Guest Information

Lorraine Ball is the host of More Than a Few Words, a marketing podcast celebrating 15 years on the air. She's a former marketing agency owner who sold her business after 19 years and now focuses on consulting, teaching, and podcasting.

Episode Highlights

From Traditional to Digital Marketing Evolution

• Started her marketing company in 2002, pre-social media era
• Specialized in home services: HVAC, roofing, plumbing contractors
• Witnessed the evolution from direct mail (1,000-3,000 postcards) to email marketing to social media
• Transformed from traditional marketing to digital agency over 19 years

Strategic Business Growth Decisions

• The 10-Person Cap: Made a conscious decision to limit team size to 10 people
• Capacity Management: Raised prices instead of expanding capacity when demand increased
• 30% Rule: No single client could represent more than 30% of business revenue
• Location Lock-in: Chose to renovate existing building rather than expand to larger facility

Customer Service Excellence

• One-Ring Policy: Every phone call answered on the first ring
• Personal Touch: Any team member could handle client issues, not just account managers
• Friday Availability: Only agency answering phones on Friday afternoons for media deadlines
• Long-term Relationships: Clients staying 10+ years (flooring company: 11 years, Randall Beans: 10 years)

Key Business Philosophy

• Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill: Southwest Airlines model approach
• Lead web designer had never built a website when hired, stayed 7 years
• Focus on personal connections over systems and processes
• Employee retention: Multiple 7+ year team members

Current Consulting Approach

• Target Clients: Established businesses unhappy with current marketing results
• Service Model: Strategy and audits only, no execution
• Unbiased Perspective: No agenda since not selling specific services
• Teaching the Teachers: Works with other agencies to develop client strategies

AI Integration Strategy

• Uses AI for content repurposing (10-minute videos into 5 shorts)
• Transcript summarization while maintaining personal voice
• Content brainstorming and topic generation
• Reformatting and recombining original content, not creating from scratch

Golden Rule: Answer the Questions

Lorraine's most actionable advice centers on one core principle: Answer the questions your ideal clients are asking.

The Framework:

1. Define Your Ideal Client - Get specific, not just demographics
2. Identify Their Questions - What do they really want to know?
3. Create Answer-Focused Content - For SEO, social media, and sales
4. Remember: Traffic and leads don't matter if you can't answer the questions that close sales

Real Example:

Instead of optimizing for "long plus pigeon plus cage," answer "I got pigeons in my roof, how do I get rid of them?"

Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners

• Sustainable Growth: Consider lifestyle vs. scale when making growth decisions
• Client Concentration Risk: Limit any single client to prevent business vulnerability
• Personal Touch Matters: Small businesses can compete through superior customer service
• Employee Retention: Investing in people creates long-term competitive advantages
• Strategic Positioning: Sometimes raising prices is better than expanding capacity

Lessons from Corporate Acquisitions

Lorraine shared insights from both sides of acquisitions:

• Buyers often don't understand what makes the acquired company special
• Personal relationships and service models don't always translate in acquisitions
• Maintaining company culture is crucial for retaining clients post-sale

Connect with Lorraine Ball

• Podcast: More Than a Few Words - Available on all podcast platforms
• Website: morethanafewwords.com
• LinkedIn: Find Lorraine Ball on LinkedIn
• Resources: Hundreds of conversations, workbooks, white papers, and tools for small business owners

About Unscripted Small Business Podcast

Hosted by Jeremy Rivera, the Unscripted Small Business Podcast features real conversations with entrepreneurs, business owners, and industry experts sharing their unfiltered experiences and insights.

Listen and Subscribe: unscriptedsmallbusiness.com

This episode was particularly insightful for anyone considering agency growth, struggling with capacity management, or looking to build sustainable business relationships. Lorraine's 19-year journey offers valuable lessons in strategic decision-making and the power of putting relationships first in business.