TOM Talks Online Marketing

Hosted by Derrel Allen

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Online marketing tips, tricks, and advice for today’s online marketing dilemmas. Each episode covers topics ranging from website creation and design to social media, backlinks, blogging and more. Guests include business owners and marketing professionals who share their expertise and experience covering successes and challenges their business faces.

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8 recent

June 7, 2026Episode 834 min

Detox Without the Gimmicks -- Marla Sharpe on Lymphatic Health and Building a Franchise That Actually Works

You've heard of detoxing. Marla Sharpe's business does it differently -- no juice cleanses, no fads. Just a specific rhythmic technique designed to move your lymphatic system, reduce bloating, and improve circulation from the inside out.Marla is the owner of The TOX franchise in Allen, Texas, and a serial entrepreneur who knows what it takes to build something real in a competitive market. In this episode, she walks Derrel and Kris through what The TOX technique actually is, how it works, and why it's gaining traction with people who are serious about their health rather than just chasing a trend.The conversation gets candid on the business side too. Marla talks about the unique challenge of running a franchise -- corporate marketing restrictions, building a dependable team, and carving out your own customer relationships within a brand framework that doesn't always give you room to maneuver. Her answer to all of it comes down to consistent networking and genuine personal connection.The TOX also offers lifestyle products including debloat gummies and lymphatic health items for clients who want to extend the work between sessions.If you're in the Allen area and curious about lymphatic health, or if you're a franchise owner trying to figure out how to market yourself within corporate guardrails, this one's worth your 34 minutes.Derrel Allen -- Total Online Marketingwww.totalmagic.comKris O'Connor -- Kris O'Connor Marketing Gemsbttom.com/url/krisMarla Sharpe -- The TOX Allenthetoxtechnique.com/stores/the-tox-allen/bookTikTok: @marla.detoxallen972-837-9421Follow the show: bttom.com/url/pod

June 1, 202641 min

Your Garage Door Is the Largest Moving Wall in Your Home -- Dale Clark on Service, Safety, and Standing Out

Most homeowners don't think about their garage door until it stops working. Dale Clark thinks that's exactly backwards.Dale is the owner of ProLift Garage Doors of West Plano, a credentialed, Google-verified franchise operation built on transparency and customer education. He came to home services by way of the military -- signal communications -- and a career in sales engineering. That background shows up in how he runs his business: methodical, honest, and focused on doing the job right the first time.In this episode, Dale walks Derrel and Kris through why annual maintenance isn't optional -- springs, sensors, and balance checks on what he calls the largest moving wall in your home. He breaks down what separates a credentialed contractor from the guy who shows up in an unmarked van, and why that difference matters for your safety and your wallet.The conversation also gets into marketing. Dale shares why he's walked away from high-cost SEO agencies in favor of local networking and partnerships that actually produce results. Sound familiar?If you own a home in the West Plano area or you're a contractor trying to figure out what marketing actually works at the local level, this episode is worth your 42 minutes.Derrel Allen -- Total Online Marketing www.totalmagic.comKris O'Connor -- Kris O'Connor Marketing Gems bttom.com/url/krisDale Clark -- ProLift Garage Doors of West Plano proliftdoors.com/west-plano proliftgarage.tech Facebook: facebook.com/ProLiftGarageDoorsofWestPlano 469-888-6024 Follow the show: bttom.com/url/pod

May 26, 2026Episode 629 min

EP6: Not Knowing Your Numbers Is Planning to Fail -- Jeff Goold on What Bookkeeping Actually Does for Your Business

Most business owners think bookkeeping is about keeping tidy records. Jeff Goold says that's exactly the problem.Jeff is the founder of Element Ledger, a QuickBooks Pro Advisor, and a 27-year tech sales veteran who spent decades at companies like Cisco and Arista teaching clients the language of business. Now he applies that same ROI thinking to help entrepreneurs actually understand what their financials are telling them -- before it's too late.In this episode, Jeff walks Derrel and Kris through some hard truths. Like the client whose projects looked busy but had zero profit margin until proper categorization exposed the problem. Or why co-mingling personal and business funds is one of the biggest IRS red flags -- and why the IRS is now using AI to catch it. Or why AI bookkeeping tools, as powerful as they are, still need a human who understands how money actually flows through your specific business.Jeff works with solopreneurs, nonprofits, and has a particular focus on the construction industry -- a space he says has a serious blind spot around project costing. If you're a contractor who feels busy but can't figure out where the money went, this one's for you.As Jeff puts it -- crediting the original source -- "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Not knowing your numbers isn't just sloppy. It's a plan to fail.Derrel Allen -- Total Online Marketingwww.totalmagic.comKris O'Connor -- Kris O'Connor Marketing Gemsbttom.com/url/krisJeff Goold -- Element Ledgerelement-ledger.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/element-ledger-llc214-862-8025Follow the show: bttom.com/url/pod

