CEO @ Compound; Building a social media agency for B2B companies; Founder, Social Files

Scaling Compound Content Studio, a social agency for B2B companies who want to launch an organic social media presence that creates real community, generates product demand, and increases revenue (our personal fav).

We've helped 50+ early-stage SaaS and service founders launch and scale founder-led content in the past 1.5 years.

Also writing a weekly newsletter called Social Files that helps B2B companies generate product demand and get customers with social content.

Check my featured link to subscribe to Social File.

Tommy Clark

Alright. It’s official. The witch hunt for AI content is more annoying than AI content itself. We have people who’ve never written anything more than a boiler plate LinkedIn post announcing a new job acting as experts on prose. It’s ridiculous. Use your em dashes, your ‘rule of three,’ your ‘it’s not X, it’s Y’ negation.

Cool? Cool.

CEO @ Compound | Co-founder @ Bluecast | Building a social media agency for B2B companies

Pleased and humbled to announce I am now a nano-influencer on YouTube. Just passed the coveted 10,000 subscriber mark 🎉

The last few videos especially seem to have resonated with folks.

> The NEW Rules of LinkedIn (2026) - 18,536 views
> The New Era of LinkedIn Has Just Begun - 22,647 views
> If I Started Linkedin in 2026, I’d Do This - 11,428 views

My goal with this channel was to put everything you (founder of a B2B tech company) could possibly need to stand up a LinkedIn presence in 2026. No gatekeeping.

Onward to 100K (so I can be a micro-influencer one day) 🫡

Every single time I interview a candidate for a Content Writer position at Compound, I ask this question; the answer tells me a lot about whether they'll be a great fit...or not.

"What's one book you've read recently that's stood out to you?"

It doesn't need to be marketing or business-related. I don't care if you've read Building A Storybrand or Purple Cow.

But...and this isn't incredibly surprising...I've yet to meet a great writer who isn't also an avid reader.

Reading, especially fiction, gives you an eye for strong narrative. You get exposed to different styles of prose. You understand how to create compelling characters (which is what we're doing with 'founder-led marketing,' when you think about it).

Great writers are built on a foundation of reading.

Here are a few of my favorite books recently:

> The Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio. The series is phenomenal. Some say book 1 is a bit slow—I enjoyed it, but can understand the opinion. Books 3, 6, and 7are all-timers for me.

> Red Rising by Pierce Brown. I need an affiliate link for this one, given how much I shill it. I wish I could read this series again for the first time. Impatiently waiting for Red God.

> Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. This trilogy might have the best ending I've ever read.

My TBR list is far too long, but I figured I'd ask: what should I read next?

Companies are desperate for great writers.

Despite all the fear-mongering around AI, there is room for writing talent in the market. Problem is, most writers overestimate their own current ability. There's a sense of entitlement that you 'deserve' a sought-after role and sky-high rates because you call yourself a writer and listened to one-too-many freelancer mindset podcasts. No.

If I were on the market again in 2026, this is how I'd make myself more appealing to hiring managers.

(1) Practice in your own time.
Mediocre writers expect all development to happen 'on the job.' Exceptional writers take it upon themselves to get reps in on their own time.

Before landing my first part-time marketing job in college, I must have published 200 podcast episodes that nobody but my mom listened to. Extreme? Perhaps. Effective. Yep!

(2) Be easy to work with.
Mediocre writers get too precious with their work and struggle to work in a client-facing role. Everything is a crisis to them. Exceptional writers take feedback in stride and don't deflect responsibility.

(3) Publish your track record.
Mediocre writers bumble through applications with little intent or initiative. Exceptional writers stack the deck in their favor by building their own brand on platforms like LinkedIn. Like it or not, someone who routinely publishes their thought process has better odds of standing out in a pile of AI-generated slop applications.

I was able to land a full-time gig as Head of Social at a hot startup straight out of college (with little 'traditional' marketing experience) via cold DM because I built a modest audience.

Anyway:

Some people will read this and think 'OMG that's too hard' and perhaps even repost this with a hate comment (got my first one of those last week!). Some will read this and get to work. I know which writer I'd bet on!

