INSIDE THIS WEEK'S EDITION:

😤TRENDS TO SKIP 🗳️POLITICS & BIZ 🔢NUMBERS THAT MATTER 🔥ONE MOVE
​🛠️TOOL I'M TESTING 🌙COSMIC CORNER

Happy Tuesday, Reader!

This week, we're tackling AI generated content, speaking up about current events, and the New Moon on Thursday! Let's dive in 🏊

Megan

😤TRENDS TO SKIP

Producing More for the Sake of More

AI makes it easier than ever to create content, especially for social media. In fact, 54% of small business owners say they're already using AI in their marketing. AI can really help you find the holes in your content plan, the blind spots in your marketing, and untapped markets you could be selling to.

However, generic, high quantity content is NOT where it's at. Undifferentiated "It's not a change in behavior - it's a personal revolution" style content is everywhere. If you need help creating content, ask for outlines and ideas, not full posts from AI.

🗳️POLITICS & BUSINESS OWNERSHIP

Speaking Up Without Blowing Up Your Business

Ok, if you were wondering if you should say something about a political or social issue or not, the research is really interesting. Two-thirds of consumers say they want companies to take a stand on political issues.

As a small business owner, the risk / reward ratio might be a little different. Large corporations have a larger pool of customers and potential customers. So, I get that. However, for many small businesses, customers are interfacing with the business owners themselves. They're having conversations with them, receiving coaching from them, maybe even letting them into their homes if they provide services like interior design, plumbing, or dog walking.

People want to know where we stand, so in my opinion, it's better to say something than not. It's just a matter of doing it the right way.

🔢THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER

$40 in ROI for Every $1 Spent

Only 41% of small business owners expect email to be their most impactful sales channel, compared to 58% who bet on social media. Meanwhile email consistently delivers the highest, most reliable ROI according to research.

Email marketing generates $40 in ROI for every $1 spent! Social is in everyone's face (because it's really easy to scroll mindlessly - and we all do it!) but email is really the quiet workhorse that sits there unappreciated.

Given the choice, bet on email over social

🔥ONE MOVE, ONE MINUTE

Email 5 Leads You Haven't Heard from in 90 Days

Open your inbox and check-in with 5 people who have gone quiet. Maybe they're former clients, a cool person you had a coffee chat with, or someone you've been meaning to catch up with.

Keep is simple and feel free to steal the copy below:

"Hey [name], been thinking about you! How's [thing you talked about before/you helped them with] going?"

No pitch, no agenda, no fancy formatting. Just a genuine check-in. These kinds of reengagement check-ins sent personally can have a dramatically higher response rate than a more standard email campaign.

🛠️TOOL I'M TESTING

My Paper Planner Turned Journal

In an effort to go a little more analog, I've been diving into my paper planner, not so much as a calendar replacement, but as a daily journaling activity. I start by asking what my business wants from me today and then I just write a few sentences as they come to me. I also use this space to document small wins (like getting my mammogram checked off my list for 2026 last week!) and bigger events like signing a new client.

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🌙COSMIC CORNER

The March 18th New Moon is a Time for Healing

The New Moon is in Pisces, a gentle, introspective water sign. Coming in right at the end of Pisces season (just 2 days before Aries season begins), it's both a beginning and an end - a time to reflect on the last 12 months before the astrological new year begins on March 20th and a time to set intentions for the next 12 months.