Sara Leisinger of Who’s Lance Digital Media can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Sarah Banowetz of Banowetz Marketing can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Transcription:
[Announcer] Welcome to Sarah Squared, the podcast for all things marketing, business growth, branding, and social media. Sara Leisinger is the owner of Who’s Lance Digital Media, serving start-ups and solopreneurs. And Sarah Banowetz owns Banowetz Marketing, a full-service agency located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Together, they make up Sarah Squared, dedicated to the inspiration, motivation, and education of growing companies.
Sara Leisinger: Welcome back to Sara(h) Squared.
Sarah Banowetz: Welcome. Welcome. I’m Sarah Banowetz.
Sara Leisinger: I’m Sara Leisinger. We are the Sarahs.
Sarah Banowetz: Sara(h) Squared.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. We put the Sara(h) in it. Anyway, today, we are going over the real definition of marketing. Can I get real plain?
Sarah Banowetz: Absolutely.
Sara Leisinger: Okay.
Sarah Banowetz: Do it.
Sara Leisinger: Marketing is about the market.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah.
Sara Leisinger: If I’m going to get real plain about it, people have entire departments to focus on themselves in business. What they really should be doing is having entire departments to focus on the people that require their services or their products.
Sarah Banowetz: Absolutely.
Sara Leisinger: I’m just saying. Okay. There will be podcast where, maybe, Sarah and I don’t agree, but for this particular stuff, it’s important to point out. What I see a lot with people, this is so weird to me, because what I see a lot with people when I’m helping them discuss their marketing is they go intrinsic. They’re like “Okay, well, what about me? What about me? What about me? What about me?” I’m like “Shh, it’s not about you.”
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah.
Sara Leisinger: Realistically telling people about those misconceptions about just marketing, in general, because they have entire departments of people with master’s degrees and this stuff trying to figure it out. I’m like “Dude, look up from your computer and look at the people around you. Where are their eyes? Put your message there in a way they can understand it.”
Sarah Banowetz: It’s about your customer. It’s not about you and your company as what your …
Sara Leisinger: Absolutely.
Sarah Banowetz: … company is able to provide to your customer …
Sara Leisinger: Absolutely.
Sarah Banowetz: … and what they need. You’re solving their problems with your services.
Sara Leisinger: You guys, this is going to be a fun part. We want you guys to hit up our Facebook pages, okay? If you go to Facebook, mine is actually just do the @ symbol, Who’s Lance Digital Media and tell me what you think. Like how do you relate best to your audience, how do you get your message in front of them, what are some effective ways that have worked for you or maybe some questions that you have. You can hit up Sarah’s too.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. Mine is @banowetzmarketing, which is B as in boy a-n-o-w-e-t-z marketing. We do have to add a little note in here that neither one of us has been very good about growing our own social media channels. Well, for one thing, we’re both pretty new.
Sara Leisinger: Hey, I’m looking at yours. Not yours in particular, but that’s the reason, honestly, why I have not taken the time to actively grow my social media even though it’s there. It’s present. I post regularly, but paying ourselves. I’m always looking at somebody else’s and strategizing about somebody else’s social media.
Sarah Banowetz: Exactly.
Sara Leisinger: Maybe I need to hire a marketing department.
Sarah Banowetz: I know. I was thinking about hiring you, Sara.
Sara Leisinger: Well, you should.
Sarah Banowetz: I should.
Sara Leisinger: She’s going to. She’s going to do it.
Sarah Banowetz: I probably will.
Sara Leisinger: Absolutely.
Sarah Banowetz: No, but the thing is, the thing that you’re doing for other people, do you want to get home at the end of the day and do it for yourself or no?
Sara Leisinger: Absolutely. You know what, this is a really cool thing that happens in Cedar Rapids. My friend, Jennie Morton, she owns Herringbone Freelance, but she also runs a little group called, Marketing Sprint, to help people who are, maybe, startups or starting up in business to do their own marketing. It is fabulous because it’s basically a morning where you can just dedicate to your own marketing.
Sarah Banowetz: That’s awesome. Is that the group that made Office Evolution?
Sara Leisinger: Yes. Yes. Oh, I love Office Evolution. I love Melissa over there.
Sarah Banowetz: I know. She’s amazing. What you want to do is check out Marketing Sprint on Facebook. If you can’t find it, reach out to Melissa at Office Evolution. She can give you more information.
Sara Leisinger: Absolutely. That is Office Evolution in Cedar Rapids. That’s actually one of the really cool businesses down in the NewBo area. Have you been down there lately?
