Writing

🔑 What separates a good LinkedIn post from a great one? Great posts aren’t just read....... They’re shared, discussed, and remembered. Here’s the formula to elevate your content: 1️⃣ Hook Them Early ✨ Use the first 2–3 lines to grab attention. Example: “The biggest LinkedIn mistake? It’s not what you think.” 2️⃣ Deliver Value ✨ Focus on educating, inspiring, or solving a problem for your audience. Example: “After running 50 campaigns, here’s what I’ve learned about LinkedIn’s algorithm.” 3️⃣ Create Conversations ✨ End with a CTA that sparks comments. Example: “Agree or disagree with these tips? Let’s discuss below!” 4️⃣ Polish for Readability ✨ Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and white space to make your post easy to skim. Why It Works: ✅ Hooks draw readers in. ✅ Value keeps them engaged. ✅ CTAs build relationships. Final Thought 🌟 Great posts don’t just inform, they connect. They make your audience feel seen, heard, and ready to engage. What’s your formula for creating LinkedIn content that stands out? Let’s discuss it! 🚀 #LinkedInTips #ContentThatConnects #EngagementSuccess

Influencer marketing became a core strategy in 2024! It became a must-have for every brand, emphasising that nothing in this world can be sold without great stories, authentic connections and the commitment to stick through all the trends. Take last year’s viral moments:   - The word "Demure" went from a fashion statement to a phenomenon, with brands like Shaadi. com and Maybelline making it their own.   - BoAt’s “Aunti-Noise Cancellation” ad captured the wedding season humor and became instantly relatable.   - And the “Ganji Chudail” memes are proof that sometimes the internet creates campaigns for you.  But going viral isn’t the goal. Most brands are fighting just to stay relevant! So, what’s next for influencer marketing in 2025?  → Relatable, story-driven short-form video (SFV) content will dominate. There’s no room for fluff. Brands need to avoid polished, generic content and focus on authentic, unfiltered stories.  → Virtual influencers and AI-generated campaigns will host live Q&As, show products with AR filters and even let you try on clothes virtually.  → Gen Z isn’t just buying products but values. They want proof of Fair Trade, eco-friendly practices and social responsibility. Influencers who amplify these values will be the real MVPs.  In 2025, it won’t be enough to count likes or views. Brands will demand sentiment analysis, audience demographics and ROI metrics. Platforms that connect the right influencers with the right audiences will lead the charge.  What are you the most excited about in 2025's marketing campaigns? #influencermarketing

🧠 Using an AI Assistant? Beware of Cognitive Offloading Writing a document using an AI assistant often saves time. Yet it comes at a cost. Various recent studies establish two big problems. One is that it is quite easy to recognise the difference between something written by someone we know and by an AI. So, the reader loses trust in the sender. The other is that we learn by everything we write, because we have to think about what we are saying. When AI does the heavy work for us, we don’t retain information, even though we carry out a read through to check for sense. This phenomenon is called cognitive offloading. People mature both intellectually and emotionally by reflecting and learning. The more we let the AI do the thinking for us, the more we stunt our development. To make matters worse, the more an AI assistant learns about the documents it creates for us, the less innovative the ideas it will put forward for us. The answer may be to consider AI assistants as an intellectual form of high-sugar, low fibre foods. These cannot form a large part of a healthy diet – but they can be very enjoyable in moderation and we enjoy them more from limiting how often we eat them. Bon appetit! P.S Image created using AI 😃 🍫 #davidclutterbuck #ccmi #thinkers50 #AI #coaching

