452 – Why Your Marketing Feels “Icky” (And How to Fix It!)

Trade business owners are constantly pitched on running ads to grow their companies. But what happens when those ads stop delivering?

In episode 452 of The Site Shed podcast, Matt is joined by psychology-driven marketing expert Rai Cornell from Cornell Content Marketing. Together, they unpack why most marketing strategies leave tradies feeling awkward and ineffective—and what to do about it.

Rai introduces her framework of the Four M’s of Marketing:

Motivation — Why are you marketing?
Method — Are you using ethical or manipulative tactics?
Message — Are your words building trust or pressure?
Mechanism — Are you showing up in the right place for your buyers?

This episode is a must-listen if:

You hate posting on social media
You feel pressure to “sell” all the time
You want long-term growth, not just short-term wins

Learn how to use content, authenticity, and real relationship-building to connect with buyers who are already 90% sold.

📚 Resources from this Episode

Rai Cornell’s Website: cornellcontentmarketing.com
Get Rai’s Free Demand Gen Kit: Download here
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The Site Shed is one of the best online communities and podcasts for tradies out there. The free content provided to members is unbelievable - offering invaluable advice to run a successful business, and the community of tradies is truly awesome. Do yourself a favour and check it out.

Peter Cox Business Man

Great work Matt with all the podcasts and the site shed facebook community group. The amount of information that you can learn for free in this space is unbelieveable. It's great to see like minded contractors and trades trying to improve their businesses and also share ideas and help others. Highly recommend. Thanks!

Ben Hern Business Owner

I have been listening to the pod casts for a few months now, I can't get enough of all the awesome content that you guys provide. Especially when you guys deliver it from a trade perspective which helps out a lot. Keep up the good work and hopefully one day I can afford one of the trade training trips.

Ché Henton Customer

I own a construction company,and i love learning how to make my bussiness more competitive,profitable and how to better serve my clients. The site shed is a wonderful place to get invaluable knowledge no matter your trade .