Marketing Tools & ROI Reality Check S1 EP 31
Custom Cocktails and Hard Truths About What Marketing Actually Takes.
Episode Recap: When Marketing Gets Complicated S1 EP 31
This week’s episode tackles the overwhelming world of marketing tools and platforms, featuring guest Matt Tomkins, CEO of Two Brothers Creative. What starts as a story about buying expensive marketing software that nobody knew how to use becomes a deep dive into the fundamentals that actually drive business growth.
The $30,000 Marketing Automation Disaster
Brian’s tale sets the stage perfectly: VHT Studios bought the Cadillac of marketing platforms, committed to years of payments, then six weeks later discovered their team couldn’t even send a basic email. The software sat unopened like expensive digital paperweight while the cash register kept ringing for the vendor.
Sound familiar? It should. This happens everywhere, from Google Ads campaigns burning $30K monthly with zero qualified leads to businesses jumping on every new social platform without understanding their audience.
Marketing: 10% Creative, 90% Science
Matthew Tomkins drops truth bombs throughout the episode. Marketing isn’t the fun, creative playground most people think it is. It’s data analysis, audience research, and systematic testing. While everyone wants to create Super Bowl ads, the real work happens in understanding who your customer is and where they actually spend their time.
The brutal reality: Most businesses think their product is “for everybody,” which really means it’s for nobody. Without a clear customer persona, you’re shooting marketing arrows in the dark.
The Relationship Analogy That Changes Everything
Matthew’s dating analogy cuts through the noise: You wouldn’t buy gifts for someone without knowing their interests, allergies, or personality. Yet businesses constantly create marketing content without understanding their ideal customer’s hopes, fears, dreams, or daily habits.
The exercise isn’t just helpful – it’s vital. Everything from your office decor to your color choices should reflect your customer persona. VHT learned this the hard way when their 30-something male founders discovered they were selling to 65-year-old female real estate agents who weren’t into black, silver, and Star Wars themes.
Platform Focus Over Platform Hopping
Here’s where most businesses go wrong: trying to be everywhere at once. Matthew’s advice is counterintuitive but powerful – pick one platform and dominate it before moving to the next.
Instagram engagement rates for businesses? A dismal 1%. Pinterest for real estate agents? Gold mine – 85% women, median income $155K, and only 5% of agents are using it. YouTube? More monthly users than Facebook, owned by Google, and delivers more leads than any other platform.
The New Search Reality
The digital landscape is shifting faster than most realize. ChatGPT now represents 30% of search volume (Google used to own 90%), Reddit captures 12%, and AI-generated answers appear at the top of search results. Businesses focusing only on traditional SEO are missing the evolution happening right now.
The Three-Platform Strategy
For local businesses, Matthew recommends focusing on three areas:
- YouTube – Highest ROI, easiest path to page one rankings
- Google Business Profile – More important than your website for local search
- AI Search Optimization – Preparing for the ChatGPT-driven future
The rest is noise until you master these fundamentals.
Signature Cocktails: CEO Bros Marketing Edition
Brian’s “The Automation”
A sophisticated whiskey cocktail that works perfectly without unnecessary complications.
Ingredients:
- 2.5 oz Rye whiskey
- 0.5 oz Sweet vermouth
- 0.25 oz Benedictine
- 2 dashes Orange bitters
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice
- Stir until well-chilled (about 30 seconds)
- Strain into a coupe glass
- Express lemon peel oils over drink and garnish
“Like good marketing automation, this cocktail does exactly what it promises without gimmicks. Classic, reliable, and gets the job done right every time.” – Brian
Brad’s “The ROI”
A measured, results-focused cocktail that delivers exactly what you expect.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 0.75 oz Dry vermouth
- 0.25 oz Maraschino liqueur
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- Brandied cherry for garnish
Instructions:
- Stir all ingredients with ice in mixing glass
- Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube
- Garnish with brandied cherry
“Every ingredient serves a purpose, just like my approach to marketing spend. No wasted elements, clear results, and built for consistent performance.” – Brad
Matt’s “The Entertainer”
A playful rye cocktail with unexpected complexity and a dash of showmanship.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Rye whiskey
- 0.5 oz Amaro Montenegro
- 0.5 oz Fresh orange juice
- 0.25 oz Maple syrup
- 2 dashes Chocolate bitters
- Orange twist and luxardo cherry for garnish
Instructions:
- Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice
- Double strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube
- Express orange twist oils over drink
- Garnish with orange twist and luxardo cherry
“This cocktail has layers that keep you engaged. The amaro adds sophisticated bitterness while the maple and chocolate bitters bring unexpected depth. It’s approachable but memorable, just like me LOL. – Matt
Bonus Guest Cocktail
Matt Tompkin’s “The Truth Teller”
A Nebraska-inspired cocktail that cuts through the noise with honest flavors.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Corn whiskey (or high-corn bourbon)
- 0.5 oz Aperol
- 0.5 oz Lemon juice
- 0.25 oz Agave syrup
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions:
- Shake all ingredients with ice
- Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice
- Top with splash of club soda
- Garnish with lemon wheel
“Like my approach to marketing, this cocktail doesn’t hide behind fancy ingredients or complicated techniques. The corn whiskey base nods to my Nebraska roots, while the Aperol adds just enough complexity without being flashy. It’s refreshing, straightforward, and tells you exactly what it is – just like my “your baby’s ugly” honesty.” – Matt
Next Week’s Preview
Will the bros tackle hiring challenges? Scaling nightmares? Or maybe dive into why most business advice is completely backwards?
Pour yourself something strong and join us next Friday for another round of CEO Bros After Hours.
Cheers! 🥃
Want to connect with Matt Tomkins and Two Brothers Creative? Click here.