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If your CRM feels like a black hole instead of a growth engine, this conversation will change how you build, measure, and coach your sales and marketing efforts. We sit down with Cathy Caine-Blank of The WDG Agency to unpack the real reason teams struggle with HubSpot—and how to fix it fast.

We start by drawing a hard line: strategy before software. Cathy explains why DIY implementations fail, how to map progressive deal stages that reflect real buyer movement, and which definitions every team must standardize to trust their data. From there, we dig into quick wins at the professional tier: task automation that prevents post-proposal drift and playbooks that replace scattered notes with structured discovery captured right in the record. The result is fewer “I’ll get back to it” meetings and more pipelines that actually move.

We also explore smart disqualification and recycling. Instead of letting “interested but later” clog your forecast, close the loop and send contacts into targeted nurture workflows. Cathy shows how unified engagement data—sales emails opened and clicked, marketing content consumed, form submissions—helps reps prioritize outreach while giving marketers the insight to refine offers. This is where HubSpot shines: one platform, shared visibility, and a feedback loop that ties campaigns to qualified conversations.

Adoption is where leaders earn their keep. We talk through driving consistent usage without bureaucracy, building peer-led learning around what top performers record, and measuring what matters: stage conversions, time-in-stage bottlenecks, and the engagement signals that precede wins. If you’ve only used 25 percent of your CRM’s power, you’ll leave with specific ideas to expand intelligently—sequences for outreach, smarter forms for lead capture, and dashboards that bring focus to the day.

Ready to turn your CRM from cost center to compounding asset? Listen now, then subscribe, rate, and share with a teammate who owns sales or marketing. Drop your questions on LinkedIn—we’d love to hear where your pipeline gets stuck and what you’ll try next.

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Buyers don’t wake up searching for your brand—they wake up searching for answers. We dive into how to meet them there and guide them all the way to loyal, long-term customers using automation that still feels human. With Dr. Denise Dennis of Action Accelerated, we map a complete journey from awareness and consideration to decision, onboarding, retention, and optimization—and show where automation saves hours without stripping out your voice or values.

We start with solution-first awareness: what turns casual scrollers into qualified leads, why lead magnets work, and how to deliver instant value with clean capture and clear next steps. Then we unpack nurturing that builds trust—evergreen sequences in your tone, timely broadcasts that prove you’re present, and behavior-triggered follow-ups that keep relevance high and pressure low. Dr. Denise explains the tech stack in plain English: pixels, UTM tracking, Google Analytics, and CRM workflows that surface what’s working across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and email.

Decision becomes effortless when logistics are automated. Smart scheduling links, thoughtful reminders, and pre-call assets (testimonials, a 90-second intro, one-question intake) set the stage. Post-call paths route yes, no, and maybe into the right journeys—agreements and payment links for buyers, concise recaps for fence-sitters, long-term nurture for later fits. Lead scoring helps sales focus on the right conversations by weighting downloads, clicks, and visit depth.

Retention is where revenue compounds. We cover onboarding that calms buyer anxiety with welcome videos, clear instructions, and quick wins. Automated summaries after sessions, periodic check-ins, and satisfaction surveys keep clients engaged and heard. When progress is visible, expansion feels natural—course two after course one, VIP days after group programs, strategic packages after pilots—raising lifetime value without awkward pitches.

Finally, we show how to optimize the full funnel with data: view-to-opt-in, opt-in-to-show, show-to-close, and beyond. Test headlines, proof, and CTAs; follow the demand your data reveals; and treat automation as a reliable system that delivers the right message at the right time. If you’re ready to work smarter, reclaim time, and scale trust, hit play, subscribe for more growth playbooks, and leave a review with the one step you’ll automate this week.

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Q4 doesn’t forgive drift. We pull back the curtain on the exact plays we use to finish the year strong while quietly stacking wins for a faster Q1—no fluff, just moves you can run this week. From pinpointing the two or three channels that drove most of your revenue to reviving “closed-lost” opportunities with value-first outreach, we show how sales and marketing work together when the clock is ticking.

Evan Poland (co-author of Selling Professional Services The Sandler Way) breaks down a practical pipeline audit: tag every deal by originating activity, identify the patterns behind wins, and double down. He walks through the A/B/C relationship model to activate trusted contacts for warm introductions and explains how to re-approach stalled deals without sounding needy. Craig Andrews (CEO, Beholder Agency) maps the marketing side: amplify proven messages, retarget recent engagers, and pair time-boxed incentives with a low-friction CTA. We also address the “no one buys after Thanksgiving” myth with real-world examples of seven-figure engagements that started during the holidays—because urgent pain ignores the calendar.

