Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #247 – Zivko Dodovski: Why AI Outreach is Killing Your LinkedIn Results | 20 Mar 2026 | 00:41:04 | |
Everyone's automating their LinkedIn outreach. Everyone's using AI to personalize at scale. And almost everyone is getting ignored. Zivko Dodovski, CEO of DoneMaker, has built a thriving B2B lead generation firm by doing the exact opposite; zero automations, zero AI messages, and a manual outreach process that consistently books 8-10 qualified calls per month for his clients. Zivko started in radio broadcasting before pivoting into B2B sales, where he discovered that genuine human connection on LinkedIn outperformed every tool, shortcut, and automation he tested. He now runs DoneMaker, a LinkedIn organic outreach firm that has helped clients like J Baker Media land 5 clients in 2 months and Jones & Lamb LLC generate $14K in a single month — all without spending a dollar on ads. He explains: ◼️ Why "over-personalization" is the new spam — and how savvy buyers spot it in seconds ◼️ The exact connection message framework Zivko uses to start real conversations without pitch-slapping ◼️ Why LinkedIn's API suppresses automation tools and what that means for your outreach results ◼️ How to use Sales Navigator to build targeting so precise it turns outreach into a near 50/50 yes-or-no conversation ◼️ The profile optimization mistake most small businesses make — and why the "billboard approach" backfires ◼️ Why commenting on viral posts can generate more impressions than posting on your own feed ◼️ The dot-space LinkedIn trick that instantly reveals who's using automation to reach you ◼️ When LinkedIn simply won't work for your business — and what to do instead Timestamps: 02:00 – From radio broadcasting to B2B sales and founding DoneMaker 05:00 – Is radio advertising still relevant in 2026? 08:00 – How Zivko personally uses LinkedIn to grow his business 09:20 – The hot take: no AI, no automations — everything manual and why 12:00 – "Over-personalization" — the new red flag buyers can smell a mile away 15:00 – The exact connection message framework that starts real conversations 18:00 – Why Sales Navigator is the most underutilized LinkedIn tool 21:30 – From connection request to booked call — the full outreach sequence 26:00 – Where posting fits into the outreach strategy 29:00 – The commenting strategy that beats posting your own content 32:00 – Cadence, blog strategy, and the top/middle/bottom of funnel approach 36:00 – LinkedIn articles and newsletters — worth it or not? 38:00 – LinkedIn ads vs. Meta ads — why you should never test creative on LinkedIn 40:00 – The dot-space automation detection trick and when LinkedIn won't work for you Connect with Zivko: Website: donemaker.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/zivkododovski Connect with Jason: Website: https://jayhunt.social | |||
| 055 | Jobs on the Rise: Navigating the Uncharted Waters of the Lending Market - with Jivan Sanghera | 16 Feb 2021 | 00:50:40 | |
Meet Jivan Sanghera, the Broker of Record and President of Circle Mortgage Group in Burlington, ON. Circle is a small but mighty brokerage, no stranger to managing high volume, and dedicated to helping families in their area find a mortgage that will provide security and help them grow. They are an award-winning BBB accredited brokerage and have had the honour of serving over 2000 families in the GTA. Circle Mortgage was born out of a desire to serve clients directly. Jivan brings with him 15+ years of financial services experience, most recently 8+ with Dominion Lending Centres where he won annual awards for sales volume. | |||
| The Show Must Go On! Bonus Episode. | 09 Apr 2020 | 00:22:07 | |
In this special bonus episode of the Merged Marketing Podcast, in the wake of the current pandemic in the world right now- Jay and David sit down and talk about the state of the marketing industry and how people should be allocating their time and resources in their business. Do you want to know whether or not you should be devoting said time and resources towards marketing during all of this? Keep on watching. | |||
| 016 | How to Create a Compelling Brand Story - with Joe Teo | 19 May 2020 | 00:45:00 | |
Our guest today is Joe Teo, the CEO at HeyOrca, a social media approval and publishing platform that’s built for Marketing Agencies. Since raising a combined total of $2.65 Million, HeyOrca has gained rapid traction and helped power the social media production of over 400 agencies in the world. Joe and the team at HeyOrca are on a mission to help marketing agencies take back their day! | |||
| 007 | How An SEO Scratched His Own Itch - with Michal Suski | 17 Mar 2020 | 00:45:13 | |
Welcome to episode 7 of the Merged Marketing Podcast. Today we are discussing on-page SEO with Michal Suski. Michal is an SEO Specialist, on-page enthusiast and the Co-Founder of Surfer SEO, a content optimization tool for experts. We’ve had a couple different SEO experts on the show, but it is one of those things that if done correctly will take your business and online presence to the next level! Today’s episode focuses specifically on on-page optimization. | |||
| #239 – Nick Musica: AEO Is Just Hype, SEO Fundamentals Still Win | 18 Dec 2025 | 00:41:47 | |
Nick Musica was running a CBD publisher when Google's May 2019 algorithm update wiped his traffic overnight—dropping from page 1 to oblivion. With four weeks until he'd need to fire his entire team, he made a decision that would never make it into a Harvard Business Review case study: quit with zero contracts lined up and figure it out as he went. AEO vs SEO: The Numbers Don't LieWhen answer engines drive 1% of traffic and traditional search drives 16%, where should your budget actually go? Nick dismantles the AEO hype with real traffic data and marketing mix strategy. The "Zero Contracts" Launch StrategyHow quitting his job with literally no clients lined up led to 60 billable hours per week within two weeks. His entire business plan: "I'm going to make this work." When SEO Becomes Your Business Model (The Risk)Why affiliate sites and publishers live and die by algorithm updates, and how to build a more resilient business that uses SEO as a channel, not a crutch. AI Content's Fatal FlawThe "vanilla problem" with AI-generated content and why it's creating a race to mediocrity in search results. Spoiler: Google can detect patterns. From SEO Consultant to Executive CoachThe Harrison Assessment revelation that changed everything, and why most "SEO problems" are actually organizational dysfunction in disguise.
