The world is indeed flat. We did this. Here’s one way to fix it.
12:07pm
East of the Mississippi
I can’t pretend to have all the answers for this.
But I just read an email from Dan Kennedy that said 90% of resumes are all alike.
Everyone is using AI to craft a bland message, an uninspired resume, a safe and acceptable cookie-cutter existence.
AI. Average Intelligence.
In the history of humanity, nothing average ever stood out.
We’re obsessed with ease. Speed. Keeping up with the Joneses.
It’s nothing new.
But today it’s easier than ever to just go along with the crowd.
“Did you see that show? I binged all 3 seasons!”
Same safe inputs in our life.
Same safe AI generated outputs.
Same manufactured outrage directed from above.
I read a note from Cole Shafer.
He worked for years to get into an agency.
Successful freelance copywriter.
Proven results.
Couldn’t even get a foot in the door.
Spoke with a friend this past weekend.
“Why do you post so much on LinkedIn? Dude just stop. You should be getting more likes but you’re telling businesses they’re doing it wrong. Just blend in.”
I told you around Christmas that I didn’t ever expect to learn creativity from a book.
But instead, ways to think differently about the world.
Old books do this particularly well.
They have perspective from different periods in history.
Steven Grasse started the gin brand Hendricks, and a number of other alcohol brands you may know.
His secret?
To mine old books and art for inspiration.
He creates brands you think have been around for a century.
Cole’s answer to the agency freeze-out?
To start his own art-inspired agency, Honey.
They don’t take on every brand.
They take on clients who want something different.
It costs them business to do so.
And they’re happy to pay that price.
On LinkedIn, I don’t want everyone to agree with me.
I want to resonate with the right business owners who are looking for something that’s not Average Intelligence.
“Be polarizing” tho I’m not trying to do it in a mean or political way.
Another way to say it is,
“Be different, not better.”
But I’m starting to wonder if LinkedIn is the place for that.
Maybe you’re that business, the one who needs solutions that the rest of the world doesn’t know about?
Love you,
Jeffrey
PS. “Watch what everyone else does. Do the opposite. The majority is always wrong.”
Earl Nightingale said that.