This week we speak to James Polidoros, founder of a novel marketing concept called ‘The Compilator’. They specialise in digital transformation for their clients. Rather than focusing on individual media channels, they see all parts of the marketing mix as an entire eco system. James 360-degree approach has delivered some great results for his clients.

See some of James’s top tips below:

**  Don’t focus on a marketing channel until you’ve cracked your overall strategy. Strategy first, messaging second.

**  Don’t underestimate Bing. Bing can be good for B2B marketing because a lot of businesses have Microsoft/Bing preinstalled on their systems.

**  Video is more engaging than any other piece of content you can produce.

**  Post content regularly. Anything less than twice a week on Facebook will get you nowhere.

**  A common mistake clients make is to spread themselves too thinly across the different social media channels. Make sure you master one channel before you move onto others.

**  Understand the nuances of each social channel. Your copy should be more formal on Linkedin than Facebook, for example.

**  Beware of a marketing agency that pitches you on one single channel.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Affordable social media ad options

**  The pitfalls of Adwords

**  Bid adjustments explained

**  Bing V Adwords

**  UTMs explained

**  How to convert good content into sales

**  Is Twitter still useful for business?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  James’ company site: http://www.thecompilator.com

**  James’ email address: enquiry@thecompilator.com

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

Remember to see all of your possible marketing outlets as an ecosystem. Don’t lose sight of the big picture.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

This week we have some straight-talking advice on how to play the game of social media. Corinna Essa has really been there and done it, having used social media to save her skin after she was made redundant FIVE consecutive times! She miraculously managed to replace her income by marketing products on twitter, and now she runs a business helping people around the world use social media to boost their sales.

See some of Corinna’s top tips below:

**  People think social media is an ATM machine, but it really isn’t. Think of it as a long-term opportunity to add value to people.

**  Forget about asking things in return from people. Your social following will improve if you are not so blatant.

**  Be careful not to spread yourself too thinly. You don’t have to be on all social networks. It’s better to do one social network well than a wide range poorly.

**  Beware of automating your social media posts. The algorithms will mark down your reach.

**  Don’t try and sell products on social media. Entertain them and educate them, and then drive them elsewhere to make a purchase.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How long it should take for a campaign to become effective

**  Corinna’s incredible success story

**  Organic reach V pay-per-click

**  Which social media platform should I use?

**  The lifespan of a tweet

**  How to turn likes into sales

**  The sales funnel explained

**  The do’s and don’ts of Youtube

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Subscribe to Corinna’s Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/socialmediaworldwide 

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood 

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

There is so much you can learn for Corinna, but if there’s just one thing you act on, you should remember to not try too hard to be all over social media. Your priority should be to smash it out of the park on one social channel, and then take it from there.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

This week we talk financial planning with a man who has a great take on life. As an obsessive marathon runner himself, David Hazlewood specialises in empowering athletes and adventurers live life to the full but still retain their financial security. He is the founder of Knightswood House, an author and a speaker on all-things financial, but he is also a fun-loving guy who doesn’t believe you should sacrifice your day-to-day fun in order to save for a rainy day.

See some of David’s top tips below:

**  Financial planning doesn’t have to mean you sacrifice what you enjoy in life.

**  Make the time to plan properly. It’s easy to put off long-term financial planning until tomorrow, but if you don’t get around to it, you could put yourself in trouble.

**  It’s hard to make rational decisions when you’re emotionally involved. An impartial 3rd party can be a great help to your financial future.

**  Be patient. A series of small, low-risk investments in a portfolio is normally better than putting all your eggs in one basket.

**  There’s almost no such thing as an overnight success. Nearly all of the richest people in the world took a very long time to get there.

**  Remember that a financial strategy for protecting cash is going to be totally different to a strategy for building it up. “A good investment” will always depend on your individual circumstances.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  How good financial advice can change your life

**  How to find the right expert

**  Are shares a safe investment?

**  What to do with a chunk of cash

**  When to find the right time to invest

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  David’s company site: http://www.knightswood.com.au

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

Remember David’s philosophy: plan well, but don’t forget to celebrate your wins on the way!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

On the show this week we have one of the leading copywriters in Australia on the show. Alexi Neocleous has generated hundreds of millions in sales and has tutored a whole host of rockstar writers down the years. It was great to hear from someone with such a no-nonsense approach – anyone in business can take something from what Alexi said to Ben.

