Hi there! I'm Kerry Curran, business growth consultant, industry analyst, and host of Revenue Boost, a Marketing Podcast where we educate business leaders on how smart marketing strategies drive revenue growth.

In this episode of Revenue Boost, a Marketing Podcast, titled “From Leads to Loyalty: Digital Marketing Strategies That Drive Revenue Growth” I chat with Rich Brooks, president of Flyte New Media and creator of the Agents of Change podcast and conference. Rich shares insights from his Remarkability Framework: find, focus, forge and frame, that helps businesses stand out, attract ideal customers, and drive revenue growth.

Through actionable examples, he illustrates how to uncover your differentiator, niche effectively, create value-driven experiences, and refine your positioning for maximum impact. Don't miss this episode packed with practical strategies to elevate your marketing and boost your bottom line. Let's go!

Podcast transcript

Kerry Curran, RBMA (00:02.254):
Welcome, Rich. Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your background and expertise.

Rich Brooks (00:09.464):
Sure. My name is Rich Brooks. I'm the president of Flyte New Media, a digital agency I started over 27 years ago. Most of the time, it's been based here in Portland, Maine, although I originally started it from my apartment in Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood in Boston. It began as a one-person operation, but over the years, I’ve added people to the team—people who are now better than me at pretty much everything, including branding, web design, development, and various types of marketing.

While running Flyte New Media, I also launched something called the Agents of Change, which includes a weekly podcast that’s been running for over a decade, as well as an annual conference. This year, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our in-person event. And just this past year, as we near the end of 2024, we hosted our first-ever virtual summit, focusing entirely on digital marketing. So, my passion lies in helping businesses leverage digital marketing to grow.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (01:10.38):
Excellent. Well, thank you, Rich. We're excited to have you here today to share your expertise, especially given your deep experience in the agency space. I know you’ve worked with a variety of clients and helped many brands achieve business success. To start, what are the typical business challenges that prospects or clients bring to you initially?

Rich Brooks (01:41.324):
Often, it’s one of two things: either they need a new website—whether it’s their first website or a revamp of their current one—or they’re not getting the leads they want online and don’t know how to fix it. Even though digital marketing has been around since the late '90s, for many people, it’s still uncharted territory. It’s not where they’re comfortable spending their time—they didn’t study marketing, and they wish business would come naturally. When it doesn’t, they come to us.

Sometimes they have an idea of what they want, like running Facebook ads, but often that idea isn’t the right solution. That’s when we step back and talk about the customer journey, positioning, and traditional marketing fundamentals. Ultimately, they’re looking to generate more leads online, and that’s where we come in.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (02:48.162):
That makes sense. It’s great when clients know that marketing activations, like paid search or Facebook ads, can help their business grow, but, as you said, they often skip the foundational work. They need a strategy—understanding their target audience, how they help their customers, and the unique value they provide. I know that’s a big part of what you offer your clients. Can you talk us through the frameworks or tools you’ve developed over the years to drive client success?

Rich Brooks (03:41.526):
Absolutely. One thing I’ve developed is something I call the "Remarkability Formula." It’s a framework to help businesses identify what makes them stand out. Differentiating yourself isn’t a new idea—people like Seth Godin and books like The Purple Cow or Blue Ocean Strategy have tackled this topic. But what I’ve done is create a four-lens framework—Find, Focus, Forge, and Frame—so businesses can uncover their unique strengths and tell their story effectively.

Each lens has a purpose. “Find” is about discovering what’s already remarkable about your business. “Focus” is about niching down to narrow your target market or offerings. “Forge” involves creating something outside your core offering that aligns with your mission and attracts your ideal customers. Finally, “Frame” is about repositioning or rebranding to communicate your core strengths in a way that resonates with your audience.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (05:43.492):
That’s fantastic, Rich. I love the idea of helping brands find their remarkability. Can you dive into each lens with examples and explain how businesses can use them to stand out?

Rich Brooks (06:44.654):
Absolutely. For “Find,” I always say there’s something remarkable about every business—it’s just a matter of identifying it. A great example is a local painting company I hired when I bought my first house. Unlike the usual slow, disruptive painters, this company finished jobs in just two days. They had 20 painters on staff, which made them incredibly efficient. That remarkable approach was difficult for competitors to replicate.

For “Focus,” niching down is key. It’s tempting to serve everyone, but businesses that specialize are more successful and can charge higher rates. For example, specialists like brain surgeons or branding experts can demand a premium because they’ve honed their expertise.

“Forge” is about creating something outside your main offering that reinforces your brand values. A great example is Barilla’s pasta playlists on Spotify. These playlists, tailored to the cooking times for their pasta, highlight Barilla’s focus on culinary artistry.
Finally, “Frame” is about repositioning. For example, Red Bull framed itself as an energy drink instead of competing with sodas, carving out a niche that made them the market leader. Similarly, a Mandarin teacher rebranded as the “China Success Coach” by highlighting her business etiquette training, which resonated with her ideal audience.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (23:58.744):
Those are brilliant examples. I love how actionable your framework is. Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Rich. How can people learn more about your Remarkability Formula or get in touch with you?

Rich Brooks (24:45.398):
They can download my free Remarkability Workbook at takeflyte.com/remarkability-workbook. It’s a practical guide to work through the framework on their own or with their team. You can also find me on LinkedIn, where I’m most active. Just let me know you heard me on the Revenue Boost Podcast, and I’d be happy to connect. And, of course, you can listen to my podcast, Agents of Change, wherever you get your podcasts.

Kerry Curran, RBMA (26:23.62):
Thank you so much, Rich. This was incredibly valuable. I appreciate your time and expertise, and I hope to have you on the podcast again soon!

Rich Brooks (26:19.658):
Thank you, Kerry. It’s been a pleasure.

I hope you found this episode of Revenue Boost: A Marketing Podcast as valuable as I did. Rich's Remarkability Framework can foster revenue growth for both B2B and D2C companies. For more business growth strategy insights, be sure to subscribe and follow Revenue Boost: A Marketing Podcast. For support with your own business growth, reach out to me, Kerry Curran, at revenuebasedmarketing.com.