UNFUDGE YOUR MARKETING

Facebook ads promise passive leads, an autopilot pipeline, and clients flowing in while you sleep. But what really happens when you put real money behind that promise and the results just do not show up? Nancy Zare, PhD, a sales psychologist, joins Kristi to share her honest experience running Facebook ads not once, but twice, and walking away with little more than spammy email addresses and a lighter wallet. Nancy and Kristi unpack why the appeal of passive lead generation is so powerful, especially for heart centered business owners who would rather serve their clients than sell to them, and why a single tactic is never going to be the answer to your marketing challenges. You'll learn: Why Facebook ads felt like the perfect solution and where the promise broke down in reality The difference between impressions and clicks versus actual buyers, and why vanity metrics can mislead you What two separate attempts with two different providers taught Nancy about the platform and about herself Why heart centered entrepreneurs are especially susceptible to the allure of passive marketing shortcuts How to know when you have given a tactic a fair shot versus when it is time to move on Why your marketing foundation has to come before paid ads, not after The one piece of advice Nancy leaves every business owner with: do not do it alone If you have ever been tempted to throw money at ads hoping they will solve your lead generation problem, this episode is your honest reality check. Connect with Nancy Zare: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nancyzare Nancy is also on Substack, Facebook, and YouTube Learn more: nancyzare.com Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a review so you never miss a chance to unfudge your marketing. Learn more about Kristi and get in touch with her to learn how to Unf*dge YOUR marketing: kristimitchell.com

When you are launching a new business and trying to do everything yourself, AI can feel like the perfect shortcut. Alan Lamparella, founder of Tasklight Business Advisory, found out the hard way that when it comes to branding, fast and cheap does not always get you where you need to go. After 30 years leading manufacturing and industrial organizations, Alan set out on his own and leaned heavily on AI to name and brand his business. What he got back felt bland, disconnected, and just plain wrong. Alan joins Kristi to talk about what changed when he brought in the right humans for the job, why clarity and confidence in your brand identity matters more than speed, and what the experience taught him about knowing when to trust the technology and when to call in the pros. You'll learn: Why AI kept producing bland branding results and what was actually missing from the process How a single question from a branding expert, tell me why your business exists, unlocked everything The real cost of settling for good enough when you are building something you have to believe in Why lack of clarity and conviction early on can quietly slow your growth down the road How to think about AI as a tool in your marketing without letting it replace the human connection your brand needs Why solopreneurs especially need people in their corner, not just software The case for hiring specialists even when you already have marketing support If you have been wondering where AI fits in your marketing and where it falls short, this episode gives you an honest and grounded answer. Connect with Alan Lamparella: LinkedIn: Alan Lamparella Website: tasklightadvisory.com Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a review so you never miss a chance to unfudge your marketing. Learn more about Kristi and get in touch with her to learn how to Unf*dge YOUR marketing: kristimitchell.com

Paid ads can feel like a money pit, especially when you are told you need to be everywhere, reach everyone, and just keep spending. Lindsey Laughlin, VP at Gravity Group, joins Kristi to cut through the noise and talk about the most common missteps she sees businesses making with their ad dollars, and what to do instead. From cramming too much into your messaging to spreading your budget across too many channels, Lindsey shares why less is often more when it comes to paid advertising. She also pulls back the curtain on how her agency operates differently, and why that difference matters a lot for the clients they serve. You'll learn: Why trying to say everything in your ad messaging actually communicates nothing How spreading your budget too thin across too many channels quietly kills your results Why your audience, not your leadership team, should be the hero of your marketing message The often overlooked power of post purchase nurturing and what most businesses are leaving on the table How to think about the next best product or service for your existing clients and why it costs far less than finding new ones Why more impressions does not equal more results, and how to have that conversation with a media rep What to ask any agency or media buyer about markups before you sign anything If paid ads have ever left you frustrated and wondering where your money went, this episode will help you ask better questions and make smarter decisions. Connect with Lindsey Laughlin: LinkedIn: ⁠Lindsey Laughlin⁠ Website: gravitygroup.com Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a review so you never miss a chance to unfudge your marketing. Learn more about Kristi and get in touch with her to learn how to Unf*dge YOUR marketing: kristimitchell.com

What happens when you spend an entire day having what feels like a genuine, meaningful back and forth with someone on LinkedIn, only to find out days later that you were actually talking to their AI tool the whole time? That is exactly what happened to Rachel Platt, founder of PLATTinum Consulting, and it raises some really important questions about authenticity, trust, and where the line is when it comes to AI in your marketing. Rachel joins Kristi to unpack this uncomfortable experience and what it means for business owners who are leaning on AI tools to manage their online presence without staying close enough to what those tools are actually doing in their name. You'll learn: How Rachel discovered she had spent an entire day engaging with someone's AI tool without knowing it Why the blank stare moment was more damaging than the mistake itself The real cost of outsourcing your energy on platforms built for human connection Why staying on top of what your AI tools are doing is not optional, it is part of your brand The difference between using AI to assist your voice and letting AI replace it entirely Three questions every business owner should ask before outsourcing any part of their marketing presence How to own a misstep like this with integrity and what that kind of transparency does for your relationships If you are using AI tools to show up on LinkedIn or anywhere else your audience is watching, this episode is a must listen. Connect with Rachel Platt: LinkedIn: Rachel Platt Website: plattinumconsulting.com Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a review so you never miss a chance to unfudge your marketing. Learn more about Kristi and get in touch with her to learn how to Unf*dge YOUR marketing: kristimitchell.com

We talk a lot on this show about marketing mistakes, and this week Kristi is sharing two of her own. From a technical glitch that aired the wrong guest video to an email that went out to the wrong list, Kristi gets real about what it feels like when things go sideways and more importantly, what she did about it. This solo episode is a reminder that mistakes happen to all of us. What sets you apart is how you handle them. Kristi shares how owning her missteps openly and transparently not only preserved trust with her audience but actually deepened it. You'll learn: Why owning a mistake publicly can build more trust than pretending it never happened How Kristi handled a technical error that aired the wrong guest video to her audience Why she chose transparency over silence and what the response taught her The email mistake that went to hundreds of people instead of a small group, and how she turned it around Why making light of a mistake in the right way can actually strengthen your relationship with your audience The danger of jumping to conclusions when something goes wrong before you fully understand what happened Why authenticity and vulnerability in your marketing are not weaknesses. They are trust builders. If you have ever made a marketing mistake and wondered whether to own it or bury it, this episode will help you make that call with confidence. Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe, share, and leave a review so you never miss a chance to unfudge your marketing. Learn more about Kristi and get in touch with her to learn how to Unf*dge YOUR marketing: kristimitchell.com