Marketing Insights and Advice from Patrick McFadden

Patrick McFadden

CEO, marketing consultant, speaker, and author Patrick McFadden, founded the Indispensable Marketing Process to help owner and CEOs of small businesses have a logical or process way to understand, buy, and implement small business marketing services.


McFadden acknowledges that marketing can be challenging for small to mid size organizations, who are often working with limited time, money, attention-spans and resources.


In 2023 - 2024 McFadden started engaging with LinkedIn Collaborative Articles. A place for unlocking community knowledge in an all new way. It starts with an article on a professional topic or skill, written with the help of AI — but it’s not complete without insights and advice from people with real-life experiences. They invited experts to contribute and here are his insights and advice:

How can you build strong relationships with clients and partners virtually?

What also needs consideration for building strong relationships with clients and partners virtually is an obsession or strategic focus on touchpoints that often go ignored.


At my marketing firm, we believe value has to be intentionally delivered throughout every touchpoint:


  • Email updates 📧
  • Calendar invites 📅
  • Video calls 📹
  • Agendas 📋
  • Reporting structures 📊
  • Newsletters 🗞️
  • Announcements 📢
  • Billing 💵

How can you show customers that you are committed to delivering on your promises?

One approach I've found effective and successful for showing customers that your company is committed to delivering on your promises is to make actions the voice of your brand promise.


Today, the common thread in almost every element of delivering a promise message is actions. Actions are how you prove the business does what it says it will do. They are how you give your brand promise a voice, and because of that, you must take a strategic and process-oriented approach to how your actions are developed.


Look at the way you deliver your service, the experience your client has, the way billing is completed, the cleanup process after the job, and all the ways your firm comes into contact with a prospect and customer.

What is the importance of a unique selling proposition for small business branding?

Based on my hands-on experience advising local small businesses, let me tell you, having a unique selling proposition (USP) is as crucial for your brand as nailing down other identity essentials—like your company name, logo, colors, and all the vibes that make your business uniquely yours. 


It's not just about standing out; it's about becoming that brand everyone knows, likes, and trusts. 


Think of your USP as one of these assets that sets your business apart, making it relatable, lovable, and trustworthy in the eyes of your customers.

What is the best way to assess competition in the digital space?

Still don't see anyone taking this approach. From my experience being a strategic small business marketing consultant, the best way to assess competition in the digital space is by deconstructing their customer journey. 


  1. Research every touchpoint a competitor uses to interact with and move its prospects and customers.
  2. Move on to audit the elements of their online presence.
  3. Put together a grid of content types – awareness, nurturing, education & conversion. Do they blog, create eBooks, newsletters or webinars?
  4. What can you learn about their culture? Do they publicly display their beliefs, can you monitor what’s being said about them online?
  5. Do they have a set methodology for conducting business?
  6. What do they stand for?

How can feedback be used to develop a digital strategy?

"I've been emphasizing to every owner and CEO who would listen: 'You must develop a strategy before you even think about tactics. This is the key element to make marketing effective.'


Essentially, you must conduct a diagnosis before determining the prescription. Part of a marketing diagnosis is seeking the feedback of ideal customers regarding their content consumption preferences, decision-making process, digital channels, and understanding what instills confidence in buying.


This insight leads you to developing your digital strategy. 


If a client mentions your past awarded contract size as a decision-making element, then you would include that in your digital strategy.

What are the most common issues that can affect your website's performance?

In my experience working with small businesses, the most common issue affecting their website's performance is on-page SEO optimization.


If your website doesn't appear on the first page of search results on Google, Bing, or Yahoo, potential customers might not even know you exist.


A robust SEO strategy focuses on getting your entire website to rank well. Instead of using generic keywords across all pages, tailor your SEO page-by-page, giving each webpage the best shot at ranking.


What's often overlooked is the link between your website's SEO and your Google Business Profile. Your website serves as the gateway to improved local rankings on Google's local pack. 

How can you use user research to create a content strategy framework?

One effective method is leveraging customer reviews on platforms like Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc. This strengthens content, messaging and boosts marketing effectiveness.


