In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans chats with Michael Houlihan, co-founder of Barefoot Wine, about the accidental journey that led to one of the most recognizable wine brands in the world. 

Michael shares how creative grassroots marketing, a commitment to listening to customers, and a unique positioning strategy helped Barefoot thrive in an industry dominated by high-end, elitist brands. 

He reflects on the lessons that he and his wife, Bonnie Harvey, learned from building and scaling Barefoot, the challenges of distribution, and how they turned social advocacy into a powerful marketing tool.

Michael also discusses life after Barefoot, including the creation of The Barefoot Spirit, a business adventure book and audio theater series. 

Tune in to discover Michael’s advice for entrepreneurs navigating today’s competitive markets and his insights on climate change-driven opportunities for the next generation of innovators.

Building Barefoot Wine: Michael Houlihan on Innovation, Storytelling, and Brand Success

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans talks with Ramli John, founder of Delight Path and author of Product-Led Onboarding, about the secrets to effective onboarding and customer retention. 

They explore why retention efforts often begin too late, the three pillars of customer engagement, and the pivotal role onboarding plays in fostering long-term loyalty. 

Ramli shares actionable strategies for developing a retention-focused onboarding process and explains the "hyper-personalization" potential of AI in creating tailored customer journeys. 

Tune in to learn how to keep your customers excited, engaged, and loyal beyond the initial sale.

Onboarding That Sticks: Ramli John’s Guide to Turning New Users into Lifelong Advocates

In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans dives into the transformative world of podcasting with Tom Schwab, founder and CEO of Interview Valet. As a podcasting pioneer, Tom shares his journey of building a company that helps brands amplify their messages and expand their reach through targeted podcast guest appearances. 

Discover why podcast interviews are a potent marketing tool, the common mistakes companies make in leveraging podcasts, and how AI is shaping the future of on-demand content. 

Whether you're looking to boost your brand's visibility, build stronger relationships, or drive audience engagement, Tom’s insights provide actionable takeaways to maximize podcasting’s impact for any business. 

Unlocking the Power of Podcasting: Tom Schwab on Leveraging Interviews for Business Growth

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with Ishveen Jolly, founder and CEO of OpenSponsorship, to explore how athlete sponsorship has been transformed by social media and digital platforms. 

OpenSponsorship, a marketplace that connects brands with athletes, has helped democratize sponsorship deals, enabling even small brands to work with sports stars across various niches.

Ishveen shares her journey from sports agent to tech entrepreneur, detailing how her platform has evolved from a simple idea to a tech-enabled agency working with global icons like LeBron James and Tiger Woods. 

She provides insights into the shifting dynamics of the sports sponsorship industry, emphasizing how athletes are no longer just the faces of brands but partners in building powerful, authentic campaigns.

Athletes, Brands, and the Power of Influence: A Deep Dive with Ishveen Jolly

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with seasoned marketer Linda Melone to explore how AI is transforming the marketing landscape. 

Linda shares her personal journey, from transitioning out of the fitness industry into content writing and copywriting, to embracing AI tools like ChatGPT to streamline her workflows. She discusses the challenges and opportunities AI presents, offering insights into how she selects and utilizes various AI-powered platforms to maintain authentic, high-quality content for her clients. 

The conversation dives into the importance of personalizing marketing in an AI-driven world, the balance between automation and human touch, and predictions for the future of AI in marketing. 

Whether you’re new to AI or already experimenting, this episode offers valuable perspectives on how to navigate this fast-evolving space.

Navigating AI's Impact on Marketing: Linda Melone Shares Her Toolkit

In this episode, I sit down with Dale Harrison to dive deep into one of the most critical—but often overlooked—aspects of customer success: onboarding. 

We all know that a great first impression can make or break a relationship, and it's no different when bringing new customers on board.

Dale shares his expert insights on how a well-crafted onboarding process doesn't just get customers up to speed but actively drives product usage, builds loyalty, and significantly reduces churn. 

Whether running a SaaS company or offering a complex service, this conversation will give you actionable strategies to turn first-time users into long-term advocates.