💬 Drop your truth: What percentage of your marketing budget is going to AI hype versus proven channels like SEO? Be honest in the comments. 🎙️ Subscribe for unfiltered conversations with marketers who've survived algorithm apocalypses and lived to tell the tale. 00:00 — Intro: Google algorithm wipes CBD publisher overnight02:15 — The "I'm going to make it work" business plan (zero clients to 60 hours/week)03:35 — Digital marketing background since 2003, SEO agency journey04:22 — $6K/month SEO firm disaster & pivot to training06:28 — SEO career evolution & learning from Shari Thurow mentorship08:15 — Google algorithm changes & position sensitivity explained10:12 — Why using SEO as your business model is dangerous (affiliates/publishers)11:35 — AI overviews as billboard advertising vs click-generating funnels13:42 — Answer engines are just SERP extensions, not replacements15:15 — "Shitty SEO" reality check — the basics still haven't changed18:28 — The AEO vs SEO debate: structure for readers, not algorithms20:45 — Marketing mix truth bomb: 16% SEO traffic vs 1% ChatGPT traffic23:28 — AI-generated content's "vanilla problem" & detection patterns26:15 — Local SEO simplification: focus on Google Business Profile fundamentals29:42 — Marketing mix strategy: balancing short-term wins vs long-term growth32:15 — Direct response crisis mode for lawyers & real estate agents35:08 — SEO timeline expectations: process vs performance metrics38:22 — Coaching transition story via Harrison Assessment behavioral tool41:35 — Organizational dysfunction masking itself as "SEO problems"44:08 — Identity shift: from "SEO guy who coaches" to "coach who runs SEO" | |||
| #224 – Ryan Davis: AI, Influence & Building Trust in the Age of Automation | 22 May 2025 | 00:41:51 | |
Ryan Davis, founder of People First, joins Drop The Mic to unpack how AI is transforming not just marketing, but leadership, influence, and trust. From political campaigns to brand building, Ryan shares how artificial intelligence is changing how we communicate, connect, and convert in a world of digital overload. Jason and Ryan dive into how micro-influencers are outpacing mass followings, how AI is reshaping customer targeting and content creation, and why authenticity—not automation—will define the next era of digital strategy. This is a real look at what marketers, consultants, and creators need to do now to future-proof their brand in 2025. We dive into: Whether you're a brand leader, consultant, or creator, this episode will help you rethink how you show up and lead in an AI-first world. [00:00] – Intro: Drop the Mic with Jason Hunt 🌐 Website: https://jayhunt.social | |||
| 108 | Helping SMBs Navigate Their Digital Transformation - With Darryl Julott | 11 Jan 2022 | 00:27:58 | |
Darryl is the Managing Lead for Digital Main Street, a non-profit organization that supports small businesses with digital transformation. To date, they’ve served over 50,000 businesses without charging them a single dollar! Mentioned in This Episode:
What You Will Learn:
Darryl Mentality - Quotes From the Show: “It’s not what we do, it’s how we do it” “We’re just trying to help out as many businesses as possible” “It’s about providing a safe space” | |||
| 080 | Crafting Your Story - with Kenneth Jackson | 29 Jun 2021 | 00:20:23 | |
Kenneth Jackson is an award-winning crime reporter and television producer in Ottawa, Ont. with nearly two decades in the business. He got his start in community newspapers before joining the Ottawa Sun in 2007. In 2011, Jackson joined APTN to break the Bruce Carson scandal. The former senior aide to Prime Minister Stephen Harper tried using his contacts in the federal government to sign water deals with First Nations. The RCMP would charge Carson with influence peddling based on APTN’s reporting. The case would make it all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, which upheld his conviction in 2018. Kenneth recently received the 2020 Michener Award, the top journalism award in Canada, for his reporting on child welfare. | |||
| #245 – Sheldon Isaac: Headshots Are Dead; How AI Is Killing Professional Photography | 25 Feb 2026 | 00:42:48 | |
Professional photographer Sheldon Isaac reveals the brutal truth about AI's threat to photography, why headshots and Christmas photos are already endangered, and the ONE thing that might save photographers from complete obsolescence. He explains: ◼️ Why headshots are in serious trouble: AI tools can now generate professional-looking headshots in seconds, and most people don't want to pay $1,000+ for what AI does for free ◼️ The Christmas photo crisis nobody's talking about: how one viral AI prompt showed families they can skip the photographer, save money, and avoid packing up screaming kids ◼️ The photographer backlash that went viral: when a major photo editing software company tried to release free AI headshot tools, photographers came for them so hard they had to pull the entire product ◼️ The experience economy vs. transactional photography: why wedding photographers are safe but headshot photographers are cooked (and the psychology behind it) ◼️ How AI is already saving photographers hours: the culling and editing tools that cut through 1,000+ event photos in minutes instead of days ◼️ The prompt engineering problem: why most people still won't use AI for photos (yet), and how long that protection might last ◼️ The guerrilla content strategy that wins clients: why Sheldon brings his camera to every trade show and records podcast episodes at vendor booths (instead of just exchanging business cards) ◼️ The secret to delivering 450 event photos in 24 hours: his exact workflow for organizing galleries by category so clients can actually USE the content immediately ◼️ Why LinkedIn loves authentic event photography: and how professional photos outperform stock images 10:1 on social media algorithms ◼️ The personality fit most photographers miss: you need the same extroverted, bubbly energy as a talk show host or you'll get ghosted by nervous clients ◼️ How he built a photography business using Facebook in 2007: posting consistently before anyone understood social media marketing TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro: Building a business on Facebook in 2007 Connect with Sheldon Isaac: Subscribe to Drop The Mic for weekly conversations with entrepreneurs navigating AI, marketing, and business growth in 2026. @jayhuntofficial - IG | |||
| 031 | How to Use Facebook Groups to Grow Your Business - with Beth Marchant | 01 Sep 2020 | 00:57:37 | |
Meet Beth Marchant, CEO & Lead Brand Designer at The Marchant Co. With a long history in graphic design and small business branding, Beth has developed a solid love of watching brands market their business through well rounded strategies and social communities. She is certified in Social Media Marketing through the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada and holds a high honours diploma in Visual Merchandising Arts from Sheridan College. She loves webinars and online courses, and knows it would be naive to think she knows enough about anything to stop learning. She lives for the work from home life, and thoroughly enjoys the multi-tasking of freelance work and family with her partner and children. | |||
| 142 | What high-achievers get wrong about career success with Brooke Taylor | 11 Aug 2022 | 00:27:08 | |
What do high achievers get wrong about career success? My guest on today's episode is a career coach for conscious female leaders and a former Googler. Her transformational Group Coaching programs and workshops at companies like Google, Uber, and McKinsley have changed the lives of over 30 women globally. We're going to dissect topics such as the success wound. We're going to uncover what the success wound is and why it is critical to healing at the individual, organizational, societal, and global levels. We're also going to talk about the career achievement trap, the unspoken myths high achievers buy into about career success and fulfilment that keeps them trapped. Please welcome Brooke Taylor. Key Timecodes
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| 121 | High Ticket Seller Secrets - With Chris Baden | 12 Apr 2022 | 00:29:54 | |
