Sticky Note Marketing with Mary Czarnecki

Mary Czarnecki

How do I create more leads for my business? How do I grow my audience and authority? How do I build my brand and grow faster? These are just some of the top questions that marketing strategist and speaker, Mary Czarnecki, digs into on her weekly Sticky Note Marketing Podcast.  In each episode, Mary brings you ACTIONABLE marketing lessons that she's learned through 20 years of experience working with both big brands and scrappy start-ups. Whether you have a new launch or an established business, learn the latest marketing, social media, conversion optimization, brand positioning, and sales funnel strategies that work today. Each episode is designed to help you take immediate action on the most important strategies for launching, growing, and scaling your brand and business. Mary's clients say that her specialty is turning complicated marketing strategies into actionable, easy to understand steps. Thinking about launching a new product or service offer? Want to generate more consistent leads and prospects? Need help with your social media presence? Discover why global brands, local businesses, and online entrepreneurs turn to Mary Czarnecki to optimize their marketing, to make sense of ever-changing online marketing landscape, and to and help lay a strong foundation to build a brand and business that lasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 4d ago

    How to Make Your Marketing Feel More Personal Without Slowing Down: Expert Insights by David Wachs

    Why Handwritten Notes Still Win: Scaling Real Human Connection with Handwrytten (David Wachs) Mary welcomes entrepreneur David Wachs to Sticky Note Marketing to discuss Handwrytten, a service that uses scalable robotic solutions to write real pen handwritten notes. David shares how, after selling his text-messaging company Sellit, he wanted a more meaningful way to thank employees and clients and created a system to send handwritten notes as easily as email, now producing about 30,000 notes a day. He cites Handwrytten surveys of 2,000 consumers in 2022 and 2025 showing the percentage who feel appreciated by brands fell from 18% to 12%, and that while phone calls are seen as most personal they’re also most annoying, making handwritten notes a strong alternative. They cover use cases and stories across B2B and B2C, including service recovery, auto dealerships, nonprofits improving donor retention, and pet end-of-life care, emphasizing “full stop” thank-you notes without pitches, and directing viewers to handwrytten.com for samples. ABOUT DAVID: A proven entrepreneur, David's latest venture, Handwrytten, provides scalable, robotic solutions that write your notes in pen. Used by businesses in all industries and nonprofits, Handwrytten changes the way brands and people connect. Prior to Handwrytten, David founded Cellit, a leading mobile marketing platform. With clients including Abercrombie and Fitch, Walmart and more, Cellit was sold in January of 2012. Both Handwrytten and Cellit were on Inc. Magazine’s Inc 500 list of fastest growing companies. David is a speaker on marketing technology, has been featured in the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, and is a contributor to Inc. Magazine. KEY POINTS: Make customers feel appreciated, not just thanked. A thoughtful handwritten note can create a more personal and memorable customer experience.Keep the “thank you” genuine. Don’t turn a thank-you note into a sales pitch. Skip the referral request or coupon and simply express your appreciation.Personalization doesn’t have to be complicated. In a world full of digital communication, a simple handwritten note can help your brand stand out and build stronger relationships. LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/handwrytten | https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwachs/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/dbwachs | https://www.instagram.com/handwrytten YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/handwrytten WEBSITE: https://www.handwrytten.com ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Make Your Marketing Feel More Personal Without Slowing Down: Expert Insights by David Wachs

  2. Aug 10

    How to Design Training That People Remember and Apply: Expert Insights by Renee Koster

