Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast, Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Using AI to Stay Focused

• Jeff and Mercer explore how AI enhances focus in both personal and professional spheres.

• Jeff highlights two primary applications of AI for focus: boosting productivity to accomplish more with fewer resources and utilizing AI as a strategic coach for guidance.

• Mercer initially used AI as an accountability tool, helping him prioritize and act on overdue tasks by making them top-of-mind.

• Mercer details his advanced AI usage, involving the creation of specialized "coaches" or "consultants" tailored to his specific needs, moving beyond general large language models.

• A key insight Mercer gained from his AI coach was the identification of underlying resentment towards his business, revealing a deeper problem beyond superficial symptoms.

• The hosts emphasize that true AI productivity comes not just from using tools, but from leveraging AI as an expert to provide clarity and strategic guidance on what to focus on.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast, Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Writing Books: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

• Mercer and Jeff discuss the evolving landscape of book authorship, particularly in light of advancements in AI, contrasting traditional publishing challenges with new opportunities.

• Jeff shares insights from writing his book, "Service Stacking," highlighting the importance of a clear, focused framework as the core idea rather than a broad topic.

• The hosts emphasize that successful business books typically present a proprietary framework that readers can understand and apply.

• A key takeaway from Jeff's experience is the necessity of dedicating significantly more time to book promotion than to its writing.

• Mercer and Jeff explore how AI can streamline the book-writing process, from initial research and outline generation to editing and ensuring continuity.

• The hosts propose an "audience-first" strategy for future book projects, involving testing concepts and hooks with small, iterative outputs like 30-page PDFs, before fully developing a book.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Where Does AI Fit In Your Sales Funnel?

• Mercer and Jeff define the sales funnel in terms of awareness levels, progressing from unawareness to problem awareness, solution awareness, and finally product awareness.

• Jeff outlines a B2B sales funnel with distinct phases: impression, lead, qualification, pitch/proposal, purchase, and onboarding.

• AI significantly enhances the "impression" stage by transforming long-form content, such as podcasts or client calls, into short, digestible social media clips for broader reach and increased engagement.

• AI tools streamline lead capture by helping to create intelligent lead forms and automate processes for gathering contact information and initial permissions from prospects.

• AI assists in the qualification process by helping to establish clear business rules and criteria for ideal clients, automating aspects of prospect assessment to ensure a better fit.

• AI empowers the "pitch and proposal" stage by generating presentations, proposals, and even guiding pricing decisions, helping users overcome perfectionism and iterate faster.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Podcast Marketing for Growth

• Mercer and Jeff examine podcasting as a growth strategy, differentiating between hosting a personal podcast and appearing as a guest on others.

• The hosts emphasize that podcasts effectively warm up an audience, acting similarly to webinars by introducing new concepts and building brand familiarity over time.

• Jeff notes that podcasting functions as an "at-home version of brand building," scaling relationship development more efficiently than traditional in-person networking events.

• Mercer highlights the value of targeting niche podcasts, stressing that reaching a smaller, highly relevant audience can be more effective than aiming for broad, mainstream shows.

• The discussion identifies "customer media marketing" as a significant benefit of podcasting, enabling deeper audience relationships through consistent content creation.

• Mercer and Jeff suggest practical approaches for securing podcast appearances, including direct outreach, networking, and leveraging AI for research and pitch generation.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Automation First: Pros and Cons

• Jeff and Mercer emphasize that successful automation requires a clearly defined, repeatable process before any building begins.

• Initially, Jeff viewed automation negatively, associating it with spam and a lack of human involvement, but now recognizes its necessity and value when a human element is retained.

• The hosts highlight the "never too late to automate, but sometimes it's too soon" principle, stressing the importance of manually proving a process before automating it.

• Mercer and Jeff outline a nine-part automation framework, beginning with strategic planning to define the desired result, the business process, and feasibility before any technical implementation.

• The discussion stresses that the "build" phase, which many mistakenly start with, is the fifth step in their framework, occurring after thorough planning and technical blueprinting.

• A key benefit of strategic automation is the creation of reusable "Lego bricks" or interchangeable parts, allowing for easier maintenance and scaling of complex automation workflows.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Building a Culture of Accountability.

• The discussion centers on establishing a "culture of GUSTO" within a business.

• Jeff and Mercer define "GUSTO" as a framework for team members to operate effectively, emphasizing self-driven action and focus.

• The framework aims to be more impactful than traditional mission or vision statements, which often become "placards on the wall".

• "GUSTO" is an acronym: Good enough to get going (G), Use the system to improve the system (U), Speed to result (S), Trust but verify (T), and Out with the trash (O).

• The hosts explain how these principles foster a proactive environment, encouraging action over perfectionism and continuous improvement.

• The episode concludes by illustrating how an AI-first approach can integrate seamlessly with these "GUSTO" principles, enhancing efficiency and removing bottlenecks.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool by MeasureU podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is AI Powered Sales Techniques and Tactics

• Jeff and Mercer explore how AI tools can refine and improve service-based businesses' sales processes.

• The hosts discuss using AI to qualify leads, create compelling sales copy, and analyze customer interactions.

• They emphasize that AI can help identify ideal clients and determine the best strategies for attracting them.

• The conversation highlights AI's ability to streamline tasks, automate outreach, and personalize communication with potential clients.

• Mercer and Jeff stress combining AI insights with human skills to build strong client relationships.

• The episode concludes by noting AI's potential to empower even those who don't consider themselves natural salespeople.

Welcome back to the ProfitSchool podcast Business Unfiltered with Mercer and Jeff Sauer. Today's topic is Breaking Bottlenecks In An AI-First Business

• Today’s discussion centers on identifying and eliminating bottlenecks within an AI-first business framework.

• Bottlenecks can exist even in AI-driven companies, often stemming from limiting beliefs or organizational structure.

• The conversation highlights the relevance of capability and capacity in pinpointing bottlenecks.

• They note AI's potential to significantly enhance both capability and capacity within a business.

• Mercer and Jeff discuss practical strategies, such as using loom videos to delegate tasks effectively.

• The episode concludes by advocating for a shift toward AI-first thinking to streamline processes and boost efficiency.