💰 How One Simple Mistake Cost Me Big…

What you’ll find in this week’s newsletter:

•  💰 How One Simple Mistake Costed Me… [True Story]

• 🚨 21 Viral Hooks You Can Use Today

• 🗞️ Latest Amazon News and Updates

• 🔍 The Back-To-School August Ad Wars

• 🤖 Finding Your Place in The World

Don’t forget to catch up on this week’s Marketing Misfits here

✊ How One Simple Mistake Cost Me Big [True Story] 

During the peak of my hyper-growth company, I was pulling my hair out.

I was traveling all over the country, constantly bringing on new clients.

For this trip, I had to go on a nine-city trip across the U.S.

It was a three-week trip in total and I knew it was going to be rough.

I started in one state, flew to another, and then another, until I finally ended up all the way in Nashville.

At the time, I was following the Atkins diet.

I went from 220 pounds down to 185 lbs.

In Nashville, I was pretty exhausted so I thought I’d reward myself with a cheat day.

My wife and I headed over to our hotel for a drink to unwind.

The server came over and asked what we would like to order.

My wife went with a Manhattan.

Then the waitress turned to me and said, “And for you?”

I asked if they had any Cognac.

She replied, “Certainly. What kind do you want?”

After a long day, my brain was fried, so I just said, “Surprise me.”

The drink arrived, and it was quite enjoyable.

A little while later, she asked if I wanted another, and I foolishly said yes.

I paired it with a nice cigar, and then she came back with the check.

I opened up the check to find that the bill came to $450! (I adjusted the amountfan inflation calculator.)

HOLY CRAP!

I thought it was going to be a few bucks.

And that wasn’t even including the tip!

Anyway, I think you can guess today’s lesson:

Never assume.

It’s amazing how one simple follow-up question can save you a ton of headache…and money.

This was definitely a learning moment for me.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

🗞️ AMAZON NEWS & UPDATES 🗞️

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Increase your Amazon listings ranking for targeted keywords before Oct Prime Day is upon us! Get 10% OFF signing up in September.

21 Viral Hooks You Can Use Today

Provided by this week’s guest Melissa Simonson. Thanks Melissa!

Here are 21 hooks you can use for social media content:

• This video is only for ____ people, so keep scrolling if that’s not you.

• Red flags to look for in (insert niche)...

• Everything you knew about ____ is 100% WRONG! (include example of something in that niche that would be considered common knowledge, widely believed, accepted as simple truth).

• Here are 3 signs you should start doing _____ (ex. Gardening, coding, etc.)

• Before you _______, check out ________. (ex. Before you do your makeup, check out this setting powder)

• This is the easiest thing you can do to overcome ____________. (Anxiety, high cost of groceries, sluggishness, boring marketing, etc)

• The perfect (insert thing) doesn’t exist. But this is a close second!

• Why is no one talking about _________ in the ____(your niche) world???

• This is the lazy way to get ______ (insert result).

• I tried the top _______ (insert tool or product) so you don’t have to.

• Don’t believe this _________ myth... (ex. Don’t believe this marketing myth...)

• I bought this ______ (insert tool or service) for my business and now my conversion/sales/callbacks are through the roof!

• My biggest regret as a _________ was not discovering this sooner - don’t make the same mistake I did.

• If you have trouble doing ____, you might want to listen up...

• I tried every affordable ____ brand out there and here are the results...

• I kept getting ____, until I tried this ____ instead! (ex. “I kept getting acne breakouts, until I tried this organic toner instead!” or “I kept having low energy days, until I tried adding this shilajit to my morning coffee!”)

• This free tool changed the game for me...

• I just found the perfect product that helps with ______.

• Let’s see if this ______ (insert product) can do ____(end result) in ____(insert amount of time). (ex. Let’s see if this lip oil can get my lips kissably ready in the 12 seconds I have for getting ready today... ex. 2 Let’s see if this DIY cleaning spray can get this stain out in 3 minutes)

• If you’re like me and do _____, then this one is for you.

• Here are 3 signs you should STOP doing _____.

  🚨🚨 Get 20% off Melissa’s Viral video course starting Oct 2nd! Just email Melissa - [email protected] and mention Lunch With Norm!

  WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE BEARD GUY?

Can you find Norm in the picture below? Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see the answer!

WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK

Be Your Own Creator For Your Brand | Melissa Simonson

Here’s 7 Takeaways From This Episode:

1. Create Authentic, Relatable Content:

   • Start posting regularly on platforms like TikTok. Focus on creating authentic content that aligns with your values and resonates with your target audience. Lean into topics that feel natural and genuine to you.

2. Embrace Transparency:

   • Be open with your customers about your product ingredients, sourcing, and processes. Provide content that educates your audience, helping them make informed decisions while building trust in your brand.