If you want to boost retention, improve customer satisfaction, and nail that all-important first experience, you won’t miss this episode.

This episode was sponsored by LeadFeeder - https://bit.ly/3ySLl4o

From Sign-Up to Superfan: Dale Harrison’s Secrets to Successful Customer Onboarding

In this episode of the Marketing Spark podcast, Mark Evans delves into the intense competition within the CRM market, highlighting the prominent players like HubSpot and Salesforce. 

Mark talks to Jessica Andrews, Copper's VP of marketing, a smaller CRM company that has successfully distinguished itself through precise brand positioning and inventive marketing strategies. 

Jessica describes how Copper focuses on specific industries like agencies, consulting, and financial services, emphasizing relationships and non-linear sales cycles. 

The podcast discusses Copper's brand evolution, the impact of economic conditions, and the strategic importance of aligning product and marketing efforts. 

Jessica provides insights into Copper's marketing strategy adjustments, including leveraging LinkedIn for thought leadership and experimenting with new channels like Reddit.

 The conversation also covers the challenges and techniques involved in convincing corporate leadership to engage on social media and the continuous process of monitoring and adapting brand positioning.

Thanks to Leadfeeder for sponsoring this episode. Know who’s coming to your website, convert more leads and get a free trial at Leadfeeder.com/try [https://bit.ly/3ySLl4o]

Copper's Creative and Agile Approach to Battling CRM Giants

In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans talks with Jiaqi Pan, co-founder and CEO of Landbot, an AI-powered platform revolutionizing customer service. 

Jiaqi shares Landbot’s journey from a B2C service to a leading B2B SaaS solution. 

Topics include recognizing unsustainable business models, effective brand positioning, and balancing AI with human interaction. 

Jiaqi offers valuable advice for B2B SaaS entrepreneurs and discusses metrics for measuring AI-driven customer service success.

 Tune in for practical insights into leveraging AI, driving leads, and enhancing customer experience. 

Connect with Jiaqi on LinkedIn and learn more about Landbot at landbot.io

Transforming Customer Service with AI: Landbot's CEO Jiaqi Pan Shares Insights and Strategies

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans interviews Sam Dunning, a content marketing and SEO expert, to dissect the recent leaks about Google's search algorithm and the rise of AI-generated content.

The conversation delves into the implications of these leaks, which reveal the ongoing importance of backlinks and brand relevance despite Google's previous statements.

Sam explains the critical impact of these changes on B2B SaaS companies and shares best practices for staying competitive in this volatile landscape.

They also discuss the future of SEO, emphasizing the shift towards bottom-of-the-funnel content and the diminishing value of top-funnel, AI-overviewed content.

The podcast highlights the importance of understanding high-intent prospects, leveraging detailed customer research, and creating content that genuinely resonates with target audiences.

As AI continues to transform SEO and content marketing, Sam offers practical advice on adapting strategies to maintain visibility and drive leads.

Thanks to this week’s sponsor, Landbot [https://bit.ly/4bFu38E], AI Chatbot Generator for Conversational Experiences.

Unpacking Google's Leaks and AI Overviews: SEO Strategies with Sam Dunning

In the latest episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans sits down with Matt Mireles, CEO and co-founder of Talktastic. 

They dive into the transformative impact of AI on content marketing, exploring how generative AI tools like ChatGPT are reshaping the industry. 

Matt shares his entrepreneurial journey, from being a paramedic and journalist to founding AI-driven companies. 

He discusses Talktastic's innovative new app that transforms rambling speech into polished writing, maintaining the user's authentic voice. 

The conversation also delves into the ethical considerations of AI in content creation and the future of AI as a tool for enhancing human communication. 

This episode provides valuable insights for marketers on integrating AI effectively while preserving creativity and authenticity.

From Dishwashing Robots to AI Storytelling: Matt Mireles' Entrepreneurial Journey

30-minute conversations with B2B SaaS marketers and entrepreneurs about the different roles played by marketing to build brands, attract customers, and drive growth. 

Marketing Spark (The B2B SaaS Marketing Podcast)