Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi

Linkifi
  • 5.0 (2)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi podcast, the go-to spot for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand. Dive into the world where branding meets SEO and link-building, and unlock the secrets to becoming more visible, credible, and downright irresistible to your audience. Ready to rise above the noise and make your mark?

  1. 9H AGO

    Cassie Clark: The “Be Everywhere” Strategy for AI Search

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Cassie Wilson-Clark, a fractional content strategist and fractional CMO/CGO who builds lean content systems that drive real pipeline. Cassie breaks down what’s actually changing with AI search, why classic SEO fundamentals still matter, and how to plan content around prompts and real customer language, not just keywords.   Key Talking Points ✅ From “Stuff the Keywords” to Clean Answers. AI search rewards clarity. Cassie sees a shift toward direct, structured content that hits the question fast, then expands only where needed. ✅ AI Search Is Real, But Not Universal Yet. Many audiences still default to Google. Strategy depends on who your buyers are and how they already search. ✅ SEO Still Matters for AI Overviews. A strong SEO foundation supports visibility in Google’s AI surfaces. AI SEO is not a full replacement for SEO. ✅ Freshness and Updates. Small edits matter. Updating definitions, adding FAQs, tightening paragraphs, and keeping content current can improve performance in both Google and AI tools. ✅ Think in Prompts, Not Keywords. Cassie recommends mapping content to full question-style prompts, then answering in the same phrasing buyers use. ✅ Reddit as a “Prompt Library”. If people ask it on Reddit, they’ll likely ask it in ChatGPT and Perplexity. Cassie uses ChatGPT Agent mode to pull real questions and wording from specific communities. ✅ One Question per Post vs Mega Guides. She’s actively testing whether AI engines prefer focused “one prompt, one page” answers or broader guides that cover multiple questions. ✅ Be Everywhere Your Audience Is. AI engines pull from blogs, YouTube, podcasts, and social. Distribution plus repurposing is now part of search visibility. ✅ Repurposing That Actually Scales. Cassie turned 12 podcast episodes into 6 months of content in minutes, and helped a webinar-heavy client unlock years of posts from existing recordings. ✅ Tracking AI Visibility Is Still Messy. Most brands are stuck with manual checks, screenshots, and proxy signals like AI referral traffic and branded search lift.   Quotes from Cassie Wilson-Clark 📢 “AI search is still pretty new. For most brands, SEO is still kind of the thing for now.” 📢 “A good SEO foundation is kind of what’s making GEO work.” 📢 “Don’t think about just a keyword. Think about an entire prompt.” 📢 “If someone is on Reddit asking a question, they’ll most likely use that same phrasing in ChatGPT.” 📢 “I put my first 12 episodes in and it gave me six months of content.” 📢 “Right now I’m tracking it with manual searches and screenshots. It takes so much time.”   Actionable Insights 🧠 Build Prompt-Led Content Take your core topics and rewrite them into full questions your ICP would ask. Use the question as a visible H2/H3, answer immediately, then expand with supporting context. 🔍 Use Reddit for Real Language Pick 3 to 5 relevant subreddits where your buyers hang out. Use ChatGPT Agent mode to extract the top recurring questions and phrasing, then turn each into a post. 🧼 Write for Clarity First Lead with a direct answer. Break up content with definitions, bullets, short sections, and FAQs. Avoid overly narrative intros when the intent is informational or comparison-based. ♻️ Repurpose What You Already Have Drop podcast/webinar transcripts into ChatGPT. Generate: blog outlines, LinkedIn posts, short scripts, FAQs, email snippets, and “one prompt, one answer” pages. Edit for voice and add real examples or quotes, do not publish raw AI drafts. 🔁 Update on a Cadence That Matches Your Industry Fast-changing industries need more frequent refreshes. Start with “quick wins”. definitions, FAQs, tightened paragraphs, and an updated publish date when truly revised. 📈 Track With Proxies (For Now) Monitor AI referral traffic in analytics. Watch for lift in branded search as AI discovery drives people back to Google for verification.   About Cassie Wilson-Clark Cassie Wilson-Clark is a fractional content strategist and fractional CMO/CGO who helps brands build lean content systems tied to pipeline, not vanity metrics. She hosts the Founding AI podcast and is experimenting with multi-channel visibility across content, podcasting, and YouTube. 🌐 Website: https://cassieclarkmarketing.com/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtQK-qhh0MGcdp6NXxWdaLA 💼 LinkedIn: Cassie Wilson-Clark   🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    30 min

