Bullhorns and Bullseyes

Marketing strategist, author, and businessesgrow.com founder Mark Schaefer joins Tom and Curtis to make the case that brand is still the most durable competitive advantage a company can build—and that AI has made it more important, not less. Drawing on his books Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World and How AI Changes Your Customers, Mark explains why chasing AI visibility is largely a Sisyphean task for most businesses, how to close the gap between what a company sells and what customers actually buy, and why community—not audience—is where the strongest brand loyalty lives. The episode closes with Tom’s story of a pest control company that won his loyalty without a single performance claim, and a preview of the next episode with Brian Clark on converting audience into community.N.B.:Learn more at businessesgrow.com.Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.Pick up Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World and How AI Changes Your Customers wherever books are sold.Takeaways:Brand preferences are AI overrides—if customers trust and identify with a brand, no algorithm changes the decision.Chasing top AI visibility is a Sisyphean task for most businesses; investing in brand and word-of-mouth is more achievable and more durable.The "Only we…" exercise is a fast diagnostic: if five executives give five different answers, the company does not yet have a marketing strategy.Companies often confuse what they sell with what customers are actually buying—and the gap between the two is where brand strategy lives.Real customer conversations, conducted with regularity, are irreplaceable; AI research produces the same homogeneous output your competitors are already using.The emotional hierarchy runs from advertising to audience to community—and community is where goodwill transfers to the brand most permanently.People in a brand community form relationships with each other, and that social bond becomes the strongest attachment to the brand itself.In a world flooded with AI-generated content, the content that stands out must approach the level of art—an interpretation of the human experience that only a specific person could produce.Competent content is now ignorable; AI exceeds competence. Distinctly human perspective is the only durable differentiator.The most human companies will win in an age of AI—and the engagement data is already bearing that out.Find and Follow:Find all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.Be sure to subscribe to our Substack to never miss an episode!Follow the show on LinkedIn!Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

Funnel-based storyteller returns to the podcast to have a little fun. Challenge, with Curtis as “the client,” can Josh and Tom retell a fictitious brand’s story on the fly, with little input and using only their aligned methodologies? Tom’s going to encourage Curtis to lead with his client’s WHY; and Josh is sure to align the messaging with the tried-and-true sales/marketing funnel. Will they outperform AI in the process? Tune in to find out! We’re working without a net this week, folks…well, we did have the internet…but we didn’t use it…promise!N.B.:Connect with Josh on LinkedIn.Learn more about Josh and his agency at Donco Marketing.Takeaways:Funnel-driven storytelling helps structure brand messaging.Awareness is crucial in the initial stages of customer engagement.Positioning the customer as the hero enhances brand appeal.Social proof can significantly impact customer trust.Effective storytelling should focus on benefits, not just features.Understanding the audience's journey is key to effective marketing.Brand storytelling should evolve from the website outward. Identifying the precise target audience is crucial for effective messaging.Data plays a vital role in understanding lead generation and conversion.Stakeholder interviews are essential for crafting effective marketing narratives.AI can enhance marketing strategies but should not replace human insight.Effective messaging should focus on the customer's journey and pain points.Understanding the emotional aspects of marketing can improve client relationships.Customer-centric marketing positions the customer as the hero of the story.Find and Follow:See all episodes at bullhornsbullseyes.com.Follow the show on LinkedIn!Learn more about Collideascope and Creative Mill at their respective websites.Connect with Curtis and Tom on LinkedIn.Check out our newsletter, Amplify and Aim!

