Episode Transcript
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Welcome back to the all new digital rage. I'm Jeff the producer here at Byer Company.
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In this episode I discuss a 2025 trend in news and in my meetings about companies focusing
on CAPEX in 2025. I define digital marketing tasks that qualify as CAPEX to stretch your
marketing budget. So let's go.
All right, so let's jump into it today. So we're going to be talking about making our marketing
dollars work smarter. Yeah, not harder in 2025. Right. Specifically talking capital expenses
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and digital marketing. Exactly. You want to know where to put your money to get the biggest
bang for your buck, right? For sure. So to help us out with this deep dive, we have this
article called budgeting for 2025. Best capital expenses in digital marketing. Yes.
By Jeff Byer published just last week on February 14th. That's right. Valentine's day.
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A great gift to the marketing community. Absolutely. And this is an interesting one. You know,
Jeff runs Byer Co, the company that actually offers these whole marketing suites. He's not
walking the walk. You're not just talking the talk. Exactly. Yeah, he's walking the walk.
And one thing I really liked about this article is he doesn't just focus on like trying to
sell you on his product. Right. He really dies into the bigger picture of digital marketing
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in 2025. How it's changing? How it's changing so rapidly. So rapidly and businesses need to
adapt. Yeah. Or risk getting left behind. He keeps saying data is king. Yes. Data is king.
But is that just a buzz word? Yeah. Where's their real meat to that? Thankfully, he does back
it up. It gives this great example of a company that used analytics to completely revamped
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their email campaigns. You know, they went from a generic blast to everybody to super targeted
messages based on what customers were actually browsing on their site. Right. Their click-through
rate went up like 200%. Wow. Okay. So that's not just some vague concept then.
It's really like so having the right data is like knowing the secret paths through a jungle
instead of hacking through blindly. Yeah. I love that analogy. That's a great way to put
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it. It's about understanding your customer's journey and meeting them where they are. That's
how you get a most off of your marketing spend. Okay. And speaking of working smarter, the
article also dives into automation. Yes. And I'm thinking about all those hours I spend
on like repetitive tasks. Yeah. It's a huge time saver. Right. By your particularly highlights
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CRM systems. Okay. Not just as a way to store contacts, but to segment them based on behavior.
Okay. So imagine this. Yeah. Your CRM automatically sends a welcome back email with a special
offer if someone hasn't visited your site in a while. Now that's using automation strategically.
Exactly. Not just sending the same message to everyone on your list. Right. Okay. So
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we've got data guiding our actions automation, taking care of the busy work. What's next?
Well, content, of course. Content is still king. I was kind of surprised by how much
he emphasizes this. Yeah. Me too. You'd think in this age of all these flashy ads. Yeah.
All the bells and whistles. Exactly. That content would be less important. Right. But it's
the long game. It is. Think about it when you're searching for something online. Yeah. Are
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you more likely to click on a random ad or an article that actually answers your question
and seems trustworthy? Totally. But content takes time and effort. Yeah. So how do you suggest
people balance creating awesome content with all these other moving parts like data analysis
and automation? Yeah. That's a great question. And that's where having a well-defined
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MarTech stack comes in. Okay. So your MarTech stack is basically the set of tools that you
use. Mm-hmm. And buyer suggests thinking about it like a puzzle. Right. Each piece needs
to fit together smoothly. Okay. So your analytics platform should talk to your email marketing
tool which feeds into your content scheduling system. Okay. And so on. So you're saying it's
not about having the most expensive tools but the ones that work well together. That's
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exactly it. You could have the fanciest CRM in the world. But if it's not integrated with
your other systems. Right. You're not getting its full value. Okay. That makes a lot of
said. It's about building a system, not just a collection of random tools. Yeah. Okay.
So we've got data automation content and a killer MarTech stack. Right. What else does buyer
have in store for us? We doesn't want you to get too comfortable. Okay. He stresses the
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importance of allocating a portion of your budget for experimentation. Okay. We're trying
out new platforms and technologies. Okay. And he's not just talking about the obvious ones
like TikTok. We'll spill the tea. What kind of platforms does he talk about? Well, he throws
out some interesting ones. I think niche online communities. Maybe even virtual reality
experiences down the line. Wow. But his point is that consumer preferences are always evolving.
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Right. What worked five years ago might be completely irrelevant today. That's a lot to
wrap my head around. But it makes sense. Yeah. You can't just set it and forget it. Digital
marketing is a constantly moving target. Exactly. And speaking of things that are constantly
evolving. By our dedicates a significant portion of the article to AI. Okay. He argues that
it's no longer judge the buzzword. Right. But a tool with real potential to enhance the
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customer experience. AI. It feels like it's everywhere these days. But how does it actually
translate to better marketing? Well, buyer gives some really concrete examples. Okay.
