The Smart Marketer Podcast

Episode Description
AI can help your team move faster, work smarter, and free up hours of repetitive work… but only if you build the habits, systems, and ownership to actually use it.
In this live session from Mentor Table Nashville, Rytis Lauris, co-founder and CEO of Omnisend, shares the six practical lessons his company learned while transforming a 200+ person organization into a more AI-native team. From monthly AI Days and simple point-solution agents to the mindset shift required to "manage" AI assistants, this episode is packed with real-world examples you can bring back to your own business.
"AI can really help us to be way more productive and to be better employees, to be better specialists, to be better humans." – Rytis Lauris
If you've been wondering how to get your team to move beyond "playing around with ChatGPT" and start using AI to save time, improve processes, and scale smarter, this one is for you.
You Will Learn:
• Why AI adoption has to be intentional and led from the top down.
• How Omnisend uses monthly "AI Days" to help employees build real AI habits.
• Why simple point solutions often work better than complex AI agents.
• How a sales team built an AI follow-up tool without engineers.
• How Omnisend reduced influencer review time from 90 hours to 20 hours per month.
• Why AI tools should be treated like products, not one-time projects.
• The importance of assigning a human "manager" to each AI agent.
• Why AI works best when it improves existing processes instead of creating new work.
• How AI can support email, SMS, segmentation, forms, support, and sales workflows.
• Why the future belongs to humans who learn how to scale themselves with AI.
Links & Resources:
Smart Marketer: https://smartmarketer.com/

Smart Marketer Free Trainings & Resources: https://smartmarketer.com/free-resources/

Smart Marketer Agency: https://smartmarketeragency.com/

Mentor Table: https://smartmarketer.com/mentor-table

Omnisend Smart Marketer (sponsor): https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend
Use code SMART for 50% off your first three months.

Time Stamps:
00:00:15 – Welcome: Moving Beyond AI Marketing Tasks
00:01:13 – Sponsor Message: Why Ezra Firestone Uses Omnisend
00:02:39 – John Introduces Omnisend and Rytis Lauris
00:04:16 – Why Becoming AI-Native Isn't as Simple as Buying Tools
00:06:14 – Lesson 1: AI Does Not Adopt Itself
00:07:18 – How Omnisend Uses Monthly AI Days Across the Company
00:08:19 – The Sales Follow-Up AI Agent That Saves Time After Calls
00:09:30 – Reducing Influencer Review Time from 90 Hours to 20 Hours
00:10:31 – Lesson 2: Complexity Is a Trap
00:12:21 – Why Point Solutions Beat Over-Engineered AI Agents
00:13:24 – Lesson 3: Switch from a Project Mindset to a Product Mindset
00:15:24 – Lesson 4: Iteration Isn't Sexy, But It's Inevitable
00:16:24 – Why Every AI Agent Needs a Human Owner
00:17:23 – The AI Voice SDR Example: Smart, Useful, and Still Imperfect
00:19:13 – How Omnisend's AI Support Agent Resolves 40% of Support Conversations
00:21:19 – Lesson 5: Build on Existing Processes, Don't Create New Work
00:22:13 – Rytis' LinkedIn AI Agent Story and Why AI Won't Create Habits for You
00:23:55 – Omnisend's Most-Used AI Features: Subject Lines and Preheaders
00:24:47 – AI for Email Copywriting and Segment Building
00:25:58 – AI Form Generation and Giving Customers Control
00:26:48 – Lesson 6: AI Is an Assistant, Not the Enemy
00:28:00 – How Point Solutions Can Free Up 30–40% of Your Time
00:28:45 – Recap: The Six Lessons for Becoming AI-Native
00:30:11 – Special Omnisend Offer for Smart Marketer Listeners
00:30:39 – Closing Thoughts
Your Engagement Matters!
Thank you for tuning in to the Smart Marketer Podcast! Your support helps us continue bringing you practical marketing strategies, behind-the-scenes systems, and real-world business insights from operators who are doing the work.
If you enjoyed this episode:
Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
Share this episode on social media, tag @smartmarketer, and use #WeOutHere.
Have feedback or questions? Email us at [email protected].
Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!

