Yeah… moving pains. After nine months of painful gestation, turns out I can’t really give birth to ‘Digital Nomad Vlad’. Tried it, didn’t work. Got the T-shirt, didn’t like it. I’m coming back to Bucharest. Not the happiest of places, sure, but at least they don’t try to poison you (got the worst enterocolitis ever in Brașov) or your pets, in Romania’s capital.
So, between finding the box with my socks, and my other work tasks, I’m pushing out this newsletter on my new favourite topic: RELEVANCE. And how to show up in a relevant way, not like a buffoon.
Now… where’s that box cutter?
But first… a disclaimer!
You’ve probably noticed I have entered my Relevance era. The word shows up almost obsessively in my messaging, both here and on LinkedIn.
The reason is quite simple: I never bought into the attention economy. Maybe… the intention economy?
Anyway, this is a big topic for founders, marketers, and writers: How to show up in order to attract buyers and get results (money)?
There are two schools of thought.
Those who say you need to get eyes (all the eyes!!!) on your stuff, and those who say (myself included) that you need the RIGHT eyes on your stuff.
If you don’t want to read the whole B00ls issue (and if you don’t… why are you even here? Ah, you’re also moving, I got you) at least read the post below.
I don’t love Marian Hurducaș, the list of reasons is too long to explain here, but when he’s right… he’s right. Here’s a great sum up of what today’s issue of B00ls is all about:
Thanks, Marian (still don’t like you).
If you want to appeal to as many people as possible, this newsletter is not for you.
Trust me.
Grab your mouse, move the little pointer, and press that little red X. Close your browser.
Still here?
– Can’t say we didn’t warn them :)
The Guide
OK, double time now, because I promised my wife this will be a shorter issue (as if) and I’ll help her fold the laundry. I’d be remiss to uncasually drop Relevance references everywhere and then NOT create a guide about it.
Right?
Right.
So, in no particular order, these are the… (looks at notes, decides he doesn’t know how many he’ll have time for)... a couple of principles on how to be relevant:
Penetration, not just presence
You know how, when you have sex, you kinda have to be an ACTIVE participant?
Same principle applies to branding and marketing. You won’t just want to be there, lying around. You’ll want to get involved.
For me, ‘involved’ means having a point of view. Something you believe in. A… raison d'être, if I’m to quote Louis Grenier (hey, boss). Just being present on the market is simply not enough anymore.
How do you penetrate?
You decide who your ideal client is, and you focus 90% of your effort on reaching them. Not your mother, not the cute guy who sometimes likes your posts, not the funny chick who always posts memes.
You focus on your ideal client. And maybe additional topics you enjoy. The spray and pray strategy is not a strategy. It’s stupid.
Know who you’re talking to, and why, and focus on that. Forget the rest.
If I remember correctly, I mentioned this principle in my podcast with Anja. That’s here, if you want to watch it.
Penetration helps with getting people to talk about you. But they talk about you for the right reasons. Because you are there for them.
Not because you were lying around and they couldn’t find better.
Big difference. For your sex life too!
Few versus many
I serve the needs of the few, I don’t entertain the many. And this is where most brands get cold feet. When they don’t see likes and impressions stacking up, they figure something might be wrong.
And don’t get me wrong, it might.
But you’ll be able to answer that question in a couple months time. I know, it sucks.
You know who makes the REAL, REAL MONEY on LinkedIn… or, like, in general?
The people who are RELEVANT. Not the people who are popular. Don’t conflate the two.
If you go the relevancy route, you probably won’t be the most popular kid. But you’ll be stacked. Eventually.
Popular people might also make good money. But in catering to the lowest common denominator, or the average (like Marian puts it), they will never be an expert or an authority.
Just a clown with an audience. Serious people with serious money won’t appreciate them.
And that’s fine for the buffoon. They sell low price offers to low intellect people. They have dozens of clients.
I have five or six, and I love it this way. Focus on the few who are loaded, not the many… who are mostly broke.
