Aaron Zakowski's Linkedin Analytics

Wanna hear a little secret? I wrote this post with AI (and I’m proud of it). Here's why... Because after I used AI, I also spent 30 minutes editing it so it sounds like my voice and style and so it clearly communicates my original ideas. TLDR; It doesn’t matter if you use AI to write your posts. All that matters is that whatever you publish still sounds (and feels) like YOU. YOUR ideas. YOUR style. YOUR personality. It’s easier said than done. Unlike what some gurus tell you, you can’t create a month’s worth of content in 20 minutes. I mean, you can. But nobody will want to read it. AI is a useful tool. But it’s just a tool. It shouldn’t replace your brain. Engaging content requires work and creativity if you want to feel proud of the outcome: 1/ You need interesting ideas worth sharing 2/ You need to train AI to write in your voice 3/ You need to aggressively edit what AI gives you 4/ You need to inject your personality Don't be lazy about it. And don't let AI write generic crap with your name on it. That's the fastest way to blend in with every other "thought leader" posting the same recycled ideas. However… If you want to learn the right way to use AI to build a personal brand that feels authentic and thoughtful then join Justin and I for our next 2-day live LinkedIn Genius Masterclass.

These are the tools we use to run Genius Scouts: folk - Sales CRM Canva - All things design Zapier - Systems automation Calendly - Meeting scheduling Zoom - No explanation needed Trello - Managing client projects Unbounce - Landing page design QuickBooks Online - Bookkeeping Kit - Email newsletter and automation Sybill - AI meeting recorder and note-taker Stripe - Credit card processing and invoicing ChatGPT - AI platform for research and ideation Claude - The best AI platform for creative writing Riverside.fm - recording and editing our podcast Supergrow - Scheduling LinkedIn posts for ghostwriting clients Skool - Online community for our Personal Branding Academy (group coaching) And sometimes, LinkedIn

Justin said I’m too boring. So this weekend I did the least boring thing I could do. 8 hours of shooting and tactical training outside surround by sunny green mountains. It’s part of my training to become a volunteer security guard with Magen Am. I never had the privilege to serve in the military. But with the completion of this intense 3 month course, I’m developing the skills to protect my family and my community. I still have a lot of training ahead of me. The video below is me shooting through every hole of the “yoga board” What did you do this weekend? #IDIDSOMETHINGCOOLTHISWEEKEND #GeniusTuesdays

I spoke with a founder last week who's wasting $100k/mo on direct-response ads for his B2B software. It's sad because so many other teams are also making the same easily fixable mistakes. Here's how I told him to fix it... BACKGROUND: This founder has a solid B2B software product. Large addressable market. Good product-market fit. But he's burning through six figures monthly on ads. His ad strategy is the classic direct-response playbook. It screams: "Sign up now!" and "Get a demo!" Here's the problem: In B2B, less than 5% of your market is actively buying at any given moment. The other 95%? - Already using a competitor - Not experiencing the pain point yet - Don't have budget allocated - Simply not in-market right now Yet his ads assume he can convince people to buy TODAY. —— Here's what I told him (and what most B2B companies get wrong): Stop Selling. Start Building Relationships. Most B2B buyers don't search Google for "best sales software." They ask their network: "What are you using? Who do you recommend?" Word-of-mouth impacts 91% of B2B purchase decisions. But his ads completely ignore this reality. The Smart Play: Brand-First Advertising Assume the person seeing your ad ISN'T buying today. Your job isn't to convert them. Your job is to make them LIKE you. Here's the framework I shared: 1/ Educate Beyond Your Product Don't just teach them about your software. Teach them how to be better at their job. Position yourself as the source that makes their professional life better. 2/ Make Them Feel Smart Share ideas that make them look good in their next team meeting. Give them something valuable to forward to their boss or share in Slack (that also spreads your brand recognition). 3/ Build Personal Connections People buy from people they like and trust. Utilize your founder brand and your team's personal brands to build goodwill. 4/ Create In-Feed Value Design ads that deliver full value without requiring clicks. Let them consume, learn, and associate positive feelings with your brand all within their LinkedIn feed. 5/ Reserve Direct Response for the Bottom Use "Book a demo" ads ONLY for: - Brand search campaigns - Retargeting high-intent actions - People who've already engaged with your content —— Here's the truth most B2B founders and marketers miss: B2B buyers are still human beings. We make emotional decisions first, then justify with logic. That VP doesn't just buy the "best" software. They buy from the company whose brand makes them feel confident. From the founder they trust. From the team they want to work with. TAKEAWAY: Stop treating every prospect like they're ready to buy. Start building relationships with the 97% who aren't. When they ARE ready to buy, guess who they'll call? The company that's been helpful, insightful, and top-of-mind. Not the one that's been screaming "DEMO NOW!" for months. I know you want to close deals today. But please be patient. It will pay off.