See some of Alexi’s top tips below:

**  Every business needs more ‘copy thinkers’, i.e. thinking about the audience, thinking about the market, thinking about the clients.

**  Consider the individual. You will only convert if your copy can relate to the pain points/aspirations of the individual.

**  Find an individual that you know really well that falls into your market and then imagine you are crafting your message to that individual.

**  Start with the AIDA formula. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

**  When writing headlines, relevance to the reader is more important than length and wit.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  When do you need copywriting?

**  Avatars explained

**  Long form V short form copy

**  Is direct mail still relevant?

**  The right length of headlines in 2018

**  The worth of headline generators

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Alexi’s content agency: http://www.fubbi.co 

**  Alexi’s copywriting bible, Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene M. Schwartz

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood 

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

70% of Alexi’s campaigns in his agency involve storytelling. Do not underestimate the power of good copy that can tell your story!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

How do you make email marketing a relevant part of your marketing mix? We find out from Aweber’s head of overall strategy, Erik Harbison. With 20 years of experience in marketing and advertising behind him, Erik really knows his way around. Although we hear horror stories of open rates down below 10%, Erik shows us what you can do to engage your email lists and achieve open rates of up to 80%.

See some of Erik’s top tips below:

**  Don’t be scared of email marketing. It’s a lot more simple than people think.

**  If you are sending the right email to a targeted segment of your database, you can achieve up to 80% open rates. Segmentation is key!

**  The deliverability of your emails is driven by many different factors. A key factor is the history of engagement on your email lists. Always make sure EVERY email is relevant, or you’ll be marked down.

**  Always think about the end action you want your readers to take once they read your email. Don’t just stop at open rates.

**  Set the expectations of your users from the beginning, i.e. “you’re signing up to a monthly email”

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Where is email marketing right now?

**  The fear factor of email marketing

**  Open rates

**  Good ‘signals’ and bad

**  When to use a CRM

**  How best to place images in emails

**  How to monetise your subscribers

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

** Go to http://www.aweber.com for a fully functional 30-day free trial

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

As Erik says, “begin with the end in mind”. Each email and each campaign behind it will only work if you focus hard on the end goal.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

We were very lucky to be able to pick the brains of a leading inbound-marketing guru in this week’s episode. James Gilbert is the Marketing Director of Hubspot in the Asia/Pacific region, so he certainly knows a thing or two about inbound marketing. He spoke to us about some of the great success stories he’s seen in his time at Hubspot and the tricks of the trade you can use to your advantage.

See some of James’ top tips below:

**  You don’t want to advertise to people who don’t want to see your product. Allocate your resources properly!

**  For any marketing effort, make sure your reporting is accurate. If you can’t measure what works and what doesn’t then you will waste time and money.

**  Don’t be scared to give away your insight with good content. It’s so important to give your audience value with your content in order to build a strong relationship.

**  Tracking your marketing doesn’t have to break the bank. There are plenty of free tools out there.

**  Do not underestimate the power of Facebook messenger. There are many active users but very little competition because most businesses simply aren’t onto it.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The inner workings of Hubspot

**  The meaning of inbound marketing

**  How to track phone calls

**  Which types of content work

**  Content clusters explained

**  The power of marketing automation

**  Chatbots and messenger marketing

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Marcus Sheridan’s incredible content success story: https://blog.hubspot.com/opinion/uattr/marcus-sheridan-hubspot-inbound-conference-2013-bold-talk

**  Connect with James on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jatgilbert/

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

Give as much value as you can with your content… look what it did for Marcus Sheridan!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

In this episode we talk about the all-important concept of looking after number one. Rik Schnabel has been coaching people for 15 years, empowering them to throw away their baggage and achieve their ambitions. Rik has authored four books and is a certified life coach, so he certainly knows what he’s talking about.

