Chris likes multiplication - no, not arithmetic - but seeing good things multiply in the world. As Founder and Customer Happiness Director of Beeline, every day he is grateful to help nonprofits use digital marketing to multiply the reach of their mission and the growth of their donors. Most of all, he's grateful to be the dad to seven kids, and to try to teach them how to live in a way that multiplies good in others.
Chris is a Fort Collins, Colorado Native, leading a career in marketing & sales. Listen in on his startup in the business world, including cold calling, which shaped his desire to take care of customers. This is what lit the fire though for Chris, and sparked him to purchase a course on Google Ads. Find out more about this endeavor, and how Chris utilized this tool to startup!
Learn more about Beeline Marketing & Consulting here: https://yourbeeline.com/contact/
Or Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbarlow-nonprofit-marketing/
Chris likes multiplication - no, not arithmetic - but seeing good things multiply in the world. As Founder and Customer Happiness Director of Beeline, every day he is grateful to help nonprofits use digital marketing to multiply the reach of their mission and the growth of their donors. Most of all, he's grateful to be the dad to seven kids, and to try to teach them how to live in a way that multiplies good in others.
Chris is a Fort Collins, Colorado Native, leading a career in marketing & sales. Listen in on his startup in the business world, including cold calling, which shaped his desire to take care of customers. This is what lit the fire though for Chris, and sparked him to purchase a course on Google Ads. Find out more about this endeavor, and how Chris utilized this tool to startup!
Learn more about Beeline Marketing & Consulting here: https://yourbeeline.com/contact/
Or Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cbarlow-nonprofit-marketing/
00:00.00
barlele
all right? all right my friends we are on the line today talking shisel with Chris Barlow hey Chris how are you.
00:09.56
Chris Barlow
I'm doing great. Thanks for having me Taylor me.
00:10.92
barlele
Yeah, I'm excited to have you Here. We're going to be talking about some tactical things in terms of marketing a business or a nonprofit and we're also going to talk about some entrepreneur types of stories and hear about your founder story. Ask you some fun questions where we're gonna go a little deep. Are you ready to go deep.
00:32.28
Chris Barlow
Awesome! Yes, yeah I think that's always that's always the best thing to listen to So I hope we do.
00:38.27
barlele
Ah, well let's do it. Well let's first start out with who are you Chris Barlow what what is the story behind the man here today.
00:44.76
Chris Barlow
Oh man. Um, so I am a fort collins Colorado native um, grew up here went to school in California and moved back here. Been here for a number back for a number of years and was my career was in marketing and sales. Ah, mainly in sales cold calling for over a decade. Um, and that's a whole different story but that was that definitely shaped my desire to for just to take really good care of customers and um and in the long run I didn't see myself. Staying in that industry staying in that sales position. So I thought I'm going to start a business I will not want to do something I'm not sure and I kind of had that dream for a long time I wasn't sure what I was going to do um but I just took a really big leap and bought a course on how to do Google ads. And that was like the most nerveracking purchase I have ever made. Um because it was like a thousand dollars and I was real like I was like what am I doing why am I like I have no plan I'm just going to like I liked the idea I thought this looks like a really good thing to learn I want a new new skill and I want to start my business somewhere. Um, just gonna do this. So um, yeah, that's where I started and and it kind of you know, just kind of grew naturally and um, organically from there and it was um, you know I just started like after I took the the course I got some coaching to help me get my none client. And it was pretty much just get a client and then figure out how to help them. You know I obviously was gonna try to offer the Google ads that I learned but it was more like don't try to build this whole funnel and figure out everything you're gonna do get a client and meet their need. And then build it and that was a really helpful advice that was really helpful just to go for getting that none relationship.
02:46.21
barlele
And what was it about I like that you're like I don't know I bought a course it was a thousand bucks it was scary at the time it was about Google ads could have been about anything what what was it about Google ads that you were interested in doing and thought this is the thing I want us.
02:55.62
Chris Barlow
Um.
03:05.88
barlele
Start with in terms of my own investment in myself for the you know long-term vision of investing in whatever company, you wanted to build.
03:15.33
Chris Barlow
Yeah, so I think it was almost subconscious because I've always been someone who likes to tell other people about like good stuff stuff that I really like stuff that like I appreciate good things and a communicator and. In in college there were these guys who were doing a fundraiser for I think it was invisible children and they were doing a we're growing a mullet sponsor us to grow a mullet mullet stop bullets and so I was like I'll join you like this is awesome. So I joined them and did that and. Was just kind of ah okay, advertising is a form of saying hey this is something I think is good and worth bringing to people's attention and if we do it? Well, we not only help you reach more people but we help people find good things and so that was kind of and it was kind of open ended because None thing again I didn't have a. I'm not an engineer I didn't have like ah I'm going to develop this product I'm not an inventor. Um I didn't have a specific specific like training and as an electrician or like I'm going to start a so it was very like this is an open-ended business that can use my communicating skills communication skills to kind of go where it needs to go.
