Published author, ghostwriter, novelist, poet, comma maximalist. I teach you powerful rhetorical tricks to improve your writing and get paid online.

Join 3,800+ people reading my daily emails on writing (and get three free gifts as a thankyou) by scrolling back up and tapping my featured link.

James Carran

The worst writing productivity advice I've ever seen:

"Take a break every 30 minutes."

Are you crazy?

Get in flow, stay there as long as you can, then stop.

You'll write 10x more this way.

Craftsman Writer. Published author, ghostwriter, novelist, poet, comma maximalist. I teach you powerful rhetorical tricks to improve your writing and get paid online.

How to become an amazing writer in 8 easy steps:

1. Read
2. Read
3. Read
4. Read
5. Read
6. Read
7. Read
8. Write

All there is to it really.

People say coffee can't replace water but I think they just don't drink enough coffee.

I'm going to settle this right now:

If you can count it, it's fewer.
If you can't count it, it's less.

"There were fewer emails to read."
vs
"I had less work to do."

Easy.

You can't write something worth reading until you've lived something worth writing.

I'm always amused at writers that outsource everything else.

"I just want to write!"

Dear reader, if all you ever do is write...

...what are you going to write about?

The writer's urge to start 17 projects before you've finished the first one

Read a real book.

X-Twitter rots your brain and spoils your writing.

So do most self help and business books.

Pick up a classic novel instead.

You'll write better.

By age 30 you should have realised writing is the most powerful skill in the modern world.

It's wild how many terrible writers make amazing money because they just keep putting themselves out there and never doubt their ability.

Something to think about

If I was starting over as a writer:

1. Pick 3-5 great books (think Dostoevsky, Tolkien, Shakespeare)

2. Read them weekly for a year

3. Write 1 hour per day

This would realistically put you in the top 10% of writers at the end of the year.

If you followed every tip on promoting yourself you'd never write anything.

Pick one traffic source
Collect emails
Write

That's it. Add more later if you have to.

Writing is a skill, not just a talent.

You can learn. You can practice.

You can get better.

Writer's block is just a fancy word for laziness.

Avoid negatives.

Never write "He wasn't the best of shots"

When you can write "He was a bad shot"

Your readers brain will skip the negative, then have to go back and correct it, which jars them out of the reading trance.

Rephrase it.

Stop overthinking.

Write it. Edit it. Publish it.

Move on to the next thing.

1/100 aspiring authors will start writing.
1/100 of those will finish the book.
1/100 of those will publish.

It doesn't take much to beat the average.

If you really wanted to be a writer you'd turn your phone off.

The writer needs to know everything about the topic.

But the reader should only get the important details.

Never try and cover EVERYTHING in one piece.

Great writers write passionately and edit purposefully

CRO To Make Your Bank Account Dance 🕺🏼 | Scaling D2C Brands | $30 Million In Incremental Revenue Added Through CRO | 400+ Websites/Landing Pages Average CVR 5.37% | Co-Founder @ Solvexmedia | We Are Hiring |

Looking to lower your customer acquisition cost and supercharge your sales?

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 
5 Million In Spend - 30 Million In Tracked Revenue - 6x ROAS ( Hit me up for the proof ) 

We can help you: 
💠 Build a website that CONVERTS like CRAZY
💠 Run Facebook™ Ad Campaigns advertising that generates a POSITIVE ROI
💠 Email & SMS that opens a floodgate of REPEAT PURCHASES
💠 Funnel creation - Taking someone from UNAWARE to a RAVING FAN
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 
Who we work with: 

👔 Online eCommerce entrepreneurs who want to scale fast. Whether you’re just starting out or already have a 7-figure business, I’ll work with you to create a custom plan to hit your goals. 
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭: 


Working at Deloitte gave me direct exposure to Fortune 500 companies looking to diversify their marketing efforts into digital. My three years there consisted of handling ad-spend budgets in excess of $1,000,000 a month all while generating a positive ROI and meeting all KPIs.  

Got tired of corporate, decided to use the skillset I had to build a few ecom brands, made some money (two exits), then had some fun. 

Now back running the show at one of the fastest-growing growth agencies, Solvexmedia. With the goal of passing forth the knowledge, skills, and experience I have acquired by being in the trenches, getting my teeth kicked in, and learning the hard way.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨:

🔥 Have the processes and systems you need to have in place to facilitate incredible growth and mind-blowing valuations?
🔥 Have the resources, marketing and strategic guidance you need to navigate your way to the next major revenue milestone in your business?
🔥 Have the framework for incredible business valuations, multiples and exits?