By examining the actual words used in reviews, beyond star ratings, you can make informed decisions, tailoring content, messaging, and services to meet customer needs.


Pay attention to recurring themes in reviews, noting topics like pricing clarity, prompt response times, or efficient installation processes. These patterns indicate areas where customers often seek clarification or additional information, providing valuable cues for content strategy.

How can you use video storytelling to target buyer personas and sales funnel stages?

To utilize video storytelling for targeting buyer personas and sales funnel stages, broaden your perspective.


When you think of your business’s sales strategy, you may be tempted to think of it as only relating to the actual transaction where a customer pays for the good or service you offer.


In today's business landscape, the relationship with customers is far from linear. Interactions occur through various channels: on your website, in-person, over the phone, via email, in Google search, or on social media.


Given the non-linear nature of this journey, your video storytelling can influence each phase. 


As you construct a model catering to needs at every stage, consider the integral role your video storytelling plays in this model.

How can video content improve your publishing strategy?

Instead of asking, "How can video content improve your publishing strategy?" it's better to address, "How can video be used at every stage of the customer journey?"


From their initial Google search to their most recent purchase, every touchpoint adds up to a total customer journey. In today's digital world, numerous touchpoints need consideration. Adding video to the path your customer takes with your business is crucial to creating loyalty, repeat business, and generating numerous referrals.


You must consider your video content as a means to achieve a strategic business goal/objective.


For most small businesses, the secret to creating video content isn’t quantity but intention. 


View its production from a strategic point of view.

How can you ensure that your digital strategy team targets your ideal audience effectively?

When my marketing firm collaborates with the digital/branding team of a small business, we've discovered to effectively target your ideal audience, you must create a sketch of this ideal client. 


This sketch should include demographics, needs, goals, & central behaviors, enabling you to pinpoint the hottest prospect.


Since most businesses won't have just one ideal client, it is helpful to create personas representing a handful of clients:


These personas should address these questions:


  • What does this persona look like in terms of demo and psycho?
  • What problems are they attempting to solve?
  • What behaviors can help you identify them?
  • What objections must you overcome?
  • Where do they obtain information—books, websites, social, mags, etc.?

How can branding help you establish your expertise?

From my perspective, leveraging branding for expertise involves embodying that "branding is the art of becoming knowable, likable, and trustable."


In this context, content is crucial for individuals and organizations. It educates, fostering an environment where people know, like, and trust you enough for business.


Effective content imparts knowledge and builds a positive perception, acting as a bridge beyond transactions.


Strategically, content contributes significantly to personal or organizational branding. Consistent delivery of valuable content positions you as an authority, reinforcing knowability, likability, and trustworthiness.


Thus, content creation becomes a powerful tool for shaping and reinforcing expertise.

What are the steps to identify the most profitable market segments for your brand?

In my role as a small business marketing consultant, identifying the most profitable market segments for your brand can be achieved in 5 concise steps.


Applying these steps systematically to your current client base reveals profound insights about your ideal client—insights surpassing traditional marketing teachings.


  1. Identify Profitable Clients: Recognize your profitability
  2. Isolate Referrers: Spotlight clients consistently referring your services within this group
  3. Uncover Demographics: Pinpoint shared demographic traits among this select group
  4. Understand Ideal Behavior: Delve into behaviors making these clients ideal for your business
  5. Craft a Profile: Compile findings into a detailed profile for actionable insights

How can you use competitive analysis tools to evaluate your distribution channels?

One thing I've found helpful in using competitive analysis tools to evaluate distribution channels is to dissect the customer journey. By researching every stage of the customer journey an organization uses to interact with and move its prospects to customers, you can know:


  • What do they do to create awareness?
  • What do they do to educate prospects and customers?
  • How do they build trust?
  • How does someone sample their solution, expertise, or offering?
  • How do they convert prospects to paying clients and generate referrals?

How do you create a content marketing plan that avoids fatigue and emphasizes quality?

Drawing from my experience as a small business marketing consultant, crafting a content marketing plan that sidesteps fatigue and prioritizes quality is straightforward:


Approach content production strategically.


Emphasize intention over quantity. 