  2. DEC 11

    Benjamin Schieken: The Hardest Part of Growing a Two-Sided Marketplace (And How We Did It)

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Benjamin Schieken, founder and CEO of Fincast. a privacy-first mortgage tool that lets borrowers shop, verify, and save without handing over their data. Fincast turns one confusing offer into a one-to-many bidding process, then shows clear savings and trade-offs.   Key Talking Points ✅ The Real Problem. Most borrowers cannot tell if an offer is good. Offers mix rate, points, fees, and timelines. Confusion creates expensive mistakes over 30 years. ✅ “Rate” Is Not Everything. The real comparison is rate plus cost over your expected time in the loan. Optimize to monthly payment, upfront cash, or lowest total cost. ✅ Bidding Marketplace. Upload an offer, Fincast normalizes the details, anonymizes you, and invites multiple lenders to bid directly against your exact structure. ✅ Primary vs Secondary Markets. Best price comes from the lender that needs your product today on the secondary side, not whoever happened to quote you first. ✅ Measured Impact. Fincast sees over 1% rate spread in real deals at times. On average, about 12% of loan amount in total savings is findable. Roughly 27% already have a great deal, the rest leave money on the table. ✅ Compliance and Flexibility. Rules like LO Comp can limit discount wiggle room, yet product-market matching still unlocks better pricing. ✅ Privacy by Design. Fincast redacts PII, compares offers, and lets you choose if and when to engage. No lead-gen spam. ✅ Go-to-Market. Started by helping people on Reddit with unbiased guidance, earned evangelists, then layered social proof, PR, and partnerships with an embeddable widget so users can “Fincast” offers on trusted third-party sites. ✅ Retention Loop. Buyers return to refinance when rates change. Word of mouth compounds through real savings stories.   Quotes from Benjamin Schieken 📢 “People just want to know. Am I getting a good deal or leaving money on the table.” 📢 “The right lender is the one whose secondary-market demand perfectly fits your loan today.” 📢 “We normalize the offer, we anonymize the person, then let lenders bid. Simple, fair, and transparent.” 📢 “A smart mortgage choice is rate plus cost plus time. Not rate alone.” 📢 “We are a value-creation startup. Borrowers win. Good lenders win. The market gets cleaner.”   Actionable Insights 🧮 Compare the Whole Deal Gather an official Loan Estimate. Compare rate, points, fees, credits, MI, and term against your expected time in the loan. Calculate breakeven for any points paid. If you will move or refi before breakeven, do not buy them. 🔧 Set Your Preference Pick one optimization: lowest monthly payment, lowest cash at close, or lowest total cost over a realistic horizon. Re-price the offer for that goal. 🔐 Protect Your Data Use a privacy-first comparison. Share PII only when you choose a finalist. Avoid broad lead forms that trigger endless calls. 🏦 Force Competition Put your structured offer into a bidding environment. Ask lenders to beat your exact structure, not a generic rate table. 🔁 Revisit at Rate Moves Re-run the math when rates drop or your horizon changes. Refinancing can reset the optimal mix of rate and cost.   About Benjamin Schieken Benjamin Schieken is the founder and CEO of Fincast. Previously a partner in three B2B SaaS companies, he turned his focus to consumer finance after seeing how hard it is to shop mortgages fairly. Fincast gives borrowers clarity, confidence, and control by matching real offers to real lender demand. 📬 Connect with Fincast and Benjamin: gofincast.com · https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-schieken/    🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    33 min