Usually when Justin says he has a great idea, I try to ignore him. But this time… he might be right. He walked into my office today and said: "You should become The List Master on LinkedIn." At first, I rolled my eyes. Then I thought about it. And now I’m seriously considering it. Here are 10 reasons why posting only lists might actually be the best way for me to build my personal brand: 1/ I'm not a great storyteller But I do love organizing thoughts into neat little bullets. Lists are my comfort zone. 2/ Everyone loves lists. They’re quick. Snackable. Scroll-stopping. A dopamine hit in numbered format. 3/ I’ll never run out of ideas. I can make lists of tools, mistakes, people, marketing hacks, LinkedIn clichés, things I regret saying on Zoom… you get it. 4/ Predictability = growth. If people know I post smart/funny/useful lists every day, they’ll follow. And look forward to my next list. 5/ I can’t post spreadsheets on LinkedIn. So lists are the next best thing. 6/ Lists make people click “see more”. “10 lies agencies tell their clients” is way more tempting than “Here's what's wrong with marketing agencies” 7/ Ben Lang is already doing it If it works for him it should work for me. Not trying to copy. Just trying to catch some of that good list energy. And I’ll do it in my unique style. 8/ Lists spark engagement Every list has someone in the comments screaming “You forgot #4!” That’s engagement, baby. 9/ Lists are easy to repurpose One list can be turned into a future carousel, tweet thread, video script, or newsletter. 10/ It lowers the pressure to be profound. I don’t need to write a viral essay or unique insight every day. I just need to research and organize a good list. There’s beauty in organizing and simplifying information. But it’s easier said than done. (And fine, Justin… you might be right this time.)

Inner voice: You're a loser Me: No I'm not. Inner voice: Your last business failed and you're not earning enough money to support your family. Me: That's true. But money isn't how I want to value myself. Inner voice: Maybe not, but you need money to take care of your family. Me: I have a great relationship with my wife and 6 amazing kids. That's what really matters. I’m one of the most successful people I know. Inner voice: But how are you going to pay for all the things they need? 6 kids isn’t cheap. Me: Honestly, I have no idea. But that's G-d's problem to solve. I'm trying to live an honest, meaningful life and I trust G-d to provide what we need. Inner voice: Do you really believe that? Me: Yes, I try to. G-d has provided me and my family with everything we need every day of my life so far. He's got a great track record. I trust Him. Inner voice: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Me: Honestly, my life is so blessed. I have a great family, good health, and a wonderful community of friends. Plus I live in a nice house and have food to eat every day. Somehow it all just works. Inner voice: But you still don't earn enough money. Me: Ya, that's true. But I have everything I need today. All the worry is just about the future. But one way or another, G-d always just makes things still work out. So why stress? Inner voice: You should work harder and longer hours. Me: But then my time with my family would suffer. I wouldn't have time to exercise and sleep enough and my health would decline. Those are the things that I'm working for and I have them already. Inner voice: But you need more money. Me: Why are you always so worried about money? Inner voice: It’s my job to worry. Me: No it’s not. Try to relax. I'll keep working to grow my business. But not at the expense of my family or my health. I'm like a farmer. I need to plant the seeds and trust that G-d will make them grow.

When Justin said our podcast should be a first step to guests getting onto the Joe Rogan show I laughed at him. But after our first 11 interviews, I’d bet at least one of these incredible guests makes it onto Joe Rogan one day soon… 11/ Jonathan Rolley - How neuroscience makes brands unforgettable 10/ Jeremy Sirota - Why this music CEO asks his team ‘How would you destroy our company?’ 9/ Nicole Ayres - How psychedelics, spirituality & storytelling built a multi-million dollar brand 8/ George Tannenbaum - Be useful, be different, or be forgotten 7/ Julian Scadden - From ditch digger to CEO - the counterintuitive secret to rising to the top 6/ Jason Mitchell - From ski bum to social media pioneer 5/ Steve Harrison - Brutal lessons from the creative legend who invented brand response advertising 4/ What's Your Eye Patch? (this one’s just Justin and me talking about the forgotten art of standing out) 3/ Miriam Meima, M.A., MCC Meima - Transforming personal struggles into leadership brilliance 2/ Bob Hoffman - Do good f***ing work (the only branding secret) 1/ Andrew McLuhan - The Medium is still the message in the AI age You can find the Genius Scouts Podcast on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. If you enjoy it, please subscribe.