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The Power of Podcast Ads, Being Nice at Work, & Facebook's "Backyard BBQ"...This Is THE LATEST! I'm going to be real with you guys. Friday's work day began with a tutu-clad pink gorilla entering our office with balloons to wish our CEO, Bob, a happy birthday -- and I'm still processing. True story: It happened This sort thing may seem random to most of you, but in many ways, it's just another day at IMPACT and I couldn't be more grateful. That's a little bit of what's going on with us. Here's what's happening around the industry:  🎧  The Numbers Don't Lie: Podcast Advertising Grew By 53% Last Year and With Good Reason This week, it was revealed that marketers spent $479 million advertising on podcasts in the US in 2018. That's a 53% increase from the year prior and, get this, 78% of podcast listeners don't mind hearing sponsorships/ads at all. IMPACT's Head of Strategic Partnerships & Sponsorships, Vin Gaeta, dives into why this is big news for marketers.  AD POWER OF PODCASTS 📊  Data Duplication & HubSpot: Dealing With It and the Effect It Has On Your Business [Sponsored by Insycle] Are you dealing with duplicate data in HubSpot and aren't sure how to fix it, let alone stop it from happening again? In this guide from Insycle, you'll learn why duplicate data is harmful, what data de-duplication is, and how you can solve the duplicate issue in HubSpot with just a few clicks -- and in just a few minutes. Get insight into how duplicate data can be hurting your marketing results. GET DATA INSIGHTS  😊  The Nice Guy Doesn't Finish Last -- Not Even in Business As long as I can remember, I've always been bothered by the saying, "nice guys finish last." It's so pessimistic, so belittling of the kind. It essentially tells us that being mean is the way to "win" and unfortunately, this idea seems most popular in the professional world. Frankly, I don't buy it and in this article, our Chief Operating Officer, Chris Duprey, candidly shares why he doesn't subscribe to this idea either.  IT'S OK TO BE NICE  🌭  Treating Your Facebook Group Like a Backyard BBQ Just May Give You the Engagement Boost You Need Your Facebook Page is like your front yard. It's the first thing people see when they arrive at your home and is usually well-manicured -- but let's be real, it's not where people are going to want to hang out. In this article, Facebook Group expert (and IMPACT Elite Member) Bella Vasta shares why Facebook Group engagement is so valuable to marketers today and how you can boost yours with 11 clever tactics. BOOST GROUP ENGAGEMENT  👀 ... When You're All Ears (& Eyes)  Close Date vs. Entered Stage Date, Editable Shopify Deals, & Marketo at INBOUND?? [Hubcast 229] Mindfulness: Why it's Our New Theme in Life and at Work This Summer [MarketHer Ep. 56] "How Adam Sand Gets 3,300% ROI by Integrating Direct Mail with Digital Marketing" (Inbound Success, Ep. 93) "What Is Fearless Leadership & What Should It Never Be?" (Leadership in Real Life, Ep. 1) "The Pain of Outlining & an Airing of Grievances" with Kali Greff & Alexa Baray of Verblio (Content Lab, Ep. 33) 🎉  Weekend Nonsense This video has been making its rounds on Facebook all week, but even if you've seen it already, I know you won't mind seeing it again. In this clip posted by Shanieke Pryor, Baby Kingston is seen having a very animated conversation with his dad in "baby talk." The result is adorable internet gold.      Catch you next week!  Ramona Sukhraj Head of Editorial Content @ramonasukhraj I'm not interested at this time Sent by IMPACT, 470 James Street, Suite 10, New Haven, CT