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Be a Marketer With Dave Charest

As a small business owner, you need to be a lot of things to make your business go – but you don't have to be a marketer alone. Join host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, as he discusses what small businesses need to know to successfully grow a loyal customer base, share updates, drive traffic, and boost sales. You’ll hear Dave’s advice from talking with Constant Contact customers, as well as tips from industry experts and stories from small business leaders just like you. New episodes every Thursday.

#33 - What Small Businesses Really Think About AI with Michael Wood

If you had an extra hour in your week, how would you use it? For small business owners who are using artificial intelligence (AI) and marketing automation, this is no longer a hypothetical question. According to Constant Contact’s latest research report, 91% of small businesses that use AI say that it’s helping them save time and work more efficiently. 
#32 - Finding Your Niche Market with Charlotte Walsh

It’s hard out there for brick-and-mortar businesses. Just ask Charlotte Walsh, the owner of running shoe store Charles River Running, who competes against her vendors for market share. But her store in Norwood, Massachusetts, offers customers what her direct-to-consumer competitors can’t: a place where new athletes can buy their first running shoes, friendly help finding comfortable footwear for people with active jobs, and a connection point for runners of all stripes to join weekly runs around the neighborhood. 
#31 - Build Lasting Connections by Hosting Events with Jesus Flores

If you're looking for ways to build community around your business, consider running an event. It’s a great way to connect with customers, other businesses, and community members. As Jesus Flores, a product manager at Constant Contact focusing on the Events tool, tells us, an event doesn’t have to be a massive production like a concert or gala. He encourages business owners to start small, try things out, and focus on the purpose. 
#30 - Nonprofit Email Tips for End-of-Year Fundraising with Julia Gackenbach and Darryl Moser

Julia Gachenback and Darryl Moser from DonorPerfect, are here to share their best email marketing tips for end-of-year fundraising. On this episode of Be a Marketer, Julia, Darryl, and host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, discuss how often you should communicate, common mistakes you don't want to make, and how technology can save you time.

#29 – Setting Up Systems for Content Marketing Success With Pamela Wilson

When it comes to content marketing, many business owners make the mistake of creating general content that doesn’t address the specific needs of buyers about to purchase. Pamela Wilson, Chief Marketing Officer at Dental Claims Support, makes sure the company’s content answers the kinds of questions prospective buyers are asking just before they’re ready to buy.
#28 - The Introvert’s Guide to Building Relationships with Valerie J. Lewis Coleman

Raise your hand if networking and building relationships make you uncomfortable. There are at least a few of you out there. And even if you’re an introvert, you likely know how critical those relationships are to growing your business. Valerie J. Lewis Coleman, best-selling author and founder of Pen of the Writer, can talk about book publishing all day. Still, when it comes to more formal networking with strangers, she feels intimidated.
#27 – Cybersecurity for Small Business Owners With Sam Silberman

Small businesses face plenty of challenges, but Sam Silberman, Constant Contact’s Director of Security Operations, wants to make sure that getting hacked or phished isn’t one of them. In this episode of Be a Marketer, Sam joins host Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, to help small business owners stay safe in an increasingly dangerous digital world. 
#26 - Serving a Greater Purpose in Marketing with Kim Jones Sneed

Have you ever felt like your work doesn’t matter? You’re not appreciated? Someone else can do what you do? Kim Jones Sneed, owner of Stuff in the Bluff, an award-winning website focused on local news and entertainment in Pine Bluff, Ark., admits to feeling this way often. There have been many times she wanted to throw in the towel. But what’s kept her going for over 20 years is feeling like she’s serving a purpose greater than just making money.
#25 - The Secret Sauce for a Winning Customer Experience With Mike Bausch

Starting a pizzeria at age 22 might seem ill-advised — and even though Mike Bausch did it, he frankly wouldn’t advise anyone else to do the same. But the now-owner of Andolini’s Pizza bases his customer experience on one big concept: “If you’re not impressive, by default, you’re unimpressive.” Process standardization and careful staff training provide a killer customer experience, a core part of Andolini’s brand. 