  3. DEC 4

    Forget GEO Hype, Mark Williams-Cook Says Do This Instead

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder and CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Mark Williams-Cook. Director at Candour. Founder of AlsoAsked. Veteran SEO of 20 years who ships products, runs e-commerce brands, and speaks plainly about where search is actually heading.   Key Talking Points ✅ SEO is not dead. AI search often equals “three web searches in a trench coat.” Retrieval still relies on real indexes, ranking, and links ✅ Why the browser wins. Agentic tasks need a real browser that executes JS, passes “are you human” checks, and respects privacy. Expect lightweight on-device models ✅ Google’s advantage. Massive index, cash flow, control of distribution. Others burn cash while renting Google or Chromium, which tilts the field ✅ Freshness bias and listicles. LLM surfaces are easy to game with recency and “best X” lists. Short-term only. It will not last ✅ Brand as the durable signal. Your brand footprint inside models and across trusted sources will outlive tactic chasing ✅ Digital PR for AI era. Mentions on authoritative sites shape both link graphs and in-model weightings ✅ LLM-aware research. Generate persona prompts to reveal the web searches LLMs trigger. Then build pages that answer intent clearly ✅ Measure what matters. Prompt tracking dashboards are a comfort blanket. Focus on in-model understanding and real outcomes ✅ Community as a moat. Smaller brands should seed real communities where customers advocate on platforms like Reddit   Quotes from Mark Williams-Cook 📢 “AI search is still built on information retrieval. It is not magic. It needs an index.” 📢 “The browser will be the agent. That is where execution, privacy, and verification actually work.” 📢 “Short-term tricks like fresh listicles will get patched. Invest in signals that survive updates.” 📢 “Ask a model to act like your persona, then watch which web searches it fires. That is your content map.” 📢 “If your marketing activity has no value without search, it probably has no long-term value.”   Actionable Insights 🧭 Design for Agentic Workflows Make key flows executable in a real browser. Clean HTML. predictable selectors. minimal anti-bot friction on basic info pages Publish concise “do this task” guides that an agent can summarize and follow 🔎 LLM-Ready Content Research Use personas to generate conversational prompts, then inspect which queries LLMs trigger Prioritize pages that map to those triggered queries. Structure with clear headings, FAQs, and explicit constraints 📰 Digital PR That Moves Models Target high-trust publications and expert communities. Mentions plus links shape both rankings and in-model priors Ship evidence assets. data cuts, original research, tool outputs. that media can cite 🧠 In-Model Understanding Audit “what AI knows about you” style outputs to see how models describe your brand Reinforce missing truths across your site, docs, bios, schema, and PR 📏 Rethink Measurement Treat prompt tracking as directional at best. Anchor your plan to leads, assisted revenue, branded search lift, and referral quality Report share of voice only with clear caveats. focus updates on shipped assets and earned authority 👥 Build Community First Invest where your buyers gather. Run useful AMAs, teardown threads, and office hours Let real customers seed Reddit and forums. authenticity scales better than aged accounts   About Mark Williams-Cook Mark Williams-Cook is Digital Marketing Director at Candour, founder of AlsoAsked, and host of Search with Candour. He blends technical rigor with brand-first strategy. He speaks frequently on the future of search, agentic browsing, and why digital PR matters more in an LLM world.   📬 Connect: LinkedIn: Mark Williams-Cook · CoreUpdates.com newsletter   🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    43 min

