Brittany Hodak, CSP

Not everyone is meant to care about your book. Here's the thing - that's not the problem. Most authors waste months trying to convince the wrong people. But there's a simple signal that tells you who will actually buy, read, and feel seen. And once you spot it, your marketing gets a whole lot easier. #writingcommunity #bookmarketing #authors

4

If you’re building a brand that’s growing, there’s a moment that changes everything... It’s the moment your audience stops consuming your content and starts actually relying on you. I recently sat down Memo Torres of the viral phenomenon, L.A. TACO. When Los Angeles began navigating neighborhood ICE raids, people didn’t turn to legacy news stations for answers. They turned to Memo and his team. Why? Because L.A. Taco didn’t do parachute journalism. They didn’t drop into a neighborhood, extract a quote, and leave. They were already entrenched. As organizations scale, the instinct is almost always to do the exact opposite. To pull back. To maintain a "professional distance." But distance tells a story all on its own. The distance you keep tells the audience exactly how much you actually care. You can't engineer real trust from a distance. It has to be accumulated by refusing to leave when things get hard. That’s the difference between a brand people notice, and a brand people actually need. It's so tempting to spend all our energy trying to capture attention. But when we build for retention, we give people something to anchor to. If you want to hear a great example of when an organization takes its responsibility to its culture seriously, may I humbly say this conversation with Memo Torres, Esteban Gast, and myself is well worth a listen. Watch/Listen here: http://y2u.be/bDNIMOnpqSs

5

Budget creep is the silent killer of agency margins. Kai Cromwell hit on a painful truth that most agency owners learn the hard way: "The discipline compounds." We tell ourselves little lies. "It’s just $100 over budget this one time." "We’ll just buy a cheaper link next month to balance it out." Spoiler alert: You never balance it out. When you lack discipline with your inputs (budget/links), you lose control of your outputs (rankings/ROI). This isn't just about saving a few dollars. It’s about mindset. If you are loosely throwing money at links just to hit a quota, you are likely just feeding Google garbage. In SEO, everything compounds. Authority compounds when you build a brand people search for. But financial undiscipline compounds even faster. Be strict with your standards. Be strict with your spend. If you can't control the budget, you can't scale the strategy.

1

1 Comment

Tired of feeling like your messages aren’t landing? I unpack how the PESO model is more than a buzzword—it’s a smarter way to get your offers seen, shared, and acted on. If your team’s juggling tactics, this will help you connect the dots and build a real strategy. #CasinoMarketing #podcast #PESOModel #CommunicationsStrategy

2

“The real challenge for most leaders is attention. The key is finding work that excites you enough to stay fully engaged 8+ hours every day” ...shares Noah Landow, founder and CEO of Macktez, technologist, creative thinker, and Board President of UnionDocs. In this episode, Noah discusses how blending creativity, technology, and trust has shaped his 25-year journey leading cross-disciplinary teams. He explores the rise of automation and AI, the evolution of “consumerified” IT, and how leaders can stay grounded while embracing constant change. Listen to how Noah’s martial arts discipline influences his leadership philosophy, and get a sneak peek into his upcoming book, 𝘛𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵. Tune in to the latest episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube for an insightful conversation.

17

4 Comments

When I hired my assistant for Agency Uplift, I gave him a role scorecard including mission, KPI's, and core values in action. Get this: Every week he proactively tells me what tools or systems he needs in order to produce the outcomes expected of him. Every week, his work is more impactful, his context becomes deeper, he buys in more to the mission, and his output increases. Context: Every Friday, in addition to my own weekly CEO ritual, I have him fill out a week-in-review form, asking these simple questions: → What are you most proud of this week? → Where could you personally use more support? → Is there anything you could do better/faster/more of, with the help of a tool/resource/AI/automation? If so, explain: → Which of the core values feel most relevant to you this week, and why? I'm thrilled at his answers, especially one from this week, where he identified a custom GPT that will make him faster and more efficient, and save me having to re-write things. So I'm making that for him RIGHT NOW. Simple little things like this, a consistent 5% improvement every week - this is what compounds. A WORD OF WARNING: As an overwhelmed founder, its too easy for you to set up a workflow like this for that initial dopamine hit, and then never actually act on it. You MUST act on it. You MUST iterate. You MUST take all the feedback into consideration. And you MUST give meaningful feedback. Saying "I'll do it later" is another way of avoiding doing what you need to do.

