4 JUL 2017 · On this special 4th of July No BS Marketing podcast, let's talk ketchup, mustard and marketing. Americans will eat more than 7 billion hot dogs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 150 million on the 4th of July holiday alone. We average about 70 hot dogs per person eaten each year. If you have one, do you top it with ketchup or mustard? According to a YouGov survey, the most popular condiment for hot dogs is mustard (72%) followed by ketchup (59%), onions (51%) and relish (47%). Age has a big impact on our choice. 73% of 16-34 year olds ate their hot dogs with ketchup while only 41% of those 35 and older did. Makes sense. Kids love ketchup. Children have different taste buds than adults and notice bitter tasting foods more. Plus creative commercials help create long lasting habits like adding ketchup to a hot dog. Remember the Anticipation theme from these two classics? But sometimes one organization’s message hurts a complimentary product. The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council’s Do’s and Don’ts of Hot Dog Etiquette surely caught the attention of ketchup companies with this one: Heinz Anticipation Commercial 1979 Don’t… Use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are acceptable. Whether you like your hot dog with ketchup, mustard or some other way, you can benefit from these Messaging Do’s and Don’ts: Do…Focus on creative promotions to tell your story. Just like the hot dog industry promotes National Hot Dog Month, you can promote your anniversary, new equipment, locations and hires in a creative way. Do…Make it about your target audiences. Why does it matter to them? Don’t…Miss opportunities to promote your uniqueness. Develop a content calendar to tell your story throughout the year. Don’t…Make messaging, branding and PR decisions by committee. You’ll end up with a little bit of what each person wanted and a lot of wasted advertising dollars. Don’t…think your instincts are better than a combination of listening to customers through Marketing Intel, brainstorming with your leadership team AND your instincts. So many times I see companies suffer because decisions made about marketing or messaging are made based on instincts…thinking “I know my market, I know my customers, I’ve done this for X number of years.” If you’re still not sure about ketchup on your hot dog, in honor of my Dad on this 4th of July podcast, I’m going to quote one of his favorite movie characters. Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry makes it clear in the film Sudden Impact when he finished a rant about society’s ills by telling a hot dog eating detective at the scene that "Nah, this stuff isn't getting to me, the shootings, the knifings, the beatings, old ladies being bashed in the head for their social security checks... Nah, that doesn't bother me. But you know what does bother me? You know what makes me really sick to my stomach? It's watching you stuff your face with those hotdogs. Nobody, I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog.” Hey Dirty Harry, I do from time to time…guess I’m a BS’er when it comes to eating hot dogs. Hope you enjoy your 4th of July Holiday week.

4 JUL 2017 · On this special 4th of July No BS Marketing podcast, let's talk ketchup, mustard and marketing. Americans will eat more than 7 billion hot dogs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, 150 million on the 4th of July holiday alone. We average about 70 hot dogs per person eaten each year. If you have one, do you top it with ketchup or mustard? According to a YouGov survey, the most popular condiment for hot dogs is mustard (72%) followed by ketchup (59%), onions (51%) and relish (47%). Age has a big impact on our choice. 73% of 16-34 year olds ate their hot dogs with ketchup while only 41% of those 35 and older did. Makes sense. Kids love ketchup. Children have different taste buds than adults and notice bitter tasting foods more. Plus creative commercials help create long lasting habits like adding ketchup to a hot dog. Remember the Anticipation theme from these two classics? But sometimes one organization’s message hurts a complimentary product. The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council’s Do’s and Don’ts of Hot Dog Etiquette surely caught the attention of ketchup companies with this one: Heinz Anticipation Commercial 1979 Don’t… Use ketchup on your hot dog after the age of 18. Mustard, relish, onions, cheese and chili are acceptable. Whether you like your hot dog with ketchup, mustard or some other way, you can benefit from these Messaging Do’s and Don’ts: Do…Focus on creative promotions to tell your story. Just like the hot dog industry promotes National Hot Dog Month, you can promote your anniversary, new equipment, locations and hires in a creative way. Do…Make it about your target audiences. Why does it matter to them? Don’t…Miss opportunities to promote your uniqueness. Develop a content calendar to tell your story throughout the year. Don’t…Make messaging, branding and PR decisions by committee. You’ll end up with a little bit of what each person wanted and a lot of wasted advertising dollars. Don’t…think your instincts are better than a combination of listening to customers through Marketing Intel, brainstorming with your leadership team AND your instincts. So many times I see companies suffer because decisions made about marketing or messaging are made based on instincts…thinking “I know my market, I know my customers, I’ve done this for X number of years.” If you’re still not sure about ketchup on your hot dog, in honor of my Dad on this 4th of July podcast, I’m going to quote one of his favorite movie characters. Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry makes it clear in the film Sudden Impact when he finished a rant about society’s ills by telling a hot dog eating detective at the scene that "Nah, this stuff isn't getting to me, the shootings, the knifings, the beatings, old ladies being bashed in the head for their social security checks... Nah, that doesn't bother me. But you know what does bother me? You know what makes me really sick to my stomach? It's watching you stuff your face with those hotdogs. Nobody, I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog.” Hey Dirty Harry, I do from time to time…guess I’m a BS’er when it comes to eating hot dogs. Hope you enjoy your 4th of July Holiday week.          

