enVisioning Success
Welcome to enVisioning Success, the podcast that’s all about helping you see your business with clarity. If you’re a business owner looking to gain fresh insights, make smarter decisions, and navigate the ever-changing landscape of entrepreneurship, you’ve come to the right place. Our show is designed for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and visionaries of all stripes, whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out. We believe that knowledge is power, and with the right vision, you can achieve remarkable success.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia tackle the aftermath of acquisitions — integration and scaling. Our hosts discuss best practices for growing your businesses together, like analyzing past marketing efforts and consumer data, merging campaigns, marketing to your existing audiences and maximizing consolidation. We know that after such a big step, you may not know where to go next — listen in to find your new direction!
Takeaways:
1 - After an acquisition, seeking and employing collaborations or merging between the marketing efforts of your new and old businesses can save money, time and energy.
2 - Investigate the current marketing of your new acquisition and observe what is working, what may be losing you money, and what may need more time to fully mature.
3 - Utilize information from customer data to redefine, refine and specify your target audience, and create an accurate and refreshed avatar.
4 - Marketing your new business to your already-existing audience and consumer base, and marketing your existing business to your new audience and consumer base can produce great results with little effort or resources.
5 - Take note of opportunities to maximize consolidation within your new and old companies, especially when it comes to consumer avatars.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
11:30 - Our two arcs on avatars, episodes 9 through 13 and 25 through 28!
12:25 - Episode 54, which focuses on assessing the value of a target acquisition.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: Acquisition and the first ninety days
06:23 - Suggestion #1: Merge marketing efforts
08:30 - Suggestion #2: Optimize your marketing mix
10:37 - Suggestion #3: Leverage new customer insights
12:14 - Suggestion #4: Cross promote
13:27 - Suggestion #5: Focus on brand consolidation
16:56 - Conclusion
Monday Dec 02, 2024
How to Assess the Value of a Target Acquisition [Ep. 54]
Monday Dec 02, 2024
Monday Dec 02, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia continue to dive into mergers and acquisitions — when you should, and when you definitely shouldn't. Our hosts discuss the red flags of a risky business, like shaky brand recognition, and strict adherence to tradition, and the green flags of a business ripe for the picking, such as a diverse consumer base, good staff retention strategy, and positive growth scalability. Expanding your entrepreneurship with a new acquisition can be both unpredictable and exciting — listen in today to make sure you can turn your gamble into gold!
Takeaways:
1 - Seeing and analyzing pre-existing and step-by-step marketing information, such as spending habits and clients, and making data-informed decisions, is essential to gaining a full understanding of a business
2 - Evaluating market presence and analyzing an organization's reputation can give you a better idea of how to handle customer acquisition, scalability, selling and future client relations.
3 - Ensuring a business has the tools needed for future growth, such as automated systems, realistic growth expectations, and careful understanding of production or service, is essential for those looking to expand an acquisition.
4 - Noting particular elements of current customers, such as the diversity of customer bases, retention strategies, and any overreliance on specific large clients, can tell you about an organization's potential future.
5 - A business which is comfortable with adaptation and breaking with tradition, as well as trends and new technologies, is better equipped for potential future growth.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
02:48 - Episode 3, taking a comprehensive look at mergers and acquisitions. (https://youtu.be/HsuDK4uAxNA)
03:08 - American Psycho, the book and movie, discusses mergers and acquisitions… or something much more sinister?!
06:30 - Episode 53, focused on strategies and tips for selling your business.
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
04:35 - Suggestion #1: Analyze existing marketing channels
09:36 - Suggestion #2: Evaluate brand recognition
11:55 - Suggestion #3: Check for growth scalability
17:09 - Suggestion #4: Examine the customer base and retention strategy
20:49 - Suggestion #5: Assess marketing innovation
24:27 - Conclusion
Monday Nov 18, 2024
How To Maximize The Selling Price of Your Business [Ep .53]
Monday Nov 18, 2024
Monday Nov 18, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia get into the fine details of selling your business — and getting your money’s worth. Our hosts explore how online marketing, scalable marketing and clear financial metrics can find your perfect buyer, and get into surprising benefits of… firing yourself! When selling your business, it's important to get back all that you put in, so take a listen, and learn exactly what it takes to make your dream sale!
