage returns this week on the show to share the remaining elements of data leverage from the discussion that was sparked last week. Tune in for details on how you can better put this priceless commodity to work for you and your organization while also mitigating many of the complex legal challenges. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

222: Data Leverage, with Christian Ward | The New Marketing Stack

Thu, 03 Jan 2019 02:52:34 +0000

“If data is a new currency, then you need to protect data just like you’d protect your wallet.” — Christian Ward There is more data in existence than ever before and businesses/individuals alike depend on this data to make more informed decisions. However, this data and it's usage don't come free of charge, so what are the opportunities? Legal challenges? Protection implications? And how can data be leveraged for sales and marketing professionals? Christian Ward, Chief Data Officer at SourceMedia and co-author of Data Leverage joins us this week on the podcast to share some of his greatest learnings across a data driven career. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

221: Reputation Ownership, with Todd Collins | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 22:02:26 +0000

“We don’t trust the business. None of us do. We always trust the consumer’s opinion.” — Todd Collins An online reputation is the gatekeeper of all local purchases because the business with the best reputation will consistently beat out their competition. Local businesses need to be making regular deposits into their digital bank and actively managing their digital footprint if they want to succeed in their markets. Todd Collins, COO of Platinum Reputations, was one of the pioneers in the reputation space. In this edition, he shares horror stories from clients who were ravaged with negative reviews, the difference between reputation monitoring and reputation management, and the elevator pitch you need to properly position reputation for the prospects that need the solutions most (but might not know it). Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

220: Reimagining Email Marketing, with Deepak Surana | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 22:53:11 +0000

Email is so 2006. Or is it...? Misconception runs rampant on the perceived value of email as the masses continue to embrace new marketing technologies and platforms. However, the fact sill remains: email is one the most widely used and engaging marketing platforms in the world. This week, we are joined by Deepak Surana, VP of Product Management for OutboundEngine. Deepak shares his insights on the value of generating brand awareness, the importance of falling in love with the customer's challenges, the connection between email and best-in-class marketing, as well as his handcrafted pitch for email solutions. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

219: Discovering Demand Gen, with Devon Hennig | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 17:19:27 +0000

Is demand gen more than just a buzzword? Demand gen is a term describing tactics that are aimed at driving increased awareness, interest, and sales of a product or service offering. These tactics begin in the awareness phase, but continue to affect the buyer's journey all the way through to conversion and advocacy. This week, we are joined by Vendasta's very own marketing mastermind, and VP of Demand Generation: Devon Hennig. Devon shares his insights on demand and sales alignment, the importance of quick wins, and the keys to building an ROI fueled marketing machine. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

218: Modern Era SEO, with Will Scott | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 22:36:35 +0000

SEO permeates every facet of the modern business. Local businesses need to be practicing SEO tactics to survive, and consumers depend on search results to make informed purchase decisions. But, as a salesperson, how do you position SEO to deliver a clear value proposition? And how does that change 30, 60, 90, or 120 days down the road? All of your questions will be answered as we are joined by Will Scott, CEO of Search Influence, and a true pioneer in the digital space. Will launched his first website in 1994 and has been driving digital innovation in the space ever since. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

217: The Evolution of Search Engine Marketing, with Sandy Lohr | The New Marketing Stack

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 23:18:44 +0000

75% of global SMBs will be run by millennials by 2025. People don't shop like they used to, and local businesses don't look like they used to. Yet, these increasingly young and savvy local business owners still need your help if they want to stay top of mind with their audiences and stand a chance against the Walmarts and Amazons of the world. The first piece of the modern customer journey is awareness, and this is where local businesses must leverage digital marketing tactics to convey their value propositions to prospects. To speak to this element of the modern customer journey, we welcome Sandy Lohr, CEO of MatchCraft. All the way from sales to CEO, Sandy brings a wealth of knowledge on Search Engine Marketing, and shares her insights into this complex digital sales process that continues to evolve. This is the first edition of the New Marketing Stack Series, stay tuned for more great content! Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

