3 marketing principles that will never change, boring. brutal. better.

hey there,

everyone’s obsessed with AI in marketing.
new tools. new tricks. new “hacks.”

but the real game hasn’t changed.
the best marketing is still built on three timeless principles.

the opposite of love isn’t hate.
it’s indifference (The Lumineers were right).

your biggest threat isn’t bad reviews.
it’s being ignored.

if you want attention, pick a fight.
don’t just stand for something…stand against something.

brands grow faster when they take a side.

Apple fought “boring tech.”
Patagonia fights waste.

What do you fight?

maybe it’s the ‘status quo’ in your industry.
maybe it’s cookie-cutter programs.
maybe it’s burnout.

you define yourself by what you refuse to tolerate.

That’s how people know where you stand..
…and decide to stand with you.

marketing is a relationship.
not a one-night stand.

you wouldn’t propose on the first date.
so stop asking strangers to buy.

first, get noticed.
then start a conversation.
earn trust.
deliver value.
then make the ask.

and once they buy?

don’t disappear.
you wouldn’t stop showing up for your spouse because you’re married.

keep the romance alive.
that’s how customers turn into fans.

and fans turn into evangelists.

people don’t buy features.
they buy change.

show them their “before.”
show them their “after.”

your offer is the bridge in between.

empathy + hope = action.

and don’t try and sound smart when you communicate the transformation…
be clear, not clever.

say what you mean.
mean what you say.

bonus principle…

sound like a person.
AI can write content, but it can’t connect.
your voice is your advantage.

don’t blame “short attention spans.”
the same people who don’t read your newsletter will binge ten hours of Netflix tonight.

the problem isn’t that your marketing is too long.
it’s that it’s too boring.
make it worth consuming.

so that’s it.

Three timeless principles:

do those three (four) things…
and you’ll never have to chase attention again.

try harder,

P.S. I published a new podcast this week!

Epi. 253: Give me 29 Minutes and I’ll Teach You 15 Years of Content Marketing (Spotify | Apple | YouTube)
also… if you didn’t get my Lumineers reference, listen to this.

Give it a listen and let me know what you think.