#24 - Get Personal and Build Trust With Marianne Mernick-Sullivan

 

Opening up about our personal lives via email isn’t easy, especially with people we may not talk to on a daily basis. Marianne Mernick-Sullivan, President of Consignments Ltd., had difficulty getting personal in her weekly newsletter. She stuck to interior design and what was on sale in her store. But once she opened up about being a type 1 diabetic, she built a new connection with her customers.

#23 - Welcome to the AI Revolution with Russ Morton

 
Generative AI is all the rage right now. Tools like ChatGPT and Bard have become content creators’ best friends. But companies like Constant Contact have used AI for many years for tasks like A/B testing email subject lines, send-time optimization, and email subject line suggestions. Russ Morton, Chief Product Officer at Constant Contact, says generative AI is just a part of what we’re doing in the space. 
#22 - The Circle of Joy in Business With Paul Baik

Paul Baik, President of Paul’s Beauty Warehouse, believes in taking a holistic approach to business relationships in the beauty biz. It’s never just about the customer. It’s also about vendors, employees, and the customer’s customers. That’s why he considers his business a “circle of joy.”

#21 - Transforming Marketing from Obnoxious to Engaging with Nicole Stevenson

Marketing doesn’t have to be an obnoxious task you dread. Many small business owners are uncomfortable talking about themselves and their work with the public. Create an Instagram Reel? With me on camera? No, thank you.

#20 - Using Abundant Thinking to Solve Problems With Ed Bernstein

If it costs a little and means a lot, just do it! This is Ed-ism number one. It’s also how Ed Bernstein, President of 25Score, manages to thrive in a market led by Groupon and LivingSocial.

#19 - The Joy of Being Your Own Boss With Lisa Hammer and Dave Newman

Lisa Hammer is a business leader with a mindset for marketing, communications, and finance. Dave Newman is a mechanical engineer with a passion for teaching. Together, they run Leadership Techniques LLC, where their complementary skill sets drive their success.

 

#18 - Building a Real Estate Business Through Email with Ricky Carruth

Get ready to learn from a real estate expert who's experienced the ups and downs of the industry. Ricky Carruth closes about 100 deals a year without prospecting and credits his success to his weekly email newsletter.

#17 - Go Big and Disrupt an Industry with Sonja Rasula

Imagine emptying your 401K to the tune of $50,000 to book a venue for your first event as a business owner with no previous entrepreneurship experience. Go big or go home, right? 

#16 - Email Marketing Made Easy with Ken Countess

Email marketing is the backbone of any digital strategy — a tried and true way to reach customers. And the best part is, you don’t have to get overly advanced to see results.

#15 - The Power of Helping Your People Grow with Barbara Gassaway

If you’re at a point where you have staff representing you and your business, it’s essential to train them to provide excellent customer experiences.

#14 - Getting to Clear, Concise Messaging with Joan Noe

A business is only as successful as the message it puts out to its customers. That’s a fact that Joan Noe knows well. 

#13 - Building Your Audience Through Trustworthy Content with Michelle Cummings

As a business owner, is giving stuff away for free effective? Michelle Cummings, the founder of Training Wheels, has seen it work. In Michelle’s case, free content builds trust with her audience.

#12 - A Look Inside SMS Marketing with Hannah & Zack

What if you could communicate directly with customers on a device they have on them at all times — and they’d prefer it? Look no further than SMS.

#11 - Building Trust with Your Audience with Tom Agostino

Growing your customer base is critical to sustaining any business. But when it comes to marketing, you can’t forget about your most important audience — your current customers. People that already know you can be your biggest advocates. 

#10 - Adopting a Customer-First Approach with Gab Leonetti

When marketing your business, it’s so tempting to want to talk only about your business. These are our services. This is what we can do to help. Here’s why we’re great...

#9 - Selling Authentically with Omar Zenhom

Omar Zenhom learned all of his best sales tricks from his dad, a car salesman. 

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