Hey honeys and hustlers,

Let's face it: most of the marketing practices we see and engage in contradict how we actually shop as consumers. We think that once we decide on what services or products we want to provide, sales should automatically start rolling in. That once we post a video, it should go viral. Once we start a podcast, we should have raving fans and sell every piece of merch we designed. Marz and Michael are great, but even they can’t guarantee those types of results. We've become so fixated on immediate conversions and quick wins that we've forgotten the fundamentals of human relationships. Times are hard, and so is business ownership, so this isn’t a post where I’m judging anyone for being aggressive with marketing and sales. The truth? Good marketing starts conversations, and great marketing builds relationships. Relationships are the foundation of community, and community is how you build a sustainable business. Any tech bro who says different isn’t building the business you’d be proud to stand by.

There aren’t very many marketing principles I stand by to the letter, but if I could name three, these would make my list. If you want to build a sustainable business that genuinely connects with customers and ultimately makes you more money, I’m sharing some beliefs I live by in this article.

P.S. Stay until the end for some community + personal announcements. I want to mail you a postcard!

Create a relationship before you need something. If the first time you reach out to someone is to sell them something without taking the time to learn if you’re actually offering them something they want or need, you’ve already lost. No amount of virality or impressions can truly accelerate the rate of trust required for people to make a purchase. And you should want to be as confident selling to someone as the customer who is buying from you.

Fast freelance video editing that's AI-driven and looks exactly like everything else, devoid of personality and unique branding. Clickbait titles telling you that you need AI to be a top creator or business owner. Fast but impersonal email responses. If I see another SaaS tool for AI email responses or a LinkedIn prompt to let its native AI write a comment for me, I might pull what little hair I have left. If it takes me 2 seconds longer to write a human response, so be it. That’s 2 extra seconds well spent to let someone know how I personally feel.

I said it in a previous Substack live, and I’ll repeat it here – you can stay top of mind without being annoying or spamming someone’s inbox. A well-timed email with a helpful tip, consistently posting on a platform of your choosing, and showing up at community and industry events keeps potential customers and your target audience engaged without you feeling like you’re making a sales pitch every time you open your mouth.

I’m guilty of this one. I would get in a cycle of marketing really consistently, get busy with clients, and not make time for marketing. Then, when those client projects ended, I’d start the cycle again from scratch. It wasn’t sustainable. I needed to find a way to market myself even when I had client projects. I wanted to make myself the obvious choice for things I wanted to do, instead of forcing myself to take jobs because I was desperate for income and uncertain of when new, more qualified leads would come along. If a customer hears from you consistently in a way that adds value and feels genuine, they won’t need a hard sell when the time comes.

The most successful businesses aren't the ones with the flashiest ads or the most aggressive sales tactics; they're the ones that consistently show up, add value, and genuinely care about their audience. Great marketing is slow, unsexy, and requires discipline most people are afraid to commit to because of delayed gratification or something. If you’re ready to get out of the feast and famine marketing cycle, take a step back, rethink your approach, and watch as authentic relationships become your most powerful marketing asset.