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PODCAST

Poetry In Marketing

Marketing coach Erik Wolf reads you one of his original marketing poems every episode and teaching common sense marketing strategy and management techniques along the way. Poetry topics include branding, budgeting, planning, dealing with agencies, SEO, poor performance, and more.

business marketing

All Episodes

00:05:09

Who knew hamburgers / Were such powerful emblems /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/03/04

Today’s episode of Poetry in Marketing was inspired by a viral moment that had the internet talking… about a hamburger.Who knew hamburgersWere such powerful emblemsFor integrity?In this episode, I order a Snarfburger — the best burger in Denver for my money — and break down the marketing lesson hidden inside the now-infamous video of the McDonald’s CEO trying (and failing) to convincingly enjoy his own company’s food. The problem wasn’t the sandwich: it was authenticity.When leaders talk about

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00:03:13

Why pay for tactics / If you don’t understand why /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/02/26

Today on Poetry in Marketing, I’ve got a windy, dramatic backdrop and a pointed little haiku:Why pay for tacticsIf you don’t understand whyYou’re paying for them?In this episode, I dig into a common (and costly) mistake: business owners signing off on a long list of marketing activities without truly understanding what those tactics are supposed to accomplish.Social posts on multiple platforms. Lots of blogs. SEO. Lead magnets. Press releases. Great. But what job are they actually doing for your

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00:04:33

AI can’t achieve / Beyond a user’s skill set— / Just...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/02/18

In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, we dive into a hot topic with a fresh haiku:AI can’t achieveBeyond a user’s skill set—Just like other tools.There’s a lot of noise about artificial intelligence replacing marketers, but here’s the truth: AI isn’t a solution. It isn’t an employee. It’s just a tool... One that’s only as good as the person using it.This week’s episode explores the myth of AI as a magic fix and reminds us why human expertise still matters. I share why AI is powerful only when

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00:05:10

Marketing’s bigger / Than what most CEOs think / That...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/02/11

Hey, it’s Erik Wolf, and in this episode of Poetry in Marketing, I reflect on a conversation that happened during a Vistage talk in Philadelphia which inspired this week’s poem:Marketing’s biggerThan what most CEOs thinkThat marketing is.Spoiler alert: Most CEOs underestimate what marketing really is. It’s not just websites, logos, emails, or trade shows. Marketing — real marketing — is a holistic business strategy. It’s about aligning product, message, and customer insight to drive growth. And yes,

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00:03:09

Often, the conference / Outside the conference center...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/02/05

In this pre-workout episode of Poetry in Marketing, I’m dropping a haiku inspired by my time at a conference earlier this week:Often, the conferenceOutside the conference centerIs more valuable.In this one, I dig into a truth every experienced marketer knows: the best conversations don’t always happen on the trade show floor. The real gold often comes from hallway chats, dinner meetings, hotel bar intros, and those unplanned collisions that happen outside the official event.If you think success

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00:05:20

Your mindset matters: / Scarcity thinking confines /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/01/28

In this week’s episode of Poetry in Marketing, I’m bringing you a rhyming haiku (yes, it rhymes!) and some hard-earned wisdom, all while fending off two affectionate dogs:Your mindset matters:Scarcity thinking confinesWhere abundance shines.In this episode, we talk about the mindset traps that sabotage sales and marketing efforts: specifically the desperation that comes from scarcity thinking. That “what can I do to put you in this car today” energy? It reeks of fear. And it turns people

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00:02:56

Progress can be cruel: / Pain and stress constantly...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/01/23

I’m recording this episode from Mile High Stadium, just ahead of the AFC title game. The vibe? Electric. The poem? A little more serious:Progress can be cruel:Pain and stress constantly mountDifferently than growth.In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, I reflect on the hard truth that progress—whether in football, business, or marketing—is rarely linear. You don’t win every time just because you won last time. And even when the effort is there, the results don’t always show up when or how we

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00:02:57

Any CEO / With marketing frustrations / Has a chance...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/01/15

This week’s episode of Poetry in Marketing is a special one. I’m celebrating the release of my new book, Everyone Hates Marketing!, now officially available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle.To mark the occasion, we held a launch party in Denver and I closed out the night by doing what I do best: reading a marketing haiku, live on stage (well… on a bench, technically).Any CEOWith marketing frustrationsHas a chance to change.In this episode, I reflect on six months of podcasting and why

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00:03:26

Trade shows only work / When goals and reality /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2026/01/07

This week I’m coming to you live on video from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a poem straight from the speaker lounge:Trade shows only workWhen goals and realityConverge at your booth.In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, I reflect on the disconnect that often happens at trade shows—where expectations for lead gen and sales don’t match the reality of what the event actually delivers. Whether you’re walking into a massive industry showcase or a small regional expo, your

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00:03:19

Building a great brand / Takes more than just...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/12/30

This week on Poetry in Marketing, I’m digging into one of the biggest misconceptions in branding, with a poem that gets right to the point:Building a great brandTakes more than just designingA cool new logo.Your brand isn’t your logo. It’s not your color palette or your new font. Your brand is your company’s skin: the interface between you and the outside world. It’s everything your customers see, hear, touch, and experience. In this episode, I talk about why rebranding is about far more than visual

