The Local Marketing Lab Evocalize

In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, Michael Ungaro, CEO of San Pedro Fish Market, shares his journey of transforming a small family-owned seafood shop into a $30 million restaurant empire. With over 40 years of industry experience, he unveils innovative local marketing tactics to boost sales, emphasizing the power of storytelling, community involvement, and adaptability in driving business growth.
Here are some topics discussed in the episode around local marketing tactics to boost sales:
The power of storytelling and building a brand identity to connect with customersCreative local marketing tactics like direct mail, community involvement, and business partnershipsAdapting operations and pivoting the business model during challenging timesLeveraging PR, social media, and a web series to amplify the brand storyOvercoming the “big corporation” perception as a local, family-owned business
ResourcesConnect with Michael Ungaro on LinkedIn.Learn more about San Pedro Fish Market.Check out King of Fish.Stop by Brouwerij West brewery.Order a tray of shrimp from San Pedro Fish Market on GoldBelly.
Other shout-outsPort of Los Angeles Lobster FestToast and me&u for allowing San Pedro Fish Market to succeed with their restaurant reservations and ordering.Shawn Walchef for great video content and telling stories about your brand.

In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, Allison Rand, VP of Marketing at YouFit Gyms, reveals the surprising power of embracing imperfect, authentic user-generated content to supercharge your marketing. With over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, Allison shares strategies that prove user-generated content boosts performance far better than highly-produced, polished creative. Prepare for an eye-opening discussion on fostering community connections, continuous testing, and prioritizing relatability over flawlessness.
Here are some topics discussed in the episode around how user-generated content boosts performance:
The importance of prioritizing authenticity and user-generated content in marketing campaigns.Strategies for building connections and establishing a strong local presence within communities.Tips for continuous testing and optimization to improve performance and drive growth.Insights into leveraging local listings and content for better local SEO.The role of mental health and wellness in fitness marketing campaigns.
ResourcesConnect with Allison Rand on LinkedIn.Learn more about YouFit Gyms.Watch YouFit’s 80’s inspired commercial.Try out Meta’s Advantage Plus ads.
Other shout-outsDiscovery NetworkVIDA Fitness

Struggling to cut through the noise in your local market? In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, award-winning mortgage professional Tracie Schmidt shares battle-tested tips from a mortgage pro for standing out. With over 20 years of experience, Tracie reveals how she went from a top-performing loan officer to a local marketing powerhouse. Discover the strategies that earned her industry recognition and a loyal following.
Here are some topics or tips from a mortgage pro to make sure you get noticed:
The importance of building a personal brand and staying visible in your local market.Strategies for creating engaging, authentic content on social media.Tips for highlighting local businesses and building relationships within the community.Benefits of seeking guidance and coaching from industry experts.The value of providing valuable resources, like home buying guides, to potential clients.
ResourcesConnect with Tracie Schmidt on LinkedIn.Learn more about Supreme Lending.Check out the Schmidt Team.Watch Tracie’s video about waiting for interest rates to drop.
Other shout-outsKrish Dhokia from Kind Lending — Check out his episode on the Local Marketing Lab.

Real estate is a dynamic industry with its fair share of challenges, from fluctuating interest rates to market downturns. In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, Rick Haase, President at United Real Estate and Chief Operating Officer at United Real Estate Group, reveals the three keys that propelled his brokerage from the 139th largest in the country to the 6th largest in just five years – proving that you can achieve real estate success in any market.
Here are some topics discussed in the episode around real estate success in any market:
The importance of having a clear mission focused on improving agents’ successThe value of nurturing leads effectively, considering the long buying cycles in real estateTactics for generating high-quality, cost-effective first-party leads for agentsStrategies for daily prospecting and growing new connectionsWays for providing comprehensive training and education to agents
ResourcesConnect with Rick Haase on LinkedIn.Learn more about United Real Estate.
Other shout-outsCheck out Orchestra New England.Watch “the relative size of planets” on YouTube.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the challenge of getting your local marketing to connect with new audiences and engage your community, then you are not alone! In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, Dan Sokolik, VP of Marketing at Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, shares his diverse experience working with major QSR brands like Subway, Domino’s, and McDonald’s. With a background spanning the agency, corporate, and franchise sides, Dan offers a unique perspective on blending the right local marketing tools for franchisees and multi-unit operators.
Here are some topics discussed in the episode around local marketing tools for franchisees:
The role of direct mail, paid social, apps, and loyalty in a local marketing mixBuilding the right local marketing tools and partnerships for franchisee successLeveraging user-generated content and cause marketing for engagementEffective local marketing approaches for brands in rural/small-town marketsChallenges of getting buy-in for digital marketing from veteran franchisees
ResourcesConnect with Dan Sokolik on LinkedIn.Find a Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken near you.Learn more about GiftAMeal and how you can get involved.
Other shout-outsKim Freer — CMO at Raising Canes, great example of grassroots and local marketing.Firehouse Subs — Being engaged in their communities and local neighborhoods.

Want to boost community engagement and increase brand advocacy? In this episode of the Local Marketing Lab, Elaine Patel, Director of Local Store Marketing at FAT Brands, unveils a powerful secret local marketing weapon — brand ambassadors. With over 20 years of experience working with major brands, Elaine shares game-changing strategies that have propelled FAT Brands’ success across 2,300+ locations.
Here are some topics discussed in the episode around your secret local marketing weapon, brand ambassadors:
Empowering and equipping front-line employees as brand ambassadors for local marketingBest practices for supporting and motivating brand ambassadorsBenefits of celebrating “local heroes” like teachers, firefighters, and nurses for building brand awareness and community connectionsStrategies for building consistent, long-term relationships with the local communityThe role of social media and user-generated content in amplifying local marketing efforts
ResourcesConnect with Elaine Patel on LinkedIn.Learn more about FAT Brands.
Other shout-outsCheck out some of FAT Brands’ franchises like Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, Pretzelmaker, and Fazoli’s.Learn more about Career Sparks.