May 20, 2025 • 16 mins
After 20 years in marketing, I'm sharing exactly what I would do differently if I were starting over today in 2025. These three fundamental strategies will help you stand out in the digital marketing landscape and achieve sustainable success without burning out.
• Storytelling is your competitive advantage against AI and other creators, as your unique experiences cannot be replicated
• The PREPM method (Plan, Record, Edit, Publish, Market) provides a proven system that scales across all content types
• Focus on what matters most to your customers rather than chasing every new trend
• Invest in continuous learning, but remember that clarity comes from taking action, not just thinking
• Treat marketing like a marathon, not a sprint—be strategic and consistent rather than trying to be everywhere at once
• You don't need perfect strategies—you just need to start somewhere and keep improving
Like and subscribe to get more content like this delivered directly to you, and check out our Digital Marketing Tips for Business Owners playlist for additional resources.
If you've wondered why nothing is working in your business in 2025, you need a clear strategy. Download our free guide, Build Your Business's Strategic Foundation, where I'm walking you through a business model canvas and a customer journey map. You'll see how we use this at Proffitt Media, plus find templates for you to create your own. Go to krystalproffitt.com/strategy to download today.
Click the "Send Krystal a Text Message" link above to send us your questions, comments, and feedback on the show! (Pssst...we'll do giveaways in upcoming episodes so make sure you leave your name & podcast title.)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So, after 20 years in marketing, if I were to start
over today, in 2025, what wouldI do differently?
Here's exactly what I would do.
Welcome to the Profit Podcast,where we teach you how to start,
launch and market your contentwith confidence.
I'm your host, crystal Profit,and I'm so excited that you're
here.
Thanks for hanging out with metoday, because if you've been
(00:22):
trying to figure out the worldof content creation, this is the
show that will help be yourtime-saving shortcut.
So let's get right to it, shallwe?
Hi, I'm Crystal Prophet, adigital marketing expert and
content coach, and I am soexcited to talk to you about.
(00:43):
If I were to learn digitalmarketing today, what would that
look like and what are thethree things that I would focus
on?
Number one first and foremost,we have to talk about
storytelling.
It is the thing that so manypeople think.
I'll learn how to do that oneday, and we're going to go into
the reasons why.
You cannot put off understandreally telling awesome stories.
(01:04):
You cannot put off understandreally telling awesome stories.
The second thing is having aproven system that can work for
your business and it'ssustainable, so that you can
keep showing up on a regularbasis.
And the third thing isfollowing a roadmap that will
lead to success.
So let's dive right in.
So most marketing fails becauseyou're trying to be everywhere
(01:27):
all at once.
So you're trying to figure out,like, how do I fit into this
specific niche or market,wherever you want to show up
online but also stand out right,like you want to be in a
business, like a businesscontent creator, but how do I
stand out and actually get heardby the people I'm trying to
(01:51):
reach?
What ends up happening ninetimes out of 10, is you burn out
.
You aren't targeting the rightaudience.
Therefore, they're not hearingyour story and you're not
standing out the way that youwant to.
And, the worst of all, you arenot going to reach success in
your content, in your business,with your digital marketing
(02:12):
because of all of those things.
Now, don't worry, I'm not herejust to deliver bad news.
I'm here to tell you the goodnews is that storytelling can
help differentiate you fromeveryone else.
So what is my story?
I have been doing marketing ofsome sort since 2005, and I was
reflecting on this the other dayand here's a clip for you to
(02:34):
check out.
So I just came to therealization today that I've been
studying marketing in some formor fashion for 20 years.
20 years, like.
I started as a freshman incollege studying marketing and
(02:57):
it just hit me.
I'm like that was in 2005 andit's kind of blowing my mind.
So, yeah, there you go, there'syour reflection tip of the day
that, um 20 years goes by reallyfast.
But, um, it's why I'm stillobsessed with marketing today,
(03:18):
whether it's digital marketing,email marketing, content
marketing, marketing strategy,whatever you want to call it
Like, I'm obsessed withmarketing and it's been going on
.
This love affair of marketing,has been happening since 2005,
which is just bonkers.
I think back to who I was in2005, as a broke college student
(03:40):
trying to figure out what Iwanted to do with my life.
And I look to today and realize, oh, storytelling has been a
piece of my journey from thebeginning and it's something
that I continue to weave throughall the pieces of my content.