04:31.41
barlele
Well I like that you allowed it to be open ended and what you said about you had a coach that said just get a client and then figure out what they need It's really brilliant because a lot of times. It's hard to pinpoint what a client really needs until you work with them and it's hard for them to know what they really need until they start working with you and saying this is my problem. So how did that unfold you get your none client. Did you start doing Google ads for them or did.
05:03.74
Chris Barlow
Yeah I started I started with Google ads I mean I I honestly I just started with upwork because that was just a quick way to get someone who needed something and I just started sending out proposals on upwork um, but I also was doing networking um and just.
05:05.70
barlele
It turned into something that.
05:23.42
Chris Barlow
Talking to business owners and another way actually that I really had the most success was I found some a couple nonprofits I knew personally and I said hey can I just help you guys with your Google ads and and just get some experience under my belt. And they were like None of them was like sure that'd be awesome. So I ran ran and managed their Google a campaign didn't charge them and we did that for for about None to eight months and then at some point they were like hey this you do this really? well can we want to refer you to someone and then um at some point they're like hey you know what we have budget. We want to pay you for what you're doing It's worth something and so they kind of just snowball from there. Um, and and over time like as I've developed I've seen the need that clients have like. For example, here's a great example I find clients who just give me one second I
06:25.69
Chris Barlow
Yeah, yeah, sorry about that they knew in advance. Um, so yeah, I'll like ah None of the main things I'm still offering is Google ads for nonprofits but like a lot of nonprofits. They don't need just Google ads like they need more than that to. And and and if I were just if they were just to start doing that they won't see a lot of success and so in working with organizations and and companies and like okay they actually need all these other things to support that that will help them do something meaningful with their ad campaigns like if they want to attract new donors. They need to have something that will donors want in the none place like why do people go to Google in the none place or why do they go to social media. Can you as an organization meet people where they're at and offer something that will help them and so in in identifying that and working with clients. It's like wait. Why don't. Like I could have tried to like create this package in advance but I don't even know if anyone needs it. So then I can approach a client or a new organization that I'm not working with and say hey I can do all these things for you that will help you actually turn Google searches into eventually into donors. Didn't have any of that built out I'd never done it with a specific client I knew how to do it. But it's like here's my package I can do this. This is what we do and then you have I have a client an organization. That's like yes, we'd love to do that and so now I have to build it now I have to like figure out how I'm going to deliver that service but I know exactly. What they need and they and we've talked through it and we've I've seen that this is not only something I can do but something that they really need in it and I already have someone who's signed on the dot of the line.
08:08.61
barlele
So then you're building the product. You know some people call this flying the plane or building the plane as we're flying it right and I like that is the life the day in and day out of an entrepreneur. Let's be honest, so.
08:24.76
Chris Barlow
And.
08:28.31
barlele
I'm sure that you've had some successes and let's just continue to hone in on Google ads you've probably had some big successes there where you're like oh we did this thing we communicated in this way and it really worked. You've probably also had some failures where you're like. And then we did this thing and it didn't work. Let's talk about what you've learned in terms of like getting attention on Google is like what most of us care about in the digital marketing space. What has worked and what has not worked in terms of actually getting that attention and then getting someone to.
08:46.58
Chris Barlow
But in there.
08:55.49
Chris Barlow
And.
09:04.40
barlele
I connect with that and I'm going to take an action whether that's signing up for a newsletter or making a donation or attending an event like what are some things that you've learned actually really work and what should not do.
09:08.63
Chris Barlow
And.
09:18.90
Chris Barlow
Yeah, yeah, so again, like um generic just saying like I'm we're just gonna put up some ads and send people to our site and we're going to Target Keywords that are relevant to us.
09:22.43
barlele
What's not working. Okay.