Episode Description
AI is changing how customers discover, research, and choose brands. If your business isn't showing up in AI-generated answers, you may be missing the next major wave of organic visibility.
In this live session from Mentor Table Nashville, Julian Lopez from the Smart Marketer team breaks down AEO, Answer Engine Optimization, and what brands need to do now to become the recommended choice inside AI tools, AI overviews, and answer engines. From schema markup and indexability to brand authority and bottom-of-funnel search intent, Julian shares the early signals Smart Marketer is seeing after analyzing thousands of AI-driven commercial searches.
"Your brand is not what you say, it is what AI is able to pull out of the answer." – Julian Lopez
You Will Learn:
• What AEO is and why it matters for brands that want to stay visible in the AI era.
• Why SEO isn't dead, but the game has changed.
• How AI tools research, compare, and recommend brands behind the scenes.
• Why your website is becoming less of a destination and more of a data source.
• The difference between informational traffic and bottom-of-funnel commercial intent.
• How schema markup helps AI understand your products, people, and brand.
• Why third-party sources, reviews, Reddit, directories, and social proof impact AI recommendations.
• How to structure your content so AI can retrieve, understand, and cite it faster.
• Why brand authority now depends on what AI can verify across the web.
• What agentic shopping may mean for the future of ecommerce.
Links & Resources:
Smart Marketer: smartmarketer.com

Smart Marketer Free Trainings & Resources: https://smartmarketer.com/free-resources/

Smart Marketer Agency: https://smartmarketeragency.com/

Mentor Table: https://smartmarketer.com/mentor-table/

OmniSend (Sponsor): https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend
Use code SMART for 50% off your first three months.

Time Stamps:
00:00:20: Welcome: AI, Paid Traffic, Creative and Organic Visibility
00:01:11: Sponsor Message: Why Ezra Firestone Uses Omnisend
00:02:14: Molly Introduces Julian Lopez and the Importance of AEO
00:03:47: How to Get Your Brand Recommended by AI
00:05:00: Create Relevance, Not Awareness
00:06:03: Why AEO Is Still an Emerging Discipline
00:07:09: What Changed: AI Enters the Search Experience
00:08:16: Search Is Becoming Delegated Research
00:09:39: Is SEO Dead? What's Actually Changing
00:10:41: What Commercial Search Results Look Like Now
00:12:11: The Future of Walled Gardens, Wearables and AI Everywhere
00:14:11: GEO, LMO, AEO: What Should We Call It?
00:15:10: The Goal: Become the AI-Recommended Brand
00:16:19: What Smart Marketer Found After Thousands of AI Queries
00:17:22: Why Your Website Is Now a Data Source
00:18:28: The Challenge: AI Platforms Are Black Boxes
00:19:28: SEO Still Matters, But Rankings Aren't the Whole Story
00:21:29: How AI Answers Actually Work
00:22:38: Why Bottom-of-Funnel Questions Are the New Opportunity
00:23:21: The Site Is Not the Destination, It's the Data Source
00:24:29: The Answer Budget Theory: How AI Chooses Brands
00:26:43: Why AI Looks Beyond Your Website Before Recommending You
00:28:10: Your Brand Is Built on the Sources
00:29:10: The AEO Action Plan: Indexability, Content Readiness and Authority
00:32:11: Why You Need to Let the Right Bots Access Your Site
00:33:06: Schema Markup: Helping AI Understand Your Business
00:36:38: How to Make Product Pages More Specific for AI
00:38:44: IDs, Entities and Connecting Your Website's Information
00:39:45: Optimizing Product Data, Ratings and Rich Results
00:40:44: Content Structure: Make Your Pages Easier for AI to Retrieve
00:42:12: Cover Topics, Not Just Keywords
00:43:12: Brand Representation and Authority in the AI Era
00:44:23: Agentic Shopping: What's Coming Next
00:45:13: Wrap-Up and Final Applause
Your Engagement Matters!
Thank you for tuning in! Your support keeps this podcast thriving. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, review, and share it with fellow entrepreneurs, marketers, and ecommerce operators.
Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts.
Share this episode on social media, tag us, and use #WeOutHere.
Have feedback or questions? Email us at [email protected].
Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!