216: Cracking the Digital Transformation Code and Eliminating Churn | with Jeff Folckemer

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 23:12:35 +0000

"It's hard to outsell churn." — Jeff Folckemer Well, our friend Jeff couldn't be more correct, or t-shirt worthy with a statement like that. Jeff comes from a background in the startup and digital media transformation spaces, and joins us on the podcast to share some of his greatest trials and tribulations over his years in the industry. Among other things, Jeff was responsible for growing a digital team to revenues in the ballpark of 350 million dollars, so you better get out your pen and paper because this is going to be a good one. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

215: Developing Top-Tier Modern Salespeople | with Derron Steenbergen

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 23:29:15 +0000

"How do we do more with less, but with more to sell?" Derron Steenbergen, President of the Swagger Institute poses the question that plagues modern salespeople who face growing targets and growing product offerings. It's all about the needs of the client. Discover key insights into how the Swagger Institute is helping salespeople of all experience levels master their craft. And listen in to learn the 6 most important words in sales... All of that and more on this week's edition of the Conquer Local podcast! Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

214: Sales, Marketing, & Product Innovation | with Bart van der Heijden

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 22:38:08 +0000

Why do salespeople and product teams often clash? It comes down to communication. The world has gone digital and the only way to stay ahead is by ensuring that information is shared across the entire value network. This week, learn how Bart van der Heijden, Director of Strategy & Innovation at FCR Media Belgium, has deployed innovative tactics to align business units and reduce client churn at his organization. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

213: Tech Adoption & the Future of Sales | with Charles Laughlin

Wed, 24 Oct 2018 23:34:26 +0000

Is there a future that doesn't require salespeople? Charles Laughlin, producer and host of the Above the Cloud Podcast at the Local Search Association, joins us to discuss the implications of tech adoption around the globe. Charles also delivers his insights into what the future might look like for salespeople. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

212: Four Critical Aspects of Modern Sales | Master Sales Series

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 23:32:58 +0000

Live from Croatia, join George for the final episode of the Master Sales Series. As a send-off, George leaves listeners with 4 key takeaways that salespeople need to internalize if they truly want to conquer in the modern sales landscape. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

211: Conquering the Sales Success Hangover | Master Sales Series

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 22:51:45 +0000

You just had the best month of your career, but what often happens next isn't pretty... George calls it a "sales success hangover". It describes the phenomenon where salespeople will have a record setting run, then crash immediately after... Learn why this happens and how to remedy this dangerous hangover, here, on the Master Sales Series. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

210: Discovering Emotional Intelligence | Master Sales Series

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 23:26:18 +0000

When was the last time you practiced self-assessment? This week on the Master Sales Series, George delivers the 10 components of emotional intelligence that have helped him to grow as a leader, a salesperson, and as an individual. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

209: Rituals for Better Business Travel | Master Sales Series

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 17:34:04 +0000

Are you a road warrior? Traveling for business can be a great experience, however, it can also be a chaos ridden, hair-pulling, stress inducing nightmare if you aren't organized and prepared. In this episode of the Master Sales Series, George walks you through his top 14 tips for conquering business travel. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

208: Removing the Fear of the Prospect | Master Sales Series

Wed, 19 Sep 2018 23:32:13 +0000

Want to know why you aren't converting more accounts? It's all about removing the fear of the prospect. Learn George's key strategies that you need to implement if you want to remove the fear from different decision makers and close more deals. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

Encore: Dennis Yu | Forget Facebook’s PR problem and focus on your personal brand

Wed, 12 Sep 2018 23:17:19 +0000

Does your personal brand need to be challenged? Interested in Facebook's data problem? Join us for this encore episode of the Conquer Local podcast, with guest: Dennis Yu. Dennis is the Chief Technology Officer of BlitzMetrics and an expert on the marketing implications of Facebook's data breach. Also, stay tuned for the strategies and tactics you need to know to drive authenticity and trust through your personal brand, and through your business. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

