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My Weekly Marketing

Janice Hostager

Join conversations about marketing, business, and life-in-between with marketing strategist Janice Hostager and a variety of world-class entrepreneurs! We will fill you with step-by-step training, marketing strategy, and life experiences from where life and business intersect. We'd love to have you join the fun!

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Avg 27 min
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August 25 · 17 min
5 Marketing Mistakes Costing You Customers
Entrepreneurship makes marketing feel like a hundred disconnected tasks, and fear can push us into scattered efforts that do not add up. In this episode, I walk through five common small business marketing mistakes and the simple fixes that create a clear Trail to the Sale™ from stranger to customer. Trying to be everywhere at once. Making it about you. Selling the offer instead of the outcome. Jumping from the first date to the proposal Letting the not now people disappear. And don't miss these two free tools to help you stay on track with your marketing! Ideal Customer Profile Trail to the Sale™ Quickstart Map Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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#170
August 18 · 18 min
What to Hand to AI, and What to Never Let It Touch
A robot answered the phone when I called a local shop, and it instantly reminded me how fragile trust is in small business marketing. That very first “hello” is not a throwaway moment, it’s a brand promise. When we automate the front door of our business, we might save time, but we can also teach our best customers that they don’t matter enough to reach a real person. I walk through the question that matters more than “Should I use AI?” which is: am I handing the right work to AI? You’ll hear the four areas where AI actually shines for marketing and operations: finding patterns in customer feedback, crunching messy marketing data, creating outlines and first drafts, and repurposing one piece of content into many. I also share how to prompt smarter so you don’t end up with generic AI output and how tools like Claude and ChatGPT can sound more like you when you give them the right inputs. Then we get into the guardrails: what AI should never touch. I explain why you cannot outsource judgment, why real customer conversations are the raw material you must protect, and why AI can’t be the final “does it sound like me” check if you want your brand voice to stay distinct. I wrap with practical, creative uses like having AI challenge your sales page, role-play objections, simplify muddy messaging, and spot gaps in your content plan. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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#169
August 11 · 11 min
Why Interested Buyers Go Quiet
They told you they were interested. They showed up for the call. They maybe even said, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.” Then the DM goes quiet and the email thread dies. If you’ve ever stared at your inbox wondering what you did wrong, I walk you through a more useful truth: most of the time, they didn’t reject you. They just never made a decision. In this episode, we unpack the three biggest reasons warm leads stall, and how to fix each one without sounding desperate or pushy. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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#168
August 4 · 14 min
Four Marketing Rules I Threw Out (and Why You Might Too)
In this episode, I break down four pieces of marketing advice I used to treat as law and explain why they stop working for me, and for my small business clients. I've replaced them with a simpler approach built on audience fit, owned channels, and small tests that let the results guide the next move instead of trends or best practices. Have a listen! Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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#167
July 28 · 31 min
How to Send Emails that Stand Out with R.J. Talyor
Marketing is starting to look the same everywhere, and AI is accelerating the slide toward safe, average choices. But that's not what good marketing is. In this episode, we dig into what the data says about email performance and what we can change right now to make our messages connect on a human level. I’m joined by RJ Talyor, Founder and CEO of Backstroke, who’s spent decades in digital marketing and email, and built AI tools that predict what people click. He shares insight on what's really working in email marketing. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#166
July 21 · 51 min
How To Build A Brand Story Customers Trust with John Elbing
We are wired to love stories and they are a powerful marketing tool. In this episode, we talk with storytelling and branding expert John Elbing about why most marketing falls flat when it starts with the business instead of the buyer. We share a simple three-step framework that helps people recognize themselves, trust what they see, and picture the outcome before they commit. Click to listen! Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#165
July 14 · 18 min
How to Write Emails That Turn Subscribers Into Buyers
Your sales email can be perfectly written and still not sell. If it reads like an inventory list of what's included in your offer, people will skim it, shrug it off, and move on–even when your offer is genuinely good. In this episode, we'll dig into the real reason this happens: buyers don’t get excited about modules, coaching calls, and workbooks. They get excited when they can picture a better version of themselves and believe it’s possible for them. We'll walk through how buying decisions actually happen, starting with emotion and identity, then with logic. You’ll learn how to flip the order so your copywriting builds desire first and then uses the specifics to make that decision feel safe. Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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#164
July 7 · 30 min
How to Sell Something People Want to Avoid with Jermaine Ee
