In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson interviews Navah Hopkins, an expert in search ads and pay-per-click marketing. They dive deep into PPC strategies, how to navigate Google Ads, and what small businesses need to do to succeed in digital marketing.

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Best Moments:

(01:03) Introduction to pay-per-click and search ads

(04:50) What not to do when researching your own ads

(06:02) Determining goals for PPC campaigns

(06:45) Local service ads for customer acquisition

(07:19) Dealing with competitors bidding on your brand terms

(08:37) Using auction insights reports in Google Ads

(09:42) SEO vs. paid ads: which is more productive?

(12:02) Choosing between SEO and PPC based on business operations

(13:56) Brief discussion on metal music genres

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Guest Bio:

Navah Hopkins is a PPC expert and evangelist for Optmyzr. She’s an internationally recognized speaker and instructor with extensive experience in SEO and paid search marketing. A passionate metal music enthusiast and gamer, Navah contributes to major publications like Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Land. She's also an active member of professional communities like Women in Tech SEO and the Paid Search Association.

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson chats with Paige Graham, founder of Sweet as Choice Bakery, about turning a passion for baking into a successful business. Paige shares her journey, insights on adapting to customer feedback, and tips for managing and growing a bakery.

Best Moments:

(01:50) Introduction to Sweet as Choice Bakery and its focus on classic New Zealand baking

(02:45) Paige’s journey from passion to business ownership

(04:06) Adapting business strategies based on customer feedback

(05:13) Importance of customer reviews and feedback for product improvement

(06:55) Marketing strategies, including social media and email collection

(08:11) Time management and using Thryv for business efficiency

(10:27) Future plans for growth and expansion

(11:56) Valentine’s Day celebrations in New Zealand

(13:07) Most popular bakery item: Melting Moments

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson is joined by Clint Fontanella, a content expert at Thryv, to explore how small businesses can leverage both traditional and "fake" holidays to boost engagement and stand out. They discuss creative ways to tie in holidays—like Valentine's Day and March Madness—into marketing campaigns, even for industries that don’t have an obvious connection.

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Best Moments:

(01:00) Introduction to leveraging holidays in marketing

(02:17) Using Valentine's Day as an example for non-related businesses

(04:13) Exploring "fake holidays" and their marketing potential

(05:42) The importance of treating customers as human beings in marketing

(07:09) Utilizing March Madness in marketing strategies

(08:05) Using ChatGPT to find relevant holidays for marketing campaigns

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Guest Bio:

Clint Fontanella is a content expert and blog manager at Thryv, where he specializes in creating valuable content for small business owners. He shares actionable marketing strategies on Thryv's blog (thryv.com/blog), offering insights on seasonal campaigns, content marketing, and more.

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson explains why the first email you send to a new customer or lead is the most important—and how it can make or break future communication success. He shares practical strategies to maximize engagement, improve deliverability, and create long-term customer relationships.

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Best Moments:

(01:15) The importance of timing in sending the first email after receiving customer info

(02:58) The impact of response time on customer engagement and potential revenue

(03:29) Why standard "thank you" autoresponders are ineffective

(04:04) How the first email interaction affects future email deliverability

(05:05) Crafting effective subject lines to encourage email opens

(05:38) The importance of providing value in the email content

(06:00) Why businesses should avoid immediate sales offers in follow-up emails

(06:18) The need for value-driven content in the first 3-4 emails

(07:35) The significance of being intentional about the first few emails sent

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson interviews Lisa Landsman, who handles global business development for Google. They discuss the power of Google reviews, the importance of a fully optimized Google Business Profile, and clear up common myths about Google’s review practices.

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Best Moments:

(01:05) Introduction to the topic of Google reviews and Google Business Profiles

(02:55) How to handle bad reviews and the importance of responding to all reviews

(04:26) Process for flagging reviews that violate Google's policies

(05:50) Dispelling myths about paying to remove negative reviews

(06:29) Clarification on whether paying for Google Ads affects review removal

(07:20) Discussion on whether negative reviews impact SEO

(08:36) The importance of thoroughly completing your Google Business Profile

(10:36) Adding social media links to your Google Business Profile

(11:48) Announcement of an upcoming webinar on Google Business Profiles

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Guest Bio:

Lisa Landsman handles global business development for Google, specializing in Google Business Profiles. With a wealth of experience, she helps businesses optimize their online presence and leverage Google’s tools to enhance visibility and connect with customers effectively.

