The Guiding Brands Podcast

In this episode, Karen Vick sits down with David Rush, COO of Access Virtual Staffing and author of Remote Power. Together, they dive into the world of virtual staffing—how it empowers entrepreneurs, streamlines operations, and helps leaders avoid burnout. David shares his journey into the business, the human impact of hiring from the Philippines, clears misconceptions about virtual assistants, and offers practical advice for nonprofits and small businesses.Guest:David RushCOO of Access Virtual StaffingAuthor of Remote PowerLeader of the Morning Rush business communityFaith-driven operational leader🔑 Key Points & Topics Covered✔️ David’s personal story—what motivated him to enter virtual staffing, including heartfelt moments supporting mothers in the Philippines✔️ Breaking misconceptions: Virtual assistants aren’t just limited to basic admin; they offer a wide range of skills (accounting, logistics, design, social media, CRM management, etc.)✔️ Cost savings and talent—how businesses can benefit from world-class staff for a fraction of US salaries✔️ Loyalty and reliability—commitment of talent in the Philippines compared to current challenges in the US workforce✔️ How small businesses and nonprofits can build teams, even with tight budgets✔️ The importance of knowing your “zone of genius” and buying back your time (referenced: Dan Martell’s Buy Back Your Time)✔️ Roles that virtual assistants can fill—admin, social media, logistics, CRM, web design✔️ Practical actions: Do a time and needs audit, identify your pain points, and consider outsourcing to free up your creative and productive energy✔️ Seeking out sounding boards, coaches, or guides to help determine needs and strategy✔️ Embracing mistakes as learning opportunities for leaders and entrepreneursResources MentionedBuy Back Your Time (Book) by Dan Martell: https://buybackyourtime.com/Access Virtual Staffing: https://accessvirtualstaffing.com/The Guiding Brands Podcast: https://guidingbrandspodcast.comNext Steps & Actions1️⃣ Do a self-analysis or time audit of your daily tasks and challenges2️⃣ Identify your biggest stress points and bottlenecks—what would you rather not be doing?3️⃣ Consider whether outsourcing admin, social media, logistics, or CRM roles could buy back your time4️⃣ Seek advice from a business coach or skilled sounding board to help clarify your needs and best options5️⃣ Don’t be afraid to try new solutions and learn from mistakes—growth often comes from experimentation!💬 Stay ConnectedSubscribe, leave a review, and tune in for future episodes, where more guides and practical branding and business insights await.Follow Guiding Brands on LinkedInConnect with David Rush:Access Virtual Staffing: https://accessvirtualstaffing.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrush16/Listen & Explore More🎙️ The Guiding Brands Podcast: https://guidingbrandspodcast.com✨ Don’t forget to subscribe and share with fellow entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders looking to scale without burnout!

This episode of the Guiding Brands Podcast features a conversation with Sarah Guliot, an expert in copywriting and website strategy for service-based small businesses and coaches. She joins Karen Vick to demystify sales pages, email sequences, and the art of using words to convert website visitors into customers.🛬 Landing Page vs. Sales Page:Sarah Guliot explains the difference between a landing page ("any page people land on!") and a focused sales page, designed with one clear offer and a distraction-free layout.📑 The BOT Stack for Sales Pages: Use the BOT framework:Benefits: Start with a hook & highlight transformationsOffer: Present the details of what’s included, pricing (keep it simple!), and specifics of the product/serviceTrust: Sprinkle testimonials, bio, guarantees, FAQs & legal notes throughout💡📧 Email Sequences: The power of welcome sequences & the importance of automating your first impressions with subscribers.❌ What Not to Do in Email Marketing: Avoid over-emailing without opt-out options, writing off-topic, or making your emails "epistles."🗣️ Maintain Your Brand Voice: Build a brand voice guide—capture key phrases, dos and don’ts, and revisit messaging for consistency.✍️ Getting Started with Copywriting: Collect inspiring copy examples, use outlines, batch your writing, and don’t self-edit on your first draft!Sarah Design Agency InstagramSarah Design WebsiteTools for transcribing spoken text into writing:Google Voice Typing in Google DocsNotes app transcriptionPodcast website: https://guidingbrandspodcast.comBatch Your Writing: Set aside time to write 6–10 pieces of content at a time to relieve pressure later.Build a Welcome Email Sequence: Automate your onboarding with 3–5 “get to know me” emails.Audit Your Messaging: Create or update a brand voice guide and review your site to ensure your copy fits your updated brand persona.Simplify Offers: When creating sales pages, limit choices to reduce confusion. Provide only "yes or no" options and address payment tiers/cycles at checkout, not upfront.Collect Good Copy: Start a "swipe file" of subject lines and email ideas that catch your eye for future inspiration.Try Voice-to-Text: If stuck, record yourself talking through your idea—then edit the transcript for your copy.Instagram: @sarahdesignagencyWebsite & new coaches’ offer: https://sarahdesign.comThanks for listening! For more episodes and marketing wisdom, subscribe and review the show on https://guidingbrandspodcast.com 🌟