In this episode, I talk with Jermaine Ee, founder of Heirlight, about how to market products and services people actively avoid, using will creation and estate planning as the clearest example. We dig into trust, storytelling, and small first steps that help customers move from “I’ll do it later” to real action. We also cover: problem aware versus solution aware buyers and why education alone fails the real reasons people avoid wills beyond money, including beliefs and past experiences life-change moments that make people receptive, like moving, kids, job changes, and loss using stories to reduce fear and help people see the benefit on the other side trust as the main metric and how early drop-off signals a broken journey using AI tools to prioritize tasks, reduce clutter, and create momentum choosing the “entry price” tasks that come with building the life and business you want growth tradeoffs between B2B partnerships and direct-to-consumer marketing, including CAC to LTV math Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#163
June 23 · 34 min
Real Reasons Your Pricing Isn't Working
Pricing can feel like the simplest lever in a small business, but it’s also the one that messes with your head the fastest. When a prospect disappears after you send a proposal, it’s easy to assume the number is the problem and start discounting, adding payment plans, or stuffing your offer with bonuses. I take a different angle here: I’ve become convinced that pricing often wears a mask, and until we name what’s underneath, changing the rate won’t fix the real friction. We walk through five common “pricing problems” that usually aren’t pricing problems at all–they are just wearing disguises. Along the way, I share simple diagnostic questions you can use on your own business, plus the “two-week vacation” test that reveals whether your pricing or business model is actually supporting your life. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#162
June 16 · 35 min
How To Build Authority with AI with Cyndee Woolley
What happens when AI starts deciding who gets seen, trusted, and recommended? Whether we like it or not, tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews are already shaping how people discover businesses. The question is this: when AI goes looking for information about you, what story is it finding? In this episode, I sit down with PR strategist Cindy Woolley, founder of C2 Communications, to talk about the surprising connection between public relations, AI search, and business visibility. We dig into why credibility matters more than ever, how AI determines who sounds trustworthy, and what business owners can do now to strengthen their digital footprint. Cindy shares what happened when she tested AI-generated press releases (spoiler: they were terrible), why AI should be treated as a tool—not a replacement for human expertise—and how to create an authority blueprint that helps both people and AI understand what you do. We also cover practical strategies like optimizing your LinkedIn profile, using podcast appearances to build authority, creating thought leadership content with real-world insights, and leveraging third-party validation through media mentions, partnerships, and expert contributions. If you've been wondering how to stay visible, credible, and relevant in a world where AI is becoming the gatekeeper, this conversation is for you. For more information about , visit our show notes at myweeklymarketing.com/162. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#161
June 9 · 29 min
Bots Don't Buy: How to Spot and Stop Fake Ad Traffic with Rich Kahn
What if a big slice of your ad budget never reaches a real human? If you've ever stared at your digital ads dashboard thinking “the clicks are there, so why is nobody buying?” you’re not alone and you’re not crazy. You might think there's a problem with your content or creative. But sometimes the problem isn’t your offer or your copy. Sometimes it’s ad fraud, click fraud, and invalid traffic quietly polluting your funnel. In this episode, I sat down with Rich Kahn, co-founder and CEO of Anura.io, to put plain language around a messy topic. Rich explains how fraud shows up for small businesses, what the common warning signs look like (high traffic, low conversions, leads that don’t respond, people who swear they never filled out your form), and why “good” KPIs like click-through rate can be dangerously easy for fraudsters to game. You’ll also hear how fraud can hide in places people assume are safe, including partner networks and even “organic” traffic. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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June 2 · 23 min
Marketing That Works When You Don't Have a Decade to Wait
In this episode, we unpack why standard marketing advice fails when you’re starting a consulting or service business with a short runway and deep experience. I share three practical moves that help you get traction faster by leaning on relationships, focusing your effort, and pricing like the expert you already are. It includes: why most marketing advice assumes infinite time and why that doesn't work for midlife founders and laid-off corporate pros why it's important to use your warm audience before cold audience and how to turn hidden connections into real leads why reactivating past clients is so valuable how to choose one channel that fits your strengths and your ideal customer the difference between compounding content and disposable content how to position around your years of expertise why to use pricing as a signal what “I can’t afford you” usually means and how to respond Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#159
May 26 · 42 min
The Hidden Signals That Make Customers Trust You with Gal Borenstein
Trust becomes the real sales gate in a world full of AI content, fake reviews, and copycat marketing. We break down how to build a resilient brand by tightening what happens inside the business before we try to persuade anyone outside it. • losing control of the narrative as AI and social platforms reshape reputation • differentiation as a trust strategy, not a slogan • internal culture and leadership consistency as the starting point • awareness of your digital footprint, including fake reviews and misinformation • alignment between brand promise and frontline delivery • authenticity through real proof, testimonials, and clear transparency • accountability as the make-or-break moment in customer support and follow-up • benchmarking a few trust gaps and improving them over time Well, the easiest way to find my books is on Amazon.com. Use LinkedIn. Visit our website at bornesgroup.com and delighted to respond and test us if we respond to you in less than one hour. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#158