Alright folks. What's *actually* working for founders on LinkedIn right now?

We’re ~2 weeks into 2026, the world is back online, and B2B technology thought leaders have emerged from hibernation, returning to the promised land: the LinkedIn timeline.

My intention with this piece is to give you an idea of what’s working well on LinkedIn, so you know where to spend your time.

My team writes 100+ posts per week across our clients. We have a good eye for what’s ‘working.’

(1) Generic “tips and tricks” are DEAD. RIP.

It takes a lot for me to declare a content format dead. But I’ve seen too much. 

Any time I’ve tried to write a ‘value-based’ post that covers a single strategy, it flops.

Why? AI has commodified ‘tip’ content.

Educational content now has two moats.

(A) Narrative. Stories protect you from AI fatigue. Claude cannot copy your stories. Pair every take with a story. I’ve been saying this for the past year. But we’ve reached the point of no return. You will NOT grow on LinkedIn if you keep posting your boring a** tips and tricks!

(B) Density. I do still see ‘framework’ and ‘listicle’ content perform well. If you pack 5-10+ real insights into a single post (so it drives saves), the content can still hit.

(2) Turn your office into a set.

If you have an in-person work culture, you must be capturing photos and video from around the office.

“Text + IRL image” is the winning format right now on LinkedIn. Text only can work. So can carousels. But real-life photos of you and your team, which are relevant to the post copy, win.

Have your Marketing Manager follow you around with their iPhone a couple of times a month to re-up your stock of media.

(3) Comments are content.

I wish this weren’t true. I hate scrolling LinkedIn and leaving comments because I ‘have to.’ Feels lame. *But, it works.* 

Dedicate 10-15 minutes per day to writing thoughtful comments on ICP accounts *or* influencers who your ICP follows. For example: if I were targeting SaaS founders, I’d engage with Adam Robinson’s content.

(4) Videos still not a thing. Despite how hard LinkedIn tries.

LinkedIn is really trying to make short-form video a thing. But after the weird uptick in reach back in Q4 2023, the format has consistently pulled the lowest impression count.

My take:

> Don’t make it the core of your content strategy on LinkedIn.

> But, it’s still worth it to post video once in a while (maybe 1x per week) if you’re good on camera. It’s good for prospects to see and hear you. Builds trust faster.

Anyway, running out of room, yet there's a LOT more to cover. So I'm publishing my full update on my newsletter later today. Subscribe here to get the field report in your inbox: https://lnkd.in/gA8cyRUR

I hate the AI witch hunt posts as much as the next guy. I'm still going to use em dashes—watch me—and I'm still going to use the 'rule of three' in my writing. Sorry.

That said, we do need to have a chat, you and I. It is soooo painfully obvious when a founder hands over their content production to AI.

Anyone with more than two brain cells can tell.

You might fool a total beginner, but you are not fooling a sophisticated buyer.

And the moment your reader notices the not-so-subtle shift in writing style, you lose them.

Resist the false promises of the AI guru industrial complex.

Inefficiency and effort are a small price to pay for your reader's trust.

If I were a Head of Marketing of a hot B2B AI startup fresh off a fat Series A, trying to convince the CEO to finally start posting founder-led content on LinkedIn, here's what'd I'd do:

I wouldn't.

Founders who need to be 'convinced' to take content seriously likely never will.

I've had dozens and dozens of these conversations over the course of the last three years building my agency. Head of Marketing comes inbound. I take the sales call. They mention the founder thinks posting LinkedIn content is cringe and doubts it will work for them...

Earlier on in the agency's lifecycle, I'd have spent more time and energy convincing them of the platform's benefit.

Sometimes I'd succeed, but the victory would be a Pyrrhic one when 3 months into the relationship, nobody's happy.

Now, this mindset is an immediate disqualifier.

Let the CEO come to realize that content matters on their own time. Some never will, and that's fine. But to win on LinkedIn, you need to enjoy the game at least a little bit.

I'm sure there are exceptions. I've yet to find them.