I’ve been interviewing candidates for a new role and there’s one thing I’ve seen 90% of them struggle with: sharing the story of their career achievements. But don’t worry—I’ve got a simple hack that can help you overcome it: ✏️ Create a monthly ritual to review and document every significant work win, and turn each into a mini-case study. Documenting your wins regularly will save you HOURS when you prep for your next interview—plus it’s great fodder for: ⤷ your annual performance review ⤷ your 1x1s with your manager ⤷ your resume Here’s my 3-step process: 1️⃣ Weekly Check-in: Turn work ➡️ wins ⤷ Start a weekly habit of documenting your wins (grab my free template in the comments). ⤷ Block 30 minutes on your calendar every Friday to hold yourself accountable. ⤷ Ask yourself, “What did I accomplish this week that moved the needle?”   2️⃣ Monthly Recap: Turn wins ➡️ headlines ⤷ Identify 1–2 significant achievements and summarize them using this formula: [Action Verb] + [Specific Metric] + [Timeframe] + [Business Impact] ⤷ Make a bullet-point list (so you can stay organized and repurpose it for your resume later!) ⤷ Include dates and timelines for your own records—you’ll use them in step 3.   3️⃣ Quarterly Story-Building: Headlines ➡️ stories ⤷ Identify your top 3 quarterly wins. ⤷ Start a fresh document and map out each of those wins using the STAR method: ️ ⭐ Situation: What was the context? ️⭐ Task: What was your specific responsibility? ⭐ Action: What steps did you take? ⭐ Result: What measurable outcome did you achieve? ⤷ Ask AI to help you share that information as a story. Here’s the prompt I like to use: ✍ Can you help me turn this achievement into a story using the STAR framework for an upcoming interview for a [title here] role? Please keep it concise. [paste win]   Here’s what this looks like in action 👇 ⤷ Weekly win: March ’23 → Decreased CPA by 28% & increased conversion by 15% ⤷ Monthly recap: Optimized paid search campaigns in March 2023 that decreased CPA by 28% while increasing conversions by 15%, resulting in higher profit margins for the company. ⤷ Quarterly story: When I joined the marketing team in January 2023, our paid search campaigns were generating leads but at a high CPA, with budget constraints approaching in Q2.I was tasked with reducing CPA without sacrificing lead volume. In March 2023, I audited our campaigns and implemented three key changes: restructured ad groups with tightly-themed keywords, refined match types with strategic negative keywords, and A/B tested value-focused ad copy. By month-end, these optimizations decreased cost-per-acquisition by 28% while increasing conversion volume by 15%, saving budget and creating a scalable framework for future campaigns. What are your tips for storytelling in your interviews? I’d love to hear them. 

Want your words to actually sell? Here’s a simple roadmap I've found incredibly helpful: Think of crafting your message like taking someone on a mini-journey: 1. Hook them with curiosity: Your headline is the first "hello."  Make it intriguing enough to stop the scroll.  Instead of just saying "Email Marketing Tips," try something like "Want a 20% revenue jump in the next 60 days? (Here's the email secret)."  See the difference? Promise + Specificity = Attention. 2. Tell a story with a villain: This might sound dramatic, but hear me out.  What's the problem your audience is facing?  What's the frustration, the obstacle, the "enemy" they're battling?  For the email example, maybe it's "wasting hours on emails that no one opens."  Giving that problem a name creates an instant connection and a sense of purpose for your solution. 3. Handle the "yeah, but..." in their head: We all have those internal objections.  "I don't have time," "It costs too much," "Will it even work for me?"  Great copy anticipates these doubts and addresses them head-on within the message. 4. Show, don't just tell (Proof!): People are naturally skeptical.  Instead of just saying "it works," show them.  Even a simple "Join thousands of others who've seen real results" adds weight. Testimonials, even short ones, are gold. 5. Make it crystal clear what you want them to do (CTA):   Don't leave them guessing!  "Learn the exact steps in my latest guide" or "Grab your free checklist now" are direct and tell them exactly what to do and what they'll get.  Notice the benefit in the CTA example: "Get sculpted abs in just 4 weeks without dieting." And when you're thinking about where you're sharing this (LinkedIn post, email, etc.), there are different ways to structure your message. The P-A-S (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or A-I-D-A (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) frameworks are classics for a reason. The core difference I've learned? Good copywriting isn't about shouting about your amazing product. It's about understanding them – their challenges, their desires – and positioning your solution as the answer in a way that feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

I have many friends who say Bhai 5 minute ka to Kaam hai 🙃 01. 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 🎨 : Design isn’t just about making things look good, it’s about solving problems and telling stories. Whether it’s graphic, web, or product design, it’s a process. From research and brainstorming to trial and error, it takes time to create something that works and connects. It’s a journey, not a race. 02. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡 🏢 : In today’s fast-moving world, businesses are under pressure to deliver fast and keep up with trends. But when things move too fast, design often gets squeezed. We live in a “Clickbait and Go” culture, where speed is everything, but quality can suffer. 03. 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 🕒 : Designers feel it the most. Tight deadlines, high expectations, and little time to explore or be creative. The assumption? Design can be done in an instant. But great ideas don’t happen on demand. And when you rush it, you lose what makes design powerful. 04. 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 ✨: Thoughtful design isn’t fast food. It takes deep thinking, strategy, and attention to detail. Rush it, and you’ll end up with something generic. Give it time, and you’ll get something that truly connects with people. 05. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐝 & 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 💡: Yes, deadlines matter. But there’s a balance between working efficiently and creating something meaningful. Quick work might meet the deadline, but will it leave an impact? 06. 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 🏆 : The best brands don’t treat design as decoration. They see it as strategy. They give their teams time, trust, and resources, and in return, they get a powerful design that builds trust and loyalty. 07. 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤🤝: When companies support their designers, offering room to explore and innovate without crazy timelines, they get better results. It’s about respecting the process, not just rushing to the finish line. 𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞? Design is not a five-minute job. It’s a craft. And when we give it the time and respect it deserves, we all win. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤? 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬? Let’s talk about it in the comments! And if you’re a designer, how do you balance speed with creativity in your work? Ps: The image is generated using Ai #DesignProcess #CreativeThinking #RespectDesign PC: Sahil Suthar

