In partnership with
I got a message this week that reminded me of something we all do sometimes.
Someone reached out offering to help make automated content "feel more human" and "genuinely personal, not robotic."
But the message itself? Completely templated. Generic. The kind that could've been sent to 100 people with just the name swapped out.
I'm not sharing this to mock anyone. We've all done this. I know I have.
We preach authenticity while using the same framework as everyone else. We discuss personalization when batch-processing our outreach. We sell solutions to problems that we actively demonstrate in how we sell them.
It's called cognitive dissonance when your actions don't align with your values or message.
And here's the thing: automation isn't the enemy. Laziness is.
You can automate parts of your process and still be thoughtful. You can use AI to help you write and still sound like a human. But you can't fake actually caring about the person you're reaching out to.
Real personalization isn't using someone's first name three times. It's showing you actually looked at what they do. It's offering something specific, not just "I saw your work."
This applies to everything. Lead magnets. Cold outreach. Newsletters. Daily posts.
If your message feels like it could be sent to anyone, it's for no one.
Before you hit send, on anything, ask yourself: does this match what I'm trying to say? Or am I doing the exact thing I'm telling others not to do?
We all fall into this trap sometimes. The key is catching yourself before it becomes your pattern.
What's one area where you've caught yourself contradicting your own message? (Reply to this email or comment below, I’d be glad to hear from you!)
Find customers on Roku this holiday season
Now through the end of the year is prime streaming time on Roku, with viewers spending 3.5 hours each day streaming content and shopping online. Roku Ads Manager simplifies campaign setup, lets you segment audiences, and provides real-time reporting. And, you can test creative variants and run shoppable ads to drive purchases directly on-screen.
Bonus: we’re gifting you $5K in ad credits when you spend your first $5K on Roku Ads Manager. Just sign up and use code GET5K. Terms apply.