Episode 275: The Paid Ads Machine: Creative Systems That Scale in the Age of AI
Episode Description
What if your ad creative system could think more like Meta's algorithm?
In this live session from Mentor Table Nashville, Smart Marketer's Director of Creative Ben Bennett and Creative Operations Manager Melvin Cotton III break down the exact system they use to plan, produce, analyze, and scale paid social creative in the age of AI and Andromeda.
From diagnosing what's actually working inside your ad account to building scalable creator systems and using AI to uncover hidden performance insights, this episode is a masterclass in modern paid creative strategy.
"Our overall goal is to establish a strong system that provides us good creative and strong feedback." – Melvin Cotton III
If you're tired of guessing what makes ads work and want a smarter process for creating winning creative, this episode is for you.
You Will Learn:
Why marketers are overcomplicating "Andromeda" and what actually matters

The difference between what Meta sees in your ads vs. what it knows about users

How to use AI to analyze creative at scale

The creative variables Smart Marketer tracks across every ad

Why "creative volume" alone isn't enough anymore

How to identify gaps in your messaging and creative strategy

The framework for building a scalable creative production system

Different ways to source UGC and creator content effectively

Why operational systems are critical for creative scale

How feedback loops improve ad performance over time

LINKS & RESOURCES:
Smart Marketer: https://smartmarketer.com/

Smart Marketer Free Trainings & Resources: https://smartmarketer.com/free-resources/

Smart Marketer Agency: https://smartmarketeragency.com/

Mentor Table: https://smartmarketer.com/mentor-table/

OmniSend (Sponsor): https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend
Use code SMART for 50% off your first three months.

TIME STAMPS:
00:00:17 – Introduction: The Paid Ads Machine
00:01:19 – Ezra Firestone on Why He Uses OmniSend
00:02:41 – Live from Mentor Table Nashville
00:03:55 – How Ben Bennett Joined Smart Marketer
00:06:18 – Creative Planning in the Age of Andromeda
00:08:18 – Why AI & Andromeda Feel Like a "Black Box"
00:12:55 – Using AI to Analyze Creative at Scale
00:17:08 – Building an AI-Powered Creative Data Lab
00:22:34 – Closed Variables vs Open Variables in Creative Analysis
00:25:55 – Applying Marketing Frameworks to Ad Creative
00:29:20 – Turning Creative Data Into Actionable Insights
00:33:32 – What AI Reveals About Winning Creative Patterns
00:36:07 – Why Beginner-Focused Ads Outperformed Problem-Aware Messaging
00:40:56 – Transitioning from Analysis to Production Systems
00:42:01 – Building a Creative Menu for Your Team
00:45:16 – Different Systems for Sourcing UGC & Creator Content
00:48:20 – Creator Compensation & Contracts
00:49:59 – Managing Creative Operations & Tracking Systems
00:51:48 – Identifying Where You Are on the Creative Spectrum
00:52:23 – Final Thoughts & Downloadable Resources
YOUR ENGAGEMENT MATTERS!
Thank you for tuning into the Smart Marketer Podcast! Your support helps us continue bringing you actionable marketing strategies, behind-the-scenes systems, and real-world business insights.
If you enjoyed this episode:
Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts
Share this episode on social media and tag @smartmarketer
Send feedback or questions to [email protected]
Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit!

Episode 274: How to Use AI to Write Better Meta Ad Copy Without Losing the Human Touch
Episode Description
AI can help you write faster, but that does not mean it should be writing your ads for you.
In this podcast episode taken from our Smart Paid Traffic Live training, Senior Paid Performance Specialist Dominique Nobel breaks down her step-by-step process for using AI to create stronger Meta ad copy. You will learn how to build a brand intelligence document, generate better hooks, write stronger body copy, improve headlines and descriptions, and use AI as a volume tool while keeping strategy, judgment, and customer insight in human hands.
"AI is the volume producer, and us humans, we are the ones that are going to be doing the judgement and be the filter." – Dominique Nobel
If you have been using AI and getting copy that feels bland, generic, or a little off, this episode will show you a smarter way to prompt, edit, and test.
You Will Learn:
Why vague AI prompts lead to vague, generic ad copy

How to create a brand intelligence document before asking AI to write anything

Dominique's step-by-step prompt process for Meta ad copy

How to generate hooks that stop the scroll and open curiosity loops

Why body copy should focus on mechanisms, transformation, and objections

How to write headlines and descriptions that support the click

Why your CTA should include both a clear action and an objection crusher

How to use AI for volume while keeping human strategy, fact-checking, and editing in control

Links & Resources:
Smart Marketer: https://www.smartmarketer.com/

Smart Marketer Free Trainings & Resources: https://smartmarketer.com/free-resources/