The objective is to create content with a purpose that aligns with business goals—creating awareness, educating, building trust, converting, and fostering referrals. By doing so, you're likely to develop an asset that yields a substantial return.


In simpler terms, you need content tailored for every facet of the customer journey,  and the most effective approach is to align various types of content with each stage.

Big News: Google LSA Ads Update Opens New Opportunities for Remodeling Contractor Marketing

By Patrick McFadden • January 13, 2025
Discover how Google’s LSA update impacts kitchen & bathroom remodeling marketing. Learn SEO tips to attract leads and boost visibility in Richmond VA & beyond.

The Future of Marketing and Selling May Not Be To Humans But AI Agents

By Patrick McFadden • January 9, 2025
For years, the focus of marketing and sales has been to appeal directly to human customers—to connect emotionally, build trust, and ultimately close the deal. But the rules are changing, and small businesses need to be aware of a massive shift on the horizon: the rise of AI agents as decision-makers. At first, this may sound like science fiction. After all, aren’t people the ones making purchases? But the reality is that artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming the gatekeeper for consumer and business decisions. Understanding this shift is critical for small businesses, as it offers both challenges and opportunities. Let’s dive into what’s happening, why it’s happening, and how your small business can prepare. What Are AI Agents? AI agents are advanced technologies designed to handle complex tasks for consumers. They don’t just provide recommendations—they make decisions. Think of an AI agent as a virtual assistant that interprets your needs, evaluates options, and executes the best solution on your behalf. Here’s a simple example: You might tell your AI assistant, “Find me a hotel near Central Park for two nights within a $1,000 budget.” In response, your AI: Searches available hotels. Compares prices, reviews, and amenities. Books the best option without you needing to lift a finger. For the consumer, it’s all about convenience. For businesses, however, it changes the game: your target audience is no longer just the human buyer—it’s the AI agent. Why Is This Happening? Convenience for Consumers Consumers want faster, easier, and more reliable decision-making. With so much information available, the process of comparing options can be overwhelming. AI agents streamline this process by narrowing down choices and delivering results that align with the consumer's preferences. AI’s Superior Decision-Making AI can process far more data than a human ever could. It evaluates everything from price and reviews to proximity and availability, all in seconds. This allows it to make decisions that are more informed and objective. Consumer Trust in AI As AI becomes more sophisticated, people are increasingly comfortable delegating decisions to their virtual assistants. Trust is shifting from brands directly to the AI agents that curate and recommend those brands. Simple Examples of AI in Action Small businesses are already seeing AI at work in various industries. Here are a few scenarios to illustrate what’s happening: Travel and Hospitality A traveler asks their AI assistant to book a flight and hotel for a weekend getaway. The AI evaluates options, finds the best deals, and books everything. The business that optimizes its data for AI discovery wins the booking. Retail A customer needs a pair of running shoes. Their AI searches for shoes with great reviews, the right size, and quick delivery. It bypasses generic search results and goes straight to businesses with clear, accessible product data. Healthcare A health app uses AI to evaluate symptoms and recommend over-the-counter solutions. Pharmacies with optimized digital listings and relevant information are prioritized by the AI. Home Services A homeowner asks their AI, “Find me a plumber near me with 5-star reviews who can come today.” The AI scans local listings and books the business with the most reliable and visible online presence. What This Means for Small Businesses The shift to AI-driven decision-making has huge implications for small businesses. Here’s what you need to know: 1. Your Audience is Changing You’re no longer marketing solely to human buyers—you’re marketing to the AI agents making decisions on their behalf. These agents prioritize structured data, transparent pricing, and measurable value over emotional branding. 2. Local SEO Becomes More Critical AI agents rely heavily on local search data. If your business isn’t optimized for local SEO —clear location details, accurate business hours, and positive reviews—you’ll be invisible to AI. Need help with your local SEO? Get in Touch. 3. Quality Data Wins AI thrives on structured, high-quality data. If your service descriptions, product descriptions, pricing, and availability aren’t clear and accessible, AI will skip over your business in favor of competitors who have optimized their data. Check out this article so AI doesn't skip over your business. "5 Must Have Elements of Service Area Pages" 4. Proximity Matters For many services, AI prioritizes businesses that are physically closer to the consumer. This is especially true for industries like home services, healthcare, and retail. Small businesses can capitalize on this by focusing on hyper-local SEO strategies. 