Chris is the CEO/co-founder of FlowChat. He has a unique way of acquiring new customers. His organic tools and strategies have led to boosting his company and others’ to over $100k/mo in revenue. When Chris isn’t building businesses, he’s building a life-long marriage, a world-impacting family, and competing on American Ninja Warrior. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Chris Mentality - Quotes From the Show “High ticket is a magical land - people end up paying you more money and then asking less of you” “You’re able to serve your clients at a much higher level” “If you’re a service, find that one part of how your serving somebody that you can turn into a utility” Bonus quote from Jay - “Price is only an issue in the absence of value” | |||
| 005 | What Tim Hortons & Dairy Queen Have in Common - with Ron Caughlin | 03 Mar 2020 | 01:05:52 | |
The Merged Marketing Podcast unlocks the marketing tactics and secrets behind every day brands. Each week, David Louch and his co-host- Jason Hunt, will bring you expert commentary so that you can make better choices when it comes to growing your business. Today we are discussing brand strategy with Ron Caughlin. Ron has an impressive resume of being the head of marketing for brands such as; Tim Horton's, Dairy Queen, Toronto Pearson International Airport, and Destination Ontario. He now operates his own brand marketing agency, Branded, while also educating future marketing professionals at Humber and Centennial College in Toronto, Ontario. Ron is going to share with his experience developing integrated brand marketing solutions on this week's episode of The Merged Marketing Podcast. | |||
| 119 | The Importance of 'Made In Canada' Creative - With Ian Adler | 29 Mar 2022 | 00:30:42 | |
Ian Adler is Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for PepsiCo Foods Canada. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Ian Mentality - Quotes From the Show “Just because you can enter a market doesn’t mean you should“ “Behind every number, behind every data point, there’s a heartbeat” “I always encourage people to have a vision” “I believe in diversity of thought” “We’ve got to do what’s right by consumers” | |||
| 118 | How to Leverage Conversational Commerce - With Paul Ace | 22 Mar 2022 | 00:30:50 | |
Paul Ace is the CEO of Amplify C-Com. He helps 7 figure high ticket course creators break through their glass ceiling to generate an extra six/seven figures+ in new revenue using conversational commerce. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Paul Mentality - Quotes From the Show “If I was having a conversation with someone, how would I write” “What’s the most profitable path?” “If they haven’t bought, find out WHY” “Don’t just look at the buyers; look at the highest value buyers” “We win when they win” | |||
| 078 | Facebook CTA Buttons: Which Buttons Perform the Best on Facebook Ads - with Merged Media | 18 Jun 2021 | 00:15:33 | |
The perfect CTA button on your Facebook ad can make the difference between driving home significant results and ending up with zero response. Why? Because Facebook CTA buttons tell your audience what you need them to do if they’re interested in the ads they see and ready to take the next step. But which CTA buttons should YOU be using for your Facebook Ads to create more leads? Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn
Merged Mentality - Quotes From the Show “Tell your audience exactly what they need to do if they are interested in purchasing your product, your service, or anything with you and your company” “Almost everybody wants to learn more about something before they actually commit” “Be proactive as much as possible… and be reactive” | |||
| 075 | How to Become an Influencer & Pick a Niche - with Irene Iancu | 01 Jun 2021 | 00:39:39 | |
Our guest today is Irene Iancu, owner of Toothlife Studio in Toronto, ON, a multi-disciplinary dental studio and fully equipped dental office designed for patient comfort. Irene is a prime example of a great influencer who’s excelling in her niche. Since graduating with a diploma in dental hygiene from Oxford College in 2007, Irene has expanded her scope of practice, utilizing the latest technology in the industry. Irene is also a podcast host and a writer, and has a healthy social media following of like-minded dental professionals. Her career path has been unconventional, but her goals are simple; cultivate a positive environment for team members, put together a stress-free and welcoming space for patients, and create a fun and engaging first experience for those tiny humans who are always welcome as new patients. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Iancu Mentality - Quotes From the Show “I consider dentistry to be an art form” “As a startup, you need feedback” “Everyone likes to buy, nobody likes to be sold” “Nothing goes without a struggle” | |||
| 073 | Brand Activation & Experimental Marketing - with Zach Schiffman | 25 May 2021 | 00:34:41 | |
Our guest today is Zach Schiffman, freelance stage manager and owner of Studio Z Photo Booths. With a dual major in television production and entertainment marketing, Zach has cornered for himself a niche market that brings high-end photo and video activations to large brands and companies. Brands trust Zach and Studio Z to add a creative spin on the age-old photo booth and give customers and guests a unique and instantly shareable experience. Brand recognition and shareability are the key goals of any successful brand activation, but giving guests a memory they want to share brings their experiences to the next level. Learn how to stand out from the noise with Zach’s creative and entertaining marketing concepts! Mentioned in This Episode What you will learn:
Zach Mentality - Quotes From the Show “If you give your guests something entertaining, it will pay back for you” “It doesn’t matter the size of your brand… people love free things” “The best things come from clients who have an idea of their own” “We love to make clients’ visions come to reality” | |||
| 019 | How to Create Great Visuals on Social Media - with Dave Kerr | 09 Jun 2020 | 00:35:02 | |
On this week's episode of the Merged Marketing Podcast, our guest is none other than Merged Media's very own content king, Dave Kerr! Dave is a huge Liverpool FC supporter, a coffee addict, a craft beer snob, a photographer, and a caretaker of too many house plants. In the absence of global pandemics, you can usually find him in downtown Toronto at a restaurant, pub, or brewery that you haven’t heard of with his cell phone turned off! Dave is going to share with you all of the tools, apps and tactics that he uses to churn out quality content for our clients each and every day. | |||
| 173 - Strategies for Maximizing Your Time at Local Business Networking Events with John Reiser | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:24:39 | |
Today’s episode discusses ‘Strategies for Maximizing Your Time at Local Business Networking Events’. My expert guide today is John, re-runs frequent local business events. Motivation for John to the events industry: He started with community-based fundraising events that inspired him and his old friend to get into that space. How his events differentiate from others- John denotes that his events are always highly original, with people benefitting greatly from networking. The biggest attraction for attendees of his local events is often the trade show of more than 70 exhibitioners. They are keynote events on various relevant business topics from leading industry professionals. Lastly, networking is significant because you get face-to-face interaction with major players from the business community. How an attendee prepares for these events - John reckons that you should go in with a plan and know exactly what you are looking for. Also, take your time to have meaningful relationships with business professionals you will meet at the event and have your business card on hand. Strategies for maximizing time at a local business event - Our guest advise that you should seek to show up and leave with various meaningful contacts that will benefit your business. The best setup strategy for a vendor at a local business event - John reckons that the best strategy is to bring along some help, often in the form of one or two more people. These extra pairs will help you run things smoothly at your booth. Secondly, you should be ready to work your booth by engaging your audience in creative, differentiated ways. A friendly hook would serve as a great conversation starter. Thirdly, give an attendee a reason to choose you immediately, e.g., a special discount offer. Tips for vendors and attendees to do follow-ups after the event - John underscores that you should follow up on a lead immediately to ensure you get all the potential business. It would be best if you nurtured those relationships through follow-ups. However, it would help if you had an eye for good leads because you often may end with many leads at an event that are not worth your time. Finally, hear about John’s exciting choice of brand ambassador. Time Stamps