  4. NOV 27

    How Mortgage Company LendFriend Gets 60–70% of Clients From ChatGPT & Grok

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Max Liporace — Strategy Director at LendFriend Mortgage and former real estate attorney — who helped LendFriend pivot from retail lending to brokerage, then scale back up by leaning into SEO and LLM (AI) search for high-intent, non-QM borrowers.   Key Talking Points ✅ From Law to Lending — Ex-NY real estate attorney joins a fast-growing Austin lender; pandemic pivot → retail to broker model (lower overhead, more products) ✅ Boom → Cooldown → Pivot — Purchase-led growth and online leads: $300M (2020) → $380M (2021); rates surge in 2023–25 forces reinvention ✅ SEO as a Lifeline — Started in May, built on HubSpot: focused on quality pages answering buyer intent, not blog volume; tracked by source (Google, ChatGPT/Grok/Perplexity) ✅ LLMs Drive Real Deals — Today 60–70% of inbound finds them via LLMs; November: ~50% of closed volume from Google + LLM search ✅ Win the Niche, Not “Mortgage” — Target self-employed, asset-depletion, and crypto-supported mortgages; less commoditized, higher margins, faster close ✅ Geographic Expansion for Demand Capture — From TX/GA/FL to additional states (e.g., NH) to serve inbound SEO/LLM demand wherever it originates ✅ Crypto Mortgage, De-Risked — Treat BTC/ETH as assets with haircuts (e.g., ~50%) + 25% down; income “constructed” via asset utilization (no custody pledge required post-close)   Quotes from Max Liporace 📢 “We’re singing SEO’s praises. I couldn’t believe clients would come in this way—now they do, every week.” 📢 “If we do well on Google, we tend to do well on ChatGPT and Grok—same fundamentals, better trust handoff.” 📢 “Compete where the big brands aren’t: non-QM niches beat a race-to-the-bottom on price.” 📢 “It’s not more content—it’s better, buyer-intent content: landing pages that answer the exact question.”   Actionable Insights 🧭 Own Non-QM Search Build intent pages for self-employed, DSCR/asset-depletion, ITIN, and crypto use-cases with clear docs, scenarios, and timelines. Map FAQs to queries LLMs echo (e.g., “self-employed mortgage Austin,” “buy house with Bitcoin income,” “asset-depletion vs. traditional”). 🔎 LLM-Ready Content Add trust markers LLMs surface: licensing states, NMLS, reviews, BBB, media mentions, underwriting guardrails (LTV, reserves, haircuts). Use schema, tidy UX, and a concise “Who we help” section to improve summarizability. 📈 Attribution & Scale Track source (Google vs. ChatGPT/Perplexity/Grok), state, product, close rate, and margin in HubSpot. When a niche page starts converting, add a new state and replicate the asset (localize + compliance review). 🪙 Crypto Mortgage Clarity Explain how it works (asset custody window, haircut, min down, post-close flexibility). Publish volatility safeguards and side-by-side BTC/ETH vs. stock asset-utilization examples. 🏗️ Brand for the Long Game Secure expert explainers, case studies, and borrower stories to build brand queries—a durable signal for both Google and LLMs. Guest on niche podcasts (crypto/creator/self-employed finance) to earn relevant links and mentions.   About Max Liporace / LendFriend Max Liporace is Strategy Director at LendFriend Mortgage, where he leads growth across non-QM niches (self-employed, asset-depletion, and crypto-supported mortgages). After a retail-to-broker pivot, LendFriend rebuilt volume by expanding licensing and investing in SEO + LLM visibility. Max's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-liporace-66b41a25/ LendFriend Contact: contact@lendfriendmtg.com · ☎️ 512-888-5099 · 🌐 lendfriendmtg.com   🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    32 min

