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    The S.W.I.P.E.S. Email (Friday February 24th, 2023)

    Swipe📁  Wisdom🧠  Interesting🧐  Picture🖼 • Essay📄  Sketch✎
    A fun email for Friday. I hope you enjoy!

    Edition: Friday, February 24th, 2023

    🎤 Listen to this email here:

    Swipe:

    I love this old Atari ad, it has a great headline:

    “Don’t watch TV tonight. Play it!” 

    This was a great headline in 1978 when “Playing the TV” was a totally new and novel concept!

    Atari-ad.jpg

    Wisdom:

    Things that seem weird to teach kids today:

    - Cursive writing
    - Reading an analog clock 

    Cursive was designed to reduce ink splatter from quil pens. This is no longer a problem, so I'm not sure why kids should learn to write English in two different ways:
    🤔🤔

    nev-cursive.webp

    Circular clocks were simplest way to keep time with the stored energy from a wound up spring. This is no longer a problem.

    Your phone, your watch, your computer....can all tell time with digital layouts:

    digital-clock-.webp

    These can still be “fun and interesting” things to teach children, but they are outdated and shouldn’t be required (in my opinion).

    Seems like that brain space could be better applied to more modern problems!

    Interesting:

    This book is now worth $1,000+ each 🤯

    I own 4 original copies of this book...so you're looking at a man holding $4k worth of books 😉

    4k-of-books.jpg

    The reason it's so expensive is I posted this Instagram Reel video 3 months ago about how much I love this book, and since then it's gained tons of steam with 800k+ views, now every original copy of this book is 100% sold out!

    ig-video.webp

    Picture:

    Me and some friends got together an "Austin Texas Internet Meetup" last night!

    internet-meetup.webp

    My friend Nick Gray "conducted" the party, and did several rounds of quick ice-breaker style intros:

    ice-breakers.jpg

    He even did "scene changes" for the party and we all went outside then came back inside twice 😂

    outside-party.webp

    He also picked several people to give 45 second "Lightning Talks" about different subjects they're interested in:

    outside-party-2.webp

    round-circle-party.jpg

    My friend Sam's dog Sid came....he's kind of an old boi (13 years!) and I was surprised he snuck up on the couch while we were all outside 😂

    sid-on-couch.jpg

    Essay:

    If you had an extra ~$1,000 per month to spend on your business, where would you spend it?

    • Monthly advisor calls
    • Creating new content
    • Spend on ads
    • Specific role
    • Freelancer
    • Other?

    I asked Twitter and here were some responses:

    • Probably 80% creating content, 20% boosting content w ads - @TyrelJohnson
    • Spend 100% of that budget on @MentorPass calls cc @NoCodeKenny  - @BryantJaquez
    • I would have said content a few months ago, but now I'd invest it in a freelancer who could research and get me stats and data. - @Ldnbox
    • Coaching/consulting for either the business or self development.You are a direct extension of your business that will have greater returns than anything else you put into it. The coaching could be on anything from Sales, Marketing, Leadership etc ... - @dream_liv_scale
    • Have never tried ads so can’t speak for that one, but probably an advisor. I’ve spent $15k+ in coaching in the past 6 months and it’s been the most life / business changing money ever. - @SilvestriChris
    • either a VA or some sort of software that can help distribute the content tbh - @dgajsek
    • The right answer is ads to email list as a self-liquidating funnel. Then keep reinvesting that money into more growth. - @FonziCreates
    • Funny thing is creating new content doesn’t cost that much money it’s more like time and opportunity cost - @jackie_startok
    • My salary 😂 - @kylevandeusen
    • Advisor calls - wake me up to what I’m missing based on their experience - @TheDabbleBro
    • Getting it off the ground - @hofo
    • Twitter blue? - @swinterroth
    • Getting a content creator - @JaySinghWrites
    • Staff time off ratio. - @chris_bore
    • In my pocket - @theGloPro
    • 80% VA I’m the Philippines, 20% Ad Spend - @SyndicatorGuy
    • Ads. My dream is get a scalable funnel this year. $1000 a month would be great to experiment with to get there. - @WhoWorksThere
    • Either towards some sort of coaching/paid community or I’d blow it all on fun events I’d invite my dream 100 clients or partners to. - @JohnVishnesky
    • Totally dependant on the problem in that moment, and business objective. - @theox500
    • Ads. No question. Easiest ROI. There isn't an advisor who can teach me anything at $1k a month that would netback like ads. - @InkConor
    • Me personally, content. But this is certainly a question with no definitive answer. All about what can bring the value you need the most: time/money/connections - @ctro1998
    • It sounds crazy but spending $300 of it for a maid service a couple times per month has a huge ROI for women business owners. Delegating the chores frees a ton of time and mental stress. - @kathchalmers
    • I just did so I spent it on working with @HeyJeffFelten and developing a strong email marketing strategy. The next extra $$$ will go to hiring a VA for customer success. -@thesaraloretta

    In the end it seems like a good use for an extra $1k/mo would be on ads going to my email newsletter, or talking to 1 or 2 advisors per month!