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| 018 | Get Out of Your Own Way, and Just Press Play - with Margaret Wallis-Duffy | 03 Jun 2020 | 00:50:56 | |
Today on the Merged Marketing Podcast, our special guest is a dynamic wellness advocate Margaret Wallis-Duffy. As one of Canada’s leading wellness experts, many media outlets across Canada often call upon her expertise. You may recognize Margaret from television shows such as Cityline, The 5 on City TV, Health Matters on Rogers, Better Canadian Living TV on CTV and The Food Network. Today, she motivates so many through producing and hosting her ultra-informative Web TV shows on her WOW New Media YouTube Channel and TV Cogeco. From her humble beginnings as a Registered Massage Therapist to being the CEO of 3 growing enterprises, Margaret has been driven by her famous motto; “Attitudes are contagious! Is yours worth catching?” | |||
| 006 | Travel Agent vs. Expedia - with Mike Babiak | 10 Mar 2020 | 00:46:31 | |
The Merged Marketing Podcast unlocks the marketing tactics and secrets behind every day brands. Each week, David Louch and his co-host- Jason Hunt, will bring you expert commentary so that you can make better choices when it comes to growing your business. Today on episode 6 of the Merged Marketing Podcast, we have Mike Babiak as our special guest to discuss all things travel marketing. Mike is the director of marketing for the Now Travel Group in Toronto, Canada. Mike is an experienced digital marketer with a long history of working in the leisure travel and tourism industry. We are going to explore how he has deployed marketing over the years to grow his business- what worked and what did not- as well as where he thinks the industry is going. | |||
| 004 | Breaking Free from the Corporate Rat Race - with Matt Scherb | 25 Feb 2020 | 00:55:23 | |
The Merged Marketing Podcast unlocks the marketing tactics and secrets behind every day brands. Each week, David Louch and his co-host- Jason Hunt, will bring you expert commentary so that you can make better choices when it comes to growing your business. Today's guest is self-made entrepreneur, Matt Scherb. Matt will be sharing his background in the industry, and how he broke free from the corporate rat race to design the life that he and his family wanted to live. | |||
| 003 | What is an SEO Sorcerer & Why You Need to Hire One - with Todd Foster | 18 Feb 2020 | 00:45:06 | |
The Merged Marketing Podcast unlocks the marketing tactics and secrets behind every day brands. Each week, David Louch and his co-host- Jason Hunt, will bring you expert commentary so that you can make better choices when it comes to growing your business. Todd Foster- the CEO of Merged Media and self-made entrepreneur of a multitude of other businesses from a digital marketing agency to a landscaping company is truly an inspirational business man. And today, Foster shares his entrepreneurial expertise on this week's episode of MMP. | |||
| #202 - Dennis Yu: AI Integration, Niche Specialization, TikTok and Blending Technology | 14 Mar 2024 | 00:45:43 | |
Dennis Yu is a digital marketing virtuoso, renowned for his expertise and mentorship in the field. Dennis shares insights from his extensive career, highlighting collaborations with clients like the Golden State Warriors and Nike, and his pioneering work in social media marketing and data analysis. He explains the power of niche specialization, the effectiveness of the "Dollar a Day" strategy, and the evolving role of AI in marketing. From his early days navigating controversies on Facebook to speaking at global conferences, Dennis's journey offers invaluable lessons on adapting and thriving in the digital space. This discussion provides a roadmap for leveraging AI and innovative strategies in marketing, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and strategic thinking in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. Timestamps: (05:31) - Dennis Yu's Speaking Experiences (06:14) - The Importance of Niching Down in Marketing (10:50) - AI in Marketing and the Rise of Personalized Agents (25:42) - The Relevance of the Dollar a Day Strategy (32:46) - Ad Strategies: TikTok vs. Other Platforms (37:57) - Financial Freedom Movement and the Future of AI Dive into this compelling conversation that bridges the gap between current digital marketing trends and the future of the industry. Whether you're a marketing professional, a business owner, or simply intrigued by the power of digital strategies, this episode offers a treasure trove of insights and foresight into the ever-evolving world of marketing. Listen to Jason's first conversation with Dennis Yu on The Merged Marketing Podcast. SUPPORT AND CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntspeaks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayhuntofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/ Website: https://jayhunt.social YouTube Video link: https://youtu.be/A7NnrumPvq8 | |||
| 186 - How To Leverage Your Google Business Profile For Local SEO with Aron Murch and Matt Herchel | 06 Jun 2023 | 00:26:22 | |
In today’s episode, we host Aaron and Matt, two subject-matter experts in the Google business profile space. Appropriately, today’s topic is about leveraging your Google business profile for local SEO. Aaron and Matt’s career background: They met in 2019 while consulting before Aaron became an equal shareholder at Matt’s company. Aaron gained immense marketing experience from a young age at his family-owned business. He got inspired to become a serial entrepreneur, launching a design studio, game cafés, and video-game lounge. He handled many marketing for these businesses and helped various local businesses with their marketing efforts. What is Google business profile: Matt unpacks Google business profile, describing it as the first point of contact for a new client with a business upon searching on Google. In this regard, business profiles are the most prominent on the web, which plays a big role in giving the business visibility. To optimize Google business profile, Aaron recommends that a business should first take ownership of the profile. Consequently, they should provide the catalog of products and services that the business offers so that they reflect on Google search results. Techniques for ranking high your Google business profile: In order to gain a competitive advantage through top ranking on Google, Aaron advises that you should get it right with your service category. He also recommends adding other relevant service categories but taking great care to capture Google’s top ranking. (The low-hanging fruit is to list all your list of services and product offerings). How to optimize SEO on Google business profile: Matt indicates the hours of operation for a business as a major SEO keyword on Google business profile. This is crucial because a customer searching for a specific business near them will first get results for business in operation at the time. Secondly, he notes the stream of reviews that benefit from Google links, QR codes, and positive reviews from customers. He argues that recent reviews are more beneficial than old ones, reassuring customers that they are getting value for their money. Aaron expounds on the keyword tools to leverage, including ChatGPT and SM rationing. It helps to maintain consistency in posting on the Google business profile and keeping in touch with customer reviews. Furthermore, it is important to provide relevant captions for images for Google to capture the content. (For great results, you don’t brush your teeth all day once a year; rather, every day: the goal is consistency in posting and updating). Duplicating content from other third-party social media platforms: Matt argues that it is important to have a strategy around content duplicity. He notes that there are various tools to help with cross-promotion, tailoring every message appropriately to specific platforms. Aaron adds that the perfect scenario would be creating specific content for each platform. However, due to limited time, scope, and budget, he recommends that a business duplicate content with care for starters.