22

5 Comments

When was the last time you checked your brand’s vital signs? Most coaches, creatives, and consultants only audit their brand when something feels “off”—like slow sales, low engagement, or mixed messaging. But waiting until there’s a problem is like going to the doctor after you get sick. A healthy brand requires regular checkups. Here are the key questions to ask in your next brand audit: 💡 Clarity: Can people instantly understand who you are and what you do? 🎯 Consistency: Do your visu als, tone, and message align everywhere you show up? 📈 Relevance: Is your content still connecting with today’s audience and their needs? 🤝 Trust: Are you delivering what your brand promises—every time? 🔥 Growth: Is your brand evolving with your business goals? If you answered “I’m not sure” to any of these, it’s time to look closer. Your brand is a living system—it grows, shifts, and sometimes needs a reset. A regular audit keeps it aligned, effective, and ready for what’s next. Because a strong brand doesn’t just look good—it works. #DesignTheBrandYouLove #EnvisionCreativeART

5

Ever wondered what it's really like to be a fractional CMO? In our most-recently released podcast episode, we sit down with two experienced fractional CMOs, Law Smith and Heidi Joy Tretheway, who pull back the curtain on: The most overrated and underrated aspects of marketing today. how to spot red flags and green flags with prospective clients, and the impact of AI on the future of business and marketing. Whether you're a seasoned marketer, a business owner, or considering a fractional CMO role, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways. Watch the full episode here:  https://lnkd.in/eetifku6 #podcast #newepisode #marketing #CMO #fractionalCMO #business #AI #LinkedInPodcast

1

I’ll be talking about one of my favorite topics "Brand Myth" in a series of videos. Here's a snippet. I you want to see the full version (and future episodes), you can find it here: https://lnkd.in/gAy8WgyN

3

My 60-second pitch on how to craft a 60-second pitch. ⏱️ The 4-part formula: 1) Who you are + what you do (1 line) “We provide digital media services + software to simplify buying.” 2) Why you’re different “We run on our homegrown platform that centralizes + automates all media processes in one place.” 3) How they can work with you "We offer managed, self-serve, or hybrid partnership models." 4) Close with a question “What do you think makes the most sense for you?” Use this format in first meetings, in quick pitches, or in outreach. Keep it simple: what you do, why it matters, how it’s different then invite their take. ▶️ Full video on my YouTube channel 📘 Full playbook: Top Sales Producer on Amazon 🎧 Audiobook on Spotify 🎁 Bonus workbook: submit your Amazon order # on my site #Sales #ElevatorPitch #B2B #SalesEnablement #Prospecting #TopSalesProducer #SalesBook

6

Not because the host lacks talent—because the plan is vapor. Most podcasts flatline before anyone hears the intro music. Not because the host lacks talentbecause the plan is vapor. Here’s the four-part blueprint we drill into every PodClimb client: 1. Metric Map Pick ONE outcome per episode. Downloads, demo requests, DMsdoesn’t matter. What matters is focus. Track it ruthlessly, every week. Even a half-millimeter uptick is progress. 2. Momentum > Polish Netflix docs leave in stutters for a reason: real beats perfect. Record fast, one edit pass, publish. Ten “rough” episodes in the feed will teach you more than one studio-grade masterpiece sitting on your hard drive. 3. Consistency Engine Discipline melts after the novelty fades. Replace willpower with infrastructure: a release cadence you can’t miss and an accountability partner who calls the bluff the moment you slip. Consistency is the by-product of that system, not the fuel. 4. Revenue Alignment Treat each episode like a sales asset, not a mixtape. Track listener-to-email conversion, episode-to-deal velocity, and the cost of landing a paid guest slot. If you can’t tie the show to cash, you’re broadcasting background noise. Indie hosts who adopt this framework often double their downloads within eight episodes and replace a full-time salary inside a year. Stop drifting. Start aiming. Comment “MAP” and I’ll send the full worksheet.

