Small Business Big Marketing

In this episode of Funny Business, AG and I talk about the value of trade shows, the importance of key messages, why Timbo moved away from iPhone to a HTC One, the importance of simplification plus how to get speaking gigs. Enjoy!

How to get speaking gigs, trade shows, key messages plus loads more marketing G O L D!

This is one of those interviews that could have gone on for much longer than the allocated 30-ish minutes. You see, Matthew Michalewicz is one smart guy. In 2005, Matthew co-founded SolveIT Software, an Australian software company. which he grew from zero to more than 150 employees in seven years, before selling the business for plenty! Under his leadership, SolveIT became the 3rd fasting-growing company in Australia with revenue growth of 678%.

Matthew Michalewicz founded, built & sold Australia’s 3rd fastest growing company in 2012.

Mick Colliss is an author, writer, rugby commentator, emcee, guest speaker and modern day poet. He was also the vice captain of the first ever Australian Sudoku team and travelled to India to represent Australia at the World Sudoku Championships. Oh, and he's also a copywriter by trade and owns a copywriting agency in Perth, West Australia. He's an interesting fella with a great story to share about how he came to represent Australia in Sudoku PLUS he's got some great insights in to the importance of copywriting for small business. Enjoy!

How to represent your country AND the importance of a copywriter!

Jim Penman started Jim's Mowing (the first franchise of the Jim's Group) as a part-time gardening business while he completed his PhD in History. It went full time in 1982 and was franchised in 1989. Currently, there are over 2,900 Franchisees in four countries covering 36 industries, and growing at the rate of around 200 per year. For all the business success he has enjoyed over the years, Jim Penman remains remarkably unassuming. In this fireside chat I had with him, Jim reveals how and why Jim's Mowing came about and how he built it in to the second biggest franchise group in Australia today. This is a wonderful story of nailing your brand, providing exceptional customer service and knowing exactly who your customer is. Enjoy! (And don't forget to share with one other small business owner).

Jim’s Mowing Founder Jim Penman talks branding, customer service and marketing.

The Voice is currently Australia's most popular TV show ... and Adrian Swift is responsible for making it that way on the Nine Network. In this revealing fireside chat, Adrian takes us behind-the-scenes of how The Voice is marketed, what they learnt from last year's success (I also interviewed him during The Voice's first season), what messages work best and how they're using social media to seriously engage with their audience. PLUS I share what's going on inside the Small Business Big Marketing Forum - there's plenty! PLUS I tackle a listener question about transcribing each episode, another one about the importance of having a sales funnel and one about how I choose guests for the show. So much to cover, so little time. Enjoy! (Oh, and tell a friend ;0)

A behind-the-scenes look at marketing The Voice – Australia’s #1 rating TV show.

Content marketing is the new marketing black ... I think most motivated small business owners are on to this important marketing fact by now. It's possibly the best marketing strategy for helping small business owners share that mountain of knowledge that they're standing on and become the thought-leader in their industry. Great content marketing starts with identifying your editorial mission. "My editorial what?!", I hear you say. Great question. That's why this bonus episode is 100% dedicated to helping you uncover your editorial mission, in order to make your content marketing a breeze. Enjoy!

Attention content marketers … How to get clear on your editorial mission.

Tristan White is the founder and CEO of The Physio Co, which in 2012 was named the 8th Best Place to Work in Australia by BRW magazine. With this award, The Physio Co has been in Australia’s Top 50 Places to Work for 4 consecutive years in it’s 9 year history. And in this fireside chat I have with Tristan he explains exactly how to create a strong workplace culture that ensures he attracts and retains the right type of people. PLUS in this episode of Australia's #1 ranked marketing show, I share some great marketing discussions that are happening in the Small Business Big Marketing Forum and answer a listener insight in to some marketing one-percenters. Enjoy!

How to create marketing to attract amazing staff with The Physio Co’s Tristan White.

Imagine running a business based on happiness – that’s what Naomi Simson decided to try when she left a serious corporate career to set up online experience retailer RedBalloon in 2001. Since then RedBalloon has sold 1.8 million experiences and has been named a BRW Great Place to Work four times running. Naomi received the 2008 National Telstra Business Women's Awards for Innovation and the 2011 Ernst and Young Industry Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Not a bad little effort, huh?! PLUS in this episode of the Small Business Big Marketing show, I have a whinge about three things that annoy me with email etiquete, share the hot topics that are being talked about in the Small Business Big Marketing Forum and read some listener feedback (there's plenty coming in, let me tall you!). Enjoy!