Elite Acquisition in 2025: Fix Your Middle Funnel, Build Lead Magnets, and Scale with AI

If your marketing feels noisy but your pipeline isn’t growing, this episode is your reset. I’m joined by Chad Smith, founder of Five Lions Digital Marketing, Constant Contact Certified Local Expert, and creator of the Elite Acquisition Method (Attract → Engage → Convert). We dig into why most service-based businesses don’t have a leads problem — they have a middle-of-funnel problem — and exactly how to fix it with systems, not spaghetti tactics.

You’ll hear how a simple “wake-’em-up” email campaign reactivated a 20-year list and generated $26,000 in 30 days (no ads!), why lead magnets + email + SMS still outperform flashier plays, and how to assemble a lightweight tech stack (Constant Contact, ChatGPT, HubSpot/Go High Level, Zapier) that nurtures, books, and closes on autopilot. We also get real about agentic AI (Chad calls his system “Maya”) and how it can analyse ads, run outreach, and handle replies, ethically, so you stay focused on high-value work.

We round it out with personal branding (you are the brand), closing like a pro (the close starts at the top of the funnel), and why author + speaker is the fastest path to authority. If you want simple, sustainable growth and systems that actually compound, press play.

What we cover:

• Attract → Engage → Convert: The Elite Acquisition Method that aligns your entire funnel.
  
  
• The real leak: Why the middle of the funnel (follow-up, scheduling, nurturing) is where sales die, and how to plug the holes fast.
  
  
• Lead magnets that convert: Create “why-is-this-free?” value and pair it with email + SMS for compounding results.
  
  
• Wake-up campaigns: Turn dormant databases into revenue (incl. the $26K/30-day case study).
  
  
• Tech stack that just works: Constant Contact, ChatGPT (paid), HubSpot/Go High Level, Zapier, and how to connect them.
  
  
• Agentic AI 101: From autoresponder to AI partner that optimises ads and handles conversations at scale.
  
  
• Close before the call: Stacking touchpoints so prospects are 90% sold before they ever book.
  
  
• Books > webinars: Why a book funnel builds authority, grows your list, and shortens the sales cycle.

Listen if you’re looking for: lead generation ideas, middle-funnel fixes, CRM and automation tips, AI in marketing, Constant Contact strategies, Zapier workflows, and practical ways to scale a service business without burning out.

Listen to access Chad’s special offer for my audience: a 30-day Constant Contact trial plus he’ll personally craft your first welcome email when you use the subject line “Tarryn Reeves.” Connect with Chad at fivelionsmarketing.com or [e-mail].