More than a Few Words

Lorraine Ball
  • 5.0 (123)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Daily

More than a Few Words - A Marketing Conversation is a smart, down-to-earth show about what’s really working in marketing and what isn’t. All in about 10 minutes. Every week, Lorraine Ball sits down with marketers, entrepreneurs, and the occasional mischief-maker. Some are seasoned pros. Others are figuring it out as they go. But all of them share tips you can use. And stories you won’t hear anywhere else. No fluff, no jargon, just real-world lessons, actionable ideas, and a peek behind the curtain of what actually works. What You’ll Hear: • Real talk with real experts—marketers, creatives, business owners who’ve been in the trenches. • Marketing strategies you can actually use—no jargon, no gatekeeping. • Encouragement without the ego—especially for women building bold businesses on their own terms. • A mix of wit, wisdom, and the occasional marketing metaphor—because learning should feel like a good conversation, not a lecture. We’ll unpack what’s working, what’s not, and what’s changing in the digital marketing world so you can spend less time guessing and more time growing. Whether you’re growing a brand from your kitchen table or the corner office, you’ll find ideas, inspiration, and a few laughs along the way. Follow @lorrainefball on Instagram, for a more marketing conversations and lots of pretty pictures . Smart. Practical. Surprisingly fun. More than a Few Words is your marketing conversation

  1. 2d ago

    Clever Isn't Enough | Be Clear If You Want People to Buy | Scott Flood | 1210

    Great Marketing Isn't About Being Clever. It's About Being Understood. One of the biggest mistakes marketers make is chasing creativity for creativity's sake. A clever campaign might win awards, but if it doesn't help customers understand why they should buy, it misses the mark. That was the heart of my conversation with Scott Flood, a veteran copywriter who has spent decades helping companies communicate complex ideas in ways that drive results. Whether you're selling snacks, software, or something that costs a quarter of a million dollars, the goal is the same. Your marketing needs to connect with the right audience and give them what they need to make a decision. What I Took Away from the Conversation Clarity beats cleverness in complex sales. When buyers are making big decisions, they aren't looking for entertainment. They need information they can trust and share with others involved in the buying process. Creativity isn't the same as being funny. Scott made a great point. Real creativity is finding the best way to capture attention, hold interest, and make your message memorable. Sometimes that includes humor. Sometimes it doesn't. Constraints can actually make you more creative. Whether you're working within brand guidelines or industry expectations, limitations often help focus your thinking. Instead of worrying about endless options, you can put your energy into solving the real communication challenge. Even technical buyers are still human beings. Engineers, attorneys, contractors, and executives all make decisions with a mix of logic and emotion. The best marketing speaks to both. You can't understand customers from behind a screen. One of my favorite moments in the conversation was our discussion about getting out and talking to real people. Customer avatars and AI-generated profiles can be useful, but nothing replaces listening to customers explain their challenges in their own words. The best marketing answers practical questions. Customers want to know how you'll help them make money, save time, avoid problems, or improve results. Focus there first, and the creative execution becomes much easier. My biggest takeaway? Before you spend time making your marketing more clever, make sure it's more useful. That's what customers remember, and that's what drives results. Sometimes the most creative thing you can do is simply understand your customer better.

    12 min

  2. May 24

    Marketing Lessons from a Mussel Farm | Lorraine Ball | 1209

    Marketing Lessons Everywhere Here’s the thing about marketing—lessons are everywhere. You just have to know where to look. Sometimes it’s in the obvious places, like watching how competitors roll out a campaign. Other times it’s less obvious. Like standing on a floating dock in Santiago, staring at a mussel farm. There, I learned that mussels grow best when they have room. The farmers pull up the ropes, remove the ones that aren’t thriving, and separate the rest so they can mature. The smallest, youngest mussels are placed where the water is richest, giving them the best chance to grow. Business works the same way. Sometimes, you have too many clients. You’re trying to serve everyone, but no one’s getting your best. You may need to “thin the herd” and let go of clients that drain your time and energy. Create space for your best customers to grow with you. And when you do, you’ll have more time to nurture the next generation, the new leads with potential to become long-term, loyal partners. Not every client is worth your attention. Some are just taking up space. And some, like those thriving mussels, are ready to become something really special