Think about personalized recommendations on e-commerce sites that AI at work. Okay.
Or chatbots that can answer customer questions instantly 24/7. It's about using technology
to make the customer journey smoother and more enjoyable. So it's not just about being
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trendy. It's about using AI to actually solve real problems for your customers. Absolutely.
And buyer points out that it's not about replacing humans altogether. Okay. It's about
freeing up your team to focus on the things that require creativity and strategic thinking.
Mm-hmm. While AI handles the repetitive tasks. So it's like having a superpowered assistant
that can analyze mountains of data, personalized messages, and even predict future trends.
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Pretty much. Wow. But here's the thing. Even with the best AI tools, you still need to
be strategic. Okay. Buyers stress the importance of having a clear understanding of your goals
and how AI can help you achieve them. So you're saying it's not about just throwing
AI at every problem. Right. It's about using it strategically to amplify your existing
efforts. Exactly. It's about finding the right balance between human ingenuity and technological
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power. Okay. And this brings us to another crucial point. Buyer makes the importance of
regularly auditing and optimizing your MarTech stack. Okay. He calls it sharpening your tools.
I like that. But what does that actually look like in practice? It's about taking a step
back and evaluating your current tools and processes. Are they still serving your needs?
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Are they integrated effectively? Right. Are there new tools that could help you achieve
your goals more efficiently? So it's like spring cleaning for your marketing
tool kit. Yeah. You're getting rid of the clutter and making sure everything is in its
right place. Exactly. And buyer stresses that this is an ongoing process. Okay. The digital
marketing landscape is constantly evolving. So your MarTech stack needs to evolve with it.
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Right. But what about those of us who don't have massive budgets to play with? Yeah. That's
a good point. Right. Not everyone can just go out and buy every shiny new marketing gadget.
Right. Does buyer have any advice for those working with limited resources? He does. He's
got a whole section dedicated to maximizing ROI with a smaller budget. Okay. And this is
work. It's really interesting. So we're talking lean and mean marketing. Right. But still
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getting amazing results. Still crushing it. Tell me more. Okay. So buyer breaks it down into
a few key strategies. Okay. First, he emphasizes focusing on strategic keywords. Okay. So instead
of trying to rank for every possible term. Right. You zero in on the ones that your ideal
customer is actually searching for. It's like fishing with the right bait instead of just
casting a wide net and hoping for the best. Exactly. You gotta be targeted. Okay.
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Buyer also talks about the power of retargeting campaigns. Okay. Retargeting. You know how
sometimes you look at something online. Yeah. And then it magically follows you around the
internet. Exactly. That's retargeting. It can be a creepy. It can be a little creepy.
But it works. Right. And buyer says it's a great way to reengage people who have already
shown interest in your product or service. Okay. You know, it's like giving them a gentle
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nudge. Okay. So we've got strategic keywords. Retargeting. What else? Well, buyer's a big
fan of what he called a test and learn approach. Okay. Which is about experimenting with different
strategies and tactics, but in a controlled way. Okay. So you're not just throwing money
at the wall and seeing what sticks. Right. So it's like running many experiments to see
what works best for your specific audience. Exactly. It doesn't have to be complicated.
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Okay. It could be as simple as a bee testing different headlines on your website. Right.
Or trying out different ad copy on social media. Okay. Just little tweaks. Little tweaks
to see what resonates. Okay. And he also stresses the importance of optimizing landing pages
and calls to action. Absolutely. Because you're driving all this traffic to your site.
You want to make sure people actually convert. Yeah. You don't want to have a leaky bucket.
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Right. You know, all that effort bringing people in and then they just bounce. Exactly.
So buyer gives some really practical tips on how to design landing pages that are clear,
concise and compelling. Okay. It's all about making it as easy as possible for people to
take the next step. So he covers a lot in this article. He does. He really does. If we had
to boil it down to one key takeaway, what would you say is buyer's main message? I think
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it's about being adaptable and data driven. Okay. You know, the digital marketing landscape
is constantly shifting. So you need to be willing to adjust your approach as needed.