May 19 · 11 min
Stop Burning Down Your Marketing
Ever “fixed” your marketing by blowing it up and starting over… then felt worse? If you’ve ever felt the urge to start fresh with a new website, a new lead magnet, a new niche, or a totally new strategy, this is your reminder that the problem is often not that you need something new. The problem is "scattered marketing" and the quiet habit of reinventing before anything has time to be tested and refined. We talk through why entrepreneurs chase the dopamine of new ideas, how the IKEA effect makes brand new offers feel more magical than the ones already in the world, and why optimization is the unglamorous place where revenue actually grows. That means conversion rate optimization, clearer messaging, stronger hooks, better calls to action, improved follow-up sequences, and a smoother customer journey from “interested” to “ready to buy.” Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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#157
May 12 · 29 min
How to Get Your Business Found in AI Search Results with Julia Bocchese
Your dream client is on the couch, ready to hire, and instead of Googling, she asks ChatGPT for “the best” person to solve her problem. If your name never appears, it may have nothing to do with your skill and everything to do with visibility in AI search. We break down what it takes to get recommended in a world where Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, and other answer engines are shaping buying decisions. I’m joined by search strategist Julia Bocchese of Julia Renee Consulting to unpack AEO (answer engine optimization) and GEO (generative engine optimization) in a practical way. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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#156
May 5 · 35 min
Personal Branding That Sticks with Kelly Schuknect
If you’ve ever watched someone speak and thought, “Why is their message so magnetic?”, the answer usually isn’t louder marketing or a prettier color palette. It’s clarity. Janice sits down with Kelly Schoenick to unpack what personal branding actually means and why it’s one of the fastest ways to build trust, stand out in a crowded market, and make your marketing feel less like a grind. We talk about personal brand as reputation: the set of associations people build about you across touchpoints like LinkedIn, speaking gigs, podcast interviews, your website, and even the stories you repeat. Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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S1 · E155
April 28 · 35 min
Experiential Marketing: How to Create Experiences That Convert with Heather Johnson
In this episode, I sit down with Heather Johnson to talk about how trade shows and in-person events can actually work for small businesses. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by crowded booths or unsure how to stand out without being pushy, this conversation will give you a clearer way to approach it. We walk through what makes a booth memorable, how to create real conversations that build trust, and what to focus on before, during, and after an event. Heather also shares practical ways to generate leads and measure results over time. If you want experiential marketing to feel more intentional and less exhausting, this episode will help you rethink your approach. SampleFinder Polaris Brand Promotions Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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S1 · E154
April 21 · 24 min
Why Handwritten Notes Still Win with David Wachs
In this episode, I sit down with David Wachs to talk about a simple, overlooked way to stand out in a crowded marketing world. We explore why handwritten notes still work, even with so much automation, and how they can create a more personal connection that digital messages often miss. We also walk through where handwritten notes fit in your customer journey and how to use them without making them feel forced or salesy. David shares practical insights on what makes these messages memorable and how businesses are using them to build stronger relationships. If you want your marketing to feel more human and lasting, this conversation will give you a fresh perspective. Handwrytten Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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S1 · E153
April 14 · 43 min
How to Grow your Email List Without Paid Ads with Tracy Beavers
In this episode, I sit down with Tracy Beavers to talk about why email marketing still matters, even in a world dominated by social media. If you’ve been focused on growing followers while your email list stays flat, this conversation will help you rethink where real control in your marketing actually lives. We talk through how organic list growth really works, why many lead magnets fail to convert, and what it takes to turn visibility into subscribers. Tracy also shares how AI has raised the bar for simple PDFs and checklists, and why more interactive experiences are starting to convert better. If you want a clearer path to building an email list that actually supports your sales, this conversation will give you practical insight. Tracy's Free Facebook Group: Be A Confident Entrepreneur Tracy's Website Tracy's Podcast Send us Fan Mail Download the FREE "What Do You Do?" Formula Guide here. Support the show Show Notes
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S1 · E152
April 7 · 15 min
3 Marketing Priorities When You're Building a Business
In this episode, I talk about what to do when marketing quickly shifts from motivation to overwhelm. If you’ve ever felt stuck choosing between platforms, strategies, and tools, this conversation will help you simplify. We focus on building a clear foundation so you’re not trying to do everything at once. I walk through how to get specific about who you help, what problem you solve, and how to guide people toward one simple next step. We also talk about choosing the right visibility channel and using your time more intentionally. If your marketing feels scattered or exhausting, this episode will help you reset with a more focused approach. Five-Minute Magnetic Message Builder Worksheet Trail to the Sale Send us Fan Mail Support the show Show Notes
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