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| 184 - How To Be In Execution Mode 60% Of The Time with Kris Ward | 23 May 2023 | 00:25:53 | |
How wonderful would it be to grow your business while working fewer hours? In episode 184, we discuss how to be in execution mode 60 percent of the time. Our guest expert today, Kris Ward, is a Team Building And Systems Strategist who creates a movement where your business supports your life instead of consuming it. Kris founded the Win The Hour, Win the Day philosophy. Kris has shared the stage with Jack Canfield - Chicken Soup For The Soul, Kevin Harrington, original Shark from Shark Tank, and Joe Theismann - NFL All-star and commentator, to name a few. Kris has also been featured on award-winning podcasts, radio and TV shows. She shares some of the tried and tested tactics for crashing your demand schedule while growing your profits. Kris’ career background and journey - As a founder entrepreneur, she used to work round the clock for the business. However, her husband and biggest fan discouraged her from stealing from sleep. Over time, she managed to cut down from 16 hours a day to 6 hours. She now believes that your business should support your life instead of consume you. Why do people work long hours - Kris observes that founders often strive to do right for their startups to grow their business. However, she argues that it is more beneficial to become more strategic than doing the grind. In this regard, operating strategically enables the business to scale. Breaking the work addiction to becoming strategic - Our guest expert notes that most people lack the skills to use their calendars. Consequently, they do not include their work on the calendar, resulting in great to-do lists. Furthermore, Kris advises that every founder should seek help by hiring people for specific roles. Instead of following the conventional top-bottom way of business management, she favors an arrangement where the founder grants autonomy and independence to his or her professional employees. The founder is relieved of time by leveraging super toolkits because the professionals manage the business instead of the reverse. Generally, Kris follows the three pillars of Team, Time, and Toolkits that enable a business to scale. Key Time Codes
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| 131 | MISHKA NIZAR - How Crypto and the Metaverse can impact your small business. | 21 Jun 2022 | 00:31:32 | |
Why should small businesses pay attention to Crypto, NFT's and Meta? Is the crypto space safe? well in this episode, we speak to Mishka Nizar as we try to answer these questions. Mishka Nizar is a legal and business consultant who is a non-traditional entrepreneur in Legal & Technology. She has a passion for Artificial Intelligence, cryptocurrency, NFT's and the metaverse. Mishka believes that these technologies will shape our future and she wants to help make that future a reality.
Mishka’s Background (3:00) Why small businesses should pay attention to Crypto, NFT's and Meta (5:30) Is Crypto a safe space? (9:00) Cryptocurrency concept(11:40) How small businesses can benefit from Crypto,NFT's, and Meta.(13:00) NFT's backbone (17:20) Meta marketing space projection (21:20) Mishka’s future plan (24:55) Get in touch with Mishka(28:42) | |||
| 162 - The Elements of a Successful Advertisement with Dave Kerr | 22 Dec 2022 | 00:28:42 | |
Do you yearn to create that perfect or winning ad? Today we welcome back the last episode’s guest expert Dave Kerr to discuss creating that successful advertisement. Indeed this is a special episode because it is a departure from the usual: today, I talk with my guest face-to-face from our office. Discover the North Star or guiding light for developing and deploying successful advertisements. Dave educates us about the crucial place of the core message or elevator pitch in a winning ad. He drives the point home that the core message is always the same and clearly speaks to what your business is all about. Dave further underscores the need to stay consistent with your core message and branding. He reckons that many advisers often need help creating an ad for the sake of creating and seeing an ad go live without first understanding the core message. We spend significant time discussing why you must create authentic ad content. Learn about achieving brand awareness and leveraging the algorithms to create a successful ad. Dave spells out the key qualities of a social media coordinator that would determine the success of the message. At the same time, he cautions on the danger of using a jack-of-all-trades master to create your ad instead of clamoring for specialist crews. With a twist to the usual end-of-episode question, hear about Dave’s choice of dream client whom he would want to be the brand ambassador for. Spoiler alert - we would need a part 3 with Dave to exhaustively espouse this topic. Key Timecodes
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| 087 | How To Plan For A Virtual Event - with Marc Belaiche | 17 Aug 2021 | 00:32:53 | |
How to Plan For a Virtual Event - With Marc Belaiche If you’re thinking about starting a virtual event yourself or you’re attending a lot of virtual events in 2021 and want to know some best practices on preparing for those events, you’re in the right place. Marc Belaiche is President of TorontoJobs.ca and EventLogik.ca. He has been in the recruiting industry for over 25 years and has many years of experience organizing events. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Marc Mentality - Quotes From the Show “Hybrid events are tough” “Doing your own virtual event requires a lot more time than you think it may” “People’s time is valuable and they have options - what makes yours stand out?” “If it’s our event, we should be front and centre” | |||
| 092 | Putting the “Social” Back in Social Media - With Candace Huntly | 21 Sep 2021 | 00:27:40 | |
Putting the “Social” Back in Social Media - With Candace Huntly Is your business engaging with your audience enough? The star of today's episode is Candace Huntly, who will discuss how business owners and entrepreneurs can engage more on social media to make it "social" again. Candace is founding partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency focused on Social Media, Public Relations, Branding, and Marketing. What you will learn:
Candace Mentality - Quotes From the Show “Social media is all about relationship building” “Figure out who you are. Then figure out who your customer is” “Nobody wants to see perfection” “How can I build relationships with this content?” | |||
| 120 | Reintegration in the Office - With Michael Hynes | 05 Apr 2022 | 00:33:53 | |
Mike is the author of The Myth-Guided Mind: Unleash your God-Given Genius at Work and at Home. He’s a corporate coach to creative leaders, top professionals and rising stars. Mike amplifies innate strengths in his clientele and teaches how to apply these to real-life challenges. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Mike Mentality - Quotes From the Show “At the leader level, you are setting the vision” “What’s your real why?” “Vulnerability is creating opportunity for us to be better humans” “If we’re not laughing we’re not learning” “If there’s someone that’s better than you are, go find them and hire them” | |||
| 059 | How to Turn an Online Course into a Successful Business - with Zach Spuckler | 16 Mar 2021 | 00:40:08 | |
