Smarter Marketer

B2B service firms have been told to niche down, build helpful content and trust the funnel. But in today’s competitive market, where everyone is applying the same formula, it’s not enough to stand out. When every firm looks and sounds the same, buyers tune out. In this episode, Host James Lawrence, Co-Founder of Rocket Agency, sits down with B2B messaging strategist Alex James to unpack a smarter...

What happens when a generation that grew up online starts leading your marketing conversations? Host James Lawrence speaks with Katy Richardson, Global Head of Marketing at student living app Housr, about how Gen Z - and soon Gen Alpha - are rewriting the rules of brand engagement. Key Takeaways: How Gen Z is already influencing both consumer and B2B buying decisions, and what that means for marke...

We’re halfway through 2025 and AI is the buzzword on everyone's lips. And while it’s changing marketing fast, is the hype legitimate? Host James Lawrence is joined by Rocket Agency’s co-founder, David Lawrence, to unpack what AI adoption actually looks like on the ground, and how Australian marketers can equip themselves for what’s to come - inside agencies, in-house teams and across different mar...

What makes people say "yes"? Rocket Agency’s Co-Founder James Lawrence sits down with Dr. Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence and the world’s foremost authority on the psychology of persuasion, to talk about the timeless principles behind his work, his seventh principle of influence - Unity - and how AI, ethics and empathy are shaping persuasion in modern marketing. Key Takeaways: Origin s...

With the growth of AI and LLMs like ChatGPT, the question "Is Google dying?" is often being asked. In this episode, James Lawrence sits down with Rocket’s Head of SEO, Joe Alder, to cut through the hype and discuss the facts about how AI is impacting SEO and search traffic in 2025. The conversation is backed by Australian-first research from Rocket’s SEO team. Also discussed are the similarities a...

In-house marketers and agency leaders don’t always speak the same language - but when they do, the results can be game-changing. In this episode, host James Lawrence sits down with Drew McLellan, CEO of the Agency Management Institute, to unpack what makes agency relationships thrive or fail. Whether you're managing one agency or several, or considering switching partners altogether, this episode...

People don’t buy luxury for utility. In high-end markets, purchase decisions are driven by emotion, identity and status - not features or price points. For marketers in the high-end space, this changes everything. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, Giverny Reid - Director at creative property marketing firm &Only and former Creative and Marketing Director at Crown Group - breaks down what ac...

The agency pitch process is one of the most important - yet deeply flawed - aspects of the marketer-agency relationship. In this Smarter Marketer Podcast episode, Host James Lawrence talks about the realities of modern-day pitching with someone who’s been at the coalface for decades: industry veteran Darren Woolley, Founder and CEO of TrinityP3. Darren unpacks the latest State of the Pitch 2025 Re...

Email marketing might not be the newest toy in the digital toolbox, but it’s still one of the most powerful. In a time when AI is transforming how we work and big platforms are making it harder for businesses to own audience relationships, marketers are turning back to the basics - and doing them better. Host James Lawrence sits down with Anthony Capano, Regional Director at Intuit Mailchimp, to t...

Digital isn’t what it used to be and neither is marketing. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, James welcomes back industry legend Rand Fishkin, Co-Founder and CEO of Sparktoro, to cut through the noise as they discuss the flawed logic of traditional attribution models, the pitfalls of over-relying on Google and the importance of audience-first marketing to future-proof your digital strategy. Key...

Broad-reach campaigns are simply not enough sometimes. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is emerging as an extremely effective strategy for businesses that are seeking deeper engagement, stronger relationships with their prospective clients and higher-value deals. But what does it really take to run an effective ABM program? Host James Lawrence sits down with seasoned ABM strategist Paola Piccinno to...

In marketing, deadlines are relentless and expectations are high. It’s critical to manage stress and make clear-headed decisions under pressure. In this episode of Smarter Marketer, host James Lawrence chats with Dr. Jemma King - founder of BioPsychAnalytics and expert in stress, resilience and high performance.  Having worked with elite organisations like the Australian Olympic Swim Team, th...

In marketing, there exists a fine line between influencing decisions and crossing into manipulation. The difference? One builds trust while the other erodes it. Host James Lawrence chats with Dan Monheit, Chief CX Thinker at Thinkerbell and former CEO of creative behavioural science agency HardHat, about applying behavioural science principles like default bias and anchoring to your marketing, rel...

