Hey Reader, Last week, I noticed something that stopped me in my tracks while reviewing a client’s content: Every. Single. Post. Sounded. Exactly. The. Same. 😬 “10 tips for better leadership!” Look, there’s nothing wrong with these topics. But they’re so safe, so generic, so… nice… that they might as well be invisible. And that got me thinking… What if playing it safe is actually the riskiest thing you can do? 🤔 Think about the business leaders you actually follow and learn from. The ones whose posts you never skip. I bet they all have one thing in common: They say things that make other people uncomfortable. They have a “Spiky Point of View” 🌵 (I first learned about this from the brilliant Wes Kao) NOT controversy for attention. NOT random hot takes for drama. But real, substantial beliefs that some people might actually disagree with. Here’s what I mean: ❌ “Good communication is key to success” (Who would disagree?!) ✅ “Most company meetings are therapy sessions disguised as work” (Now THAT’S something people might argue about!) ❌ “Customer feedback is important” (Tell us something we don’t know) ✅ “Stop asking customers what they want - they’re lying to you” (Spiky! Debatable! Interesting!) See the difference? The first statements are “nice.” Safe. The second ones make you stop and think. Maybe even disagree. And that’s exactly what you want! Because here’s the thing about business (and life): If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up connecting with no one. Your challenge this week: Take your most “nice” business belief and make it SPIKY. Here are 3 questions to help you find YOUR spiky point of view:
Remember:
Because let’s be honest… The world doesn’t need another nice, safe, boring business voice. It needs YOUR voice. Your real thoughts. Your spiky point of view. Ready to get a little dangerous? 😉 PS. The irony? This is actually the nicest thing you can do for your audience. They’re drowning in bland content. Give them something real to think about. PPS. Here's my spikiest business opinion: Sometimes a carefully burned bridge lights the way forward 🔥 What's yours? Hit reply and tell me! 👌 Specially Selected Just for YouThe Old Social Media Playbook is Dead (And What's Actually Working Now) 👋 Remember when posting links on social media actually worked? Those days are gone. The new game isn't about followers, likes, or even driving traffic to your website. It's about something way more powerful - creating content that feels at home on each platform. Think about it: When was the last time you clicked a link on TikTok? The winners now? They're not pushing people away from social media. They're creating mini-shows, stories, and moments that keep people hooked right where they are. Legacy media is learning this the hard way. The hard numbers don't lie - their old 'link in bio' strategy is dying a slow death. So what's working instead? Platform-native content. Content that feels like it belongs. Content that makes people stop scrolling and think "wait, this is good." The future belongs to brands that get this shift. Are you one of them? Benedict Evan’s Big Presentation The tech world's crystal ball just dropped - and it's all about AI 🤖 Benedict Evans (tech's favorite fortune teller) just released his yearly mega-report. The title says it all: 'AI eats the world' Skip the FOMO and save this goldmine for your coffee break - it's the roadmap to where AI is actually heading. 29 Scroll-Stopping Instagram Post Ideas to Fill Your Content Calendar Ever wonder why some Instagram posts stop you mid-scroll, while others fade into the void? Here's the thing: It's not about fancy cameras or big budgets. It's about knowing what makes people click. Here are the posts that actually work:
But here's the real secret... Great Instagram content isn't about perfection. It's about connection. Ask questions. Run polls. Share snippets of your day. Why? Because humans follow humans, not robots. And when you're stuck? Grab a trend. Remix a template. Green-screen your way to glory. Your feed isn't an art gallery. It's a conversation. Start talking. 😊 🌟 Cool Finds Just for YouSomething made me smile last night - a beautiful Substack newsletter landing in my inbox from my friend Sue. Sue is a messaging strategist and copywriting maestro who works with midlife women. And she just announced something exciting: "Before the year is out, I'm planning to embiggen some other midlife women business owners with my alternative advent calendar. A profile a day - 25 for 25 - starting this Sunday. December is my birth month, so I like to go all in with pay-it-forwards." (How great is that word "embiggen"? 😊) Are you a midlife woman running a business? This is your chance to be immortalised by one of the sharpest copywriting minds I know. Sue has this incredible knack for finding the gold in your story and bringing it to life. Her Substack, Ink Tank, is a treasure trove of messaging wisdom (and delightful word-nerdery). Also, learn more about Sue and follow her on LinkedIn Ready to level up your marketing? → 🎯 Book a Strategy Session → 💡 Fractional CMO Services: Strategic leadership, growth planning, and marketing execution—all at a fraction of full-time costs. Let's chat! |
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Hey Reader, Yesterday I was sitting at my desk checking my LinkedIn engagement data (yes, I'm that person ), and I've discovered something fascinating about what's actually driving leads (not just likes). But first, the biggest realisation of all: Stop writing for everyone. Write for ONE person - the one you really want to work with. Yes, it feels terrifying. Yes, your reach might drop. But when your DM inbox fills with messages from exactly the right people because they self-identified with...
Hey Reader, Quick question: are we all overthinking AI? Last week, I watched a client struggle with their "advanced AI workflow system" (their words, not mine 😅). They had: 36 different prompts in Notion 3 different AI tools running at once A complex "content optimisation" process But you know what? Their best-performing content came from a simple chat with their audience. It got me thinking... Maybe we're making AI way more complicated than it needs to be. (You've seen those "10X YOUR...
Hey Reader, The start of January has me reflecting on something I've been doing that most would raise their eyebrows at. I've been geeking out over AI tools for social selling (and yes, binge-watching Netflix, but that's another story 🤓). And you know what? I've discovered one thing I absolutely refuse to give up in 2024... My obsession with finding ways to get MORE sales with LESS social media time. You know those magical moments? When a single, strategic LinkedIn post brings in three...