1 year ago: 0 words of fiction written

Today: ~200,000 words of fiction written between drafts 1 and 2 of my debut science fantasy novel

It's been a minute since I've posted an update on my side quest of writing a novel that people actually want to read, so here we go.

I finished Draft 1 back at the end of December. You're supposed to wait a couple of weeks before diving into the second pass, so I'm told. I broke that rule and started the next draft the day after. Oops.

I made a few major structural changes to the story:

(1) I wrote the first draft in 1st person present POV (think, Red Rising). I'm writing the second 1st person past (think, Sun Eater). I found myself feeling too restricted by the limitations of present tense. So far, the switch is working.

(2) I pretty much scrapped Act II of Draft 1 and re-outlined it. In short, I didn't make my protagonist suffer enough in the first pass. That has been promptly changed. Don't feel bad for him! Makes for a better story.

I'm hoping to have this pass done before the end of Q1 2026. Then I'll pass it off to a developmental editor.

Writing a novel has been quite hard. But it's a fun hard. And I knew I'd keep thinking about it until I finally did it, so here we are.

Oh! Almost forgot. I have a title.

'The Shattered Planet'

Subject to change, but this one sits right with me.

More updates to come. If you want more book stuff, I post a bunch on Instagram @ tclarkmedia

I think it’s dumb to wait for pre-determined cycles to give great employees raises.

One of my favorite things to do as a CEO is give people who are crushing it more money. Doesn’t matter if they’ve been around 1 quarter or 1 year.

Two quick examples:

- Hired Rachel Rappaport in July 2024 as a Content Editor. Before the year was out, she was in the Head of Content position (saw this coming at the end of week 1).
- Hired Nicholas Mlakar in March 2025. Promoted + bumped pay 3x and hasn’t even been at Compound a year.

Working at an early-ish stage company can be chaotic. There’s a lot going on. It’s not for everyone. But, it’s one of the few work scenarios where you have a considerable amount of ownership over your growth trajectory.

By the way, Compound Content Studio is hiring our next Content Lead right now. The JD is on our company page.

I don't trust marketers who don't read fiction. All this talk of "storytelling," yet you only read self-help books and newsletters pumped out by the personal brand industrial complex?

Hmm.

"But Tommy...where do I start?"

Here are some of my favorite reads. These are mostly in the fantasy and science fiction genres, since I spend most of my time there.

(1) Red Rising by Pierce Brown

This series is a gateway drug into reading fiction. The story is set in a future society that spans our solar system and is structured in a color-based caste system. You follow a Martian slave of the lowest caste (Red) as he finds out his entire world is a lie and goes on a generational revenge arc.

Nothing brings me more joy than radicalizing my friends on Red Rising (and the distraught texts I receive when they finish Golden Son). Hail Reaper.

(2) The Sun Eater series by Christopher Ruocchio

This is my favorite series of all time. The perfect blend of science fiction and fantasy. You follow a disgraced noble in an empire that is pretty much ancient Rome, in space (awesome), on his journey to blow up a sun and wipe out a hostile alien race.

The final book, Shadows Upon Time, was released in November (I'm trying to bully Nathan Baugh into finishing it so we can talk about it).

(3) The Bound and the Broken by Ryan Cahill

TBATB is the perfect intro to epic fantasy. Classic farm-boy-to-chosen-one trope. Lots of dragons. Political intrigue. Ryan writes some of the best characters I've ever read. There are ~20 POV characters, and not one of them is 'bad.'

Ryan also started as a self-published author, and is an inspiration for me as I write my own debut novel. He's published 1.5M words in 4 years. Animal.

Running out of characters on LinkedIn, but here are a few more recs for you:

- The Will of the Many by James Islington
- The Terminal List by Jack Carr (more of a military thriller)
- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
- Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
- Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
- Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

My current read: Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb (book 2 in the Farseer Trilogy)

What's on your reading list over the next few weeks?

I've spent the past 45 minutes on my flight staring at a blinking cursor on a blank Notion doc. "What do I post about today?" I ask. Nothing comes. Maybe it's the 4 hours of sleep I got the night before. Not even the black cold brew helps.

