I'm doing #100daysofmarketing

OK procrastination, time to move aside.

I’d been hesitant to take on the #100daysofmarketing challenge, but I’d done with over-analysis. Time to kick my own ass and just f*cking commit.

I’m doing #100daysofmarketing starting 1st September.

And to add icing to cake, I started on #tweet100 too - a challenge started by @jayclouse to craft and publish one tweet per day that I’m proud of.

2 new streaks for the next 100 days.

Why #100daysofmarketing & #tweet100?

In fact, I’m already doing marketing consistently of late. For the past 2-3 months at least. I tweet daily. I schedule tweets ahead of time. I like, comment, retweet, follow often. I just need to frame my efforts as a challenge to keep the learning intentional and motivation burning.

I’d already did a lot in July and August, but the impact just isn’t coming through (yet, if ever). I experimented with Twitter ads, but it didn’t have much impact. Or rather, I don’t know ads enough yet to make it work. I tried different tweet formats, publishing timings. I remember feeling kind of stuck.

Finding that ONE true reliable distribution channel is turning out harder than it looks. Looks like this is not something that I can achieve within a month, at least not based on my current marketing skill level anyway.

#100daysofmarketing is just the multi-month, intentional learning approach that I hope will help.

Ultimately, it’s not just about learning, but also a paradigmatic identity shift, to pivot myself from coder to marketer.

Goal for #100daysofmarketing

I’m slowly developing a better point of view of the audience niche I want to target. Latest iteration:

Lifelog’s mission is to help internet creators develop a daily writing habit without missing a day, so that they can think clearer, persuade powerfully, manifest more.

How do I find folks who are already sold on the power of daily writing, and want to write more in public, alongside a community?

I decided that maybe I don’t need to convert absolute beginners. I’m fine reaching people who were further down their writing journey, had blogged or wrote for a while on an ad-hoc basis, but keen to push themselves further, write more consistently, publish publicly, alongside others doing the same.

Ultimately, my goal:

Find 1 repeatable distribution channel for Lifelog.

A distribution channel that is reliable and recurring:

• reliable: gives returns (e.g. conversion, new sign-ups) on marketing efforts consistently, at a cost that’s affordable, be it time, effort or money.
• recurring: not just a one-off channel but something I can use over and over again and still bring me customers. E.g. launching on Product Hunt is a great distribution channel, but it’s not really recurring.

What will I do for #100daysofmarketing?

Intentional experimentation, deliberate learning, in the following areas:

Must do:
• SEO, especially content for LifeBlog
• Landing page conversion
• Twitter continued

Good to do:
• Cold sales
• Try LinkedIn?

Maybe do:
• Referrals
• Engineering-as-marketing

I’m starting on SEO content for LifeBlog first, converting my Twitter threads into long form posts. SEO is a great marketing method for introverts, but it does take time to see any effect (if at all). So best to get started early on. I do recognise gaping conversion holes in the current Lifelog landing page - I can do better at SEO, funnels, etc. Twitter is growing, but not yet converting, so I got to keep going.

And of course, I have to keep balancing coding with marketing, producing versus promoting.

Just for reference - things I had tried so far:
• Tried something new today since I want to re-focus Lifelog on goals - engaged folks via search key words “write monthly goal” “monthly goal” using Lifelog account
• Brought back threads on personal account based off Lifelog posts
• First time ever scheduling a thread on personal account! To test if posting later at 10pm (GMT+8) is a better time.
• Experimented with posting at hourly timings - 9-11am, 4pm (GMT+8)
• Tried quotes from famous authors of past
• @mention high follower accounts in tweets
• Borrowed tweets/tweet formats and reshaped slightly to my own
• Scheduled “Good morning to everyone who’s …” tweets for whole month of August
• Followed more pseudonym accounts, with huge followings
• Leveraged on the viral opportunity and posted Lifelog on Reggit, a nocode clone of Reddit made using Bubble (which I saw on Hacker News)
• Posted/commented about Lifelog in various groups in Indie Hackers
• Had fun with inversion and reverse psychological tweets
• Trying a different commenting approach - arguing back nicely, not being always 100% overly-positive

My earlier efforts in July and August had resulted in generally more impressions and followers but not necessarily more profile clicks. Even worse, zero conversions - actual paying customers who signed up on Lifelog.

So it’s not just getting more eyes on the top of the funnel, but ensuring that my actual funnel works! There’s still lots more I can do that I listed out here, so I will continue trying.

Don’t bet against me when I commit. I’m gonna slay September. #100daysofmarketng and #tweet100, I’m coming for you.