09:34.63
Chris Barlow
As an organ that are that are for us that are ah us focused. Um, it can be super hit and miss and most of the time it's going to be miss. Um, because again your mindset is how do we get people to come to us and people don't go on Google to go to you. They're not thinking about you or an organization or donating maybe on givingtuesday. Um, and so you know I've had clients they're like hey just we're ready to run a campaign. We want to get started and you know I'm trying to tell them look. We need to build some more stuff out. On your site. We need to make it so that there's something that people want or or would want to and and I know just let's just go and so I'm like okay we'll try this? Um, but inevitably that that always struggles. It's always a lot more work and and they end and we end up either stopping or having to kind of rebuild. Um. But on the other hand. What I find really works well with a for this is specifically for like and it's different from like an ecommerce where you're actually have a product that you might be trying to sell through Google ads but like if you have a service or you're nonprofit. Um, or you have software or something like that. You want to start with why are people going to Google and I mean I summarize that as they go to Google to solve a problem or to answer a question or to entertain to get entertainment and so if you're really good at entertainment if you know how to entertain people if you're ever entertaining content. Make people laugh or or cry or you know there's some really usually the bigger organizations are good at this. They have really compelling videos or things like that you could you can advertise for that on on various platforms including Google um, but otherwise the easier things to do are probably answer question or solve a problem for people. And so the what I've seen work really well is for organizations to either well to create a digital resource of some kind. Um that could be like an ebook. It could be a a some kind of downloadable that that offers that help that will help solve a problem. Um, it could be like a petition but that's still a little bit more focused on you than on the the person but that could still that is a little bit more cause focused and and signing a petition is not too difficult. You could do an online course or I've seen really effective our quizzes because people love to. Interact with it and they get a personalized result so let me give an example one organization that we ran ads for they are they help young people. Students.
12:23.00
Chris Barlow
Who would never be able to fort to travel. They put together groups of them and they they do some training with the cohort and then they bring them overseas for an amazing cross-cultural experience where they can learn. They get to experience other cultures languages you know food and they do some kind of service project. So their their organization um they know all about how to travel. Well how to live abroad and so they said you know what? All this experience can serve the everyday traveler people who just love to travel themselves and everyone faces the same kind of challenges when traveling like what should I pack and how do I book. Flights at the optimal time and you know how do I avoid getting sick and what do I do you know all those kinds of questions and so and where should I go and what should I do like if I'm just trying to figure out my next vacation so they created an ebook that addressed a lot of those like biggest frustrations of challenge and they also created a quiz. Like where should you travel next and it asked just a few simple questions and then it just gave the person a suggestion like because you like this this and this here's what you eat where we think you might enjoy going and they weren't like tying that to any kind of affiliate anything and that was actually one of the benefits to it. It's like we're not trying to sell you. Ah a. Ah, package here. We are just trying to take what you are interested in and give you some suggestions and ideas here and so again people are going to Google they're trying to figure out or go. Why not take a quiz to help me figure out where I should go next or I'm trying to figure out how to book at the optimal times or what to pack. Why don't I download an ebook.
13:56.97
barlele
And what I hear in all of that is bring your audience value and stop talking about yourself and it's so easy to want to just say well we're doing this and we're doing that.
14:07.60
Chris Barlow
Yes, this.
14:16.42
barlele
And we're great and we need you to donate or we need you to buy this and it's really about hey you I like I wrote this down people don't go to Google looking for you exactly they go looking to solve.
14:32.21
Chris Barlow
Um, yeah, and.
14:35.41
barlele
Um, or answer question or and how do you show up when they're answering you know, asking that question really right.
14:42.64
Chris Barlow
Yeah, well and and part of it is too like seeing this helping people as part of your mission. It's not your main mission. But it's saying Okay, what do we deeply value. Like your values as an organization are actually below your mission. Your mission is just how you live out your values but your values can inform how you do other things so it's like okay we want to we want to wear an animal Sanctuary. We care for Animals. We. Our mission is to actually physically care for animals and take them in but actually if we care for pet owners. They will be better caretakers of their animals too and we can live out our values by investing in resources that equip them. Um. And so it's not just about our specific programs that we need to we want to see this good happen in the World. We can actually see the good happen in the world in another way through another means or channel by serving our donors and so um I think that's kind of just like a way to Enlarge. Heart or or see that how it can play out and in different ways and that actually will can turn around and and then lead to you getting new donors and serving your mission too.
16:04.10
barlele
Yes, right? I'm gonna throw something at you. We've talked about Google and search you know people finding you through search engines and search I guess I'll call them search ads is that the right term to use. Yeah close enough. Okay.
16:06.41
Chris Barlow
Sir.
16:17.56
Chris Barlow
Sure yeah.
16:23.24
barlele
Ah, people find ah organizations through Facebook and Instagram and there's all these different types of ways to think about digital advertising. Where do you think people can get the best bang for their buck today knowing that. Ah, world changes all the time.
16:43.44
Chris Barlow
That's a good question. Um I mean I I haven't don't have direct experience. Um with tik talk. So I don't know like costing but I do know in terms of engagement. There's a lot more engagement there right now than other social media platforms. Um, but that doesn't mean that's your ideal audience. It's generally a younger audience and that may not be where your organization wants to go um and and again in terms of marketing platform like. Platforms are where you can run ads I like I really like Google ad grants because it's quote unquote free. Um, there is the cost though of either. You need to invest the time or and but and invest in in an expert internally or externally to to manage that being. Just announced a $3000 a month grant program for search on being being is obviously not very big compared to google but they're there. They do have 2000000000 monthly users. Um or searches that are happening I mean and um. So. It's not nothing. It's just whether again whether that's the right audience for organization. They're usually generally older higher income models. So it could be the right place for your organization to be.
