The CMO Scoop | Marketing Podcast for Small Businesses

Follow on your favorite platform

Looking for answers to your most important marketing questions? Need actionable marketing tips and advice? Lara August, Founder and CEO of Robot Creative, hosts a monthly live podcast for small business owners to discuss marketing topics with one of our Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs). You’ll hear from marketing experts about evolving landscapes and best practices in marketing strategy, building your brand, data analytics, advertising, social media, content marketing, SEO and more!

Join the discussion live and ask questions or catch up when new episodes drop on our channel, and take away key insights you can begin using immediately. Marketing your business can be a challenge, but we are here to help.

Join an Upcoming Live Recording

Watch Past Episodes on YouTube

$In this episode of The CMO Scoop, Lara sits down with fractional CMO MaryAnne Schweers to break down the art and science of marketing for long sales cycles. Whether you're selling into the government, a large enterprise, or even a small business with an entrenched buying process, MaryAnne shares real-world stories and actionable strategies to help you stay in the game — and win it. From navigating multiple decision-makers and getting on approved vendor lists, to using CRM data to find where your sales process is breaking down, this episode is packed with insights for business owners, sales leaders, and marketers alike. In this video, they cover: 00:00 – Welcome & What Is a Long Sales Cycle? 05:30 – Getting on the Approved Vendors List & Identifying the Right Buyers 12:00 – The Hot Sauce Story: Never Judge a Book by Its Cover 22:00 – The Boeing Account: Rolling With Procurement Changes 34:00 – Managing Multiple Decision-Makers & Feeding Your CRM 46:00 – Audience Live Q&A: Working Multiple Buyers in Sales & Marketing 54:00 – Finding Your Competitive Advantage (Including the PE Firm Angle) SUBSCRIBE TO THE CMO SCOOP » https://www.youtube.com/@robot-creative FOLLOW ON EVENTBRITE FOR UPCOMING EPISODES » https://www.eventbrite.com/o/robot-creative-38134132343 RECOMMEND A TOPIC » https://robotcreative.com/resources/cmo-scoop/ JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR MORE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/branding/ CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA » LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/robot-creative_2 » Instagram: https://instagram.com/robotcreative » Facebook: https://facebook.com/robotcreative » Twitter: https://x.com/RobotCreative ABOUT OUR GUEST – MaryAnne Schweers MaryAnne Schweers is a seasoned marketing and IT professional with over 30 years of experience working with small business entrepreneurs and large enterprise organizations. Her strategic approach focuses on aligning marketing initiatives with business objectives to drive growth and market share. By leveraging data-driven insights and fostering collaborative environments, she ensures that marketing strategies are both innovative and effective, tailored to meet the unique challenges of each industry she serves. ABOUT OUR HOST - LARA AUGUST Lara August is the founder and CEO of Robot Creative. An expert in branding and marketing, she has developed marketing and growth plans for more than 100 businesses. Her achievements have earned her recognition as “Innovator” from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Small Business Association, an Outstanding New Business Leader by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio’s “40 under 40.”$

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy43NDhFRTgwOTRERTU4Rjg3

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy44Mjc5REFBRUE2MTdFRDU0

$Lara August and Belinda Gudmundsson discuss evolving website trends, emphasizing the impact of AI on design and functionality. They explore the importance of understanding target audiences, utilizing intuitive platforms, and the shift towards engaging, visually dynamic content. The conversation highlights the need for strategic planning in website development and digital marketing. Key topics will include: 00:56 Evolution of website trends 06:10 Selecting the right platform for your website 12:13 AI transformation and new technologies 18:19 Integrating AI into web development 24:22 White space and bold colors to enhance user experience 30:24 Website mobile usability 36:36 Balancing UI and UX for aesthetics and functionality 42:30 Content consumption trends 48:32 Creating a strong connection between marketing messages and actual offerings 54:39 AI influencers are becoming more prevalent SUBSCRIBE TO THE CMO SCOOP / @robot-creative FOLLOW ON EVENTBRITE FOR UPCOMING EPISODES » https://www.eventbrite.com/o/robot-creative-38134132343 RECOMMEND A TOPIC » https://robotcreative.com/resources/cmo-scoop/ JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR MORE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/fractional-cmo-outsourced-cmo/ » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/marketing-plans/ CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA » LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/robot-creative_2 » Instagram: https://instagram.com/robotcreative » Facebook: https://facebook.com/robotcreative » Twitter: https://x.com/RobotCreative ABOUT OUR GUEST – BELINDA GUDMUNDSSON Belinda Gudmundsson is the Creative Director at Robot Creative. She is a versatile director of strategy, creative, production, media and marketing. An award-winning creative leader with 20+ years collaborating with producers, writers, editors, animators and national C-suite executives and clients. ABOUT OUR HOST - LARA AUGUST Lara August is the founder and CEO of Robot Creative. An expert in branding and marketing, she has developed marketing and growth plans for more than 100 businesses. Her achievements have earned her recognition as “Innovator” from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Small Business Association, an Outstanding New Business Leader by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio’s “40 under 40.”$

