Daily

I saw this truck in my neighbourhood and it was enough to make me double-take and snap this photo.

The only thing is, I forgot what they were called immediately after I saw the truck. It was clever but it didn’t stick.

And then a few weeks later I saw it again. While the phone number and website URL are attention-grabbing, the hook breaks down with the name of the company.

Unlike companies like 1 800 GOT JUNK, where their name, telephone number, and website URL are all in sync, these guys have a long, unremarkable business name. And the phone number/URL on their own weren’t enough to make me remember it the first time.

If these guys were called “Stinky and Sons” or “The Stinky Plumbers” (both not great names but hear me out), then it would tie well into their phone number and website, and I might actually have remembered their name the first time I saw the truck.

Running a campaign like this gets people to notice. But if they don’t remember what you’re called, it’s unlikely they will be able to recall or find you when they need you.

I call this a close but no cigar marketing effort. If they went all in on the stinky branding, I think it would have stuck with me the first time and worked better.

Still, kudos for the guts to try this.

Before I moved, there were two real estate agents in my neighborhood.

The first realtor dropped a business card in my mailbox at least once a quarter. No note. No flyer. No knock on my door. No “market report”. Just a business card.

And I’ll admit, it became a bit of an annoyance. It felt like spam.

I even noticed members of the community Facebook group mentioning him several times in similar frustration. Apparently, I’m not the only one who felt slightly bothered by it.

As for the second realtor; he stopped by one day, introduced himself, and left a magnet business card with me to remember our conversation. To this day, I keep that magnet on my fridge and actively use it. I imagine it will live there for some time.

Now, I may never hire either realtor, but if I were going to, I’d pick the one who made a connection and dropped off value.

Marketing is not about getting exposure to your message. It’s about creating a connection and leading with value.

Value sustains a business, spam doesn’t.

One strategy for maintaining a daily writing habit is to keep within a narrow range of topics.

Much like Barry Schwartz’s book, The Paradox of Choice, the more options you give yourself in terms of topics, the more paralyzed you will likely be when you sit down to write.

This blog is about marketing. But when I sit down to write a daily post, I’ll do one of three things:

1. Pick up where I left off yesterday.
2. Write about an experience I had that day.
3. Write about an insight I discovered through the course of my work.

For the past few articles, my focus has been on exploring the idea of daily writing by picking up where I left off yesterday. Rather than strategically laying out a planned series of topics, I’m letting each day lead to the next. One idea building on the next one.

And that’s one of the main pros of daily writing. Your thinking grows like an interconnected web and you formalize thoughts based on many layers.

It’s within these interconnected layers that my best ideas are produced. Not all posts will be gold, but I suspect the few insights I come up with as a result of writing daily will be well worth the many so-so posts that get published—for me and you I hope.

Let’s see where tomorrow takes us.

Yesterday, I listed a few pros of daily writing. I’ll probably go back and add to it as more ideas cross my mind. I just wanted to get it posted, not perfected, and the same goes with this post.

After writing the below list of cons and revisiting this intro, I realized I could almost have titled these the excuses for not doing daily writing. Really, these are fears, each of which can be overcome through simplification and a different way of approaching daily writing.

The only cons of daily writing would be if I spent too long writing each piece, or if created content so bad that it actively detracted from my likeability as a person or my trustworthiness as a consultant, to the point where it costs me time or opportunities. Opportunity cost is the risk and major con of daily writing.

But beyond the time investment, and assuming your writing isn’t so bad it repels opportunities, there really is no con to daily writing unless you don’t like it or you make up a story that tells you it’s not a good idea.

Nonetheless, below are my list of “cons” (read excuses) for not doing daily writing.

It’s hard write and publish every day.

Admittedly, I started this challenge at the worst time. My first child was born last weekend, so it’s been double challenging to set aside the time. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it – it just requires discipline.

I don’t want to write and publish on weekends.

I decided very quickly that I didn’t want to force myself to write and publish on the weekends. If it comes naturally and I have time, then sure. But usually, I prefer to spend my time with my family.

And I don’t imagine this changing any time soon, especially with my newborn on the scene. I choose family as one of my highest values (even above work).

I remember that I don’t have to write on weekends (or any days) if I don’t want to.

I wonder whether I can create *good* content on a daily basis.

The last thing I want to do is waste anybody’s time. If I can’t create some kind of value, and deliver it succinctly, I don’t want to do it at all.

Writing daily takes a *long* time unless you keep it seriously paired back. I have to try hard to keep it paired back. Editing takes long enough for even the shortest articles.

It takes way longer than it looks to think about and write a coherent message.