In today’s episode of the Merged Marketing Podcast, we welcome Zack Spuckler, who is here to teach us all about turning online courses into a successful online business. Over the past 5 years, Zach Spuckler has spent over $400,000 in personal and client ad spend online, and has managed launches ranging from $3,000 to $300,000. He’s been featured on top podcasts like EO Fire, The Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast, The Mind Your Business Podcast, The Art of Paid Traffic Podcast, and now, The Merged Marketing Podcast! After making over $1.4 million from a launch based business, he’s found some clear patterns along the way regarding what does and doesn’t work. Now, he’s here to share that knowledge with everyone who will listen! Mentioned in This Episode:
What You Will Learn:
Zach Mentality - Quotes From the Show “I don’t have to follow the industry to be in the industry” “The two best teachers in the world are Google and YouTube” “People are connecting with the identity of who they want to be” “No one else is doing it the way you’re doing it, because no one else has your values, your morals, your compass, your ideology” “If they’re busy ripping me off, I’m already one step ahead” | |||
| 089 | Instagram, Reels and Storytelling: The New Age Superpower For Any Business - with Pamela Cambuy | 31 Aug 2021 | 00:29:39 | |
Are you struggling to attract the correct audience, establish a strong community, and grow a profitable business online? Creating engaging material is key. Pamela Cambuy is a Brazilian entrepreneur who relocated to Canada seven years ago. Pamela's company specializes in one-on-one and group mentorship programmes that teach entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and creators how to communicate in the new social media language of Storytelling Marketing. Mentioned in This Episode
What you will learn:
Pamela Mentality - Quotes From the Show “How can you teach things you’ve never done?” “Instagram is one of the best platforms” “Everything is a test” “A lot of people are still getting used to creating content” | |||
| 002 | Our Gift to You: Better Performing Facebook Ads - with Jason Hunt | 18 Feb 2020 | 00:33:49 | |
The Merged Marketing Podcast unlocks the marketing tactics and secrets behind every day brands. Each week, David Louch and his co-host- Jason Hunt, will bring you expert commentary so that you can make better choices when it comes to growing your business. This week on MMP, David discusses social advertising with Jason and we learn a bit more about Facebook ads and the politics involved within them. | |||
| 046 | The Reinvention of Chatbots - with Amanda Robinson | 15 Dec 2020 | 00:37:29 | |
Amanda Robinson is The Digital Gal. She is widely recognized in the digital marketing industry for her knowledge, training, skills and coaching as a Facebook Ads expert with her Swift Kick In the Ads Membership, her 4 Week Facebook Ads Training Bootcamp, and for her creative chatbot skills. She is an author, international speaker, consultant, and educator who has taught thousands of business owners and entrepreneurs the foundational skills of Facebook Ads. Amanda brings personality and passion to teaching others how to make Facebook ads work for them. | |||
| 141 | Turning Buyers into Repeat Customers and Brand Advocates with Ed Frame | 09 Aug 2022 | 00:26:15 | |
In this episode, we're turning buyers into repeat customers and brand advocates. And my guest on today's show is Ed Frame. Ed is the founder of Accessories Exemplify, all the way from Melbourne, Australia. He designed to exemplify to help businesses work with customers that truly appreciate them. They focus on getting qualified leads that turn them into long-term satisfied customers. Now, today I'm pretty confident we are going to reframe the conversation here and talk about the way that you are not just generating leads and not just closing sales, but what are you doing in your post-sales process to get that repeat customer and to get that or create that brand advocate? We talked about several of the tactics that Ed uses as well as the ones that we use at merged Media to get repeat clients spending more and using more of our services, which allows us in turn, a chance to provide more value to our clients. I'm sure you're going to love this episode with Ed Frame. Key Timecodes
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| 025 | How to Effectively Pivot Your Business - with Itay Paz | 21 Jul 2020 | 00:46:50 | |
Itay Paz is an entrepreneur, an international speaker and a veteran in the digital and affiliate marketing world. His fast business success worldwide and his ability to motivate others to take action and achieve big results has earned him the status of a leader and a world expert in digital marketing and affiliate marketing helping entrepreneurs & business owners worldwide to grow their businesses using the power of the internet. He is the managing director at the Digital Marketing & Affiliate Marketing International Expo (#DMIEXPO) and most recently, the Founder & CEO of the Morning Dough. | |||
| #214 - Alex Melen: Building a Nimble Agency and Balancing AI Efficiency with Authenticity | 12 Nov 2024 | 00:43:53 | |
Alex Melen is a digital marketing expert, entrepreneur, and co-founder of SmartSites, one of the largest digital agencies with a team of over 400. Known for his strategic approach to marketing, Alex shares insights on building a nimble agency, adapting to rapid industry changes, and the crucial role of authenticity in today’s noisy, AI-driven market. This episode delves into Alex’s approach to navigating the digital landscape—from his strategies for achieving a meaningful ROI at conferences to the importance of personal branding in a world where AI content and automated lead gen services are becoming commonplace. Alex offers advice on maintaining authenticity in client interactions, insights on leveraging AI effectively, and how adaptability has been key to his agency’s growth. [00:03] - Alex on traveling and speaking at international events Alex also shares his views on the future of AI in marketing and why personal connections and human touchpoints will always hold unique value. Tune in for an in-depth look at navigating AI, conferences, and brand building in today’s digital era. SUPPORT AND CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntspeaks Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhuntofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jayhuntofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/jayhuntofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/socialmediaspeaker/ Website: https://jayhunt.social | |||
| 177 - Why business owners should trust their instincts with digital media with Edward Nugent | 04 Apr 2023 | 00:25:35 | |