I talk about it on my podcast,I talk about it on my YouTube
channel, I write about storiesin my email newsletters and our
(04:04):
blog posts and our social mediacaptions, like it is literally
everywhere and it is the thingthat's going to help you in 2025
and beyond to stand out,especially from all the AI
generated content.
Y'all, claude and Chad.
Gpt has nothing on thosestories, those mistakes that
you've made, those big goals andmilestones that you have
(04:26):
achieved.
So make sure that you areweaving those into your digital
marketing at every single turn,because it will be the thing
that separates you from everyoneelse in your market.
The second thing to focus on ishaving a proven system.
Now, proven systems will be thething that takes you from okay
(04:49):
I kind of got a handle on this,I think I know what I'm doing to
pouring rocket fuel on thatlittle tiny flame, that little
ember that you have to createyour content and really succeed
in your business.
And it makes all the differencewhen you have a proven system.
Now, what do I mean by this?
Well, I have systems andframework in the backend of our
(05:10):
business.
Let's take, for example, ourPREPM method.
That's P-R-E-P-M and thatstands for plan record, edit,
publish and market, and thatstands for plan record, edit,
publish and market.
Now, our prep and method hasbeen used in every single piece
of content that we create,whether it's a blog post, it's a
YouTube video, it's a podcastepisode, it's our weekly
(05:30):
newsletter, it's a post onInstagram, we use our prep and
method for literally everythingin our business.
Why?
Because it's scalable, becauseit applies to everything in our
business.
Why?
Because it's scalable?
Because it applies toeverything in our business and
it helps us really focus on thethings that matter most.
And, most importantly becausepeople ask me about it all the
(05:52):
time it helps us batch content.
Now, when people say, crystal,how do you batch, how do you get
so much content?
How do you stay consistent?
How does this actually work?
My default is a proven system.
So the famous quote is youdon't rise to the level of your
goals, you fall to the level ofyour systems, and that's why
(06:15):
it's so important to havesystems in your business, and
especially proven ones.
So if you don't have one today,then please still mind.
The prep method can work forany type of business, for any
content creator, no matter whatyou're creating in your digital
marketing strategies.
And if you want to learn inmore detail about the prep
(06:36):
method and how we use it inpodcasting, make sure you check
out this video where I go intodetail and how we've used it in
our podcast.
Also, make sure to like andsubscribe this video today.
That way you get more content.
Just like it, delivered rightto you whenever you follow and
subscribe.
Okay, let's move on to pointnumber three.
(06:56):
So the third thing we shouldtalk about is having a
simplified roadmap to success.
Now, this can apply to yourdigital marketing strategy, this
could apply to your business,this could apply just to your
life, but, at the end of the day, I want you to focus, learn and
practice.
Now, what do I mean by this?
(07:17):
I mean that if you are tryingto chase all the trends, right,
you're like, oh, but there'sthis new thing out Crystal that
so-and-so just started talkingabout, and then there's this AI
tool that I should learn how touse.
And then I got this ad tellingme that if I'm not doing this,
that I'm going to fail at lifeand I'm a loser.
No, no, no, no, no.
We need to focus.
(07:42):
I need you to get laser focusedon the things that are actually
going to move the needle inyour business in 2025 and beyond
.
So what does that look like?
What should you focus on?
Well, I want you to just skipthe guesswork, right?
This isn't a pop quiz that youdon't have.
The answer to.
The focus is what is the mostimportant thing to your customer
?
Oh, good question, right?
What's the most important thingto your customer Now?
(08:04):
This could be, what's theirnumber one pain point, what's
the problem that you could solvefor them today?
Or what is the thing that theymay already be asking you for
right now and you're justignoring them, right, like?
Some of these are so basic, but, at the end of the day, these
are important questions if youhave not already answered them.
(08:24):
So, if you're looking for ajournaling prompt or you want to
know what to focus on next,those are the questions that you
should go focus on immediately.
And that really leads us intolearning.
At the end of the day, I'veinvested more than $20,000.
Yes, you heard me right $20,000in learning about content
(08:47):
creation, online business,digital course, email marketing,
even YouTube, and what it lookslike to grow and scale my
business, because I'm a firmbeliever that we should all be
learning and evolving andcontinuing to grow in our
business.
Now am I telling you to drop 20grand on your education to
(09:08):
learn digital marketing?
Absolutely not, remember, I'vebeen doing this for 20 years.
But at the end of the day, I amsaying what are you going to
learn in the next 90 days, inthe next 30 days, like what's
the thing that you're gonna putyour focus on and really go all
in.
