With so much greed and hatred taking up space in headlines and our hearts, here's a cleanser that will give you hope. Fix The News is a weekly newsletter focused on reporting on stories of progress.
Global updates on human rights, environment, science, and health remind us that we are global citizens, and that the helpers are everywhere.
I love to see it grace my inbox, and commit headlines to memory so I can weave stories into conversations when it's appropriate to celebrate what actually matters right now.
My question to you: how can your brand celebrate positive strides made by others in your ecosystem?
#2 What to do when a competitor lies
Ever have competitors or contemporaries in your space claim things that aren't true, copy you, or just make you go "what...wut?"
April Dunford's "What to do when a competitor lies" is your read of the day. She offers incredible strategies that mix in audience research, customer discovery, and positioning. So you can focus on what you can control (and know to be the truth).
You see, Darlin... you have the power to articulate your brand's role in your prospects' world. Pour your energy into that!
My question to you: do you hold 1:1 interviews with your best clients to figure out what made them say "yes" to you (so you can replicate more of them)?
#3 How to engage in Subreddits without getting banned
As social media eat its own tail, maybe it's time to have a look at other spaces people come together to share ideas and passion.
Wait no... are you gonna mention Reddit, Alison?!?
Yup.
Reddit is a very particular ecosystem that will totally roast you if you come across too eager to promote your offerings. Pretty brutal but also... I kinnnda gotta give it credit for being critical of crap and prioritizing reputation (real or imagined).
How to plan your strategy (useful for any marketing channel, honestly)
What kind of content will resonate
Pitfalls to avoid
So it you've used Reddit in the past to solve important questions like what bug has been biting your ass (hi, I've searched this... twice), give it another look and see if there's potential to understand your audience better. And maybe get in on the up-vote fun.
My question to you: what non-social media spaces do prospects frequent, and how can you get in on the action (without being a goon about it)?
Please do dig in, but here are few I found interesting:
51% send weekly (seriously, it's ok to send these more frequently!)
92% were active for a year (kudos to keeping it up, y'all)
Substack and Beehiiv were the most popular platforms
Here's to more 1:1 communications via the privacy of our own inboxes!
My question to you: who will you collaborate this year to grow your list?
Always remember that when you feel resistance... it's just this little dork
Who made your lizard brain head of marketing?
When I attended Marketing Forum B2B Boston in Nov, one of the big "topics" was injecting more personality and creativity into B2b brand. Revelation, I know. But the striking thing was not what was said by the speakers... it was what I caught participants uttering as they left the rooms:
"Fine for them to say, but I can't see Sam* ever signing off on anything like that."
"Accounts wouldn't know what to do with us if we suddenly tried to be that different!"
"How the hell can we be creative? We sell chassis for shipping containers!"
I then returned home and continued to give the same feedback I'd been giving all year to consultancies and startups:
"I see opportunity to inject more personality, personal insight, or team visibility into your [insert marketing channel content]."
And next would come similar resistance:
"Easy for you to say, but Sam** won't sign off on that."
"Our audience is used to us talking this way. What would happen to our following if we changed?"
"How can we inject team personality? What we cover is highly sensitive stuff!"
Now, resistance is interesting. In this case, it's typically fighting something you actually want to try. But your lizard brain ( that ancient part of your mind wired for survival) is just being a protective little dork:
It confuses "creativity" with "risky and cocky" which makes little sense. You can be bold and different in B2B without a hint of ego, aggression, or alienation of your ICP.
It doesn't realize that clearly signaling your belief or perspective is the one thing that makes you stand out and hard for others to copy. It wants you to blend in, which literally contradicts the survival of your company.
Your lizard brain wants to keep you safe, but is it maybe, just maybe, keeping you small?
Your challenge, Darlin:
Pick one small thing in your marketing where you can take a "creative risk".
Maybe it’s a personal story in your newsletter. A spicer-than-usual stance on LinkedIn. A play on words in your email copy. Bonus points: ship it without Sam*** even knowing.
(Even in sensitive industries, there’s always a way to show a little more humanity or perspective. It's about being real, not loud.)
And I know you're thinking: what’s the worst that could happen?
Let's reframe:What’s the best that could happen? Or worse... what happens if you don’t try at all?"
Cus if you always play it safe, don’t be surprised when the results stay the same. Safe doesn’t stand out. Safe doesn’t grow.
What’s one small thing you’ll risk today?
- - - - - - - - - -
*It's always Sam, isn't it.
** Someone really needs to check in on Sam.
*** I also wonder if Sam even ever gets the chance to say "no" to anything, or if we're all just too chickenshit to even bring it up.
Alison K Consulting, 3271 Agricola Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3K4H4, Canada
PS: that LinkedIn live is part of my 2025 marketing strategy. Striving to get to 2 a month to help drive brand awareness and earned media (even though my lizard brain is hissing about it). What's a new thing you're trying out this year?
