Episode 624 Marketing Word of The Year With Bridget Willard
Show Highlights
n this episode, host Rob Cairns and marketing expert Bridget Willard dive deep into the concept of patience as a fundamental, yet often overlooked, strategy in marketing. They explore why small business owners and entrepreneurs struggle with delayed gratification and offer practical advice on shifting from a “feast or famine” mindset to one of consistent, long-term growth.
Show Notes
Key Discussion Points
1. The Entrepreneur’s Struggle with Patience
- Quarterly vs. Instant: Major corporations and banks operate on quarterly cycles, yet entrepreneurs often expect instant results from their marketing efforts.
- Fear and Budget: Many small businesses lack patience because they simply cannot afford to wait for results, or they are stuck in a “feast or famine” cycle where they only market when business is slow.
2. Marketing is a Locomotive, Not a Sprint
- The Momentum Factor: Bridget compares marketing to a steam-powered locomotive. You must keep “shoveling coal” even when things are going well. If you stop, you lose kinetic energy and momentum, making it much harder and more expensive to start over.
- Consistency over Intensity: Rob emphasizes that he has rarely missed a week of podcasting in years because consistency is what builds trust over the long haul.
3. Strategic “Work in the Business”
- Blocked Time: Rob suggests that every business owner must block out dedicated time on their calendar specifically for their own marketing.
- The Three-Year Plan: Bridget discusses the framework from her book, How to Market Your Plugin, which outlines a three-year trajectory. This involves building foundations in Year 1 (like social accounts and landing pages) before expecting significant conversions.
4. Lessons from Big Brands
- Omnipresence: Even global giants like Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, and LinkedIn continue to advertise relentlessly. They understand that it takes dozens of “touches” (potentially up to 50 in the digital age) before a consumer is ready to buy.
- The Purpose of Creative: Some ads are designed for immediate sales, while others (like the famous Pizza Hut ads with Tom Brady) are designed for brand entertainment and recall.
5. The “Do the Work” Mentality
- Beyond AI: While AI tools (like Gemini or ChatGPT) can help summarize or generate ideas, they cannot replace the foundational work of building relationships and trust.
- Authentic Discipline: Success comes from the “boring” work: showing your process, being consistent on one channel before moving to the next, and staying the course when you don’t see immediate ROI.
Notable Quotes
“Marketing is like a steam-powered locomotive with coal. You can’t just stop shoveling the coal… you have to keep stoking the fire.” — Bridget Willard
“Patience is a marathon, folks, not a sprint.” — Rob Cairns
PocketCasts
Radio Public
Spotify
Stitcher
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