In this episode:Karen Vick is joined by Sarah Guilliot, a Seattle-based website designer, copywriter, and brand strategist, to unpack the essentials of copywriting and brand voice for service-based small businesses. With a background in UX and web design at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, T-Mobile, and GoDaddy, Sarah Guilliot shares her entrepreneurial journey and actionable tips for crafting copy that connects and converts.Sarah’s Career Pivot: From 20 years in corporate tech and design roles to launching her own business, including the Coach Lift Off service for coaches wanting an easy, all-in-one website and marketing solution.Copywriting 101:What copywriting is—and isn’t.The difference between content writing (blogs, social media) and copywriting (websites, sales pages, emails).Why your website is not just a digital brochure.Brand Voice Essentials:Why your copy should sound like you, not a robot (or a generic AI!).How reading your copy out loud helps you catch awkward or stiff language.The importance of consistency and authenticity across all touchpoints.Copy Misconceptions:Common mistakes, like using old brochure copy or product descriptions as web copy.Why your copy needs to fit its platform—social posts, blogs, or website pages all have different needs.SEO & Standing Out Online:The balance between writing for people and ranking for search engines.How being authentic and using real client language can boost your SEO naturally.Market Research Tips:Using conversations and testimonials from real clients to inspire and refine your copy.“Copy stalking”—a method for gathering actual phrases and words your audience uses.Coach Lift Off (Sarah’s signature program for coaches – details forthcoming in her network)EEAT by Google (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness): https://searchengineland.com/e-e-a-t-and-seo-392924“Copy stalking” concept credited to Mariah CozRead Your Copy Aloud:Sarah's top tip—record yourself or read website/email copy out loud to spot unnatural or stiff language.Gather Customer Feedback: Review testimonials and set up discovery calls to understand the language your clients use when talking about your services.Customize for Your Audience: Adjust your brand voice to be true to yourself, while still clear and relatable to your customers—especially if you serve a multi-cultural/multi-lingual audience.Don’t Rely Solely on AI: Use AI as a draft or brainstorming assistant, but personalize and humanize all final copy.Repeat Key Info: It’s OK to reinforce core messages on different pages of your website—users might land anywhere!Guiding Brands Podcast listeners can schedule a call with Sarah at https://www.sarahdesign.com/guiding, to get personalized insights about your brand.You can also find Sarah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sarahdesignagency Listen to more episodes, subscribe, and leave a review at:The Guiding Brands Podcast: https://guidingbrandspodcast.comThank you for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe and join us next week for more bite-sized branding & marketing wisdom.

Why emotional marketing—and authentic storytelling—bring donors and customers back, again and again.In this value-packed episode of The Guiding Brands Podcast, host Karen Vick sits down with marketing leader Adam Ortman to reveal what truly makes your marketing, messaging, and fundraising campaigns unforgettable. Are you struggling to stand out amid the year-end rush or Giving Tuesday? Wondering how to build deeper connections and keep supporters coming back? Get ready for a practical, human-centric blueprint that’s tailor-made for service-based small businesses and nonprofits.Join us to:Learn how to craft messages that resonate and inspire actionGain donor retention strategies that actually workExplore cost-effective ad tools (including step-by-step advice for beginners!)Discover easy, real-world ideas for showing appreciation and building communityHear why listening to your customers is the #1 growth strategy most organizations ignoreSmall business owners, nonprofit leaders, and marketers—if you want marketing that’s mission-driven and heartfelt, you’ll find the advice and inspiration you need right here.#emotionalmarketing #storytelling #nonprofitmarketing #smallbusinessmarketing #donorretention #marketingstrategy #GivingTuesday #digitalmarketing #brandconnection

In this episode of The Guiding Brands Podcast, Chief Guide Karen Vick welcomes Adam Ortman — consumer psychologist, CEO, and founder of Kinetic 319 Marketing, a Denver-based marketing and advertising agency rooted in consumer psychology. Adam shares his insights on leveraging psychological principles for more effective nonprofit marketing and fundraising, drawing from his experiences with clients ranging from big names like Nike, American Express, and the American Red Cross, to small and midsize nonprofits.Key points discussed in this episode: What is consumer psychology, and how does it influence purchasing, donating, and brand interaction?  Why people give: The personal, emotional, and empathetic drivers behind donations of time, money, and support.  The critical role of empathy—how people want to see themselves reflected in the causes they support.  Common nonprofit marketing mistakes, including the “projection fallacy” (assuming decision-makers’ preferences reflect the wider audience) and “compassion fade” (how big numbers can actually decrease giving).  The four pillars of trust: Authenticity, Empathy, Relevancy, and Consistency—for nonprofit and small business marketing alike.  Practical steps for small businesses and nonprofits to discover what their audience actually cares about—through surveys, feedback, and focus groups.  Harnessing the power of AI tools (like ChatGPT) to easily craft effective surveys and question prompts.Resources mentioned in the episode:Kinetic 319 Marketing: https://kinetic319.com/American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/Google Forms (for easy customer/donor surveys): https://www.google.com/forms/about/Microsoft Forms: https://forms.microsoft.com/ChatGPT (for writing survey/interview questions): https://chat.openai.com/Next steps & actions for listeners: Ask your customers or donors what matters to them! Whether you use a formal survey, a quick email, or a simple conversation—dig deeper for specifics and look for patterns in their feedback.  Chunk your goals into achievable milestones. When fundraising, share the big vision but highlight the realistic steps donors can help achieve.  Focus your communication: Be authentic, empathetic, relevant, and consistent to build trust and stronger relationships.  Don’t be afraid to leverage technology! Use AI tools to help you shape targeted questions and streamline outreach.Subscribe for future episodes and more marketing and branding insight for service-based small businesses and nonprofits! The Guiding Brands Podcast: https://guidingbrandspodcast.comLeave a review & share this episode with a fellow nonprofit or small business owner who’d benefit from a bit of marketing psychology!