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Read time: 3 minutes Hey Reader, If there's one thing I've learned over the last 6 years, it's this: Friendships matter. 90% of opportunities come to me through people I already know. But here's something you might not have considered: How do you meaningfully add fuel to your friendships so they continue to burn brightly? It's easier than you think. Let me show you. β You might have met Lou beforeLou worked as my virtual assistant (VA) from April 2020 to Jan 2022. She easily saved me 10+ hours a week by working on my podcast. Editing & producing episodes, scheduling them, emailing guests - that sort of thing. She was a godsend! And we get on great. Then, in Jan 2022, I decided to pause my podcast. I wanted to take my writing more seriously. But I didn't want to lose touch with Lou. Nor did she. So we decided to catch up once a month. And we've been doing this ever since. Okay, Scott, where are you going with this?? β Adding fuel to our friendshipLou still works as a VA. In fact, she's built a thriving VA agency in the Philippines with her sister. So now, when small business owners reach out to me about VAs, I send them to Lou. (I've put out lots of content about this topic over the years.) I've sent countless clients her way, including Tim Denning. Just this week, Lisa reached out to me about working with Lou: I checked with Lou that she could offer this service. She said she could. So, I hooked them up: And the chat she mentions in her email? We're catching up tomorrow :) β You don't have to send clients to your friends, but...Always be thinking, 'How can I make this person's life a little bit better?' I have a spreadsheet that contains a list of people I regularly keep in touch with. Namely close friends & family. I go through it every Sunday and update the info. The most important data points are:
For example, my friend Jacob is completing a marathon next week. So, I've added a reminder in my planner to wish him good luck. The little stuff goes a long way. β Although people spill their guts on social media...You'll be fondly remembered if you can make your touchpoints more personal. Think about it. Which would you rather receive from me? A comment on one of your posts wishing you a happy birthday OR A handwritten birthday card that arrives on the morning of your big day, wishing you a happy birthday with a heart-warming note about what makes our friendship so special It's obvious when you see it, right? β Sure, it takes a little bit of setting up, but...Having a system in place is a game-changer. If you want to add fuel to your friendships, I recommend the barbell strategy. It's basically lots of small touchpoints and one awesome hangout.
2. One big hang-in person or by phone call. Last weekend, after 3 years of deep phone chats and messages, I got to hang out in London with my friend Agnes in person for the first time! We met through podcasting and have been in touch ever since. She's one of my closest friends. It was a blast. So there you have it. I know this advice doesn't seem applicable to writing or business, but trust me - It is. Business is built on relationships. And even if you don't work with someone, you'll enrich your life by fuelling your friendships. It's a win-win. Thanks so much for reading, have a wonderful week, and keep chasing your dreams! :) Scott β Has someone forwarded you this email? Join my list today & get my free 19-page guide: Everything I Did to Quit My 9β5 Job & Transition Into Profitable, Sustainable Solopreneuringβ |
By Scott Stockdale
Helping solopreneurs make a full-time income whilst travelling the world (just like me!) Join 1,323 readers and get my FREE 19-page guide to help you build a profitable writing business.
Read time: 4 minutes A quick note from today's sponsor: I met Derek Hughes through my 30-Day Writing Challenge, and he's very impressive! He's gained 5,000 Medium followers in 6 months and earns over $750/month on Medium. Now, Derek is giving away his 5-step writing system so you can grow your audience through blogs and newsletters. Join 991 other writers by signing up for his free course here: derekhughes.biz Hey Reader, You might not want to jump into writing full-time - and I totally get...
Read time: 3 minutes Hey Reader, I'll be honest; I'm having a career identity crisis on LinkedIn. I don't know what I want to be known for. It's crept up on me this year, and I want to share how I'm working through it. I think you'll find it helpful β especially if you feel the same way. Okay, let me set the scene. After Tim Denning audited my profile (see last email), my LinkedIn has changed a lot. The challenge is figuring out what I want to be known for. On the one hand, I love what I do,...
Read time: 2 minutes Hey Reader, I've been inconsistent on LinkedIn, but I want to use it to attract more clients. So when a writer with 1 billion views audited my profile, I was all ears. Here's a quick backstory. You know who it is Last year, I started working with Tim Denning - one of the internet's best personal development writers. He has 518,000+ followers on LinkedIn and over 325,000 on Medium. Things are going great. After six months of working together, I asked Tim if he would write...