May 18, 2026Episode 529 min

EP5: Failing Fast and Getting Fit -- Kenneth Johnson on Acquiring Xcellence Fitness

Kenneth Johnson didn't start in fitness. He came out of pharmaceuticals and corporate America -- then made a calculated move to acquire a gym in Allen, Texas instead of building one from scratch.In this episode, Kenneth walks Derrel and Kris through what makes Xcellence Fitness different from the big box gyms competing for the same zip code. It's a 24-hour facility, but the real differentiator is community -- personal training, group classes, and athletic development under one roof with an owner who actually shows up.The conversation gets candid fast. Kenneth talks about the mental and emotional side of physical fitness, why he believes movement is medicine, and how "failing fast" shaped his approach to business decisions. For anyone sitting on the fence about a career pivot or a business acquisition, this episode is worth the listen.Derrel Allen -- Total Online Marketing www.totalmagic.comKris O'Connor -- Kris O'Connor Marketing Gems bttom.com/url/krisKenneth Johnson -- Xcellence Fitness xcellencefitness.com 469-795-1776Follow the show: bttom.com/url/pod

May 11, 2026Episode 426 min

EP4: Without Music, Life Would B Flat -- Ron Jones on Marketing Memro Music

That's not a typo. It's Ron Jones's tagline -- and it tells you everything about how he approaches his work.Ron is the founder of Memro Music, a music instruction business built almost entirely on relationships, referrals, and a teaching style that blends traditional music reading with playing by ear. In this episode, Derrel and Kris sit down with Ron to unpack what's working in his marketing right now and where he wants to take it next.The conversation covers a lot of ground -- from Chamber networking and mom's groups to religious school outreach and annual student showcases. Then it shifts into what Ron is eyeing for the future: targeting homeschool families, getting serious about YouTube, using AI to create video content, and a college scholarship angle that could completely reframe how he attracts new students.If you teach, coach, or run any kind of service business built on personal skill, Ron's story is worth your 20 minutes.Derrel Allen -- Total Online Marketingwww.totalmagic.comKris O'Connor -- Kris O'Connor Marketing Gemsbttom.com/url/krisRon Jones -- Memro Musicmemromusic.comFollow the show: bttom.com/url/pod

May 1, 2026Episode 322 min

EP3: Two Marketers Walk Into a Podcast (And They're Not Competing)

TOM Talks Marketing is back -- and this time, Derrel Allen brought a co-host.In this relaunch episode, Derrel (Total Online Marketing) sits down with Kris O'Connor (Kris O'Connor Marketing Gems) to do something most marketers won't -- talk openly with someone who looks like the competition. Spoiler: they're not.The two dig into how they each built their online marketing businesses, what brought them to the same table, and why collaboration beats competition in a space where there's more than enough work to go around. They also touch on AI and how both of them are actively consulting clients on it.If you're a small business owner trying to figure out who to trust in the online marketing space, this conversation is a good place to start.Derrel Allen -- Total Online Marketingwww.totalmagic.comKris O'Connor -- Kris O'Connor Marketing Gemshttps://bttom.com/url/kris

January 12, 2024Episode 214 min

EP 2 Grace Intel Coaching Gets Clients

On this episode of TOM Talks Online Marketing, host Derrel Allen talks with life coach, Delanna Hess, owner of Grace Intel Coaching. Delanna provides insight into her client growth using Facebook Ads and how she avoided many common pitfalls. Grace Intel Coaching Facebook: @graceintelllc Instagram: @graceintelcoaching

January 1, 2024Episode 112 min

What is total online marketing?

For this inaugural episode of TOM Talks Online Marketing, host Derrel Allen introduces what started the Total Online Marketing processes. Starting before there was a ‘Google’, getting found by search engines has been a way of online life.