I Love Marketing Live: Time Travel Marketing, Breakthrough DNA, and The Human Advantage in Marketing (Why Live Still Matters) with Joe Polish and Dean Jackson

Why I Love Marketing Live

• Relaunching I Love Marketing in a live format to cut through “AI slop” and keep it real-time and interactive.

“Time travel” as a marketing superpower (Dean’s framework)

• If you could go back 100 weeks with a list of everyone who will buy, you’d market with total certainty—and treat leads differently.
• The real insight: even with certainty, you still have to wait for timing; marketing must account for “gestation,” not just immediate conversion.

Planting a “time capsule” of future buyers

• Use an opt-in offer that identifies people early in their decision window (ex: “selling in the next 6–12 months”).
• Example outcome: with the “How to Sell Your House for Top Dollar Fast” opt-in, audits showed 30%+ sold/listed within 12 months, and closer to 50% by two years.
• The asset isn’t the immediate sale—it’s the growing pool of unconverted prospects that yields over time.

The “Van Allen Belt” problem (why most people quit too early)

• Most marketers give up in the first ~100 days because results don’t show up fast enough.
• Once you stay consistent past the early friction zone, momentum increases and conversion becomes easier.

Expectation changes outcomes (Pygmalion effect)

• The way you expect someone to behave influences how you treat them—and how they respond.
• Applied to marketing: if you believe leads are real and likely to convert, your follow-up becomes more useful, patient, and effective.

The Catalog Playbook: attracting invisible prospects across industries

• Works for any business with a consideration period (kitchen remodels, e-bikes, fences, medical issues, etc.).
• Create a book/catalog/report that signals intent (“I’m considering this”) and pulls prospects out of invisibility.
• The offer isn’t “hire me”—it’s “here’s something useful for where you are right now.”

What’s changing with AI (and what isn’t)

• People may use AI to compare options, but the core consumer question remains: Who can I trust?
• Trust and rapport still win—especially via real-time connection, community, and human proof.

Selling (Dan Sullivan’s definition) and ethical marketing

• Selling = getting someone intellectually engaged in a future result that’s good for them, and emotionally committed to take action.
• Ethical marketing = enthusiasm grounded in truth; unethical “hype” = exaggeration and misfit selling.

Breakthrough DNA and the fundamentals: Before / During / After

• Breakthrough DNA is positioned like “marketing principles you come back to,” similar to reading the 12 steps at the start of meetings.
• Emphasis on building the Before Unit, creating a great During Unit experience, and maximizing the After Unit.

Q&A: Lead magnets, offers, and “cookies” (Janelle)

• Separate compelling from convincing: first identify the right people; then educate and motivate.
• Hospitality metaphor: don’t tell people “help yourself” (they won’t). Bring out cookies (a clear next step) and make it easy to say yes.
• Don’t rely on passive “reach out if you need anything”—lead with an offered micro-step.

Q&A: Franchises and “feet under management” (Jonathan, Good Feet)

• The biggest underused asset: satisfied customers walking around with real results.
• Referrals happen via conversation—train clients to recognize trigger moments and, crucially, to tell you about people (not just “tell people about you”).
• Focus on measurable “return on relationship,” not only ads and platforms.

Q&A: B2B legal and becoming known before the fire (Denise)

• Create a plan to ensure ideal prospects know you first; liking and trusting follow faster.
• Provide proactive value so that when the crisis hits, you’re the obvious first call—not an AI search result.

Direct mail + human connection (Randy Brill mention)

• Physical touchpoints cut through digital noise, especially when personalized and mission-driven.
• “Theater” matters—simple, thoughtful outreach can outperform “fancy” campaigns.

Q&A: Addiction support and the “compelling” offer (Chris)

• Start with the language families use late at night: fear, stigma, confusion, and “is this addiction or behavior?”
• Use a title/asset that feels like a life preserver (the “hold it to your chest” test).
• Pair intent-based resources (directories/guides) with the next-step support families actually need.

Q&A: Lumpy mail invites and what the box is for (Jade)

• The box’s job is attention; the next job is clarity: connect the attention device to a specific outcome and next step.
• Consider the “dollar bill” concept: a simple attention trigger that naturally ties into the message and closes the loop.