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Episode Overview

In this solo episode, John Jantsch breaks down a major innovation in small business marketing: the Marketing Operating System. After decades of helping businesses grow with a strategy-first approach, John explains why it is no longer enough to just run campaigns or chase tactics.

He introduces the Marketing Pyramid, a strategic spine that aligns business strategy, brand development, customer experience, and team execution. You will learn about the 7 stages required to install a complete, repeatable, and scalable system that drives consistent results. From eliminating chaos to integrating AI, this episode gives you a roadmap to transform your marketing from random acts into a finely tuned system.

If your marketing feels disjointed or overly complex, this episode is your blueprint for clarity and structure.

Guest Bio

John Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker, and the bestselling author behind Duct Tape Marketing, The Referral Engine, and The Ultimate Marketing Engine. As the founder of the Duct Tape Marketing System, John has spent over 30 years helping small businesses implement simple, effective marketing strategies that actually work. His latest innovation, the Marketing Operating System, offers a new way for businesses to install a fully integrated marketing framework that scales.

Key Takeaways

• Why marketing needs to operate like every other system in your business
• The Marketing Pyramid: business, brand, growth, experience, tech, and team strategies
• The 7 Stages of a Marketing Operating System
• How to integrate AI into marketing workflows using structured playbooks
• Why disconnected tactics kill momentum
• The importance of rhythm, ownership, and optimization in modern marketing
• How to build a system that drives accountability, visibility, and consistency

The 7 Stages of a Marketing Operating System

1. Strategy First Core – Foundation based on business goals, client journey, and strategic clarity
2. Campaign Builder System – Plan 90-day campaigns with a brand, growth, and experience engine
3. Workstream Engine – SOPs, OKRs, team roles, and execution rhythms
4. AI-Powered Marketing Hub – AI-integrated content, comms, and creative systems
5. Scorecards and Signals – A performance dashboard built on actionable data
6. Momentum Meetings – Monthly alignment and accountability sessions
7. Optimization Loop – Ongoing feedback, iteration, and system tuning

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Why this might be the last solo show of 2025
• 01:09 – What is a Marketing Operating System?
• 02:00 – The Marketing Pyramid: Strategy as the Spine
• 04:30 – Business, Brand, Growth, and Experience Strategies
• 06:56 – The 7 Stages of Building the System
• 09:21 – Integrating AI and building marketing playbooks
• 11:34 – Momentum meetings and continuous optimization
• 13:13 – What happens next and how to get started

Quotes

“Marketing should be a system, not a series of random acts.” – John Jantsch

“Disconnected tactics make it impossible to scale. Strategy brings clarity and confidence.” – John Jantsch

Marketing Operating System