Have you ever sat across from someone, listened intently to their story, and suddenly realized it has completely changed your perspective? That's the kind of shift that happens when businesses truly start to listen to their customers—not just hear them, but deeply understand their experiences, desires, and frustrations.

It's this understanding that can pivot a company's direction towards real success. With such a cluttered and noisy marketing environment, where shouting the loudest often gets mistaken for being the most effective, the voice of the customer is often overlooked.

Many businesses are so wired into the loop of speculation and assumption that they miss the strong undercurrents of customer sentiment that actually drive sales. We're living in an era where the customer's voice can either crown you as a market leader or blatantly reveal that your "innovative" product is just not cutting it. Customer behavior and their buying journey are more important than ever, and businesses need to adapt by adopting a customer-centric strategy.

On this episode, I'm thrilled to explore this topic with Kristin Zhivago, the founder and president of a digital marketing agency, Zhivago Partners, where the bring in qualified leads to their clients, while helping clients with pre- and post-sale customer interactions that lead to higher revenue.

Kristin is the author of the 5-star book, “Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy,” and is an expert on the customer’s buying process. She spent decades as a revenue coach to company owners and CEOs, helping them grow their revenue by understanding what their customers want to buy, and how they want to buy it. She’s worked for hundreds of companies and interviewed thousands of their customers.

She has developed a system that helps marketers and top management quickly and inexpensively find out what their customers are really thinking when they set out to buy, so they can use this information to reverse-engineer successful sales and create new sales in quantity. Kristin has spent her life helping others realize their dreams.

Links Mentioned:

"Roadmap to Revenue: How to Sell the Way Your Customers Want to Buy" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/49kgkmT

Zhivago Partners website: zhivagopartners.com

Have you ever found yourself at a networking event awkwardly waiting for a break in the conversation to deliver that perfectly polished elevator pitch?

Or maybe you've had a one-on-one meeting where you only received polite nods and “interesting” as feedback?

On today's episode, we discuss the art of creating genuine connections and becoming a person others can't stop talking about – in a good way!

The fact is, most of us understand networking and referrals to be integral to business success, but not everyone recognizes that the right way to go about them can make a world of difference. The fine line between a forgettable interaction and one that leaves a memorable impression often comes down to the way we share our expertise and engage in conversations. That's what makes today's talk especially important; it's about transitioning from formulaic pitches to fostering conversations that organically generate interest and lead to referrals.

So how do you become truly referable without resorting to aggressive tactics that can turn people off?

This is where our guest, Michael Roderick, comes into the picture. Michael Roderick is the CEO of Small Pond Enterprises which helps thoughtful givers become thought leaders by making their brands referable, their messaging memorable, and their ideas unforgettable. He is also the host of the podcast Access to Anyone which shows how you can get to know anyone you want in business and in life using time-tested relationship-building principles. Michael's unique methodology comes from his own experience of going from being a High School English teacher to a Broadway Producer in under two years.

Links Mentioned:

https://www.myreferabilityrater.com

Have you ever stopped to think that perhaps the most effective marketing tool isn't some flashy new ad platform or a viral social media campaign, but something much simpler and inherently human?

On this episode of More Perfect Marketing, we’re diving into a proven approach that makes your marketing truly resonate. Specifically, we're tapping into fundamental human connections which can turn a struggling campaign into a staggering success.

This strategy is built on a solid, unalterable foundation: identifying and solving a real problem that your target market faces. It's about going beyond just selling a product or service but fulfilling an actual need. When you do that, your product practically markets itself because you're providing genuine solutions to your audience.

Now, think about the last time you bought something because a friend recommended it. Customer reviews and testimonials hold immense power—because we see our needs reflected in the stories of others. These stories connect us, and these connections drive buying decisions. It's like forming a community around your brand where every satisfied customer is a beacon drawing others toward you.

In our constant attempts to grab customer attention, we shouldn't forget that at the core of effective marketing lie principles that remain unchanged regardless of technology or platform shifts. Meta and Google may change their algorithms, but our fundamental approach to reaching people at a human level remains constant.

Enter my guest, John Chan, a marketing master who stands out in a crowded field. He runs 2x Growth Agency, a performance marketing agency specializing in E-Commerce and Direct to Consumer brands. His agency plays a role in nurturing the entire customer journey, from stirring initial interest with paid search campaigns to building lasting relationships through email marketing retention. He's not just in it for the quick conversion; he's all about building a base of loyal, returning customers.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, John dropped out of university at the age of 19 to start his own web design consultancy. Since then, he has worked for several prestigious companies, including UBC and Basecamp, before co-founding 2x Growth Agency. The agency specializes in helping e-commerce and DTC brands grow and scale with paid ads and ad creative development.

Under John's leadership, 2x Growth Agency has managed over $6M of ad spend and helped generate over $30M in revenue for their clients.

Links Mentioned:

https://2x.agency/