    Make Training Stick: Purposeful Engagement Tips with Learning Designer Renee Koster Host Mary Czarnecki welcomes learning designer and consultant Renee Koster to discuss how leaders can turn ideas into structured, engaging training—especially for nonprofits onboarding volunteers, interns, and seasonal workers. Renee explains a common pitfall: relying on a video or binder alone without reinforcement, which fails to help learning “stick.” Drawing on adult learning principles, she emphasizes that learning is active and improves when trainees take actions—physically moving, writing, role-playing, or practicing in the real environment—to support recall and application. Examples include walking through a workplace during safety training to identify accident spots, using scavenger hunts for orientation, and adding playful role plays to increase engagement. Renee’s key tip is to break training into smaller steps and tie a purposeful action to each step to avoid information overload. She shares that listeners can find her on LinkedIn or her podcast, Learning Experience Design for Change Makers. ABOUT RENEE: Renee Koster is a learning experience designer and strategist who helps museums and mission-driven organizations create thoughtful, audience-centered programs that engage children, families, and communities. Through Koster Creative Learning and Design, she brings together anthropology, education, and storytelling to create experiences that go beyond simply informing audiences. Her work focuses on creating meaningful connections, encouraging participation, and helping organizations advance both their mission and long-term sustainability. KEYPOINTS: Make learning active, not passive. 🧠 Simply providing a video or training manual isn't enough. Build in actions and touchpoints that help people remember, recall, and apply what they've learned.Make training engaging and fun. 🎯 Even dry topics like safety training can be more impactful through activities such as role-playing, scavenger hunts, or hands-on exercises. Engaging the body and creating memorable experiences can help information stick.Break training into smaller, actionable steps. 📝 Instead of overwhelming learners with an entire process at once, break the training into two or three smaller steps and connect a purposeful action to each one. This makes it easier to determine what information is needed and how learners can apply it. LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renee-koster/ Website: https://www.reneekoster.com/ ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Design Training That People Remember and Apply: Expert Insights by Renee Koster

  3. Aug 4

    How to Increase Sales Without Hurting Your Profits

    Mary Czarnecki explains why discounts often fail to increase revenue and profits and urges business owners to “do the math” before offering dollar or percentage discounts, since the reduced price typically comes directly out of profit while delivery costs stay the same. She recommends calculating how much additional sales volume is required to break even on any discount and avoiding promotions that can’t realistically be offset. As alternatives, product-based businesses can add value with free gifts or bonuses using slow movers or high-perceived-value, low-cost items, while service-based businesses can offer scalable informational products (guides, videos, quizzes, or courses) that complement the service without consuming more time. She invites viewers to share what’s worked for them and what questions they have about discounting and alternatives. KEYPOINTS: 1. Never offer a discount without doing the math. Before launching a promotion, calculate how much profit you're giving up and how many additional sales you'll need to make up for that loss. More sales don't always mean more profit, so understanding your numbers is essential before reducing your prices. 2. Add value instead of cutting prices. Discounts aren't the only way to attract customers. Product-based businesses can offer high-value, high-margin items as free gifts or bonuses, while service-based businesses can create digital resources like guides, videos, checklists, or quizzes that provide value without increasing delivery time or significantly impacting profits. 3. Turn your expertise into a scalable marketing asset. If customers frequently ask the same questions, consider turning those answers into an informational resource. A downloadable guide, video tutorial, email series, or mini-course can educate prospects, build trust, and generate leads—all while saving you time by allowing you to create it once and share it repeatedly. ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Increase Sales Without Hurting Your Profits

  4. Jul 20

    How to Avoid Overwhelm and Take Action on Marketing Your Business

    Mary Czarnecki explains why niche and target audience profiling matters for small business owners who aren’t getting responses to their offers or feel stuck at a growth level. She stresses that better marketing comes from listening to past clients—surveying them, running focus groups, or having one-on-one conversations—to learn what actually drove their purchase decision instead of making assumptions. Using those insights, she recommends building an “emotional profile” (wants, needs, and deeper insights) alongside basic demographic or business details. She also advises cataloging customers’ hot-button issues and choosing one to focus on, using a childcare example to show how different segments can share the same need but have different wants and messaging triggers. She answers a live comment about serving product businesses and suggests further segmenting by what keeps each group up at night. KEYPOINTS: 1. Stop making assumptions. Start listening to your customers. Don't guess why customers chose your business. Instead, survey past clients, conduct interviews, or have real conversations to uncover the true reasons behind their buying decisions. These insights can transform your messaging and help you attract more of the right customers. 2. Build an emotional profile, not just a demographic profile. Knowing your audience's age, location, or job title isn't enough. Great marketing comes from understanding their wants, needs, fears, motivations, and aspirations. When you define your audience's emotional profile, you can create messaging that resonates on a much deeper level. 3. Dig deeper to uncover the real motivations behind buying decisions. There's a big difference between what customers say they want and what they actually need. Ask follow-up questions and keep probing to uncover the deeper emotional insights driving their decisions. Those insights become the foundation for marketing that builds trust, connection, and action. ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Avoid Overwhelm and Take Action on Marketing Your Business

