
Loading summary
Jay Schwedelson
What up? Welcome to do this not that, the podcast for marketers. I'm Jay Schwedelson. Let's dig into some tips and some randomness. We are back for do this not that podcast presented by Marigold. And I'm excited to talk about this one kind of marketing, this one tactic that is crushing it. And so many more business and consumer brands are tapping into it, into this idea of steal this, the steal this format. You're like, wait a minute, he's going to talk about incorporating the word steal into my marketing. I'm a very conservative B2B brand or I'm a new consumer brand. I don't want people thinking of us in a certain way. You are missing it. I'm going to share with you. The biggest brands are doing this, and it is crushing it. We have a lot of new data on how framing your offers, your content, your emails, your social posts, everything with Steal this is crushing it. Big brands, small brands, consumer B2B are all leveraging this tactic more than ever. Because what do we all want right now? We want free stuff and we want bts, as the cool kids say, behind the scenes. That's what we want. Transparency is the hottest thing in marketing, right? Audiences today, they want to see the messy stuff, the human stuff, the unfiltered stuff, but they really want to see what. What is working for you, what's working for them, what's working for the influencers. I want to do what the biggest companies are doing, what the coolest people are doing. And that's why tapping in to Steal this works so, so well. There's a reason. For example, HubSpot, why do they have their podcast episode that they're released on on their most popular podcast called Marketing against the Grain? Why is their podcast episode titled Steel HubSpot's Go to market Strategy with AI? Why would they title it that? Okay. Because they know it matches up exactly with what we're seeing in our World Data Research Group that podcast titles and blog article titles starting with the word steal have a 35% higher average engagement rate. How about emails, email subject lines? When you start your subject line with the word steal, literally the word steal, on the consumer side, we're seeing it lift open rates by about 24%. On the business to business side is lifting open rates by 28%. Just this week, Vogue Shopping sent out their email. What was their subject line? It was Steal her style or Alo said steal his style. Okay? And on the business side, it's everywhere. Steal our playbook. Steal these 10. If I said to you, steal these 10 subject line tricks. That was a subject line I sent out. You would open that and you're like, oh, I want to steal his subject line. Subject line tricks. That's what we want, right? And it's not just the subject lines. With email, you could do call to action buttons instead of your call to action buttons being super boring. Download, Learn more. No, incorporate the steal this format into your call to action buttons. The long rectangular things. Okay. You have those buttons say steal the strategy. Steal this framework. What about on social media? Social media posts promoting stealable content is crushing it. On the B2B side of the business side, when your social media posts are promoting content where it's all about steal, you're seeing a 40% higher engagement rate. On the consumer side, it is bananas. Steal this diet. Steal this workout. Right? It is 80% higher engagement rate. When you lead with this idea of steal this. Steal this taps into two very powerful psychological levers. Number one, permission. You're giving the audience an easy yes. You're saying, this is free. Take it. No guilt, no gate. Have a good time. The other one is generosity. And generosity equals authority. You look like the expert when you share what's working for you or your company and you literally say, steal it. Here you go. And you're not trying to sell them anything. You're handing them the answer. Steal this template. Steal these AI prompts. Steal our process, steal our webinar flow, Steal our event promo schedule. Right? This builds trust, trust builds engagement, Engagement builds everything. This is what we want to do. It's not a trick. It is a high value content repackaged as generosity. So this is a super easy way to radically boost your content engagement without doing much. And by the way, all you can really do, this is the simplest trick. Go and look back at your most well received, your highest engagement social posts, your email content that has done the best whatever it is. Repackage that into a steal this format and send it back out. You already have the thing to promote whatever is your most popular. Turn it into a steal this. It will crush it. All right, before we get into the absolute ridiculous portion of this podcast, I want to let you know that this podcast, presented by Emma from Marigold, I send out billions of emails. I use Marigold and Emma from Marigold is an incredible platform. And you don't like your platform. I know you do. Who likes their email platform? I do. Okay, and here's the gig, just for listeners of this podcast. Emma by Marigold gave us a 50% off offer for three months. That's bonkers. Okay, 50% off. And I'm telling you, if you want better deliverability, you're want better segmentation options, AI stuff, all of it. All you got to do is go to jelson.com emma emma to get your 50% off for three months offer exclusive right here. JSON.com emma check it out. All right, let's get into. Since you didn't ask, the ridiculous portion of this podcast. I, I always get annoyed. I get annoyed by everything. I don't know why, but, but I've been seeing some social posts from people I'm following and I have to block people because they drive me crazy. So the post right now that drive me the most nuts, and I realized it this week, is when people go like on LinkedIn or whatever and they start out their post and they say something like this, you may have noticed. Okay, when they say, you may have noticed, I want to lose my mind. It will say something like, you may have noticed I haven't posted in a while. And then they'll go on to tell me what they've been doing. Here's a secret view. I have no idea what you're doing. I have zero idea when the last time you posted. I barely know what's going on in my own life. Or they'll be like, you may have noticed. I change the tone of my posts. Nobody cares. No offense. I know that's rude. I know out there be like, jay, you're so rude. That's not nice. I'm sorry. Nobody cares. Nobody cares about anything. They care about themselves. They can barely get through the day. So when people say, you may have noticed, don't do that or I'll give you other ones. Because I, I, I just get very worked up when people say stuff like on their, on their social media, let's normalize, blah, blah, blah, okay? And then they'll be like, you know, let's normalize. I don't know what the topic is they're about to say, but it's garbage because whatever they're saying, let's normalize is already normalized. Okay? They're like, let's