    2 min

  3. May 17

    How to Waste 100 Episodes | Nathalie Dorémieux | 1208

    As a podcaster, you can crank out 100 episodes and still get nowhere. That’s an uncomfortable truth for many podcasters.  So how do hosts get into this situation? I sat down with Nathalie Dorémieux, who helps podcasters turn listeners into real business results, and she shared how her first podcast started as a bold experiment and stalled out just as quickly. The idea was simple. Nathalie took 100 days of Facebook Lives and turned them into a podcast. Plenty of content, plenty of consistency, and zero results. What went wrong? No strategy, no clear goal, and no path for the listener to take the next step. The content was fine, but it wasn’t doing a job. It didn’t invite connection or action, it just existed. For a long time, marketing rewarded people who knew the most and said it the loudest. Write more blogs, record more episodes, share more tips. The assumption was simple. If you show how smart you are, people will want to work with you. That worked… until everyone started doing it. Now there’s no shortage of good content. Your audience isn’t sitting there thinking, “I wish someone would explain this better.” They’re thinking, “Who do I trust? Who gets me? Who feels like my kind of person?” That’s where connection comes in. Connection is what makes someone stop mid-scroll and actually listen. It’s your point of view, your stories, your voice, the way you frame a problem. It’s the moment when a listener thinks, “That’s exactly what I’ve been struggling with.” Content delivers information. Connection creates momentum. And here’s where Nathalie’s mistake really shows up. She had plenty of content, but there was no intentional path to deepen that relationship. No invitation to continue the conversation. No moment where the listener moves from “that was interesting” to “I want to talk to her.” So yes, keep creating content. Just don’t stop there. Make it easier for people to connect the dots… and then connect with you.

    11 min

  4. May 10

    Stop Taking Orders, Start Asking Better Questions | Bill Shander | 1207

    Ever notice how often someone asks for a brochure when what they really need is something else entirely? That’s where this conversation goes, and it’s a good one. I sat down with Bill Shander, an information designer and author who calls himself a “stakeholder whisperer.” And trust me, it’s not as mystical as it sounds. It’s actually a practical, powerful way to rethink how you show up in your marketing conversations. We talked about why storytelling isn’t just about your audience. It’s also about how you communicate with the people inside your business who shape what gets created in the first place. A few takeaways worth holding onto: Don’t jump to the solution too fast When someone asks for a deliverable, a brochure, a campaign, a website, pause. That request is often just the symptom. Your real job is to figure out the problem underneath it. Your most important stakeholder isn’t always your boss It’s easy to default to the person giving the assignment. But the real priority is usually the end user. The person who will read, click, buy, or ignore what you create. Influence comes from expertise, not opinion “I like this better” won’t get you far. But “data shows this performs better” changes the conversation. Bring evidence, not just ideas. Ask one better question You don’t have to challenge everything. Start small. One thoughtful question can open the door to a smarter solution and a deeper conversation. Stop being an order taker The people who grow in their roles aren’t the ones who say yes to everything. They’re the ones who think, question, and guide. The real magic here is simple. When you shift from doing what people ask to understanding what they actually need, everything gets better. Your work, your results, and how people see you.   About Bill  Bill Shander is an information designer, helping clients turn their data into compelling visual and often interactive experiences. He teaches data storytelling, information design and data visualization on LinkedIn Learning, and in workshops around the world. Clients include the World Bank, Starbucks, multiple U.S. Government agencies, Big Four firms, and many more household names across a spectrum of industries. He is a keynote speaker and has lectured for graduate and undergraduate students at Harvard, Northeastern, UVM, and other universities across the United States. LEARN MORE: https://billshander.com/