Some years ago, a pretty popular LinkedIn creator… let’s call him Tasleem (because that’s his real name) DMed me asking if I knew of any “ghostwritting lead swap communities”
I wonder why he did that… ?
Maybe because he was fresh out of “rich and busy” people to supply words for?
Or maybe he was that broke and begging for a lead.
I guess we’ll never know :)
Vanilla
If you want to reach the many… vanilla is going to be just what the doctor ordered. If you want to reach the few… you’ll need to plant your fucking flag in the ground.
Yeah.
You don’t have to be aggressive or offensive (though I enjoy it on occasion) about it, either. You just have to be decisive.
Ten minutes ago, I got a call from a potential client. I hadn’t spoken to her in two years. She casually tells me who she is and asks me if I want a gig. And I say this:
“Let me stop you right there. Last time we spoke, two years ago, you asked me about a different gig. We discussed an offer, and I was waiting for a response. You simply vanished.
That’s a big red flag in my book, and a no-no for my business. You showed me who you are, and I don’t like it. Thanks for understanding, good luck and have a nice day.”
A vanilla professional would just have taken on whatever she was offering. A person who knows their business and ONLY takes on clients who treat him as a partner?
Mnope.
A short promotional message
B00ls is long and convoluted. Overly long and convoluted. People often complain about it. And my reply is always the same:
“It’s by design.”
That’s how I wanted B00ls. Long, hard to read if you’re not paying attention, and full of what I regard as valuable information. And my jokes. That’s why I have 200 something subscribers. That’s also why it makes me money, despite the low numbers.
Don’t like it? Unsubscribe.
Which leads me to…
Stop overqualifying (how the fuck do you write this word?). Start disqualifying
My B00ls, my LinkedIn and my brand in general are not for everyone. Instead of trying to get everyone to like me and work with me, I chose to go the other way.
I drew a line in the sand and positioned myself on one side. Whatever is on the other side of the line is not for me. No matter the money, the prestige or whatever. I just don’t go there.
As a result, people know exactly where to find me.
Instead of convincing people to work with me, most of my efforts go towards turning away people who are not the right fit. Just this past month, I doubled (and then some) my earnings. And refused clients on the regular. Might even have to drop some of the regular ones if push comes to shove (I don’t want to work weekends!).
Disqualification. Trust me.
Strategy or feeling?
Uhhhh…. Yes!
Number 1 reason people drop branding and marketing efforts? They don’t feel like it.
That happens when the person who devised the strategy built it on a shoddy foundation. People don’t show up if they don’t feel like themselves.
Whenever I create LinkedIn strategies for my clients, I start with ‘who they are’ not ‘what they want to achieve’.
I never ask: where do you want to go?
I ask: who are you right now?
Asking the right question and building a brand on who the person really is will be more durable and profitable in the long run than just slapping lipstick on a pig and calling it a personal oink! brand.
If people sniff the fact that you’re not representing THEM, but a curated version that’s just after results, they will drop you like a bad habit.
That’s valid for the people I enjoy working with, at least.
Get people talking about you, for the right reasons
Yesterday I got on LinkedIn and I happened across a post from an AWARD WINNING copywriter who has been out of a job for several months because of AI.
Nothing uncommon so far.
In his post, he lamented AI and advocated for copywriters using AI (ummm… OK) to replace designers and so on. Basically, he was asking copywriters to do to others… what others were doing to him.
Smart?
Absolutely not.
Any way, we get to talking and the old ‘where’s your work?’ argument comes up. I explain that I’m mostly a ghostwriter and I share my portfolio only with people who are interested in my work, not randos online. I also explain why I don’t use AI in my work, which he takes personally.
We start poking each other because he likes this dick swinging contest: because I live in Romania (like it’s a character flaw) I must be mediocre.
I mention my full roster of clients, and his member starts to shrivel. He reaches out in private and he says, get this:
“Sorry for that, but controversy gets views and I desperately need them” (not his actual words, but this is the gist)
And my heart sinks….
