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How to get more opportunities

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Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here.​

I’ve recorded the first 9 episodes of “The Message-Market Fit podcast” launching next week. We chatted all things messaging, copy, positioning, ICPs and more. But one thing jumped out of those conversations more than anything else…

I’m talking about human connection.

At the bottom of every successful interaction, whether it’s with your family, friends or with your customers, there’s a deep need to connect and feel like you resonate on… something.

It doesn’t really matter what that something is.

In fact, I’m getting the most insightful interviews when I make an effort to ask the more personal, intimate or challenging questions.

Turns out I’m loving the process and what’s best, I’m truly connecting with every podcast guest.

That connection is something you rarely get in business podcasts. And I’m willing to go the extra mile to make this one special.

But you might ask, what’s human connection got to do with getting more opportunities?

I’ll let one of my “virtual” mentors, Phil Stutz chime in here:

“People give you opportunities because they feel connected to you.”

And how do you make them feel that connection?

You enter their world.

That’s why I spend every Monday morning researching every guest for the week, digging into any written, audio and video content online I can find. So I can get a 3D view of their life.

Because understanding and connecting with them is not only about business…

Legend negotiator Jim Camp said:

Which is exactly what you want to do when interacting with or researching your customers.

Enter and move in their world.

Here are a couple of lessons about how to do that from the first few conversations I’ve had for the podcast…

From Amar Ghose, co-founder at ZenMaid:

• Talk like you've been there: Amar’s story with ZenMaid shows that sharing your own real stories and struggles hits home with people. It's like saying, "Hey, I've been in your shoes," making your message more relatable and genuine.

From Kasia Bargielowski-Foster, PMM at Capsule:

• Really listen to what people want: It's all about keeping your ears to the ground. Pay attention to what folks are saying on social media, in interviews, or how they interact with your site. This is how you make your message hit right where it matters, making people feel seen and understood.

From Jimmy Rose, co-founder at Content Snare:

• Use their words, not yours: When you start echoing back the exact words and feelings your audience shares, it's magic. Suddenly, your message feels tailor-made for them, which is a surefire way to grab their attention and keep it.

From Eliana Daboul, VP of Marketing at ShareID:

• Realize that not everyone's the same: What a startup CEO worries about isn't the same as a CFO's headaches. Tailoring your message to fit each unique persona makes sure you're speaking their language, not just throwing words into the wind.

From Kyle Bazzy and Derik Sutton, VP of sales and Marketing Manager at Autobooks:

• Ask questions that matter: Instead of just talking at folks, ask about what's keeping them up at night. This shows you're not just trying to sell something; you're here to help solve real problems, building trust along the way.

From Marc Thomas, Head of growth at Podia:

• Dive into their world: To stand out, you've got to know what makes your audience tick. Incorporating their cultural vibes and the little things they care about into your message makes your brand feel like a familiar friend.

From Natalie Marcotullio, Head of growth at Navattic:

• Keep everyone in the loop: To make your message really pop, loop in folks from sales, customer support, and the folks who build your stuff right from the get-go. This teamwork makes your message spot-on because it's all about what matters to your customers and what your product can actually deliver to them.

From Andrew Capland, coach and advisor for growth teams at Delivering Value

• Get feedback and use it: Don't guess what will stick—ask and listen. Use surveys and chats to fine-tune your message, making sure it's spot-on with what your audience actually thinks and feels.

From Melanie Crissey, Technical Product Marketing Manager at Warp.dev:

• Let the product folks have a go: When the people who build your product help craft the message, it ensures what you say is not only accurate but resonates deeply with the needs and challenges your audience faces.

I won’t spoiler more, so you can listen in when these come out. Keep an eye out for The Message-Market Fit podcast next week.

P.S. I’ve been thinking of ways to make this newsletter even more helpful for you. What would you like to get more of?

📚 3 things to get better at copywriting

1. Words = effort?

Ethan Mollick, sets on a mission to “launch a product and write a market research report and create on-trend designs for a kitchen and make an entire PowerPoint and craft a syllabus. All at the same time. All in 59 seconds” using AI. Here’s how it went and why it matters for organizations.

2. “Just Fucking Run”

Love this quick story from Intercom’s co-founder Des Traynor.

It’s the distillation of how far above the competition you can get if you only just do the damn work. Replace “Run” with “Write” and there you have it.

3. Science can’t beat human wisdom

Word of the day: Antroposophy. Time to get into a rabbit hole. I find it helpful as a reminder that science can’t explain everything there is to know about humans.

✅ Don't miss it

Here are a couple of teasers from the podcast if you can’t wait…

Chris Silvestri @SilvestriChris Can you "stumble" on your ICP? Here's how it happened to @_jimmyrose at @contentsnare. 5:34 PM • Jan 31, 2024 0 Retweets 1 Likes

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Chris Silvestri @SilvestriChris Product Marketing Managers sure as hell don't have it easy. What are the main barriers when it comes to aligning their teams on messaging? And what can a PMM do about it? Kasia Bargielowski-Foster went through it on our chat for The Message-Market Fit podcast. 6:10 PM • Feb 1, 2024 0 Retweets 0 Likes

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🤔 Thought of the week

How are you meeting the universe’s needs today? To align with the forces you cannot see or understand, work on becoming better.

Have a great weekend!

​ Chris Silvestri Founder, Conversion Alchemy

🙌🏻 Let’s be friends (unless you’re a stalker)​

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