Sarah Banowetz: Yes. My accountant is down there. I was just down there last week.
Sara Leisinger: So cool. Such a cool area. Among Office Evolution, there’s a couple of other co-working spaces like the Yoimono co-working space and also, The Vault.
Sarah Banowetz: Yes.
Sara Leisinger: I will go down there and work sometimes. Let’s see. I usually stop and eat at Caucho. Are you familiar with that restaurant?
Sarah Banowetz: I’m not. I actually have not been to Caucho.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. I had steak tacos there the other day. They were so good. Such good steak tacos.
Sarah Banowetz: That sounds so yummy. I need to try that. I am usually going into the NewBo Market.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. Sure.
Sarah Banowetz: I like all the-
Sara Leisinger: All the vendors in there?
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah, the vendors. Yeah. One of my favorite vendors is no longer there anymore but …
Sara Leisinger: Who is it?
Sarah Banowetz: The crepe people.
Sara Leisinger: Crepe people?
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah.
Sara Leisinger: I think the vendor that used to be in their first soul food, I want to say, moved to 16th and Cedar Rapids, Vivian’s. Was that the one that used to be in there?
Sarah Banowetz: I actually don’t really remember that.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. Vivian’s is really good. It’s on the southwest side now. It’s on 16th. It’s basically one of those places, I believe, where it’s like “Hey, once the food is gone, it’s gone.” She just puts up everyday, I believe, on her Facebook what’s available that day and then once it’s out, it’s out. It’s such good food. It’s like you definitely want to get over there as soon as possible.
Sarah Banowetz: That’s awesome. There’s another one, Pitts Barbecue. What is …
Sara Leisinger: They’re in NewBo, aren’t they?
Sarah Banowetz: They are in NewBo. They just went into NewBo in the last few months or whatever, but yeah, I know the family who runs that.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. How’s the food?
Sarah Banowetz: Something Pitts. Something Pitts Barbecue and I cannot remember.
Sara Leisinger: Smoke’n Pits.
Sarah Banowetz: Was it Smoke’n Pits?
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. I just saw the trailer the other day. I was down there. Why? Because I’m in NewBo all of the time.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. They’re really dedicated to their company. That’s awesome.
Sara Leisinger: I have not actually tried the food yet. I think I’m ready and willing to try that.
Sarah Banowetz: That’s awesome. You should.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. What are the businesses?
Sara Leisinger: Let’s see. We went over the southwest side. How about on the north side? There’s Emil’s Hideaway if you’re looking for a good restaurant.
Sarah Banowetz: That’s right. My office, Banowetz Marketing Office, is at the Executive Plaza, which is across the street from Lindale Mall …
Sara Leisinger: Plug. I’m plugging it.
Sarah Banowetz: … and next to Home Depot, but then we’re next to … It’s out my window right now.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. It’s Emil’s Hideaway.
Sarah Banowetz: Emil’s. Emil’s Hideaway.
Sara Leisinger: You totally need to go have a burger there.
Sarah Banowetz: Guys, you have to go to Emil’s Hideaway.
Sara Leisinger: It’s so good.
Sarah Banowetz: It’s good and it’s cute inside there.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: On the inside, it’s a hideaway.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. Definitely. Or if you ever get out to Marion, sometimes people, they do or they don’t, it just depends. If business takes me that way, I usually sit at Wit’s End if it’s early-
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. Wit’s End is …
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. That’s great.
Sara Leisinger: If it’s early enough in the morning, I’ll sit there. I think it’s under new ownership now, but yeah, the place is cute. It’s comfortable. It’s got the cool couches, but it’s also got desks or tables that you can work at. I like Wit’s a lot.
Sarah Banowetz: That’s awesome. Do you know that we have a new steakhouse in town?
Sara Leisinger: Where?
Sarah Banowetz: I bet you don’t know this yet.
Sara Leisinger: No, I don’t.
Sarah Banowetz: Houston Rogers.
Sara Leisinger: What the heck is that? No, I did not know that. If there’s a steakhouse, I need to know it because it’s my life.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. It’s like high-end food.
Sara Leisinger: High-end?
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. Prepared by executive chef.
Sara Leisinger: There’s an actual chef there. I don’t even believe it. I thought that only happened at the Kirkwood.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. It’s Houston Rogers Steakhouse. It’s inside the Longbranch which is off of 1st Avenue.
Sara Leisinger: Okay.