    11 min

  5. May 9

    From the Archive | Stop Storming the Castle | Matt Nettleton | 1206

    After twelve hundred episodes and sixteen years of conversations, I’ve heard a lot of smart ideas about marketing and sales. But every once in a while, one sticks with me. This one goes all the way back to the beginning, to a conversation with my very first and very frequent guest, Matt Nettleton. It’s about sales, but not the pushy, fight-your-way-in kind. It’s about something much simpler and a whole lot more effective. I sat down with Matt, a sales coach and founder of Sandler Training, to talk about what he calls “storming the castle.” And no, it’s not about medieval strategy. It’s about what most salespeople get completely wrong. Here’s the shift that matters: • Stop pitching, start asking Most sales calls fall apart because we lead with what we want to say. Matt flipped that on its head. When you ask thoughtful, structured questions, prospects don’t resist. They lean in and start talking. • Questions are a discipline, listening is an art That line stuck with me. Great questions aren’t random. They’re planned. When you know where the conversation is going, you can actually listen instead of just waiting for your turn to talk. • Guide the conversation, don’t force it Matt shared a simple flow. Start broad, narrow it down, and uncover the real issue. By the time you get there, the prospect has basically invited you in and handed you the problem to solve. The big “aha” for me was this. You don’t have to fight your way into the conversation. If you do it right, they lower the drawbridge for you. And honestly, that’s a lot more fun than storming the castle.

    13 min

  6. May 8

    From the Archive | Your Bio Isn’t About You | Danielle Hughes | 1205

    I knew that Danielle Hughes and I were kindred spirits the first time I saw the name of her company More Than Words Copywriting. Clearly, we had the same attitude about words, but our bond was stronger than that. We agreed on so many things in marketing that it has been an absolute pleasure to get to know her over the years. And so I could not dive into my archives without sharing at least one of our conversations, this one about creating a bio that makes people want to get to know you is my favorite.  Ever read a bio that sounded like a LinkedIn résumé in a tuxedo? Polished, proper, and completely forgettable. That’s exactly what we set out to fix in this conversation. I sat down with Danielle Hughes to talk about how to turn your bio into something people actually want to read and more importantly, someone they want to work with. Danielle helps entrepreneurs and organizations uncover their personality brand so their message feels natural, not forced, and actually connects. Here’s where the conversation really landed: Your bio isn’t about you, it’s for them Yes, it’s your story, but your reader is scanning for one thing. Can you help me? Shift the focus from “here’s everything I’ve done” to “here’s how I make your life easier.” Personality beats perfection A great bio makes someone feel like they already know you. Danielle calls it becoming a “fully formed human on the page.” That means sharing just enough of who you are to spark a connection, not your entire life story. You have permission to leave things out This one hit home. Just because you did it doesn’t mean it belongs in your bio. If you don’t want to do it again, don’t highlight it. Your bio should point toward where you’re going, not where you’ve been. Give them something to grab onto A hobby, a quirky detail, something you love to talk about. It doesn’t have to be relevant to your work. It just has to be interesting enough to start a conversation. Make it easy to skim Most people won’t read every word. Front-load the good stuff, break it up, and don’t be shy about including results or even a well-placed humblebrag. If your bio is making people yawn before they meet you, it’s time for a rewrite. Wake it up with a little personality, a dash of honesty, and just enough of you to make someone think, “Okay, I want to talk to her.”

