I sense growing frustration among creative entrepreneurs.

Many feel they're doing what they're "supposed" to do, but it's not working.

It's understandable.

But it's also a symptom of bigger issue in this space.

For example: Consider doctors.

Anyone can become a doctor (in theory).

But to do so, they must get past a bunch of gatekeepers:

• College
• Med school
• Internships
• Getting hired/patients

Creative entrepreneurship has no gatekeepers, which is amazing.

But...

You’ll get your dream job when you start doing your dream work.

Start today.

You don’t need somebody to hire you to do it.

You don’t need to apply to do it.

You don’t need somebody to recommend you for it.

You don’t need a “break.”

You don’t need to get paid for it.

👇 You just need to start doing it.

Most people won’t do that.

That’s why most people will never get their dream job.

But you can.

👇

I studied the channel pages of 10 YouTube experts.

They have a LOT in common.

Here are 5 approaches you can borrow from them for your own page... 👇





1. Most of their banner images include:

• The word "YouTube" (because that's their niche)

• A photo of themselves

• Social proof

Examples from @robertoblake, @owenvideo, @AprilynneAlter, and @vidIQ:

I studied the home pages of 10 smart creative entrepreneurs.

They have a LOT in common.

Here are 6 approaches you can borrow from them for your own site... 👇





1. They prioritize email signups.

Most have a signup form prominently displayed on the home page.

Their top priority is to get someone to join their list.

And their copy gives a clear reason to do so.

Examples from @khemaridh, @thejustinwelsh, @KateBour, and @jayclouse

Newsletter Social Playbook week continues with a tip for you from @JamesClear.

One reason his newsletter has gotten so huge is because he's REALLY smart about how he promotes it on his social channels.

For example, here's how he promotes his newsletter on Instagram: Almost every image James Clear posts on Instagram includes promotion for his newsletter.

But he does it in a subtle way.

Check out the promos incorporated at the bottom of these quote images he shared.

But that's not all he does...

I bet you're doing too much.

Most of us are.

Here are some signs you've got a problem and what to do about it: Are you missing self-selected deadlines?

Then you're probably doing too much.

This is typically a result of overextending yourself.

It’s not hard to make a video once a week if that’s all you do.

But it’s REAL hard if you also create 20 other things every week.

I listened to 10 podcast episodes this week.

Here are the 4 that will actually change how I do things: 1. Seth Godin on sunk costs, how to decide when to quit, and how to make the best decision for yourself in a given moment.

open.spotify.com/episode/37MaYk…

Someone asked for my advice about a presentation they had to give to clients.

Here's what I told her to do...

I asked what ONE THING she most wanted people who see the presentation to remember.

She said... "I want them to realize they MISSED OPPORTUNITIES with the last marketing campaign they ran with us and to not make the same mistake again.”

Perfect.

With that in mind, I recommended the following steps...

Maybe your audience is already big enough to accomplish your goals.

Maybe you need better clients, not more clients.

Maybe the reason you haven't accomplished your goal is because you're chasing the wrong one.

Maybe everyone else isn't the problem. Maybe you'd get more by doing less.

Maybe there's a reason all the experts do something a certain way.

Maybe you're comparing yourself to the wrong people.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.

Maybe you don't want what you thought you wanted.

This is going to be SKILL SESSIONS WEEK on my Twitter account, so...

Each day I'll share excerpts from one of my sessions.

Here are some tips and slides from The Newsletter Booster, a session where I share 30 ways to get newsletter subscribers in 5 minutes a day: In the Session I show how to optimize your sign up page.

One of the keys is to focus your description on the VALUE the newsletter provides and don't just mention the topics your newsletter is about.

Benefits > Features

Here's a 1-minute clip about tone:

What I'd do if I had to land a new client in 24 hours:

1. I'd email my newsletter subscribers with a one-day only offer that included a special bonus incentive for them to hire me that day.

2. I'd also say only one person could get the deal and it's first come, first serve. 3. I'd post a thread on Twitter making that same offer and then sharing testimonials and case studies of results I've gotten for clients.

4. I'd add a new tweet to the thread every hour, resurfacing it into people's feeds.

All the experts say to "niche down."

But you may misunderstand what that means.

(Most people do.)

Here's what it ACTUALLY means to focus on a niche: 1. Focus your content, marketing, products, and services on serving your IDEAL audience.

Everything you do should be optimized to attract the people you most want to serve.

That doesn't mean those have to be the ONLY people you serve.

(They won't be.)

You're probably playing too many games.

And it's holding you back.

Let me explain...

👇👇👇 Let's start with a definition of what a game is:

"A form of play or sport, especially a competitive one played according to rules and decided by skill, strength, or luck."

With that definition in mind, here's something to consider...

Want to come up with a GREAT product or service idea?

Ask people in your target audience these 10 questions:

1. What's the biggest thing you want to accomplish in the next year?

2. What obstacle do you need to overcome to accomplish it? 3. If I gave you $100 to spend today on anything that will help you accomplish your goal, what would you spend it on?

4. What if I gave you $10,000?

These 10 words will prevent you from making sales.

Edit them out of your marketing.

1. "People" - The ultimate vague word. Be specific about who you're talking to/about.

2. "Success/Successful" - What does that mean? Define it for your target audience. 3. "Better/Best" - There's no such thing because that's subjective. Better for who? Better for what?

4. "The next level" - Another vague goal. The better you define the result you offer, the more likely people are to want it.

Something to try today:

It takes 60 seconds.

And will help you get more done EVERY day for the rest of your life.

Here's how it works: Step 1:

Write down everything you spent time on today.

Step 2:

Review the list and pick one thing that wasn't a good use of your time.

Step 3:

Vow to never do it again and/or do it in a different way when you need to do it.

Step 4:

Repeat every day.

How to build your own content library:

(And not have to keep creating new content FOREVER)

1. Pick a specific audience you want to help accomplish a specific goal

2. Write a list of 30 things they need to do to accomplish it. 3. For each thing on your list, create one piece of content that shows them HOW to do it.

4. Then, create one piece of content for each that explains WHY they need to do it.

37,612 creative entrepreneurs subscribe to my ONE-PARAGRAPH newsletter.

Here's how to write a short newsletter people will love:

1. Screw the formality - write like you're texting a friend.

2. Remove unnecessary words. (Which is most of them.) 3. You don't need to give people more to justify being in their inbox - that's just your insecurity. But...

4. If you only send a couple sentences, they better be valuable sentences.

10 ways to improve your marketing...

In one minute or less:

1. Ask someone why they bought your product

2. Ask someone why they didn't buy your product 3. Explain in a tweet why your product exists other than to make money - who are you seeking to help and why?

4. Re-post your most successful previous marketing message

Here are 5 simple experiments to try tomorrow.

They cost no money, require little time, and will probably improve your life.

Start here 👇 1. Try a new answer to the question, "What do you do?"

Switch up how you describe your work or don't even mention your "work" at all.

Then pay attention to how people respond to your new answer.

Does it change their perception? Lead to different conversations?

I don't care about writing "interesting" things.

I write USEFUL things.

Here's how:

1. I use "How To" headlines.

A headline is a promise you need to live up to.

If you start with "How To" it forces you to share useful information. 2. I write things that are ACTIONABLE, not theoretical.

A map is more valuable than a direction.

I tell readers how to do something, what actions to take, and give instructions on how to execute.

I don't just give them a compass - I give them a map.