  5. NOV 20

    James Ewens: How Green Feathers Grew 35% by Ditching Marketplaces

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome James Ewens — E-commerce Director at Green Feathers — a wildlife tech operator who shifted the brand from B2B/marketplaces to D2C, pairing paid search → SEO and digital PR to grow fast in a niche where the product story sells itself (and is about to hit Netflix/Amazon).   Key Talking Points ✅ D2C Shift & Growth — From ~60% B2B/marketplaces to ~75% D2C; ~30–35% revenue growth in ~2 years; current run rate ~£2.2M (c. 35–40% organic traffic) ✅ PPC → SEO Flywheel — Front-loaded PPC for demand capture while rebuilding Shopify theme for UX + SEO; PDPs designed so buyers never need to click back ✅ Marketplace Strategy — Keep Amazon for discovery (seasonal surge) but pull back from long-tail UK marketplaces; focus on brand.com experience ✅ Digital PR That Lands — “Birds, not rats” story → tabloids + lifestyle pickups; TechRadar & Telegraph product reviews; HuffPost features; traffic lift that sticks ✅ Product-Led Advantage — Ease of setup/reliability > spec sheet; reviews validate claims; A+ content parity on Amazon, richer narrative on site ✅ Media & Credibility — Incoming TV features (Netflix/Amazon/ITV) where the brand can be shown (unlike BBC). Expect halo spikes + search lift ✅ AI Reality Check — Treat LLMs as research accelerators, not “true AI”; good SEO + reviews + clarity → higher odds of being referenced by LLM overviews ✅ Seasonality & Timing — Peak gifting (Nov–Dec); birds begin scouting now → mid-January; be ranked for “bird box camera” before Springwatch/Autumnwatch spikes   Quotes from James Ewens 📢 “On a PDP, there should never be a reason to click back.” 📢 “We’d love not to need Amazon — but for first impressions, you have to be where shoppers start.” 📢 “Digital PR wasn’t a spike; the traffic and authority stayed.” 📢 “Stop calling everything ‘AI’. Use LLMs to answer faster — your brand & UX still win the sale.” 📢 “When TV shows a bird-box camera, the sales story is done — you just need to be discoverable.”   Actionable Insights 🧭 D2C Migration Playbook Pull budget from low-ROI marketplaces; reinvest in PPC capture + site UX/SEO. Keep Amazon for discovery and seasonal demand; push brand.com with content, bundles, and support. 🧱 PDP/PLP that Convert Answer every question on the PDP: what’s in the box, setup ease, example footage, reviews, returns, support. Build category pages that preview options & use cases before the click. 📣 Digital PR & Reviews Run news-friendly hooks (e.g., urban wildlife, garden habitats) + expert quotes. Proactively seed independent product reviews with tier-one outlets; track assist to organic. 📐 SEO for LLM Era Clean tech SEO, schema, trust signals (reviews/awards), and crystal-clear USP copy. Own “what/why/how” explainer content so Overview/Chat pulls your brand. 🗓️ Seasonality Ops Editorial calendar: Sept–Jan gift content; Jan/Feb nesting explainers; re-surface “install now” guides. Ensure inventory, support, and how-to video coverage ahead of TV-driven search spikes. 📊 Measure & Learn Attribute DPR/reviews with landing-page cohorts and brand search lift, not just last-click. Watch Copilot/ChatGPT referral hints and Google Trends around wildlife TV windows.   About James Ewens / Green Feathers James Ewens is the E-commerce Director at Green Feathers, the UK wildlife-camera brand helping people bring nature back into their gardens — and actually see it. Since pivoting to D2C, Green Feathers has scaled on paid → SEO, digital PR, and creator content, with upcoming features across major TV platforms. 🛒 Explore: green-feathers.co.uk James Ewans LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-ewens-268a84ba/    🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links   At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    31 min