30 JUN 2017 · Listen as Dave continues with Part 2 of his interview featuring guest Shep Hyken, an expert in the world of customer service. In Episode 169, Shep walks Dave through his amazing career path, and they discuss examples of great and not so great customer service experiences. Hyken has authored multiple books, while The Amazement Revolution was a USAToday and Wall Street Journal bestseller. In Part 2, Dave converses with Shep about the road to achieving his dream as becoming a Hall of Fame speaker, and the process of writing multiple books over the years. Are you using Audible yet? If not, you can get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like Amaze Every Customer Every Time: 52 Tools for Delivering the Most Amazing Customer Service on the Planet by our guest Shep Hyken. You can download it for free today. Go to Audibletrial.com/NoBS.  

28 JUN 2017 · In Episode 169, Dave talks with Shep Hyken, a pioneer in the art of customer service. Shep is a customer service expert, author, and speaker. One of his books, The Amazement Revolution, was a bestseller. But that’s only part of his amazing story. He’s the author of several other books that offer advice about retaining customers like Moments of Magic which leverages his more than twenty years' of experience in customer service. He’s also achieved CPAE status, The National Speakers Assoc.'s Hall of Fame designation for lifetime achievement in the professional speaking industry. Dave and Shep walk through his amazing career path and discuss examples of great and not so great customer service. Are you using Audible yet? If not, you can get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like Amaze Every Customer Every Time: 52 Tools for Delivering the Most Amazing Customer Service on the Planet by our guest Shop Hyken. You can download it for free today. Go to Audibletrial.com/NoBS. Again that’s audibletrial.com/NoBS for your FREE audiobook. Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.  

21 JUN 2017 · How can you avoid BS Marketing? Listen as Dave talks about what he sees and hears from business leaders across the country. You might be surprised at how many CEO's, Founders and top managers do their marketing. Hear the steps you need to take to create a culture that leverages the Art & Science of Marketing. The No BS Show is brought to you by audible.com Get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk.

21 JUN 2017 · This episode features Dave speaking to entrepreneurs and small business owners at JARI, an economic development agency in Central Pennsylvania. JARI is a non-profit organization that has been a devoted partner of the business community in Cambria and Somerset Counties since 1974. Dave's workshop was joined by more than a dozen business professionals in Johnstown this week. The event was centered around the difference between Marketing and Sales, and focused on Hit the Bullseye Targeting and Segmentation. Episode 168 was recorded Live, and features one guest by mistake, who was eating periodically. The No BS Show is brought to you by audible.com Get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk.

14 JUN 2017 · Listen as this episode features Dave interviewing fans surrounding the historic Back-to-Back Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup run. The championship celebration brought out over 650,000 people to Downtown. Fans lined the parade route across town beginning on Grant Street, all the way to Point State Park. Outside of MASSolutions, Dave was able to speak with fans just steps away from the stage where the oldest existing trophy, the Stanley Cup returned to the city. The Golden Triangle was electric, and the No B******t Marketing show was joined by Penguins fans, street performers, and vendors to discuss the championship repeat. The No BS Show is brought to you by audible.com Get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like The Virgin Way: Everything I Know About Leadership by Richard Branson.

