F086: Simplify, Amplify, Accelerate: Industrial Marketing Growth Strategies for the AI Era

When you’re a small shop owner, marketing can suck up precious time and money–and still feel like a complete waste.

Why is that?

In nearly 20 years of helping small shops with marketing, Emily Wilkins sees the same mistakes over and over:

(1) Relying on generic marketing tactics
(2) Skipping the front-end work
(3) Outsourcing to someone who doesn’t “get it.”

The good news is: when you get your brand right – and your mindset right – you stop chasing RFQs and become a magnet for the right prospects, people, and partners.

In this session, Emily breaks down why one-size-fits-all marketing is a time and money suck, and what to do instead, regardless of size or budget.

This talk is a wake-up call, delivered with real world stories and a healthy dose of humor. Emily highlights the difference between a RADICAL (profitable and impactful) shop and an average one.

And no, it’s not their marketing budgets.

It’s that they’re brave enough to lead with human connection, clarity, and personality.

You’ll leave this talk with confidence, conviction, and a practical framework you can put to work immediately to start magnetizing your ideal customers, talent, and partners.

If you’re ready to build a business your team is proud to rep, and attract the right humans without grinding yourself into the floor, this talk is for you.

Website traffic is dropping—not because buyers stopped searching, but because AI engines now answer questions directly, bypassing your site entirely. Buyers still research and decide online, but manufacturers have lost control of the narrative. If your products aren't cited or recommended by AI tools, you're losing sales before your team even knows it. Marketers must pivot from keyword tracking to AI-optimization: machine-legible data, protected retail pricing, and undeniable third-party trust signals.