Dear Hustle-Porn Junkies…
You’ve been taught to grind, hustle, blast out 50 spam pitches a day, and punch cold calls until your fingers are bleeding.
OK, you’re committed. I believe you. You’re chasing your dream.
But you know what’s missing in that equation?
Me.
You know, the person you’re actually trying to land. So, allow me to share what your fire-hose marketing frenzy looks like from my side…
It starts with something like, “Thanks for the connection. Here’s some information about me and what I do. (Blah, blah, blah…) Click my calendar link below so we can set up a Zoom to get to know each other.”
Dude, your commission breath is about to knock me over.
Then there’s the first-time LinkedIn message that simply says, “Do you have a podcast?”
Or, if you upgraded to the $297 spam course instead of the $97 spam course, your message says, “A distinguished speaker/author/leader like you could benefit greatly from a podcast. Have you ever thought about starting one?”
You know what I think?
I think, if you’re really such a podcast savant, how come you don’t know that I have more than a thousand episodes, with a ListenNow.com global rank of top 3 percent?
Another favorite is when you write me and say something like, “A prestigious speaker like you could generate many more clients if you wrote a book. Have you ever considered writing one?”
You know what I think then?
I think, maybe if you took the time to look at the profile banner that has a collage of the covers of my 16 bestsellers—translated into more than 25 languages—you might want to buy a clue.
It’s the same thing when you ask me if I’ve ever considered offering consulting services, coaching programs, or online courses.
But my absolute favorite is when you pitch me on how you can show me how to grow the subscribers on my YouTube channel.
And you know what I think when that happens?
I have 300k+ subscribers and more than 5 million views. You have 11 subscribers and 24 views. So I think you might just be overselling your value a titch.
I love you, Boo. I love that you’re getting after it, trying to build something for yourself. But a few seconds of searching on Google or AI would have answered every one of these questions before you wasted my time asking them.
You think you’re showing hustle. But from my end, it just reads as laziness. And if you’re this sloppy when you’re just starting to court me, it scares me to think what working with you will be like later.
So, I’m writing this in self-defense. And hoping it can help you…
Whenever I receive a lazy, insulting pitch, I’m simply going to paste the link to this column in the reply. Not because I’m trying to be a jerk. (And for all my friends being victimized in your inboxes, feel free to share this link yourself!) But because if you’re just starting out, you’re hungry and working to grow your biz, I salute you. And I really am rooting for you!
But here’s what you should know: volume is not value. Fifty lazy pitches don’t beat one thoughtful one. Before you hit send, do three things:
- Do your homework. Spend five minutes on their profile, website, and content. If the answer to your pitch is already on their banner, you don’t have a pitch.
- Get specific. Mention something real they’ve done, said, or built. Proof you paid attention is the price of admission.
- Provide some value. Lead with something useful to them—an idea, an introduction, an insight—not your calendar link.
That’s not hustle. That’s respect. And respect converts.
So, before you hit send on the next 50, ask yourself if you’re building a business, or just getting really busy at being ignored?
Peace,
– RG
P.S. Since you’ve now made me really cranky, let me share my other pet peeve. No, I do not want to send you money to be featured in your magazine, Who’s Who book, anthology, or podcast. If I’m going to set my money on fire, I’d rather do it at home where I can toast some S’mores with it.
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