How to stand out and design the "new way"

I’m revealing audience growth strategies and tips with Dave Gerhardt this Wednesday

Join and you'll learn:

→ How to create a standout point of view (POV) that hits home with your audience

→ Practical advice for designing a powerful content strategy

→ 5 real-life examples DG and I rely on for consistent audience growth

Register here to secure your spot 🤙🏻

I’m very hard to impress.

But it’s not intentional or simply to be critical of others. I have high standards, I’m naturally a skeptic, and maybe I’m just a tad jaded from “seeing how the sausage is made” after 10 years in sales and marketing.

But really it comes down to this: I respect the dedication it takes to become great and the courage it takes to be different.

And while it doesn’t happen often, I love when someone or something impresses me. Once you win me over, I’m all in. I’m a die live-hard fan for life.  

And this week, I was truly impressed by Spryng, a two-day marketing event in Austin, Texas hosted by Peep Laja, CEO of Wynter.

But not because it was a better event than what I’m used to.

It’s because Spryng is a completely different event than I’m used to.

And we know that different is better than better.

In our hunt for growth, status, and results, we often fall into the “better trap.” (Especially if you work at a SaaS startup like I do.)

For example, we see other industry events and decide to do the same, only better. And better usually means “more”. So “more” becomes the strategy. More attendees, more content, more messaging, more sponsors.

But very few people take the time to stop and think if all this “more” is actually backfiring. They don’t realize that attendees — the people this whole event is (supposed to be) for — don’t want a “more” experience.

They want something different.

And if you’re brave enough to imagine what that different is, then deliver on it, you’ll create a NEW experience. You’ll turn attendees into raving fans, build a beloved brand, and stand out against your competition not as the best, but as the only.

How Peep created the “new way” to do events

I’d never been to Spryng before. And I’d never met Peep either.

But I went because the word of mouth in my marketing circle was buzzing big time. Lots of my peers were going and overflowing with excitement when they asked if I’d be there too. It was legit hype.

And when I got there, I immediately knew why.

Peep realized the current way (from now on referred to as the “old way”) sucks. It’s broken and people don’t really like industry events anymore.

So he intentionally created the “unconference” by taking common censuses and flipping it on its head:

Oh, and the dress code was nonexistent. As seen by my Larry June t-shirt, Air Jordans, and corduroy joggers (yes, they’re v stretchy).

All these “right turns” that Peep made delivered a different experience. One that people LOVED, raved about - aka sparked word of mouth, and made every attendee like and trust him and Wynter.

And that sounds like a friggin’ win to me.

Quick tactical advice if you want to create something different

Here’s my 3-step formula I use across my content and marketing to stand out:

1. Identity your channel

2. Spot habits and common consensus

3. Do the unexpected (ie, the opposite)

It takes courage. It takes commitment. And it definitely isn’t the easiest path.

But remember, when “better” is broken, do something different.

Holler at you next Saturday,
Devin

PS: Today’s post took me two hours to write. You can help me grow my newsletter by forwarding it to one person with a quick “You’ll love this newsletter. Definitely worth subscribing.”

Episode 4 of Reed Between The Lines is live!

I’m joined by Doug Landis, sales legend, tattoo collector, and previously a Growth Partner at Emergence Capital.

You’ll about to hear stories and experiences that made him who he is today. Like

• How he built his career by following his passions, investing in himself, and doing work that positively impacts others.
  

• How being positive and intentional can change your outlook and output, at work and beyond.
  

• Plus tips for becoming a more valuable marketer.

It’s real and unfiltered. Perfect for building a more inspired career.

✅ You can watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple now.

More ways to become to grow your content

1. Sponsor The Reeder. Promote your business to my audience of 92,000+ (newsletter, LinkedIn podcast), have me speak at your event, or create branded content, let’s chat. Hit reply to talk details.
   

2. Content That Converts Ebook: Start creating content that pierces through the noise, generates a massive following, and motivates prospects to buy from you right now.
   

3. Content Strategy for LinkedIn: This ~1 hour video course shows you how to build your personal brand, create highly engaging content, and accelerate your career.

🛠️ Tools I use, love, and highly recommend

If you’re looking for ways to better manage and grow your business, here’s a look at my tech stack.

1. Launch or grow your newsletter with beehiiv
   I use Beehiiv to write and grow my newsletter for two reasons: it’s easy to use and the growth features are incredible.
   

2. Use ClickUp for your project management 
   I use ClickUp as my project management system to manage my entire business.
   

3. Hit inbox zero consistently with SuperHuman
   I’ve been a customer for 2+ years and recommend it to everyone who’s looking to increase productivity and enjoy email again. Plus your first month is free.
   

4. Build or level-up your website with Webflow
   I recently started using them for web hosting, and now I’m moving all WordPress sites here because I like the flexibility.

Note: These are affiliate links.