I’m probably setting the bar too high here, but it takes a long time to write and then edit daily posts. Even short ones. To make it work, you really gotta drop a lot of the perfectionism and just focus on shipping your ideas. If you make it NY Times standard you’ll burn yourself out.

I do believe when you write daily you naturally get better and faster at it. The key is to keep it simple and not over-sweat the minutia of your writing. Get the point across, that’s all.

You’ll be judged on your writing.

Knowledge workers are judged on their knowledge, and people will judge you on your writing as a result. People don’t care if it’s your 100th consecutive article or not: if they read your post and it’s bad, you will be judged.

The antidote, as I see it, is knowing you’re an expert either way. If you wanted your daily posts to be perfect, you’d spend all day on them. Perfection is not the point. Perfection—in the context of daily writing—is usually fear in disguise and it will hold you back from actually publishing.

Publishing is the goal of daily writing. If you can’t handle that, don’t do it.

Writing daily is uncomfortable.

There’s no way around it, writing daily is uncomfortable for all the reasons I mentioned. It’s like exercise, when you get momentum it becomes easier. When you are just starting out or resuming after a break, it’s hard. Life gets in the way. You would rather do a lot of other things.

But I’d argue the best things come from pushing through discomfort, daily writing included.

In closing

I could probably riff on a bunch of other things that suck about daily writing. I could make excuses, list reasons, use logic to it’s fullest, and talk my way out of daily writing.

The truth is, for every con there’s an antidote. A different way of thinking about or doing it. And it really comes down to what your goals are and what you’re prepared to commit to.

The reason I’m doing this experiment in the first place is because I believe in my “gut of guts” that consistency is the most crucial component to good marketing, and as a marketing strategist I need to explore that.

I’ll keep going with this daily challenge and see what I learn in the process. I’ll share what I find along the way in case this topic interests you.

If you’re on the fence, go for it. Or don’t. Nobody is making you do anything. But if you’re just scared or uncomfortable, I challenge you to stop overthinking and just try the minimum viable version of it for a while. Even if it’s bad at first.

If you’re following along, drop me a comment below.

Yours,

—k

I’m seven days into my “daily writing for a month challenge“.

This isn’t my first time writing/publishing daily, but I’m reminded about the pros and cons of committing to daily writing. These ideas are a combination of what I learned before and what I’m noticing now.

Below are a few of the pros of daily writing and publishing so far. Tomorrow I’ll cover some of the cons.

1. Writing daily allows you to be more creative.

When you need to write daily, it forces you to dig deep to come up with ideas. These ideas build on each other and become interconnected over time. Your ideas get richer, your writing becomes better, and your creativity gets sharpened out of necessity.

2. Writing daily helps you see hidden principles in everyday life.

There are all kinds of principles being demonstrated around us at all times. When you look for things to write about each day, it makes you notice things that would otherwise be invisible or unarticulated. Writing daily opens your eyes to the invisible forces that guide our world.

3. Writing daily makes you more visible to the world.

When it comes to marketing, I like to think in terms of surface area. The more content you create and the more places you share it, the more likely people are to discover you. Daily content gets you noticed (and good content keeps people around).

4. Writing daily helps you create diamonds.

It is estimated that Pablo Picasso created more than 50,000 pieces of art. No doubt, many of them are embarrassingly awful. But today he’s regarded as one of the greatest artists of all time. When you write daily, you’re bound to create at least a few diamonds in the rough.

5. Writing daily makes you remarkable.

Writing daily is hard. And when you do it, people notice. They may not read every word you write, but the fact that you keep showing up is as remarkable as it is rare. And when you’re remarkable, people share your story. That’s how ideas spread.

6. Writing daily helps you learn more deeply.

When you write, you teach. And when you teach, you learn. Daily writing forces you to explore the edges of what you know and analyze your ideas well enough to form a coherent piece. You learn by teaching.

7. Writing daily helps to establish you as an expert.

We live in a knowledge economy where many of us work more with our heads than our hands. Writing demonstrates what you know and how you think. When you do it long enough, people see you as an expert.

8. Writing daily helps you go deep on your topic.

When you write daily, the surface ideas go away quickly. You’re forced to dig deep on topics and find the gold. Daily writing helps you go deep enough to find and surface the underlying gold on any topic (see “diamonds” in number 4 above).

9. Writing daily helps you build an audience.

When you write daily, your chances of developing an audience increases. When people like what you share, they subscribe or follow along to stay “in the know”. Writing daily speeds up the audience building, which is an extremely valuable asset.

These are just a few pros, I might write more again later as I think about them, so check back again here.

The world is vying for your attention 24/7.

The same thing is happening to your customers.

Social media platforms, the news, marketing messages, colleagues, family and friends, and even people you’ve never heard of are trying to capture your attention this very moment.