In #datastorytelling, you often want a specific point to stand out or “POP” in each data scene in your data stories. I’ve developed a 💥POP💥 method that you can apply to these situations: 💥 P: Prioritize – Establish which data point is most important. 💥 O: Overstate – Use visual emphasis like color and size as a contrast.   💥 P: Point – Guide the audience to the focal point of your chart. The accompanying illustration shows the progressive steps I’ve taken to make Product A’s Q3 $6M sales bump stand out. Step 1️⃣: Add headline. One of the first things the audience will attempt to do is read the title. A descriptive chart title like “Products by quarterly sales” is too general and offers no focal point. I replaced it with an explanatory headline emphasizing the increase in Product A sales in Q3. The audience is now directed to find this data point in the chart. Step 2️⃣: Adjust color/thickness I want the audience to focus on Product A, not Product B or Product C. The other products are still useful for context but are not the main emphasis. I kept Product A’s original bold color but thickened its line. I lightened the colors of the two other products to reduce their prominence. Step 3️⃣: Add label/marker I added a marker highlighting the $6M and bolded the label font. You’ll notice I added a marker and label for the proceeding quarter. I wanted to make it easy for the audience to note the dramatic shift between the two quarters. Step 4️⃣: Add annotation You don’t always need to add annotations to every key data point, but it can be a great way to draw more attention to particular points. It also allows you to provide more context to help explain the ‘why’ or ‘so what’ behind different results. Step 5️⃣: Add graphical cue (arrow) I added a graphical cue (arrow) to emphasize the massive increase in sales between the two quarters. You can use other objects, such as reference lines, circles, or boxes, to draw attention to key features of the chart. In terms of the POP method, these steps align in the following way: 💥 Prioritize – Step 1 💥 Overstate – Step 2-3 💥 Point – Step 4-5 Because data stories are explanatory rather than exploratory, you need to be more directive with your visuals. If you don’t design your data scenes to guide the audience through your key points, they may not follow your conclusions and become confused. Using the POP method, you ensure that your key points stand out and resonate with your audience, making your data stories more than just informative but memorable, engaging, and persuasive. So next time you craft a data story, ensure your data scenes POP—and watch your insights take center stage! What other techniques do you use to make your key data points POP? 🔽 🔽 🔽 🔽 🔽 Craving more of my data storytelling, analytics, and data culture content? Sign up for my newsletter today: https://lnkd.in/gRNMYJQ7

At Amazon, we would often spend months working on a single paragraph of the PR/FAQ for a new product idea. This was the "problem paragraph". Done well, it could lead to a successful product. Done wrong, it will lead to failure. Here is how to write a successful problem paragraph: The “problem paragraph” defines the customer problem you’re solving. Without this, you will build a product that doesn’t address a customer pain point. It shows whether you truly understand your customer's needs, not just your company’s capabilities. To write this paragraph, start by precisely identifying the customer segment that will be served by your product. Great products are built for specific people with specific needs. For instance, designing a car for single urban professionals under 35 differs significantly from designing for suburban families with three kids and a dog. If you think your product is for everyone, you’re mistaken. A strong way to begin your paragraph is: “Today, [customer segment] has [problem], which they currently solve using [methods A, B, and C]…” Next, quantify the problem: → How large is the segment? (e.g., 17 million households) → What methods do they use? (e.g., 45% use A, 25% use B, 30% use C) → What are the tradeoffs? (e.g., speed, cost, quality) Here’s an example for a hypothetical robot vacuum product: “Today, 15 million busy urban and suburban professionals earning between $100,000 and $200,000 struggle to find the time and energy to keep their homes clean. Approximately 30% of these households use traditional vacuuming, which requires up to 2 hours per week. 55% hire a cleaner at a minimum of $50/week, and 15% use robot vacuums that cost $600 plus $100/year in maintenance, while leaving behind up to 30% of dust and dirt.” This problem paragraph quantifies the customer problem in terms of money, time, and other metrics where possible (in this case, the dust and dirt left behind). The problem should always be quantified; otherwise, how can you assess the potential value of a product that solves it? Well-defined customer problems are built on data-based insights. Insights are gleaned from swimming in data and metrics. This includes customer usage metrics, process or operations metrics, user interviews, demographic data, customer feedback, customer support data and anecdotes. The more data-based and specific your insight, the more accurate and helpful your problem paragraph will be. This is why the process can take months. However, distilling these quantified insights into a single paragraph gives you the best chance at building a truly useful product. At Amazon, this paragraph was always the most debated section in a PR/FAQ. This is because getting the problem wrong is the worst mistake you can make in building a product. Everywhere else, you can pivot. But if the problem is incorrectly diagnosed, nothing else matters. (cont. in comments)

