Because sometimes, a quick note is enough, even if it's really small (like this).

Hello Content Creators!

This week's been nuts.

But then again, seems like every week is nuts, amiright?

Wednesday rolls around and I'm like WTF.

And then Wednesday ends and I'm like GD, guess I'll get up early and write my newsletter for this week.

And then 7:40 rolls around and I roll out of bed.

And make the mistake of checking email first thing.

And here we are at 5pm and I'm typing this.

It's the thought that counts, right?

I was going to say "Consistency is key", but I'm still working on that. I'm at least keeping these things coming out on Thursdays (harder than I thought).

But sometimes they're early, and sometimes it's 5pm and I'm just getting started.

The point is, I wanted to let you all know that I haven't forgotten about you.

Really? That's the point?!?

Well, no.

I mean yes, but not the main point.

The real point is this: Not every communication with your customers, fans, team, etc., needs to be big and powerful.

Sometimes just a small note is enough.

Something to let them know you appreciate them (I appreciate you, reader!).

Something to show you took notice of their efforts, successful or not.

That can be enough, sometimes.

And sometimes, it's all that's needed.

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A Recent Content Project

This one's not mine, but it's an excellent example of great sponsor integration.

If you're a brand that sponsors content, the important takeaway here is to let the creator be creative. Yes, it's OK to ask for concept approval, but in the end, you should really only be working with creators who you like and trust based on the type of content they built their fan base with.

For creators, think outside the box and make your sponsor integrations more entertaining. You'll get bigger, better sponsors that way.

The content: YouTuber Alex Apollonov's I Did A Thing channel is hilarious, but it's his sponsor mentions are worth paying attention to. In this video, he builds an axe (from scratch, mostly). At 14:05 we get to see him test it out (I'd recommend rewinding about 30 seconds from that to get the appropriate context, but really just watch the whole video...worth it).

You'll probably figure out who the sponsor is before he says their name, and that's powerful. When we (consumers) make a connection on our own, when we figure something out, it becomes cemented in our memory. That's massively beneficial to the sponsor because people will remember it waaaay better and longer than if he had just cut the scene and done a typical sponsor read.

I also really like how Mixergy founder Andrew Warner builds sponsor mentions directly into the guest conversations in his Startup Stories podcast. Give it a listen, it's a great podcast!

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Until next week, thanks for reading.

Tyler Benedict

PS - Could you pass this along to someone who needs a little content marketing love? Thanks!

*Any items, services, or products mentioned in these emails are provided solely because I think you'll like them. Some links might be affiliate links, which earns me a small commission and helps support all the free content. Thanks!