And with so much upside to getting your attention, it’s no wonder you feel like there’s never enough time in the day. It’s no wonder you feel so distracted, overwhelmed, and anxious.

Time is your most valuable asset. You can’t buy more of it. Which means your attention is the most valuable gift you can give.

There are times when we want to go deep on a topic or idea. Times when we need to go long to convey a message or make a sale.

But if you want to get a point across, say it in fewer words, if you can. Get to the point quickly.

Otherwise, you risk losing your audience’s attention to one of the countless other people vying for it at the same time.

To get your point across, say less and get to the point quickly.

You’ve heard this before: people make buying decisions emotionally and rationalize them with logic afterward. It’s true.

No matter what we buy, whether it is a lawnmower, a new car, or a pack of thumbtacks, there’s a distinct emotional connection that happens at the point of purchase.

If it “feels good”, people will buy. If it doesn’t, they almost never do.

As marketers, this is a key insight to take into your strategy and decision-making process. Your goal should be to optimize for that “good feeling” people have about your company, products, and services as early as possible.

While that’s intuitive, a lot of people fall into the trap of focusing on the logic behind their offer and completely ignore the emotional part.

The good news is, there are lots of ways to get to that emotional decision faster.

One of them is design.

Good design, whether it’s your website, visual identity, or any other touchpoint, can make a big difference in whether people buy or not.

The design of your brand is your prospects’ first direct impression of your company.

If you believe that first impressions are important to get right and hard to change, then you’ll know how worthwhile it is to use the best design possible for your marketing collateral.

It may cost more, which may hurt your pocket in the short-term, but it will allow you to charge more and close more sales because you’re starting from a place of positive emotional connection, not undoing a negative first impression caused by poor design.

Optimize for emotion, invest in good design, make a positive first impression, then let the other areas marketing add fuel to the fire.

One of my favourite movies of all time is a documentary called Jiro Dreams of Sushi. If you’re looking to infuse your business or career with some inspiration, watch this movie.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a story of a man, Jiro Ono, and his Michelin three-star restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro.

Sukiyabashi Jiro is a 10-seat restaurant located underground next to the entrance of a train station. And yet, this is one of the most prestigious restaurants in the world.

There is no menu so you get served what they have, reservations are made more than a month in advance, they only serve sushi (no appetizers), you must eat quickly and they tell you to leave when you’re done being served, and it’s considered one of the most expensive dining experiences in the world based on cost vs. how long you spend in the restaurant.

What makes this movie inspiring is Jiro’s relentless pursuit of perfection. The restaurant was founded in 1965, which is a long time for a 10-seat restaurant located next to a train station.

Every detail of the business is optimized to the highest standards, including where he sources his food, the dining experience, how dishes are prepared, and literally every other aspect of the business.

What I love most about this movie is it embodies an idealized version of a business: absolute mastery over every detail.

It also speaks to an internal desire we all feel to bring meaning to our work. His pursuit of mastery and the relentless focus on doing the same thing every single day is inspiring.

As W. H. Auden said, “Routine, in an intelligent man, is a sign of ambition.“

It reminds me of the book, Chop Wood, Carry Water. Excellence is often about doing the fundamentals with relentless consistency.

Below are a few driving points, quotes, and ideas that wrote down last time I watched the documentary.

Quotes and notes from the documentary

“We are not trying to be exclusive or elite. The techniques we use are no big secret. It really comes down to making an effort and repeating the same thing every day.”

“Once you decide in your occupation, you just immerse yourself in your work, you have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the key to success and is the key to being regarded honorably.”

“We are not trying to be exclusive or elite. The techniques we use are no big secret. It really comes down to making an effort and repeating the same thing every day.”

“The only think about him that changed in 40 years is he stopped smoking.”

A good chef has five attributes:

• They take their work seriously and consistently perform at the highest level.
• They aspire to improve their skills.
• Cleanliness.
• Impatience. They are better leaders than collaborators. They insist on having things their way.
• A great chef is passionate.

Michelin stars look for three things:

1. Quality
2. Originality
3. Consistency

Additional quotes and ideas:

• “I do the same thing over and over, always trying to improve it.”
• “Every day better than the last time.”
• “We don’t care about the money.”
• “If it doesn’t taste good I don’t serve it.”
• Their fish broker from the market: “If I don’t buy my first pick, I buy nothing.”
• Jiro works every day (except national holidays and funerals).
• “You must do the work.”

There are so many other great business and life lessons from the movie, and maybe I’ll share some soon.

But the main takeaway of this article is one thing: radical consistency can be a path to making your work more meaningful and (to me) is one of the main drivers of success in business and in life.

What things could you do so consistently that, if you did it, your work would have greater meaning and your business would thrive?

Leave a comment below.