  5. Jul 15

    How to Communicate Your Value So People Lean In and Say "Tell Me More"

    Renee Hribar, a sales strategist focused on helping women confidently sell their expertise, interviews storytelling and messaging consultant Mary Czarnecki, who helps founders, leaders, and brands communicate their value clearly and consistently. Mary shares how her “translator” strengths developed from childhood observation through studying ecology at Princeton and earning joint MBA and Environmental Management Masters Degrees at Yale, later applying those skills in brand management at Johnson & Johnson. They discuss her work with organizations such as Disney, the U.S. Army, LEGO, Estee Lauder, and Dole, emphasizing starting with what a story must accomplish before crafting messaging. KEYPOINTS: Your unique value comes from connecting your experiences.Great communicators are great translators.larity creates consistency. ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Communicate Your Value So People Lean In and Say "Tell Me More"

  6. Apr 21

    How to Start Using AI as a Media Channel for Your Business: Expert Insights by Robbie Caploe

    Mary Czarnecki hosts the Sticky Note Marketing Show and interviews editor and advisor Robbie Caploe about AI and LLMs in business, focusing on decision-making rather than tool tutorials. Robbie explains leaders should first get clarity on what AI is already being used, whether policies and governance exist, and what is safe to share with LLMs, especially in regulated industries. She recommends identifying business pain points before choosing vendors to avoid costly missteps, and forming cross-functional AI task forces that include IT, legal, HR, and communications. As a practical step, Robbie suggests leaders run a short internal survey on AI usage, while employees should experiment with free versions of tools like Claude, Perplexity, and OpenAI. She shares examples including Yahoo’s AI “comms day” and Edelman’s company-wide AI training, and offers an updated AI glossary on her Substack. ABOUT ROBBIE: Robbie Caploe is an editor and publisher in advertising and media. She writes about AI and LLMs as a media surface and advises a small number of small B2B and media‑focused businesses. Sparkling Ice‑obsessed. KEYPOINTS: AI Is a New Media Channel, Not Just a Tool: AI and large language models are changing how businesses get discovered. It’s no longer just about using AI internally, it’s about making sure your business is visible and relevant within AI-driven platforms.Better Decisions Matter More Than More Tools: The real value isn’t in learning every AI tool. It’s in understanding where AI actually solves friction in your business. Without that clarity, businesses risk wasting time and money on solutions that don’t move the needle.Everyone Is Still Learning, and That’s an Advantage: There are no true “experts” yet because AI is evolving so quickly. The best approach is to stay curious, admit what you don’t know, and keep learning. Businesses that adapt and learn fast will have the biggest advantage moving forward. LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: Substack: https://robbiecaploe.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbie-caploe-4397356/ ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Start Using AI as a Media Channel for Your Business: Expert Insights by Robbie Caploe

  7. Mar 24

    How to Decide If Coaching Is the Right Next Step for You: Expert Insights by Jason Brown

    Executive Coaching vs AI: How to Choose the Right Coach & Unlock Meta Performance | Jason Brown Host Mary Czarnecki interviews executive coach Jason Brown of Novus Global about the value of human coaching in the age of AI, including the power of making commitments to another person, reading nonverbal cues, and strategically disrupting clients’ limiting stories. Jason contrasts neutral coaching with Novus Global’s approach, shares examples of noticing body signals and turning tough feedback into action, and explains their “performance pyramid” from low performance to “meta performance,” focused on asking “What am I/we capable of?” He introduces the “Intuitive Sense” tool to identify goals that feel possible versus impossible and shows how reframing timelines with questions like “Would that thrill you?” can accelerate vision and execution. Jason suggests coaching may be timely for people with recurring complaints or those wanting more capability with greater happiness. ABOUT JASON: Jason Brown is an executive coach who helps leaders grow from the inside out, becoming who they want to be while pursuing what they most want to build. He creates space for leaders to name the vision rumbling within them, especially when it feels ambitious, fragile, or seemingly impossible. For more than three decades, Jason has walked alongside leaders and teams in real, complex settings, coaching hundreds of individuals, supporting leadership teams, building organizations in the nonprofit space, and speaking to thousands along the way. Those experiences have shaped his conviction that meaningful change happens when people feel truly seen and are invited to grow with intention. Jason works with leaders who sense that their vision matters not only to them, but to the world around them. KEYPOINTS: Human Coaching Offers What AI Can’t ReplicateMove Beyond High Performance to “Meta Performance”Breakthroughs Often Come from the Right Questions LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbrown Novus Global Profile: https://www.novus.global ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Decide If Coaching Is the Right Next Step for You: Expert Insights by Jason Brown