  6. NOV 13

    From $25K Commission to $250K Profits: Brian Tran on Flips, Teams & Freedom

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Brian Tran — founder of 50 Hills Real Estate (SF Bay Area) and VA Hub PH — a top-producing agent turned multi-business operator who scaled via content, community, and systems, while flipping across California with a tight 6-month buy box and real, measurable margins.   Key Talking Points ✅ Why Content = Recruiting + Deal Flow — Early scrappy videos → consistent output → brand familiarity → inbound agents, sellers, and partners ✅ Events That Convert — Short talks (8-minute cap), entertainment + networking, free mass events with optional VIP dinners for depth ✅ Brokerage Without Handcuffs — No Zillow leads; teach agents to hunt (skills, systems, community) instead of renting low-intent lead lists ✅ Flip Buy Box & Discipline — Prefer finishes in ~6 months, target ≥10% net of ARV (or 20–25% if >12 months/heavy reno); money is made on the buy ✅ Lead Gen for Flips — Mix of PPC (Google/Bing), direct mail (incl. “check” mailers), YouTube/content, and relentless realtor outreach ✅ VAs as an Ops Multiplier — Train-first staffing via VA Hub PH; treat VAs as admins/ops pros embedded across every workflow ✅ AI: Practical Now — Use AI to analyze channels and geos, reallocate spend (mail/PPC/YouTube) and script follow-ups; your seller demo still answers mail & TV ✅ Agents Should Flip — Present seller A/B/C options; when they want “done now,” make an ethical offer and capture upside while keeping the future listing ✅ Culture → Scale — Start small and aligned; invest in people who become leaders, then scale organically (now 5 offices / ~70 agents)   Quotes from Brian Tran 📢 “Your vibe attracts your tribe. Content is how people figure out if they want to work with you.” 📢 “I buy for a six-month turn and 10% net. If it’s a year-long project, I want 20–25%.” 📢 “You don’t need Zillow leads—you need skills, systems, and community.” 📢 “Events should be show + value + networking. No 60-minute monologues.” 📢 “Top producers who aren’t flipping are leaving money on the table.”   Actionable Insights 🧱 Content & Community Engine Publish consistent video (lo-fi is fine); show your ops, wins, and lessons. Run quarterly events: 3–4 short talks (8 min each), breaks/icebreakers, then long networking. Add VIP tier for 1:1 depth. 🧰 Flip Buy Box & Deal Screening Aim for ≤6 months from purchase → paid; target ≥10% net of ARV (post-fees/commissions). If timeline >12 months/heavy reno: target 20–25% net. Walk away if the buy doesn’t lock in the margin; don’t rely on market lift. 📣 Lead Gen Stack (Investors) PPC (Google/Bing) targeting distress terms; Direct mail (including “check” formats) to motivated lists; Agent outreach (daily), + YouTube for authority & inbound. 🗂️ Scale with VAs Centralize admin, coordination, CRM hygiene, disclosure handling, follow-ups, scripting. Train-first model (English, tools, AI basics) so hires plug in day one. 🤖 Use AI Where It Wins Today Let AI analyze channel performance and suggest budget shifts (e.g., which county/list, which offer). Draft scripts/emails and prioritize daily call lists from CRM notes. 💼 Brokerage Growth Without Lead Leases Teach agents organic playbooks (events, email, hyperlocal content) so their pipeline isn’t platform-dependent.   About Brian Tran Brian Tran is the founder of 50 Hills Real Estate (5 offices / ~70 agents) and VA Hub PH. He’s flipped luxury homes, scaled a national rental portfolio, and built brands around transparency, culture, and operational discipline — powered by content + community + systems. 📬 Connect with Brian:  Socials: @MrBrianTran Web: http://mrbriantran.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-tran-77b65580/    🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links   At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    36 min

  7. NOV 6

    Thomas Gleeson: “ROAS Is Lying—Profit-First E-commerce Wins”