Sarah Banowetz: Houston Rogers, the name, comes from … The De Long Family who’s owned De Long branch for the past 50 years are the ones that built it. It’s still owned by the same company. Doug created a steakhouse named after his grandpa.
Sara Leisinger: Oh, that’s so cool.
Sarah Banowetz: His grandpa is H. Houston.
Sara Leisinger: You said it’s high-end. Is it like Roadhouse or is it like-
Sarah Banowetz: No. It’s like fancy and delish.
Sara Leisinger: What is it called, The Class Act? Is it like that?
Sarah Banowetz: I don’t know if I’ve been in The Class Act recently. Hey, guys. Listen, if you’re listening, you need to go to Houston Rogers steakhouse. It’s H-o-u-s-t-o-n on Facebook and like their page.
Sara Leisinger: I’m looking at it right now.
Sarah Banowetz: You can see their menu.
Sara Leisinger: Oh, that’s cool.
Sarah Banowetz: They have a tomahawk pork chop. I mean, obviously, steak too. Porterhouse, ribeye fillet, prime rib, but they also have sea bass and chicken and a tomahawk pork chop and salmon. I will tell you that I am not a foody. I did have to Google what a tomahawk pork chop was.
Sara Leisinger: What does that even mean? What is the-
Sarah Banowetz: That is with the bone in it.
Sara Leisinger: Oh.
Sarah Banowetz: Isn’t a tomahawk something you would throw or something?
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. You can fight after dinner.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. A-
Sara Leisinger: Be prepared for that when you go to Houston Rogers.
Sarah Banowetz: It’s like a fancy pork chop. I don’t like pork chops, but I’m telling you that if it had a bone and I guess I would … I don’t know. It’s unique. I like unique things.
Sara Leisinger: You know what I realized, Ian is actually in high school. I have to watch the things I say. Sorry, Ian.
Sarah Banowetz: What would you say otherwise?
Sara Leisinger: Huh?
Sarah Banowetz: What would you say that you have to watch?
Sara Leisinger: I don’t know. Sometimes things just progress in a really weird direction in my mind. Since there’s not really a filter between my mind and my mouth, yay.
Sarah Banowetz: Sara is mentioning Ian. Ian is our editor. He is a high school student at Linn-Mar.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. He’s your intern.
Sarah Banowetz: No. He’s actual employee.
Sara Leisinger: No. He’s like fully loaded, your employee.
Sarah Banowetz: Well, yeah. He’s like a high school … yeah. No, he’s an employee.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. I was thinking he is a paid intern.
Sarah Banowetz: No. Well, he’s a paid employee.
Sara Leisinger: Okay.
Sarah Banowetz: No. He actually knows his stuff.
Sara Leisinger: I have no doubt. He made that jingle?
Sarah Banowetz: Let’s name drop.
Sara Leisinger: Oh my gosh. It’s on point.
Sarah Banowetz: Him and [Akash 00:11:16] …
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: Him and Akash, they together are Gold Revere.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. Does that have a Facebook page?
Sarah Banowetz: It has a Spotify channel called, Revere.
Sara Leisinger: Okay.
Sarah Banowetz: Hey, look. I have it up right now. That’s amazing.
Sara Leisinger: On Spotify?
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah, on Spotify. It’s Gold and then R-e-v-e-r-e. Check them out. They’re amazing.
Sara Leisinger: Okay.
Sarah Banowetz: I got connected in because Ian … Well, no, because Akash was the donkey on Linn-Mar’s production of Shrek.
Sara Leisinger: I do remember you telling me this.
Sarah Banowetz: Then I just heard through the great find, I haven’t asked him yet. I need to. I could just send him a quick message, but I haven’t done this yet. That Ian was cast as the beast in upcoming Beauty and the Beast production of the Linn-Mar.
Sara Leisinger: Oh, fun.
Sarah Banowetz: That’s so cool.
Sara Leisinger: That is super clear with-
Sarah Banowetz: These are super talented high schoolers.
Sara Leisinger: Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
Sarah Banowetz: I guess interns are super talented, right?
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: I don’t know. I mean they are.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. I don’t know what we would call them. What would you think?
Sarah Banowetz: Well, because I worked in high school.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: I was a car detailer.
Sara Leisinger: I worked in high school, but I worked at a Culver’s. It was not exactly the same thing. It didn’t require talent folks. It did not require talent. No, you did not get grade A chefery there.
Sarah Banowetz: If [inaudible 00:12:49] his talent but it’s internship, I guess.