18:07.14
barlele
And so kind of just depends on like what where your audience is and then figure out the right kind of an ad strategy though I'll take your money. All of them are ready to take your money So it's figuring out.
18:21.29
Chris Barlow
And yep.
18:25.92
barlele
How to best spend your money based on your goals and the goals of your audience again like fitting into helping them find answers to those questions when they're going to Google or bing or wherever they're going. You know so I like that.
18:26.68
Chris Barlow
Um, who yes.
18:39.24
Chris Barlow
Um.
18:44.31
barlele
I Want to ask you rapid fire a couple of questions to close us out. Are you ready you ready for this. This is the shisle the shisel thisle I What's the.
18:50.12
Chris Barlow
Sure. Okay.
19:03.40
barlele
Best compliment you've ever gotten.
19:04.21
Chris Barlow
When I was 14 um I was on a baseball team and we we had just really bonded well and it was the end of the season. We'd all gotten together with the parents and kids and coaches. And it was kind of just like we had a Slideshow and we were celebrating just what a good season had been such good memories mate and the coaches actually had each one of them and singled out each player and said something about each one and. The head coach said to me Chris you're the kind of guy that I'd want my daughter to marry and of course None like all the other guys are like laughing and going you know, but I was like shocked and of course I remember that to this day. Um, the fact that he said that and so that was just it was embarrassing and super encouraging to you I mean come on what like what dad says that to some 14 year old guy so that was yeah that was a good one.
20:07.80
barlele
Not a lot but I love it that would leave a memorable impression for sure. That's ah so um, okay, 1 more for you. So what's your favorite job that you've ever had.
20:13.46
Chris Barlow
Yes, yes.
20:27.23
barlele
Besides running your company because that one's way too easy. What's something else that you did that you really loved and.
20:28.31
Chris Barlow
Yeah, yeah, right? Um I when I started I think at 16 at cold stone ice cream and. Um, I start when I started I really liked it because the tips were good and whenever people tipped we had to sing and they got to tell us what we had to sing so we were all singing like show tunes or like Tv show songs or whatever and that usually led to more tips so that was pretty fun I got to you know combine. Making ice cream with performance.
21:10.60
barlele
And well I love that so we learned today about you that your Google ad expert you like helping nonprofits reach more donors and you love tips and our marriage material. So I think we basically wrapped up.
21:23.70
Chris Barlow
Um, I'm already taken unfortunately.
21:28.29
barlele
Up about yeah exactly Well if it never worked if it somehow doesn't work out one day you know you call me exactly I'm married to.
21:35.71
Chris Barlow
Um, there.
21:40.53
barlele
Ah, well thank you so much if you had 1 imparting you know, word of wisdom to give a small business or a nonprofit trying to do more with their Google ad program like where would you tell them to focus None
21:52.94
Chris Barlow
Um, don't be afraid to ask for help. Um and ah and and you know sometimes it's worth paying for it. Um, so and and this isn't even something that I'm off like offering for myself I'm just saying like I know for my own experience. The investment I made in in coaching. And or just asking questions and getting people who are experienced with helping me grow or or help helping Businesses. So are people who are helping who could help your nonprofit. Um, again, whether you're paying for them or there are you a personal connection of some kind you know, get that input Because. Again, Every person listening has you have your own unique struggles and so there's no one piece of advice that'll help you but you need someone outside who can like give you that feedback that you need to hear and say you're wasting all your time doing spinning your wheels doing this, you need to delegate that you need to you know, only. Someone with that kind of connection. Relationship can give you that exact specific help that you need and so don't be afraid to invest in it. It's so worth it or just don't be afraid to ask for the help and and and spend the time.
23:02.38
barlele
So I love that well I really appreciate your time Today. It's been a fun conversation and I want to help your company grow. So how can people find you and get in touch with you if they want to talk some shisel with you. About their online ads or anything else in the world of digital marketing.
23:21.58
Chris Barlow
Yeah, um, you can go to my site your http://beline.com and I've got a couple of free ebooks there that you can download and I'll I'll send you some ongoing marketing advice for nonprofits which. Even small businesses can apply and yeah, just you can grab those and then if you want to reach out if you just have questions or you want to talk more about Google ads or anything like that you can email me at team at your http://vline.com.
23:55.77
barlele
All right? Well hey, thanks so much. Thanks everyone for tuning in today. Hope you enjoyed the show and we'll see you next time when we talk some more shisle on a different topic for show.
24:07.20
Chris Barlow
Thank you so much Taylor.