I'm not talking about questions in general, or ones that you ask in daily conversation.

I'm talking about questions you put in your marketing, ones that you post on social media to drive engagement, and what you ask in podcast interviews.

Here are the common problems I see:

The question is simplistic, leading to an obvious answer. And thus, the question isn't interesting. It's just a wasted opportunity. Think: Do you want more leads? Well, sure, don't we all. Better: Do you want quality leads? Of course; you're getting warmer. Best: Struggling to get quality leads from your organic channels? Now we're talking! This is specific.

People think there's a right or wrong answer. If the question triggers an emotional response, forcing people to choose a side can be great engagement bait. But if you're fostering a discussion — whether in public, like a Twitter chat, or in a podcast, this is a sure-fire way to get someone to clam up. They start worrying more about having the perfect answer than conversing with you.

The question is hyperbolic yet vague. What's your best advice for marketers? What's the fastest way to grow a channel? Who's the smartest person you've ever met? All of these might inspire thoughts, but if you were forced to choose only one answer, I bet you'd get a cortisol rush, stumble over your response, and then hours later, wish you said something else.

So... what sparked these thoughts? My friend Brianne Fleming hosts an amazing weekly Twitter discussion called #PopChat, where participants (and anyone can join!) get to answer her open-ended questions about marketing through the lens of pop culture.

Brianne joined my YouTube show and we ended up having a meta discussion on what makes a good question, and we answered her #PopChat questions, covering topics like career breaks, vinyl records, and more.

Our discussion about questions is around the 7-minute mark, so check it out! And be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don't miss the next live show, in about 2 weeks.

🍎 Wait List Open: Content Marketing 201

I just wrapped up the beta cohort of Content Marketing 201. The whole experience was like a marathon sprint of putting together my most useful content marketing advice for brands. It was an absolute blast... and I'm wiped. 😅

Now I'm pumped for cohort 2, which begins at the end of May!

Here's the deal: Due to high demand and my goal to make this course accessible to people of various means, I need to increase the price to $1,000. This allows me to offer scholarships and be considerate of price parity across regions. If you want to secure the first-cohort rate of $800, click here. I'll follow up later this week with your unique promo code.

🍰 Petits Fours

Four bite-sized blurbs linking to content worth consuming...

​We should rethink our good retirement habits: Let's say you died at 85, leaving your 50-year-old child a sizable inheritance. It would be nice, but you could make the case that that money is more impactful for their kids, or your grandchildren. A great thread from Khe Hy that will make you think critically about your retirement fund.

​Tips for creating a journal template in Notion: I tweeted about starting a weekly review and it resonated with folks! So here, I'm sharing the template and learnings I started with. It's from my dear friend and Notion OG Marie Poulin.

​Spicy takes about education, life, and being a woman: "Calling pregnancy and labor "magical" is a dangerous narrative. It prevents us from finding scientific answers about our bodies. And when it comes to THE oldest activity in human history... why do we accept the fact that there's so much mystery behind it?" (Yes, I'm linking to my own thread. It's my newsletter, whataboutit.)

​Two dudes working out in the snow, while a bear hangs out in the background: The weirdest video you will see today.

🍚 Crispy Salmon Rice Bowl

I promise this is easy.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 8 oz salmon fillet, sliced into bite-sized chunks
• Paprika
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• 1/3 cup of rice vinegar
• 1teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
• Furikake (if you have it)

Optional: Spicy Mayo

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

1. Cook rice in the rice cooker. Meanwhile, season the salmon cubes with paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Toss in the sliced cucumber.

3. In a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium heat, add a teaspoon of sesame oil. When warm, saute the seasoned salmon cubes on both sizes until it looks like it's probably crispy, about 4 minutes on each side.

4. If using spicy mayo, mix together mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl. Add a teaspoon of water to thin out the consistency so that it's drizzle-able.

5. Plate! Add rice to a bowl. Top with crispy salmon on one side. Add pickled cucumbers on the other side. Drizzle with spicy mayo. Shake over furikake seasoning.

Note: I know, it's kind of sacrilege to cut up your protein before cooking it, but this way, it gets all crispy and yummy which is a different kind of texture than you might be used to for salmon. It's also a fun way to make sure you don't under-cook your fish. Anyway, if this makes you angry, then maybe saute the salmon as a filet and do it your way.

🤔 This format was kinda different

Didja notice? Did you like it? Hate it? Reply to me and tell me what you think.

That's all for now! See ya in two weeks.