We live in a world full of competition for people’s attention. Let me assure you: no one pays as much attention to you as you do to yourself.
I’ve written before about operating in a flow-based work style and how it lets me make progress on a diverse set of initiatives every day. It also helps me context switch from meeting to meeting, moment to moment without falling behind, feeling overwhelmed, missing a beat, or failing to deliver for my team, partners, portfolio, and network.
I’ve also written about being the most prepared person in the room. It’s the foundation of my career success. By doing my research up front, practicing, honing my craft, and putting in the hours, I can not only understand and evolve my company’s strategy, but also put myself in the shoes of the founders or executives with whom I engage. In meetings, I’m always expected to be on my game. To drive forward value universally. I need to be able to turn on at the flip of a switch. Always on, always ready. When you’re prepared, you can execute on business growth, asserting what I call “classic BD deals” that shape markets.
What is Drumbeat Marketing?
When it comes to building a brand, it’s critical to create and deliver continuous micro and long-form content constantly. It’s not just about creating it, it’s about making sure it weaves a narrative within the parameters defined by the company’s messaging hierarchy and connects with an audience to drive value. To do so, companies must put in the time up front and obsessively, steadily iterate the messaging over time, taking a ‘market in’ approach to the impact they can derive every day. At York IE, we call this “Drumbeat Marketing.” It’s how momentum is created, stories get told, and markets are made.
How to beat the drum
Here’s how I do Drumbeat Marketing: I constantly capture content in a stream of consciousness. I just let it happen. I’m constantly writing, putting thoughts and ideas down on paper. My team does it, too. Personally, I like to use the basic iPhone Notes app. As things pop into my head during meetings, or while reading, watching TV, or listening to podcasts, I jot them down. I rely on my instincts, my experience, and my empathy for entrepreneurs to remind them they are not alone on their entrepreneurial journey. I remind them theirs is a quest worth taking. I queue up a ton of this micro content—but I don’t always post it immediately.
I create the piece, stew on which form it should take, and later decide where to distribute it. I wait for the right moment—just the right market noise, news cycles, and timing to add value to my followers and the community. Ultimately, this content is like the steady heartbeat of my career, my companies, my vision, and my life. I take it seriously; it requires fine-tuning and a soft touch, but it’s worked well for me so far as I engage in the market and make my voice heard.
The brand-building investments I make today are deposits for the long-game vision for this ambitious and intertwined dream of mine. I operate in flow, work hard to be the most prepared person in the room, and pound the pavement with my message. All these things make me the leader I want to be—a leader who can rally a team to do big things and change the world.
Beat. That. Drum.
P.S. – I wrote this blog from 35k feet, on my iPhone Notes app. You have no excuse. This is a strategy that works.
Kyle York is co-founder, CEO, and managing partner at York IE, where he sets the company’s vision of building a hybrid strategic advisory, investment, and operational growth firm. Kyle is also a co-founder and board member for third-generation family business, YORK Athletics MFG.
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