Why business owners should trust their instincts with digital media with Edward Nugent. In the business world, the decisions of business owners matter. In the increasingly technological business environment, business owners often face the dilemma of relying on hard data or simply trusting their instincts. Today's technological advances have given businesses unprecedented access to data to help make informed business decisions. However, most businesses bypass hard data in favor of intuition or instinct for essential business decisions. In today's episode, we talk to Edward Nugent about why business owners need to trust their instincts, particularly with digital media. It gives a great deal of autonomy and rewards. The entry of digital media, particularly Google, changed the landscape where customers started seeking out business. Applying digital principles of online sales to non-digital businesses can be successful. (When running a business, customers should pay the bills, not the investors). A business has to put in time and effort towards understanding the customer's mindset when buying a product or service. By relying on business instinct, a business owner can gain valuable knowledge on customer behavior during the pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase phases. The sole responsibility of the business owner is to join the conversation going on in the head of the customer. Indeed, this conversation varies depending on where they are in their product purchase journey. In this regard, the customer journey should match the purchase journey. Following instinct-based business decision-making models, companies and small businesses can avoid focusing on the least important purchase event that often happens at the tail end of the product purchase journey. (The premise is: if I understand how they buy, I have to be able to help them buy from me). Dropping lead magnets is crucial in planting seeds in prospects' heads to elicit a conversation. The instinct of a business owner should be to leverage lead magnets better to understand prospects' thinking in their purchase journey. The business needs to focus on the customer end more than seeking to close the sale. Most SMEs often make the mistake of trusting agencies to do the right thing. Yet, in reality, the agencies fail to focus on the mentorship of the customer more than the transactional relationship. These include websites, email autoresponders, lead magnets, and traffic sources. With this structure, a business owner has context when presented with new information or scenarios that demand their decisions. Key Time Stamps
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| 172 - How We Wrote 'Drop The Mic Marketing' with Mike Ulmer | 01 Mar 2023 | 00:25:38 | |
In today's episode, I talk with my co-author, Mike Ulmer. We are talking about 'How We Wrote 'Drop The Mic Marketing .' Mike's bio speaks volumes: Aside from co-authoring Jason's debut book 'Drop The Mic Marketing,' Mike Ulmer has had an illustrious 25-year career in journalism, having worked for the Woodstock Sentinel-Review, The Hamilton Spectator, The Hockey News, Southam News, National Post, and The Toronto Sun, where he served as a sports columnist for seven years. He has also authored 12 books, and his opinion pieces have been featured in the four major Toronto-based dailies: The Sun, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, and The Toronto Star. I asked Mike about the process of information gathering, which included him asking me "business-unrelated" personal questions. He clearly explains the necessity to establish a comfortable environment where they can trust that the author is a good listener. It gives the reader clarity of who you are, what and why you did the things you did. Next, I pose to Mike the question of what comes after the research process. He says that he and his team referred to the recorded audio manuscript to keep up with the authenticity of my story. Mike says it was the first time he worked with a "Japanese figure in gangster rapper" who loved doing music but loved marketing the music. He says he was drawn to my evolution from singing behind the mic to talking behind the mic to doing digital marketing, which he rightly observes is where my heart is. Moving on, we talk about the relevance of baseball player Joe Dimaggio in the book. Mike illustrates how Dimaggio became a successful brand ambassador, having evolved from a baseball player. It perfectly relates to my story as a former "failed rockstar" to a well-performing digital marketer. Next, I seek from Mike some of the hacks in research for the book's direction. Mike admits he has no secret tricks but relies on his brain, which naturally harbors information. He has a head with a library of ideas. Working on the initial script with the client - At this stage, Mike says he gathers just small details from the client. I was glad he threw in some cool superlatives to describe me: "a great client and fun guy ."A takeaway quote from him is, "Once you know who the principal star is, your book is done, for the rest is just details." Examples of other "failed Japanese rockstars" - Mike tells us a story of his former client, Mark, in his book "The 50-year-old Millenial." Mark did not have a proposition, which is the foundation of every story in a book. In the book, he carves a more radical proposition for a fresh culture of servant leadership, challenging the conventional leadership style in business. My guest advises that you should not stop learning when writing a book because you get to review everything. The exciting story of Ron Foxcroft - An official baseball referee, Ron spent US$300,000 on three Fox 40 whistles he invented that anyone did not want. The math wasn't good at all. During one big match officials convention, he walked out to the compound in the middle of the night and blew his whistle loudly. The attending referees worldwide were startled by the sound of the whistle and wanted it immediately, marking the beginning of Ron's empire. Time stamps
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| 165 - How We Generated 2,377 Leads For a Caribbean Resort - Jay and Dave | 12 Jan 2023 | 00:29:45 | |
In today's episode of the Merged Podcast, I am bringing Dave back due to popular demand. It is the first hat trick for a guest on the Merged Marketing podcast! We are delving into a successful case study: How we generated 2,377 leads for a Caribbean Resort. I break this episode into three specific parts. The first segment deals with the client's status before the Merged campaign. In the second part, we discuss the client's status during the campaign effort and the steps we took to put them in the best position possible for generating leads. Finally, we talk about the aftermath of the campaign. Indeed, this was different from your typical marketing campaign targeting families or families on vacation. Instead, it was a very niche and result-oriented campaign targeting investor-related with disposable income and those interested in a lifestyle type of investment. We break down how we delivered for this particular client to generate 2,337 leads eventually. We achieved this through our proposal that included social media advertising, google advertising, SEO, a new website overhaul, email marketing, and display advertising of some of our assets. At the tail end of the episode, hear about another of Dave's exciting choices of superheroe for Merged Marketing's brand representative. It's a slice, and you will enjoy it! Key Timecodes
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| 030 | Inside a Hustler's Brain - with Jitendra Vaswani | 25 Aug 2020 | 00:36:24 | |
Jitendra (aka Jitu) is the founder of a kickass marketing blog bloggersideas.com where he has interviewed marketing legends like Neil Patel and Rand Fishkin. He is an international keynote speaker, digital marketing consultant and digital nomad. His key to success is: “Do what you love most and get everything you want in your life.” | |||
| #237 – Dani Dufresne: How AI Exposed $25M in Wasted Ad Spend | 12 Nov 2025 | 00:43:38 | |
Dani Dufresne is an Emmy-winning producer and founder of The Aux Co, bringing over a decade of experience cleaning up creative disasters for major brands. In this episode, we explore why beautiful, expensive productions often deliver empty results and how production expertise at the beginning—not the end—of creative development changes everything. Dani's journey from film school to becoming a fractional executive producer reveals a fundamental flaw in how agencies and brands approach creative: they develop the idea first, then figure out how to produce it. This backwards process leads to blown budgets, compromised creative, and campaigns that look stunning but deliver nothing.