    Sketch:

    I hope you have a very happy Friday!!

    happy-friday.jpg

    BY THE WAY...If I added a section to this email where I either place a sponsor or promote a product I personally use (software, books, household products etc)...would you mind??

    I would call the section "Sponsored" or "Splurge" or "Spend" (open to suggestions). 

    Reply to this email and let me know if you'd care or not!

    I hope you enjoyed these Friday tid-bits!

    Sincerely,
    Neville Medhora

    nev-head.webp

    115 Comments


    Recommended Comments



    Quote

    Cursive was designed to reduce ink splatter from quil pens. This is no longer a problem, so I'm not sure why kids should learn to write English in two different ways

    It's mostly about speed, not ink splatter.

    Pick a paragraph in a book. Write that paragraph in print. Then, write it in cursive (or what you may remember of cursive).

    Script or cursive handwriting cuts down on the number of times you have to lift the pen to write each letter. With the joined-up letters, it's quicker to jot down notes and capture ideas. 

    True, there are quicker ways now - you can take a voice memo or simply type what you are thinking. But, provided that the tech is there. Analog writing still only requires something that makes a mark on paper. It's a fallback (or someone's primary choice of ideation) to technologically-advanced methods.

    Link to comment
    • Moderator
    Thomas Oddo said 46 minutes ago:

    It's mostly about speed, not ink splatter.

    @Thomas Oddothat's interesting.  I just started writing things in cursive again, but my speed is definitely not as fast as print.  Maybe I just need more practice.

    Link to comment
    • Moderator

    Hey @Neville ... in terms of a "sponsored" section where you promote a product you use, I think that would be cool.

    You're an influencer. That's what influencers do, right?

    As long as you indicate if you're receiving compensation for what you're promoting.

    Link to comment

    Love your Friday email. I agree with you on most things, but on the digital vs analog clock thing, we differ. 

    The analog clock is a picture and we can process a picture 60,000 times faster than words. I have a Garmin watch and when I get bored of the analog display I will change it to a digital one - and I find I have to think just that little bit harder to interpret the time. (This could be an interesting poll)

    My 10c worth. 🙂

    Link to comment

    If it's obviously just a "here's the product ... you should buy it", then I would probably ignore that section. I skip over the sponsors of Tim Ferriss's emails.

    BUT, you could make the section more of a "how to copywrite" on the exact product, which would obviously be promoting the product at the same time in a positive light. Run it through AIDA and Lenses. Propose marketing campaigns. Create different versions of the ad. Discuss benefits vs features. Challenge your community to rewrite the ads. Etc.

    Link to comment

    If placing a product or sponsor section meant you were more likely to keep doing this newsletter, I'd be okay with it. 

    But, I will say, I have a high bar for your content. Your voice always comes through and everything you share seems to have a duality - it's a tid bit you find fascinating/fun but also you see having benefit to us, your readers. If your sponsor spot verged from that it would be disappointing. If it fit in the context of something you use, like, and see benefit to sharing I think it's more acceptable. But it'd be a shame to see a recurring sponsored placement. Right now your newsletters feels so free form, friendly and cavalier that its refreshing. I appreciate that. But I also understand the desire and need to monetize. Just be respectful and authentic as you always seems to have been. 

    Link to comment
    • Administrator

    I think I can do the sponsor/product section to where you'll LIKE IT like a piece of content. 

    Trying it out in the next newsletter!

    Link to comment

    I had to write in today.  The bit about the clock got me. I don't entirely disagree, but I still like the old watches with hands.  I know that the round-shaped clock was how things started. 
    When my 21-year-old daughter asks what time we are leaving for something, I reply with, "a quarter till 3" it would be really nice if she didn't reply with, "what time is that on a 'real' clock, Dad?"
    I know I'm an old fart, but she's not the only one I have heard that from.
    Just thought I would share...
    I don't mind the ads, thanks for asking.

    Link to comment
    • Administrator

    I always hated "a quarter till 3" as well, so I'm on your daughters side 🙂 

    Will likely include a "Splurge" section in the next SWIPES Email!

    Link to comment

    No I don’t mind a sponsored section.

    Writing in cursive is faster than writing in printed form. Though I agree wether a child passes or fails his year shouldn’t be based on his ability to write in such style.
     

    Link to comment
    • Administrator

    LOL not sure if I should make TWO "S" sections or one yet.

    Will likely include a "Splurge" section in the next SWIPES Email 🙂 

    Link to comment

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