So I kind of next-leveled this advice from marketing expert Andrew Sumitani of TINY pulse, who tweeted this amazing step-by-step help to gain website conversions:

“Today's marketing tip.

1. Write down 50 things you can do for customers.

2. Find the one you do best.

3. Stick that one on your homepage.

4. Send the other 49 to your parents.

5. Enjoy more website conversions.”

I took Andrew’s unsolicited advice and here’s what happened.

Step One: Write down 50 things you can do for your customers

Normally, I tap “like” on a tweet, think to myself, “Well done, marketing influencer person,” and move on with my day. But this one struck me like a bowling ball to the foot (or something like that) for a few reasons, but mostly because I was really curious if I could even create a list of 50 things I can do for my clients.

I wasn’t expecting a full-on existential crisis, but the universe shoved one my way regardless.

Here’s a taste of how things went down in my head.

Me: Cool! I’m totally going to make a list of 50 things I do for my clients.

Also me: Yeah! You go!

Opens fresh Google Doc and saves as “Andrew Sumitani Project.” Begins typing a list of 50 things. … Gets to a solid 19 things. Types #20, stares at the blank line and succumbs to total mental paralysis.

Me: OMG, do I even do 50 things?

Also me: I do 50 things!

Me again: What if the 50 things I do are all just the same thing over and over?

Also me: I can come up with 50 things, Me.

Me: I’m a fraud! I do nothing! Everyone is a “writer” these days. What am I even doing with my life? And why is it all going so fast?

Also me: I’ll be 50 in nine years.

Me: OMG I’ll be 50 in nine years!

So I spent a good deal of the rest of my morning worried about the list, in addition to my own mortality, of course. I waffled between feeling confident and wanting to close up my little content shop and pursue a career in I-didn’t-even-know-what … basketry?

My 50 Things

Several hours later, I mustered up my 50 things. In no particular order, here they are:

Website content development
Content experience - general
Blogs
Ebooks
Case studies
White papers
Newsletters
Fundraising appeal letters
Book writing
Book editing
SEO/SEM
Emails
Employee communications
Crisis communications
Leadership communications
Speech writing
Persona development
Interviews
Ghostwriting
Creative concepting
In-app microcopy
Content audits
Process development
Creative journalism
Historic timelines
Video script writing
FAQs
Talking points
Technical writing
Press releases
Creative pitching
Brand style guides
Proofreading
Developmental editing
SaaS content branding
Copy editing
Social media content
Social media strategy
Strategic communications planning
Client relationship management
Resume writing
Cover letters
Process and project management
Customer journey mapping
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Letters
Taglines
Brand storytelling and archetypes
Alcohol-free advocacy
Alzheimer’s activism

Whew. I made it. Granted, the last two, alcohol-free advocacy and Alzheimer’s activism are more passion projects, I included them anyway, because they are closely tied to who I am as a person and I write often about both.

Step Two: Find the one you do best

At its most fundamental level, my list is really a compilation of the same two things 50 times over, which are writing and editing. In other words, I had built a list of tactics based on the two core products I offer as a content shop.

Further, if I were to condense those two things — writing and editing — into one thing, it would be content. I do content the best, and that means being able to do all 50 things listed really well so my clients have a full suite of communication tactics available to them when they work with me.

But, to Andrew’s point, why confuse people with 50 tricks in my hat when I can tell them clearly and succinctly, “Hey, I make content and I’m pretty darn good at it”?

I absolutely loved this unsolicited advice and I’m so glad I took it. Thanks, Andrew!

Step Three: Stick that one on your homepage

I thought I had already done an OK job defining what it is I actually do at lonna.co, but after running through the exercise so far, I realized my homepage didn’t literally say, “Hey, I write and edit content for people!”

So I made a few updates, namely to the hero spot, though admittedly minor ones that won’t likely affect my website conversions (see Step Five).

New hero spot:

Step Four: Send the other 49 to your parents

Well … that’s impossible. Since I don’t talk to my dad (TMI) and my mom has advanced Alzheimer’s, that step was going to be a little tricky for me. So I compromised and sent my list of things to a mom and a dad, dear friend Amanda McKinnon of MSpire and another dear friend Patrick Kirby of Do Good Better Consulting.

As any great parents would, they doted on my list and said things like, “Don’t change a thing,” and “Look at you go!” and suddenly I felt like I wanted to add another 50 things just to feel the glee of praise all over again. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Step 5: Enjoy more website conversions

At the time of this post, I had a total of zero new conversions to my website, which was totally fine and not surprising, given the fact I made the updates at the same time as I wrote this content. Also, as any content person knows, rising up the ranks in Google is a marathon, not a sprint. I’ll report back when I have a million new customers.

Three unsolicited takeaways

Andrew’s advice to make a list of 50 things your company does and whittle it down to one key benefit was an amazing exercise for a few reasons. My three big takeaways on this one are:

You do a lot more than you think you do for your clients and customers.
Communicating one major benefit, rather than several benefits or features (like a list of 50 things), is a great way to make it clear what you have to offer and what you’re best at. Keep it simple!
Remember that you still do the other 49 things, but your #1 thing is your jam and nobody can take that magic away from you.

List 50 Things Your Company Does, Then Cut the List to One Thing