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00:04:26

Inertia works great / When you want to get things...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, we’re talking about that sneaky force that helps you get things done… but might be holding you back:Inertia works greatWhen you want to get things doneBut comes at a cost.Inertia can be a gift: it smooths out workflows, makes marketing predictable, and keeps things moving. But it can also be a creativity killer. In this episode, I share how sticking to what’s familiar — just because it’s familiar — can box us in, dilute innovation, and keep us from asking the

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00:02:39

Your firm’s marketing / Is supposed to make money /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/12/16

Today’s Poetry in Marketing episode might be stating the obvious, but too many companies still get this wrong:Your firm’s marketingIs supposed to make moneyAnd not just spend it.In this episode, I dig into one of the biggest mindset problems in marketing: treating it like a cost center instead of an investment. Office supplies are expenses. Marketing is supposed to deliver a return. But that only happens if you plan it that way—by connecting your budget to your business goals and backing it with the

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00:02:48

Say you want tactics, / And tactics are all you’ll...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/12/11

In today’s episode of Poetry in Marketing, we tackle a classic trap with this haiku:Say you want tactics,And tactics are all you’ll get,Not a strategy.In this episode, I unpack one of the most common mistakes I’ve seen in 25 years of marketing: asking for tactics when what you really want is results. You think you need SEO, a trade show booth, or a shiny new website... But what you actually need is more revenue, better retention, or higher-quality leads.If you skip the strategy and dive straight

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00:03:03

If marketing is / A haiku, then sales is a / Dirty...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/12/04

Today on Poetry In Marketing, I'm having a little fun:If marketing is A haiku, then sales is aDirty limerick.Now before the salespeople come for me, no: I’m not taking a shot at the profession. What I am doing is challenging the outdated belief that sales has to feel slick, manipulative, or greasy to be effective. It doesn’t. Great sales, like great marketing, is about creating value for your customer. Period.In this episode, I explore why we all need to let go of the “used car salesman”

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00:06:10

Great service firms know / Strong customer retention...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/11/25

Hey, it’s Erik Wolf and I’m coming to you from vacation in Sedona, Arizona, with a Thanksgiving-themed haiku (while actively lost on a hiking trail looking for a vortex):Great service firms knowStrong customer retentionRuns on gratitude.In this episode of Poetry in Marketing, I reflect on why every business — no matter what you do — is ultimately a service business. And the most successful ones? They thrive because they understand the power of gratitude, especially in customer relationships.I share

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00:03:16

Don’t undervalue / How qualitative data / Can help...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/11/19

Today’s edition of Poetry in Marketing is a reminder that not all data comes with a neat little number:Don’t undervalueHow qualitative dataCan help you succeed.In this episode, I explore the difference between metrics that measure and insights that guide. Quantitative data is great for benchmarks and trendlines... But when it comes to knowing what to do next, qualitative feedback is often more powerful. From customer interviews to win/loss analysis, we dive into the tools that reveal what your

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00:03:31

I’m a nice guy, BUT… / If you want to trigger me /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/11/12

This week’s Poetry in Marketing haiku is both personal and a little cathartic, and yes, I'm complaining about sales funnels again:I’m a nice guy, BUT…If you want to trigger meMention sales funnels.Yeah, I said it. In this episode, I revisit my beef with the sales funnel—why it’s an oversimplified, misleading metaphor that fails to reflect the real-world difficulty of selling anything. Sales isn’t gravity. People don’t just “fall through” a funnel. They hesitate, they bail, they need

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00:02:48

When you aren’t sure / How you can grow your...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/11/06

Today’s poem tackles a simple truth that often goes ignored: When you aren’t sureHow you can grow your business,Ask your customers.In this episode of Poetry In Marketing, I talk about the curse of knowledge—how knowing too much about our own business can actually blind us to what customers really want. The solution? Ask them.I make the case for customer interviews and market research as the fastest way to get unstuck, uncover new opportunities, and discover what actually drives buying decisions. If

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00:04:22

“Give eight percent of / Revenue to marketing,” /...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/10/29

In the spirit of Halloween, I brought my Big Lebowski sweater and a spooky poem:“Give eight percent ofRevenue to marketing,”Whispered the devil.In this episode of Poetry and Marketing, I take aim at one of the most misleading (and haunting) ideas in business: budgeting for marketing as a fixed percentage of revenue. I break down why this rule of thumb is not just vague; it’s completely unhelpful.Instead, I argue for a smarter approach: build your marketing (and sales) budget based on what you

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00:03:04

A “prove it” moment / Is about fostering trust / To...

Poetry In Marketing ·

2025/10/22

I recorded this one from the couch, dog on my lap, because some poems (and sales insights) are just too important to wait. Today’s verse:A “prove it” momentIs about fostering trustTo fight uncertaintyIn this episode of Poetry and Marketing, I unpack what I call "the prove it moment": that critical point in the sales process when a buyer’s on the fence and needs that last push of confidence to move forward. It’s not about hard selling. It’s about knowing what gesture, insight, or piece of

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33 results

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