Takeaways:
1 - Providing proof of brand and organization success through mediums like case studies, success stories and testimonials, can aid not with your reputation with buyers, but with customers as well — which can then be observed by buyers!
2 - Improving, upgrading, enhancing and polishing your online presence, to show off your strengths, reach, professionalism and loyal and engaged customer base, is an effective way to draw in buyers, and advance the buying process.
3 - Organizations with the ability to grow on their own merit, through streamlined or even automated systems for customer acquisition, are far more valuable than organizations that need outside help or assistance to grow.
4 - Utilizing and advertising scalable marketing systems in your current business reassures buyers that yours is an organization that is flexible and can remain successful throughout the transition and future shifts.
5 - Step-by-step, detailed metrics for each step of your business process, which can be directly and clearly attributed to specific business and marketing decisions, will inspire trust and confidence in potential buyers.
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
Sign up for our newsletter here!
Check out our Socials and Blog!
Visit the Vision Blog
Our LinkedIn
Our Instagram
Our YouTube
Our Facebook
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: The basics of selling your business… and firing yourself!
10:55 - Suggestion #1: Highlighting your brands strengths
11:57 - Suggestion #2: Improve online visibility
13:45 - Suggestion #3: Streamline your customer acquisition process.
15:08 - Suggestion #4: Develop scalable marketing systems
16:39 - Suggestion #5: Showcase financial metrics
20:53 - Conclusion
Monday Nov 11, 2024
My Highschooler Can Handle My Marketing, Right? [Ep. 52]
Monday Nov 11, 2024
Monday Nov 11, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia share five suggestions for professionals considering hiring accessible — but inexperienced — marketers for their organization. Our hosts discuss the value of understanding marketing’s complexities, from likes to licenses and legality, and valuing your employee’s expertise, which can be an investment for your organization. We know that you want the most bang for your buck — listen in to find out what marketing strategy is best for you.
Takeaways:
1 - Experience as a consumer does not equal experience as a marketer, which requires experience and understanding of online marketing’s complexities.
2 - Experienced marketers bring in many benefits, including connections, resources and industry access, that those just starting out cannot provide.
3 - Marketing is a highly volatile and evolving industry, and continuing education and training of your staff and leadership can help you stay on top of the new best practices.
4 - Going with amateur, under-informed or under-experienced marketers can lead to serious problems, such as the loss of social media accounts, misunderstood terms of service, or even lawsuits or legal challenges over copyright and other regulations.
5 - Hiring an experienced marketer, and avoiding the time-wasting pitfalls that can haunt an inexperienced one, is a valuable way to invest in your business.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
- Catrina, our Director of Marketing, posts insightful tips on her LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/catrinagardner/)
- Episode 51, focused on mindful social media practices (https://youtu.be/tnQRHRsVsYs)
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
Sign up for our newsletter here!
Check out our Socials and Blog!
Visit the Vision Blog
Our LinkedIn
Our Instagram
Our YouTube
Our Facebook
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: Can my highschooler do my marketing?
03:37 - Suggestion #1: Understanding the complexities
05:40 - Suggestion #2: Value expertise
10:10 - Suggestion #3: Take advantage of training
13:20 - Suggestion #4: Consider the risk of amateur efforts
17:45 - Suggestion #5: Invest in your business
21:17 - Conclusion
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Cheap Marketing Works? The High Cost of Cutting Corners [Ep. 51]
Monday Nov 04, 2024
Monday Nov 04, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia share five strategies to employ when considering the cost-quality question of your marketing. Our hosts discuss the benefits of hiring the experts, avoiding costly mistakes, focusing on ROI, and frankly considering value gained over funds spent. We know you want to be smart about your budgeting — listen in to learn how best to invest your marketing dollars.
Takeaways:
1 - The many elements that make up an effective and trustworthy marketing plan, such as data, time, expertise and plans from strategists, can rarely be cultivated or found cheaply.
2 - Make your marketing decisions with the long-term in mind — consider options that are specific, targeted and strategy oriented, rather than task oriented.
3 - Return On Investment metrics will allow you to identify which marketing strategies are performing best with your chosen audience, and which are stable and long-lasting.