4a. For Service Area Businesses, Precision is Key For service area businesses (SABs)—those that don't operate from a fixed location but serve customers within specific geographic regions—AI's prioritization mechanisms work differently compared to location-based businesses like retail stores or offices. Instead of prioritizing physical proximity alone, AI evaluates the clarity and accuracy of your defined service area. This is especially critical for industries like commercial cleaning, plumbing, pest control, HVAC, or mobile health services. Learn more about - 5 Steps: Local SEO for Service Area Businesses AI agents rely on several key factors, including: Accurate and detailed information about your service area. Keywords that highlight your services and locations. Social proof, such as reviews, ratings, and testimonials. Content that directly connects to your service area, like localized blog posts or FAQs. The accuracy and consistency of your listings on platforms like Google Business Profile. Quick response times to inquiries. A well-optimized website with clear navigation and mobile responsiveness. Integration of AI-friendly tools like chatbots to provide instant information to users and demonstrate efficiency. An active presence on local social media channels to further enhance visibility and engagement within your service area. By optimizing these elements, service area businesses can enhance their visibility and ensure AI agents prioritize them for local searches. 5. The Playing Field is Leveling While it may seem daunting, this shift levels the playing field for small businesses. Unlike traditional advertising, where big budgets dominated, AI prioritizes data quality and relevance—areas where small businesses can shine. How to Prepare Your Service Based Business for an AI-Driven World Here’s how you can start positioning your business to succeed in an AI-driven world: 1. Optimize for Local Search This step is even more critical for service-based businesses, especially those operating in specific geographic areas (like commercial cleaning, plumbers, HVAC companies, and remodel services). Focus on hyper-local SEO by including business districts, neighborhoods, zip codes, and cities you serve in your website content and Google Business Profile. Add a "service areas" page to your website to clarify where you operate. Encourage reviews that mention specific services and locations to boost credibility in local searches. Use geo-targeted keywords like “emergency cleaning services in Dallas” or “24-hour plumbing in Brooklyn.” 2. Provide High-Quality Data For service-based businesses, this means being very clear about what you offer and where : Use structured data to outline services , pricing estimates, and FAQs. Include service-specific keywords in descriptions, such as "drain cleaning" or "roof repair." Add before-and-after photos , case studies, or examples of completed projects to help AI and potential customers understand your expertise. Create mobile-friendly booking forms for easy service requests. 3. Focus on Trust and Transparency Service-based businesses rely heavily on customer trust because most services are provided on-site or involve direct customer interaction. Highlight safety measures , certifications, and background-checked employees to build confidence. Share detailed testimonials or video case studies that walk through successful projects. Be transparent about response times , pricing structures, and warranties for services. Add "Meet the Team" pages to introduce key staff or technicians, humanizing your business and building rapport. 4. Target AI-Specific Needs AI-driven search is increasingly intent-based , meaning it focuses on what customers are looking to achieve (e.g., “find a reliable roofer near me”). Service-based businesses can target this effectively by: Optimizing for voice search (e.g., "Who fixes water heaters in Austin?"). Using conversational language and FAQs that match natural language queries. Structuring content to answer specific questions like "How much does roof repair cost?" or "How long does an AC repair take?" 5. Embrace AI Tools Service-based businesses can benefit greatly from AI to improve operational efficiency: Use AI-powered scheduling tools to let customers book appointments automatically. Implement chatbots to handle inquiries about availability, pricing, and service areas. Leverage AI analytics to predict seasonal demand spike s (e.g., higher calls for HVAC repairs in summer). Adopt AI-enabled CRMs to track customer preferences and improve follow-up communication. The Opportunity Ahead While the rise of AI agents might seem like a challenge, it’s also a massive opportunity for small businesses. By optimizing your digital presence, focusing on transparency, and understanding how AI evaluates options, you can position your business to thrive in this new era. Remember: AI agents aren’t just replacing human decision-making—they’re enhancing it. By meeting AI on its terms, you’re not just staying relevant—you’re setting yourself up to win in the future of business. So, take a look at your business today. Is your data accessible? Is your local SEO in place? Are you ready to meet the needs of AI agents? The future is coming fast, and the time to prepare is now. Need Help? My marketing firm, Indispensable Marketing, provides a step-by-step strategy and implementation process tailored for service-based businesses with revenues between $750,000 and $7 million. We help optimize local SEO, craft trust-building content, and create scalable marketing processes that deliver measurable results . From foundational setup to growth-focused tactics and amplification strategies, our approach ensures clarity, confidence, and long-term success in your marketing efforts. Get in Touch

