Over the years I’ve done a LOT of sales and marketing for B2B companies. Basically, that means that I was the guy responsible for providing the sales team with marketing materials and campaigns and anything they needed to help close business. So I spent a lot of time working with sales people, and a lot more time on sales calls listening and figuring out “why customers don’t buy”. Very valuable lessons.

Today I’m talking with David Peltz, Founder and CEO of Revixio Software, creators of CorePage, the Instant Link Page System. David has a very similar background to mine and I thought it would be interesting to share some war stories and discuss the state of marketing and sales.

Although I was not paid for this podcast… I should have been. Seriously folks, the Corepage system he’s created is pretty neat. I wouldn’t let him pitch it at the end if I didn’t think it had merit.

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Today I’m reviewing a magazine called Search Marketing Standard. Pretty good magazine that covers a lot of search and online marketing stuff.

I like to review magazines like this from time to time (listen to last week’s review of Website Magazine). Especially the ads. So take a listen and tell me what you think of my review.

If you have a magazine you’d like me to review just give me a jingle.

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Last week I talked about being inspired. So much so in fact that I bought a Ukulele because it sounded like fun to try and learn it, and because I could learn to play it on camera.

So here’s my first video of the Ukulele out of the box and not tuned. Pretty bad. I will be filming myself learning how to play it and you can watch the progress over time. Maybe I’ll even get good enough to start playing some songs.

Why do this? Because it’s fun and I like music and well, it will make for good videos. I hope. Also, sometimes the best videos are those of you just trying something. When was the last time you took a risk and just tried something?

Brands still don’t get customer evangelists. I know this because I am one, for two different products, and I do not feel the love I should. The video below talks about those experiences and about why more brands need to get smart and being to embrace the customer evangelists they have.

Not to mention, companies should actively go out and seek these evangelists, then keep them. But they’re not doing that yet and I can’t figure out why? Maybe it’s still fear of losing control. I don’t get that.

If you’re a company that understands customer evangelists, let me know… I’d like to hear from you. I’ll tell you what. I’m “this” close to firing Pure Digital and finding another product to evangelize about.

Check out Jackie and Ben’s book on the topic.

By now if you haven’t seen Weezer’s awesome video Pork and Beans, well, you MUST watch it. Especially if you’re an online geek like I am. It’s embedded below. Then watch the video below that where the crew at Blendtec (who are featured in the video) quickly make a response video where they blend up a Weezer cd and a can of pork and beans.

Awesome stuff, and proof that you can, and you have to, move fast in today’s online environment to get attention and keep it… and use it beneficially.

The Friday before Memorial Day weekend here in the states is always a slow one. Lots of people extend the weekend and take today off. Not me, I’m working away.

I decided to do podcast today where I simply walk through a magazine and talk about what I saw/read. That magazine, this time is Website Magazine. I talk about the stories in the mag, and the ads, and anything else I come up with. It’s basically like a review of the magazine.

Please have a safe holiday weekend.

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Last week I offered to yell at you. You know, to motivate you to do something creative. I got a few takers (looking for more), and I’m going to post the audio of these conversations up as I get them.

Today I yelled at Cshel.com (Carolyn “cshel” Shelby). While I did not drive her to tears, I did get her to promise to start making videos. Will she follow through? I don’t know, she promised… We shall see won’t we?

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The podcast recording below says it all really. Look, the “making money online” blog space is really crowded, and it’s really hard to “make money” in that space, and besides, there’s so many other niches you could be going after that you’d probably make “much more money” at.

Don’t make a “make money online” blog. Just don’t. You’ll be more successful if you move that energy somewhere else. Besides… aren’t we all just a bit sick and tired of these types of blogs? I am.

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Inspiration is a heckuva sales tool. Marketers need to figure out how to inspire their audience, because if you can do that, you own your market, regardless of what it is you’re selling.

Case in point. I have recently been smitten with a very talented Youtube musician named Julia Nunes. She plays the Ukulele on video and covers great songs and well, she’s just unbelievable. She has inspired me so much so that I went out yesterday and bought this Ukulele.

Why? Because I want to learn how to play like her. Now, I realize I will never have her talent, but the point is… she inspired me to follow a dream. Which is to become more musically inclined in my life. Do you inspire? Listen to my audio for more on Julia and my thoughts on inspiration.

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Looks like it’s official. I’m organizing the monetization track at the next Blogworldexpo out in Vegas this Sept. 2008. You coming? I hope so.

So, if you’re coming, I want you to be on a panel. No, I NEED you to be on a panel. If you know anything about the world of making money from blogging, in any form, then it’s your responsibility to tell me you want to be a on a panel. :)

Here’s an audio clip explaining more. If you want to submit a speaker proposal, go here. You only have until May 31.

You’ll see way more from me on this in the next month or so, so stay tuned.

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Don’t wait to register. The price is gonna go up!