Ever wonder why some pricing pages convert effortlessly while others fall flat? After auditing over 200+ pricing pages, I’ve discovered there’s a science to getting it right. Here are 3 key lessons and 6 breakdowns to optimize your pricing page for clarity and conversions: — 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭: 𝟯 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀: 1. Simplify the Decision-Making Process: The best pricing pages make it easy for customers to understand their options quickly and without confusion. Guide them by recommending a plan or narrowing down their choices. Keep it simple, and they’ll pick faster. Principle: Hick's Law – The more choices people have, the longer it takes them to decide. 2. Highlight Key Features and Benefits: Don’t just list features—emphasize the benefits of each tier. Make it clear what customers gain as they move up the pricing ladder. By showcasing the tangible value of upgrades, you make it easier for users to understand why a more expensive plan is worth it. Principle: Value Proposition Design — Your brand positioning should revolve around what people want, not what you “think” they want. 3. Address Objections Early: Many customers come to the pricing page with concerns about affordability, commitment, or value. Address them directly on the page by offering guarantees, social proof, flexible payment options, or highlighting low-risk entry points. Principle: Risk Reversal — The more you mitigate the risk, the easier it is for them to make a decision. — 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮 – 𝟲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 Let’s start with Figma: Figma’s page makes it easy to distinguish between plans using simple color schemes. The call-to-action (CTA) for each plan also stands out. Instead of a generic button, each plan has its own, like “Choose Starter” or “Contact Sales” for enterprises. Each plan progressively highlights more features which keeps things clear and shows exactly what you’re getting as you move up.The design is optimized for visibility—everything important is right above the fold on most desktop screens. You don’t have to scroll endlessly to find out the basics. Unlike most companies, Figma is upfront about the price of its enterprise plan. You still have to contact sales to buy it, but at least the cost isn’t hidden. — If you want to read the in-depth breakdowns of 5 other companies including Monday, Apple, and Fortnite, check the breakdown available in the comments below.

I thought the ATS was rejecting me. Then I worked at an ATS company... Here's what surprised me the most and what I learned... When I worked at two of the largest ATS providers (LinkedIn & Rippling) I saw first hand how they're built and how recruiters use them. Here's what I found out... 1️⃣ ATS = GOOGLE FOR RECRUITERS An ATS system is like an internal Google search for recruiters. 💡 Here's how they use it: ↳ A recruiter searches for keywords (i.e. Project Manager + Agile) ↳ As long as your resume has those words, it will show up ↳ The easiest place to add your keywords is your skills section. ↳ Aim for 15-30 skills ⛔ Don't add soft skills ⛔ Don't add keywords to your bullet points 2️⃣ KNOCKOUT QUESTIONS If you get an immediate rejection after you apply, it was likely you hit a knockout question. 💡 How they work: ↳ Recruiter adds "filter out people with less than 10 years experience" ↳ You apply with 7 years experience ↳ The ATS automatically rejects you ⛔ Sometimes the ATS rejects you by mistake... The most common causes are: ↳ Your dates weren't formatted correctly ↳ You were missing keywords ↳ You applied too late after the job was closed internally 3️⃣TITLE MATCH According to a recent study, "title match" increased interview rates by 10.2x (and was the most influential factor of all) 💡 How it works: ↳ Recruiter searches for "Technical Project Manager" ↳ But your resume title is "Project Coordinator" ↳ You'll show up lower in their search results ✅ Add a "target title" to the top of your resume and make it EXACTLY the same verbiage as the job you're applying for Most people spend way too much time worrying about the ATS. In reality most rejections happen because of very simple things. Most ATS don't use AI (not yet) Most ATS don't "grade" your resume Most ATS don't "throw out" your resume It's the RECRUITER who decides which resumes to look at. 👉 Your job is to help them find you. ________ 👉 P.S. If you'd like some more guidance on ATS, give my profile a follow and next week I'll post a full guide I'm working on. P.P.S. Have more questions about the ATS? Share it below and I'll try to clarify as many as I can. _ #resume #hiring