Adam Street's Blog
The spiritual and practical path to freedom to do your art

Prove mastery with 3 questions

I was listening to Brandon Lucero’s podcast the other day and he was describing something he learned from Gary Vaynerchuk.  

What’s funny is he started by saying he doesn’t usually listen to Gary V anymore.  He said he’s, learned about all he can from him.  So he thought…

I know that feeling all too well.  Someone gives you some advice or you read something and you think, “yeah yeah, I know.”

This happened to me in high school when I entered in a talent show.  I was supposed to sing a song but for some reason I didn’t feel the need to practice.  

And guess what?  

I didn’t win.  I barely made it though the song.  It was embarrassing.

I picked up 3 questions from Darren Hardy last week that really would have been helpful before I blew that talent show.  He said when you think you’ve got a skill down and you get ready to say, “I’ve heard this before”, ask yourself this:

  • Am I doing it?
  • Have you mastered it?
  • Would my results prove that I’ve mastered it?

Even though I thought I “knew how to sing” that song.  My answer to those three questions was no and I failed.

Asking yourself questions like these keep you on your toes. You’ll also stay on your a-game and no one will think you’re a pompous know-it-all.  That’s a bonus.

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Adam

Sharpening your ax

One problem I have with the epilogue of the Harry Potter book series is what happens to Hermione Granger.  I think she would have been a fantastic (and probably famous) witch.

I say that because she was a great student. 

Dumbledore was a great student.

Tom Riddle [Voldemort] was a great student.  

When I saw Lebron James when he was young I knew he was going to be really good when I saw how  SERIOUS a STUDENT of the game he was.  

And being 6’8’ and 240 didn’t hurt either…

Keep in mind when I say study I’m not talking about merely reading or watching videos.  Lots of people do that.  Studying is reading/watching, applying, and taking account of your results.

And doing this on purpose.

That’s why copywriters that I respect like Gary Bencivenga said 40% of his day is research.  Ken McCarthy gave a similar ratio, and so did Eugene Schwartz.

Like these greats did, STUDY your craft.

STUDY your customers.

STUDY your marketplace.

It’s like the famous Abraham Lincoln quote.  “If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my axe.” 

Sharpen your ax.

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Adam

Marketing so simple a third grader could get it

I’m a huge fan of simplifying your marketing messages.  

This is why elevator pitches and other ways to “cut the fat” off your marketing are so popular.  Since we all have the attention span of goldfish, you need to illustrate ASAP what you do, who you serve, and why we should care.

There was an artist I knew years ago who was always working on BIG ideas and projects.  He wanted my buy in but couldn’t explain anything to me without signing an NDA.

I figured if he can’t explain what’s he’s doing in a few sentences I probably shouldn’t waste my time.

Donald Miller said, “what if the problem wasn’t the product? What if the problem was the way we talked about the product?” 

In my artist buddy’s case, he was definitely the problem.

No matter how sophisticated you get at marketing, make sure your message is as clear and memorable as possible.  Not just editing it down for space, think proverbs.  Don’t remember what a proverb is?  Let me refresh your memory.    

A proverb is a simple, concrete, traditional saying that expresses a perceived truth based on common sense. Here’s some examples:   

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 

Never judge a book by its cover 

Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.

You want your ideas to be as simple and profound as you can get them.  You sacrifice saying important things to hit home THE MOST IMPORTANT thing.  

When President Trump ran for office in 2016 he said, “I will build a great, great wall on our Southern border.”    

In 1992 political advisor, James Carville, needed to narrow down ideas for Bill Clinton’s campaign, and he came up with “It’s the economy, stupid.”   

What about Geico’s, “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.”  According to Cynthia Herr at HawkPartners this slogan has a recall rate of 90%.  

If we could all be so lucky…

Make it so simple a third grader could memorize and understand it. 

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Adam

Facebook: The dark night

My nephew’s goal is to make a full-time living as a social media influencer.  Some of his favorite Internet personalities make tens of thousands each month and he wants his share of the pie. 

I can’t blame him.  

He gets frustrated though because it’s taking him much longer than he thought it would.  It reminded me of some advice I received years ago.  It went something like this…

When it comes to getting your biz going it will usually take three times as long and cost twice as much as you think it will.  

No truer words have ever been spoken for young entrepreneurs.  There’s exceptions to the rule but better to think that way than think you’ll be the next Zuckerberg rich at age 23.

I harp on my nephew about one other thing.  And it’s the most important…

Build a list of customers and prospects.  It could just be their name and email address but having a list that YOU own can save your bacon. 

Pushing people off social networks to your website sounds easy but it’s not.  Why?  Because of Network Effect.  Network effect is when the number of people improve the value of the product or service. 

Take Uber for example.  Uber is #1 in ride share service which mean they attracts more drivers.  This lowers the wait time, which attracts more riders, which attracts more drivers, which lowers the wait time…etc.

It’s a constant circle that’s extremely hard to break.  That’s why you could spend billions and never take over Uber’s place as #1.  

The same is true with Google, Ebay, or Apple.  

It’d be like trying to stop a t-rex from charging at you with a fly-swatter.  You can’t break the momentum.

By having your own list you can rely on your direct marketing skills and NOT “the network”. 

That way when Facebook goes dark, or they change their rules or terms and conditions you can bounce back and pivot way faster than the poor sap that thought he didn’t need to build a list.

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Adam

Putting a Face on the Problem

I was watching an episode of Star Wars Clone Wars last night.  The Galactic Senate was arguing back and fourth about taking on new loans to create new troops for the war.  About half the senators were for new troops and about half were against it.

If you aren’t familiar with the “Clones”, the clone troopers are humans created in a lab by the Kaminoans.  The clones age faster than regular folks and they’re genetically built for battle.  That means the Republic has no need for recruitment offices or Uncle Sam posters.

Ok, back to the senate…

Senator Padmé Amidala (Princess Leia’s mom) thinks they should scrap new loans and focus on ending the war.  It seems peace is a helluva lot easier on the pockets.  But between fear and corruption, not enough senators agree with her.

She debates the others about interest rates and the loss of human life…but nothing sticks.  

Many of the senators don’t consider the clones human.  And since none of the clones can vote them into office, why should they care?  

Padmé gives one final speech to influence her position and win more votes against the war. 

In her preparation she asks one of her helpers, how has the war affected you?  After getting the low down from a real person about her authentic experience, Padmé gives a different type of speech.  

Instead of budgets and facts and figures she talks about how fueling the war keeps money out social programs and how the war makes everyday people struggle.

She put a “face on the problem” and tells a different type of story.  

When it’s all said and down, we know years later the war continues, the Emperor takes over, and Darth Vader is born but that’s not the point…

It’s about empathy.

It’s about integrity.  

Doing what’s right, even when no one is looking.  

And never losing focus on who you serve.

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Adam