Tom finally gets his pudding and Curtis acquiesces. In this fun episode, we dive deep 🛎️ into the origins and evolution of a podcast launched to focus all on Yacht Rock. But this much more than exploring 🛎️ how he and his co-host—this week’s guest, Tom’s brother John—discovered the genre, the creation of modern Yacht Rock music, and their love of the music. No, this i all about the strategies they employed to join a community, nurture an audience, and become a center of influence in a niche they would eventually sell into.. They discuss the importance of storytelling, community engagement, and the marketing tactics that helped them grow their podcast and connect with listeners. John and Tom share insights gained from starting out as a complete unknown to eventually interviewing legendary artists, like Kenny Loggins. It’s more than just Tom’s favorite topic…it’s a case study in audience activation and building a story, not around you and your product, but around a specific audience’s natural passions and interests.N.B.:Check out the podcast, Out of the Main.Intro Music: "Never-Ending Story" by Tom's modern yacht group August Red.Outro Music: "Did You Mean That" by John's project Page 99.Don’t forget to check your favorite music listening platforms for Page 99 and August Red!Takeaways:Identifying and serving an audience is crucial for content success.Storytelling is a key element in engaging listeners.Building a community around a niche can lead to greater success than trying to build a customer base for your product or service.Strategizing before launching a podcast can prevent future pitfalls.Engaging with existing communities can accelerate audience growth for yourself.Building momentum through networking can lead to greater visibility.Creating content that serves the audience fosters genuine connections—more so than constantly pitching your wares.Podcasting allows for the creation of diverse content from a single episode.

In the first-ever in-studio edition of Bullhorns and Bullseyes, Curtis and Tom welcome onto the set Doug Mans and Meghan Mans-Kurili, fourth- and fifth-generation members of the Mans family at the help of Mans Lumber and Home. Learn about the company’s secret to longevity, a story that spans 125 years, two world wars, two global pandemics, a housing bubble crisis, and even attempted arson! Learn how a family-owned business can both stay consistent to its values while also adapting with the times and evolving and innovating as a business. Listen or watch along to hear how Meghan modernized the company’s marketing approach, evolving it from brand awareness only to a mix of brand awareness, lead generation, and measurable outcomes tied to actual sales.N.B.:Read and see all about the Mans legacy spanning 125 years!Thanks to Auxiom for providing the studio space, recording gear, and highly capable tech team!Takeaways:Evolve with the times to stay relevant—what worked for your business decades ago won’t carry you into the future.Balance old-school tactics like radio and billboards with performance-based digital marketing to maximize your reach and ROI.Prioritize marketing channels you can track and measure so you know exactly what’s working and where to invest.Implement a closed-loop system where sales feeds lead quality data back to marketing to improve targeting and reduce waste.Don’t underestimate your Google Business Profile—it may drive more phone calls than your website.Rebrand thoughtfully if your current identity limits your appeal—make sure your name, colors, and message invite in your ideal customer.Simplify the customer journey—make key actions like calling or finding a location just one tap away on mobile.Create cohesion across multiple brands by building a unified strategy, even if the businesses serve slightly different markets.Help your customers grow by sharing your marketing expertise—it deepens relationships and strengthens loyalty.Use storytelling to turn your brand history and customer relationships into meaningful, memorable content.

In an episode replete with acronyms, Tom and Curtis welcome Nikki Little and Lexi Trimpe of Franco discuss the evolving landscape of public relations in the context of AI and digital marketing. They explore the significance of the PESO model, the resurgence of earned media, and the importance of quality content in the age of AI. They explore how information discovery is shifting, the necessity of personalization, and the implementation of AI policies within organizations. The discussion highlights actionable steps for effective marketing and the critical role of integrated approaches in achieving success.N.B.:Check out Nikki’s and Lexi’s website and podcast at franco.com.Connect with Nikki and Lexi on LinkedIn.Takeaways:PR is increasingly important now, especially with the rise of AI.The PESO model integrates paid, earned, shared, and owned media for success.Earned media is crucial for discoverability, not just awareness.SEO is not dead; it continues to evolve with AI.High-quality content is essential for audience engagement.AI is changing the way we approach media relations.Brands must optimize for answer engines to increase visibility.Content syndication is as important as content creation.Measuring success should go beyond just conversions.Engaging content can significantly increase audience interaction.Implementing AI policies is necessary for organizational alignment.Creating a cohesive marketing strategy requires integration across channels.