Brand Voice Expert // Brand Ventriloquist® // Brand Voice Guide Specialist // Probably the best copywriter in my house
"The thing no one tells you about zagging when everyone else is zigging is how much it feels like losing. It’s easy for me to say you don’t need to participate in a pointless race to spend as much money as everyone else. It’s much harder to muster the courage, vision and commitment to do it. The paradox of good marketing is that the lonesome fear you feel when you’re zagging is actually a sign that you’re on the right path." *Truth Is Better Marketing* by Harendra Kapur is EASILY one of the Top 3 Books I've read this year. ...And I've read at least 4 books. There are soooooo many fist pump moments in this quick read that my Kindle is covered in highlighter. The quote above is just one of many. It's on Amazon, or you can type the title of the book and see its spunky lil' subhead LinkedIn doesn't want me to write. 7/5 stars
Off to get this book. Speaking from experience, deciding to zag when everyone zigs is so much harder when you've made a ton of money and know that zagging will plummet your income for a while. It feels like you're starting from scratch. You see less experienced peers surpass you, and it's so hard to not feel like a failure.
That’s the trickiest part of strategy. It feels very lonely on the path but you have to stay the course in order to see results.
This! I help my clients create the brand that 'scares them' because it's so boldly authentic and unique. AND I've noticed that if I don't stay at their side to help them stay the course, it's not long before they go back to their comfort zone. Bold strategy needs to be backed by my brave and stubborn self-leadership. And having the right support and community at your back is a game-changer, too!
Justin Blackman Samar Owais I instinctively zag, I'm fiercely individualistic and I tenaciously held on to me when the world, parents, friends, well wishers all told me to be something else. We were born unique to stand out, we are conditioned into conformity, then we want to stand out after confirming and conforming. Just did a post about this whole process and how because of nurture and education and society, most of us create clutter and noise when we attempt to stand out.
YES this is such a huge issue right now. Tagging someone else who also understands the pain of this... Guy Gordon
Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm clicking over to Amazon to get the book.
7/5 now that's a lot of stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
...and of course it sometimes is Justin Blackman. That's a risk we take.
That quote alone put it on my TBR list.
Ask me how I get my client's content in front of their ideal audience | Lead Generation Specialist | Social Media Manager & Content Strategist | Conversion Copywriter | Gamification Nerd
3dYears ago, I created a social media framework that grows based on relationships and not the algorithm. Many clients dropped us because we weren't getting results fast enough. Those who stuck with us are currently doing the best year of their business, best in the last decade. At many points this year, I felt like giving up and learning someone else's strategy and doing what's popular and trending so people will believe in me. And my framework. I'm glad I didn't give up. I'm grateful for the clients who stuck with us and are getting rewarded for their patience. Now? My clients do easy sustainable marketing that's compounding from all the effort we already put in. Relationships compound and keep rewarding you for years. Trends are temporary. I feel like you wrote this post, personally for me. Thank you for being so vulnerable, and making it easier for us to do so, Justin.