You’ll learn how to turn social signals and site behavior into prioritized outreach, why speed-to-context beats speed-to-lead, and how to balance “rabbits, deer, and elephants” so you hit this year’s target while advancing next year’s enterprise wins. Expect clear steps, simple language, and a playbook you can hand your team today: align on data, shorten next steps, and make every touch move a deal one stage forward.

If this helped sharpen your Q4 plan, follow the show, share it with a teammate who needs momentum, and leave a quick review so others can find it. Want to go deeper or pitch a topic? Connect with us on LinkedIn or via the website—and keep winning.

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Are your employees already using AI without your knowledge? What competitive advantages are you missing by not having a clear AI strategy? Fractional COO Julio Gonzalez reveals how small and mid-sized businesses can harness artificial intelligence to drive efficiency and growth without massive investments or technical expertise.

Drawing from decades of experience as a CIO and operational strategist, Julio cuts through the AI hype to deliver practical insights you can implement immediately. Rather than treating AI as just another tech buzzword, he approaches it from an operational perspective—focusing on how automation can solve real business problems and free up your time for high-value activities.

The conversation explores how mature AI implementations are yielding up to 20% performance improvements in specific business areas. From AI assistants handling phone calls and scheduling to financial tools automating invoice matching, these technologies are transforming everyday tasks. For small businesses without large marketing departments, AI writing assistants are crafting professional communications and marketing materials in minutes rather than hours.

But Julio also addresses the risks—particularly how employees using free AI tools might inadvertently expose sensitive business data. Learn how to develop specific, detailed prompts that produce accurate, valuable outputs instead of the "hallucinations" that can damage your credibility and brand. Discover the fundamental difference between using AI effectively versus simply adopting the latest shiny object.

Whether you're AI-curious or AI-anxious, this episode provides a balanced, strategic framework for implementing automation in ways that enhance your business operations without overwhelming your team or budget. The competitive advantage isn't just in adopting AI—it's in adopting it thoughtfully before your competition does.

Ready to transform your business operations? Connect with Julio at Opticution (www.opticution.com) to develop an AI strategy that aligns with your specific business goals and challenges.

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What if your sales team could practice their pitches, objection handling, and closing techniques with an AI that looks, sounds, and responds just like a real prospect? On this episode of Sales and Marketing Playbook Unleashed, we dive deep into the revolutionary world of AI-powered sales training with special guest Mike from Colleva.

Perfect practice makes perfect—but most sales professionals only get real-world practice once or twice a week with actual prospects. Mike reveals how Colleva's photorealistic AI creates face-to-face conversation opportunities that allow salespeople to practice extensively without the risk of costly mistakes in front of real customers. "Making a mistake on a call could be a $25,000 mistake, could be a $100,000 mistake, could be a million-dollar mistake," notes co-host Evan Polin. "I'd much rather get the reps and feedback with the AI."

The conversation explores how this technology bridges the persistent gap between marketing and sales by ensuring consistent messaging. Sales teams can practice with their actual products, services, and company-approved language rather than generic scenarios. Most impressively, the AI doesn't just evaluate what salespeople say—it analyzes their tone, facial expressions, and body language, providing comprehensive feedback on both content and delivery.

Beyond sales training, we discover applications for talent acquisition, performance reviews, and even customer satisfaction surveys. The AI can conduct interviews with team members or customers, gathering insights that might otherwise be dominated by the loudest voices in traditional settings.

Whether you're a sales manager struggling to provide consistent coaching, a marketing leader frustrated with messaging inconsistency, or a small business owner wearing multiple hats, this episode reveals how AI-powered practice can transform your team's performance without adding to your workload. Listen now to discover how face-to-face AI might be the missing piece in your sales enablement strategy.

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Imagine building a table with only three legs – it would inevitably collapse. Your business operates the same way, requiring four sturdy supports: sales, marketing, financial health, and people management. When one weakens, everything becomes unstable.

Steve Kapfer, founder and CEO of Tower CFO, joins hosts Craig Andrews and Evan Polin to reveal how financial clarity transforms business decision-making. With decades of experience simplifying finance for growth-minded entrepreneurs, Steve breaks down complex concepts into actionable insights that every business owner can implement.