4

Most people overcomplicate media pitching. It’s not rocket science. Identify the story. Isolate the newsworthiness. Distill it into one clear sentence (your subject line). Reach out like a human, not a marketer. Follow up a couple of times. Repeat. The hard part isn’t the pitching. It’s the distillation. Knowing what actually matters, then expressing it in a single sentence that earns attention. That’s communications judgment. And it takes years to learn.

44

8 Comments

In marketing, tone often trumps story or personal identity. When marketing content, especially comedy, prioritize the overall tone. Connecting through tone can be more effective than narrowly targeting specific demographics. Successful content resonates because of its feeling, bridging diverse audiences. What strategies do you use to ensure your message connects with a broad audience? #marketing #comedy #tone #audience #connection

1

Digital marketing is all about removing "uhhhh" moments. For example: If someone in Dallas searches for "Electrician Dallas" but the top result is "We're the best electricians in Ft. Worth"? It creates an "uhhhh" moment: "Uhhhh, if they're based 45 minutes away, will they be able to fit me in today?" We can make sure the site the prospect visits is tailored to the exact search they've made. Because fewer "uhhhh" moments mean more business for you and your team.

2

I've watched 25 different arcs play out with agency hires... When you hire someone, you're hiring a story arc you don't yet know. Some I've seen play out over and over. Here's the full list: Year one: 1. Quick star, becomes a long-run senior leader. 2. Quick star, gets promoted past where they're good, burns out, churns. 3. Quick star, hits the ceiling at your size, leaves for something bigger. 4. Slow start, takes feedback, becomes a late-blooming standout. 5. Slow start, never clicks, quietly disengages. 6. Rough start, won't adapt, gone in year one. 7. Rough start, nobody acts, lingers for years and drags the team. Mid-tenure: 8. Promoted into management, thrives. 9. Promoted into management, hates it, asks to go back to IC. 10. Function pivot. Designer becomes strategist, account lead becomes BD. 11. Lateral builder. Never chases title, becomes connective tissue across the agency. 12. Sustained overwork, burns out, sudden exit. Late-tenure: 13. Senior IC, becomes the craft anchor everyone defers to. 14. One promotion that fit, settles in, stays for a decade. 15. Would have left, but equity or profit-share kept them. 16. Strong performer clashes with the founder over direction, leaves, sometimes competes. 17. Long-time leader, slow to adapt to disruptions and new realities, credibility undermined, leaves. 18. Exits, gets reps elsewhere, comes back two years later at a higher level. Event-driven: 19. Headhunted out. 20. Comp lagged the market, walked. 21. Life pivot. Partner moves, kids, geography. Layoff-driven: 22. Role cut, but you would've managed them out anyway. 23. Strong performer in a function you're shrinking. Ends up at a competitor or client. 24. Survivor churn. The ones who stayed start looking a few months later. 25. The layoff handled well becomes a boomerang two years later. Who you hire decides what paths are even available but agency leaders shape these arcs more than they realize: - The first manager decides whether a rough start becomes a course correction or an early exit. - Promotion criteria decide whether quick stars get pushed into the Peter Principle. - Comp benchmarking decides whether your best people get poached. - Internal mobility decides whether ceiling exits could have been function pivots instead. - How you handle a layoff decides whether the survivors recommit or quietly start looking. - Off-boarding quality decides whether someone who leaves comes back better. Almost every one of these levers is in your hands. Most agency leaders don't pull them because they don't notice what could've been different until after the person is gone. The talent doesn't just happen to you. You're shaping it, whether you mean to or not. Timely post as I reflect on 20 yrs being in the agency biz, hundreds of people having passed through our agencies. Perhaps other arcs not mentioned here are in the works.

