"Who am I?"

A simple, yet profound question. One I ask nearly daily.

I use it more to reinforce the behaviors and mindsets I desire to be at my best. But it can be a rabbit hole if explored.

And it's always changing.

Like the brand and essence of your company. As people come and go, as the market moves, who you are should fluctuate as well.

It's normal to change.

Let your answer to who am I change over time. That's healthy (and okay).

Enjoy this week's letter:

A Micro Idea On Marketing 💡
5 Ideas from my convo w/ Andy and Timber

Time to Read: 4:38 minutes
Listen to episode
———

Insight 1: Understanding your audience and context is crucial for effective marketing and communication.

There's a reason I ask the same question to start every episode: "What is marketing?"

Hidden in the definition is the key to delivering quality marketing. When asked this question, Andy shared an excellent response:

"Marketing is an umbrella term, but it gets granular when we contextualize the audience or organization we work for. But the first part is always to understand who you are serving to."

Without a basic understanding of WHO, your marketing will never resonate. It's like writing a letter to someone who you know little about. It will be hard to connect. Timber, who's new to marketing, thinks the same:

"Marketing is about targeting specific audiences. And utilizing specific tools to do that... I'm trying to learn myself."

While you can argue that marketing has a universal approach, "Understand your audience," there is more to it. The tools and ways you connect with your audience are different. How you reach those people will change for almost every company and product.

"Your marketing usage becomes totally different after understanding the market you're working with." – Andy

Define the market, then craft the best strategy to reach, connect, and help that market.

Focus on the "market" within marketing.

Insight 2: Storytelling as a powerful marketing tool for creating impactful content.

"We have seen guests choking up while sharing a touching story." – Andy.

You can't get this emotion by ghostwriting for your CEO. You can't even get this by conversing with someone to write a blog. Auditory emotion is challenging to translate into the written word.

Think about the last time you read something that moved you. I'll wait.

Now, think about the last video or audio recording that moved you. I'm guessing you have more to choose from—at least I do.

I have a voicemail from my grandma, the final one she ever left me. While the content is silly, her Facebook was hacked, and I get teary-eyed every time I listen. If she had written me a note with the same words, I would not cry.

You may say this is because of our times. A letter in the old days would have the same potential to move someone as audio today as it was innovative. And that's likely true.

We live in a world filled with video and audio. And for us to feel something, like a person with an addiction, we need more. Written words are good, but video and audio can help us feel something quicker and deeper (like a hard drug).

Regardless, using stories in your content will improve it, whether in the written word, audio, or video.

If you want to create change (good marketing), use a story.

Insight 3: Collaboration leads to better content by including diverse perspectives.

There are too many interview shows (podcasts).

I have one. But they are great for collaboratively creating content with people of all backgrounds and for creating better content than you would alone.

Andy and Timber's show is a prime example of that.

Their content shines because of the diverse and unique guests they bring on from the Appleton area. And it also grows them and improves them:

"I never used to believe in the power of collaboration and tapping the knowledge of diverse backgrounds. But I've learned that there are many truths, and many pathways to reaching the same location, destination, and goal. That's the power of collaboration." – Andy

Marketing is a prime soil for collaboration. Most of it is usually created in silos. Expand and include others. Invite them in.

Better content will come from connecting with diverse people.

Insight 4: Podcasting is a perfect platform for sharing stories to build community engagement.

I asked Andy and Timber why they use podcasts to tell stories (market).

Why not just use social media? Or a blog series?

"I think there's something powerful about being able to hear people tell their stories...use their own words and say it in their ways." – Timber

That's why podcasting is an excellent tactic for achieving the outcome of building a community through sharing stories. Blogs are okay, and YouTube videos are better. But audio is a unique medium that has stayed solid through time.

"Podcasting is the platform of today, much like radio in the past—you can turn it on while you work, do dishes, or fix the garage. It engages and connects listeners as background entertainment but with the added perks of being on-demand and providing instant gratification, which are highly appealing to today's generations." – Timber

It's also a fantastic way to connect and get to know amazing people. While I mentioned there are far too many interview shows, it's one of the easiest to deploy and helps in numerous ways, like networking:

"The podcast has been an amazing vehicle to invite people to have a conversation that I might not ever have gotten to have or to get to be that person." - Timber

While podcasts aren't suitable for everyone, consider whether you're an exception. Many companies also can benefit from the content generated from a 30-60 minute conversation.

