Chlo?'s 3 Things: DIY vs AI / Sprints / Bold Changes

Hello!

Happy Friday.

So, this morning I have a MOUNTAIN of a to do list BUT I'm really interested in these 3 things, so to hell with it - long content coming up...

This week's 3 Things:

1. DIY vs AI ???? why I chose to take the long road this week
2. Sprints ??♀? everyone seems to be doing them
3. Bold Changes ?? eCommerce Expo are mixing up... thoughts

Let's get stuck in...

Thing 1: DIY vs AI ???? why I chose to take the long road this week

Background...

Regular readers will know we're building up to the Episode 500 celebrations on eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast.

• Be a part of it, submit your tip here
• Find out more in this LinkedIn post

The aims of the project are...

1. To create epic content, and a lot of noise that boosts listenership
2. To use it to make mega behind the scenes improvements

And there are 2 big pieces of content to create - an ebook with 500 tips, and a podcast episode featuring the best of those tips.

I did say epic.

Current Focus = Getting 500 Tips Submitted

I want to create a lot of noise with this event, and a way to do that will be to encourage the tip-submitters to share the podcast episode, or the ebook with their following.

So getting fresh, brand new tips submitted is a no-brainer for the aims of the project.

Mainly I'm doing that via marketing:

• LinkedIn posts & this newsletter
• Marketing emails to both the eCommerce MasterPlan and eCommerce Tech lists
• Personal emails to our sales database (which go out via a mass mailing tool)
• Promotional episode drops on all our podcasts
• Callouts on the eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast itself
• Posts on our other social profiles
• etc etc

That's all pretty efficient.

But this week I've personally spent over 4 hours individually inviting all our past podcast guests to submit a tip.

Made harder because we haven't stored any of their email addresses... (I know, doh!)

So I've been finding their email addresses in my inbox, adding it to our database, and then sending them an invite.

Why???? Surely that's not a good use of your time Chloe?!!

Arguably not. BUT I think the outcomes have been well worth it:

• Some very cool conversations have resulted
• I've now got a guest database WITH emails (so it'll be a lot quicker next time)
• I've started to identify guests whose companies no longer exist (not sure what we'll do with that info - but it's useful)
• We're moving a lot of 'stuff' to Airtable later this year, so I've been able to start doing some VERY basic stuff in it with this project.
• We've had over 46 guests submit tips for the episode - that's almost entirely tips from retailers - the hardest ones to get
• Epic sense of self-satisfaction from completing it!!

Where does AI come into this? ??

I've been a little stressed about hitting 500 tips.

As I write we are at 171 tips submitted, that's 34% of the way there.

That's before I edit the list for quality. ??

My plan to get to 500 was to write some myself, and to do lots more marketing - probably too much marketing.

But then I had a very cool conversation with the awesome Izabela Russell mid-week that stopped me in my tracks.

I was explaining the whole project and Izabela said:

"Why are you contacting old guests? Why don't you just get AI to pick out tips from the episode transcripts for you?"

??????

I'm still a bit embarrassed I hadn't thought of that myself to be honest!!

So my plan is now:

?? Do the right amount of marketing to drive fresh tips

?? Fill in the gap by getting the AI to interrogate our back catalogue

Lessons? ????

• Just because you can automate it / use AI for it doesn't necessarily make it the right choice (I know our campaign will be better for not being 100% AI tips).
• Sometimes the hard road is the right road - I remain convinced individually emailing the past guests was the right call.
• AI can be a great way to get a lot of stuff done fast, AND to free you up to focus on higher quality things. (As we get closer to the deadline for having 500 tips I need to be focused on the content and the Episode launch plan, not scrabbling around and over emailing to get the last 100 tips.)

?? How do you decide when to, or not to, automate or use AI? Please comment below.

Thing 2: Sprints ??♀? everyone seems to be doing them

The software project management ideas of 'sprints' (I think it's linked to agile... but I'm not sure) is cropping up in the weirdest places at the moment.

It's gone 100% main stream.

(now I might be behind the curve on this - feel free to tell me if I am).

Nicky Lomax posted about a "job hunt sprint "

Anna Wilson posted about a "7 week sprint until the end of term "

Are Sprints the New Personal Productivity Tool? ?

