Episode 19

The Two Marketing Strategies Most Business Owners Ignore

Published on: 24th June, 2026

Most business owners are overwhelmed by marketing. Social media, websites, ads, AI, email campaigns, networking events, and countless other options make it difficult to know where to focus.

In this episode of Giants Helping Giants, Lois Wyant sits down with business strategist Jean Kuhn to discuss the two marketing strategies she believes every business owner should prioritize: building real relationships through speaking and staying connected through email marketing.

Jean shares her journey from becoming an entrepreneur in 1985 to buying and turning around two bankrupt businesses, adding more than $100,000 to their bottom line within a year. She explains why many business owners accidentally buy themselves a job instead of building a business, why answering the phone can make or break customer relationships, and how simple marketing habits can create long-term success.

You'll learn why local networking still matters, how to identify your ideal customer, what makes an email newsletter effective, and why authentic human connection remains one of the most powerful marketing tools available.

In this episode:

• Why many business owners stay stuck at break-even

• The difference between owning a business and owning a job

• Why answering the phone is still a competitive advantage

• How speaking can generate more business opportunities

• The power of email marketing for long-term growth

• The five elements of a successful newsletter

• How to build stronger customer relationships

• Lessons learned from turning around failing businesses

• Why helping others is the foundation of success

Connect with Jean:

Jean's Free Gift: https://jeansfreegift.com

Jean@jeankuhn.com

Learn more about JFT Web Marketing:

https://jftwebmarketing.com

Subscribe for more conversations designed to help business owners build stronger businesses, stronger relationships, and stronger communities.

#GiantsHelpingGiants #SmallBusinessMarketing #EmailMarketing #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #MarketingStrategy #LeadGeneration #BusinessSuccess

00:00 Introduction

00:19 Meet Jean Kuhn

00:52 Becoming an Entrepreneur

02:22 Why Small Business Owners Get Stuck

04:15 Franchise Owners vs Business Owners

06:20 Marketing Mistakes Business Owners Make

06:55 Why Speaking Builds Businesses

07:37 Advice for Home Service Businesses

08:05 The Power of Answering the Phone

09:43 AI and Phone Answering Systems

11:38 Understanding Your Ideal Customer

13:24 Why Email Marketing Still Works

14:42 Turning Around Bankrupt Businesses

16:07 Common Email Marketing Mistakes

16:39 The Subject Line That Worked

20:24 Five Elements of a Great Newsletter

23:54 How Often Should You Email?

24:19 Jean's Free Marketing Gift

24:51 A Lesson from Zig Ziglar

25:29 Final Thoughts

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About the Podcast

Giants Helping Giants
Giants Helping Giants is a podcast for home service business owners who want to grow smarter, attract better customers, and build stronger companies. Hosted by Lois Wyant, each episode features conversations with entrepreneurs, coaches, and industry experts who help local businesses succeed. The show focuses on practical strategies that HVAC companies, plumbers, electricians, pest control businesses, roofers, solar installers, and other service professionals can use to generate more leads, improve their marketing, and scale their operations. Running a home service business is demanding. Owners are often balancing service calls, managing employees, handling customer expectations, and trying to keep their marketing working at the same time. Giants Helping Giants brings together experienced voices who share proven ideas, systems, and insights that can help contractors grow their businesses with more clarity and less chaos. Episodes explore topics such as contractor marketing strategies, lead generation for service companies, local SEO, automation tools, business systems, customer experience, and leadership for growing teams. The mission of the podcast is simple. Connect local business owners with the people, programs, and strategies that can help them build something bigger. If you run or work in a home service business and want practical ideas that actually work in the real world, this podcast is for you. Learn more at GiantsHelpingGiants.com.

About your host

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Lois Wyant