In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis welcomes Emma Reeves, Director of Excelerate Marketing and a strategic marketing specialist with over a decade of experience. Emma shares her journey from corporate roles in finance and affiliate marketing to launching her own agency in the midst of the COVID pandemic. She unpacks the importance of developing a clear marketing strategy, understanding your target audience, and creating authentic content that delivers measurable results. Whether it’s attracting customers or recruiting top talent, Emma explains why marketing should be seen as a long-term investment—not a last-minute fix.
Emma’s career began in the world of affiliate and digital marketing, where she worked with high-profile platforms like RateCity and businesses such as OnDeck and MYOB. Her expertise across multi-channel campaigns and partnership marketing laid the foundation for Excelerate, which she launched during one of the most uncertain times for small businesses—2020. Witnessing business owners waste money on scattered marketing efforts without a strategic backbone, Emma recognised the need for a more structured, insight-led approach. Excelerate was built to bridge that gap, helping service-based businesses establish marketing foundations that not only convert, but also scale.
Throughout the conversation, Emma shares how Excelerate focuses on professional service industries such as accounting, legal, financial services, and property. These businesses often offer intangible services and operate in saturated markets, making strong brand positioning and messaging essential. She explains how directors, despite being industry experts, are often reluctant to show up on camera or create personal content—something Emma actively works to change. She positions personal branding not as a vanity project, but as a vital channel for building trust, credibility, and visibility in a crowded digital space.
Emma also addresses one of the most common pitfalls she sees: businesses funnelling money into ads without clear messaging or knowledge of who they’re targeting. She emphasises the need to differentiate between entry-level contacts and actual decision-makers in B2B, adjusting communication styles and messages accordingly. Building rapport, delivering value, and establishing trust are central themes in her approach—because the goal isn’t just to generate leads, but to create sustainable business growth.
Diving into ad platforms, Emma breaks down the differences between Google, Meta, and YouTube, explaining how each platform serves a different intent and demographic. She encourages business owners to test, track, and optimise continuously—and most importantly, to hold their agencies accountable. Ads, she reminds us, are just one tool in the broader marketing funnel. Emma champions an agile, strategic approach, where budgets are adjusted based on opportunity, seasonality, and long-term objectives rather than rigid contracts.
As the episode wraps up, Emma leaves listeners with a powerful message: start now. She notes that many businesses delay strategy due to lack of time or budget, only to regret it later. Marketing isn’t a one-off campaign—it’s a foundational element of your business that supports visibility, stability, and growth across every stage. Emma also reframes the way founders view marketing, pointing out that every business is already marketing in some form. The key is to build on what’s already working and continuously refine it. For those seeking practical insights and a fresh perspective on marketing in today’s digital landscape, this episode is a must-listen.
Topics Covered
- Starting a marketing agency during COVID
- Strategic marketing for service-based businesses
- The importance of recruitment marketing
- Building a brand in saturated markets
- Understanding your ideal customer and decision-maker
- Differences between Google, Meta, and YouTube ads
- Common marketing pitfalls and wasted ad spend
- Turning social media attention into leads
- Value-led content and lead magnets
- Why every business is already marketing (whether they realise it or not)
Important Time Stamps
- Marketing Isn’t Just for Clients—It’s for Staff Too (0:07 – 2:49)
- From Corporate to Founder: Emma Reeves’ Leap into Strategy-Led Marketing (2:50 – 5:14)
- Stop Wasting Money on Ads Until You Do This (5:15 – 12:34)
- The Key to Better Leads? Understand Who Actually Makes the Decision (12:35 – 16:54)
- Don’t Confuse Marketing with Advertising—Here’s the Difference (16:55 – 24:06)
- Lead Magnets, Not Likes: Turn Attention Into Sales (24:07 – 31:29)
- “We Should’ve Started Marketing Sooner” – Don’t Let This Be You (31:30 – 36:10)
