How would you describe what you do in a single word?
That’s a tough question to answer, but probably a useful one.
You can see what others have said and add your answer here.
Now, on to this week’s ideas…
1. Five Ways To Identify Your Ideal Audience
“Your ideal audience is often the person you used to be.”
I’ve come to realize one of the most common challenges creators face is to figure out who’s most likely to enjoy their work.
In this post I break down five ways to identify your ideal audience including to pair demographics with psychographics, consider what pisses you off, and play a game of “Target Audience Survivor.”
Related: The two ways to grow your audience: Do more or do less.
2. The Ultimate Gmail Inbox Setup
“Based on David Allen’s Getting Things Done, it’s essentially a way to hack your inbox using native tools in Gmail and setting things into multiple inboxes.”
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be shocked to discover what’s possible in Gmail after checking this one out.
Kelly Stocker shares her Gmail inbox setup in a series of videos that cover a wide range of productivity tips.
Watch the 19-minute video at the bottom of the post in which she offers a step-by-step breakdown of how she uses Gmail and how to set up the exact same system for yourself.
Btw, thanks to Jaclyn Schiff for sending me this link.
Related: How to write an effective follow-up email after meeting with someone.
3. How To Double Your Reading Speed
“By merely entertaining the idea that your reading speed is limitless, you can noticeably increase your reading speed.”
You’ve got abilities you probably don’t realize you have and one of them is to drastically increase the speed at which you can read books.
This nine-minute video shows how to double your reading speed, based on tactics outlined in the book Limitless by Jim Kwik.
It includes ways to adjust your reading methods, mindset, and motivation so you can read and comprehend books in half the time it currently takes you to do so.
Related: How to read more books.
4. How To Uncover Your Unique Value Proposition
“Don’t make people imagine how you might be useful. Tell them.”
Your ability to provide value to people only matters if you’re able to explain what that value is.
Rebecca Thomas explains how to do that in this deck on how to uncover your unique value proposition.
Her suggestions include to speak to essential truths, be outward focused after doing inward work, and provide more than just a description of your skills.
Related: How to make something people will buy.
5. How To Create YouTube Thumbnails People Will Click
“You need to avoid the trap of making thumbnails that are wild and crazy like a YouTube star.”
I’ll be honest: I didn’t expect to find this video valuable.
But, I was blown away at how helpful and tactical it turned out to be.
In a 7-minute video, Owen Video breaks down how to create YouTube thumbnails people will click including tips about what background to use, how much text to place on the image, and the relationship between your thumbnail and video title.
Related: How to grow your YouTube channel.
A Recommendation For Twitter Users…
Daniel Vassallo grew his Twitter following from 150 to 24,000 followers in 14 months.
Then, he put together a video course explaining how he did it to teach others how they can do it as well.
I recently bought his Everyone Can Build A Twitter Audience course and thought it was well worth the money — he and I have a similar approach to Twitter in many ways.
If you want to grow your Twitter following, I highly recommend you check it out and was even able to get you a $10 discount on it if you use the link below:
Get the Everyone Can Build A Twitter Audience course here.
Full disclosure: Daniel was nice enough to offer me a few bucks for any sales I send his way, but that’s not why I’m recommending it.
I’d never recommend anything I don’t think is valuable.
My Final Words Of The Week
There are no words I could share this week that will be more valuable than these from Stan Lee:
“If you have an idea that you genuinely think is good, don’t let some idiot talk you out of it.”
They come from this story about the origins of Spider-man.
Have a great week.
Josh
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Thanks!