Encore: Everest, AI, and Parental Leave | with Steve Whittington

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 19:14:33 +0000

What do Mount Everest, AI, and parental leave all have in common? Steve Whittington. Steve is the Executive Vice President at Flaman and has leveraged his focus on the customer experience to drive industry-leading organizational growth. Steve has also scaled most of the tallest mountains in the world, ignited sales processes with the application of AI, and taken the time to go on parental leave. Get ready for all the motivation you can handle on this encore episode of the Conquer Local podcast with Steve Whittington and George Leith. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

207: 13 Success Tactics for Sales Managers | Master Sales Series

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:20:21 +0000

Being a sales manager is easy. Or, at least it will be once you apply these 13 tactics to skyrocket your success. George has held nearly every sales position, from entry sales, to his current role as a Chief Revenue Officer. He had to learn many of these management tactics the hard way, but now you don't have to. Get ready for a knowledge packed episode this week on the Master Sales Series. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

206: 20 Elite Sales Reads | Master Sales Series

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 17:20:35 +0000

Ready to join the sales elite? This week on the Master Sales Series, George has curated a list of the 20 most valuable books that every elite sales professional should read in 2018. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

205: Dressed for Success | Master Sales Series

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 17:50:10 +0000

Coloured hair? Piercings? A tie? Facial hair? $1,000 shoes? Discussing the proper attire for conducting business in 2018 can be difficult, sensitive, but mostly just complicated. What’s most acceptable? What’s best practice? George provides his insights in this raw cut of the Master Sales Series. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

204: The Killer Presentation Format | Master Sales Series

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 23:01:05 +0000

Ready to close more deals and deliver more value in your presentations? This week on the Master Sales Series, George shares his 5 piece presentation format that has been cultivating over the past 5 years in the digital sales space. Get your free slidedeck here: https://bit.ly/2MyYRMQ Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

203: The Perfect Elevator Pitch | Master Sales Series

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 17:01:32 +0000

You've got your #1 prospect on the phone, what do you say? George Leith delivers the six components in crafting the perfect elevator pitch, and tells a story of an elevator pitch he created years ago that is still working to this day. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

202: Prospecting 101 | Master Sales Series

Wed, 25 Jul 2018 19:10:10 +0000

How do you conquer the highs and lows of sales performance? In episode two of the new Master Sales Series, George Leith explores the connection between being an exceptional prospector and maintaining peak sales performance. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

201: The Perfect Sales Day | Master Sales Series

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 18:26:30 +0000

Learn 8 things you need to conquer daily to become a master of sales. This is the first edition of the Master Sales Series with international sales influencer, and host of the Conquer Local Podcast: George Leith. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play goo.gl/uyDsij

122: Breaking the Boom & Bust Sales Cycle | with Colleen Francis

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 17:41:51 +0000

Every salesperson craves reliable, steady revenues and booming sales all year long. According to Colleen Francis from EngageSelling.com and author of Nonstop Sales Boom, you’ve got to be a hybrid salesperson in order to bring balance to your selling process and get rid of the peaks and valleys. Find out how you can find better leads, fuel your sales funnel consistently, and build more value for your customers on this week’s episode with George Leith. Listen now and subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

121: Everest, AI, and Parental Leave | with Steve Whittington

Wed, 06 Jun 2018 17:32:10 +0000

VPs don’t take parental leave. But they don’t climb Mount Everest either, do they? Steve Whittington, VP of Marketing at Flaman, has helped his organization attain industry-leading growth by obsessing about the customer experience, has used AI to improve sales, has taken the time to climb the world’s tallest mountains, all while still being an attentive dad. Find some inspiration for managing it all right here on the Conquer Local podcast with Steve Whittington and George Leith. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

