Vanilla Will Kill You

Being boring is worse than being hated. In fact, being "vanilla" in your marketing, your sales pitches, or your emails is a slow, painful death. Nobody remembers the bland. Nobody buys from the forgettable.

If you’re afraid to take a stand, afraid to ruffle feathers, or just trying to appeal to everyone—you’re already dead.

Mediocrity is the Real Enemy

Look at your inbox right now. How many emails do you instantly delete without even thinking? It’s not because they’re offensive. It’s because they’re nothing. Fluff. Noise. Static.

Most sales emails sound like they were written by AI that’s been trained to be as inoffensive as possible. “Hope you’re doing well…” delete. “Just following up…” delete. “Would love to connect…” delete.

Nobody cares. Because there’s nothing to care about.

Love Me or Hate Me, But Don’t Ignore Me

The worst reaction to your marketing isn’t anger—it’s apathy.

• Howard Stern built a media empire because people who hated him still listened just to hear what he’d say next.

• Tesla didn’t take over the auto industry by playing it safe. Elon Musk tweets insane things, picks fights, and refuses to be neutral.

• Apple’s “Think Different” campaign didn’t say, “Hey, we have good computers!” It literally made you choose between being a bland corporate drone or a rebellious creative genius.

Boldness sells. Taking a stand sells.

Your Emails Should Slap People Awake

If your subject line doesn’t demand attention, it’s dead. If your email copy doesn’t hook the reader in five seconds, it’s dead. If your CTA doesn’t make people feel something—you guessed it—dead.

Try this:

• Instead of “Just following up,” say: “Ignoring this email could cost you.”

• Instead of “Hope you’re doing well,” say: “You have a problem. Here’s how to fix it.”

• Instead of “We help companies optimize their process,” say: “You’re bleeding cash, and we can stop the bleeding.”

Make people feel. Make them react. Make them choose.

Safe Messaging is a Myth

You’re not losing sales because people disagree with you. You’re losing sales because they don’t even notice you exist.

The best brands, the best marketers, the best salespeople—they stand for something. And in doing so, they push some people away. That’s not just okay—it’s necessary.

If you’re afraid of alienating someone, you’ll never attract anyone.

Be Unforgettable

Your choice is simple: Be bold or be ignored.

If your emails, ads, or content aren’t making people stop, think, or even get a little mad—they’re failing.

So go ahead. Kill the vanilla. Burn the bland. And start saying something that actually matters.