Zesty Marketing Podcast

Storied messaging and getting into the minds of the individuals in your brand’s audience are just a couple of ways that our podcast guests continue to be incubators for big ideas.Jennifer Barbee, CEO, and Kristen Cruz, President, of Destination Innovate have been working in digital marketing for nearly 20 years and are redefining the ad agency model.They’ve worked with over 400 brands, helping businesses modernize their marketing with new approaches in brand influencers and paid endorsers, looking at the bigger picture in data and statistics, and jumping on board the future of marketing – now. Resource: Destination Innovate websiteWant more?Find companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Whether you're launching a new business or product, working to boost brand awareness, eager to promote an event, or hoping to go viral, there are countless opportunities to do so through the use of traditional media like print news, magazines, radio and television. The key is knowing whom to contact and what to say when you do.The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and American Advertising Federation of Greater Frederick recently gathered a group of media insiders together for a panel discussion on getting noticed by the media and I had the pleasure of moderating the discussion. While not my typical podcast format or studio-crisp audio quality, the tips and strategies felt so valuable that I asked for and got permission to record it and share it with you. I hope you’ll forgive a few inconsistencies in our sound mix.Representatives from five local media outlets gave us an amazing cross-section of views. Panelists included Guy Fletcher, editor in chief of Frederick Magazine, Andy Wyatt, vice-president and general manager of Nexstar Media, WDVM, Geordie Wilson, publisher at the Frederick News Post, Kim Dow, owner and creative director of Sass Magazine, and Dianah Gibson, news director of WFMD and WFRE radio.Download our 5 Step Podcast Startup Checklist for free if you're considering starting your own podcast!Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

The Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance (MATPRA) is a cohesive tourism unit comprised of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC! They serve travel journalists from across the country and their DMO partners by providing resources for destination marketers to network with each other and pitch to the media, ignoring geographic boundaries and empowering tourism in the region.Melissa Muntz of Visit Frederick, MD, and Kaitie Burger of Discover Lehigh Valley, PA, are on the Board of Directors for MATPRA. One of their biggest annual events is the Media Marketplace, a conference that brings journalists and DMOs together at a host destination. Melissa and Kaitie will talk about how they decide who is allowed to attend the Marketplace and how it benefits the tourism industry for the better. They'll also share some tips for networking and building relationships.Download our 5 Step Podcast Startup Checklist for free if you're considering starting your own podcast!Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

People are catching onto the “buzz” about honey wine at Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery in Middletown, MD. Mead is a unique and lesser known alcoholic drink than beer, wine, and spirits. It’s made with fermented honey, which of course comes from some of our most important insects - bees!Dan Kennedy is our podcast guest from Orchid Cellar, and he'll talk to us about how he uses community partners, events, and appeals to history buffs and pop culture enthusiasts to get people onboard the mead train. He'll also share with us some startling bee facts (and puns), including how many thousands of pounds of honey Orchid Cellar needs to produce their mead every year (it will probably astound you)!Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

A bayside campground unlike any other, Buttonwood Beach is incredibly unique in that guests sign a 99-year renewable lease on the properties. In some cases, up to five generations of campers have enjoyed going to Buttonwood, finding seashells by the Chesapeake Bay and getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life.Deb Carter operates and markets Buttonwood Beach. She will share with us some of her marketing success, including how she and her team planned and celebrated Buttonwood’s 45th birthday last summer, which turned out to be a smash hit that campers of all ages loved! She’ll talk about the importance of forming real, authentic relationships with your customers and the power of word-of-mouth marketing, so listen up! Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

This week's guest, Natalie Lauzon, is the Business Development Manager for 50 Degrees North, a travel operator specializing in the Scandinavian and Nordic countries. Natalie will dive into how she and her company craft unique custom-made tours targeting niche groups of travelers, including women-only trips. By forming valuable partnerships with both industry and non-industry partners, 50 Degrees North creates one of a kind tours that give travelers the incredible experiences they've been looking for.Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Whether you're a beachside resort town, a big bustling city, or a quaint rural county, Tom Merrick has the same advice for you: find your "One Thing." Just one thing that will guide your marketing and bring more people to your destination. Tom is the Chief Creative Officer for Paradise Advertising, a firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tom specializes in helping brands and destinations find their "One Thing" that will become the pillar of their marketing efforts and messages. On this episode, Tom shares some of these incredible insights.Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Tenth Ward Distilling in Frederick, Md, is known for creating Maryland's first absinthe. Owner and "boss lady," Monica Pearce talks about how she grows and engages her brand ambassadors through limited edition spirit releases and a Bottle Club that mimics a wine club. She’ll also reveal how she makes visiting Tenth Ward’s tasting room an experience, by reinforcing the Tenth Ward brand in her new space in downtown Frederick and training her employees to be good storytellers and brand experts.Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Want to learn the secret to which images attract more guests to your destination? Then listen to this week's episode with Andrew Woods of Digital Edge Marketing! Digital Edge is an agency in Jacksonville, FL, that specializes in digital marketing for DMOs (destination marketing organizations). In this episode, Andrew sheds some light on the scientific research behind destination marketing imagery: what kinds of images people are most drawn to and why, and he shares some creative ideas for how to spice up stock photos to make them your own.Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