29

2 Comments

Google Ads has a location targeting setting most contractors never check. The default is 'Presence or interest.' That means someone in Miami RESEARCHING plumbers in Tampa can trigger your Tampa ad. They're not in your city. They'll never hire you. But you paid $15-$45 for that click. This one default setting wastes thousands per year. The fix takes 30 seconds: Campaign Settings → Locations → Location Options → change to 'Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations.' Now your ads only show to people who are physically in your service area. Same budget. Better leads. Fewer wasted clicks.

1

2 Comments

Don't get fooled: Leadgen agencies who work on commission are broke. If they serve small businesses, that is. Big guys, those with retainers starting at $10k/mo + rev share ... yea, those are printing. Because those are working with big, baller companies. A rev share agency I know who runs facebook ads will only work with you if you make $500k/mo. That's their minimum threshold. They charge $15k/mo base + 10% of net revenue (= revenue minus ad cost). At THAT level, there's a massive incentive to get things right and dial them in to the greatest level of detail. Every tiny improvement on conversion rates translates into serious money for both parties. Picture this: $10m/year business Agency is responsible for $4m of that. (gets paid $180k/yr + 10% of $3m ($4m-$1m ad cost) = $300k, total $480k/year) Improves call booking rate from 2% to 2.2%. Client revenue goes from $4m to $4.4m Company's revenue goes from $480k to $510k = $30k incremental pure profit. That rewards tweaking and tinkering. But rev share leadgen agencies who serve $10k/mo businesses? Broke. All of them. And that's because $10k/mo businesses cannot offer any upside to the agency. They'd fall apart if they suddenly made $30k/mo. They couldn't handle 3x the volume. And even if the agency were able to get 20% of the upside (they won't be) ...that would mean $4k/mo upside. That's the BEST case scenario. $4k/mo for a ton of work. So what happens is this: Broke commission agency signs $10k/mo business. In 80% of cases, no result. Just time wasted on both sides. In 20% of cases, 1-2 new clients. $10k/mo business says "Thanks, that's enough" Pays the agency $1k rev share for 3-6 months, fizzles away thereafter Broke commission agency makes $5k total from a rev share deal ...and moves on to the next $10k/mo business. It's humbling, but true: 👉 If you make anywhere less than $3m/year, you are an unattractive target for really good commission agencies👈 Focus on internal skill & systems building instead until you are at $3m. Hire retainer agencies, but no one below $5k/mo. Only go for the top shelf. Insist on knowledge transfer within 3-6 months. But if you're small, ...don't try to save a dime by relying on rev share deals.

10

2 Comments

3 unique ideas for leaders to capture content: 1. Go on niche, small podcasts (that would likely love to have you as a guest) and just be sure to record the video version, or set up a phone to record the side of you talking. You can then send that to a video editor to chop it into pieces. The point isn't the podcast itself in this case - it's just the content you will get out of you talking and being asked interesting questions. 2. Host a once per week "Ask Me Anything" either in-person or on Zoom... with your team, or people in your industry, or college students... or whatever group of people may be interested in having some of your time each week. Make it a valuable, free 1-hour long session. Record it, film it, chop that up into clips. 3. Start a once-per-week "coffee chat" or video sit-down conversation with 1-2 other people on your team. Strategize on some relevant topics. Prepare a few questions beforehand. Then just let the conversation flow for 30 minutes or so. Have a phone or camera set up capturing it all. Even if this doesn't end up living on a podcast or video series, it can simply be used as a conversation that gets filmed. You can get 5-10 clips out of that easily!

8

2 Comments