13 JUN 2017 · Episode 166 features Dave and his sons returning to Quicken Loans Arena for a remote broadcast of the No B******t Marketing Podcast from the NBA Finals. The trio first joined the show in September 2016 for the Podcast's 100th Episode. However, on the recent trip to Cleveland for Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Dave hosts Alec, Brevin, and Carter as they talk about the marketing and other events surrounding the 2017 NBA Finals. Dave begins with highlighting an early prediction that he made years prior about sports branding. To continue, the episode features insight about the marketing behind major sporting events through sponsorships and commercials. The show includes Dave interviewing his sons to hear their predictions prior to the historic Game 4 and their recap of the events inside Quicken Loans Arena and the memories resulting from it. The No BS Show is brought to you by audible.com Get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like Life is Not an Accident: A Memoir of Reinvention by Jay Williams.

8 JUN 2017 · This episode features Dave interviewing his colleagues Live from the 2017 VISTAGE Executive Summit. VISTAGE started in 1957, and is the World's Largest CEO Membership Organization with over 20,000 CEO's across 16 countries today. The event was held at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center, where over 200 business leaders across the region met to network with each other. During the conference, Dave had time to speak with five different professionals to join the No B******t Marketing Show. Episode 165 features: Charles Gounaris CEO, Charles Gounaris & Associates, LLC Dave Watson CEO, PHOENIX Rehabilitation and Health Services Loriann Putzier President, IntegraCare Corporation Brian Baum Executive, The Baum Consulting Group with UBS David Meyers President, alpscontrols.com The No BS Show is brought to you by audible.com Get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at www.audibletrial.com/NoBS. Try a book like The Growth Gears: Using a Market-Based Framework to Drive by Art Saxby & Pete Hayes.

31 MAY 2017 · Many of us like to meet new people. And many of us also like to talk. We find it stimulating. We enjoy sharing and learning, get a high from strutting our stuff in front of a new audience, and walk away feeling good. But mention the word networking and watch what happens. Yeah. Exactly. Suddenly, we’re as enthused about the simple act of meeting new people and getting to know them as we are for a root canal. Why is this? Even if you’re a born marketer, business developer, or just generally consider yourself a “people person,” there’s a good chance that you hate to network. Over the course of my career, I continue to encounter engaging, intelligent people who approach networking with undue anxiety and fear. It’s time we change our approach to networking and start making it work for us. Because here’s a simple truth: we need it. Our work depends upon our willingness to meet, engage and share with new and unfamiliar people. I’m a proponent of getting comfortable with getting uncomfortable, and networking is a prime example. In this post, I share my own time-tested, five-step strategy for making networking work for you. Change Your Mindset: Empty whatever head trash you have about networking by changing your mindset: if the term “networking” turns you off, simply call it by another name. Millennials call networking events “Meet Ups” so maybe try using that term to shift your perception. Now it’s time to begin treating networking for what it is – work! If we’re marketers, we don’t run away from managing projects. If we’re business developers, we don’t hide from researching leads and trends. The same mentality applies to networking. Connections are critical for our careers. Ditch the often haphazard approach to networking – the “oh, maybe I’ll stop at this event to see what it’s like” and instead approach it with deliberation. Have a game plan for how you’ll build networking into your ongoing work stream. It deserves prime real estate on your to-do list, so slot it in and keep it there. Create a Calendar: Here’s where I build my networking strategy. I set aside time each week to scope out the networking events that are happening near me – whether through LinkedIn, professional organizations, or by word of mouth. Then I do a quick cost-benefit analysis of each event. I break it down piece by piece: How much time will I spend at the event (includes travel to/from)? Who might I meet? What opportunities will present themselves? If the benefits are in my favor, I slot it into my calendar and move on to step three. Do Your Homework: A critical step in the process, you absolutely must do your networking homework before you walk through the door. Find out who is running the event and who will be in attendance (event hosts often provide lists of names and company affiliations). Then decide on a handful of connections you want to make, and do a 10-15 minute Google search on each. Learn a bit about who they are – their education, work history, current position or job title. Have they been in the news? If yes, read the article or watch the clip. Are they active on LinkedIn, and already share connections with you? Do they like to post their opinions and successes on Facebook? If you don’t know, make it your job to find out. Bring Your Gameface: You’ve changed your attitude. You’ve created your calendar. And you’ve done your homework. Now it’s time to walk through the door and have a little fun. If you need to bring a buddy, bring one. But if not, have the confidence to walk in solo. After all, everyone at a networking event is there for the same purpose – to meet and make professional connections. Know your “15 Second Story” (2-3 sentences about you, your company, and what you provide that nobody else does) and share it. Ask questions. Good, creative questions. Sure, “Where do you work?” is fine.