Russ Somers 👓 🎸

For distributed teams, a productive tactic is to use whiteboard software to do a post-up exercise. First generate as many ideas as possible, capturing each on on a separate virtual post-it note. Then determine two axes for segmentation, turning your virtual whiteboard into a 2x2 matrix. Perhaps it's Impact on one axis versus Level of Effort on the other, or Impact vs Funnel Stage on the other. The important thing is that the segmentation represents criteria that will help you decide which ideas to prioritize. Sort the post-it notes on that 2x2 matrix, and it'll be clear which ideas matter most for your content roadmap.

Humility and humor go a long way in making your content relatable. Don't hesitate to share stories of mistakes or failures (and don't immediately twist them into "and that's why I'm so successful today"). Those stories, told with humor, make you relatable and human, which will stand out in anyone's feed.

Even very niche industries are served by publications, communities, and small-i influencers. Content placed there often performs much better - and is seen as more credible - than placements in mainstream publications. And those publications are often starved for content, so it becomes easy (as long as the content is thought leadership rather than self-promotion) to get your content placed there in the form of bylines, etc. Building a direct relationship with the few niche publications will often be more productive than hiring an expensive PR agency, too.

One of the reasons small businesses are often inconsistent across touchpoints is simple: the rush to ensure that you have a brand presence on every social platform, whether or not your customers are there. Choose the few platforms where your customers congregate and go deep there. Don't let FOMO trick you into creating a presence on platforms that aren't important to your customers, just because someone said a rising platform was the hot new thing. That keeps you from waking up to the reality that your touchpoints are inconsistent because you forgot that you have a Pinterest presence, for example.

A story immediately grabs attention. I've seen the founding story be super effective in helping investors grasp the "why". I've also seen customer stories work well, and they have the advantage of reinforcing a message that you have traction.

It's common for CEOs to say "I want to hire self-motivated people who don't need constant praise." But think about why people work (and, more specifically, why they work hard instead of just showing up). Some are mostly motivated by money. Others by career advancement. And yes, some are motivated by praise and recognition. Of those three things - money, career advancement, and recognition - recognition is the cheapest. It costs nothing, and it's a powerful stimulus for many. Use it.