Stop saying "we" so much.
A comprehensive guide to everything marketing.
I have been an athlete my whole life.
I played soccer, basketball, and softball leading into high school, where I then played varsity soccer and softball, then moved on to college, where I played DIII softball for 4 years.
I have always been used to being on a team.
We practiced together.
We set goals together.
We lost together.
We worked harder together.
We won together.
We raised trophies together.
There was always a “we” mentality.
When I began working for my brother in 2011 at the business our dad started, I had the same mentality.
We were working on projects, growing the company, and learning more about the industry together.
While working together as a team is one of the most effective ways to get things done, saying “we” all the time takes away from individual accomplishments and growth.
I have found myself saying “we” to clients when they know I’m the only person that is responsible. I have also used “we” when talking to developer teams like I’m in the trenches with them in code.
Forcing Myself to Use I & You More…
I have started to distinguish that when I have ideas or take initiative to make decisions in the workplace, I often will say, “it was too important, so we decided to do it this way.”
Branding Lessons Learned from Adele
Recently, I traveled to Las Vegas and decided to go see Adele perform. Not only was it a great show AND the best concert I’ve ever been to and there were a lot of branding lessons that I learned from Adele along the way.
After the awe-inspiring concert, I started to look up some more information about Adele, her performances, and her brand to learn about the person behind this bombshell concert I had just attended.
She rarely performs live
A few unique things I learned were; that it is very rare that she does live performances, and almost never goes on tour. So this abbreviated residency in Las Vegas is a true treat for fans.
She has terrible stage fright
Also, I learned that she has tends to have nerves and anxiety when performing live. So bad that is has resulted in occasional cancelled shows or tours.
“How is Adele so popular and well-known with these seemingly obvious flaws as an entertainer?”
It all comes down to branding.
Stop Sleeping on Email Marketing
Let’s cut to the chase: If your business isn’t heavily invested in email marketing, you’re practically tossing opportunities out the window. In my years grappling with the ever-changing algorithms of search engines and the pay-to-play nature of social media, I’ve found a haven in email marketing. Here, your brand can be the star of the show, no holds barred.
The Missed Opportunity
Too many companies sleep on the goldmine that is email marketing. Sure, making a quick sale is exciting, but what about long-term customer relationships? Building brand loyalty is not just a nice-to-have; it’s essential.
I’m here to tell you, a 15–20% open rate might not seem flashy, but it dwarfs the minuscule 0.5–2% conversion rates you’ll see on most other advertising platforms. Think about that.
What Makes Email So Damn Special
Here’s why I’m all-in on email marketing, and you should be too:
Direct Access: When you send an email, you’re walking right into someone’s personal space — their inbox. That’s intimacy you won’t get elsewhere.
Zero Distractions: Once your email is opened, it’s a one-on-one conversation. No competing brands in sight; your message is in the spotlight.
Subject Line Impact: Okay, they might not open every email, but a killer subject line can still plant a seed, make them think, or elicit an emotional response.
Brand Building: Your email list isn’t just for selling; it’s fertile ground to cultivate your brand’s unique identity and values. This is your stage; own it.