Listen here folks, and keep this close to heart, even if this is the only thing you understood from this here newsletter:
DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT BECOME a dick/asshole just for views. Do not get so desperate that you have to randomly insult people online just to get a sliver of attention. Insult them if you really mean it, because they are idiots, but not in order to get attention.
Those are tainted, desperate ‘views’ and they will lead you nowhere. You’ll still be out of a job or gigs. On the off chance you get something, it will be from a poser just as big as yourself, and you’ll get screwed.
Mark my words: Authentic asshole - OK. Performative asshole - Not OK.
If you can’t see the difference between the two… problem.
Yesterday, one of my clients wrote to me on What’sApp and I just loved the way she phrased it:
“I was waiting for our meeting to tell you this, but I’ll tell you now. Congrats on the last post – some really nice reactions and a lot of interesting people visiting my profile.”
I take ‘interesting’ to be relevant.
And that’s the JOB. Relevant views. Not many views.
The perks of being a RELEVANT wallflower
Oh yeah, all that sounds nice, but what about results? (you ask, incredulously)
People spend more time with your content. They even translate it with Google just so they can read it. They start trusting you. You become part of their day. You are the go-to person for whatever you do.
And then, when they are in the buying mood?
It’s you, it’s you, it’s always you…
To quote Tony Hopkins:
“That’s sheer fucking power”
– OK, I admit, the ‘fucking’ was my contribution, sorry.
At the end of the day, you just have to realise one thing. Followers, likes, attention… these are not made equal. Some don’t know how to use that attention…
And some know how to turn it into DMs, qualified leads, contracts, and money in the bank.
So… uh, choose wisely.
EXTRAS
If you didn’t believe me, maybe Jay Acunzo will do a better job here. Trust me, it’s worth it, and he’s more eloquent.
Going forward
Let’s agree to call this one ‘relatively shorter’. I’m not even going to apologise any more for my inconsistent landing times in your inbox. My business is going through growing pains: that’s the only explanation. That’s why 1 issue per month is the only thing I can offer for right now.
Just know that the next three issues are already mapped out. B00ls is slowing down, yes, but me and MadVlad are not going anywhere. If anything, we’re slightly changing the format: more video. You’ll see 🙂
Watch Anja and Vlad duke it out and discuss 60 minutes of unconventional, spicy, and borderline controversial marketing-related thoughts.
We wrestled with topics like:
1️⃣ Hooks vs. opening statements
2️⃣ Productive procrastination vs. bad procrastination
3️⃣ Buy now buttons vs. consultations
4️⃣ KPIs vs. real metrics
5️⃣ Communicating your value as a business owner
In the meantime, you can get access to the full archive here if you missed any other issue.
Time to start doing, not just reading?
If you liked my stuff, this is how we can work together:
I write for you. Check out my Experience and Recommendations on LinkedIn. (currently at full capacity, but you can get on a waiting list)
I offer consultancy services for Founders, Marketers, and Writers who want to find their voice and BE RELEVANT. (Recommendations up on LinkedIn)
I’m still open for Consultancy calls despite having a new offer, chill.
I handle Brand clarifications and Brand building via Strategy Services for Founders, Marketers, and Writers who want to BE RELEVANT and get results the right way.
Are you a writer/marketer/founder who wants to BE RELEVANT?
Reply to this e-mail if you’re interested in the above.
Know somebody who’d also like that? Share my newsletter and point them in my direction. I’ll give you a beer/coffee (gotta keep that gut slim, na?) if you’re ever in Bucharest.
Cheers
If this was the first, but also last time we meet: Thank you.
I write for myself, but you reading my writing gives it additional meaning. I literally could not resonate without you. So let me help you BE RELEVANT.
Those are tainted, desperate ‘views’ and they will lead you nowhere. You’ll still be out of a job or gigs. On the off chance you get something, it will be from a poser just as big as yourself, and you’ll get screwed.
Those are tainted, desperate ‘views’ and they will lead you nowhere. You’ll still be out of a job or gigs. On the off chance you get something, it will be from a poser just as big as yourself, and you’ll get screwed.
This one was perfect!
Welcome back Vlad!