Hey there, it’s Pat! 👋

Someone told me a long time ago that “you can’t read the label when you’re inside the bottle.” In other words, when we’re heads down in our work, we sometimes become blind to the obvious.

We need an outside perspective, or else we might make a dramatic mistake that could have easily been avoided.

Thankfully, just at the right time, I was reminded of this idea by MrBeast, the world’s most famous YouTuber. In a recent interview, he said that for every video he’s about to publish, he records other people watching it first, to gauge interest and whether or not it’ll hold their attention.

At first, I thought this idea was crazy, until I did it, and the results blew my mind.

Here’s a quick story about exactly what happened.

Let’s get unstuck.

THE STORY

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A couple of weeks ago here in Unstuck, I shared this video from my Pokémon YouTube channel — it ended up becoming the #3 top trending video on all of YouTube. I shared the importance of storytelling and adding emotion into a narrative to connect with an audience. Today, that video has now been seen over 2.5 million times.

Absolutely wild.

What I didn’t tell you then was that the night before we hit publish, we shared an edited version with one of our fans to get an outside perspective. What he told us changed everything.

Here is the literal conversation Dan (my producer) had with Sean (our channel fan and moderator) the night before we planned to hit publish:

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The video, which was originally 33 minutes long, was later cut down to 25 minutes thanks to Sean’s response.

This was HUGE. Our outcome with the video would have been completely different if we hadn’t made the changes. YouTube rewards creators who can hold the attention of their viewers with even more views; it’s how the algorithm fundamentally works. Without this change, most people would have started to get bored and leave during the 20 minute mark, reducing watch time, and thus our reach.

We would have seen a clear drop in the retention graph at that point in the video. Below is the actual retention graph after we published:

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This graph displays a gradual decrease over time (as is expected with most videos), with a few spikes for repeated moments here and there. For 33 percent of viewers to stay to the end of a 25 minute video is incredible.

This is something we plan on doing with every video now. I highly recommend this strategy for any content that you create, because once someone else points “it” out, it’s like snapping out of a trance that your own work puts you under.

We each put a ton of hard work into what we end up publishing, sometimes to a fault. Don’t we want the best possible response? Then you MUST try this.

The side benefit of this is that one of your customers or fans will be incredibly grateful for the opportunity, not just to watch or read something early, but to have a real influence on the success of the piece.

It’s a win-win situation, the kind I’m all about.

Your Call to Action

For your next piece of content — video, podcast, article or even newsletter — get to a point where you’re close to publishing and then hand-select someone in your audience to give it a whirl.

Don’t tell them anything about it, just ask them to watch, listen, or read, and take note of where they stop paying attention or their mind begins to wander. These are the moments you’re looking for. Finding the best moments, too, are always a neat bonus.

You don’t have to go into MrBeast mode and have a video camera set up so you can see when they take their eyes off the screen (we’re not there and perhaps that’s a bit much), but it’s time to get out of the bottle and let someone else tell you what they think about what you’re creating. The feedback can be game-changing.

You got this!

P.S. Thank you Sean! (I think he reads this newsletter, too. 🙂)

We work hard at SPI to remain unstuck and consistently provide you with the latest news, trends, and events to support your businesses. Check it out:

1. Being an entrepreneur doesn't automatically mean graphic design skills come naturally. No worries, we've got you! Join SPI’s Community Experience Manager, David Masnato, as he teaches how to create a cohesive brand kit using free or low-cost tools like Canva. Learn the best graphic design and branding practices to begin building your brand’s visuals. Become a member of the All-Access Pass to unlock this workshop and much more!
2. Starting and growing a YouTube channel can be incredibly overwhelming and confusing. When done right, however, a successful channel can help you grow an audience, launch a new business, generate an income and even change your life. Join Pat on February 27th at 1:00pm ET for a FREE webinar about starting and growing your own YouTube channel. RSVP for event link!
3. Our March Networking Event is on the calendar! RSVP to join us on March 8th from 2-3:00pm ET on Zoom. During this fun-filled hour, we’ll be getting to know you and your business, along with what services you offer and how to determine the best prices to charge. We look forward to connecting with you!
4. How much is a good story worth? In marketing, it's priceless. But how do you tell the right story? How do you find the exact formula that can take your brand to the next level? On the Smart Passive Income podcast, Pat Flynn is joined by Dr. J.J. Peterson of StoryBrand and the Marketing Made Simple podcast. They discuss the game-changing impact of storytelling in business, sharing the seven elements a brand script should include, how to become a better marketer and public speaker, and much more. Subscribe and enjoy!​

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