UNF*DGE Your Marketing
The podcast where we talk about what really happens when marketing doesn’t go according to plan.
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Type of Interview
I Messed Up: What Happens When You Own Your Marketing Mistakes
Episode 89
Discover how Kristi Mitchell turns personal marketing mishaps into powerful lessons for business owners. She openly shares real examples of mistakes with livestreams and email marketing, highlights the importance of authenticity and transparency, and explains how owning up to mistakes can actually build stronger trust with your audience. If you want to grow your business through genuine connections, this episode is for you!
2026 Marketing Checklist – Four Essentials for Sustainable Growth
Episode 78
Kick off your 2026 marketing with a strategic checklist designed to help you grow sustainably and stand out in a noisy market. Allyssa shares the most common marketing pitfalls from the past year, including the dangers of generic content, the need for authentic messaging, and the importance of grounding your efforts in strategy. You’ll learn why email marketing is still essential and how to avoid burnout by phasing in new tactics instead of taking on too much at once. Perfect for business owners who want to start strong and avoid overwhelm, this episode is packed with actionable tips to help you unfudge your marketing plan for the new year.
5 Marketing F*dges to Fix Before Year-End: Evolving Your Marketing Plan Over Time - Don’t Set It & Forget It
Episode 62
Learn why a “set it and forget it” approach to marketing can stall your growth, and discover the importance of treating your marketing strategy as a living, evolving process. Christy Mitchell wraps up her 5-part Q4 Kickstart series with actionable advice on how to regularly review, refresh, and optimize your marketing efforts—whether that’s quarterly, twice a year, or annually. Get inspired by real client stories, practical tips for setting review cadences, and ways to keep your messaging and tactics aligned with changing market trends and audience needs. Perfect for mission-driven service providers who want to finish the year strong and set themselves up for a successful future.
5 Marketing F*dges to Fix Before Year-End: Avoiding Costly Marketing Mistakes - Fixing Your Funnel Before Fueling Your Fire
Episode 61
Kristi Mitchell unpacks the "Magic Bullet Fudge," a common marketing mistake where business owners treat tactics like paid advertising or lead generation services as quick fixes for deeper marketing issues. She highlights the importance of building a strong organic marketing foundation—focusing on your website, email marketing, and social media—before investing in ads. Kristi shares real-world examples and actionable advice on how a solid, strategy-first approach is essential for sustainable business growth, urging listeners to move beyond shortcuts and invest in a holistic marketing plan.
5 Marketing F*dges to Fix Before Year-End: Avoiding the Roller Coaster – Building a Stable Pipeline for Your Business
Episode 59
Discover actionable strategies to break free from the feast-or-famine cycle in your marketing. Christy Mitchell tackles the common pitfalls that come when client work takes priority and marketing efforts fall by the wayside. Learn how to maintain a consistent marketing presence—even during your busiest seasons—by creating a minimum viable plan, setting non-negotiables, and leveraging accountability to keep your pipeline healthy. Perfect for client-centered service providers who want to achieve sustainable business growth and avoid that dreaded rollercoaster.
5 Marketing F*dges to Fix Before Year-End: Escaping Random Acts of Marketing – How to Stop Winging It
Episode 58
Discover the most common marketing mistake holding businesses back—random acts of marketing without a clear strategy. Kristi Mitchell, a marketing strategist for mission-driven service providers, kicks off her Q4 Kickstart series by breaking down how to move from scattered efforts to a focused marketing plan. Learn how to use the marketing funnel framework (attract, convert, nurture, close) to organize, prioritize, and optimize your marketing activities, so you can finish the year strong and stop feeling overwhelmed. Perfect for business owners who want clarity, direction, and tangible results from their marketing efforts.
Humanizing Your Brand—Why Storytelling Wins in Marketing
Episode 54
This episode highlights the increasing importance of storytelling in marketing and why it's crucial for business owners to connect authentically with their audience. Kristi Mitchell shares practical ways to weave personal and business stories into marketing efforts, emphasizing how genuine storytelling builds trust and engagement. The discussion also touches on overcoming hesitation to share personal experiences and offers encouragement to use simple, strategic approaches for attracting and nurturing ideal clients. The core message focuses on using storytelling to humanize your brand and create meaningful connections without overcomplicating your marketing.
How to Systematize Your Marketing Content with AI, Without Losing Authenticity
Episode 47
If you’re a business owner wondering how to leverage AI in your marketing without compromising authenticity and integrity, this episode is for you.
Kristi Mitchell shares her personal journey of initially resisting AI tools like ChatGPT because it felt inauthentic, like content scraped from everywhere else and not truly her own voice. But through experimentation and discovering smarter ways to integrate AI, she’s built a sustainable system that helps her create authentic, consistent content without burnout, huge budgets, or losing control.
Kristi walks you through her process of capturing ideas naturally using voice memos. She then turns those recordings into flexible content with smart AI-assisted tools, all while layering in her unique expertise and editing to stay real.
Navigating Marketing in Uncertain Times
Episode 43
Kristy Mitchell shares raw, unfiltered thoughts on how business owners can navigate marketing decisions during times of economic uncertainty. Touching on lessons from the pandemic and today’s market instability, she explores the instinct to cut marketing budgets, the importance of adapting strategies, and how proactive, holistic marketing can set businesses up for long-term success. Christy encourages listeners to consider new opportunities for connecting with audiences, rethink traditional approaches, and make intentional choices that position their brands for growth—even in challenging times.
Navigating Uncertainty with Authentic Marketing Strategies
Episode 36
In this solo episode of Unfudge Your Marketing, host Kristi Mitchell dives into the challenges of marketing in uncertain times. With 2025 kicking off amid political and economic instability, Kristi shares insights from recent conversations with business owners who are struggling to navigate these complexities.
Building a Strategic Marketing Foundation for Sustainable Growth
Episode 27
This episode explores the importance of strategic marketing planning for service-based business owners aiming to grow.
Kristi Mitchell shares insights on overcoming the over-reliance on referrals and networking to generate consistent client leads.
Learn about the four critical stages of the marketing funnel: attract, convert, nurture, and close.
Discover actionable recommendations for building a robust, organic foundation for your business's marketing efforts in the upcoming year.
Strategies to enhance your online presence and ensure your marketing investments yield desired results.
AI and Freelancers: Navigating Emerging Marketing Trends
Episode 21
Kristi dives deep into the marketing trends that are making waves at the end of 2024 and future predictions that could shape the industry. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or just stepping into the marketing world, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss!
Why Just One Marketing Tactic Won’t Cut It – A Robust Strategy
Episode 8
Explore key aspects of strategic marketing with Kristi Mitchell as she highlights common missteps business owners make. Learn about the importance of building a comprehensive marketing strategy, focusing on the marketing funnel framework, including stages like attract, convert, nurture, and close. Get practical tips for creating effective email campaigns, leveraging social media, and optimizing your lead generation efforts. Gain valuable insights to elevate your marketing and drive better results for your business.