Jim Connolly Marketing

The stupid game

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get noticed, marketing, AI

You want to get noticed in a non-stop world. Great! I’m going to show you how to get started.

First, I want to share something weird with you.

Did you know that using AI on a task as simple as writing a pretend essay, can negatively impact your brain?

Here’s some background. Plus, why a less mentioned side of AI, contributes to all the look-a-like junk out there… and how YOU can cut through it!

The weird

A scientific study at MIT, scanned the brains of volunteers in a simple test. One group of volunteers was asked to use ChatGPT to help them write an essay. Another group was asked to write the essay without AI. 

Despite how simple the task was, the EEG scans of those using AI for the task showed poorer judgement, reduced brain engagement and memory loss, where they couldn’t remember key parts of their essay.

All of that came from one, easy, zero pressure task.  

Now imagine a business owner, using AI regularly across stressful, important, commercial tasks. Such as: strategy development, strategic planning, project notes, reports for clients, marketing copy, advertising, graphic design, social content. 

I know many, many businesses that rely on AI for all or most of the above. And many more, who rely so heavily on AI, that almost every written word they publish is AI or AI, plus light, human editing. 

The ‘voice’ of businesses like these have been silenced, or are being silenced. Very little human input. No uniqueness. HUMAN SLOP!

Nothing to see, worth seeing.

Nothing to read, worth reading.

Nothing to say, worth hearing.

Why does that even matter? Because our uniqueness is all you and I have!

The stupid game

Everyone’s trying to find the perfect social platform for them to make a big impact.

Everyone’s convinced they need a personal brand, when all that does is make them even less visible. These people conform to a predictable, personal branding recipe. They emerge somewhat synthetic. Lacking their uniqueness. Camouflaged.

Everyone’s using AI.

Everyone’s trying to beat the algorithm.

Everyone’s attempting to create the best prompts.

Everyone’s testing hashtags.

Everyone’s optimizing their content, their photos, their marketing copy, their subject lines, their titles, their message, their timings for mailings, articles and posts.

Everyone’s trying to get noticed… just like everyone else.

Thankfully

Some people are cutting through that cheap, nasty, unhealthy noise.

And they’re actually getting noticed. Ironically, that’s the very thing the busy, directionless, confused masses are working tirelessly to achieve.

How are those people getting noticed?

By refusing to play the stupid game.

Instead.

  • They embrace organic. They make space for analogue. As in, face-to-face human interactions.
  • They refuse to become part of the nonsense, which causes human slop.
  • They keep their minds sharp, by using them.
  • They publish or post when they have something to contribute. Something useful. Something they created.
  • They focus on people. Not algorithms.
  • They build systems for their business, not prompts for their AIs.

You are enough.

And the more people playing the stupid game, the more visible you become.

Just by being YOU. And letting the right people learn who YOU are.

Hey! Not so fast!

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time lapse photography of brown concrete building

Business owners tend to be a pretty motivated bunch.

We have to be, right?

Not only are we motivated, we also believe in the value of our product or service. When you combine motivation with belief, you create a potent mix. An essential, high energy blend that keeps us moving forward and inspires us to persist even when things are tough.

And that’s great!

However.

Sometimes that mix of belief and motivation can work against us.

Really?

Yes, really.

For example, we speak with a prospect and immediately see that our product or service is the perfect match for them. We know we can provide exactly what they need. So, we’re eager to help them make the right decision.

Here’s the thing.

There’s a thin line between encouraging someone to make the right decision, and rushing someone to decide.

When that line is crossed, it can make you look desperate. Or too pushy. It can quickly lower the buyer’s confidence and make them feel uncomfortable.

It can, and often does, lose you the sale.

How to avoid this, before it happens!

Based on decades of experience and observations, I’ve found that this is most likely to happen during the follow-up process. 

You need to be very mindful regarding how soon and how often you follow-up with an email or call. That’s because there isn’t a universally ideal time, or frequency I can give you.