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Thomas Gleeson — StoreHero co-founder and former Shopify Merchant Success lead — who helps e-commerce brands grow profitably by prioritizing contribution margin, LTV, and cashflow over vanity metrics like ROAS.   Key Talking Points ✅ Why ROAS Misleads — Ad costs up, attribution messy, ops + COGS + returns rising; profit ≠ revenue, and ROAS ignores VAT, discounts, shipping, fees ✅ Contribution Margin First — Net revenue (ex-tax) minus COGS minus marketing = the North Star for budget and channel decisions ✅ The “Allowable CAC” Mindset — Winners engineer higher CAC ceilings via pricing, bundles, and offer structure—so they outbid competitors ✅ Offer Structure > Blanket Discounts — Use bundles, threshold free shipping, GWP (free gift with purchase), selective promos to protect margin ✅ Black Friday Playbook — Pull last year’s SKU-level data: target higher-AOV, high-margin items; test tiered offers; don’t copy “site-wide 30%” by default ✅ Reality of Margin Compression — Discounts, free shipping/returns, BNPL, transaction fees can halve gross margin if you’re not tracking the math ✅ Small Catalogs Can Win — Build a simple break-even ROAS calculator per offer; know fees, returns, shipping, taxes, and COGS before scaling spend ✅ Cohorts & Retention — Nov/Dec buyers often gift-led and less loyal; use Shopify cohort charts to set realistic LTV expectations ✅ LLMs as a Channel — Early signals that ChatGPT/Gemini can drive discovery; solid SEO + authority increases likelihood of being cited   Quotes from Thomas Gleeson 📢 “There’s an industry-wide obsession with ROAS. It’s flawed. Your P&L pays the bills, not ROAS.” 📢 “If gross margin drops, your marketing must overperform just to stand still.” 📢 “The game isn’t ‘lowest CAC’—it’s highest allowable CAC. Engineer offers that let you spend more than rivals.” 📢 “In Black Friday planning, increased revenue doesn’t automatically mean increased profit.” 📢 “Be honest about COGS and fees. That ‘80% margin’ often becomes 40–50% once reality is added back.”   Actionable Insights   🧮 Know Your Numbers (Before BFCM) Build a per-offer break-even ROAS: RRP → discount → COGS → VAT/tax → shipping/returns → payment fees → expected return rate. Track contribution margin weekly; tie ad budget increases to profit deltas, not revenue. 🧰 Offer Engineering Prefer bundles, GWP, and free-shipping threshold tweaks over blunt site-wide cuts. Surface SKUs with above-average AOV and margin; push with creative + merchandising, not just discount. 💸 Budgeting by Margin Improve gross margin (trim “conversion candy” that erodes it) to unlock 2–3× more ad budget at the same profit target. Separate goals: one motion for profit, another for top-line—don’t let revenue targets force margin-killing promos.   📈 Cohorts & Segmentation Expect lower LTV from Nov/Dec new customers; design tailored post-purchase flows and realistic payback windows. Reward loyal segments; avoid penalizing them while testing new-customer carrots. 🔎 LLM Visibility Solid SEO foundations, authoritative mentions, and clear USP language increase odds of LLM citations (early but growing opportunity).   About Thomas Gleeson Thomas Gleeson is the co-founder of StoreHero and former Shopify Merchant Success lead. He helps brands centralize e-com, marketing, and finance data to make profit-first decisions—shifting teams from ROAS worship to unit economics and contribution margin. 📬 Connect with Thomas:  LinkedIn: Thomas Gleeson · storehero.ai   🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links   At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

