SME Marketing Speaker
David Caruso is an SME marketing speaker who still runs the marketing for his own 60+ brands, with his own money on the line. His keynotes give small and medium business owners a marketing plan they can run without a big team or a big budget.
A marketing speaker for SMEs who does the work himself
Most marketing speakers teach from other people's case studies. David's examples come from his own businesses.
His ecommerce group sells into 32 countries, mostly through Google Search, Google Shopping and email. Before that, he grew an equipment hire business in Sydney's west into a multi-million dollar company, largely on local marketing.
He also spent 14 months running online marketing workshops for SME owners during the NBN rollout, on an Australian Government contract. He knows where owners get stuck.
The 4 Pillars of Marketing
This is the framework David teaches in his SME marketing keynotes. Four questions, always in this order:
Right Market
Who exactly are you targeting? Most businesses have several segments, and each one needs its own answer to the next three questions.
Right Reach
Which channel reaches that market for the least spend per result? Ignore what's fashionable and what the ad rep is pushing.
Right Message
What will make that market act, on that channel? A fridge magnet and a Google ad need different words.
Right Measure
Is it working? Every campaign gets a number, and the number decides what changes.
Skip a step and the spend is wasted. The classic mistake is waking up wanting a TV or radio ad before deciding who it's for.
SME marketing keynote topics
The Marketing Plan That Fits on a Beer Coaster
Small businesses rarely fail from too little marketing. They fail from too much of the wrong kind. The handful of moves that actually grow revenue, and why most of the rest is expensive noise.
Enquire about this talkStop Renting Your Customers
A wake-up call about platform risk, drawn from being suspended, throttled and burned by the big platforms, with a practical plan for owning your email list, website and reviews.
Enquire about this talkWhat Google's AI Search Means for Your Business
Customers are starting to ask AI for answers instead of scrolling search results. What is actually happening, what it means for local and niche businesses, and what to fix this year to stay visible.
Enquire about this talkBoring Businesses, Beautiful Margins
Bird spikes, curtain tracks, latex pillows. The case for choosing unglamorous markets, charging properly, and letting everyone else fight over the trendy scraps.
Enquire about this talkSmall business marketing ideas your audience can use on Monday
The 90/10 marketing budget
Spend 90% finding new customers and 10% on the customers you already have. That 10% generally pays back far better.
The 2 Jobs of Local Area Marketing
Be top of mind on the day someone needs you. Be easy to find and trust when they look. Pair an old-school move with a new one: the fridge magnet now carries a QR code.
The customer-journey joint venture
Partner with the business your customer visits just before they need you. In David's hire business it was a cardboard counter stand in a paver yard: bring your receipt, get 20% off hire. Cost: one stand. Result: he was in front of buyers the day they needed a plate compactor.
Outmarket your closest competitor
You don't have to be the best at what you do. You just have to market better than the business down the road. The big corporations aren't your competition.
Defensive and offensive AI
Use AI to cut costs, then spend the savings on marketing that reaches more people and follows up faster.
Who books an SME marketing speaker
Industry associations, chambers of commerce, franchise networks, business expos, and companies running seminar series for their small business customers, like News Corp. David gives 45 to 60 minute keynotes and hands-on half-day marketing workshops for SMEs, in person or online.
SME marketing speaker fees
Most keynotes fall between $3,500 and $5,000 AUD, quoted per event rather than per hour. A half-day workshop, a custom programme or several sessions are quoted separately.
Tell David about your event and you'll get availability and a proposal within 24 hours.
What people say
Their post-workshop feedback forms rated his presentation at the very top end of the scale. I would not hesitate to work with David again.
David has an enormous amount of knowledge and skill about online marketing and SEO and is a fantastic presenter who make everything so simple.
David is an informative and entertaining Speaker who will stimulate your thoughts and ideas about how your business could run better.
SME marketing speaker FAQs
Where to spend a limited marketing budget, which channels suit which customers, how to write a message that gets action, and how to measure it. David also covers Google Ads, SEO, email, local marketing and how AI search is changing the way customers find businesses.
Practical. Every idea is something David has used in a business, with his own money. It's built so owners can act on it next week.
Yes. A half-day workshop suits groups who want to walk out with their own plan written down. It's quoted separately from a keynote.
David's keynotes are generally $3,500 to $5,000 AUD. The fee depends on the format, the number of sessions, any custom work and travel.
Yes. Google and email bring in most of the sales across his own brands, so his digital marketing examples are current.
It can. "What Google's AI Search Means for Your Business" covers how AI assistants choose which business to recommend. For a full AI session, see AI keynote speaker.
Yes. David's own brands sell everything from bird spikes to latex pillows, so the examples travel across industries.
Use the enquiry form on the speaking page. Include your date, location, audience size and what you want them to do after the talk.
Make your next event the one they keep talking about
Tell us about your event and we’ll come back within 24 hours with availability and a customised proposal.