Yo! Welcome to the next episode of The Reeder Newsletter, where I help marketers think more clearly, create better content, and play the long game. First time reading? Subscribe here to get future sends.
I tried to break an AI with the dumbest prompt I could think of. It broke LinkedIn instead.
I’m super skeptical of AI writing tools. But I wanted to give Stanley a try.
So three months ago, I opened Stanley and wrote: “Turn this article into a banger LinkedIn post.”
It got me 85% there. Then I added my Devin-isms and hit post.
To my surprise, it worked.
152,241 views
1,879 reactions
Top 5 post of the year in 2 hours.
Now I use it every week.
If LinkedIn growth matters to you this year, this is worth a look.
Try Stanley free here.
It pulls your posts and learns your tone in ~2 minutes.
A couple weeks ago, I was on a sales call with a VP of Marketing.
She’d just shared how their current outbound-focused approach is not generating enough inbound interest and leads.
She detailed the looming dread of always "feeling behind." So she wanted to supplement their outbound sales efforts with more inbound marketing, such as content and events.
So I shared my 95-5 Content System — specifically that I believe in a three-channel program: executive LinkedIn, email, and webinars.
And the reason is simple and twofold.
First, it works.
I’ve done it dozens of times and seen it done many more. And as someone who obsesses with doing what works… I would bet my favorite pair of Nike Air Maxes that it’ll work again.
Second, and this is what most people never think of when planning…
We need to Build for Proximity.
Think about a submarine’s radar.
And your goal is to bring your prospects as close to you as possible.
Think of the middle as where they know, like, and trust you.
LinkedIn is where people find you and land on your radar (outer ring).
Email gives you direct access to your audience. You become a “welcome guest” and bring them closer. Now you can make an offers like events, content, or product (middle ring).
Webinars are where they can see you, hear you, and, if you do it right, earn the right to show your product. (This is the center - bingo!).
Proximity matters because when buyers are closer to you:
- Sales cycles get shorter
- Inbound conversations are easier (and convert more often)
- Every campaign doesn’t have to carry the full burden of your pipeline target
Then you’re not forcing outcomes anymore. You’re compounding trust.
This is how I take prospects from Unaware → Problem Aware → Solution Aware.
(And how I got this VP on the phone.)
There is nuance to this, of course, but you get the gist.
That was my answer to her. Not because it’s trendy, but because it reduces risk.
I saw her wheels turning. Then she blurted:
Seems like everyone is doing webinars, and they’ve been around forever… do they really work still?
Valid question from a legit marketing executive.
And I get why.
She’s been in the game for 10+ years and “done dozens of these things.”
arketers are a creative bunch, and we crave NEW.
But I’m a bigger fan of PROVEN.
I save time and budget for experimenting with unproven, but that’s a talk for another day.
Plus, add that in 2025 alone, gurus on my LinkedIn feed swore that SEO, blogs, webinars, email, thought leadership, top of funnel, bottom of funnel, ABM, and ads are done, dead, finito.
Pause for a Santa-sized belly laugh.
Because if that’s true, then what’s left??
The truth is that trends come and go. But know what hasn’t changed much in the last couple of thousand years?
Human psychology.
How we think. How we want. How we make decisions.
That’s our DNA. And that hasn’t changed.
We are still influenced by the same things — emotions, proof, status, and word of mouth, to name a few.
So if you can deliver those things in your marketing — social, email, events, webinars…
It’s impossible to die.
The only thing “dead” is anywhere your audience is NOT.
Read that again.
So yea, if you know undoubtedly that your audience has never, and will never, log into a webinar for edu-tainment content… then it’s not the bet for you.
But if you sell to tech/saas buyers, I find this hard to believe.
But know that it’s dead to YOU. Not dead to the marketing world.
Because your counterpart who markets to manufacturing floor managers might not know how to log into a webinar, but loves YouTube on their breaks.
You have a signal of where to invest your limited time and resources.
January is when most teams overthink — and under-commit.
If your 2026 plan has more questions than confidence, I have two spots for new 95-5 clients in Q1.
So if you want to grow your audience, differentiate your brand, and become the leader in your market... here's the system I use:
Step 1: Spot gaps with a quick audit
I review your content and figure out what's working, what's not, and why. You get a detailed deck and overview via live conversation in 1 week.
Step 2: Create your Content Strategy Blueprint
We define a sharp point of view your marketing team and CEO can rally around — so every channel pulls in the same direction. Then we map out the 10 critical details needed to map out a plan that drives tangible growth.
Step 3: Build Performance Playbooks
You get step-by-step guides to execute your plan for the highest-ROI SaaS content plays (Exec LinkedIn, email, webinars) — with templates and patterns I’ve seen work repeatedly, customized for your POV and audience.
No chasing trends. No channel sprawl. Just one system designed to earn attention then convert it.
If that sounds interesting, you can book time with me here.
Either way, take time this weekend and think about your marketing strategy.
Ask yourself: Are you building for proximity or chasing keywords and topics?
Only one will help you stand out and win.
Pen by Devin Reed
Founder, The Reeder
Follow me on LinkedIn | YouTube | TikTok | Instagram
When you’re ready, here’s how we can team up
95-5 Content System
I’ll help you build a content engine that differentiates your brand, attracts ideal buyers, and converts attention into pipeline.
Book an intro call →
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Brand Partnership
Tap into my audience of 100K+ to grow your reach and lead flow.
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Speaking
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