Justin Hardy, Founder of Hardy Marketing, brings 7 years of digital marketing expertise, specializing in healthcare, wellness, SAAS, e-commerce, and agency collaborations. As a full-time digital nomad and avid nature enthusiast, Justin finds inspiration in the outdoors and balances his work life with hiking and other activities. Married for 4 years to his wife, Abby, who supports his professional journey, he excels in creating impactful landing pages, websites, and emails. Justin is knowledgeable about the impact of AI and automation on business and enjoys discussing digital marketing strategies, funnel marketing, and the digital nomad lifestyle.
Justin, can you share the journey that led you to founding Hardy Marketing and becoming a full-time digital nomad?
— I studied at UNC Chapel Hill to become a physical therapist. I worked as a personal trainer for a few years after college but wanted schedule and location independence. I applied for tons of remote jobs and got hired by Gym Launch (Alex Hormozi’s company). This opened me up to funnel marketing and digital marketing. From there, I went on to work for multiple agencies, and leading a team as a director of marketing. Opened my boutique agency, Hardy Marketing, 2.5 years ago.
How have your experiences in nature and hiking influenced your approach to digital marketing and creativity?
I think of my best ideas when I’m being active. Whether it’s running, hiking, kayaking, yoga, or camping I love being outdoors when I’m not at work. The natural world is a great place for design inspiration as well. Generally I work 3 to 4 hours in the morning, take a break to go outdoors midday and then come back and work 3 or 4 more hours after I’m refreshed.
With your extensive experience in healthcare, wellness, SAAS, e-commerce, and agencies, what unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered in these industries?
There is still a massive amount of opportunity for digital marketers. Every business needs content and to be online. Especially after COVID this trend was expedited across the board. I recommend starting off as an in-trepreneur within an agency or digital-heavy brand to get your feet wet and then consider freelance consulting as you gain experience and connections.
Can you discuss the most impactful AI and automation tools you’ve integrated into your marketing strategies, and how they’ve transformed your business operations?
Perplexity.ai for research and brainstorming. I use this for all of my client campaign and market research.
ChatGPT 4 and Claude 3.5 for copywriting. I use these to speed up my production of e-mails, ads, and landing pages for clients so that we can split test and scale faster.
Leonardo.ai for image and video generation. I use this for social media posts and sometimes ads and e-mails.
Reply.io for ai lead generation. It covers everything from prospecting and analysis, to follow-up and tracking.
How do you see the role of AI and automation evolving in digital marketing over the next five years, especially in areas like landing pages, websites, and emails?
It will allow marketers to offer more and more personalized buying journeys for customers. Once marketers learn these tools better, it will allow us to create more unique and higher quality content for customers. Markets will all still have jobs but our work will be more focused on higher-level strategic and softskill tasks.
As a digital nomad, how do you manage work-life balance, and what strategies do you employ to stay productive and inspired while constantly on the move?
I get bored with routine. So, travelling and experiencing new things really fulfills me. It helps me to view the world from different perspectives and to look at problems from different viewpoints. You have to be flexible and adaptable to work and travel full time but if you’re disciplined and self-motivated it really is the best way to live (for someone like me anyway).
Could you share a particularly successful marketing funnel you’ve designed and what key elements contributed to its success?
One of my most successful funnels was when I was the director of marketing for Modoma clinics. I have attached a case study with more details but essentially we doubled their new patient volume and significantly increased revenue within 60 days of launch.
What advice would you give to businesses looking to optimize their landing pages to increase conversions and enhance user experience?
Do extensive competitor and market research first. Make sure you’re crystal clear on your target avatar and offer. Write your page first as a sales letter.
Here are the sections of a langing page you need to include:
1) Headline that invokes curiosity and a promise for [target customer].
2) Subheadline that explains the promise and causes visitors to read more.
3) Social proof section [insert awards, accolades and as seen in name drops].
4) Dig into emotional pain points of [target customer] in 2024 [list pain points you are aware of].
5) Agitate the problem – why it matters and negative effects of ignoring the problem.
6) Tease a solution – there is a better way.
7) Introduce [name of brand selling product / service] – who they are, their expertise, and why it matters to customers.
8) Showcase the entire solution – include a full-stack bullet list of everything included and how it helps.
9) Include social proof quotes or stories from the provided websites above.
10) Include future pacing on how great business and life will be once they learn the secrets from
11) Include a bonus for those who sign up by the end of [deadline] – [include bonus details].
12) Include a final call to action and P.S. that recaps everything provided in a short section.
How has being married and having the support of your wife Abby influenced your professional journey and achievements?
Abby is my foundation. Having someone to help with keeping clients and travel on-track and organized is everything. I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my partner. She’s my partner in business and life.
Finally, what trends do you predict will shape the future of digital marketing, and how is Hardy Marketing preparing to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving field?
AI use cases will expand and AI tools will get easier to use. To stay ahead, start simple. Find 1 problem or area of your business where AI can help. Pick a skill you already know and use 1 AI tool to augment it, not replace it. Once you master 1 tool rinse and repeat. Don’t get overwhelmed and connect with other AI marketers who you vibe with to learn from and keep up to date.