I realized after a while that I broke my own golden rule for content writing today.

"Never, ever start from a blank page."

Blank pages create overwhelm, and that overwhelm kills creativity. It's why so many busy founders struggle to keep a writing habit. It's much easier to give yourself a running start when you try to write.

Keep a running Apple Note with fragments of ideas.
Outline your content before you sit down to draft.
Bookmark other content that catches your eye.

Whatever keeps you from trying to create something from nothing in the next few frantic minutes before a meeting starts.

This framework has kept me consistently publishing on LinkedIn, hardly missing more a day in a row over the past 3+ years. That content is responsible for growing Compound into a 7-figure agency. I'd say the effort to organize my content ideas was worth it. Give it a shot this week.

LinkedIn is getting more crowded. AI content is flooding the feed. The bar for "good" content has been raised. Every founder I've spoken to over the past 3 months—or close to it—has said some variation of "my reach is down."

Good news: there are still 2 ways to stand out on the timeline:

(1) Share unique stories. Nearly every post you make should be paired with a narrative. I was talking to an early-stage SaaS founder last week whose reach suuuucked, so I reviewed his profile.

What do I find? All generic, "how-to" content. Listicles that could have been written by GPT. Yuck! Boring!

The fix: Take those same ideas and pair them with a story from your real experience.

Example: Instead of writing about "5 tips for reviewing a sales call recording," tell the story of the worst sales call you've ever heard and how you trained the rep to fix it. Problem solved.

See what I did there? See??

(2) Have a spine. Most B2B marketing falls flat because it's safe. Sterile. Nobody gets mad. But also...nobody notices...which is worse!

Don't go full extremist. You don't need to (and shouldn't). But you likely have a real stance on your industry that many of your colleagues disagree with.

Post it!

For example, I won't hire a Content Writer if they don't read books (this is a hot take in 2026, apparently?). "But I'm not a big reader, and I write well!" Cool, you're not going to write for Compound.

These two shifts can make a massive difference in the outcome of your LinkedIn posting. Share more stories. Piss some people off. Simple enough :)

I take ~5-10 calls per week with B2B founders who want to post more on LinkedIn. I’d say ~50% of them have tried working with a content agency before. It didn’t go well.

So, they end up at our doorstep.

You don’t have to go through this pain. If you're going to work with a content agency on your personal brand…run them through this gauntlet.

(1) Ask who will actually be writing for your account.

If the agency is oddly low-priced (and it’s an agency you're working with, not a freelancer), you’re probably getting passed off to a junior writer—or every agency bro’s favorite new coworker, Claude.

Get the name of the person owning your account. Meet them. If the founder or salesperson balks at that, I’d be wary of that agency.

(2) See if the founder is obsessed with content.

This seems silly. But plenty of people start LinkedIn ghostwriting agencies for the promise of easy money (LOL - different post topic).

It’s in your best interest to work with an agency whose leadership loves the craft of writing and comms. 

(3) Observe whether the agency is qualifying you.

We say ‘NO’ more often than we say ‘YES.’ Savvy agencies know which clients they’re best equipped to support. They aren’t afraid to turn folks away.

(4) Understand how they adapt to your tone of voice.

There are plenty of people who can ghostwrite LinkedIn content based on generic best practices. Hell, even Claude can.

But they tend to lack the ability to adapt away from LinkedIn ‘broetry’ and formulaic hooks. In my experience, founders are particular about their tone. Rightfully so.

(5) Make sure you like each other as people.

I cannot stress how important this is. For a founder-led content engagement to work, you’ll need to sit down with these folks on a biweekly basis and communicate over Slack almost daily.

Lack of vibe creates friction. That friction ruins the content creation workflow.

--
Running out of room on LinkedIn, but I wrote a deeper dive on this topic in this week's edition of my newsletter. Subscribe here to get it in your inbox: https://lnkd.in/gA8cyRUR

I couldn’t think of a LinkedIn topic for today. This screenshot of a heater from Oren John will do. Swap “YouTube” for creative medium of choice. In my case, writing.

