When is it lying and when is it business?
All marketers really are liars...aren't we? Are we?
This morning, I got a LinkedIn connection request from a guy I’ve known for years.
He was on The Sales Podcast eight years ago, but I guess we never connected on LinkedIn.
I was actually surprised when I received his connection request, because I thought we were for sure connected. (We stay in touch on many other “typical” social media platforms, and I get his email newsletter.)
Within moments of accepting, I see I have a message from him.
Silly, naive, hopelessly romantic me thinks,
“Wow, (Bob) is working on a holiday weekend and took the time to connect and say hi. That’s cool.”
Instead, I got this:
Hey Wes- (the “Wes'-” is a dead giveaway this is a screen-scraped automated message) I noticed you're a business Consultant so I thought I'd reach out.
Curious, if I offered to set up a fully automated content system that sends you authority-building content every morning—written in your voice—so you can stay visible, attract leads, and never wonder what to say again (all before your first cup of coffee), would you be interested in learning more about that?
If you're open to getting more clients from your content while saving time, I'd love to discuss how we can help you & your clients do that... without you lifting a finger... using our (fancy-pants official-sounding advanced-named marketing platform/system/process that’s really just bullshit).
Looking forward to connecting,
- Billy Joe Bob, Jr.
P.S. This isn't about hiring an expensive copywriter or agency, by the way. Just a proven automated content system that writes content for you. All you need to do is click "approve."
How “proven” is this?
Do you mean a few dozen desperate suckers took you up on this AI-created content and haven’t fired you, yet, so it’s proven?
“Proven” to what? Clutter people’s inboxes with AI-drivel that their customers filter out and delete with their AI-detection software.
Is this really “my content”?
Oh, you train the agent by turning it loose on my stuff so it “learns” my tone and cadence and nuance (and snark?)?
If he’s not a copywriter or agency, what am I buying or hiring? A programmer? A developer?
And how much “authority-building” is this outsourced ghostwriting really gonna do for me?
His message did NOT build his authority with me.
But maybe I’m just collateral damage. Maybe I’m within the margin of error that this automated system of sending lies works within.
While this guy has been pretty good about staying in his lane of expertise for many years, it’s clear he is “pivoting” with the internet bros love affair with AI.
(I guess I’m glad they’ve moved on from bored ape NFTs and cryptos…right? And since the election is over, they don’t have to be political experts for another 12-18 months…so why not AI for content creation?)
The thing is, I’m like a dude that sits in the back of a magic show and yells,
“I know how he’s doing that! The red ball on top fake. It’s hollow. He doesn’t really move the red ball through the air invisibly!”
But in this case, I know how he’s gonna give me all of this content “before my first cup of coffee” and without me “lifting a finger.”
He’s using some cool new tools, not unlike the marketing automation magic I started selling back in 2008, which changed my life, my family’s life, and the life of thousands of clients I helped since then.
But I always told people how the magic happened.
I taught them all of the tips and tricks and secrets and hacks and shortcuts.
(But there weren’t too many shortcuts. Just a lot of hard work and attention to detail.)
And some of them would retain me to help them feed the beast, but it was always voluntary and with their eyes wide open.
A lot of marketers lock in their clients by offering a “magical” service at a premium with extreme pain of disconnect.
And that works for some.
If it’s a positive ROI for the customer, and it’s within the range the marketer promised, then who am I to argue?
I’m just not a fan of the approach that has always made its rounds, but is now on steroids with AI agents, which are, admittedly, extremely powerful.
A few good AI agents can replace 3-10 of your staff or consultants or agency personnel.
They’re that powerful.
But don’t spit on me and tell me it’s raining, which is what these AI internet bros are doing, in spades.
Caveat emptor.
If something doesn’t pass the sniff test, hit me up.
I’ll help you map out a winning strategy and implement it.
It won’t be cheap, but it’ll work, and you’ll know what to expect, and you’ll own the entire process and system once we deploy it.
Market like you mean it.
Now go sell something.