In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans chats with Michael Houlihan, co-founder of Barefoot Wine, about the accidental journey that led to one of the most recognizable wine brands in the world.

Michael shares how creative grassroots marketing, a commitment to listening to customers, and a unique positioning strategy helped Barefoot thrive in an industry dominated by high-end, elitist brands.

He reflects on the lessons that he and his wife, Bonnie Harvey, learned from building and scaling Barefoot, the challenges of distribution, and how they turned social advocacy into a powerful marketing tool.

Michael also discusses life after Barefoot, including the creation of The Barefoot Spirit, a business adventure book and audio theater series.

Tune in to discover Michael’s advice for entrepreneurs navigating today’s competitive markets and his insights on climate change-driven opportunities for the next generation of innovators.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans talks with Ramli John, founder of Delight Path and author of Product-Led Onboarding, about the secrets to effective onboarding and customer retention.

They explore why retention efforts often begin too late, the three pillars of customer engagement, and the pivotal role onboarding plays in fostering long-term loyalty.

Ramli shares actionable strategies for developing a retention-focused onboarding process and explains the "hyper-personalization" potential of AI in creating tailored customer journeys.

Tune in to learn how to keep your customers excited, engaged, and loyal beyond the initial sale.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans dives into the transformative world of podcasting with Tom Schwab, founder and CEO of Interview Valet. As a podcasting pioneer, Tom shares his journey of building a company that helps brands amplify their messages and expand their reach through targeted podcast guest appearances.

Discover why podcast interviews are a potent marketing tool, the common mistakes companies make in leveraging podcasts, and how AI is shaping the future of on-demand content.

Whether you're looking to boost your brand's visibility, build stronger relationships, or drive audience engagement, Tom’s insights provide actionable takeaways to maximize podcasting’s impact for any business.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with Ishveen Jolly, founder and CEO of OpenSponsorship, to explore how athlete sponsorship has been transformed by social media and digital platforms.

OpenSponsorship, a marketplace that connects brands with athletes, has helped democratize sponsorship deals, enabling even small brands to work with sports stars across various niches.

Ishveen shares her journey from sports agent to tech entrepreneur, detailing how her platform has evolved from a simple idea to a tech-enabled agency working with global icons like LeBron James and Tiger Woods.

She provides insights into the shifting dynamics of the sports sponsorship industry, emphasizing how athletes are no longer just the faces of brands but partners in building powerful, authentic campaigns.

In this episode of Marketing Spark, Mark Evans sits down with seasoned marketer Linda Melone to explore how AI is transforming the marketing landscape.

Linda shares her personal journey, from transitioning out of the fitness industry into content writing and copywriting, to embracing AI tools like ChatGPT to streamline her workflows. She discusses the challenges and opportunities AI presents, offering insights into how she selects and utilizes various AI-powered platforms to maintain authentic, high-quality content for her clients.

The conversation dives into the importance of personalizing marketing in an AI-driven world, the balance between automation and human touch, and predictions for the future of AI in marketing.

Whether you’re new to AI or already experimenting, this episode offers valuable perspectives on how to navigate this fast-evolving space.

In this episode, I sit down with Dale Harrison to dive deep into one of the most critical—but often overlooked—aspects of customer success: onboarding.

We all know that a great first impression can make or break a relationship, and it's no different when bringing new customers on board.

Dale shares his expert insights on how a well-crafted onboarding process doesn't just get customers up to speed but actively drives product usage, builds loyalty, and significantly reduces churn.

Whether running a SaaS company or offering a complex service, this conversation will give you actionable strategies to turn first-time users into long-term advocates.

If you want to boost retention, improve customer satisfaction, and nail that all-important first experience, you won’t miss this episode.

This episode was sponsored by LeadFeeder - https://bit.ly/3ySLl4o

In this episode of the Marketing Spark podcast, Mark Evans delves into the intense competition within the CRM market, highlighting the prominent players like HubSpot and Salesforce.

Mark talks to Jessica Andrews, Copper's VP of marketing, a smaller CRM company that has successfully distinguished itself through precise brand positioning and inventive marketing strategies.

Jessica describes how Copper focuses on specific industries like agencies, consulting, and financial services, emphasizing relationships and non-linear sales cycles.

The podcast discusses Copper's brand evolution, the impact of economic conditions, and the strategic importance of aligning product and marketing efforts.

Jessica provides insights into Copper's marketing strategy adjustments, including leveraging LinkedIn for thought leadership and experimenting with new channels like Reddit.

The conversation also covers the challenges and techniques involved in convincing corporate leadership to engage on social media and the continuous process of monitoring and adapting brand positioning.

Thanks to Leadfeeder for sponsoring this episode. Know who’s coming to your website, convert more leads and get a free trial at Leadfeeder.com/try

In this episode of Marketing Spark, host Mark Evans talks with Jiaqi Pan, co-founder and CEO of Landbot, an AI-powered platform revolutionizing customer service.

Jiaqi shares Landbot’s journey from a B2C service to a leading B2B SaaS solution.

Topics include recognizing unsustainable business models, effective brand positioning, and balancing AI with human interaction.

Jiaqi offers valuable advice for B2B SaaS entrepreneurs and discusses metrics for measuring AI-driven customer service success.

Tune in for practical insights into leveraging AI, driving leads, and enhancing customer experience.

Connect with Jiaqi on LinkedIn and learn more about Landbot at landbot.io