Smart Paid Traffic: https://smartmarketer.com/smart-paid-traffic/

OmniSend (Sponsor): https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend (Use code SMART for 50% off your first three months)

Timestamps (Chapters):
00:00:16 - Introduction: Using AI to Write Stronger Meta Ad Copy
00:01:13 - Sponsor: Why Ezra Uses OmniSend
00:02:18 - Meet Dominique Nobel and Today's AI Training Agenda
00:04:02 - Rule #1: Your AI Output Is Only as Good as Your Input
00:05:43 - Why You Must Fact-Check and Humanize AI Copy
00:07:40 - AI as the Volume Producer, Humans as the Filter
00:08:45 - Start With a Brand Intelligence Document
00:10:45 - What to Include in Your Competitive Intelligence Prompt
00:13:19 - Writing Better Hooks for Meta Ads
00:20:26 - Building the Body Copy After the Hook
00:26:39 - Why Headlines and Descriptions Still Matter
00:31:08 - Writing CTAs That Drive Action and Handle Objections
00:34:28 - How Hook, Body, CTA, Headline, and Description Work Together
00:35:21 - Live Case Study: Building AI Ad Copy for a Supplement Brand
00:38:16 - Prompt Cowboy AI and Choosing the Right AI Tool
00:39:11 - Final Recap: Test, Iterate, Edit, and Humanize
00:40:27 - Closing Message
Call to Action (CTA):
If you enjoyed this episode, help us get it in front of more marketers.
Leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts
Share this episode on social media and tag us using #WeOutHere
Have feedback or questions? Email [email protected]
If you are ready to grow faster, check out our free trainings and resources at Smart Marketer.
Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit

Episode 273: Scaling to $300M+: Paid Media, Attribution & Building Teams That Win 
Episode Description
What does it really take to scale to $300M+ in revenue and spend $300K per day on ads?
In this live Mentor Table session from Nashville, Molly Pittman sits down with entrepreneur Rob Schmidt to break down what actually changes as you grow, from attribution and paid media to leadership and team building.
"You have to be really comfortable relying on your other leaders… You need to find good people to surround yourself with that you can trust because you can't do it all yourself. And even if you do, you're not going to be able to put your all into what actually matters for you." – Rob Schmidt
If you're trying to grow, simplify, or step into your role as a true operator, this episode will challenge how you think about scaling.
You Will Learn:
Why you cannot scale without trusting your team and how to delegate effectively

What changes when you are spending millions per month on paid media

How to think about attribution across multiple models and time windows

Why relying on a single attribution model can lead to poor decisions

How to evaluate new channels and big marketing bets

The truth about brand versus direct response and what actually drives growth

How to use data and internal tracking to make better marketing decisions

Why top operators constantly revisit fundamentals and keep learning

Links & Resources:
Smart Marketer: https://www.smartmarketer.com/

Smart Marketer Free Trainings & Resources: https://smartmarketer.com/free-resources/

Mentor Table: https://landing.smartmarketer.com/pages/mentor-table

OmniSend (Sponsor): https://smartmarketer.com/omnisend (Use code SMART for 50% off your first three months)

Timestamps (Chapters):
00:00:16 – Introduction & Live Mentor Table Session
00:01:13 – Sponsor: Why Ezra Uses OmniSend
00:02:16 – Meet Rob Schmidt & His $300M Brands
00:03:18 – Inside Winona & Willow
00:04:10 – Rob's Journey from Agency to Operator
00:07:20 – Leadership Shift: Delegation and Hiring
00:09:31 – Paid Media at Scale: What Actually Changes
00:10:39 – Attribution Challenges and Data Complexity
00:12:46 – Direct Response vs Brand Marketing
00:15:10 – Making Big Bets and Testing New Channels
00:17:39 – What Winning Looks Like Moving Forward
00:21:48 – Q&A: Attribution Tools and Data Strategy
00:25:41 – Measuring Organic Traffic and SEO Impact
00:28:21 – Brand vs Direct Response Budget Decisions
00:29:42 – Final Thoughts and Wrap Up
Call to Action (CTA):
If you enjoyed this episode, help us get it in front of more marketers.
Leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts
Share this episode on social media and tag us using #WeOutHere
Have feedback or questions? Email [email protected]
If you are ready to grow faster, check out our free trainings and resources at Smart Marketer.
Serve the World Unselfishly and Profit