I don’t think you realize how simple it is to stand out on today’s market. You’re competing with people outsourcing their brains to Claude and complaining about ‘balance’ before they’ve built a track record.

Listen to the man:

“Not many creatives are playing until their proverbial fingers bleed.”

I’m an elder 26 years now. But back when I was a 20 year-old breaking into marketing, I was ripping 10-15+ content pieces a day on Twitter (in the glory days), LinkedIn, Instagram. 3 YouTube videos a week. 200 podcasts nobody listened to. You get the point.

Look. This isn’t for everyone. That’s OK.

But companies are desperate for excellent writers. You’ve seen all the thought leaders posting about the $200K PayPal writing role, $400K Open AI writing role, that one startup that’s offering $1M TC for a content role (def a marketing stunt but fair play).

Point is: The bag’s there if you want it! Most don’t.

PS: doing the same thing with my creative writing now. 200,000 words of fiction written in the past year. I suspect that 6 years from now, I will be thankful.

If you want any chance at growing on LinkedIn in 2026, you have to be willing to "play the game." I don't think you understand.

If you resent the idea of posting content online...
If you view LinkedIn as a "necessary evil..."
If you find it cringe...

You will struggle to see any meaningful payoff from the platform.

That resentment leaks into every corner of your content strategy.

You won't be willing to spend the time each week writing. You won't be open to testing content ideas that work, but feel a bit vulnerable. You won't be comfortable being on camera to capture media that will help your posts perform well. You'll water down your real opinions and end up with HR corpo-slop that reads like the million other GPT-generated posts. The list goes on.

Founders who win on LinkedIn lean in.

This doesn't mean you should appear as someone you're not. That is not a solid long-term strategy. But you should push yourself beyond your comfort zone. *Really* give LinkedIn a shot going into the coming year. 

You might surprise yourself.

How to (actually) land and keep a job as a Content Writer in 2026:

From someone who’s reviewed 3000+ applications for writing positions, and also made a pretty damn good career for myself as a writer.

(1) Stick to your word.

(2) Practice writing in your free time.

(3) Publish your thought process online. Personal brand > portfolio.

(4) Don’t deflect responsibility when you mess up (you will mess up!).

(5) Probably don’t lead with ‘work-life balance’ in your very first interview.

(6) Follow all the instructions on the job application. To the letter.

(7) For goodness’ sake. Don’t outsource your job applications to Chat GPT.

(8) Trade volume for focus when applying to open positions. More attention on fewer applications is often better for you.

(9) Focus on learning LinkedIn ghostwriting. It’s an in-demand skill in 2026.

(10) Get comfortable being client-facing. Even if you're introverted, develop the charisma to run calls. It’s a skill.

(11) If there’s an ‘optional’ Loom video on the application, probably submit one. Not a guaranteed interview, but will absolutely increase your odds.

(12) Come prepared with real examples of your work to discuss in interviews.

(13) Implement feedback without needing to be reminded twice…or three times…or four…

(14) Know every account you're assigned to like the back of your hand.

(15) Read more books. Not just marketing—fiction too! It’ll make you a stronger writer.

(16) Treat difficult clients as a fun challenge. Writers tend to be too precious with their work. If you can do the opposite, you’ll stand out.

(17) Build your writing capacity. Your ability write faster while keeping quality high is a differentiator. It’s also a skill.

The market for writers is more competitive in 2026, now that AI can do a lot of basic writing tasks. Differentiation as a Content Writer comes down to increasing your skill bar above Claude’s + being easy and pleasant to work with.

And to be clear: companies are desperate for great writers. The career potential for people who take the craft seriously is phenomenal.

PS: Compound Content Studio is hiring for a Content Lead. If this resonates with you, would love to hear from you.

It's no secret that polarizing content 'does better' for founders on LinkedIn. But where's the line? My filter for whether or not a risky content piece is “worth it” is three-fold:

(1) Does the content align with your true beliefs? Being edgy for the sake of it does nothing (see: Cluely). Only share contrarian opinions if you’ll stand behind them.