The Missing Ingredient for Small Business Marketing in 2025: Leadership, Not Tactics

By Patrick McFadden • January 9, 2025
As we approach 2025, the changes in the business landscape are going to be significant, and many companies are already feeling the pinch. If you’re one of those business owners who’s noticing a decline in leads or a drop in website traffic, you’re not alone. Something is happening in the market, and businesses are beginning to see the winners and losers emerge.  But here's the critical thing : the reason many businesses fall behind is not because they lack tactics—it’s because they lack marketing leadership. Why Marketing Leadership Matters I’ve worked with many small businesses over the years, and one thing is crystal clear: most marketing failures stem from a lack of leadership. It’s easy to get caught up in the latest marketing tactics or rush into hiring a marketing agency, but without a clear leadership strategy guiding your efforts, you’re just throwing darts at the wall. Your marketing activities might be disconnected, ineffective, and lack the cohesion that makes them truly impactful. Marketing leadership is the key to taking a business from spinning its wheels to driving real, measurable growth. Whether you have internal marketing hires, work with an agency, or manage things yourself, someone needs to own the strategy and ensure marketing activities aligns with the company’s overall growth goals. This is what I call the missing ingredient in many businesses—marketing leadership. The Three Pillars of Marketing Leadership Strategy Thinking First: It’s not just about tactics; it’s about understanding where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. This means developing a clear marketing strategy that aligns with your brand’s core identity, including who you are promising to help (ideal customers) , what problems you are promising solve for them, and how your images, metaphors, colors, words, look and feel, dress, attitude, networks, consistency represents its promises. Once the strategy is defined, you’ll know exactly where to invest your resources and which marketing channels will move the needle. Fixing the Foundations: Before you get fancy with campaigns, you need to fix the fundamentals. This means ensuring your website is a trust-building workhorse , your messaging is aligned with your ideal customer’s needs , and your content is educational and building credibility . When you have a strong foundation, every marketing effort you put forth will be more effective. Building a Repeatable Process: A solid marketing process isn’t just about running ads or posting on social media; it’s about creating a machine that works long term. This process needs to generate consistent leads, build your brand, and retain customers. A marketing leader will help you build this process, ensuring it’s repeatable, scalable, and aligned with your business’s growth objectives. Marketing Leadership as a Service: The Future of Small Business Marketing What I’m seeing—and what I believe is the future—is that agencies need to step up and offer something beyond just execution. Instead of acting as subcontractors who only perform tasks, they need to take on the role of general contractors overseeing and managing the entire marketing process. Marketing leadership as a service is about providing that strategic oversight and ensuring everything aligns with the business’s long-term goals. Think of it this way: AI may be taking over certain tactical tasks, but it’s not going to provide leadership. That human touch—the ability to analyze, strategize, and lead—is what will differentiate the winners from the losers in the coming years. Businesses will need marketing support who can step in, assess the situation, create a roadmap, and then help execute that vision. The First Step: Are You Ready? In 2025, marketing leadership will be the key to success for small businesses. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing the right things in the right order. If you haven’t embraced marketing leadership yet, now’s the time to make that shift and set your business up for long-term success. Final Thoughts It’s easy to get distracted by the shiny new marketing tactic of the week, but without a clear strategy and leadership in place, it’s hard to see real, lasting results. This year, make it a priority to focus on marketing leadership as the core of your growth strategy. The businesses that do this will be the ones that rise above the competition in 2025 and beyond.
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