This newsletter is now two weeks old. It was started with no real purpose or direction. Basically, I just wanted an outlet for things that I wanted to write about.
But as I’ve been writing and publishing those posts, I have not been pleased with what I’m producing. Not even the least bit. So far, they have conveyed neither the utility or the flair that I’m aiming for. I want these missives to be both useful to you, dear reader, as well as fun and entertaining.
Instead, they’ve had the character of the kind of stuff I used to write. And trust me, it’s really, really difficult to make IRS policy and procedure sound fun.
After extensive email discussion yesterday with my amazing friend James Orr, who writes the excellent Real Estate Investor Weekly newsletter, I’ve decided to try several things. James is really good at generating new ideas, which I am not, so I owe him a deep debt of gratitude for his ideas and feedback (not just on this, but on many other projects I’ve embarked on, too). Thank you, James!
The first thing I’m going to do is what you’re seeing right here. This post. The one you’re reading right now. This, the thing I’m doing here, apparently has a name: Build in public.
Basically, the idea is to publicly document the process of building something. You share the successes, the failures, the performance metrics, even the dollar figures. It’s become fairly popular in the startup and independent publishing worlds in particular.
The second thing I’m going to do, in an effort to find the right tone and feel for this new newsletter, is to experiment with some new content formats. There are three reasons for doing this:
Find a content format that utilizes my Unique Ability®. These are the unique strengths that individuals possess. Tapping into them is important for both personal fulfillment and doing great work.
Provide more actionable business development material for you. Stuff that is more directly usable, including curating the best tools and resources to help you make more money.
For the chuckles. I’m a wannabe comedian, so if I’m going to do a project in retirement, it needs to be fun for me (and hopefully you, too).
I’ve outlined a number of new content formats that I’ll be playing with over the next few weeks. You’ll see them as they come out, but here’s the short version of what I’m considering:
Breaking down specific marketing pieces, ads, scripts, offers, copy, etc.
Reporting on marketing tests run by companies, drilling down into what works and why.
Exploring specific target markets of opportunity, including their buying patterns, appropriate marketing messages, how to target them, and the like. E.g., market research.
Analysis of specific business development tactics and tools.
I’ll be starting with this last one. Introducing…
SNORT Reports!
No, not the network security tool.
And no, nothing to do with cocaine — although I think these plants are going to be bestsellers at your local garden club.
Each SNORT Report will contain a brief, but hopefully useful, analysis of a single business development tactic, tool, paradigm, process, or penguin. The reports will cover the following arenas:
Signals - statistics, successes, users, trends, revenues, and current news
Naysayers - risks, limitations, regulations, and other negatives
Opportunities - use cases, unique applications, growth hacks, untapped potential
Resources - examples, checklists, scripts, books, guides, more checklists, providers
Technology - software, hardware, apps, SaaS, future developments to watch for
The purpose of these reports will not be demonstrate that I’m the smartest person in the room, because I’m not. Rather, the purpose will be to arm you with the best information I can find to help you make an educated decision about whether that business development tactic is right for your business, and the starting points for doing the actual implementation.
Will I share whatever insight I think I can add? Absolutely.
Will there be excessive references to marine mammals and flightless birds? Yeah, probably.
Will there be actionable intelligence that you don’t have to pay for? Sure as a barnacle on a gray whale.
Thus it has been written; thus it shall be.
Next time, you’ll be getting the first SNORT Report. Stay tuned!