Different industries and different cultures have different expectations. So, you’ll need to test and measure. Take into account things like the size of the decision your prospect is making financially, plus the number of people involved with the decision-making process, the size of the overall risk, etc.

Important note: Do not confuse rushing the process with being appropriately proactive.

There are times when we need to be swift. To move quickly.

Most opportunities in life and business come with a use-by date. If we take too long, we’re often too late. 

The advice is don’t rush the process. 

Fast is fine. 

Too fast is rushing.

I hope you find this idea useful. More importantly, I hope you do something with it.

Photo by Zhang Kaiyv on Pexels.com

A 3 shot espresso for your business

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small business marketing, small business,

Today’s post is for those of you who need to turn things around in the 2nd half of the year.

This isn’t cookie-cutter advice. Instead, think of the ideas that follow as nudges. Nudges to encourage you to focus on some key areas.

Don’t make long-term plans, with short-term people. Short-term people leave a trail of disasters behind them. Intentionally make connections with smart, long-term people.

Finish before you start. Here’s the thing: you don’t start building a house until the plans are finished. If the bricklayer is working, and someone asks them what they’re building, the bricklayer never says ‘I’ve no idea‘. If you want a successful second half of 2026, plan it first. And don’t rely on the person who created your current plan… including if it was you. 

Feed what you need. When you starve a business of the resources it needs, it dies. Just like everything else on the planet. 

You can’t climb a smooth mountain. You need places where you can plant your feet, and grab with your hands. No struggle = no success. The key is to learn from your current struggle, so you don’t repeat it in the 2nd half of 2026. 

Don’t get complacent. Why? Simple! Complacency comes before cockiness. Cockiness comes before a fall. And when cocky people fall, the line to help them is extremely short.

Foolish advice leads to pain. That wisdom has held true for thousands of years. ‘Whoever walks with the wise, becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm’. Proverbs 13:20. When you associate with wise people, their wisdom will influence you. When you associate with fools, you will pay a hefty price. 

If you found this information useful, please share it with a friend.

Give your best ideas away for free. Here’s why

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content marketing

What I’m about to share with you may sound a little counter-intuitive. It isn’t. In fact, it could help you achieve breakthrough results.

Allow me to explain.

I come across the following problem a lot. Mainly from service providers, who are struggling to attract new clients with their content marketing.

Their primary concern looks something like this.

I know I need to provide good, free advice via my content. But surely if I give my best ideas away for free, no one will pay to hire me?

I’ve already explained why you should be stingy with your time, but not your ideas. However, there’s another, excellent reason why you should provide outstanding, free advice.

And it’s this

Think for a moment about the alternative.

Imagine you publish newsletters, videos, a blog or a podcast. Now let’s also imagine that instead of sharing great advice, you share weaker information. Average stuff. Nothing special. Nothing that really stands out.

Guess what?

You’ve just given your marketplace a weak, low-impact insight into your work. You’ve painted a lousy picture of how good you are.

So, not only will people be highly unlikely to hire you, they’ll also be unlikely to share your newsletters, videos, podcasts, blog posts or subscribe to you. 

That’s a huge lose, lose.

No. It’s actually a lose, lose, lose, because you’ll also be damaging your reputation as a knowledgeable professional. Ouch!

Here’s what really happens when you give great free advice

Firstly, we have the freebie hunters
Yes, freebie hunters will gobble up all your free advice. It’s what they do… acting like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up anything that’s free. 

But that doesn’t lose you a penny. 

Why? 

Because freebie hunters were never going to hire you anyway. These people are the dabblers. The DIYers. So, they were never a prospective client. 

Secondly, we have the givers
These are a subset of genuine, prospective clients. Yes, they’ll take your free advice and do the work themselves… but unlike the freebie hunters, they appreciate the value you bring. So, when they value your work. They will subscribe. They will share your work with their contacts. That’s how the most successful content marketing successful spreads. Also, I know from experience that many of them will later hire you.

