Sunday I went for a run, and because I was by myself I got to listen to podcasts.
Until October I NEVER listened to podcasts. I don’t even know what happened to me. I must have gotten tired of my running playlist.
I started listening to Seth Godin’s new Akimbo podcast, and my favorite episode was this one: Episode 5: Hitsville This is where the subject line of this email came from.
I have been thinking about that episode for daaaayyyyyyyyyssssss now. Seth talks about how to make a hit. He goes through three different ways. At this point, the only one I remember is the one that people like us could replicate, and that is:
People like us do things like this.
The “us” can be any group of people:
- Gardeners who grow vegetables
- Book enthusiasts
- Bakers
- People who have pools and enjoy them
- People who regularly participate in barbecue contests (Those are a thing. I have been to one. It was heaven.)
The “thing” can be anything:
- All gardeners who grow vegetables focus on building great soil.
- All book enthusiasts like to share their favorite reads with others.
- All bakers use a scale to weigh ingredients instead of measuring cups.
- People who enjoy their pools invest in great outdoor furniture.
- People who enter barbecue contests wear team shirts.
So maybe you can identify something that everyone in your target audience DOES and how YOU can provide some way to help them do that.
OR, even BETTER (but more difficult), you CREATE something NEW that becomes a THING for your group.
For example:
Runners are HORRIBLE at taking rest days. This ambassador for a running brand created the hashtag #restdaybrags. It became kind of a hit. So they started an account, which you can see here. Rest day brags became a thing for runners.
My friend (and client) Carol wrote a book, Potted & Pruned. It is HILARIOUS. Well, she started doing her own marketing, starting with “Real or Photoshopped?” She took her book and photoshopped her book in all kinds of hilarious places. THEN people started taking her book with them all over the world (truly) and taking pictures. It became a thing. It became, “People like us read Carol’s book.” and “People like us take Carol’s book with us when we travel and take pictures with it.”
What is your thing? What thingdo you offer that your “us” needs? If you don’t have a thing, what could it be?
This might potentially be my big mantra for 2018. I’m constantly focusing Focusing FOCUSING. Can’t be everything to everyone.
Chew on it.
NOW!
“What’s yankin’ my crank this week”
I loooooove collecting bits and bobs to send to you. Here’s my best of this week.
The book: Back Channel, by Stephen L. Carter
Eliminating Money Blocks Podcast with Amy Portrfield & James Wedmore
I feel like there’s no reason why everyone can’t make money. But I don’t know how to explain it. James is AWESOME at explaining it.
This Google Sheets Add On
This is for the techy nerds in here. It’s a way to help send out personalized emails with less work.
Vidyard and Loom for when you want to make a screencast to explain how to do something and you’d like your client to have a reference to keep and re-watch.
Finally, I want to make sure I’m helping you and sharing things that you like and will benefit your business. If there’s anything you want to know more about or wonder if I have tools for, please do reply and tell me. I’ll answer in the next email.
All for now,
P.S. Spring is finally at my house. I hope it visits you soon! Here’s my biggest shock and awe of the season:
Scilla peruviana. How did I ever live without it?
