This week Rem and I got into something I see people screw up all the time. Building an audience first and then trying to retrofit an offer onto it. The two traps: Trap 1 — Wrong audience. You build a following around one thing, then try to sell something different. Classic example: a Taekwondo creator with 164k followers who tried to sell social media growth. Her audience came for martial arts. They did not care to buy how to grow on social media.Another one: a creative agency duo with 80k who who then decided to launch a clothing brand. People were watching for creative inspiration not buying street apparel. Trap 2 — Ads with no brand behind them. Trades and service businesses burning cash on ads that send people to basically nothing. No content, no authority, no reason to trust you. The electrician who runs ads to a phone number. What you need to do. Build your content around your offer from day one. Your content calls out the pain points your offer solves. Your offer delivers on the outcome your content promises. Your audience shows up already pre-sold. And your best content doubles as your best ads because it's all pointing at the same thing. Small, aligned audience > massive, mismatched one Your task this week: Check whether your content and your offer are actually pointing at the same thing. If someone landed on your profile today, would they immediately understand what you do and who it's for? If not — that's the gap to close.

Hey guys. I was talking to Luke tonight and shared a recommendation on 2 videos that are amongst the things that have had the biggest effect on my career, and on me personally. He suggested I share with the wider group as well. This first one is a TED talk by Dr Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability - on creativity, connection and your personal happiness. This 20 minute video has helped me to transform several brands. I highly recommend it... and if you do watch it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The second video I wanted to share is another 20 minute joy to watch. It looks like it's about Classical Music... but it's about so much more. When I was asked to present to a masterclass group of Advertising Account Directors and Strategists on the topic of 'How to write a great brief', I spent 20 minutes on that and then 40 minutes on how to 'energise' the brief - including having them watch this entire video together. It's a truly transformational way of looking at the world. Enjoy... and then, again, let's talk about it :)

Legends! This week we ripped into dialing in your client avatar, and why going surface-level on it is hurting your connection with your audience and leaving money on the table. The core point: knowing your niche isn't enough. If you're only speaking to a broad niche, your brand becomes a commodity. You're just another option. But when you dial in a hyper-specific avatar like their name, age, backstory, goals, fears, passions, your content and products start feeling like they were made just for them. That's when you get the fans who buy every product you release and refer you to everyone. My avatar — Marcus Reed. 36, male, founder of a B2B service business (finance, strategy, architecture, specialist trade). Been building for 7–9 years, doing solid revenue, respected in his circle — but completely invisible online. Runs almost entirely on referrals, knows he's hit the ceiling, and wants inbound, authority positioning, and a long-term creative partner he can actually trust. Off the clock he's into the outdoors, motorsport, and endurance events. He holds himself to a high standard in everything including work and play. That last bit matters because aligning their passions with yours is what makes your brand feel like everything you do is made just for them. The homework: Build yours. Name, gender, age, industry, backstory, goals, fears, passions. Go super specific. Even if you occasionally work outside that person, your brand becomes magnetic to them and people like them. See you next week.