The conversation tackles a critical problem plaguing small to medium-sized businesses: financial statements that obscure rather than illuminate. Steve explains how reorganizing your financial reporting can reveal which products truly drive profitability, whether your overhead structure is appropriate, and if marketing expenditures are delivering returns. This clarity empowers strategic decisions rather than reactive scrambling.

A fascinating discussion emerges around business strategy and execution failures. The experts identify a common pattern where owners jump to solutions without proper planning, burn through budgets without tracking results, then abandon initiatives when they don't see immediate returns. Instead, Steve advocates for measured approaches like A/B testing, where businesses systematically identify what works before scaling their efforts.

The episode highlights how innovation and communication serve as essential companions to financial clarity. Without continuous product improvement, even profitable offerings eventually stagnate. Similarly, when owners fail to consistently articulate their vision throughout the organization, execution falters despite sound financial foundations.

By the conclusion, listeners gain three powerful financial focuses to transform their businesses: understanding true profitability, managing cash flow effectively, and evaluating return on investment across all initiatives. For entrepreneurs whose largest investment is often their own business, these insights prove invaluable.

Ready to strengthen the financial leg of your business table? Connect with Steve at steve@towercfo.com or visit TowerCFO.com, and subscribe to The Sales and Marketing Playbook Unleashed for more expert guidance on building a thriving business.

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Have you ever wondered why your company struggles to convert leads despite having a robust marketing strategy? The answer might lie in the fundamental misunderstanding that plagues many businesses today.

Dwayne Riff, President of Global Source International, joins hosts Craig Andrews and Evan Poland to unpack a critical business truth: sales and marketing are not the same thing. Drawing from decades of experience helping companies scale their revenue, Dwayne reveals how this misalignment creates significant blind spots in business growth strategies.

"Most companies invest heavily in marketing—SEO optimization, digital platforms, websites—bringing in all these leads they can't close," Dwayne explains. "They get frustrated and blame marketing when the real issue might be that the sales team lacks proper training, follow-up procedures, or infrastructure."

The conversation dives deep into what truly matters for sales success: verifiable pipelines, data-driven decision-making, and the right metrics. Rather than operating in the "I think" world of gut feelings and assumptions, successful organizations track specific KPIs that actually move the needle. Do you know your profit margins by product and client? What's your average close cycle? Where are your most profitable leads coming from?

Perhaps most valuable is Dwayne's framework for organizing sales opportunities into short-term (30-60 days), medium-term (up to 120 days), and long-term (12-36 month) buckets. This structured approach ensures balanced focus and consistent revenue flow—what he calls the "keep the lights on strategy."

The episode concludes with three powerful takeaways: be the person your customers want to buy from, hold yourself accountable to outcomes and benchmarks, and embrace disruption in your industry. As Dwayne reminds us, "Can you be the Netflix to Blockbuster?" in your space?

Whether you're a sales professional looking to sharpen your approach or a business leader seeking to build a more effective revenue engine, this conversation provides actionable insights that could transform your results. The playbook is in your hands—are you ready to use it?

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The back-to-school season isn't just for students—it's the perfect time for businesses to refocus and strategize for year-end success. Seasoned sales expert Evan Polin and marketing strategist Craig Andrews reveal the playbook for maximizing your Q3-Q4 performance when summer distractions fade and serious business resumes.

We dive deep into the critical task of pipeline review, teaching you how to perform an honest "autopsy" of your year-to-date sales performance. Discover why successful businesses maintain pipelines four times larger than their revenue goals and how this cushion ensures hitting targets despite normal sales attrition. Learn to distinguish between real opportunities and wishful thinking in your pipeline—because as Evan bluntly states, "wishing and hoping aren't strategies."

Marketing success hinges on message clarity and audience understanding. With attention spans lasting mere seconds, your ability to immediately address pain points determines whether prospects engage or ignore you. Craig reveals why "it's not the marketing that stinks, it's your message," and provides tactical advice for crafting compelling communications that speak directly to what matters most to your audience: "What's in it for me?"

The episode delivers actionable strategies for evaluating performance data, recalibrating sales activities, simplifying marketing campaigns, and planning your calendar for remaining industry events. We outline step-by-step approaches to ensure your sales and marketing efforts align perfectly for maximum impact during the critical year-end period.

Don't wait until December to realize you're behind on goals. Implement these proven strategies now to position yourself not just for a strong finish to this year, but for a powerful start to the next. Connect with us on LinkedIn to continue the conversation, and remember—stop cramming for business success and start following the playbook.