    12 min

  7. May 7

    From the Archive | Simple Social Media Strategy: Stop Posting, Start Conversations | 1204

    I love diving into my archive.  There are so many amazing conversations there, like this one with Deirdre Tshien.   We talked about the difference between creating fun content for the feed and functional content that starts conversations and drives prospects to your door.  If your social media feels like shouting into the wind, you’re not alone. So many business owners post, promote, repeat, and then wonder why no one responds. The problem usually isn’t the platform. It’s the approach. In this conversation, I sat down with Deirdre Tshien to talk about what it really means to be social on social media. And spoiler alert, it has a lot less to do with posting more often and a lot more to do with starting better conversations. Deirdre shares a simple four-part content rhythm that helps turn random posts into a smart strategy. Key Takeaways Start with awareness Ask a question. Share an opinion. Use a poll. Give people an easy way to jump into the conversation. If no one engages, it’s hard to build momentum. Follow with elaboration Once people show interest, go deeper. Share advice, explain the topic, or answer questions. This is where you show your expertise without sounding like a know-it-all. Build community Talk about clients, partners, collaborators, or even life lessons that connect to your message. Tag people when it makes sense. Social media works better when it feels human. Then make the ask After you’ve opened the conversation and offered value, invite people to take the next step. Listen to the podcast. Join the webinar. Download the guide. Timing matters. Why This Matters Too many women business owners treat social media like a billboard. But it works much better as a coffee shop conversation. People don’t gather around billboards. They do gather where they feel seen, heard, and included.

    12 min

  8. May 6

    From the Archive |Smart Targeting, Slippery Slopes | Psychographics Good & Bad | 1203

    The same tool that helps you find your best customer can also be used to find someone’s fears, anger, or bias. That’s where smart marketing turns into something a lot messier. In this conversation, from our archive, we unpack market segmentation, the good it can do, and the risks that come with it.  Recorded in 2017 many of the same concerns are still valid today.  I chatted with Lydia Thurston and Sam Von Tobel about demographics, psychographics, and why every business owner should understand both sides of the story. Why this matters: Targeting helps you spend less and connect faster. But when powerful tools land in careless hands, the results can get ugly. Takeaways: Good targeting saves time and money Demographics help you narrow by age, gender, income, or location. Psychographics help you understand interests, values, and habits. Together, they help you reach moms looking for cooking classes or families searching for healthy meal ideas, instead of shouting into the void. The same data can be misused We talked about the ProPublica case, where ad targeting tools were tested to reach groups based on hateful beliefs. That’s a wake-up call. These systems don’t just sell soup and cooking classes. They can also spread division if no one is paying attention. Just because you can target someone doesn’t mean you should Marketing always needs a moral compass. It’s easy to get excited about precision and forget responsibility. Smart business owners need both. Platforms have work to do Facebook responded by blocking some harmful terms, but the bigger challenge remains. People can still be reached through indirect signals like music tastes, interests, or online behavior. This problem doesn’t disappear with one patch. If you use targeting tools, ask yourself, will this help my customer, and would I be comfortable explaining how I used it?

    9 min
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5
out of 5
123 Ratings

About

More than a Few Words - A Marketing Conversation is a smart, down-to-earth show about what’s really working in marketing and what isn’t. All in about 10 minutes. Every week, Lorraine Ball sits down with marketers, entrepreneurs, and the occasional mischief-maker. Some are seasoned pros. Others are figuring it out as they go. But all of them share tips you can use. And stories you won’t hear anywhere else. No fluff, no jargon, just real-world lessons, actionable ideas, and a peek behind the curtain of what actually works. What You’ll Hear: • Real talk with real experts—marketers, creatives, business owners who’ve been in the trenches. • Marketing strategies you can actually use—no jargon, no gatekeeping. • Encouragement without the ego—especially for women building bold businesses on their own terms. • A mix of wit, wisdom, and the occasional marketing metaphor—because learning should feel like a good conversation, not a lecture. We’ll unpack what’s working, what’s not, and what’s changing in the digital marketing world so you can spend less time guessing and more time growing. Whether you’re growing a brand from your kitchen table or the corner office, you’ll find ideas, inspiration, and a few laughs along the way. Follow @lorrainefball on Instagram, for a more marketing conversations and lots of pretty pictures . Smart. Practical. Surprisingly fun. More than a Few Words is your marketing conversation

Information

  • Creator
    Lorraine Ball
  • Years Active
    2011 - 2026
  • Episodes
    994
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © 2026 More than a Few Words All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    More than a Few Words