why fancy credentials don’t convert

True story:

Rick Rubin has one of the best podcasts on the planet for creatives.

I find his conversations with actors particularly fascinating... especially when they get into the weeds on their creative process.

Some of my favorites have been Robert Downey Jr, Chris Pine, and Michael Richards (the guy who played Kramer on Seinfeld)...

And I thoroughly enjoyed his recent interview with Jonah Hill.

I grew up watching him in movies like Superbad and Accepted.

But I had no idea he was also a writer and director.

Which was a trip.

Because he came across as such a thoughtful, interesting artist...

Aka the kind of person who clearly thinks deeply about everything he creates.

Now, most of the interview was spent discussing his latest movie called "Outcome," which just dropped on Apple TV.

So naturally, my wife and I decided to check it out.

I went in fully prepared to be impressed...

Two hours of Rick Rubin and Jonah Hill nerding out about the creative process will do that to you lol

And yet...

It was bad from the jump.

The writing felt clunky and stuffed with exposition...

The performances were way off the mark...

So despite everything going for it on paper (star studded cast, high production values, etc)... it just didn't deliver.

We ended up shutting it off after 45 minutes.

I couldn't believe it.

The lack of congruency between my perception going into the movie and my experience of the movie itself was night and day.

But it just goes to show...

Fancy credentials don't guarantee quality.

And the same principle applies to your email list:

Your reputation gets the open.

But every single time you hit send, you're starting from zero.

Which means you’ve gotta prove your worth every time you show up in the inbox.

How?

With an entertaining story, useful lesson, and valuable offer.

Exactly as I preach inside the Email Storyselling Playbook and elsewhere.

That's all I got for ya today, though :)

Jim Hamilton

​