LEARN TO STAND THE F*CK OUT

Bonjour bonjour Reader, I've come to admire people who can distill a huge amount of information into one single page because they haven't succumbed to the belief that more is better. More words. More complexity. More acronyms. More all the things. As Peep Laja says, "Simplicity is underrated; complexity is fake-smart." As I put the finishing touches on my book, I'm admiring those people even more because distilling insights into one page means making decisions for the people you seek to...

The picture below should give you nightmares: Source People love to criticize, especially when it's safe and easy. Plus, for folks outside of marketing (Cassie from IT, I see you!), this activity is a fun break from their day-to-day. As a result, we, marketers, often get bombarded with useless opinions disguised as "feedback" — a bit like asking a toddler to judge a Michelin-star meal. If you really, really, really need input from others, my recommendation is to: Clarify exactly what you want...

"You need a point of view," they say, “It’ll make you stand the f*ck out,” they say. But why? Most can't give you a straight answer. And so we either avoid developing a distinct point of view or crafting one that lacks depth because we don’t truly understand its purpose. But, without one, our actions could look random, and our people are left confused. It’s easier for them to walk away rather than try to understand what’s going on. This usually strikes a chord with my clients because they...

This is Part 2 of my simple, no-nonsense guide to finding customers when you have no audience, no money to spend on ads, and no social media presence. In the last installment, we talked about locating the places where your ideal customers spend their time when they're in the zone for your products or services. You should now have a rough list of channels - websites, podcasts, events, social media accounts, and more. Step 2: Find who they pay attention to Now it's time for step two: finding...

"Is it possible to get good-quality leads without an audience, without spending money on ads, without posting reels on Instagram three times a day, and without sounding like a Jehovah's Witness desperate to convert their first non-believer?" Absolutely. Here's how: borrow someone else’s audience. This means tapping into groups, influencers, and spaces where your future customers already hang out. I've been asked about this so much, I decided to lay it all out in a simple, no-nonsense guide....