4 - You have to spend money to make money — and if you don’t, you may end up paying anyway in the form of lost profits.
5 - Hiring experts to consult on important marketing decisions helps you avoid pitfalls and traps characteristic of cheap or under-informed marketing.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
5:13 - Episode 50, focused on websites and online presence (https://youtu.be/35E_PjNVX5E)
5:25 - Google Analytics is a great way to track your business and professional data. (https://developers.google.com/analytics)
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
Sign up for our newsletter here!
Check out our Socials and Blog!
Visit the Vision Blog
Our LinkedIn
Our Instagram
Our YouTube
Our Facebook
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: How “cheap marketing” works.
06:56 - Suggestion #1: Consider value over cost.
12:14 - Suggestion #2: Practice long-term thinking
15:08 - Suggestion #3: Focus on ROI
17:45 - Suggestion #4: Avoid hidden costs!
20:47 - Suggestion #5: Hire the experts!
23:58 - Conclusion
Monday Oct 28, 2024
No Need for a Website If You Have Social Media? Absolutely Wrong! [Ep. 50]
Monday Oct 28, 2024
Monday Oct 28, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia explore the world of business websites — and why a brand built solely on social media doesn't cut it. Our hosts discuss controlling your brand message online, the importance of owning and analyzing your own data, and why you shouldn't trust platforms like Instagram or Facebook to always be there for you. Creating a website can be daunting — we know, we build them! — but they allow you the control, security and creative freedom you need to rocket your organization to success! Listen in to learn all the juicy details!
Takeaways:
1 - Unlike social media accounts, websites are entirely owned and operated by their organization, allowing for complete control over message, appearance and credibility.
2 - Data, especially consumer data such as email lists, can be protected and preserved on websites, avoiding issues like platform crashes or hacks.
3 - Websites support a variety of organizational success elements — data capture, stability, credibility, and more — that are necessary for securing leads, and gaining even more.
4 - Websites are immune to the numerous destabilizing forces that can affect social media, including hacking, crashes, or deplatforming.
5 - Effective websites exist in many ways, and organizations can customize their page based on their needs and budgets.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
04:36 - Episode 49, focused on online ratings and reviews (https://youtu.be/0suBKKaRaxg)
06:57 - Laura’s current listen, Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson (https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1451648537)
07:32 - Episode 48, focused on personal brands (https://youtu.be/8C3qJ383LeM)
10:14 - Our blog article “Business Bootcamp: Marketing When Social Media is Down” (https://vision-advertising.com/blog/2021/business-bootcamp-marketing-when-social-media-is-down/)
17:07 - Wordpress is a reliable and flexible web management system used to host websites, blogs, stores and other online media. (https://wordpress.com/)
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
Sign up for our newsletter here!
Check out our Socials and Blog!
Visit the Vision Blog
Our LinkedIn
Our Instagram
Our YouTube
Our Facebook
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
02:35 - Suggestion #1: Ownership, credibility and controlling your message!
07:57 - Suggestion #2: The importance of owning your data
11:42 - Suggestion #3: Capturing more leads!
14:27 - Suggestion #4: Ensure your stability!
16:53 - Suggestion #5: Consider your wants and needs!
19:33 - Conclusion
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Online Reviews Don’t Matter? Think Again! [Ep. 49]
Monday Oct 21, 2024
Monday Oct 21, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia tips and strategies to handle and leverage online reviews. Our hosts discuss the benefits of professionalism in the face of criticism, showcasing your positive online reputation, and review sites like Yelp, Facebook, and Trustpilot, which can boost your ratings and credibility with consumers. Online reviews, especially negative ones, can feel disconcerting or even tangential, but they can make or break your business — listen in to learn how you can get that five star rating, and benefit your business while you’re at it!
Takeaways:
1 - Responding to reviews, negative or positive, builds credibility and relationships with your consumer base, as it shows you are attentive and appreciative.
2 - Utilizing outbound links, as well as review and social sites like Yelp, Facebook and Trustpilot, can boost the credibility of your website and improve its SEO performance.
3 - Treating reviews as critiques and suggestions for improvement can both elevate consumer’s view of you, and enhance your own business strategy and day-to-day.
