Tired of holiday promotions Thursday
+ trying to be brief + reminder to hype up your friends' businesses
Hi friend! ⛄️
We’ve somehow made it to the holiday season. I took last week off from writing because, well, I’m sure you had enough emails in your inbox.
Between writing holiday promotions and getting holiday promotions, it can be a really overwhelming time. I don’t have much advice, just to let you know that I’m here with you.
I’m here with you if you’re unmotivated or uninspired. If you’re feeling pressure to be excited and happy when you’re really not. If you’re feeling a confusing, gut-churning unsure reaction to *waves arms around* all of this. I’m here with you and there are so many others here with you too.
We’ll all keep going into December. We’ll write copy that isn’t our best but works fine. We’ll be gentle with ourselves/friends/colleagues. We’ll take a little longer than usual to get to that reply. We’ll accommodate space and time to feel. We’ll feel alone, but we’ll simultaneously be doing this together.
You’ll get through this. We’ll get through this, somehow.
with warmth + love,
N
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📚 The Click Throughs
Long-form reads for the content pro, marketing geek, or meme lord
The Cut: ‘My Boss Expects People to Work While They’re on Vacation’
Contrary to popular belief, being a social media manager shouldn’t mean working 24/7. If you are, take a moment to read this advice on how to set + keep your work/life boundaries.
The Writing Cooperative: Your Writing Can Go Viral Regularly with Only 200 Words
I’m usually a very long-winded writer. I’ve always had a lot to say. But sometimes all you need is a little brevity. This piece is a case for finding success in less. (cue Taylor Swift’s “this is me trying”)
Career Contessa: 65 (Productive) Things to Do When You’re Bored at Work
December’s that weird time of being simultaneously really busy + also getting a ton of out-of-office messages. This list has some great ways to lean into productive procrastination (but also, zero shame in being less productive during this season).
Ryan Mulholland: Minimum Viable Creativity
Take the product development idea of a “Minimum Viable Product” and flip it on its head. Remove the weight of perfectionism for a change + try out this strategy.
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🧘🏼♀️ Mindful Moment
One actionable thing to get you through this week
The Calm app isn’t just good for perfect election sponsorships. This 35 second (!!) exercise will calm your mind + bring some gratitude into your day. Try it out:
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🔗 Link(s) in Bio
Things I’ve been loving that you might like too
This week is a huge week for my friends, so plz let me shower them with love. First up: the incredible Amanda Goetz launched her new CBD company House of Wise, driven by a community of women + featuring wellness products focusing on sleep, sex, and stress. Did I mention stress?? $90+ USD, houseofwise.co
I didn’t make a ton of Black Friday/Cyber Monday purchases but because I love seeing hauls, here’s what I did get: another echo dot for my home office tunes, leggings that I hoped would be a dupe for my favorite Lululemon Aligns (they weren’t), and some ~limited edition~ Jot ultra coffee.
My IRL friend Jenn curates the most beautiful tarot cards + witchy goods in her shop Phoenix and Lotus. She also just reached 10k followers on Instagram + idk I’m just really proud of her + love her brand???? My favorite thing in her shop is the Haven Oracle Deck featuring calming watercolors + strong affirmations. $26+ USD, phoenixandlotus.com
If you follow me on Instagram, it’s no secret that I love Emily Abbate + what she’s built with her Hurdle Podcast empire (go listen if you haven’t). When quarantine hit, Emily started hosting Hurdle Sessions, a collection of virtual workshops to energize + engage her community. I’ve loved them so far (you can catch past ones on demand!) + I’m so pumped to join her End of Year Planning Workshop on December 9. $25+ USD, hurdle.us
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💭 Content Calendar
Ideas for you to take into your week ahead as a content creator
Remember that the holiday season doesn’t look the same for everyone. It’s particularly relevant this year as we all celebrate in uniquely different ways. But as we try to find joy in these dark times, it’s easy to jump impulsively into creating holiday content.
Before creating, pause for a moment and ask yourself: Is this something people expect our brand to be acknowledging? Is this an inclusive approach for people celebrating (or not celebrating) all different holidays? Are we making sure we are representing all folx in our holiday promotions, not just following the stereotypical Hallmark style?
Maybe you’ll realize this holiday promotion isn’t for your brand. Maybe you’ll discover parts of your brand you didn’t consider until this moment. Taking the extra pause before jumping on the bandwagon is worth the effort.
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👋 The (ring) Light at the End of the Tunnel
Love the Minimum Viable Creativity concept!