I hate our cancel culture.
For a few reasons, but the main reason is that no one is perfect. No one.
If you’re an anomaly without any faults, then sure, go ahead and cancel anyone.
Instead of canceling each other (pointing out how other people’s house is out of order), we need to take a deep look into our own homes and put thins in order.
The marketing lesson here is that no matter who you are, you’re vulnerable to being crucified (canceled).
So, can you do anything to make yourself less vulnerable to being canceled? Of course.
Ryan Holiday, one of my favorite authors, discussed how he ensures he is uncancellable on a recent podcast.
He discussed that while there is no bulletproof strategy, by owning your audience through an email list or text list, you strengthen yourself against the cancellers' cries.
Think about it like this:
If instead of writing daily emails, I was a writer for TechCrunch or The Verge. I would get a shit ton more money (I make none doing these emails).
But, if the loud minority shouted at the company executives I work for to cancel me because of a Twitter post I made while still in my mother’s womb, I’d be canceled.
Many of you don’t write for a media company like the Wall Street Journal or CNN. But most of you post on social media.
You may think that’s a moat against the cancellers, but it’s not.
Think about Trump. I don’t care about your emotional opinion of him.
He got canceled by Twitter because a loud minority wanted it to happen.
Social media is no longer, or was never, safe from the cancel mob.
That is why you need to invest in and diversify your audience into an email or SMS list.
“But Jordan, I’m not sexist and racist like Trump. I have nothing to worry about.”
Ok.
I’ll remember that as I walk by your crucifixion.
🧠 // JO