120: Unlocking Inside Sales: Recruiting, Training, and Motivating | Greg Ryan

Wed, 30 May 2018 16:40:43 +0000

Inside sales is evolving, and we’ve been given keys to the kingdom. Greg Ryan, Senior Vice President of Sales at ThriveHive, joins us to discuss how he helped build a powerful inside sales team from recruitment all the way to the President’s Club. He’s got plenty of strategies to help you build a highly effective sales team – from recruiting the right people, training them properly, motivating them successfully, and retaining them in the long-run. If you’re looking for ways to manage your sales team, you’ve come to the right place. Listen now! Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

119: Heather Monahan | Confidently Pursuing Goals & Embracing the Unknown

Wed, 23 May 2018 15:52:11 +0000

She was named one of the Most Influential Women in radio in 2017. 30 days later, she was fired from her role as Chief Revenue Officer. The sudden and unexpected termination forced Heather to reinvent herself and build her brand from scratch. Now, Heather has authored her first book, Confidence Creator, has been featured on the Elvis Duran show, and was named a Brand Ambassador for Perry Ellis International. Find out how she climbed her way back to the top, how you can become a better salesperson and leader, and so much more in this week’s Conquer Local episode with George Leith. Heather’s book, Confidence Creator, is available now on Amazon. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

118: Salespeople are Always Right | with Romy Sembi

Wed, 16 May 2018 15:33:07 +0000

Salespeople are always right. That bold statement was said by none other than Romy Sembi, Founder & Sales Trainer at Aura Sales in London. In this episode of the Conquer Local podcast, George discusses some of the top tips and tricks that this 15-year veteran sales trainer has for new and experienced salespeople everywhere. His core philosophy: Believe 100% in your opinion, and you’ll enjoy roaring success as a salesperson. Learn how you can do just that: listen now! Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

117: Making Freemium Work for your Salesforce | with Karen Davies and James Moore

Fri, 11 May 2018 14:29:40 +0000

Does a freemium model actually work? For the sales team at Web.com, it does. They've launched WebCard, no-cost starting point for B2B sales, and it's working. This week, George speaks with Karen Davies, Go-To-Market Manager and James Moore, SVP of Web.com, to dig into their freemium model, and how they're succeeding so well in helping legacy sales reps thrive in digital. Hint: Depth of product knowledge, and deep buy-in from sales managers is key. Listen now!

116: From Rock Bottom to Rockstar Agency, with Todd Collins

Wed, 02 May 2018 16:17:22 +0000

Todd was bankrupt. His car dealership was taken from him. His business partner was embezzling money. He was getting a divorce. He was being sued. Todd had hit absolute rock bottom. Listen to how Todd Collins, COO of Platinum Reputations, climbed his way out of the toughest struggles of entrepreneurship and stepped on to the top of the Agency game. For all that and tons more motivation, tune in to this Conquer Local episode with George Leith. Subscribe to the podcast now, on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B and Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

115: Steve Nudelberg: Confessions of a Serial Salesman

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 18:19:40 +0000

In this episode, Steve Nudelberg, sales trainer and author, tells us about his new book, Confessions of a Serial Salesman. Tune in to learn how you can adapt his 60-30-10 sales rule to your own career and how you can transform networking into a lifestyle choice, rather than an event. Subscribe to the podcast today. Google https://goo.gl/uyDsij and iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B

114: Dennis Yu: Forget Facebook’s PR problem and focus on your personal brand

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 23:05:32 +0000

We catch up with Dennis Yu, Chief Technology Officer of BlitzMetrics and one of our favorite social media marketing experts, to get his take on what Facebook's data problem means for marketers (hint: Dennis sees opportunity!) as well as tactical strategies for helping businesses get value with video and authentic stories on social. Subscribe today on your favorite podcast app. Recorded on lcoation at VendastaCon 2018 in Banff, Canada.