What is that thing?
Maybe say it out loud, drop itin the comments.
(09:29):
Let us know what that thing is,because whenever you have a
little bit of thataccountability, it can help you
go further faster.
Okay, so after we are focusing,we're learning.
You have to practice, and I lovethe quote from Marie Forleo
that is clarity comes fromengagement, not thought.
(09:50):
Because at the end of the day,if you are focusing and you're
learning, you're going to haveso many ideas swirling around in
your head, but you have toactually practice.
You have to get into action.
You have to do something withit.
Because if I had been sittingon all the things that I learned
Like let's just stack up allthe textbooks that I've read
(10:12):
over my 20 years in learningmarketing and just not done
anything I never created thatfirst website, never launched
that very first podcast, neverpitched myself to speak on stage
Then I would still be sittinghere wondering what, if, like,
what if one day I did that youneed to lean on.
(10:33):
Clarity comes from engagement,not thought.
That means stop sitting around.
What are you going to do to getinto action in the next 30, 60,
90 days.
Again, we talked about focus.
What are you going to focus onThen?
What are you going to learn?
And then what are you going toput into practice?
Because this is your provenroadmap to success.
(10:55):
It's executing this over andover and over again until you've
hit that level where you arethe one that is the thought
leader in your industry.
You are the one that people goto whenever they have questions
about your specific topic inyour market.
So, because I am all aboutaccountability, I want you to
(11:15):
tell me what is your focus.
What's your focus Whether it'sthe next 30 days, 60 days or 90
days?
But what is it that you'regoing to focus on?
Tell us in the comments.
I would love to hold youaccountable or even offer some
resources, right, if you decidedthis one I'm going to focus on
now.
Crystal's saying I got to learnsomething.
What am I supposed to learn?
Tell us in the comments, and Iwould love to give you the
(11:36):
resources that I've learned from.
That helped me become a betterdigital marketer, and I really
want to give you those go-toguides that have helped me in
growing a successful businessand scaling my content and being
able to hit all the milestonesI've been able to hit in my
journey.
And one final reminder marketingisn't a sprint.
(11:58):
It is a full-blown marathon,one that I have been running for
20 years, and I still love it.
I still love the marketing game.
I'm obsessed with it.
But just remember, you don'thave to be everywhere all at
once.
You just need to be strategicand consistent with the message
(12:19):
that you're sharing.
So let's recap one more time.
We talked about storytelling,we talked about proven systems
and we talked about a roadmap tosuccess.
So if you have more questionsabout that, be sure to drop them
in the comments and make sureyou hit that bell.
That way, you get futurenotifications all about our
content to help you get betterwith your digital marketing.
(12:41):
And if you need more tips, makesure you check out our playlist
called Digital Marketing Tipsfor Business Owners, because
you're gonna find great contentin there.
And, as always, remember, keepit up.
We all have to start somewhere.
So, after 20 years in marketing, if I were to start
over today, in 2025, what wouldI do differently?
Here's exactly what I would do.
Welcome to the Profit Podcast,where we teach you how to start,
launch and market your contentwith confidence.
I'm your host, crystal Profit,and I'm so excited that you're
here.
Thanks for hanging out with metoday, because if you've been
(00:22):
trying to figure out the worldof content creation, this is the
show that will help be yourtime-saving shortcut.
So let's get right to it, shallwe?
Hi, I'm Crystal Prophet, adigital marketing expert and
content coach, and I am soexcited to talk to you about.
(00:43):
If I were to learn digitalmarketing today, what would that
look like and what are thethree things that I would focus
on?
Number one first and foremost,we have to talk about
storytelling.
It is the thing that so manypeople think.
I'll learn how to do that oneday, and we're going to go into
the reasons why.
You cannot put off understandreally telling awesome stories.
(01:04):
You cannot put off understandreally telling awesome stories.
The second thing is having aproven system that can work for
your business and it'ssustainable, so that you can
keep showing up on a regularbasis.
And the third thing isfollowing a roadmap that will
lead to success.
So let's dive right in.
So most marketing fails becauseyou're trying to be everywhere
(01:27):
all at once.
So you're trying to figure out,like, how do I fit into this
specific niche or market,wherever you want to show up
online but also stand out right,like you want to be in a
business, like a businesscontent creator, but how do I
stand out and actually get heardby the people I'm trying to
(01:51):
reach?
What ends up happening ninetimes out of 10, is you burn out
.
