I'm Bad At Email
and everyone knows it.
I once sent an email to 1,000,000 of the wrong people.
I once forgot to archive a promotional landing page and we ended up having to give away 1,000 free pairs of headphones.
I once sent out a press release with our CEO’s internal comments on it.
Everyone on LinkedIn loves to tell you how they are crushing it and how amazing they are. The truth is we all have made mistakes - no matter how good you are.
These are 3 of the bigger ones I have had in my career.
Mistakes happen.
It’s not the end of the world.
Everyone makes them.
What were your big ones?
I posted that 3 years ago.
It had close to 200,000 views, 5,000 reactions, almost 500 comments, and 150 reposts.
It got written about on Hubspot’s blog - “The 10 Most Engaging Topics on LinkedIn in 2021 [+Viral Examples]”
I even had someone mention it to me in a job interview.
So why did this post blow up and why am I talking about it 3 years later?
It was authentic. And in todays crazy AI world, authenticity is one of the last true differentiators marketers have.
Authenticity matters in marketing for several important reasons:
Building Trust: In a world where buyers are increasingly skeptical and overwhelmed, they value honesty and transparency. When a brand consistently delivers authentic marketing messages and experiences, it creates trust with its audience.
Differentiation: I talk about standing out in marketing a lot, and authenticity can be a key differentiating factor to do that. When brands are genuine and true to their values, they stand out from the crowd. Authenticity allows businesses to carve out a unique identity no one can replicate.
Emotional Connection: Authentic marketing has the power to create emotional connections. By sharing stories, being relatable, demonstrating empathy, and aligning with your buyers values, you build deeper connections that go beyond transactional relationships.
Positive Reputation: Authenticity contributes to a brand's reputation. When a brand is authentic in its marketing efforts, it is more likely to be perceived as genuine, trustworthy and reliable. That attracts customers, partners, and even employees who want to be associated with an authentic and trustworthy company.
So instead of telling people how 99% of people are doing x wrong or following any other tired framework on social for yourself or your company.
Ask yourself, is this post authentic?
If not, try again. Not only will the content be more fun and interesting to create, but it will also likely lead to better results.
Thanks for reading!
Adam
PS - Want to learn to create landing pages that compel more prospects to buy, download, and subscribe to your content? Eddie Shleyner of Very Good Copy is offering his Masterclass for 50% off right now. Don’t miss out - sign up today!
PPS - He isn’t even sponsoring this newsletter. The course is just so valuable I had to share.