113: Rand Fishkin: Goodbye Moz, hello SparkToro! Start-up struggles & sales strategies

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 19:39:28 +0000

Rand Fishkin, the Wizard of Moz—recently turned Sorcerer of SparkToro—joins George to talk about his new start-up and the release of his upcoming book, Lost and Founder. From his personal and professional struggles in entrepreneurship to his advice for sales and marketing leaders, learn how to avoid the most common start-up mistakes and conquer your challenges with hard-won insights. Subscribe to the podcast today on iTunes https://goo.gl/8vPm1B or Google Play https://goo.gl/uyDsij

112: Alexander Group’s secret weapon: the client impact analysis | with Matt Bartels, Quang Do

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 19:29:28 +0000

Have you subscribed yet? Get weekly episodes delivered straight to you on Apple & Google Play! Connecting the dots between your advertiser’s objectives, their audience, and every other success factor has never been so complicated for salespeople. Matt Bartels and Quang Do from Alexander Group join us this week to discuss why solving that problem starts with CIA: a 'client impact assessment'. Tune in to hear some of their specific pointers so that you can grow and get to the top of your sales game, this week on the Conquer Local podcast. Participate in Alexander Group's Modern Media Ad Sales Study. https://www.alexandergroup.com/modern-media-ad-sales-study/

111: Becoming Passionate and Articulate About Your Sales Strategy | Featuring James Moore

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 17:24:28 +0000

How can a salesperson win in 2018 when buyers are becoming more skeptical of complicated digital products and services? According to James Moore, Chief Revenue Officer of Simpli.fi., it all starts with credibility. It’s time to say goodbye to the same old script, and hello to continuous learning to become an articulate and passionate salesperson that buyers trust. To learn about bolstering your own credibility and so much more, tune in to this week’s episode with James Moore now! Want our podcast sent straight to you, every single week? Subscribe today! Apple – goo.gl/8vPm1B Google – goo.gl/uyDsij

110: What 7,500 SMB Advertisers Want, with Gordon Borrell | At #LOAC2018

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 15:12:49 +0000

"They're pissed off. They're confused. And there's your opportunity." Gordon Borrell joins us this week from New York City at #LOAC2018 conference, where he and his guests are addressing critical trends affecting the local marketing industry. Tune in to hear Gordon's key takeaways and trend predictions from his massive survey on SMBs (Advertisers) in the United States. Subscribe to the Conquer Local podcast right now, for weekly episodes. Apple – https://goo.gl/8vPm1B Google – https://goo.gl/uyDsij

109: The Math Equation Behind Fat Loss with George’s Personal Trainer, Bill Karalash

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 17:54:32 +0000

Feeling healthy and energized is key to a sales professional’s success. Bill Karalash wanted to feel healthier every day, but was confused by all the conflicting diet and exercise advice he was hearing. So he dug in, got himself certified as a personal trainer and sports nutrition specialist, and developed a course that cuts the BS and helps people understand how to lose fat and feel healthier. George talks with Bill Karalash, a sales-trainer-turned-fitness-trainer from Maverick Strength and Fitness, who shares his practical system that George has been using to be more healthy and feel like a rock star at 4AM. Download Bill's Fat Loss Pyramid PDF from our podcast page! goo.gl/GGC36j

108: Print Isn’t Dead at the Seattle Times (The 121-Year-Old Startup) — with Gary Smith

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:30:07 +0000

Print is alive and thriving at the Seattle Times. In this episode, George talks with Gary Smith, VP of Advertising at the historic newspaper, about how they are evolving to serve businesses in their market by adopting the mentality of a 121-year-old startup. Listen now! Attend VendastaCon April 3-5, 2018 in Banff Canada to turn your company into a 'recurring revenue machine' https://vendastacon.com

107: War stories from McClatchy’s former commander of digital revenue — with John Jordan

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 18:00:24 +0000

When revenue plateaus, you’ve got to change. John Jordan, the former head of digital revenue at The McClatchy Company—the United States’ third-largest newspaper publisher by daily circulation—shares insights into how he helped a 161-year-old sales organization achieve double-digit revenue growth with digital solutions and needs-based selling. See John and George speak more about this topic at VendastaCon in Banff, Canada, April 3-5th, 2018. https://vendastacon.com Subscribe to the podcast today on iTunes and Google Play.