You aren't targeting the rightaudience.
Therefore, they're not hearingyour story and you're not
standing out the way that youwant to.
And, the worst of all, you arenot going to reach success in
your content, in your business,with your digital marketing
(02:12):
because of all of those things.
Now, don't worry, I'm not herejust to deliver bad news.
I'm here to tell you the goodnews is that storytelling can
help differentiate you fromeveryone else.
So what is my story?
I have been doing marketing ofsome sort since 2005, and I was
reflecting on this the other dayand here's a clip for you to
(02:34):
check out.
So I just came to therealization today that I've been
studying marketing in some formor fashion for 20 years.
20 years, like.
I started as a freshman incollege studying marketing and
(02:57):
it just hit me.
I'm like that was in 2005 andit's kind of blowing my mind.
So, yeah, there you go, there'syour reflection tip of the day
that, um 20 years goes by reallyfast.
But, um, it's why I'm stillobsessed with marketing today,
(03:18):
whether it's digital marketing,email marketing, content
marketing, marketing strategy,whatever you want to call it
Like, I'm obsessed withmarketing and it's been going on
.
This love affair of marketing,has been happening since 2005,
which is just bonkers.
I think back to who I was in2005, as a broke college student
(03:40):
trying to figure out what Iwanted to do with my life.
And I look to today and realize, oh, storytelling has been a
piece of my journey from thebeginning and it's something
that I continue to weave throughall the pieces of my content.
I talk about it on my podcast,I talk about it on my YouTube
channel, I write about storiesin my email newsletters and our
(04:04):
blog posts and our social mediacaptions, like it is literally
everywhere and it is the thingthat's going to help you in 2025
and beyond to stand out,especially from all the AI
generated content.
Y'all, claude and Chad.
Gpt has nothing on thosestories, those mistakes that
you've made, those big goals andmilestones that you have
(04:26):
achieved.
So make sure that you areweaving those into your digital
marketing at every single turn,because it will be the thing
that separates you from everyoneelse in your market.
The second thing to focus on ishaving a proven system.
Now, proven systems will be thething that takes you from okay
(04:49):
I kind of got a handle on this,I think I know what I'm doing to
pouring rocket fuel on thatlittle tiny flame, that little
ember that you have to createyour content and really succeed
in your business.
And it makes all the differencewhen you have a proven system.
Now, what do I mean by this?
Well, I have systems andframework in the backend of our
(05:10):
business.
Let's take, for example, ourPREPM method.
That's P-R-E-P-M and thatstands for plan record, edit,
publish and market, and thatstands for plan record, edit,
publish and market.
Now, our prep and method hasbeen used in every single piece
of content that we create,whether it's a blog post, it's a
YouTube video, it's a podcastepisode, it's our weekly
(05:30):
newsletter, it's a post onInstagram, we use our prep and
method for literally everythingin our business.
Why?
Because it's scalable, becauseit applies to everything in our
business.
Why?
Because it's scalable?
Because it applies toeverything in our business and
it helps us really focus on thethings that matter most.
And, most importantly becausepeople ask me about it all the
(05:52):
time it helps us batch content.
Now, when people say, crystal,how do you batch, how do you get
so much content?
How do you stay consistent?
How does this actually work?
My default is a proven system.
So the famous quote is youdon't rise to the level of your
goals, you fall to the level ofyour systems, and that's why
(06:15):
it's so important to havesystems in your business, and
especially proven ones.
So if you don't have one today,then please still mind.
The prep method can work forany type of business, for any
content creator, no matter whatyou're creating in your digital
marketing strategies.
And if you want to learn inmore detail about the prep
(06:36):
method and how we use it inpodcasting, make sure you check
out this video where I go intodetail and how we've used it in
our podcast.
Also, make sure to like andsubscribe this video today.
That way you get more content.
Just like it, delivered rightto you whenever you follow and
subscribe.
Okay, let's move on to pointnumber three.
(06:56):
So the third thing we shouldtalk about is having a
simplified roadmap to success.
Now, this can apply to yourdigital marketing strategy, this
could apply to your business,this could apply just to your
life, but, at the end of the day, I want you to focus, learn and
practice.
Now, what do I mean by this?
(07:17):
I mean that if you are tryingto chase all the trends, right,
you're like, oh, but there'sthis new thing out Crystal that
so-and-so just started talkingabout, and then there's this AI
tool that I should learn how touse.