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 l𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤!

🤙 Message me here or email kam@solvexmedia.com

Kam Hossieny

I nearly had a heart attack looking at our client's sales dashboard.

This skincare brand had been selling their hero face serum at $29.99 for years. 

It was their comfort zone. 
Their safe space.

Still, one question kept bugging me

What if they were losing money without knowing it?

So we ran a split test. 

Four price points:

• $24.99
• $29.99 (their original)
• $34.99
• $39.99

I was SURE the $24.99 would win on volume. 

My client bet on their tried-and-true $29.99.

Both of us were dead wrong.

The $39.99 price point crushed everything else. 

Not just in revenue - in UNITS SOLD too.

Mind. Blown. 🤯

They'd been undervaluing their product for YEARS.

Here's what we learned:

1. Higher price = higher perceived value
When we raised the price, people assumed the serum was more potent than competitors.

2. Price anchoring works
We added a $59.99 "premium size" that few bought, but it made $39.99 feel like a bargain.

3. Conversion rate isn't everything
The $24.99 option converted best (4.2%) but the $39.99 made way more money at 3.1%.

4. Test EVERYTHING, even when you're scared
Your gut feeling might be holding your business back.

The craziest part? 

We almost skipped the test—thought no one would pay more.

Thought we “knew” the customer.
We didn’t.

undefined undefined

solvexmedia

Your FAQ page is more powerful than you think. 🧠

I stumbled across Quiet Mind’s FAQ section today and... wow

It wasn’t just informative 

it *felt* like someone genuinely cared.

Most FAQ pages? 

They’re either a legal checklist or a last-minute SEO dump. 🗑️

But Quiet Mind made theirs feel like a soft landing. 

➜ gentle tone 
➜ specific questions 
➜ empathy baked into the copy

They didn’t assume people knew what a weighted pillow is. 

They addressed real concerns:
– ADHD
– anxiety
– even how long it takes to adjust

This is smart CRO.

Why? 

Because the more questions your customer has to Google, the less likely they’ll buy from you. 

Instead of pushing the product harder

👉 Quiet Mind slowed down and walked with their customer. 

That builds trust. 
That boosts conversions.

So if you’re building your FAQ page? 

Don’t just think “search terms”
Think about “support” 

Make it sound like you’re answering your best friend’s questions.

Because in the end, people don’t want perfect copy. 

They want to feel understood.

The "anti-hype" copy approach that tripled my client’s conversion rate

I just committed e-commerce blasphemy last month.

I convinced a client to REMOVE all the hyped-up marketing language from their product pages.

Their marketing team nearly had a collective heart attack.

"But HOW will people know our product is amazing without saying it's amazing?!" they protested.

Here's what we did instead:

We replaced EVERY single hype phrase with brutally specific details.

• "Revolutionary formula" → "Contains 0.5% retinol that took 37 trials to stabilize"
• "Unbelievable results" → "73% of users saw reduced fine lines within 28 days"
• "Game-changing technology" → "Uses a patented airless pump that prevents oxidation"

No more empty superlatives. 
No more meaningless buzzwords.

Just honest, specific, verifiable facts.

The result?

Their conversion rate TRIPLED in the first 30 days.

Email signups jumped 78%.
Return rate dropped 24%.

Turns out, customers in 2025 have developed a powerful immunity to marketing hype. 

They've seen too many "revolutionary" products that were anything but.

What they crave now is SPECIFICITY.

They want to know exactly what they're getting and exactly how it will help them.

The best part? 

This approach actually forces you to create better products. 

You can't hide behind vague language when you commit to specifics.

One e-commerce founder told me: "This approach made us realize our product wasn't as good as our copy claimed. So we improved the actual product instead of just the marketing."

Try this: 

- Look at your highest-traffic product page. 
- Count how many empty superlatives you're using. 
- Then replace each one with a specific, provable detail.

You might just be shocked by what happens next.

Would you dare to try the "anti-hype" method on your store?

I fired a client last week.

They were bringing in $20K monthly revenue, but I walked away from the contract.

Why? 

Because they asked me to lie.