106: Taming the Terror of the 30-Day Post-Sale Follow Up

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 16:47:48 +0000

If there was an episode you’d need to memorize and utilize every single day, it’s this one! Our host, George Leith, dives deep into the piece of the sales process where most salespeople fail: 30 days after the sale. He explains how to provide the most value, and how to set the stage for success in the future. It’s time to stop sticking your head in the sand, and start walking confidently into the post-sale meeting with your client. Get each week’s episode automatically by subscribing on iTunes [ https://goo.gl/8vPm1B ] or Google Play! [ https://goo.gl/Ghhc2D ]

105: Proving Performance & Going Beyond Product Peddling — with Jed Williams

Wed, 07 Feb 2018 15:58:13 +0000

A CNA 2.0, a post-sale quarterback strategy, and a blowy thing might be all you need to win at sales in 2018! This week, George chats with Jed Williams, Chief Innovation Officer of the Local Media Association to discuss how personalized, business-specific data can help you drive sales. Tune in to hear them discuss how to execute a better customer needs assessment, and the post-sale fulfillment strategy. Also something about a #blowything. Don't miss an episode — Subscribe today. And join in the discussion on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter! #conquerlocal — Jed Williams is the Chief Innovation Officer at the Local Media Association, where he leads industrywide digital revenue and business transformation initiatives for newspapers, radio and TV broadcasters, digital publishers, and R&D partners. These programs include Innovation Missions, Chief Digital Club executive networking groups, and LMA’s strategic consulting practice. Previously, Williams was a Senior Analyst and Vice President of Strategic Consulting at BIA/Kelsey, where he managed the company’s consulting division. He has led projects for AT&T, Constant Contact, Google, Time-Warner Cable, and Yahoo!. He has also advised local media companies such as GateHouse Media, Advance Digital, CNHI, Raycom, and Valpak He also previously led business development and strategy for two venture-backed technology companies, Vendasta and Main Street Hub. Williams’ insights have been cited by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Digiday, Bloomberg, FOX Business, and the BBC, among others. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and corporate meetings. He has written extensively on creative destruction and disruptive media. His work has been published and taught by the Columbia Journalism School and the Yale School of Management.

104: Motivating Salespeople & Pivoting to Needs-Based Selling — with Mike Giamprini of 411.ca

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 14:57:53 +0000

This week, George visits 411.ca headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for the relaunch of their small business solutions to help them better serve their whopping 500-700 new clients every month. Hear him speak with VP of Strategy and Business Operations, Mike Giamprini, to receive some fantastic details on how Mike and his team are motivating salespeople, from new-hires to experienced managers, and how they're growing revenue with their high-performing sales & service teams – all focused on helping Canadian local businesses win in their markets. Listen now, and don't miss an episode by subscribing NOW on iTunes and Google Play. Original post: https://www.conquerlocal.com/podcast/104-motivating-salespeople-pivoting-needs-based-selling-featuring-mike-giamprini-411-ca Discuss on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/conquerlocal/

103: Becoming Iron Man - What George Learned From a Life-Altering Surgery

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 14:11:38 +0000

If you thought that hip replacement surgery had nothing to do with sales, we have a surprise for you. In this week's podcast, George discusses how his surgeon, Dr. Anthony King, confirmed a thing or two about sales while giving him a modern-medicine titanium upgrade. Listen in to hear how selling a 'package' isn't the way to become a successful and trusted local expert, and what you should be doing instead. https://www.conquerlocal.com/podcast/103-becoming-iron-man-george-learned-life-altering-surgery/

102: How Traditional Sales Reps Are Transitioning to Digital — With David Little

Wed, 17 Jan 2018 16:16:51 +0000

This week George talks with sales innovator David Little, who was recently promoted to SVP of Enterprise Sales at Comporium Communications, a telecom company with over 300 salespeople providing television, internet, and home security solutions in South Carolina. Listen as they dive into what has allowed his sales teams to transition into trusted local marketing experts and drive his company’s growth in an extremely competitive industry.