Rocket Agency’s top experts and Host James Lawrence discuss what will work in digital marketing in 2025 and how to set yourself up for success with the latest on SEO, digital and creative. Key Takeaways: How to navigate AI Overviews and the impact on paid search and SEO Will ChatGPT replace search engines? How to adapt SEO practices to align with AI-driven algorithms in 2025 How digital marketing...

Building your personal brand as a marketer is crucial for career advancement, establishing credibility, obtaining salary increases and creating professional opportunities. This week, James interviews Fleur Brown, celebrated author of ‘The Business of Being YOU: Personal Brand Secrets of CEOs and Celebrities’. Fleur shares why you should be building your personal brand reputation and practical tips...

Ranked in Forbes World's Most Influential 50 CMOs list, Ryan Bonnici shares career advice marketers should take onboard. Ryan has gone from marketing roles in Australia to global CMO roles for two tech unicorns in the USA. Key Takeaways: What are the benefits of working for a company that is growing quickly? The importance of owning a number/region to develop your career How to gain mentorship and...

AJ Wilcox, Founder of B2Linked, has worked with 5 of LinkedIn’s top 10 spending accounts and managed over $150 million in LinkedIn ad spend. Host James Lawrence chats with AJ as they delve into key strategies for maximising the output of LinkedIn ads in 2025, the significance of Thought Leader ads, lead-generation tactics that actually work and more. Key Takeaways: The evolution of LinkedIn a...

For marketers in industries with longer or more complex purchase cycles, demonstrating the value of their efforts can be a constant challenge that often impacts budget approvals. In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, host James Lawrence welcomes back Fractional CMO Taz Bareham for an insightful discussion on marketing measurement, the struggles many marketers face, and practical ways in...

Great marketing is built on creating memorable experiences, whether through digital advertising or offline interactions. Laura Roberts, MD APAC at global experiential marketing agency INVNT joins Host James Lawrence to talk about how brands can craft comprehensive 360-degree campaigns, leverage social media and influencer events, and develop strategies to engage everyone from Boomers to Gen Alpha....

The way that we can target our perfect customers has changed radically, and what worked a few years back is likely to not work today. Large platforms like Google and Meta have changed how they collect audience data, significantly affecting how you reach and engage with your audience. In this episode, Host James Lawrence talks with Rocket Agency's Commercial Director, David Roberts about the recent...

Despite the buzz around AI search engines, Google isn’t going away anytime soon. Joe Alder, Head of SEO at Rocket Agency, joins Host James Lawrence to discuss how SEO is likely to change over the next few years, why Google remains relevant today and how in-house marketers can stay ahead of the curve.  Key Takeaways: The importance of SEO in 2025 and beyond The latest SEO trends and data insig...

Newsrooms are being cut down, authentic storytelling is the need of the hour, and PR and digital strategies must go hand-in-hand. Host James Lawrence welcomes back Andy Scales, Founder and Director of CampaignLab, to discuss the current trends and challenges in the PR industry in Australia as we near the end of 2024. Key Takeaways: The current trends in PR How to ideate creative PR campaigns The h...

“It’s not about finding the best agency - it’s about finding the best agency for you .” With the thousands of agencies in Australia finding the right partner for your needs is becoming trickier each year. Host James Lawrence and Co-Founder of Rocket Agency, David Lawrence discuss critical signs that indicate whether a client and agency is the right fit. Key Takeaways: What ‘the right fit’ means, a...

2024 has been a whirlwind for the marketing landscape - privacy laws are changing, paid media targeting has become more challenging, and measurement and attribution are getting increasingly complex by the day. Host James Lawrence and Director of Client Services at Rocket Agency, Sachin Rajah discuss what marketers must do now to set themselves up for success in 2025. Key Takeaways: Why first-party...

The process for inviting agency pitches is still that of the Mad Men era, despite the industry evolving considerably over the past 50 years. Host James Lawrence chats with Darren Woolley, CEO of marketing management consultancy Trinity P3, about how in-house marketers can run better pitches, the issues with the traditional pitch process, and the importance of clear objectives and effective feedbac...