Timestamps:
We explore the dramatic shift from influencer marketing to community building, the role AI plays in exposing waste and enabling genuine human connection, and why the most powerful creative ideas pass the "movie poster test"—explainable in a single sentence. | |||
| 171 - There's More Than One Way To Skin a Cat with Lead Generation with Ian McRae from LeadsCon | 21 Feb 2023 | 00:20:31 | |
In today’s special episode, LeadsCon Podcast host Ian McRae speaks with fellow guest and me, Collin MacMillan, of Riverwood landscape. We are tackling the ever-large and relevant topic of lead magnets. Collin starts us off with an insight into the landscaping industry, its boom, and the early days of the operation of his company. He observes that the landscaping industry has experienced rapid growth over the last decade but remains fragmented. Most landscaping businesses are in the US$500 -1 million revenue bracket, mostly owner–operated. In this regard, the marketing budget allocation to generating successful lead magnets is generally limited. My first question from host Ian pertains to the cost and quality of lead magnets. As I always insist, the goal is to find lead magnets to get you the lowest cost per lead. You then want to leverage these lead magnets to attract people off social media to a more controlled environment i.e., email. In other words, the lead magnet topic is bait for the audience. Collin gives his perspective on the effects of Covid-19 on his landscaping business. In unexpected ways, the pandemic was largely a blessing in disguise for the landscaping industry. Due to the lockdown, many people forced to remain in their homes found themselves with relatively more money that could be channeled into landscaping projects. As such, his company realigned its marketing efforts by toning down on ad words and paid clicks. Instead, they focused more on brand awareness and longer-term needs. I chime in with what Merged Marketing did on its part: we pivoted into the home services industry with such landscaping businesses as Riverwood. Host Ian takes me on my digital marketing journey with a question on how I leveraged emerging social media during the early days. In 2007, while I was head of a music band, Facebook was only starting, and many businesses still needed to leverage the platform for marketing. On my part, however, my digital journey evolved with the evolution of Facebook by pivoting and trying out new ad placements as they emerged in that space. Then I had my epiphany that Marketing was where I wanted to go forthwith. Host Ian seeks Collin’s thoughts on the tactics for assessing the success of our lead magnet generation. Collin underscores the need to generate data and track where your leads stem from. He argues that you stand to benefit a great deal if you track your leads with CRM. Finally, host Ian seeks our thoughts on what we look forward to from the forthcoming LeadsCon Las Vegas 2023. As a frequent attendee of digital marketing conferences, I am most excited about attending one focused explicitly on leads which will be my first. On his part, Collin admits that, unlike myself, he has only been to a few marketing-focus conventions, but he is looking forward to the entire convention and learning a lot. Time Stamps
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| 116 | 7 Strategies For High-Quality Leads - With Shiv Gupta | 08 Mar 2022 | 00:27:10 | |
At just 17, Shiv started his journey to the digital marketing world. For the initial three years, he worked as a freelancer and performed his own research-based projects and grabbed deep knowledge of the industry. He later, gained technical skills and market knowledge. He later started a digital marketing agency to serve people at a larger level and be a guide to his own team. It was then that he founded Incrementors. Mentioned in This Episode: What you will learn: Shiv’s journey (1:45) Lead generation vs demand generation (3:46) 7 strategies for high-quality leads
Get in touch with Shiv (25:03) Shiv Mentality - Quotes From the Show “Offer things of REAL value” “There should be at least 7 touchpoints before your ideal customer makes a purchase” “Always focus on your customer’s need” “People buy from you when they like you, and people like you when they know you” “Demand generation is not about doing different things, it’s about doing things differently” | |||
| 170 - The 4 C's To Selling Using META with Jason Hunt | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:18:48 | |
In today’s episode, I am privileged to host myself to talk about the 4C’s To Selling via META. As many of you may be aware, META is an umbrella for the leading social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Meta Quest. This is a very important subject in 2023, given that how we use Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp) is no longer the same. The 4C’s to selling via Meta that I will be unwrapping in today’s episode are Content, Credibility, Conversation, and Conversion. Today, it is remarkably different in how we deploy our ads, our assets, and the creative, which are ever tweaking and changing. In 2023 and going forward, creating content specific to the particular platform underneath META is highly necessary. Given that a successful Instagram piece of content may sometimes replicate a different success on a Facebook feed, it is crucial that we split the content into relevant clips. We are better off having a plethora of content and testing it on various platforms to realize where it best fits. Also, in today’s solo episode, I address whether to use still pictures or video content on Meta’s platform for success. From our experience at Merged, we often find video content having greater success rates with the audience nowadays than still images which worked well in the past. I underscore the importance of having a brand ambassador as the face of the company in your Meta ads. This builds a sense of familiarity and trusts with the audience. In terms of credibility, I argue for the need to leverage it in your retargeting ads. In other words, you need to complement that content with a secondary piece that supports whatever you are talking about in the initial video. In the 3rd C, I share some tricks and hacks on tailoring your communication through a nurture email sequence. Regarding conversion, it is important not to force things, leaving the purchase decision to the potential client. This can save you from buyer’s remorse and keep your convert for longer as a paying client. Key Time Stamps
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| #235 – Doug Weitzbuch: 2 Million Plays with Zero Marketing | 26 Sep 2025 | 00:41:28 | |
From producing unscripted shows with Gordon Ramsay and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to creating a viral real estate game that hit 2 million plays without spending a dollar on marketing, Doug Weitzbuch's journey reveals the power of authentic community-driven growth over manufactured virality. In this episode, Doug shares behind-the-scenes insights from 20 years in television production, his pivot to gaming, and the exact strategies that led to organic viral success through genuine storytelling and community building rather than paid advertising. 🔑 Topics Covered:
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🎮 Featured Strategies:
⏰ Episode Timestamps: 00:00 – TV producer background (Gordon Ramsay, Duck Dynasty, JLo, The Rock) Check out Housle: https://housle.house/ | |||
| #241 – Rob Pacinelli: AI Video Revolution, Lead Reactivation and Custom GPT Clones | 15 Jan 2026 | 00:44:13 | |
Rob Pacinelli is the VP and co-founder of The Best Media. In this episode, we explore Rob's journey from starting in his parents' basement to building an agency that's worked with 70-80 employees over the years, his evolution from e-commerce to full-service digital marketing, and how he's now pioneering AI-powered lead reactivation through their innovative "Sales Android" technology. Rob shares hard-won lessons about hiring experts over beginners, the costly mistakes of trying to wear too many hats, and why he'd rather pay more for professionals than waste time training. We dive deep into The Best Media's transformation toward AI automation, exploring their custom GPT solutions, AI video production workflows using Sora and HeyGen, and how they're helping clients convert dead leads into sales with 24/7 automated systems. If you're an agency owner, entrepreneur, or marketer looking to understand how AI is reshaping digital marketing operations—from lead reactivation to video production—this conversation delivers tactical insights you can implement immediately.
01:22 – Rob's Oakville connection and early client stories 03:46 – Starting in the parents' basement after university (2000) 05:11 – First client: An e-commerce business, not an agency client 07:32 – Hiring the first employee: A high school friend as web developer 09:12 – Managing multiple services: SEO, paid ads, websites simultaneously 11:47 – The expert-only hiring philosophy: Why Rob stopped training beginners 14:23 – 70-80 employees over 23 years: Key lessons on delegation 26:42 – AI video production workflow: Sora, HeyGen, and Runway integration 29:33 – Creating videos from two photos: The AI video revolution 32:17 – Overcoming Sora's content restrictions: The Godzilla vs King Kong example 35:20 – The "resubmit hack": Getting rejected AI prompts accepted 37:44 – Will AI replace videographers? Rob's perspective on evolution vs replacement 40:28 – The modern videographer: Combining in-person shoots with AI tools 43:15 – Notebook LM deep dive: Extracting grammar and speaking style for AI Contact:
Drop The Mic with Jason Hunt - Where marketing meets AI, storytelling, and real business results. Digital Marketing Done For You | |||