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Chris Arruda | Bright Idea

@bright.idea.solutions

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None of these are actually rude. They only feel that way because most owners never think to ask them. 🫠

1. What did you do last month that I couldn’t see?
If they answer with a list of tasks, ask what changed because of them.

2. Which of these numbers is connected to revenue?
Reach and impressions are not customers or sales.

3. What would you stop doing if this were your money?
A trustworthy agency has an answer ready, and should already be suggesting it.

4. Who actually works on my account?
The person who sold you probably isn’t the person doing the work. Meet that person.

5. If I left tomorrow, what would I own?
Your ad account, your website, your data. These should be yours.

6. What does success look like in 90 days?
Calls, bookings, customers. Make them give you something you can count.

Good agencies will be glad you asked. If you can’t get straight answers, you’re probably not getting good value.

Save this for your next renewal.

#smallbusinessowner #smallbusinessmarketing #marketingagency #businessowners #marketingstrategy by @bright.idea.solutions

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9 days ago

New here? Start with this.👇

I help small business owners take decisive action on business tasks they didn’t train for. Websites, branding, strategy, marketing, and operations.

If you’re running solo or have a team under 20, follow along for practical advice, business mindset, lessons learned from my client work, and a healthy dash of ranting.

I post a few times a week and reply to every DM personally.

Thanks for being here! 😎 by @bright.idea.solutions

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8 months ago

Not sure what you’re getting from your marketing company? Ask these (slightly rude) questions.

#brightidea #smallbusinessmarketing by @bright.idea.solutions

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5

a day ago

The last one is by far the most expensive.

🫠 Signing an agency retainer and never reviewing it. What you needed then is not what you need now. Agencies return less over time. I’ll die on that hill.

🫠 Leaving an ad campaign running on autopilot. If nobody has checked targeting, traffic or conversions in six months, you’re lighting money on fire.

🫠 Recurring payments for tools that literally nobody uses. The scheduling app, the CRM, the newsletter platform. OR paying for a top-tier version of the product when the intro offer would do.

🫠 Last but certainly not least: hiring someone junior as the first marketing employee. A lower wage can feel more reasonable, but you’ll more than double your cost in time spent managing, coaching, and fixing mistakes. If you hire someone, hire an expert. Even if you can afford them for less time.

Save this for next time you’re digging into your credit card statement. 🙌

#smallbusinessowner smallbusinessmarketing marketingagency businessowners marketingstrateg by @bright.idea.solutions

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2 days ago

Do these things, and you will start to absolutely crush.

1. Talk to it. Prompting by voice is way faster than typing, and you give it far more context without noticing. I love to ramble, and it sorts the ramble out.

2. Never take the first answer. The first draft is a starting point. React, push back, and go a few rounds. The good version is usually the fourth one.

3. Give it a guardrail information it keeps. Every area of my business has project instructions: who I am, who I serve, my voice, what I never say. When something changes, I update them. Do not start from zero every time.

4. Ask it to prove you wrong. I tell it to disagree with me, find the hole in my plan, and flag when I’m circling the same decision.

Here’s an example prompt to try:
“Before you answer, tell me where this plan is weakest, what I’m not seeing, and whether I’ve already decided and just want you to agree.”

See what happens.

5. Keep private client info out of it. No customer names, account numbers, emails, or lists go in. Your clients trust you with that.

Save this list and try #4 on your next big decision.

#smallbusinessowner #brightidea by @bright.idea.solutions

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5 days ago

If your marketing person just does whatever you ask for, run the other way. 🫠

Most people don’t understand what they really need when it comes to marketing. That’s why it feels so scary and difficult to get right.

If your agency or contractor blindly says yes to everything, they are built to bill. Not deliver results.

If they ask questions, or explain why your idea may not align with your goals, that’s a sign to trust them 🤝 by @bright.idea.solutions

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6 days ago

Most marketing agencies are built to look busy, not produce results. 🫠

Here’s what a monthly report should actually tell you.

1. What came in, what it cost, and what got built.
If they’re running campaigns, that’s leads or customers. If the month was foundation work, what does that work make possible?

2. What changed since last month, and why.
Numbers going up or down mean nothing without the reason.

3. What they’re going to stop doing.
If nothing ever gets cut, nobody is watching the results.

4. What they need from you.
Faster replies to leads, better photos, a decision on pricing. Marketing rarely works on its own.

5. What they tried and what they learned.
This is the most important one 🫪. If they never tell you what failed, they’re not trying anything new.

If your report can’t answer these, it’s not a report. It’s a receipt.

Save this for the next time one lands in your inbox 💡

#smallbusinessowner #smallbusinessmarketing #marketingagency #businessowners marketingstrategy by @bright.idea.solutions

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6 days ago

One of the tightest pieces of marketing materials I’ve ever seen!

Is it gimmicky? Without a doubt. ✅

Is it legal? Questionable. 🤔

Is it effective. Absolutely 💪

I love seeing stuff like this out in the world. Nice flex @comoxvalleytoyota.

#marketing #businesscardwin by @bright.idea.solutions

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7 days ago

Just finished talking marketing with a bunch of high school students. It was the best.

YELL Canada is an amazing organization that connects business owners with the next generation of entrepreneurs. It’s one of most valuable ways I spend my time.

If you own a business and you’re interested in connecting with YELL, shoot me a DM.

😘

@yellcanada by @bright.idea.solutions

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20 days ago

If you can’t answer this one question, you’re probably losing money somewhere. 🫪

Real audit. $72,000 a year in marketing spend. Nobody in the business could say what it bought.

Details have been changed to protect my client. Findings haven’t.

😘 by @bright.idea.solutions

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a month ago

Turns out AI is not actually very good at what they say it’s good at. 💡

If you’re a business owner trying to leverage generative AI to help things run, that probably feel frustrating af.

We’ve been told it’s going to “change how we do business”, and “replace employees” since 2023. That was years ago.

Today jf you’re counting on it to do things like write decent copy, manage projects, help with content creation or automation, it just ain’t great. Not without a deeper understanding of how the technology works, strong inputs, and critical thinking.

The rubber really meets the road through more complex setups using agentic AI connected to APIs and harnesses.

But of us are still using chatbots, and that isn’t changing any time soon folks!

What it is VERY good at is making already capable people faster, more efficient, and productive.

So if you’re an entrepreneur or biz owner leveraging AI for your business, I’d argued the best use of your energy is to use it to improve your personal output.

😘 by @bright.idea.solutions

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2 months ago

Meta just admitted that Instagram and Facebook were designed to addict kids.

Read it again. They’ve legally admitted by this new settlement that the apps were “designed to addict kids”.

This settlement is being celebrated, but I’m not popping any bottles 🍾

The only way we’ll change the power these apps have over human beings is by changing their core function. That’s infinite scroll, and an algorithm purpose built to keep us from putting down our phones.

😘 by @bright.idea.solutions

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15

2 months ago