Just had Marcus Sheridan, author of "Endless Customers," drop absolute truth bombs on The Sales Show. If you're still relying on Google SEO and paid ads to drive leads, you're about to get crushed...

The Death of "Make Google Happy" Marketing

For 20+ years, business success was simple: make customers happy, make Google happy. Google happy = great SEO + paid ads. But November 2022 changed everything. ChatGPT arrived and 60% of Google searches now end in ZERO clicks. My 18-year-old daughter asks ChatGPT for direct Amazon links instead of searching. The blue links are dying.

The Four Pillars of AI-Era Dominance

Marcus revealed the only way to win AI recommendations (the new Google): 1) Say what others won't say online, 2) Show what others won't show with video, 3) Sell how others won't sell, 4) Be more human than anyone else. If AI doesn't notice you, you're in massive trouble. These four pillars are how you become the most known and trusted brand.

The "Big Five" Topics That Create Endless Customers

Every buyer obsesses over five subjects when researching: Cost/Pricing, Problems/Negatives, Comparisons, Reviews (good AND bad), and Best/Top options. Yet 90% of businesses refuse to address these topics online. The companies crushing it? They create content around ALL five, especially the uncomfortable ones.

Why "Call for Quote" Became the Middle Finger of the Internet

75% of buyers want a seller-free experience until they're ready. "Call for quote" pages make people angry and frustrated - they immediately leave for competitors who show pricing. Marcus's solution? Pricing estimators that give ranges, not exact quotes. His clients see 300-500% conversion lifts when they add these.

The Pricing Transparency Revolution

Even if "every job is different," you can still address: What drives costs up? What drives costs down? Why are some companies expensive? Why are some cheap? Where do you fall roughly? This isn't about exact pricing - it's about teaching value and addressing the #1 buyer question: "How much will this cost me?"

The AI Agent Future That's Coming Fast

Soon you'll send your AI agent to research pool contractors. It'll check 50 companies, find only 3 with pricing estimators, get estimates from each, and recommend based on reviews + price transparency. Do you want to be one of those three companies or invisible to AI? 90% of service businesses will have pricing estimators within 5 years.

Why Your YouTube Page Will Beat Your Website

YouTube creators aren't complaining about AI - their views are stable. SEO-dependent businesses? They're panicking. Video ranks easier than text, builds community better than websites, and YouTube keeps growing while Google search shrinks. Within 5 years, your YouTube presence will matter more than your website.

The Three F's of Innovation

Every buyer wants you to make it Faster, remove Friction, and eliminate Fear (like pricing uncertainty). These three F's guide every marketing decision. If your strategy doesn't address all three, you're leaving money on the table and frustrating potential customers.

👉 Ready to build your AI-era marketing strategy?

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