In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the COO of Duct Tape Marketing, Sara Nay. Sara's expertise in marketing strategies for small businesses is unparalleled, offering valuable insights crucial for entrepreneurs. She emphasizes the importance of establishing a solid marketing strategy before implementing any tactics. Small businesses often need a clear plan to dive into marketing, resulting in wasted resources and poor outcomes. Sara advises laying a solid strategic foundation to guide marketing tactics and align them with business goals. Sara highlights the evolving nature of marketing, especially with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. These tools are transforming productivity and content creation. She underscores the importance of research and planning in developing thought leadership content and leveraging AI to repurpose this content across various platforms, maximizing reach and engagement. Sara stresses the significance of continuous lead generation for sustained business growth. Without a consistent flow of quality leads, even the best marketing strategies can falter. She recommends creating a system that consistently attracts and nurtures potential customers, turning them into loyal brand advocates. Key Points from the Episode: Services offered by Duct Tape Marketing Importance of strategy before tactics in marketing Evolving landscape of marketing with AI integration Advantages of working with a fractional CMO certified through Duct Tape Marketing Potential pitfalls for small businesses in marketing without a clear plan Continuous focus on lead generation for sustained business growth Incorporation of AI tools to enhance productivity and content creation Two sides of Duct Tape Marketing's business: catering to small businesses and marketing professionals Valuable resources available on the Duct Tape Marketing website for business owners and marketing professionals About Sara Nay: Sara Nay serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Duct Tape Marketing, where she has been instrumental since starting as an intern in December 2010. Over her 13+ years in the small business arena, Sara has held multiple roles within the company, progressing from community manager to account manager, consultant, salesperson, and now to operations. This breadth of experience underpins her expertise in systematically enhancing marketing and operational processes, ensuring that small business owners gain clarity and control to foster growth. Sara co-founded Spark Lab Consulting in 2021 to address operational challenges faced by small businesses after initial marketing successes. The consultancy aims to streamline operations and scalability, complementing the marketing solutions provided by Duct Tape Marketing. Outside of her career, Sara is deeply committed to an active outdoor lifestyle in Boise, Idaho, where she enjoys skiing, biking, and hiking with her husband and two daughters. Her leadership and strategic acumen are further evidenced by her top strengths: Achiever, Focus, Individualization, Strategic, and Futuristic. About Duct Tape Marketing: Duct Tape Marketing specializes in serving small to medium-sized businesses and marketing agencies by offering a unique marketing system known as the Fractional CMO+ system. This system fosters growth through streamlined marketing operations and emphasizes sustainable, strategic marketing solutions that prevent businesses from falling into the trap of short-lived tactics. With over 30 years of experience, Duct Tape Marketing has proven its approach by implementing its strategies in thousands of businesses worldwide, helping clients significantly boost their revenue and profits. The agency focuses on establishing lasting relationships with its clients by providing practical, educational support to simplify marketing efforts and enhance efficiency. Duct Tape Marketing acts as a dependable partner for business owners and agency leaders by positioning a ‘Strategy First’ approach at the forefront of its services. This approach enables clients to focus on their core business aspects while leaving the complexities of effective marketing to seasoned experts. This commitment to integrity, knowledge, and genuine connections underpins Duct Tape Marketing’s mission to transform the small business marketing landscape. Tweetable Moments: 04:25 - "Marketing works if you do it strategically." 11:12 - "We're approaching the development in AI with how can you be more productive with your team and time." Links Mentioned in this Episode: Want to learn more? Check out Duct Tape Marketing at https://ducttapemarketing.com/ Check out  Duct Tape Marketing  on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/duct-tape-marketing/ Check out  Duct Tape Marketing  on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ducttapemarketing Check out  Duct Tape Marketing  on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ducttape Check out  Duct Tape Marketing  on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/ducttapemarketing/ Check out Sara Nay on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/saranay/ More from UpMyInfluence: We are actively booking guests for our The Thoughtful Entrepreneur. Schedule HERE. Are you a 6-figure consultant? I’ve got high-level intros for you. Learn more here. What is your #1 Lead Generation BLOCKER? Take my free quiz here. Want to learn more about all the podcasts managed by UpMyInfluence? Opt in here.