(2) Does the content move you toward your ideal outcome? For instance, if your ICP isn’t other founders, and you don’t care to generate investor interest, sharing your ARR on the timeline doesn’t do much for you.

(3) Does the content alienate your ICP? Content is a filter. Triggering people is fine if those people were never going to buy from you in the first place. You just gotta be careful not to filter out ideal buyers.

Sometimes, you'll decide to hold back. Others, you'll say 'screw it' and let it rip. Either way, you should know what you're doing and never, ever sell your soul.

Hope this helps!

Hey. I've been posting on LinkedIn for 5+ years now. For the past 3 I've been helping founders at some of the hottest SaaS and AI startups do the same at Compound Content Studio. The truth:

LinkedIn has changed a LOT in that time.

What works now is similar in some ways to the playbook of the past year, but differs in many others.

If you're curious about what's really working on LinkedIn in 2026, I put together a 12-minute video walkthrough covering the strategies and tactics savvy founders are using to grow on the platform.

It has almost 20K views over on YouTube and has been getting shared around here, so it seems to have resonated with folks. Nice.

Comment "LINKEDIN" if you want access.

Kidding. I don't have time to send all those DMs. Here's the link to the full video. Hope it's helpful: https://lnkd.in/gxG2WUfk

PS: If you do enjoy it, shoot this post over to the rest of your marketing team in Slack.

Open video: The New Era of LinkedIn Has Just Begun on youtu.be

After 8 years of being out of the hospitality industry, I walked into a travel agency to the exclamation, "Hey! You're the Bingo Guy!" An email marketing campaign to drive sales from 8 years prior confirmed three things: 

•	The Power of Storytelling
•	The Power of Personal Branding
•	I Needed a Cooler Nickname

If you're looking to:

•	Develop creative paths to success
•	Find opportunities hiding in plain sight
•	Communicate strategic alternatives

Then let's chat!

In a world spinning with possibilities, I believe it's the genuine relationships we forge that make it go round.  And when you apply a bespoke touch to business – tailoring your sales, marketing, and personal brand to resonate with each individual – that's where the magic happens. 

Things I love talking shop about:

•	Customer service that's relationship-focused
•	Critical thinking & problem solving that gets to the root of the problem
•	Storytelling - Ask me about that bingo contest
•	Digital marketing & social media - CHDM certified!
•	Creative ideas & content development

Away from work I love spending time with my family, creating art, playing golf, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Additionally, I support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please message me if you’d like to share your story or need help in reaching your goals.

Don Barnett

Every hotel Salesperson when that 2-day meeting asks for space availability every day for the next 6 months...

Don't get me wrong, having alternative dates is a great thing. But not having a date in mind and asking someone to provide a large swath of availability options isn't reasonable.

Plugging a proverbial puzzle piece into the greater picture takes time.

What do you think is a reasonable number of date options to request?

Creative Solutions for Hospitality Success | Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago | Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer

For a fleeting moment, I actually got some street cred at home. Then I mentioned this 30 more times and now my family is dizzy from rolling their eyes at me...

Grateful to be named to the 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀/𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 in Global Hospitality. 🙏
 
Big thanks to the International Hospitality Institute and Dr. Jeffrey O for the recognition!
 
Consistently creating content that is edutaining to the teeming masses isn't easy.

Aside from the challenge of actually creating it, you have your detractors:

• Family, friends and colleagues that roll their eyes at you
• Those who say, "this isn't how we do things"
• Those deeply committed to tradition, yet strangely allergic to visibility

Somewhere beyond all that, Don Hoteleone emerged… talking hospitality on LinkedIn like it was a good idea. Turns out, it was.
 
If it sparked a thought, a laugh, or a DM, it was worth it.

Winter Travel Tip - Stick to your hotel's restaurants instead of the random hallway sampler trays.

Someone I just met told me, “I feel like I know you.”  
Me: "Have you been reading my diary?"
Because dad jokes.
 
But that 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 they had? That's everything.
 