An easy way to manage your own expectations, as well as a way to manage your client's and team's expectations?

Pondering both Anna and Nicky's use of sprints I realised I kind of do this too, but call it seasons... (or used to!).

My year fits into these (what are now called) sprints:

?? Conference Sprints - Spring and Autumn where I'm doing a lot of travel and a lot of speaking and panel hosting

?? Office Sprints - Summer and Winter where I'm gloriously office bound and able to focus on getting-sh!t-done

?? Podcast Recording Sprints - Summer which I'm getting lots of podcast episodes recorded so I'm not bothering retailers for recording time during peak. (and mini ones to get us through Conference Sprints).

Recognising this seasonality has made business life so much more fun and satisfying.

• The right tasks are prioritised at the right time (right now I am NOT scrabbling around for podcast guests, or kicking off a new marketing channel, I'm focused on event prep, sales, and BaU marketing)
• Knowing it's a sprint gets me back on track (on this morning's to do list is getting the new backup PC set up for the IT team to do its monthly check up. WHY??? We're in conference sprint - stupid Chloe - it's not being done)
• I'm still having great ideas for office time - but they're put on list for once the summer Office Sprint begins.

So, yeah - as of this week I'm no longer talking 'seasons' I'm talking Sprints - thanks Anna and Nicky!

?? Do you organise your year/work/life this way? Please share tips

Thing 3: Bold Changes ?? eCommerce Expo are mixing up... thoughts

Did anyone else get this email from eCommerce Expo this week?

Subject line: 2024 Update: What Solution-Providers Need to Know Now

FASCINATING STUFF.

I'm a little obsessed with events strategy...

As anyone who's had a chat with me at an event will know I'm usually waffling about:

• how exhibitors are missing a trick/have done something awesome, or trying to reverse engineer their strategy
• OR how the event itself is... missing a trick/have done something awesome, or trying to reverse engineer their strategy

And the first thing to "doing an event well" whether you're an attendee, exhibitor, sponsor, speaker, or event organiser is to understand the purpose of the event.

They're all VERY different.

Key takeaways from the email

So I found the email from eCommerce Expo fascinating - they're mixing it up.

Here's the key info from the email:

• Stated goal = "a high-value audience of attendees from leading B2B and B2C/D2C retailers and marketing professionals."
• Changing their target attendees = "we will be refining our audience criteria to ensure those with a free visitor pass are the key decision-makers"
• The end of free tickets for all = "This year, if don't book a stand, and visit the show as a solution-provider, there will be an an admission fee of ￡99+VAT covering both days. Please note this price will increase closer to the show."

WOWSER, that is a HUGE roll of the dice. ??

My thoughts

Sensible strategy.

Their paying customers want to have lots of conversations with brands, and the right people from the right brands.

?? Brands

To do better at that you have to improve the quality of the brands who turn up, increase how many turn up, and make sure they turn up.

That's hard to do.

I would LOVE to know how they're doing it!!

I'd assume content (the conference) and marketing tactics...

?? Supplier Side Attendees

Reducing them doesn't actually change the usefulness of the show to the exhibitors BUT it does make it feel like there are more brands there!!

If the ratio client:supplier improves the exhibitors will be happier.

?? Charging Supplier Side Attendees

I totally get this, it reduces the number, and keeps exhibitors happy - if you've invested a stand and your competition is working the room for free that's annoying.

I think as a speaker I'll be getting a free ticket - but at ￡99 it would be a no-brainer for me to pay for access, so I think the low price point will remove a lot of any angst.

?? Big Picture

A lot of events use this strategy already - usually, content-heavy events that I'd describe as 'conferences' not 'expos'.

It's tried and tested - eTail, The Delivery Conference - but usually it's done the other way around...

MASSIVE ticket price - but free if you're a retailer.

So I'm sure intrigued to see how this plays out in September...

?? What do you think? Good move? Bad move? Please share in the comments

That's it for this week, I'd love to engage with you in the comments, so please do add your thoughts below.

Have a great weekend everyone!

PS you can still be a part of our Episode 500 celebrations here