When you imagine the “home of the Internet,” do you picture aisles of blinking web servers living right underneath a vibrant farming community? Well, this is the reality of Loudoun County, VA. Located roughly 25 miles outside of the nation’s capital, Loudoun County is known as “DC’s Wine Country,” and is home to vineyards, breweries, horse farms, and of course, a massive technology hotspot.Brian Tinsman is the Digital Properties Manager for Loudoun County Economic Development, and it’s his job to strategize and create the marketing messages to grow and support Loudoun businesses and draw new business owners to the area. On this episode, Brian will talk about what he finds most effective in content-driven marketing and share some of his tips for success.Want more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Eight Oaks Craft Distillers is a farm distillery with a tasting room that attracts 8,000 guests a year for tours, tastings, cocktails, and more. Chad Butters, a former military pilot, is the CEO and co-founder. Chad and his crew grow all of their grains and craft them into their exceptional spirits onsite, and home craftsmanship is a big part of how they market Eight Oaks. In this week’s episode, Chad shares with us 3 important tips for how to market a craft distillery (or brewery, winery, cidery -- take your pick!), so tune in!Resources: Eight Oaks websiteWant more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Are you inspired by nature and sustainability? Well, Norway's tourism industry thrives on both of those things, and it shows in the way they market themselves as a destination. Beate Gran is the Digital Marketing Manager for Visit Norway, and on this week's episode, Beate reveals her "data geek" side as she tells us all about retargeting audiences, lookalike audiences, and using analytics and metrics to measure the success of Visit Norway's campaigns. She also tells us about the power of engaging and inspirational storytelling. Resources: Visit Norway's website Want more? Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard. Suggest a guest on Facebook. Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

As a fairly new form of entertainment, escape rooms can be tricky to market to an unaware public audience. Well, Chris Sparks has it all figured out. Chris is the owner of Surelocked In Escape Games in Frederick, Maryland. His family-owned business dabbles in what he calls “special unorthodox marketing” -- and it’s working! On this week's episode, Chris reveals how Surelocked In has been tremendously successful thanks to he and his family’s energetic and unique marketing tactics, like guerrilla marketing.Resources: Surelocked In Escape Games's websiteWant more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Bartender turned distiller and CEO, Jaime Windon tells us how Lyon Distilling succeeds with a very "anti-forced marketing" perspective. She feels that giving people something of value is the best marketing there is and shares several examples of how Lyon gets it right (and where they got it wrong). Jaime also discusses the strong collaboration with other tourism partners in St. Michaels, Maryland and other distillers throughout the state. As the president of the Maryland Distillers Guild, Jaime works constantly to promote and grow the craft spirits industry.Resource: Lyon Distilling websiteWant more?Find companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Chris Riehl, of Baltimore Rent-A-Tour, provides custom tours to a variety of locals and visitors alike, giving them a great taste of the Maryland and DC metro area. He joins Whitney Hahn on the Zesty Marketing Podcast to discuss how he makes the most out of networking events, community relationships, and social media to boost business and tourism.Want more?Find companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Austin Widdowson is no stranger to marketing, branding, and designing, as he is the Brand Marketing Director at Evolution Craft Brewing Co. in Salisbury, Maryland. But Austin takes this knowledge beyond his work at the brewery; he believes self-marketing, taking risks, and becoming a self-learner are vital for all those who are aspiring marketers. On this week’s episode, Austin tell us how to brand and sell the best version of yourself to employers, build and strengthen your creative portfolio, and become a jack-of-all-trades marketer. Resources: Evolution Brewing Co.'s website Austin Widdowson's website Want more? Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard. Suggest a guest on Facebook. Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

We know as well as you do that marketing an entire city, region, or county is not a easy job — and Frank DiVenti knows it, too! Frank is the COO of Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, a non-profit DMO for the Maryland county. Frank will tell us how he and his team manage to successfully market the diverse, expansive, and distinct regions in his county by dividing their audience base and websites to serve each of their distinct niche markets. Resources: Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County website Want more? Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard. Suggest a guest on Facebook. Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

While our guest for today isn't Yogi Bear, we've got the next best thing: Jim Westover, Vice President of Product Development and Sales for Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts. This summer, Jellystone ran a wildly successful "Camping Hack Sweepstakes," and Jim gives us an inside look at the inspiration for the campaign, how they targeted the right audience, and how it was implemented here in the U.S. as well as in Canada. And you'll want to listen up...the sweepstakes received 9,000 submissions from eager Jellystone fans, so it was a smash hit! See some examples of the Camping Hacks in our companion article! Resources: Jellystone Park website Want more? Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard. Suggest a guest on Facebook. Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Imagine you're responsible for marketing an international tourism hotspot of America: Washington, D.C., Maryland, AND Virginia. For Stacey Sheetz, she doesn't have to imagine -- she does it! Stacey is the Digital Marketing Manager for Capital Region USA (CRUSA), a non-profit tourism coalition that seeks to attract visitors from select international markets and bring them to the area. In this podcast episode, Stacey discusses some of the challenges she faces in targeting foreign audiences (and how she's learned from her mistakes...read our companion article to see a gorgeous photo advertisement that received some backlash from U.K. visitors!), but also the benefits of making an effort to market your destination abroad. Resources: Capital Region USA website Want more? Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard. Suggest a guest on Facebook. Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.

Crack open a cold one and hear Whitney and guests Ben Savage and Erin Weston of Flying Dog Brewery open up about their marketing methods and how they've turned around a legal battle for their First Amendment rights to benefit their brand identity and market themselves in the edgy and daring ways they love. They will also talk about a smart partnership they've formed to bring awareness to the craft beer industry and beer-centric agriculture.Resources: Flying Dog websiteWant more?Find the companion articles and other helpful tidbits on video production and promotion from Digital Bard.Suggest a guest on Facebook.Rate or review this podcast on iTunes.