Syed Gibran

Something brought you here. Most people scroll past, but you clicked.
I hope my voice helps you to begin. The rest will unfold on its own.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

I’m a marketer who’s trying to tell a story. A simple story of who or what I am becoming by constantly destroying parts of myself and rebuilding myself every single day, in front of you.

I write a tweet everyday and I publish a blog every Friday about relearning marketing by testing it on myself, what change it brings in me and I share whatever works and even the parts that don’t work.

Hope this brings a meaningful change in you too.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@danieldwalton Thank you again really, this really boosts the morale.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

Went from 0 followers in the first month to 60 by the end of second. Don’t know if hitting 250 on month three is realistic or not.
But it is giving me something to look forward to.

Day 62 - My tweets need to start performing on their own. That’s the next test.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

https://t.co/RVkqvqX4SW

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@danieldwalton Really am glad to hear that, hope you found some value in it. It was a good month considering at what stage I am at. This month is gonna be tougher since I am testing my growth without commenting on others accounts, want to test if my voice can drive engagement on itself.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@danieldwalton That means a lot, thank you. Especially when you’re filled with questions, feedback helps a lot.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

I was in a 2 hour meeting today. The objective of the meeting was to craft an international media campaign for a Major Saudi Arabian Transportation brand.

The things that were being focused on were Countries, Audience, Platforms, Budget and the message we need to communicate.

That was it, the message we need to communicate was the details about the transportation. There was no story or campaign messaging.

Is it just me or has marketing has turned to this for real? What happened to creatives working on campaign writing, designs that tie in the message and tell a story, evoke a certain feeling in people? Isn’t that part supposed to come first?

Day 65 - I thought good marketing meant seeing things that people were seeing and articulating it in a meaningful way that is unique to you. Tools and methods help you deliver that feeling but when did they become a priority?

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

No comments, no impressions on your posts.

I reduced the frequency of commenting on other people’s posts just to see if my tweets can drive impressions and engagement. Turns out they don’t.

Based on this, I think the goal for this month should be to test if I can break through this dry spell without comments.

Day 64 - Back to where I started, the silence, I have to break through this without using the steroids of comments.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

Showing up everyday for two months got me from scrambling for attention to getting a few eyes now. But I am standing in front of another wall now. I don’t know how to engineer reach without engaging with other accounts now.

Day 63 - Discipline keeps you in the game but it needs something more to break from the shell of who you used to be.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@Dearme2_ Discipline born out of little wins. When you see that even you can produce results with effort. That creates a cycle that builds discipline.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@mrhaseebdotcom Exactly. Honestly isn’t serving anyone if it doesn’t provide value.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

Why is honesty so rare in marketing if everyone knows it works?

From every new content creator to every content and marketing guru says "Just be honest", but when I see most of the content on my feed, it feels like a version of an idea that everyone else is saying on any given day.

What does being honest with your content mean and how to apply it to yourself and drive real growth? This is the question I have to explore now.

Day 59 - Words are cheap, look at the actions because people say one thing and do a completely another thing.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@sharran Clarity of direction is the harder among these two and worth every second of your attention. Because if you keep looking for validation, your goal gets diluted, but if you keep searching for a direction, even with detours, you finally reach there.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@Lilly7862 the law of equal exchange, there is no overnight success. You have to work hard, practice patience and consistency, understanding the parts of you that don't serve you and letting them go. these things make you the person that deserves that goal, it's a test of your hunger.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@TheCoolestCool Working in a marketing agency, I have experienced that most decisions are stuck or toned down because of bureaucracy or trying to please the client instead of their customers. Many things get stuck in the ideation stage instead of being executed because of this.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@mskoriwilson I agree with the reconnecting with yourself part, but we need gradual achievements, little wins to show ourselves that even we can do something and we can keep going to achieve bigger things. Achievements can be anything based on our goals.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@jayclouse The first 90% is the actual work you wanted to do, the last 10% are the things that make it presentable. Builders often focus on the fun (working) part, the presentation part feels harder somehow.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@Real_JordanK That's why when you write something, the question about does this provide real value isn't enough, because thousands if not millions of others are doing it. Now the real question became, does this sound like me? or Can only I say or make this?

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@sharran What is meant for you will find you. I love this line, to me it personally says that if you couldn't achieve something, it either means it wasn't meant for you or it wasn't meant for you now.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@justinskycak The path wont get shorter just because you started late. Nicely said. We need to set a realistic timeframe for the goal and really focus on everyday, learning more and applying more with the focus on providing real value to the user.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

When your goal becomes getting the best version of yourself just to prove to yourself you can do it, you stop seeking external validation. And since working hard everyday, you understand the actual efforts required, you start being kind towards people since everyone has their own journey.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@Nicolascole77 feedback and data are very important because without them, you do not actually know how valuable your writing is to the actual readers. Without writing in public, it's just assumptions.

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

https://t.co/RVkqvqX4SW

[Syed Gibran @gibrantests]

@leaving_tech Exactly. The stage I am now, replies are my primary method for reach. But I am trying to figure out a way where my content can engineer that reach.