Because when people feel like they know you:
 
➡️ They say “Sure, let’s chat”  
➡️ They answer your emails without ghosting  
➡️ They tell their friends, “Oh! I know someone perfect for that”
 
Why?

Because consistent authentic content builds 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 
The secret sauce of inbound everything.
 
If someone’s seen your posts, chuckled at your dad jokes, or shared your spicy takes on hospitality... You’re not a cold email.  You’re 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘦.
 
Familiarity breeds opportunity.
 
So post the thing. Say the stuff. Be a little weird.  
Your inbox (and maybe your career) will thank you.

Still posting pics of your beige rooms?
Congrats!
You've created digital melatonin.

I get it. You’re busy. 
The GM is covering night audit, the sales team is trying to fix their printer, and the only guest content is a blurry picture of their room service.

Here’s a better way to create content:

✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀. 
“Housekeeping Heroes.” 
“Front Desk Confessions.”
“Breaking Banquet Chairs."
(Okay, maybe not that last one.)

✅ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲. 
Guests love your hotel. 
Your staff has personality. 
Pet friendly? Who doesn't love pooch pics?

✅ 𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 
Boring posts = crickets. 
Personality posts = clicks, shares, bookings, and someone finally knowing what your hotel actually 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 like.

Want to talk shop? Send me a DM. 
But please know, I have no idea how to fix a broken banquet chair.

Every hotel Salesperson when a client doesn't seem interested in the hotel and you defer to the quirky stuff.

Give me 50 seconds and I'll tell you why just showing up on social media doesn't work.
It's 𝘩𝘰𝘸 you show up. Bear Down!

Feeling overshadowed by hotels that are more “influencer-friendly”?

You know the ones, where every corner is designed for selfies, and even the towels have a bigger following than you.

Fear not! Here’s how to create your own influence (without hiring a TikTok star to dance in your lobby):

➡️ Hospitality on Steroids
Treat your guests like celebrities (minus the outrageous demands). A surprise room upgrade? Free dessert? A welcome beverage? Make them feel special, and they’ll brag about it online.

➡️ Make Headlines (For Good Reasons)
Do something so amazing that your local news station covers it. “Hotel offers guests unlimited free waffles” is way better than “Hotel pool bleaches guests' hair.”

➡️ Befriend the Big Shots
Is there a famous concert venue or sports team nearby? Partner with them. Offer discounts, create events, but start that relationship today.

➡️ Be Unapologetically YOU
Your brand isn’t just a logo, it’s a personality. Consistency wins. If your vibe is “luxurious tranquility,” own it. If it’s “quirky and fun,” lean in. Just don’t be the hotel that tries to be everything and ends up looking like a carnival from hell.

And for the love of free WiFi… post about it! If it’s not on social media, did it even happen?

Which of these will you try first?

Do you walk into networking events scanning name tags like they're expiration dates?
"Ahhhh, you're fresh. Let me tell you what I do."

There's a better way. 

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗼

• Wake from LinkedIn hibernation to announce: “I’m going to __________ event.”
• Show up. 1,000 attendees. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 10 real conversations.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼

• Post on LinkedIn 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺. 
• Let 1,000+ people get to know you 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺
• Show up to the event and people 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦.
• Get warm intros, real convos, and way fewer awkward badge glances.
 
 Conferences are great.  
💡 But LinkedIn is how you keep the energy going 
      every. 
      single. 
      day.
 
What holds you back from jumping in the LinkedIn pool? (the water is great BTW).

Is this the year you take your personal brand seriously?
Because the payoff isn't like and comments.
It's new opportunities, new connections, and being top of mind when it matters most.

Turn up your music, open your mind, and get ready for this... Mmmmmm DROP:

🎤 𝗥𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗻’ 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻’

You don't have to reinvent the wheel with content. 
Study successful professionals in your industry.
Borrow what works, remix it, and make it your own.

🎤 𝗡𝗼 𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗹𝘆𝗻

Building a brand takes relentless consistency. 
Show up daily, share your voice in posts and/or comments, and keep your audience engaged.
Because you can't, you won't, and you don't stop!