"Can't you just say our product is handmade? No one will know the difference."

After ___ years in this industry, I'm tired of pretending there isn't a MASSIVE ethical problem with how most brands approach marketing.

Let's call it what it is: 

Most of what passes for "marketing" today is just manipulation wearing a fancy name tag.

I see it everywhere:

• Fake scarcity ("Only 3 left!" when there's unlimited inventory)
• Fake urgency ("Sale ends tonight!" that magically extends)
• Fake exclusivity ("VIP access" that everyone gets)
• Fake results (Photoshopped before/afters)

All designed to short-circuit critical thinking and trigger impulse purchases.

But here's what I've learned from working with over 200 e-commerce brands:

The companies that ACTUALLY win long-term don't manipulate. 
They market.

Real marketing is about two things:

• Telling the genuine truth about your product
• Understanding human psychology to communicate that truth effectively

The difference? 

Intent and honesty. 🔥

One approach builds sustainable businesses. 

The other builds short-term sales that collapse when customers realize they've been duped.

I watched a skincare company triple their customer lifetime value by simply being radically honest about what their products could and couldn't do.

Their competitors are still pushing miracle claims and wondering why their retention rates are abysmal.

The truth sells better than lies

—it just takes longer and requires a better product.

So here's my challenge to fellow marketers: Can your products succeed without manipulation tactics?

If not, maybe it's time to improve the product instead of the persuasion.

What do you think? 
Is the line between marketing and manipulation getting too blurry?

American Giant didn't beg for my money. 

That's why I gave them more.

Here’s what happened 👇

I was checking out with one item 

But before I clicked “Complete Purchase,” 

they hit me with a smart upsell.

No aggressive discount countdown.
Just this calm, confident message:

“Add our best-selling tee for $30 — only at checkout.”

That’s it.
No fluff. 
No scroll-heavy carousel.

Just one clear offer, perfectly timed, and priced to make me pause.

✨ It felt like a nudge, not a pitch.
✨ It was relevant — same aesthetic, same quality.
✨ And the copy? Subtle but persuasive.

This is how you do upsells right.

✔ Show up after the buyer commits, not before.
✔ Keep it focused — don’t give them decision fatigue.
✔ And make it feel like a perk, not a trap.

The result?

I added the tee.

Because it didn’t feel like a marketing trick.
It felt like a brand saying, “Hey, this piece completes the look.”

And that, my friends, is good CRO in action.

The best navigation feels invisible. 🤔

But when I clicked on PANGAIA's site, something made me stop scrolling...

I opened the Men’s menu—and I just stared. 

It didn’t flash. 
It didn’t animate.
It didn’t even try to be flashy. 

But it felt *premium.*

A quiet flex. 

Here’s why this minimal slide-out menu works:

1) It respects your space.
It doesn’t take over the screen. It slides in *just enough* to offer options without hijacking the shopping vibe.

2) It organizes like a stylist. 

The layout feels like a curated wardrobe rack. 

Clear categories. 
Easy to skim. 
No “explore everything” chaos.

3) It complements the product.

That full-screen model on the right doesn’t just look good—it adds emotion. 

You don’t just see clothes. 

You *feel* the mood.

From a CRO lens? 

This is a clean, low-friction way to boost browsing without interrupting intent. 🤑

A lot of brands go full chaos on mobile navs: 

Sliders, pop-ups, carousels, filters on filters. ❌

But here’s the truth: 
Less noise = more flow 🧘 

And PANGAIA nails that soft confidence.

I spent $10K testing offers across 50 brands. 

The winners all broke these 3 "rules"

Last quarter, I did something a little crazy.

I spent $10,000 of my own money buying from 50 different DTC brands to study their offers.

My credit card company called TWICE to check if my account was hacked. 

But the insights were worth every penny.

Here's what shocked me:

The brands with the highest conversion rates weren't following the standard "best practices" at all.

In fact, the most successful offers actually BROKE these 3 so-called "rules"

I just reviewed an e-commerce brand's A/B testing history from the past 6 months.

All 17 tests they ran were "inconclusive."

The marketing director was pulling his hair out trying to figure out why nothing was working.

"Maybe A/B testing is just overrated," he told me.

It's not. 
But almost everyone is doing it completely wrong.

Most eCom brands do too much. 😵💫

But Julie? 

They did something bold:

They did less.

