The Business Builder - Issue 99

Is it Pet Peeve Time?

It is? Oh, good. I’ll share first 😉.

Have you noticed how a lot of content marketing is really dumbed down?

I’m not talking about simplifying writing for the sake of readability (that’s a different but related peeve).

I’m talking about content where the headline promises advanced tips but the body of the content assumes the person who just Googled a topic has absolutely no knowledge of that topic.

So you may see a headline like “The Top 5 CRMs for Sales Teams.” You click the headline expecting some great info, but here’s what you see:

• “CRMs or Customer Relationship Management software are essential to today’s business…”

• “The best CRMs allow you to store customer information…”

• “It can be challenging to find the right CRM…”

It’s the business equivalent of looking for a bread recipe and having to wade through a diatribe about the history and benefits of bread before you get anywhere near the recipe.

Most of the people I work with are experts selling to other experts. I’m guessing that describes you, too.

Beginner-level content isn’t helpful to savvy buyers. If you sell to experienced buyers, it won’t help you either.

If you’ve been disappointed by the results of your content marketing efforts, make sure you are not offering beginner-level advice to expert-level buyers.

Ok, it's your turn. Hit reply and share a pet peeve with me.

Bill

913.962.9261

P.S. - Thanks to everyone who participated in last issue’s informal poll. The consensus from those who responded is that things have been slow, but people are optimistic that business will pick back up before the end of the year.

P.P.S. - enjoy this week’s picks

Financial Advice From a Robot?

Seems like every day, there’s a new AI product announcement. Last week, Intuit (TurboTax, MailChimp, Quickbooks, Credit Karma) jumped into the fray with the launch of Intuit Assist. The announcement explains that humans will be available to explain what the robot tells you 😀.

Gmail’s New Meeting Scheduler

Now you can schedule events and meetings without leaving your inbox. It’s not a replacement for apps like Calend.ly yet, but I do find it handy.

Good News for Chromebook Users

If you are a Chromebook user (I love mine), you’ll be happy to hear Google recently announced that all Chromebook platforms will get regular automatic updates for 10 years, along with other security and self-repair updates.

Big Book of AI User Cases

AI is just for drafting emails or creating images. Download this ebook (no opt-in required) to get 7 other useful ideas for using AI in your business.

And this…

This guy simply wants to cross the Atlantic Ocean in what amounts to a giant water hamster wheel. But the Coast Guard says “no” - 4 times so far.

Featured Picks

📚️ Steal Like an Artist:

This quick, fun read will teach you the 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative.

Get it on Amazon…

🛠️ Miro Talktrack

Miro is a popular online whiteboarding application that I’ve mentioned here before. TalkTrack is a new feature that makes it super easy to create walkthroughs of your whiteboards. This is a great feature for collaboration, communicating with clients, and providing support. You can read more about TalkTrack here and see it in action here.

📷️ Stuck at Burning Man

Desert + Rain = Parking Lot. The mud is always fun at Burning Man, until you want to leave.

Like this newsletter?

Let me know. Just hit reply (I read every reply), I’d love to know what you think.

Thanks for reading.

Bill

913.962.9261

P.S. Whenever you are ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your business.

1) Map Your Growth Engine

The first step towards predictable growth is understanding and documenting “How Clients Happen” in your business. Reply to this email with "Map" if you want to learn more.

2) Get Your Own Newsletter

Newsletters are a great way to win clients, generate referrals, and establish authority in your marketplace. Now, you can have a newsletter without the hassle of writing and publishing it yourself. Learn more here.

3) Get more leads from your website 

If your website isn't delivering enough leads, reply to this email with "website leads," and I'll send you the details about my Website Leads Audit.