And then I got this ad tellingme that if I'm not doing this,
that I'm going to fail at lifeand I'm a loser.
No, no, no, no, no.
We need to focus.
(07:42):
I need you to get laser focusedon the things that are actually
going to move the needle inyour business in 2025 and beyond
.
So what does that look like?
What should you focus on?
Well, I want you to just skipthe guesswork, right?
This isn't a pop quiz that youdon't have.
The answer to.
The focus is what is the mostimportant thing to your customer
?
Oh, good question, right?
What's the most important thingto your customer Now?
(08:04):
This could be, what's theirnumber one pain point, what's
the problem that you could solvefor them today?
Or what is the thing that theymay already be asking you for
right now and you're justignoring them, right, like?
Some of these are so basic, but, at the end of the day, these
are important questions if youhave not already answered them.
(08:24):
So, if you're looking for ajournaling prompt or you want to
know what to focus on next,those are the questions that you
should go focus on immediately.
And that really leads us intolearning.
At the end of the day, I'veinvested more than $20,000.
Yes, you heard me right $20,000in learning about content
(08:47):
creation, online business,digital course, email marketing,
even YouTube, and what it lookslike to grow and scale my
business, because I'm a firmbeliever that we should all be
learning and evolving andcontinuing to grow in our
business.
Now am I telling you to drop 20grand on your education to
(09:08):
learn digital marketing?
Absolutely not, remember, I'vebeen doing this for 20 years.
But at the end of the day, I amsaying what are you going to
learn in the next 90 days, inthe next 30 days, like what's
the thing that you're gonna putyour focus on and really go all
in.
What is that thing?
Maybe say it out loud, drop itin the comments.
(09:29):
Let us know what that thing is,because whenever you have a
little bit of thataccountability, it can help you
go further faster.
Okay, so after we are focusing,we're learning.
You have to practice, and I lovethe quote from Marie Forleo
that is clarity comes fromengagement, not thought.
(09:50):
Because at the end of the day,if you are focusing and you're
learning, you're going to haveso many ideas swirling around in
your head, but you have toactually practice.
You have to get into action.
You have to do something withit.
Because if I had been sittingon all the things that I learned
Like let's just stack up allthe textbooks that I've read
(10:12):
over my 20 years in learningmarketing and just not done
anything I never created thatfirst website, never launched
that very first podcast, neverpitched myself to speak on stage
Then I would still be sittinghere wondering what, if, like,
what if one day I did that youneed to lean on.
(10:33):
Clarity comes from engagement,not thought.
That means stop sitting around.
What are you going to do to getinto action in the next 30, 60,
90 days.
Again, we talked about focus.
What are you going to focus onThen?
What are you going to learn?
And then what are you going toput into practice?
Because this is your provenroadmap to success.
(10:55):
It's executing this over andover and over again until you've
hit that level where you arethe one that is the thought
leader in your industry.
You are the one that people goto whenever they have questions
about your specific topic inyour market.
So, because I am all aboutaccountability, I want you to
(11:15):
tell me what is your focus.
What's your focus Whether it'sthe next 30 days, 60 days or 90
days?
But what is it that you'regoing to focus on?
Tell us in the comments.
I would love to hold youaccountable or even offer some
resources, right, if you decidedthis one I'm going to focus on
now.
Crystal's saying I got to learnsomething.
What am I supposed to learn?
Tell us in the comments, and Iwould love to give you the
(11:36):
resources that I've learned from.
That helped me become a betterdigital marketer, and I really
want to give you those go-toguides that have helped me in
growing a successful businessand scaling my content and being
able to hit all the milestonesI've been able to hit in my
journey.
And one final reminder marketingisn't a sprint.
(11:58):
It is a full-blown marathon,one that I have been running for
20 years, and I still love it.
I still love the marketing game.
I'm obsessed with it.
But just remember, you don'thave to be everywhere all at
once.
You just need to be strategicand consistent with the message
(12:19):
that you're sharing.
So let's recap one more time.
We talked about storytelling,we talked about proven systems
and we talked about a roadmap tosuccess.
So if you have more questionsabout that, be sure to drop them
in the comments and make sureyou hit that bell.
That way, you get futurenotifications all about our
content to help you get betterwith your digital marketing.
(12:41):
And if you need more tips, makesure you check out our playlist
called Digital Marketing Tipsfor Business Owners, because
you're gonna find great contentin there.
And, as always, remember, keepit up.
We all have to start somewhere.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.