101: Adapt or Die: Selling Digital Media in 2018 | Conquer Local Podcast with George Leith

Wed, 10 Jan 2018 18:01:00 +0000

In the age of “I’ll just Google that…”, it takes a lot of effort for salespeople to become (and stay) the go-to marketing experts for their local business clients – but it can be done! In this episode, George Leith, international sales educator and chief revenue officer at Vendasta, discusses why constantly adapting and learning are mandatory for any salesperson hoping to stay on top in 2018. In this podcast, you’ll find these takeaways and more: 1. How much time should you spend learning every day? 2. What part of your sales process needs to adapt in 2018? 3. What kind of research and strategy planning is necessary to stand out in the eyes of your prospects? For all that, including what’s so special about Kyle, Saskatchewan and other great nuggets, listen now.

Teaser: Introducing a Podcast for Digital Marketers

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 23:39:40 +0000

George Leith is going to be speaking with experts around the world, giving you everything you need to start or grow your digital marketing agency.

Conquer Local Podcast

816 | She Built 11 AI Agents and Cut 80% of Her Workload (Here’s How) | Ashley Gross

🎯 AI automation isn’t about doing everything faster. It’s about deciding what shouldn’t require a human at all. 🎯

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

KEY CONCEPTS COVERED IN THIS VIDEO

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815 | What AI Search Actually Cares About (GEO & AI SEO 2026) | Chris Long

🎯 AI search isn’t broken. It just doesn’t work the way most people think it does. 🎯

In this episode, you'll learn:

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814 | He Fired $2 MILLION worth of Clients (and it grew his agency) | Robert Patin

🎯 Most agencies have a client alignment and retention problem 🎯

813 | The BIGGEST AI Mistake Most Companies Can Avoid in 2026 | Dajana Achelpohl

🎯Your AI rollout didn’t fail because of the tools. It failed because no one wanted to use them.🎯

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812 | AI Agents Change EVERYTHING in 2026 (And Most Marketers Aren’t Ready) | Scott Brinker

🎯Your Martech stack isn’t broken — your mental model is.🎯

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811 | The Godfather of AI attribution says Your Marketing Dashboard Is a Lie | Jeff Greenfield

🎯Are your Google Analytics dashboards lying to you and killing your best marketing?🎯

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810 | From 20% to 80% Margins (The NEW AI Agency Model explained) | Frans Riemersma

🎯Go from 20% to 80% Agency margins, without hiring a single new person🎯

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809 | AI Took Over the Follow-Up and Recovered $650,000 in “Dead” Leads | Jason Kramer

🎯What if your business is losing 60% of your deals after the first call?🎯

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808 | AI SEO & GEO Only Work If You Optimize This First (It’s NOT Keywords) | Andrew Holland

🎯What if AI started deciding which businesses get discovered?🎯

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💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-holland-seo/

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806 | Every CEO Needs to Hear This About AI (Before 2026) | Brett Schklar

🎯 Are CEOs ready for the 2026 acceleration🎯

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805 | LLMs Are LYING About Your Business (Here’s How to Control It) | Steve Toth

🎯Do businesses know how they are being represented by LLMs? 🎯

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804: Meet the Agency Growth Expert with a $10M Shortcut | Corey Quinn

🎯 The $10M agency shortcut no one talks about 🎯

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803: Agency Pricing Expert Reveals the Psychology Behind Getting Paid More | Casey Brown

🎯 The Biggest barrier to getting paid more REVEALED!

802: The 6-Week Work Cycle for 10X Agency Productivity | Joe Martin

🎯 The 6-Week Work Cycle is Revolutionizing Agency Productivity 🎯

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801: The #1 Reason Agency Owners Shouldn’t Stop Selling Too Soon | Jody Sutter

​​​​▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube

🎯 Discover the Secret to Winning More Clients for Your Small Agency 🎯

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