E42: Digital Marketing Sucks (Sometimes): The Most Ridiculous Things We’ve Seen in Marketing with Crystal Smith

Episode 42 Featured Image Crystal Smith
Small Stage, Big Impact
Small Stage, Big Impact

Are you tired of bro marketing, manipulative algorithms, and sales funnels that encourage you to ‘trip’ a prospect to make her buy more? Then you’re in the right place.

On Small Stage, Big Impact veteran digital strategist, Renia Carsillo, combines solo teaching episodes with interviews to help you learn how to build a sustainable, people-first digital strategy that works for your business. Along the way, she speaks to digital activists, upstart developers, badass content creators, brave community leaders, and other behind-the-scenes folx you probably haven’t heard on a podcast before. To help you answer one important question:

How do we do better digital (#DoBetterDigital) so we can be better humans?

42: Digital Marketing Sucks (Sometimes): The Most Ridiculous Things We’ve Seen in Marketing with Crystal Smith
byLourenia Carsillo

2020 is the year the world turned upside down. Has your marketing kept up?

In today’s episode, we talk with Jedi Marketing Master, cohost of Digital Dykes, and my longtime friend, Crystal Smith. 

We’re looking back at the biggest marketing fails of 2020, as well as what it takes to stay relevant in a changing world.

The biggest fail I’ve seen from Businesses Who Must Not Be Named is the attempt to cling to “business as usual.” 

They may throw up a black box for Black Lives Matter on their website or post a “masks required” sign on their door. But the marketing strategies they mapped out in December of 2019 move ahead as scheduled. There is no awareness that their target audience may have shifted priorities.

The purpose of marketing is to persuade your audience to make a purchase. 

If your audience is focused on meeting their basic needs for food, shelter, and safety, no amount of fancy copy or pretty pictures is going to persuade them to open their wallets to you.

We must always remember the humanity of our audience. As Crystal points out, the only way to be ethical AND successful in business is to be transparent. 

Transparent in our expectations. 

Transparent in our struggles. 

And transparent in what we can deliver. 

The marketing failures of 2020 happened because marketers forgot the cornerstone of effective marketing: 

People buy from people they know, like, and trust.

How exactly do we adapt our marketing strategy to an audience with different needs and expectations than a year ago? We adjust our perspective, and we forge a new path. 

To #DoBetterDigital, we must choose to do, or do not. There is no try. But we CAN do it together.

Learn more about how to be a marketing success in a post-2020 world in today’s episode. Listen now.

***Please note: Today’s episode is very NSFW or suitable for small ears.***

In episode 42 of Small Stage, Big Impact we discuss:

  • [11:18] The number one mistake some marketers are making in 2020
  • [22:26] The number one rule to being an ethical digital influencer and a successful marketer
  • [38:45] The definition of “bro-marketers” and why their marketing tactics just don’t cut it
  • [41:46] How marketing can be a positive influence in the lives of consumers
  • [45:06] The kind of manipulation you should avoid in marketing if you want to #DoBetterDigital
  • [50:24] Renia’s “cheat code” for digital marketing newbies who are struggling to find clients
  • [52:47] Renia and Crystal’s advice for sustainable success in business and in life

 

Resources mentioned by Crystal and Renia in the episode:

2020 is the year the world turned upside down. Has your marketing kept up?

In today’s episode, we talk with Jedi Marketing Master, cohost of Digital Dykes, and my longtime friend, Crystal Smith. 

We’re looking back at the biggest marketing fails of 2020, as well as what it takes to stay relevant in a changing world.

The biggest fail I’ve seen from Businesses Who Must Not Be Named is the attempt to cling to “business as usual.” 

They may throw up a black box for Black Lives Matter on their website or post a “masks required” sign on their door. But the marketing strategies they mapped out in December 2019 move ahead as scheduled. There is no awareness that their target audience may have shifted priorities.

The purpose of marketing is to persuade your audience to make a purchase. 

If your audience is focused on meeting their basic needs for food, shelter, and safety, no amount of fancy copy or pretty pictures is going to persuade them to open their wallets to you.

We must always remember the humanity of our audience. As Crystal points out, the only way to be ethical AND successful in business is to be transparent. 

Transparent in our expectations. 

Transparent in our struggles. 

And transparent in what we can deliver. 

The marketing failures of 2020 happened because marketers forgot the cornerstone of effective marketing: 

People buy from people they know, like, and trust.

How exactly do we adapt our marketing strategy to an audience with different needs and expectations than a year ago? We adjust our perspective, and we forge a new path. 

To #DoBetterDigital, we must choose to do, or do not. There is no try. But we CAN do it together.

Learn more about how to be a marketing success in a post-2020 world in today’s episode. Listen now.

***Please note: Today’s episode is very NSFW or suitable for small ears.***

Also Available on YouTube with Custom Captions for Non-Hearing

Episode 42 Recap

  • [11:18] The number one mistake some marketers are making in 2020

  • [22:26] The number one rule to being an ethical digital influencer and a successful marketer

  • [38:45] The definition of “bro-marketers” and why their marketing tactics just don’t cut it

  • [41:46] How marketing can be a positive influence in the lives of consumers

  • [45:06] The kind of manipulation you should avoid in marketing if you want to #DoBetterDigital

  • [50:24] Renia’s “cheat code” for digital marketing newbies who are struggling to find clients

  • [52:47] Renia and Crystal’s advice for sustainable success in business and in life

 

Resources Mentioned in Episode 42

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Small Stage, Big Impact is hosted by Renia Carsillo (that’s me!). I am hardcore passionate and committed to bringing the systems and strategies that give big brands an unfair advantage to local businesses. For that reason, I created the Local Rock Star Intensive, where I help local business owners use their small stage to have a BIG impact. Thank you for being here and reading this far!

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