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Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy this edition.
On My Mind
On not sacrificing quality for volume
Volume has never been easier to achieve. The combination of AI with modern software has made it simple to 10x the sheer amount of work you’re capable of doing in a day, week, and year.
Sick!
But…
Is this actually better than what we were doing before? Or just more? Is more output actually valuable?
In most cases, I don’t think so.
Spam is the Best Example
The best indicative example I can point out is the rise of spam. Email and junk call spam has been horrific post-COVID especially, but I have not been subject to this level of inundation in years past.
You know what I’m talking about - a generic fill-in-the-blank script hitting your inbox or voicemail:
“Hi Zander, I saw that you had average insight from my most recent LinkedIn post. I totally agree that AI-generated output saying I’m a genius. Have you thought about generating more leads?”
“Hi, have you considered something no one has literally ever considered for good reason could be affecting your business, XYZ, LLC? The your industry industry is moving fast and so should you!”
“I’m calling to ask if you’re looking for a new warranty on your how do they know the model of my car? car?”
And on and on and on. I get at least 50 of these per day to the point that I miss important notifications as I can’t block & ignore these emails fast enough!
Barriers to Entry are the Gatekeepers of Demand
It’s undeniable that the AI-generated copy I mentioned above would’ve been, at least, eye-catching to most of us a couple of years ago. In some cases, even clever. Now, the cat is out of the bag. Everyone knows it’s AI, and every email is just a drop in the slop bucket. This has effectively removed the barrier that it used to take to write a semi-effective script and send it en masse to potential prospects.
When barriers to entry are removed - like cost, time, or capability/skill - the supply of that thing goes through the roof. But when supply goes up, as we all know from junior year Econ class, demand reacts conversely.
It is harder than ever to send an outreach email with an offer that’s actually compelling and works. Not only is the copywriting or cold-call script crafting portion difficult, but there’s also the resulting change to recipient behavior. Everyone I know is exhausted by spam outreach. Even if you are a great cold caller and have a great offer, you’re probably getting sent straight to voicemail or getting your email blocked immediately.
This maximized output and efficiency have rendered low-barrier tasks nearly pointless. If everyone can do something, the market reacts, and the value of that thing goes to zero.
Instead, I’m focusing on quality
I think the other side in this “value seesaw” is quality.
To keep the outreach example going, outreach is still necessary and possible. Just not in the way that the masses are going about it. I’m personally betting on in-person events, human-written emails & letters, a knowledgeable local on the phone, and a curated lead list that actually makes sense for what we offer.
Zig when everyone else zags!
I’m purposely sacrificing quantity because it’s too easy to maximize. Everyone is solving for that part of the equation.
It’s really hard to automate quality, so people automate quantity. 100,000 emails at a 0.01% close rate is 10 pieces of new business, and that sounds great on paper because of the low effort involved.
But not automating is the whole point. We want to be effective, not play a numbers game to try to find the desperate 0.01%. Quality requires time and attention. Nowadays, in outreach, that means:
It takes an email that actually feels like someone knowledgeable wrote it
It takes a phone call from someone nearby who actually understands what you need
It takes a handshake in real life, because it’s much harder to show up somewhere than it is to sit at your desk
It takes a referral and testimonial from someone trusted in your shared network
It takes time to research and ensure the potential lead is actually a fit for what you can offer
And even still - it probably won’t work. But I’ll always bet on quality over quantity as the way to stand out amongst the masses.
1,000 fans outweigh 100,000 views
I subscribe to Kevin Kelly’s idea of building an audience of “1,000 fans” and think it’s incredibly relevant right now.
Aside: I definitely took some of this framework for my observation of the Content Quadrant in a past newsletter. Great read if you missed it.
His framework is that it’s not about trying to appeal to the masses of millions. It’s about cultivating a few thousand people who genuinely enjoy what you do.
1,000 qualified, high-fit-potential leads are much better than a list of 100,000 phone numbers
1,000 followers who actually read what you post instead of 100,000 views
1,000 newsletter subscribers that are in your business’s direct audience and engage rather than 100,000 recipients who rarely open your emails
I’m applying this widely, too. A few things I’m seeing that move the needle:
Instead of trying to pack in what I can do in a day at work, I’m trying to focus on what actions have disproportionately large impacts.
Instead of trying to tack on services across the board that Colophon can provide customers, I’m trying to focus on the quality of our current products and whether new services are a long-term fit in our model
Instead of trying to maximize what I can do in my personal life and free time, I’m trying to be selective and live more in the moment instead of having to think about the next item on the agenda
In summary - It’s never been so enticing to go after the allure of volume and miss the entire point of what we’re doing.
Beware the Siren Song!
h/t Reddit
I’m sure I’m missing something really interesting where “quality over quantity” is applying more than ever. Please share your thoughts.
What I’m Digging
Love It or List It
Why do you hit 30 and immediately want to watch HGTV with your spouse? Is it inherent to human DNA? I am certain this is universal.
This show (at least the season we’ve been watching) are shot in Canada. I’ve observed that our friends in the Great White North care about several things in their homes that took me by surprise:
The laundry room is the most important part of a house. I get that having space to do laundry is great, but they would sacrifice a limb, and maybe one of their children, for an ideal laundry room. Maybe it’s because they have to wear so many more clothes because it’s so cold?
.Tile as you walk inside the house. Gotta knock the snow off on something that won’t rot. Never even thought of this. Coat closets at the front door are also mandatory.
Aside: Living in the cold sounds miserable
.
Open concept. Every first item in the checklist is a completely open concept. If LIOLI Canadians see a single interior wall on that first floor, you might as well have slapped them in the face. The real estate agent has lost all credibility.
.A finished basement. First of all - does every house in Canada have a basement? Not like that basements are uncommon in the US, but I don’t think I’ve seen a single Canadian house without a basement on this show. The ultimate icing on the cake for a home is the finished basement the family dad can make into his mancave to crush Moulsens and Labatts with the boys while watching hockey. So radical.
The show is also needlessly dramatic, and it’s fantastic.
Stuck In My Head
Not exactly the soundtrack to my week - I just want you to share in the misery of these catchy tunes getting locked into your brain for the foreseeable future
Only one for y’all this week. It’s been dominating my consciousness:
Thanks for reading
Sincerely,
Zander Barth
