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PODCAST

Frictionless Growth Marketing

Sonia Thompson | Inclusive Growth & Customer Experience Strategist

Brand growth today depends on removing friction from your marketing and customer experience to attract and retain more of the people you want to serve. Frictionless Growth Marketing is the podcast for marketers, business leaders, and founders who want to grow by eliminating the messaging, experience, and strategy gaps that quietly push customers away every single day. Hosted by Sonia Thompson, Inclusive Growth and Customer Experience Strategist, the show breaks down how modern brands drive

business marketing

All Episodes

32:33

197. AMA 2026 Marketing Trends: How Trust, AI, and...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2026/01/08

Marketing is shifting — and many brands feel it, even if they can’t yet name it.In this episode, Sonia Thompson speaks with Bennie F. Johnson, CEO of the American Marketing Association, about the AMA 2026 Marketing Trends shaping the future of modern marketing and growth marketing. They unpack how trust in marketing, AI in marketing, and audience fragmentation are rewriting the rules of growth — driving up customer acquisition costs, raising expectations for relevance, and reshaping how brands

en

13:07

196. Why Growth Requires Evolution (And What This...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2026/01/01

Growth doesn’t stall because you took your foot off the gas.It stalls because what worked before doesn’t work the same way anymore. As markets evolve, customer expectations shift, and competition intensifies, growth requires more than repeating past strategies — it requires evolution. In this episode, I explore: Why entering the conversation customers are already having is essential to growth How changes in the market and in consumer behavior are reshaping what “effective marketing”

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9:25

195. What 2025’s Biggest Marketing Mistakes Teach Us...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/12/26

Brand growth today depends on avoiding the marketing mistakes that quietly erode trust, relevance, and customer loyalty.In this episode of Frictionless Growth Marketing, Sonia Thompson breaks down the biggest marketing mishaps of 2025 and the critical lessons they reveal about brand growth, customer expectations, and modern marketing strategy. Drawing from real-world brand backlash and high-profile missteps, you’ll learn how friction shows up in messaging, brand decisions, and customer

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44:30

194. How Messaging Creates (or Removes) Friction in...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/12/18

Most brands think their messaging is clear.Their customers often disagree. In this episode of Frictionless Growth Marketing, Sonia Thompson sits down with Dr. J.J. Peterson — marketing and communication expert, former Head of StoryBrand, and co-host of the globally top-ranked Marketing Made Simple podcast — to unpack how messaging can either remove friction or quietly block business growth at every stage of the customer journey. Together, they explore why unclear messaging is one of the most

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39:22

193. Is Your Brand Ready for the Super Bowl, Olympics...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/12/11

The Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the FIFA World Cup are all happening in 2026 — and they’re not just sporting events. They’re cultural events powered by identity, influence, community, and the underrepresented audiences shaping modern fandom.The brands that win next year won’t be the ones with the biggest budgets — they’ll be the ones with the deepest cultural understanding and the strongest consumer trust. In this episode of Frictionless Growth Marketing, Sonia Thompson — inclusive growth and

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22:59

192. The New Rules of Brand–Consumer Trust: What...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/12/04

Consumers today aren’t just buying products — they’re buying alignment, transparency, cultural fluency, and trust. And trust has officially become one of the most powerful growth marketing levers a brand can pull.In this episode, Sonia Thompson — inclusive growth and customer experience strategist — breaks down what three real-world stories from LinkedIn, Disney, and Ralph Lauren reveal about the new rules of brand–consumer trust and how they directly impact growth, loyalty, and long-term

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12:54

191. The 2025 Marketing Shifts I’m Most Grateful For...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/11/27

In this short reflection episode, Sonia Thompson — inclusive growth and customer experience strategist — shares the 2025 marketing shifts she’s most grateful for… and what they signal for brands heading into 2026.This year, marketers saw consumers use their voices and their wallets more boldly than ever, brands standing firmer in their values, and more companies finally recognizing the power of growth communities — the underrepresented and underserved groups who are shaping culture, influence, and

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26:41

190. I Reviewed 50 Brand Websites — Here Are the Most...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/11/20

Even the most well-intentioned brands have hidden friction points buried throughout their customer journey — small, avoidable moments that quietly push ideal customers away. In this episode, Sonia Thompson, Inclusive Growth & Customer Experience Strategist, breaks down the most common friction patterns she uncovered while reviewing 50 brand websites across industries, markets, and brand sizes.You’ll learn how gaps in representation, inclusive language, accessibility, and customer experience create

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23:41

189. Find the Hidden Friction in Your Customer...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/11/13

Even the most well-intentioned brands have friction hiding in their customer journeys — small moments that quietly push ideal customers away. In this episode, Inclusive Marketing and Customer Experience Strategist Sonia Thompson reveals her Friction Finder Growth Audit framework to uncover and fix the hidden friction blocking your customer experience and limiting brand growth.Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter -- www.inclusionandmarketing.com/newsletter

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14:45

188. 4 Common Growth Marketing Mistakes Keeping You...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/11/06