Sara Leisinger: I don’t know. Well, because I feel like if they’re learning from you, then that would technically be an internship, right?
Sarah Banowetz: I guess, but I don’t think that Ian is learning from me.
Sara Leisinger: Oh, it’s all in how you market it, huh?
Sarah Banowetz: No. He’s really talented.
Sara Leisinger: Okay. Well, that jingle-
Sarah Banowetz: He is doing the work.
Sara Leisinger: That jingle that he had …
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. Ian did-
Sara Leisinger: … that was on point.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah, he did ours.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah.
Sarah Banowetz: He’s on for another clients. The Warehouse Auto commercial that the high schoolers did. If you guys want to see some really cool stuff that local teens did, in my opinion, super cool. If you go to the Warehouse Auto in Swisher Facebook page, click on videos. Find the Through the Years video where it’s like an old fashion car on the front.
Sara Leisinger: I’m going to look at it.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah. Ian and Akash and their high school friends re-did our jingle for us at Warehouse Auto. Sorry. My parents own Warehouse Auto Company. That’s why I say us.
Sara Leisinger: I still remember their old jingle.
Sarah Banowetz: Do you?
Sara Leisinger: Yes, I do.
Sarah Banowetz: People love the old jingle.
Sara Leisinger: “Warehouse Auto.”
Sarah Banowetz: Yes. Yeah. “Warehouse Auto offers you more. Warehouse Auto.” Yeah, we did it.
Sara Leisinger: We really shouldn’t sing. We should stick to talking.
Sarah Banowetz: We should. Because I’m a horrible singer. Well, see, Sara has got the ear thing in so she can hear me sing. I can’t hear myself very well. I can, just like normal. I’m amplified in Sara’s ear.
Sara Leisinger: I am-
Sarah Banowetz: She is like “Sarah, stop singing.”
Sara Leisinger: I’m restraining myself from busting out in the song right now. I really am.
Sarah Banowetz: Are you a good singer?
Sara Leisinger: That’s debatable.
Sarah Banowetz: I bet you’re good. If you say that-
Sara Leisinger: When I was in high school, I tried up for the choir. Please, no one go crazy. This is not a thing, but at the time, several years ago, I was one of the only students of color in the school. As a result, I guess my voice came off a little differently. It didn’t blend with the rest of the choir.
Sarah Banowetz: Okay.
Sara Leisinger: They didn’t let me into the top choir in the school.
Sarah Banowetz: Are you serious?
Sara Leisinger: I’m serious, but it wasn’t a thing because they kept giving me solos for the rest of the year. I didn’t want them. I just wanted to see if I could make the top choir or even get my music at teacher’s opinion on whether or not my voice was okay, but they kept giving me the solos. They were really embarrassing solos. They were like-
Sarah Banowetz: Could you say no?
Sara Leisinger: I could’ve but as a high schooler and I was 15 or 16 years old, I was like “Take the solo. You’re really good singer. You’ll be really good at singing. Go down, Moses.” I’m like “Okay.” What do you do with that?
Sarah Banowetz: Wow. Wow. Okay. We have gone really long with this podcast. We got to stop now, but next time, we’re going to go into depth into Who’s Lance Digital Media.
Sara Leisinger: Yeah. You guys get the BTS, the behind the scenes. Yeah. I’m definitely in the startup phase, which is why we relate so closely to other startups. I’m very excited to speak to you guys.
Sarah Banowetz: We’ll talk about startup marketing too and freelance marketing.
Sara Leisinger: Oh my gosh. It’s a beast.
Sarah Banowetz: Yeah.
Sara Leisinger: It sounds easy. It’s not.
Sarah Banowetz: In the meantime, tune in to our social channels. You can find Who’s Lance at?
Sara Leisinger: You can find Who’s Lance at Facebook. Wow, Sarah.
Sarah Banowetz: Search it.
Sara Leisinger: You can find Who’s Lance on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
Sarah Banowetz: You can find Banowetz Marketing on social media platforms, but I would also recommend going to banowetzmarketing.com. B as in boy.
Sara Leisinger: Banowetz.
Sarah Banowetz: Banowetz.
Sara Leisinger: Banowetz. It needs to stop. Bang, bang.
Sarah Banowetz: Okay. We’ll see you guys next time.
Sara Leisinger: Bang, bang, bang.
Sarah Banowetz: Bye.
Sara Leisinger of Who’s Lance Digital Media can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Sarah Banowetz of Banowetz Marketing can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