Okay. It's about being agile and responsive. So it's not about finding the one right answer
because the answer is always changing. Exactly. Buyers advice is more about building a framework
for making smart decisions based on data experimentation and a deep understanding of
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your audience. Okay. So it's not just like a one size fits all kind of approach. No,
not at all. Right. Okay. And he encourages you to see your marketing budget as an investment,
not just an expense. Yeah. That's a really important point. Right. Because when you think
about it as an investment, it makes it feel less like gambling for sure and more like investing
in your future success. And exactly. And buyer reminds us that even small businesses can
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achieve significant results with limited resources. Okay. It's about being strategic and focusing
on the areas that will have the biggest impact. So it's not about keeping up with the
Joneses and trying to do everything everyone else is doing. No. It's about finding what works
best for you and your business. 100%. You'll find your nation own it. Okay. And he's
very clear that this is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Right. You know, the tools
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and technologies will continue to evolve. But the fundamental principles of data driven
decision making and customer centricity will always be relevant. So this deep dive has given
us a lot to chew on. Yeah. How can our listener take all of this and actually turn it into
action? What's the first step they can take? Well, buyer suggests starting with an audit
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of your current marketing efforts. Okay. So what's working? What's not what tools are you
using? Are they immigrated effectively? Are you using data to inform your decisions?
So it's like taking stock of your current situation before you start making any big changes.
Exactly. Once you have a clear picture of where you are, you can start to identify areas
for improvement and create a plan for moving forward. But buyers not just talking about
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reacting to the current landscape, right? No. He also encourages like being ahead of the
curve. Oh, absolutely. He emphasizes the importance of anticipating future trends and
being prepared to adapt. And this is where it gets really interesting. So how do we predict
the future of digital marketing? No. Do we need a crystal ball for this? I wish it were
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that easy. Right. But buyers suggest some more practical approach. Okay. He says staying
informed is key. Okay. That makes sense, but informed about what specifically. He recommends
keeping an eye on emerging technologies, shifting consumer behaviors, and even changes in the
regulatory landscape. So it's not just about the latest marketing gadgets. No. It's about
understanding the bigger picture. It's about seeing the forest for the trees. Right.
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Buyer says attending industry conferences, reading articles and reports, and even just
paying attention to what people are talking about online can give you valuable insights
into where things are headed. So it's like being a trend spotter. Yeah. But for the world
of digital marketing, exactly. Buyer argues that the best marketers aren't just reacting
to trends. They're anticipating them. I could see how that would give you a competitive
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edge. Yeah. If you can see what's coming down the pipeline, you can start preparing now.
Right. You can get ahead of the game. Okay. For example, what kind of trends should we
be paying attention to? Well, buyer points out that privacy concerns are becoming increasingly
important to consumers. Yeah. With all the data breaches and targeted advertising, people
are definitely more aware of how their data is being used. For sure. And buyer predicts
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that this trend will only continue to grow. Okay. So marketers who are already thinking
about how to build trust and transparency into their strategies will be ahead of the game.
So instead of seeing privacy as a roadblock, you can see it as an opportunity to differentiate
yourself. That's a great way to look at it. Right. It's about finding ways to use data
responsibly and ethically. Mm-hmm. While still delivering personalized experiences
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that customers value. This has been a really insightful deep dive. I feel like I have a much
better grasp on the key trends shaping digital marketing in 2025. Yeah. Me too.
Buyer really provides a comprehensive roadmap for navigating this complex and ever-changing
landscape. He does. But before we wrap up, I want to touch on something that's been on
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my mind throughout this conversation. Okay. We've talked a lot about data automation and AI.
Yes, those are definitely key themes. But what about the human element? Yeah. With all
this emphasis on technology, are we at risk of losing that personal touch? That's a great
question. And one that buyer acknowledges as well. Okay. He stresses that technology should
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be used to enhance the customer experience. Mm-hmm. Not replace human interaction altogether.
So it's about finding the right balance. It's all about balance. Right.
Buyer encourages marketers to use data to understand their customers' needs and preferences.
Yeah. But to also remember that they're dealing with real people with real emotions.
So even with the best AI-powered chatbot, sometimes a human touch is still needed.
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Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person. Exactly. Right. So for our listener who's
ready to take on the challenges of digital marketing in 2025, what's the one piece of advice
we want them to walk away with? Well, Buyer sums it up perfectly in the article. He says,
"Stay curious, stay agile, and never underestimate the power of human connection." I love that it's
a reminder that digital marketing is ultimately about connecting with people. Yeah. And that
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human element will always be at the heart of it. At the end of the day, it's all about people.
Well, that wraps up our deep dive into digital marketing in 2025. We hope this episode has
given you some valuable insights and inspiration. It's been a pleasure. And remember, the future
of digital marketing is yours to shape. Go out there and make it happen. Thanks for joining
us. And until next time, keep diving deep.
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Reach out to us at jbuyer.com for comments and questions. Follow us at buyer company on social
media. And if you'd be so kind, please rate and review us in your podcast app.
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