Insight 5: The importance of pursuing hobbies and interests outside of work.

Few people succeed in work without finding hobbies outside of work.

Rarely does someone succeed in work by focusing solely on it. It's an ironic truth. The more you work, the less progress you make (diminishing returns).

We achieve greater success at work when we can find hobbies or practices outside work that recharge us. For me, this is meditating and walking. For others, it's napping. But doing this thing outside of work improves our performance when returning to work.

Andy is an Indian classical dancer who connects through dance, art, and music. By doing these things, she comes back to work more refined. For Timber, that's connecting with people:

"I enjoy meeting people; all sorts of people from all different places and walks of life. And that energizes me to continue to meet more people."

What's that thing for you? Find it!

Listen to the podcast episode with Andy and Timber

Three Books / Three Quotes

"It's the pursuit that makes a life and the pursuit that makes a plot." – (FINAL) Will Stor (The Science of Storytelling: Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better)

While this insight is mainly for fiction writers, I find marketing truth in it.

Your customer is on a pursuit. To be greater. To do more.

And your company should be on a pursuit. To new and better ways.

Focus on highlighting this pursuit in your marketing. Help your customers in their pursuit. Vocalize your pursuit and the way in which you're striving to improve the world (or community).

Without the pursuit, what do you have? Nothing.

(9.5/10 – I've read this book twice and will likely reread it, it's that good)

//

"Culture, at its core, is about how you define and express your values." – (FINAL) Marc Benioff & Monica Langley (Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change)

Culture is a funny thing.

We all (almost) agree that it's important. It eats strategy for breakfast.

But how do you build one?

The key in the quote above is expressing your values. Putting beautiful words on the wall doesn't cut it. You must live out those values.

OR, whatever values you do live out will slowly become the "true" culture. 

Focus on defining them, but focus more on expressing them authentically.

(4.5/10 – There was too much signaling and not enough practical wisdom)

//

"The Centenarian Decathlon is a framework I use to organize my patients' physical aspirations for later decades of their lives." – Peter Attia, MD (Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity)

Are you familiar with the track and field decathlon?

It's a combination of many different events instead of only one. To be good at this, one must be well-rounded and focus on many aspects.

Peter suggests we should approach our health the same way.

"As Centenarian Decathletes, we are no longer training for a specific event, but to become a different sort of of athlete altogether: an athlete of life."

 I love this mindset shift. As a one-trick pony in track (I ran the mile), I now see how those preparing for the decathlon would be better off in the long term.

And shouldn't we have the same mindset when we focus on our health?

Heard / Saw / Experienced

Time to Read: 59 seconds (you got this!)
———

This past week was full of things not going my way.

Sure, many things went well. I'm alive. But there were also many magical mishaps.

A few examples:

• Mechanics of 6+ years made a mistake resulting in oil leaking

• They closed early, so my wife and I drove 30+ minutes for nothing (good convo tho after work)

• My haircut got moved back a few days, resulting in having more hair than I wanted (for events)

These are clearly first-world problems (I know), but I heard my wife say that I was having a lot of grace for them. I liked that.

Isn't it good to give grace? I think so.

I've been given TONS of it in my life. By family, friends, and God. So, wouldn't it be greedy if I didn't extend that same grace?

Last week, I attended the inaugural HCRC Leadership Class. As a Howe Community Resource Center board member, I wanted to support it.

It was incredible. I saw strong women who felt empowered.

It's incredible to be a part of an organization trying to do much good for our community. Making tomorrow better than today.

I experienced moments of gratitude for the people I'm surrounded by.

I'm blessed to be able to brush shoulders with and learn from the people I do. While my network isn't huge (network EQUALS networth), it's deep.

I have many great friends and mentors who guide me to my best version.

To you, I am eternally grateful.

(I’d love to hear your thoughts on this new format)

– Jo (every second counts)