4 - Encouraging reviews through direct communication from digital sales or in-person staff can boost your ratings and counteract any negative bias.
5 - Exhibiting and displaying your good reputation, whether with online reviews or in other forms, can boost your visibility and enhance your reputation further.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
03:50 - Our article on responding to negative reviews! (https://vision-advertising.com/blog/2021/marketing-psa-always-respond-to-negative-reviews/) And here's another one! (https://vision-advertising.com/blog/2023/business-bootcamp-answering-negative-customer-reviews/)
09:32 - Outbound links, aka “backlinks”, are hyperlinks on websites, or elsewhere on the web, that link back to your own site.
17:20 - Angi’s (formerly Angie’s List), and Houzz are sites where contractors can advertise their services. (https://www.angi.com/, https://www.houzz.com/)
Yelp and Trustpilot are sites where businesses can receive ratings and provide further information for consumers. (https://www.yelp.com/, https://www.trustpilot.com/)
22:29 - Here is the first episode of our arc on marketing partnerships! (https://youtu.be/W39hmdylBzU)
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
Sign up for our newsletter here!
Check out our Socials and Blog!
Visit the Vision Blog
Our LinkedIn
Our Instagram
Our YouTube
Our Facebook
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
02:44 - Suggestion #1: Respond to Reviews (positive or negative)!
09:23 - Suggestion #2: Boost your presence with reviews!
12:09 - Suggestion #3: Leverage for improvement!
15:36 - Suggestion #4: Encouraging more reviews!
23:06 - Suggestion #5: Showcase your reputation!
25:11 - Conclusion
Monday Oct 07, 2024
Do’s and Don’ts for Your Personal Brand [Ep. 48]
Monday Oct 07, 2024
Monday Oct 07, 2024
In today’s episode, Laura and Julia share five suggestions for creating a successful personal brand. Our hosts discuss the benefits of tracking your online presence, structuring with adaptability in mind, learning from credible professionals, and utilizing controversy carefully. Brand building can have disastrous — or wondrous — effects on your business, so listen in, and learn how to create a profitable brand consumers trust!
Takeaways:
1 - Ask for feedback from experienced, proven professionals in your field, and incorporate it into your pre-existing brand.
2 - Keeping track of your online presence, and utilizing tools like Google alerts, can give you an up-to-date and complex understanding of your evolving brand, and the brand of competitors.
3 - Examining the strategies and intentions behind your professional goals allows for a clearer and more organized understanding of your direction.
4 - Organizing your brand to allow for evolution and adaptation can enhance your performance in the ever-changing media landscape.
5 - Ensure that your online presence is professional, and utilize “hot takes” or controversy carefully and only when appropriate.
Today’s Resource Recommendations:
04:00 - Episode 2, focused on creating strategic partnerships and collaborations! (https://youtu.be/8sZ4WeRsu38)
05:27 - Google Alerts, a great way to track your business and professional reputation. (https://www.google.com/alerts)
17:11 - 04:50 - Our first episode of four on personal brand! (Episodes 9 through 13, https://youtu.be/B6XDA59_0-U?si=XMhjvjKZCNIHsQQW)
Ideas or Questions? Contact us on our website here!
Sign up for our newsletter here!
Check out our Socials and Blog!
Visit the Vision Blog
Our LinkedIn
Our Instagram
Our YouTube
Our Facebook
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
02:03 - Suggestion #1: Consult with experts!
04:52 - Suggestion #2: Monitor your online presence!
06:43 - Suggestion #3: Reflect on your goals!
08:23 - Suggestion #4: Be adaptable!
11:45 - Suggestion #5: Avoid controversy (or don’t!)
17:06 - Conclusion
If it smells like marketing, we can do it.
Vision Advertising is a full-service marketing agency enhancing the online brand presence of business-to-business and business-to-consumer companies across the US. We focus on providing custom marketing services to address unique client needs, customer profiles, and budgetary concerns, created in-house by our team of skilled marketing specialists.
Founded in 1999, Vision continues to be a women-own and -led business to this day. With COO Julia Becker Collins in charge of day-to-day operations, Vision led ourselves and our clients through COVID, went completely remote, became an MA-certified Women Business Enterprise, and has won numerous awards in our industry.