3. Leverage TikTok’s Algorithm with Strong Hooks:

   • In the first 3–5 seconds of your TikTok video, use a compelling visual and text to hook viewers. This can include demonstrating your product, posing a question, or sharing an intriguing fact.

4. Post Consistently to Grow Your Audience:

   • Post daily or as frequently as possible. Regular content increases your chances of being seen by the algorithm and can help build a loyal following faster.

5. Split Your Content by Niche:

   • If you have different types of content, consider creating separate channels for each niche to avoid confusing the algorithm and your audience. Keep each channel focused on its specific theme.

6. Use Your Values to Shape Your Brand:

   • Align your brand and products with values you truly believe in. Consumers are drawn to brands that have a purpose beyond just selling products.

7. Focus on Growth Metrics:

   • Track metrics such as follower growth, video views, and engagement to understand what content is resonating. Use this data to refine your content strategy and drive further growth.

Watch the full episode here

 THIS WEEK’S EPISODE!

You can watch all episodes on YouTube or on my Facebook page at 12 pm ET on Wednesday!

Wednesday - Finding the Easy Button in Your Marketing | Rachel Miller

Our guest is a proud mom to 6 kids and a collector of businesses. She is a Marketing strategist who supports small businesses in growing their audiences and sales, organically, without ads. Her marketing courses have had over 27,000 students and she regularly keynotes. Her most recent project is building, Pagewheel, because why should we “learn” how to market our businesses when AI with automations can market your business for you!

In this episode, find out:

• How to use AI tools to automate social media content and identify viral trends.

• Building an engaged community through relatable and audience-focused content.

• Strategies for using viral content to drive traffic and increase sales.

Join us us 12 pm ET on Wednesday! 😎

Watch LIVE 👉 Sign up here

THE BACK TO SCHOOL AND SUMMER SALES AD WARS

Credit and resources from Teikametrics

August 2024 was a crazy month for both Amazon and Walmart’s advertising landscapes, thanks to back-to-school shopping and the end of summer rush.

Ad spend shot up big time on Amazon, with brands throwing more money at school supplies, electronics, and fall fashion.

Compared to last year, ad spend jumped nearly 27%—a clear sign of increasing competition and a shift in strategy, with sellers aggressively fighting for attention in this tight market.

The big spike in July for Prime Day and Walmart Deals died down in August, but spending remained strong through the back-to-school season.

🚨 If you want to skip my summary, read the full Teikametrics blog article → Navigating the Shift: Amazon and Walmart’s Ad Strategies Amidst Back-to-School and Summer Sales 

Amazon and Walmart both saw cost-per-click (CPC) rise sharply, up 6.5% for Amazon and a whopping 16% at Walmart, showing just how fierce the competition’s getting.

The tricky part?

All that extra spend didn’t translate to better returns—RoAS (Return on Advertising Spend) actually dropped by 7.6% on Amazon and 7.3% on Walmart. Sellers are pumping in more cash but getting squeezed on profitability.

Long story short, the landscape is more competitive and expensive, pushing sellers to get creative and tweak their ad strategies to make every dollar count.

All credit and resources to Teikametrics

DON’T MISS THIS WEEK’S MARKETING MISFITS!

Finding Your Place in The World

In this episode, Kevin and I talk all things networking.

But an important thing to figure out is where is your group of people?

Where’s your niche?

20 years ago—I found myself at a multi-level marketing event, the kind that screams “networking” at you right when you walk in.

I knew it wasn’t my scene the moment I stepped through the door.

Some guy I’d never met before comes up, shakes my hand, and slips me this piece of paper. I opened it, and it’s a photocopy of a check.

He proudly says, “This is what I made last month.” I remember just staring at it, thinking, “Big deal, man.”

It hit me right then—it’s not about the money.

The guy didn’t ask a single thing about me, didn’t show any interest in building a relationship, just threw that number in my face.

That’s the difference: real connections don’t come from showing off, they come from genuinely getting to know people.

And that’s what makes finding your niche so important. It’s not about talking at people—it’s about talking to them.

🚨 Watch the full episode here

  🌎 UPCOMING EVENTS

MARK DOWN THESE EVENTS! 

Unboxed

October 14-16 - Austin, Texas - Virtual [free]

Elite Seller Society Mastermind

Oct 21 - 25 - Shenzen, China - Must Apply

Innovate

Oct 29 - New York - Starting from $495

Cross Border Summit

Nov 3 - Chiang Mai - $595

Prosper Show

Mar 25 - 27 - Las Vegas - Starting $399

→ FULL CALENDAR ←

And that’s it, Beardos!

Let me know what you’d like me to feature in the newsletter by replying back to this email.

P.S. Make sure you don’t miss any updates by joining our community here.

See you next Monday!

- Norm

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