Aug. 15, 2025

184 Own Your Marketing: Sara Nay CEO Duct Tape Marketing, on Building Smarter, Not Harder

184 Own Your Marketing: Sara Nay CEO Duct Tape Marketing, on Building Smarter, Not Harder

Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, reveals how small businesses can break free from marketing overwhelm by creating focused strategies aligned with their business goals. Having consulted thousands of business owners since 2010, Sarah shares her journey from intern to CEO and how the company is evolving its approach in the age of AI.

• Small businesses often burn out trying to "do all things on all channels at all times" without proper tracking
• Marketing works when you have a clear strategy based on business goals and focus on manageable priorities
• The marketing strategy pyramid starts with auditing current efforts before planning new initiatives
• Work in quarterly sprints and allow time for marketing initiatives to show results
• Create "mountaintop metrics" to get a bird's eye view of performance before diving into details
• Use AI to handle repetitive tasks while preserving the human touch in strategic thinking
• SEO is rapidly changing due to AI - focus on answering questions people ask rather than just keywords
• Focus your marketing efforts on areas that light you up and bring you joy

If you're feeling overwhelmed with marketing, you're not alone. Start by identifying your four to six biggest growth priorities and work on those over the next quarter to stay focused and reduce overwhelm.

Preorder your copy of 

"Unchained: Breaking Free from Broken Marketing Models: How Small Businesses Can Finally Take Control of Their Marketing, Lead with Strategy, and Scale with AI" by Sara Nay and John Jantsch  here


Connect and find out more about Duct Tape Marketing here

Connect with Sara Nay on LinkedIn

YouTube

Hello from your host, Carol Clegg – your mindset and accountability coach for women coaches, entrepreneurs and small teams!

As a coach or heart led entrepreneur, you know all the right tools and strategies to support your clients—but when it comes to applying them to yourself, it’s easy to get stuck. You might find it hard to prioritize self-care, stay motivated, or maintain a positive mindset, especially when juggling the demands of your business. That’s where I come in.

I love helping women reconnect with their own practices. Together, we’ll explore what’s getting in the way, reignite your motivation, and put the right tools in place to support your well-being.

If you're ready to start prioritizing your own mindset and motivation, take my complimentary “Insights into You” (aka Saboteur discovery assessment” and follow up with a free coaching session to explore your results. Take your assessment here, or visit carolclegg.com for more details.

BOOK your ✅ 30-minute complimentary exploration call HERE

Let’s connect on LinkedIn and Instagram, or join my LinkedIn Group Flourish: A Community for Women Business Owners

...

I am your host Carol Clegg. As a small business coach, I partner with women solopreneurs in midlife, to confidently step out of overwhelm and create a fresh path to success through tailored accountability and mindset coaching, integrated with the powerful Positive Intelligence program. Struggling with procrastination, finding balance in your business and personal life, and cultivating a positive mindset?

Let’s chat!

BOOK your ✅ 30 minute complimentary discovery call

carolclegg.com or book your call here https://bit.ly/discoverycallwithcarol

Connect on LinkedIn and Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Chapters

00:00 - Marketing Overwhelm in Small Business

08:33 - Sarah's Journey from Intern to CEO

14:16 - Owning vs Renting Your Marketing

21:40 - Creating a Strategic Marketing Plan

31:59 - Tracking Metrics That Matter

41:28 - AI as a Tool to Elevate Teams