    27 min

  8. OCT 30

    Meredith Fogle: The GeoFarm Playbook That Prints Listings

    Welcome to Market Movers: Building Brands & Links with Linkifi! Your go-to podcast for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand where branding meets SEO and link-building. I’m Chris Panteli, Co-Founder & CEO of Linkifi, and I’m joined by my co-host and Co-Founder, Nick Biggs. In this episode we welcome Meredith Fogle — top-producing Maryland team leader of The Meredith Fogle Team at The List Realty, host of So You Wanna Be a Real Estate Agent, creator of the Make My Listing Famous system, and author of Farming for Real Estate Agents. Meredith breaks down how she’s built a nearly all-organic business through hyperlocal geo farming, community-first marketing, and smart automation.   Key Talking Points ✅ Hyperlocal GeoFarming — How to select, cultivate, and dominate a geographic farm with real community relationships (not just postcards) ✅ 99% Organic, 0% Paid Leads — Why relationships beat low-intent paid leads and how to create conversations that convert ✅ Make My Listing Famous — A full-funnel listing promo system (print, AI video, email, signage, in-window features, virtual tours) that markets the home and your brand ✅ Viral Listing System — Turn one listing into 1+ new listing and 3 buyers via a launch flywheel and mega open house cadence ✅ Seller Sneak Preview — The neighbors-only, party-style preview (wine/cheese or food truck) that wins future listings on the block ✅ Email that Works — Build & segment lists; write USP-driven, problem-solving emails; tell stories; funnel to website/value offers ✅ Community > Everything — Events, sponsorships (show up in person), hyperlocal blogging, and lead capture at scale (e.g., Oktoberfest raffle) ✅ AI & Ops — Newsletter and seller-update drafting, voice-note → workflow automation, AI sales manager surfacing CRM opportunities + scripts, 30-second CMA tool   Quotes from Meredith Fogle 📢 “Paid leads are low intent. If you spend the same energy building relationships, you’ll get a far better return.” 📢 “A listing is your storefront. Leverage one sign into many conversations—and many transactions.” 📢 “Neighbors aren’t ‘nosy’—they’re future sellers. Invite them first, and wow them.” 📢 “If your marketing tells a clear story, sellers see themselves in it—and call you.” 📢 “AI won’t replace the human connection, but it can supercharge your systems and speed.”   Actionable Insights   🌱 GeoFarm Playbook Define a tight geographic farm and be visibly present: volunteer, sponsor, host, and show up in person. Postcards can help—but they’re not the farm. Proximity and presence are. Publish hyperlocal content (community pages, neighborhood FAQs, market snapshots).   🎉 Viral Listing Launch Run a three-day mega open house anchored by a Seller Sneak Preview the night before (handwritten invites + call + email; add wine/cheese or a food truck). Treat the event as a brand showcase: neighbors experience your process and become your next pipeline. Standardize a launch flywheel: coming-soon → launch weekend → follow-up sequences → concierge seller service → past-client/neighbor nurture.   🎥 Make My Listing Famous (Omni-Channel) Combine print (brochures, postcards, window displays) with digital (AI videos, email campaigns, virtual tours). Every asset should market the listing and your brand (consistency in USP, offers, and calls-to-action).   📬 Email List That Converts Capture at open houses, community events (raffles), and via online home valuation pages. Segment (downsizers, move-up, past clients, buyers) and speak to problems each cohort faces. Use storytelling + testimonials; add “read more” links for SEO and value assets for deeper nurture.   🏘️ Community & Events Plan quarterly anchors (e.g., Oktoberfest booth) with lead capture and memorable giveaways. Follow up fast: thank-you email + relevant resource → add to cohort nurture sequence.   🤖 AI & Systems (Meredith’s Stack Ideas) Voice notes → transcription → tasking: auto-fill workflows, draft listing descriptions, caption photos, schedule vendors. AI Sales Manager: scans CRM daily to surface top opportunities, drafts personalized reach-out scripts/emails, references last notes, suggests next-step resources. Instant CMA: internal tool produces a 30-second comp packet to speed seller touchpoints.   🔎 AI Discoverability Ensure you’re present where LLMs pull context: authoritative listicles, local citations, social profiles, and rich on-site content. Offer clear USP language on-page so models can summarize you accurately.   About Meredith Fogle Meredith Fogle leads The Meredith Fogle Team at The List Realty (serving DC, Maryland & Virginia). She’s the author of Farming for Real Estate Agents, host of So You Wanna Be a Real Estate Agent, and a Tom Ferry real estate business coach. Meredith is known for hyperlocal geo farming, her Make My Listing Famous marketing engine, and a viral listing process that turns one listing into many. 📬 Connect with Meredith: • Book: Farming for Real Estate Agents • Podcast: So You Wanna Be a Real Estate Agent • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mfoglekentlands/    🚀 Build Your Brand with Real Links   At Linkifi, we help ambitious brands scale organic visibility through digital PR, brand storytelling, and SEO strategy. Book your FREE strategy session today: 🔗 https://calendly.com/linkifi/pr   👋 Connect with your hosts: 👉 Chris Panteli on LinkedIn 👉 Nick Biggs on LinkedIn   🎧 Listen to more Market Movers episodes: 🌍 https://marketmoverspod.com

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Welcome to the Market Movers: Building Brands and Links with Linkifi podcast, the go-to spot for transforming your business into an unforgettable brand. Dive into the world where branding meets SEO and link-building, and unlock the secrets to becoming more visible, credible, and downright irresistible to your audience. Ready to rise above the noise and make your mark?

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