No clutter. 
No noise.

I landed on their homepage and didn’t feel like I was on a website. 

(did not feel like a constant sales pitch)

Here’s what I noticed (and loved):

1. No overwhelm.
Just a single headline explaining the product in human words. 

2. Visual trust.
The packaging is front and center

rotating like it’s saying, “You’re in safe hands.” 

3. Focused CTA.
One core action: *learn more or find in-store*. 

no shouting. 
no clutter. 

4. Smart use of animation. 
The pill spins slowly. 

It *moves*, but doesn’t scream for attention. 

It feels intentional

(not decorative)


Why does this matter?

Motion should guide

❌ not distract

Julie uses animation to tell a story of:
✅ safety
✅ trust
✅ control

All without a single popup, discount, or fake urgency timer.

That’s real conversion work. 
Not loud. Just clear.

If your product is sensitive, personal, or trust-heavy 
(like health, wellness, skincare)

Look at how Julie makes people feel before asking them to click.

Sometimes, conversion isn’t about pushing harder. 

It’s about “removing pressure” so people can decide for themselves.

I just completed a research project that completely changed how I view mobile optimization.

I spent $5,000 of my agency's budget ordering from 50 different e-commerce brands

—half on desktop, half on mobile.

The results? Follow and message me!

I laughed when our junior analyst suggested we pay attention to "average time on page."

"That's a vanity metric," I told her. 

"Focus on conversion rate."

(boy, was I wrong)

Last quarter, we noticed something weird in our client's data. 

Their yoga mat product page had terrible conversion rates but INSANE time on page.

People were spending 4+ minutes reading about this mat... 

but not buying.

Strange, right?

Instead of ignoring it, we research deeper.

Turns out, people loved the product but HATED the price. 

The comments section was full of "wish I could afford this" and "maybe next payday."

So we tested a "Buy Now, Pay Later" option.

Conversions jumped 215% overnight.

That yoga mat is now their #1 product

accounting for 30% of total revenue.

All because we paid attention to a "vanity metric" everyone told us to ignore.

Here's what I've learned:

1. There are no useless metrics
Only useless interpretations.

2. High engagement + low conversion = massive opportunity
Something's keeping interested people from buying. 

Find it. 
Fix it. 
Profit.

3. Listen to the quiet signals
While everyone chases conversion rates and AOV 

the real money often hide in overlooked metrics.

4. Trust patterns, not opinions
When the data shows something unusual

Investigate. 
Don't dismiss.

My analytics dashboard looks completely different now. 

I track weird combinations of metrics that most "experts" would laugh at.

But guess what? 

Our clients aren't laughing. 
Their bank accounts are too busy growing.

What "useless" metric might contain your next breakthrough?

Look again. 
The gold is often hiding in plain sight.

Last Tuesday, I watched a marketing director break down in tears during our review meeting.

Because I showed him that the $30K they spent buying Instagram followers wasn't just wasted money...

It was ACTIVELY DESTROYING their business. 😬

Here's the shocking test we ran on their e-commerce site:

"50K+ Instagram followers" badge: 
-3% conversion rate (YES, NEGATIVE)

"Join our 2,000 happy customers" badge: 
+18% conversion rate 

"93% of customers buy again" badge: 
+34% conversion rate

Their precious follower count was actually SCARING away potential customers.

(and it makes perfect sense when you think about it)

When people see inflated follower numbers

their BS detector goes off. 

They assume you bought them 

(and let's be honest, many brands do)

After removing ALL mentions of their social following from their site and highlighting their repeat purchase rate instead 

their conversion rate jumped by 21%.

I've now run this test with 7 different brands. 

Same result every time.

The painful truth? 

Real customers don't give a damn about your social media popularity contest. 

They care about REAL RESULTS from REAL PEOPLE.

This is why I get so frustrated watching brands chase follower counts like they're the holy grail of marketing. 😤

They're not. 
They're often the opposite.

Focus on metrics that actually matter:
✅ Repeat purchase rate
✅ Customer satisfaction scores
✅ Actual reviews from real people

Has anyone else noticed this trend? 
Or are you still chasing the follower mirage?

taplio

The Battle

James Carran

Kam Hossieny

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJames Carran's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreKam Hossieny's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

James Carran

Kam Hossieny

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}James Carran's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreKam Hossieny's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJames Carran's LinkedIn Performance