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy5DMkU4NTY1QUFGQTYwMDE3

$Search Engine Marketing has seen some major changes and volatility with the rise of AI search. In this episode of the CMO Scoop, host Lara August and guest Lana Harris will be discussing the changing landscape of search engine marketing now that AI is in the mix, now referred to as GEO. Key topics will include: Major SEM changes with the intro of AI How Google is ranking AI-generated content How to capture your share of the AI search market Content types that worker both SEO and GEO Technical website considerations In this video, they cover: 00:00 Meet Lana Harris: 18 Years in SEO 07:12 The New “Sitemap” for AI Discovery 17:11 GA Dashboards, SEMrush, and Competitive Benchmarks 26:44 Write Better AI-Assisted Content 36:28 When AI Gets Your Brand Wrong 40:56 AI Images, FAQs, and Schema 48:13 Wrap-Up SUBSCRIBE TO THE CMO SCOOP / @robot-creative FOLLOW ON EVENTBRITE FOR UPCOMING EPISODES » https://www.eventbrite.com/o/robot-creative-38134132343 RECOMMEND A TOPIC » https://robotcreative.com/resources/cmo-scoop/ JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR MORE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/fractional-cmo-outsourced-cmo/ » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/marketing-plans/ CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA » LinkedIn: / robot-creative_2 » Instagram: / robotcreative » Facebook: / robotcreative » Twitter: https://x.com/RobotCreative ABOUT OUR GUEST – LANA HARRIS Lana Harris is the President and Director of Marketing at Robot Creative. She has more than 25 years of experience developing, managing, and executing initiatives in agency and corporate environments. She's implemented hundreds of marketing and communications plans that drive business results across multiple channels. ABOUT OUR HOST - LARA AUGUST Lara August is the founder and CEO of Robot Creative. An expert in branding and marketing, she has developed marketing and growth plans for more than 100 businesses. Her achievements have earned her recognition as “Innovator” from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Small Business Association, an Outstanding New Business Leader by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio’s “40 under 40.”$

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy4yQUE2Q0JEMTk4NTM3RTZC

$Video has outperformed the written word on every platform and for almost every use for years, but many SMBs are still slow to adopt it. On this episode of the CMO Scoop, Lara August and guest Belinda Gudmundsson will cover the importance of leading your marketing efforts with video in 2026, as well as how to get started. Key topics will include: Why video is so important The many platforms and uses for video How to get started with video on any budget Low-end and high-end production, and what that means Getting the most mileage out of your videos In this video, they cover: 00:00 Meet Belinda Gudmundsson: Creative Director at Robot 02:15 The Importance of Video in Marketing 09:01 Getting Started with Video on a Budget 17:59 Maximizing the Impact of Your Videos 26:41 Researching Competitors and Industry Standards 35:27 Capturing and Post-Production 40:13 Choosing the Right Microphone 45:25 AI in Video Production SUBSCRIBE TO THE CMO SCOOP / @robot-creative FOLLOW ON EVENTBRITE FOR UPCOMING EPISODES » https://www.eventbrite.com/o/robot-creative-38134132343 RECOMMEND A TOPIC » https://robotcreative.com/resources/cmo-scoop/ JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR MORE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/fractional-cmo-outsourced-cmo/ » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/marketing-plans/ CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA » LinkedIn: / robot-creative_2 » Instagram: / robotcreative » Facebook: / robotcreative » Twitter: https://x.com/RobotCreative ABOUT OUR GUEST – BELINDA GUDMUNDSSON Belinda Gudmundsson is the Creative Director at Robot Creative. She is a versatile director of strategy, creative, production, media and marketing. An award-winning creative leader with 20+ years collaborating with producers, writers, editors, animators and national C-suite executives and clients. ABOUT OUR HOST - LARA AUGUST Lara August is the founder and CEO of Robot Creative. An expert in branding and marketing, she has developed marketing and growth plans for more than 100 businesses. Her achievements have earned her recognition as “Innovator” from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Small Business Association, an Outstanding New Business Leader by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio’s “40 under 40.”$