  8. Mar 16

    How to Turn Business Decisions Into Powerful Marketing Stories: Expert Insights by Sarah Tjoa

    How to Turn “Boring” Business Decisions Into Marketing Gold (Ask Why x3) | Sarah Tjoa Host Mary Czarnecki welcomes agency strategist Sarah Tjoa, who has 15+ years of experience and now works at Noble West, an agency specializing in food and agricultural products, bringing modern marketing to the “oldest economy.” Sarah explains how she helps CEOs and operations- or finance-led teams translate investments like efficiency, yield, and food-safety upgrades into meaningful consumer value by starting with business challenges and uncovering the “why.” She shares the “rule of three” for asking why to move beyond features and benefits into emotional, human narratives, and gives an example of helping Ocean Mist Farms make artichokes more accessible by reducing prep time and cognitive load. Sarah also shares how she stays informed through Substack, citing strategist Zoe Scaman’s newsletter. ABOUT SARAH: With over fifteen years in agencies big and small, Sarah has proven she knows how to build impactful campaign platforms that not only drive conversation; but also, business impact. With a background in all things “the good life ” - from sports to hospitality, travel to food, education to aviation - Sarah brought her expertise to Noble West to bridge knowledge gaps across the food system.  Sarah’ s professional tenure has been marked by an unwavering commitment to cultivating creative solutions for business problems, no matter the category or challenge. Her expertise in account planning, brand positioning, data analyzation and stakeholder engagement has allowed her to spearhead initiatives that transform organizations for the better. Whether it' s the launch of a new product, navigating a crisis or creating new avenues for relevance and resonance, Sarah has been fearless in how she leads teams in their pursuit for better. At Noble West, Sarah' s role as Managing Director is central to the agency ' s success in empowering clients to navigate the complex challenges of the modern food landscape. With a deep passion for human resilience, a wealth of strategic acumen and a relentless drive for positive change, Sarah seeks to empower her teams to deliver first-to- market work that excites clients and consumers alike. KEYPOINTS: Curiosity Leads to Better StrategyUse the “Rule of Three” to Find the Real WhyTurn Business Decisions Into Marketing Stories LINKS MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahtjoa Email: sarah@noblewest.com ------------------------------- CONNECT WITH ME: WEBSITE: www.maryczarneckispeaks.com FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/maryczaronline INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maryczarnecki_ LINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/mczarnecki/ SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/43zwg2VNf8nMuqhrAn5L3B APPLE PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sticky-note-marketing-with-mary-czarnecki/id1484391371 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    How to Turn Business Decisions Into Powerful Marketing Stories: Expert Insights by Sarah Tjoa
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About

How do I create more leads for my business? How do I grow my audience and authority? How do I build my brand and grow faster? These are just some of the top questions that marketing strategist and speaker, Mary Czarnecki, digs into on her weekly Sticky Note Marketing Podcast.  In each episode, Mary brings you ACTIONABLE marketing lessons that she's learned through 20 years of experience working with both big brands and scrappy start-ups. Whether you have a new launch or an established business, learn the latest marketing, social media, conversion optimization, brand positioning, and sales funnel strategies that work today. Each episode is designed to help you take immediate action on the most important strategies for launching, growing, and scaling your brand and business. Mary's clients say that her specialty is turning complicated marketing strategies into actionable, easy to understand steps. Thinking about launching a new product or service offer? Want to generate more consistent leads and prospects? Need help with your social media presence? Discover why global brands, local businesses, and online entrepreneurs turn to Mary Czarnecki to optimize their marketing, to make sense of ever-changing online marketing landscape, and to and help lay a strong foundation to build a brand and business that lasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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