🎤 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲

Forget blending in. The loudest, boldest, 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 are the ones that stand out. Lean into your personality.

Are you ready to move the crowd to the break of dawn?

Need a few more tips? Hit me with a DM.

Sales used to be a game of volume. Smile, dial, repeat until someone buys or files a restraining order. 

I’ll take 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 over volume.

Nobody remembers the 57th sales email that starts with “Hey [First Name], just circling back...”

But they 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 remember:

🌟 A GIF instead of a PDF
🌟 Some swag mailed to them
🌟 A consistent presence on LinkedIn
🌟 The help you provide with no quid pro quo

There are a lot of human templates out there.
Be the custom work of art.

Know someone who embodies this? Tag them in the comments and make their day 😁

OTA's have you where they want you.
Running marketing circles around you.
Your hotel's response? DO NOT DISTURB

You can't out-promote OTAs on ad spend......but you can out-charm, out-human, and out-wow them with a single Instagram Reel of:

✨ Your bartender making your signature margarita 
✨ Your book drive to benefit a local charity
✨ Your GSA's tip for best local theatre

Social media gives your hotel the unique opportunity to make guests feel like they already know you before they arrive.

It builds trust with no middlemen, no commission fees, no pop-up circus.

That’s your competitive edge. And you’re letting it collect digital dust.

💡 Pro move: Invest in a social media partner who can turn everyday hotel moments into magnetic content. Because while OTAs sell rooms, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

And experiences start with connection.
Need a referral? I know people.
Or as they say in Chicago, "I gotta guy/lady."

I hate to be the one to say it, but your hotel isn’t cut out for influencer marketing.
 
Not because the property doesn't have a story.  
Not because your team lacks personality.
 
It’s because… 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮.  And influencers can’t tag thin air.
 
What's the 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 side of influencer marketing?

It's their ability to create FOMO.
It's visibility in front a new audience.
It's visibility in front of an engaged audience.

And then seeing things like bookings, F&B reservations, or tickets to events POP.
 
Still not convinced this stuff works?  DM me. I have receipts.

An influencer reached out to work with your hotel?
Here are some 🚩🚩🚩🚩 that you should politely turn them down.

🚫 "Me make good post!"
Grammar? Spelling? What's that? If they can't make words good in an email how can you trust them to professionally represent your brand?

🚫 "Hey there!"
If they open with a generic, impersonal "Hey there!" sent to your general sales inbox, it's not a heartfelt proposal, it's a mass email disguised as a love letter.

🚫 "Can't wait to film an epic sunset reel by your pool!"
But you don't have a pool. And you haven't seen the sun in months (okay, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯'𝘵 seen the sun in months which explains my milky complexion)

🚫 "I have a great following."
But doesn't include social media links. The pros will share their profiles and perhaps a media kit.

What's a lesson you've learned from working with influencers?

My first thought was, "No way."
But it was true.
A free book, no strings attached. And what a book it is.

This book is a philosophical deep dive into wealth, health and happiness

Some great takeaways:

🔖 Play long-term games with long-term people. Invest in relationships.
🔖 Happiness is a state of mind, not a destination. Stop saying, "I'll be happy when..."
🔖 "If you can't decide, the answer is no."
🔖 Quantity of books read is a vanity metric. It's better to read 100 great books over and over to deeply understand them.
🔖 "Facebook redesigns. Twitter redesigns. Personalities, careers, and teams also need redesigns. There are no permanent solutions in a dynamic system."
🔖 "Forget rich versus poor, white-collar versus blue. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱." (my personal favorite takeaway)
🔖 Build specific knowledge that you can use to create leverage.
🔖 This one I already knew - "Don't take yourself so seriously. You're just a monkey with a plan."

A link to the free download is in the comments.
No strings attached. 🤯
Have a great day!

taplio

The Battle

Tommy Clark

Don Barnett

Followers

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Performance ScoreTommy Clark's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDon Barnett's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Tommy Clark

Don Barnett

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Tommy Clark's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDon Barnett's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreTommy Clark's LinkedIn Performance