My Marketing Inspiration Stack

You just signed up for my newsletter and now I’m telling you to sign up for a bunch of other people’s newsletters? What’s wrong with this guy?

Well, before we get to that, make sure you’re actually subscribed to this newsletter:

OK, on we go! As I have sailed the marketing seas, I am always on the lookout for lighthouses of inspiration, education, and motivation. Below is a roundup of the best newsletters and accounts that I follow to help me continue growing and learning.1

You just have to promise that you won’t become so enamored with any of these newsletters that you unsubscribe from mine. Remember where you came from.

As you’ll start to notice after I have shared more than 2 editions of this newsletter, I’m a big New App Guy. I love trying out new web services and tools—almost always on the free tier—to see if one will change my life or at least improve my routines and workflows. They rarely do, but the search continues.

Wonder Tools by Jeremy Caplan is a fantastic source of not only new stuff to try but also full-fledged reviews and use cases from a very smart journalism professor. Jeremy always seems to have access to the latest tech and he’s good about also providing free and other alternatives to whatever he is showcasing, as well as the pros and cons of each.

I love this newsletter so much that I think it’s about to become the first Substack that I pay for to get the extra perks he provides.

Try these:

Essential AI Tools for Better Work

Wonder Tools Best of 2024

I don’t want to know what Harry Dry is paying for a top URL like marketingexamples.com, but the man knows ads. He used to send a regular newsletter, but it has gotten more sporadic as he has gotten busier with other things, but what he sends is always gold. It looks like he is still updating the website more frequently and there’s plenty of good stuff there as well.

Try these:

Step-by-Step Guide to Landing Pages That Convert

Copywriting Examples (hover over each ad to see his commentary)

I’m not sure how I found this one, but the Marketing Millennials has become a great source to skim for inspiration from other brands’ marketing campaigns (successes and failures) as well as interviews with marketers working in various aspects of the industry. They send two messages a week, which sometimes feels like a bit much, but I always wind up getting to it eventually and it’s usually worth the time.

Try these:

How to Rebrand Something Nobody Cares About

The 5-Step Playbook to Better Brand Copy

This was a suggested post on LinkedIn that led me to the treasure trove of advice from Eddie Shleyner. Lots of good writing tips and actionable examples.

Try these:

The Ad That Made Me Want to Work in Advertising

Copywriting tips from New Yorker Cartoons

I believe the LinkedIn Algorithm sent me this one as well. Dickie Bush is a wise-beyond-his-years ghostwriter, copywriter, and entrepreneur whose posts offer solid writing advice and go-get-’em motivation. His biggest message is that consistency is key, and he encourages writing every day.

Try these:

My Followers Favorite Things

9 Dead Simple Steps to Create a Daily Writing Habit

When I find myself in times of trouble Vayner Media comes to me, speaking words of wisdom…Gary Vee. I remember when I first discovered Gary Vee more than 10 years ago when he was a guest on another podcast I was listening to. I couldn’t believe his bombast, tenacity, pompous attitude—and absolutely spot-on marketing and sales advice.

Truly, when I find myself running out of gas, I get Gary Vee profanely yelling in my ear for a while and I find the spark again. He has a way of making everything sound incredibly easy and attainable if you’re just willing to put in the time and effort. And he’s usually right.

I haven’t listened to nearly as many of these episodes as I am interested in, but that’s only because each episode of Acquired is a two to three-hour deep dive on the history, highs, and lows of global brands and products. There are so many marketing insights to be gleaned from hearing the stories of people who have succeeded at the highest levels.

These hosts are also incredibly intelligent and endearing, and that’s usually a make-or-break proposition for my listening to a podcast more than once. I never thought I would want to listen to two dudes talking about the history of Costco for three hours, but it was absolutely fascinating, and it made that driving trip to my in-laws fly by.

I’ve been subscribed to Product Hunt for years and it has changed owners and formats, but it still continues to deliver a daily batch of new products and apps to peruse. Almost every issue surfaces at least one app that I will log into with my burner Gmail account and explore the free trial. I’ve found some good apps that I’ve paid for in here, too, both for personal and professional use. Staying on top of the newest apps that launch is also a great way to see what problems people are trying to solve—and that’s pretty important for marketing.

If you’re anything like me and you have 7.7 GB worth of unheard podcasts downloaded on your phone, Pod Snacks can help you. This AI tool allows you to subscribe to 25 of your favorite podcasts and receive an email with highlights, summaries, and a link to the full transcript. It’s perfect for those podcasts that you think you should listen to but you don’t really want to or don’t have the time to spend, even at 2x speed.

We live in the thriving age of the newsletter. Isn’t it glorious? Substack has breathed new life into this genre and, as media has become more fragmented, so many people are sharing so many things worth reading to build up their own personal brands and authority. I love it.

Here are a few other newsletters I enjoy, which should give you a sense of what unread disarray my email inbox is in as well. Even if they are not directly marketing-centric, these newsletters definitely feed me new ideas, thoughts, and tools to play with as I contemplate my work.

TLDR
The marketing roundup is a great potpourri of marketing news, but there are many subjects to choose from. The AI one is almost completely over my head in its technicalities.

The Installer
News, apps, shows, movies, tips and great links. I frequently stop what I’m doing to skim this one when it arrives.

How Brands Win
Great case studies from iconic brands and actionable, straightforward advice.

For all of these resources and pretty much anything related to marketing, I take a “sanctifying the secular” approach. I’ll probably write a full issue on that topic later, but basically it means looking at marketing angles through a Catholic lense.

This strategy worked for X company, so how can I make something similar work for Catholic audiences? How can I put a Catholic spin on X viral trend? What’s the Catholic corollary of X? The more you can saturate yourself in good ideas and winning strategies, the more successful you will be. Plus, we get the added bonus of doing this work for Christ, not just selling a product or padding a bottom line.

Hopefully at least a few of the above resources were new to you and will provide some value as you embark on your creative work. Thanks as always for reading, and please forward this along to anyone else who might find it useful!

Happy weekend,

Matt
The Catholic Marketer

P.S. Send me your best resources! I always want more!