In this long, lively episode of Triceratalks, Justin Miller and Kevin Walker dive into today's AI landscape—what's possible now, what's coming next, and how it affects marketing, entrepreneurship, and small business operations.
They cover practical uses (automation, custom software, dashboards, content and photo editing), implementation tips (orchestration, guardrails, and higher-level prompt strategy), and the risks around security, regulation, and dependence on outside providers.
Listeners are encouraged to experiment with AI, focus on value and orchestration rather than rote tasks, and prepare their businesses to capture opportunities while managing new failure points.

Host Justin Miller interviews social media expert Ali Thompson about practical, story-driven strategies for small businesses to win on Facebook. They cover organic vs. paid tactics, the importance of daily, personal posts, behind-the-scenes content, the eight content buckets, and why chasing virality or hashtags often hurts more than helps.
The episode also offers tactical tips—use real photos, post from an "I" perspective, schedule weekly prompts, and use tools like ChatGPT as a co-pilot—and points listeners to Allie’s Small Town Famous program for step-by-step posting prompts and training.

In this episode Justin Miller breaks down the obscure USPS rules that inflate your direct mail costs and delay deliveries. From mail piece dimensions and clear zones to mail classes, postage types, and list preparation, learn practical fixes to avoid surcharges, returns, and wasted spend.Whether you DIY or hire a pro, this episode gives a quick checklist to save time and money on every campaign and keep your mail moving efficiently.

Learn why a "dirty" mailing list costs you postage, printing, and missed opportunities — and how simple steps like removing duplicates, running NCOA change-of-address, standardizing entries, and proofreading can dramatically improve deliverability and response rates.Practical tips and a clear call to action to audit and cleanse your list before every campaign so your direct mail reaches the right people and saves your budget.

This episode explores Amazon's early reliance on the U.S. Postal Service, how it used existing infrastructure to scale, and later built its own delivery network—becoming a competitor to the post office in the process.Host Justin Miller draws practical lessons for small businesses: the risks of building on someone else’s platform, the importance of owning customer relationships, and the need for redundancy and diversification in marketing and operations.

In this episode Justin Miller breaks down the USPS’s $2.5 billion quarterly loss, explains the difference between "controllable" and "uncontrollable" costs, and discusses deferred retiree liabilities and cash pressures facing the Postal Service.He also explores what these changes mean for small businesses and direct mail marketers: marketing mail volume is rising despite rate increases, direct mail still delivers attention and high-value leads, and businesses should focus on campaign ROI, multi-channel response tracking, and watching postage and delivery changes.

Justin and Kevin return from a long break to revisit Columbia House — the mail-order music giant — and trace its journey from records to DVDs while unpacking why the format died and what that means for modern marketers.The episode mixes nostalgia with practical lessons for small businesses: build an irresistible offer, get something physical in customers' homes, own your list, and combine direct mail with digital channels to stand out.

This episode explains why most businesses don’t have a lead problem—they have a follow-up problem—and how consistent, multi-channel follow-up turns leads into customers.Justin covers practical tactics like systematized email and phone sequences, retargeting, direct mail, and CRM workflows, plus when and how to be persistent without sounding desperate.Listen for tips to audit your pipeline, extend follow-up timelines, and build repeatable campaigns that keep you top-of-mind until prospects are ready to buy.

This episode explains why measuring ROI for direct mail is harder than digital ads: delayed responses, channel bleed, and incomplete attribution.Justin walks through practical tracking options (phone numbers, QR codes, landing pages, offer codes), how offline influences online conversions, and why direct mail is a long-term play that builds trust and familiarity.Listen for tactical tips on setting expectations, measuring directional impact, and integrating direct mail with other marketing to get a clearer picture of real returns.

Marketing, entrepreneurship, and all things small business. This episode explores how over-polishing your brand can make you look corporate, inauthentic, or out of touch. The hosts trace the evolution from expensive production values to today’s preference for conversational, human-to-human marketing and offer practical tips: be conversational, show real faces, avoid over-editing, share stories and opinions, and lean into authenticity where big companies can’t compete.

Justin Miller explains how businesses can borrow tactics from theme parks—like Disney and cruise lines—to create memorable customer experiences that encourage spending and word-of-mouth. He shares practical ideas such as handwritten thank-you notes, unexpected upgrades, playful packaging, and memorable onboarding moments.The episode highlights focusing on how people feel, designing entertaining touchpoints, and adding small surprises to make routine transactions feel like an experience, especially during the summer season.

In this episode, Justin Miller discusses the hidden costs of low-paying, difficult customers and why they often become the most expensive to serve. He and his co-hosts share experiences from real businesses—real estate, weddings, direct mail and marketing agencies—about how price-shopping clients create stress, take up disproportionate time, and hurt team morale.The hosts outline practical strategies to attract higher-quality clients: lead with value not price, raise minimums and monthly retainer models, use testimonials and guarantees, create friction to filter out bad fits, and be willing to say no. They also explain how raising prices and structuring client tiers improves service and results for ideal customers, even if the transition is painful.

In this milestone episode, Justin celebrates Episode 100 with a Dino Bucks giveaway and dives into why marketing often fails before it even starts: it doesn’t grab attention. From overflowing notifications and short attention spans to the power of headlines, visuals, and authenticity, the hosts explain how getting noticed by the right people is the first step to success.They discuss practical fixes—strong, targeted headlines, human, non‑sterile presentation, and thoughtful use of AI—to help your marketing break through the noise and actually connect with customers.

In this episode Justin Miller and Kevin discuss sales friction—how unnecessary steps in marketing, sales, and fulfillment slow down purchases and kill momentum. They use examples like buying a Tesla online, the Savannah Bananas’ fan-focused experience, and direct mail’s trust-building power to show what works.The hosts offer practical advice: simplify messaging and forms, speed responses, improve onboarding, build trust with guarantees and tangible media, and make the post-sale experience fun. Stay tuned for their upcoming 100th episode celebration with prizes and surprises.

Justin Miller interviews Doberman Dan about his 30+ years in direct response marketing, explaining why direct mail often outperforms email and how offline tactics can drive higher response and profit. Dan shares real examples like newspaper tests, a high‑impact gym‑bag mailing, and coordinated campaigns that boosted continuity revenue.The episode also covers the decline of email deliverability, how to target your hottest buyers with back‑end offers, and practical strategies for combining online and offline channels to increase customer value and stand out in crowded markets.