Thirdly, we have professionals, who respect their time
They love the peace-of-mind that comes from getting expert help. They value professionalism. These prospective clients will hire you, so you can do the job properly for them. 

How do I know with 100% certainty that this works?

Simple: it’s how I grew my own business.

Your social media is sending an important message

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marketing, social media message, reputation,

Photo by Patrick Fore 

Even when you’re not posting, your social media is speaking on your behalf.

Every update you’ve shared. Every comment you’ve made. Every worry you’ve voiced out loud to your followers. It’s all there. And people are reading it right now. These could include your prospective clients (or customers), your current clients and your contacts.

So, the question isn’t whether your social media is sending a message of you. It is. The question is: what type of message is it sending?

Here’s what we know

Prospects hire people they trust. And they trust people who sound confident, motivated and successful.

When a business owner feeds their social media with anxious posts about the economy, a drop in business or their concerns about the future, they spook prospects.

Nobody hires an anxious consultant, trainer, designer or photographer. They call the providers who are enthusiastic. The ones who radiate optimism and enthusiasm.

The image you project is the client you attract

I want you to imagine something. Imagine you’re looking at two providers on social media. Both provide a service you’re in the market for.

One posts regularly about what’s possible. Their ideas, opportunities and enthusiasm.

The other posts about how hard things are, how uncertain the market feels, how the economy needs to improve soon.

They charge similar rates. They offer a similar service. Who do you contact?

It’s a no-brainer. The upbeat business owner attracts prospects because enthusiasm is contagious, and confidence builds trust. Your prospects want to work with someone who is focused on making things better.

This isn’t about pretending

It’s not about faking it. Everyone knows that business can be tough sometimes. And some days can be a real challenge.

But there’s a world of difference between being honest and sounding like you’re about to go broke!

You can acknowledge challenges without broadcasting anxiety, publicising every setback or being frequently negative.

Even when you’re going through a challenging time, share the positives you’re focusing on.

Talk about what you’re developing. Share what your clients are achieving. Tell people what excites you and what opportunities you see. Talk about the future as if it’s worth looking forward to. Because for a well-run business, it is.

And in doing so, people will see you through a positive, constructive lens. Including those in the market for a service just like yours.

Do a quick audit. Right now

It’s easy. Go back through your last 60-days of social media posts. Read them as if you’re a prospective client seeing them for the first time.

Do they make you want to get in touch, or do they make you want to look elsewhere?

If the answer isn’t what you wanted, that’s useful feedback. It means you know exactly what to change.

So, start today my friend. One new post. Upbeat. Useful. The kind of thing that makes someone reading it think: this person knows what they’re doing, where they’re going, and I’d like to work with them.

Your next client is watching. Give them a reason to reach out to you.

When was the last time?

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Small business, marketing tips, Jim Connolly

Photo by Fox

When was the last time you tested different pricing models?

When was the last time you asked a customer or client, why they chose you rather than a competitor?

When was the last time you were contacted by a media outlet, for your professional opinion on a story or editorial they’re writing?

When was the last time you tested a new marketing tactic or strategy?

When was the last time you did something radically different from your competitors?

When was the last time you undertook detailed competitor research, so that you know what you’re actually competing against?

When was the last time you received a great referral from one of your customers?

When was the last time you updated your marketing materials?

When was the last time you took the lead in your industry?

When was the last time you took an idea that’s common and successful in a different industry, and applied it to your business?

When was the last time you seriously challenged one of your long-held business beliefs?

When was the last time you partnered with another business on a project?

When was the last time you updated your business goals and targets?

When was the last time you added a new product or service to your portfolio?

When was the last time you looked for better ways to solve problems, for your customers and prospective customers?

When was the last time you seriously asked yourself, if your business is growing as fast and as profitably as it could be?

When it’s been too long

If it has been too long since you last did, or experienced, some of the above, now would be a great time to put that right.

Make a list. Then work your way through it. Some of these will be more challenging than others, but all of them are important enough to invest the effort required.