Most brands want to grow — but too many still use the same old playbook.In this episode, Sonia Thompson — inclusive marketing and growth strategist — breaks down the four most common growth marketing mistakes keeping brands from reaching the influential and high-growth communities driving today’s marketplace. From superficial inclusion to copy-and-paste campaigns, Sonia reveals what’s really costing brands trust, loyalty, and ROI — and exactly how to fix it. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Go beyond

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17:26

187. Why Your Growth Marketing Strategy Isn’t Working...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/10/30

If your ads, campaigns, or funnels aren’t delivering like they used to, it’s not just you — and it’s not just the algorithm. The truth is, your growth marketing strategy might be out of sync with today’s consumers.In this episode, Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing and growth marketing strategist and host of Inclusion & Marketing, breaks down what’s driving diminishing returns in growth marketing — and how to realign your strategy for today’s world. You’ll learn: Why traditional performance

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16:59

186. Why the Fastest-Growing Brands Start With “Who,”...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/10/23

Most growth marketing strategies start with what to do — launch a new campaign, open a new channel, or create a new product.But the fastest-growing brands today start somewhere very different: with who they’re growing with. In this episode, Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing strategist and host of Inclusion & Marketing, breaks down the mindset shift powering today’s fastest-growing brands — the shift from what to who. You’ll learn: Why effective growth marketing begins with people, not

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16:30

185. The Proof Your Customer Acquisition Strategy...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/10/16

Most brands focus on awareness in their customer acquisition strategy—but neglect the proof that actually drives conversions.In this episode of Inclusion & Marketing, Sonia Thompson explains why relevant social proof is the missing piece that helps customers see themselves in your brand—and feel confident saying yes. You’ll learn how to show “people like me succeed here,” why belonging matters just as much as benefits, and how to weave proof of success naturally into every part of your customer

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34:54

184. Why Smart Brands Are Winning with Growth...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/10/09

Most brands overlook underrepresented and underserved consumers — but these are the communities driving the biggest growth opportunities today.In this episode of Inclusion & Marketing, Sonia Thompson sits down with Edgar Hernandez, Chief Strategy Officer at MyCode, the U.S.’s largest multicultural media company. Together they unpack how MyCode helps brands grow by engaging the audiences most marketers ignore — and why “growth communities” should be at the center of every modern marketing

en

16:07

183. How to Increase the Effectiveness of Your...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/10/02

Most brands are eager to launch new campaigns and chase fresh leads. But here’s the truth: if your foundation isn’t strong, your customer acquisition strategy won’t deliver the growth you want.In this episode of Inclusion & Marketing, Sonia Thompson breaks down why “getting your house in order” is the key to making any acquisition strategy more effective. You’ll learn what most companies overlook, how to fix it, and the simple shifts that turn attention into actual conversions. If you want your

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31:52

182. How This Brand Is Elevating Latinas -- and...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/09/25

Inclusive marketing isn’t about business as usual—it’s about disrupting the status quo. In this episode, Sonia Thompson shares a live conversation from HubSpot’s INBOUND conference with the co-founders of DRAFTED, a brand elevating Latinas and reshaping what the “general market” really means.You’ll hear how they’re challenging incorrect narratives, disrupting an entire male-centered industry, and putting overlooked consumers center stage. If you want to understand how inclusive disruption drives

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25:13

181. Uplevel Your Buyer Personas to Convert More...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/09/18

Buyer personas are supposed to guide your marketing—but too often, they fall short. In this episode, Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing strategist shares how to uplevel your buyer personas with simple identity-based shifts so they actually reflect your customers. You’ll learn how to move beyond demographics, close the persona gap, and create campaigns that convert more people into loyal customers.Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter: www.inclusionandmarketing.com/newsletter How to plan

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26:35

180. Performance Marketing’s Biggest Miss—and How to...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/09/11

Performance marketing is one of the most popular ways brands try to grow. But here’s the problem: too often, leadership decisions create gaps that keep campaigns from reaching their full potential.In this episode, Sonia Thompson sits down with Laura Lee—growth marketing expert, fractional CMO, founder of LL Consulting, and board member of Asians in Advertising—to explore a major miss in performance marketing today. Together, they discuss how decisions around values, customer understanding, and

en

12:46

179. 3 Essential Marketing Lessons Every Brand Can...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/09/04

Cracker Barrel’s logo redesign didn’t just spark backlash—it exposed cracks in leadership decision-making. In this episode, Sonia Thompson shares 3 timeless marketing lessons every brand leader needs to keep their business backlash-proof. Discover how decisions around values, who’s really in charge, and whose voices guide your strategy can make or break customer trust. Tune in for practical insights to help you lead with clarity, avoid costly missteps, and build a brand that resonates with

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26:16

178. Win More Customers With These 20 Proven Customer...

Frictionless Growth Marketing ·

2025/08/28

Want more customers? You need better customer acquisition strategies — ones that actually work in today’s marketplace. Too many brands still take a passive “build it and they will come” approach, but today’s consumers — especially those from underrepresented and underserved communities — don’t show up where they haven’t been invited.In this episode, Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing strategist and host of Inclusion & Marketing, shares 20 proven customer acquisition strategies you can use to win

en

198 results

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