Anyone else love a useful how-to?

I put together a mega-thread of mega-valuable how-tos that can transform your startup, career or life

All you have to do is read these 10 how-tos:

How to write a cold email:

- Be short
- Humanize it. Record a 60s selfie video
- Write a cold DM instead of a cold email if possible
- Never follow up by saying “just following up”

How to write copy that isn’t boring (and that sells):

- Don’t write copy, write stories
- Can be long or short, but must take you for a ride
- Focus entire story on the problem the customer has
- Share credibility
- Use inviting, warm words
- Create a clear call-to-action

How to come up with compelling startup ideas:

- Framework #1: X for Y (Robinhood for Canada)
- Framework #2: Anti-incumbent (Anti-Spotify, Anti-Amazon)
- Framework #3: Unbundling of X (Reddit, Facebook etc)
- Framework #4: Ask your community, they’ll tell you

How to sell a company:

- Spend 5% of your energy building allies at incumbents
- Get them excited about what you’re doing
- Make them feel invested and jealous
- Get them to ask if you’d be open to selling
- Profit $$

I've seen this strategy work for $10k-10B size deals

How to boost your productivity:

- Keep a productivity journal
- Time box your day (time for areas of focus)
- Set a timer (Google the “Pomodoro technique”)
- Exercise everyday
- Take small breaks (Google “Fika”)
- “Great acts are made of small deeds”
- Find work you love to do

How to know when to quit your job:

- You dread going to work
- Your manager brings you down not up
- Your health suffers
- You stop feeling useful & grateful
- You can find another gig that can support your needs
- You stop learning
- You hit your ceiling
- You’ll know...

How to avoid burnout:

- Avoid influencers who glamorize the grind
- Avoid screens when you can
- ~7h sleep
- Limit alcohol and caffeine
- Create boundaries from work. Unplug
- Take regular vacations
- Take regular “me time”
- Go for regular walks
- Eat well

How to get your first 1000 community members:

- Decide on a community worth creating
- Establish a common goal of that community (learning X, doing Y)
- Build an audience first
- Convert audience into community (IG account into private Discord)
- Use community ambassadors

How to get your first 1000 customers:

- Do community “drops”, small microsites that spread the word
- Build an audience of 10000 people
- FOMO is your friend (exclusivity sells)
- Partner with communities to promote
- Go to your customers offline. Offline matters more than ever

How to follow me on Twitter:

- Follow me @gregisenberg

Hope you enjoyed this thread. I love learning this way so hope you did too

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I write about internet communities, startup insights and community-based companies

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