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📅 Upcoming Webinar: Google Business Profile: Be Ready When Customers Search

Date: Wed. Feb 19th

Time: 1:00 pm ET

Speaker: Lisa Landsman, Global Business Development, Google

Session Overview:

More than 2 billion people connect with small businesses on Google every month. That means your Google Business Profile is a cornerstone of your online presence. If it’s missing information – or missing altogether – customers are likely to go to the competitors that are easier to find online. But the right info can make potential clients say “heck yeah” to doing business with you -- and Google’s own Lisa Landsman is diving deep into everything you need to know about setting up your GBP, making it shine, and getting customers to act, before and after the sale.

You’ll Learn:

• How users search for businesses and what they’re looking for, so you can build a profile that puts your best digital storefront forward.
• How to stay relevant by showcasing what matters to potential clients.
• Top tactics to get customers to take action – from booking an appointment to leaving a review.
• And more!

Register Now for the Webinar

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson welcomes Christina Garnett, Chief Customer and Communications Officer at neuemotion, to discuss the vital role of customer relationships for small businesses. They explore how to foster meaningful connections, avoid common pitfalls, and scale without losing the personal touch.

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Best Moments:

(01:26) Introduction to the role of a Chief Customer Officer

(03:16) Who typically acts as the Chief Customer Officer in small businesses

(04:58) Common pitfalls small businesses face when neglecting customer relationships

(10:45) The importance of being aware of customer feedback and acting on it

(13:07) Maintaining deep customer connections while scaling a small business

(15:45) Christina Garnett's upcoming book on customer-brand relationships

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Guest Bio:

Christina Garnett is the Chief Customer and Communications Officer at neuemotion and a fractional Chief Customer and Communications Officer for various brands. With a background in teaching and advocacy, Christina is dedicated to helping businesses make their customers feel seen, heard, and appreciated. She is the author of an upcoming book on building strong customer-brand relationships.

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins, host Jay Schwedelson welcomes back Stephanie Love, content lead at Thryv, to share strategies for keeping New Year’s resolutions and business goals on track. They explore practical frameworks and accountability techniques to help small business owners succeed.

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Best Moments:

(01:14) Setting attainable business goals for the new year

(02:18) Using the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)

(03:25) Template for creating SMART goals

(04:35) Dedicating daily time to focus on specific goals

(05:57) Setting base goals and reach goals

(07:04) Holding employees accountable for goals

(08:34) Creating "anti-resolutions" for businesses

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Guest Bio:

Stephanie Love is a content lead at Thryv, passionate about helping small business owners set and achieve realistic goals. She is also an accomplished runner, having recently completed a marathon, which inspires her approach to goal-setting and persistence.

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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In this episode of Small Business Quick Wins presented by Thryv, host Jay Schwedelson welcomes Amanda Zantal-Wiener to discuss the transformative power of brand storytelling for small businesses. They explore practical ways to create meaningful connections with customers through engaging narratives.

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Best Moments:

(01:28) Introduction to the importance of storytelling for small businesses

(02:54) Explanation of the brand story framework

(04:21) Simple example of storytelling for a plumbing company

(05:22) Practical approach to leveraging customer reviews for storytelling

(07:38) Using customer experiences to create engaging social media content

(08:56) The "avoid failure" aspect of brand storytelling

(09:56) Emphasizing the customer as the main character in brand stories

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Guest Bio:

Amanda Zantal-Wiener is the content lead at Thryv and a former content creator at HubSpot. With her background in content creation for small businesses, Amanda brings valuable insights into brand storytelling and its practical applications for small business owners.

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Kickstart Growth in 2025 with 25% Off Marketing Center plans

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