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy5DQ0MyQ0Y4Mzg0M0VGOEYw

$Marketing plans require long-term planning, and that tends to get put on the back burner in small businesses. Our motto is to keep it simple, or it won’t get done. On this episode of the CMO Scoop, Lara August and guest Lana Harris will be discussing the fundamentals of a basic marketing plan. They will answer audience questions about everything from selecting activities, hitting goals and creating budgets. Key topics will include: The basics of a marketing plan The need for clear business goals How to set a marketing budget Picking activities to hit your goals Measuring results In this video, they cover: 00:00 Meet Lana Harris: Director of Marketing 04:51 Defining Your Audience 10:55 Setting Clear Business Goals 16:06 Creating an Effective Marketing Budget 22:34 Choosing the Right Marketing Activities 30:03 Key Metrics for Digital Marketing 38:07 Common Marketing Mistakes and Lessons Learned 42:55 Q&A Session: Marketing Strategies and Challenges 48:39 Conclusion and Next Steps SUBSCRIBE TO THE CMO SCOOP https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC19yo6Jw5_B51ORRBGdTV5Q FOLLOW ON EVENTBRITE FOR UPCOMING EPISODES » https://www.eventbrite.com/o/robot-creative-38134132343 RECOMMEND A TOPIC » https://robotcreative.com/resources/cmo-scoop/ JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR MORE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/fractional-cmo-outsourced-cmo/ » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/marketing-plans/ CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA » LinkedIn: / robot-creative_2 » Instagram: / robotcreative » Facebook: / robotcreative » Twitter: https://x.com/RobotCreative ABOUT OUR GUEST – LANA HARRIS Lana Harris is the President and Director of Marketing at Robot Creative. She has more than 25 years of experience developing, managing, and executing initiatives in agency and corporate environments. She's implemented hundreds of marketing and communications plans that drive business results across multiple channels. ABOUT OUR HOST - LARA AUGUST Lara August is the founder and CEO of Robot Creative. An expert in branding and marketing, she has developed marketing and growth plans for more than 100 businesses. Her achievements have earned her recognition as “Innovator” from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Small Business Association, an Outstanding New Business Leader by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio’s “40 under 40.”$

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy43MTI1NDIwOTMwQjIxMzNG

$SMBs looking for growth opportunities should consider channel sales strategies. On this episode of the CMO Scoop, Lara August and guest CMO MaryAnne Schweers will be discussing ways that small businesses can tap into the power of channel sales and marketing to expand their visibility and grow their revenue. Key topics will include: • What is a channel sales strategy? • What types of opportunities are there? • How to get started • Making the most of channel relationships • Dos and Don’ts In this video, they cover: 00:00 Meet Marianne Schweers 07:23 Expanding Market Presence with Partnerships 14:14 Government and Prime Contractor Opportunities 24:06 Brainstorming Channel Sales for Different Industries 31:10 Strategies for Small Companies and Startups 38:25 Dos and Don'ts of Channel Relationships 44:06 Boosting Credibility and Increasing Leads 49:58 Real Estate Market Dynamics and Strategies 51:53 Conclusion and Upcoming Events FOLLOW ON EVENTBRITE FOR UPCOMING EPISODES » https://www.eventbrite.com/o/robot-creative-38134132343 RECOMMEND A TOPIC » https://robotcreative.com/resources/cmo-scoop/ JOIN THE MAILING LIST FOR MORE MARKETING TOOLS & RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/ ADDITIONAL RESOURCES » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/fractional-cmo-outsourced-cmo/ » https://robotcreative.com/marketing/marketing-plans/ CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA » LinkedIn: / robot-creative_2 » Instagram: / robotcreative » Facebook: / robotcreative » Twitter: https://x.com/RobotCreative ABOUT OUR GUEST – MaryAnne Schweers MaryAnne Schweers is a seasoned marketing and IT professional with over 30 years of experience working with small business entrepreneurs and large enterprise organizations. Her strategic approach focuses on aligning marketing initiatives with business objectives to drive growth and market share. By leveraging data-driven insights and fostering collaborative environments, she ensures that marketing strategies are both innovative and effective, tailored to meet the unique challenges of each industry she serves. ABOUT OUR HOST - LARA AUGUST Lara August is the founder and CEO of Robot Creative. An expert in branding and marketing, she has developed marketing and growth plans for more than 100 businesses. Her achievements have earned her recognition as “Innovator” from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Young Entrepreneur of the Year from the Small Business Association, an Outstanding New Business Leader by the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio’s “40 under 40.”$

YouTube Video UExoaEhfeEJtOU5tb0xNY0FMR0pwbUl5ajJDUXNUeGdkQy5DNzE1RjZEMUZCMjA0RDBB