Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson

Live from IMEX in Las Vegas, the usual “make it more experiential” advice gets flipped on its head. With Jay Schwedelson joined by Ken Holsinger of Freeman and Carina Bauer of IMEX Group, you’ll hear why attendees remember the basics (one great connection, one useful idea) way more than the fancy stuff planners pour money into.
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Download and share the IMEX Group and Freeman experiential trends research, then use it to redesign your next event around learning, networking, and business before you spend on “wow” extras.
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Best Moments:
(01:33) The clearest explanation of what IMEX actually is and who it is really for
(05:42) The big “experience” disconnect between what planners build and what attendees want
(11:45) The stat that stunned me: planners think 78 percent have a memorable moment, attendees say 40
(12:09) If someone meets just one person, retention jumps to 51 percent
(12:31) Peak moments drive 85 percent retention, and “gala” never shows up in 2,100 attendee responses
(18:21) The best swag ever is either a 20-year-old branded card case or unreleased sneakers
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Check out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson
Check out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelson
Check Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/
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Pre-order Jay Schwedelson’s new book, Stupider People Have Done It (out April 21, 2026). All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research—let’s kick cancer’s butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

AI rumors are getting weirdly specific this week, and the ripple effects are already showing up in places you probably are not watching closely enough. Along the way, Jay Schwedelson connects the dots between LinkedIn suddenly becoming an AI citation machine, ChatGPT testing ads, and a major Constant Contact acquisition that hits close to home. Then it takes a sharp turn into a very firm new rule about movie runtimes and the reality show everyone is apparently addicted to.
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Best Moments:
(00:30) The rumor that OpenAI is eyeing Pinterest and why tagged images are the real prize
(01:19) LinkedIn is getting cited by AI tools 5x more and now outranking Wikipedia and YouTube
(02:33) The simple LinkedIn post formula that actually gets pulled into AI citations
(03:45) ChatGPT ads are being tested in the US, and what the rollout might look like
(05:04) Constant Contact acquired Guru Conference, SubjectLine.com, and Certified Gur,u and what changes (and what does not)
(06:42) Marty Supreme review plus the new hard cutoff for movie theater runtime
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Check out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson
Check out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelson
Check Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/
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Pre-order Jay Schwedelson’s new book, Stupider People Have Done It (out April 21, 2026). All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research—let’s kick cancer’s butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

That “big win” moment is supposed to feel chill, right? Instead, the vibe here is more like: congrats, now the pressure triples. Between Jay Schwedelson admitting he’s somehow more anxious after selling subjectline.com and Daniel Murray dropping a ridiculously simple conversion lever most marketers ignore, this one lands as equal parts real talk and immediately usable.
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Follow Daniel on LinkedIn and check out The Marketing Millennials podcast for sharp, no-fluff marketing insights. Subscribe to Ari Murray’s newsletter at gotomillions.co for sharp, actionable marketing insights.
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Best Moments:
(01:16) Selling a business sounds relaxing until Jay admits it cranked his anxiety up 10x
(03:13) The uncomfortable reason Jay sometimes turns down small-budget clients, even when they believe in you
(04:48) The easiest conversion lift you can test is not the offer, it’s the name of the offer
(06:37) The “one modifier word” title test that can change conversions fast
(08:12) Why tiny A/B tweaks teach you more than totally different versions
(09:15) Jay starts meditating every morning, and Daniel calls him out for the sun-staring habit
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Check out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson
Check out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelson
Check Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/
ㅤ
Pre-order Jay Schwedelson’s new book, Stupider People Have Done It (out April 21, 2026). All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research—let’s kick cancer’s butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

Ever stare at an AI tool and think, cool, but how do I make it write like a real marketer? Jay Schwedelson brings on Michael Stelzner to break down why Claude is the go-to for persuasive copy and how to set it up so it actually learns your style instead of forgetting everything five minutes later. If you have been fighting custom GPT amnesia, this one will feel like a reset.
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Get $100 off the already discounted AI Business World ticket here:
https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/dothis
Also check out Michael’s AI Explored podcast for weekly, practical AI tactics.
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Best Moments:
(02:08) Why Claude is the best writer for persuasive marketing copy
(04:05) The simplest explanation of Claude Projects and why they beat custom GPTs
(05:30) The “artifact” trick that turns messy output into clean, usable docs
(06:45) Uploading 1,000 testimonials and letting Claude pull the perfect snippets automatically
(11:38) The ninja prompt move: generate 8 options, then force the AI to pick the best
(16:57) The quick pitch for AI Business World and the $100 listener discount
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Check out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson
Check out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelson
Check Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/
ㅤ
Pre-order Jay Schwedelson’s new book, Stupider People Have Done It (out April 21, 2026). All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research—let’s kick cancer’s butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206

Google is quietly trying to become the entire checkout lane, and that changes what marketers should obsess over this week. Jay Schwedelson explains why the Universal Commerce Protocol could shift marketing from driving clicks to earning influence in AI search. Then it takes a hard turn into oddly useful timing for email performance and a very strong opinion on PerfumeTok and scent stacking.
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Best Moments:
(00:30) Universal Commerce Protocol could make buying happen inside an AI search without ever visiting a brand site
(02:32) Why marketing is shifting from chasing clicks to being everywhere at the exact moment of intent
(03:15) January 20 to January 30 is one of the best non-holiday stretches for email performance
(04:31) The vending machine era is getting weird, and Sprinkles cupcakes going under is a bummer
(05:30) A podcast wins at the Golden Globes, plus a spicy take on an annoyingly popular show
(06:34) PerfumeTok and scent stacking are officially too much for civilized society
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Check out Jay’s YOUTUBE Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@schwedelson
Check out Jay’s TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@schwedelson
Check Out Jay's INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jayschwedelson/
ㅤ
Pre-order Jay Schwedelson’s new book, Stupider People Have Done It (out April 21, 2026). All net proceeds are donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research—let’s kick cancer’s butt: https://www.amazon.com/Stupider-People-Have-Done-Marketing/dp/1637635206