See some of Rik’s top tips below:

**  We all need to be better sales people because all of us are basically selling something.

**  Beliefs are your on and your off switch. They can totally define your future.

**  It takes a lot of courage to believe in something that is difficult to prove. But you must keep believing!

**  Reasons get results. When you have a good reason you will do what you can to succeed.

**  Books and videos can help, but coaching is the ultimate for turning yourself around. Even Rik is coached by somebody else.

**  Time and money are basically used as the biggest excuses for not getting more time and more money.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Rik’s amazing story

**  How to avoid negative believers

**  How to invest in your why

**  Is it possible to change your mindset on your own?

**  The seven beliefs that hold people back

**  Imposter syndrome

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Rik’s website: http://www.lifebeyondlimits.com.au

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

As Rik says, “the best ROi in life will come from training with a coach”. Don’t forget the importance of your own mindset!

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

We had a really insightful conversation with Lee Martin Seymour about how to define yourself in a crowded marketplace, and how his company X Ref is revolutionising employee references. Martin’s company began as an idea scribbled on the back of a napkin, but now he has a global business that recently raised AUD 20m from a flotation.

See some of Lee’s top tips below:

**  Successful entrepreneurs love risk and have the ability to make a decision. If you’ve got a good idea, make that decision and run with it!

**  People normally complain about a product/process if they know there is an alternative, but often they won’t complain if there is no obvious alternative way of doing things. Just because you can’t see a public demand for something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your idea forwards.

**  When recruiting, make data-driven decisions, not gut-driven decisions.

**  When hiring new employees, ALWAYS do a reference check!

**  When making big business decisions, i.e. listing as a PLC, try and get unbiased advice from people who don’t stand to gain from the ultimate decision.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  The importance of culture over KPI

**  What questions to ask when taking a reference

**  How to focus on one problem

**  How long a reference should be

**  Listing companies explained

**  The benefits of hands-on company ownership

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Do you have what it takes to be a Business Excelerator at Max My Profit? Find out more here: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Lee’s company site: http://www.xref.com

**  Lee’s email address: lee@xref.com

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

Lee keeps going back to the point of “Culture over KPI”. Creating a happy team is absolutely fundamental to the success of any business.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000

We have a viral internet legend on the show today, and who knows, maybe he can help you become one too! Max Lanman shot to fame when a humourous advert he created to help sell his girlfriend’s second-hand car went viral (the original Youtube clip is at 6.7m viewers and counting!). Max also has a business that creates video content for clients around the world, so he’s a very good man to speak to about how to maximise the impact of your video campaigns.

See some of Max’s top tips below:

**  Find an emotional background for everything that you do. Understand what you want your audience to feel.

**  Be careful to not place too much of an emphasis of AB testing. If you’re too systematic, your output will lack humanity.

**  Think of your video output as a multi-pronged attack. These days, the best campaigns are normally spread over multiple short videos rather than one long one.

**  If you genuinely connect with the video you’re shooting, there’s a good chance the audience will too.

**  Don’t get too hung up on expensive equipment. How you use it is so much more important.

In this episode of Business Brain Food you will learn:

**  Max’s incredible story

**  What Max has learnt about video from his journey

**  The value of TV commercials in 2018

**  “The emotional north star"

**  Entertaining V educating in adverts

**  Explainer videos

**  Setting the right budget

Resources mentioned in this episode:

**  Learn more about our Business Excelerator program: http://www.maxmyprofit.com.au

**  Watch Max’s legendary viral advert here

**  Max’s personal website: http://www.maxlanman.com

**  Max’s creative agency: http://www.leao.tv

**  The Business Brain Food Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/businessbrainfood

**  All previous BBF episodes & show notes can be found at http://www.businessbrainfood.com.au

**  Twitter: https://twitter.com/bfewtrell

Call to action:

You can never guarantee that a video will “go viral”, but if you follow Max’s lead and concentrate on every last detail, you will give yourself every chance.

Also, if you are enjoying these Business Brain Food podcasts, then make sure to share them via social media sites or email the links to family and friends. A lot of time and effort goes into producing each of these podcasts with the goal in mind of the more people we can inspire about business the better. You can help us do just that!

Until next time, have a profitable day!

Cheers,
Ben Fewtrell
(02) 9111 5000