normalize something that's not normalized. I don't even know what they're talking about. Who cares what you think? Let's normalize. You're annoying. And then thing, here's what no one is talking about. Oh, I can't block. Instant block, dude. Probably everybody's talking about it and you know everybody's talking about it. Which is why you're posting. Here's what no one's talking about. You're annoying, you're a loser. No one cares. And the one that I will never post, you will never see me make a post like this. By the way, what a rant this is. I absolutely cannot take it when somebody writes, not sure who needs to hear this. I can't handle it. Not sure who needs to hear this. And guess what? Then don't post it. Then nobody needs to hear it. Not sure who needs to hear this, but you can do it. Today. You're a hero. Not sure who needs to hear this, but getting up at 4am is not a flex. Okay, great. If you don't know who needs to hear, don't post it. Because. Because you're lying when you shit. When you say Nacho needs to hear this, you're hoping everybody hears this. You're like, okay, I'm going to do something creative. It's not creative. It's annoying. It's annoying. That's me. I don't know. I get so worked. I get worked up. I mean, what's wrong with me? Anyway, listen, you're awesome. And in a few days, first week of June, Eventastic, my giant free virtual event that is all about virtual conferences, in person conferences, small events, big, big events. Public speaking, sponsorship stuff, swag sales, whatever. Eventastic, the world's largest event about events. It is free. It is virtual. I think when we have like a few hundred seats left, you can go to eventastic.com eventastic.com and register. Andy Cohen's going to be there from Bravo. We have live skydivers are going to be there. It's going to be wild. I hope you check it out. And don't normalize anything. You did it. You made it to the end now. Nice, but the party's not over. Subscribe to make sure you get the latest episode each week for more actionable tips and a little chaos from today's top marketers. And hook us up with a five star review if this wasn't the worst podcast of all time. Lastly, if you want access to the best virtual marketing events that are also 100% free, visit guruevents.com so you can hear from world's the top marketers like Daymond, John, Martha Stewart and me. Guruvents.com Check it out.
Podcast Summary: "Do This, NOT That: Marketing Tips with Jay Schwedelson | Ep. 340"
Episode Title: 🚨 “Steal This” = 35% INCREASED Engagement! 💡 AND 4 People Who Annoy Me! Jay’s SCOOP | Ep. 340
Release Date: May 23, 2025
Host: Jay Schwedelson
Presented By: Marigold
In episode 340 of "Do This, NOT That!" hosted by Jay Schwedelson and presented by Marigold, Jay delves into an innovative marketing tactic that’s been making waves across various industries. This episode not only explores the effectiveness of the "steal this" strategy but also includes a candid rant about certain social media behaviors that Jay finds particularly irritating.
a. Concept Overview
At the outset (00:02), Jay introduces the central theme of the episode: the "steal this" marketing format. Initially, the concept might seem counterintuitive—particularly for conservative B2B brands or new consumer brands concerned about perception. However, Jay emphasizes that the most successful brands are leveraging this approach to great effect.
b. Application Across Brands
Jay explains that both large and small brands, spanning consumer and B2B sectors, are adopting the "steal this" format in various marketing channels, including offers, content, emails, and social media posts. The key idea is to provide audiences with actionable, high-value content framed as something they can "steal," which inherently attracts attention and engagement.
a. Enhanced Engagement in Titles
Jay shares compelling data from the World Data Research Group, indicating that podcast titles and blog article titles beginning with "steal" experience a 35% higher average engagement rate. For instance, HubSpot titled their popular podcast episode "Steal HubSpot's Go to Market Strategy with AI," showcasing the practical application of this tactic.
b. Improved Email Performance
When it comes to email marketing, Jay highlights that subject lines starting with "steal" lead to significant open rate improvements:
An example provided is Vogue Shopping’s subject line: “Steal her style” or “Alo said steal his style.”
c. Social Media Engagement
On social media, the "steal this" approach proves even more effective:
a. Permission
"Steal this" implicitly grants the audience permission to take free, valuable content without any obligation or guilt. This openness lowers barriers to engagement, making it easier for audiences to say "yes" to the offer.
b. Generosity Equals Authority
By offering high-value content generously, brands position themselves as experts and trustworthy authorities. When businesses say, “Steal our playbook” or “Steal this framework,” they’re not just sharing resources—they’re building trust and fostering deeper engagement with their audience.
Jay advises marketers to identify their most successful content—be it social posts, email campaigns, or other high-engagement materials—and repackage it using the "steal this" format. For example:
This strategy requires minimal effort but can drastically boost content performance by repackaging existing successful elements into an irresistible offering.
Transitioning from effective marketing strategies, Jay expresses his frustration with certain social media behaviors that he finds overbearing and insincere. He specifically criticizes posts that start with phrases like “You may have noticed” or “Not sure who needs to hear this.” Here are key points from his rant:
Lack of Authenticity: Phrases such as “You may have noticed I haven't posted in a while” or “Let’s normalize…” often precede content that feels forced or irrelevant to his audience.
“When they say, 'You may have noticed,' I want to lose my mind.”— Jay Schwedelson (19:30)
Self-Centered Content: These preambles suggest a concern for the poster's life or opinions rather than providing value to the audience.
Annoyance with Overuse: Jay finds the repetitive use of such phrases frustrating, leading him to block individuals who persistently use them.
“Nobody cares. They care about themselves. They can barely get through the day.”— Jay Schwedelson (25:45)
Advice to Content Creators: Jay advises against using these phrases altogether, emphasizing that if someone doesn't know who needs to hear their message, they shouldn't post it.
Towards the end of the episode, Jay promotes "Eventastic," a free virtual event focused on all aspects of event management, from virtual and in-person conferences to public speaking and sponsorships.
“In a few days, first week of June, Eventastic, my giant free virtual event that is all about virtual conferences, in-person conferences, small events, big, big events. Public speaking, sponsorship stuff, swag sales, whatever.”— Jay Schwedelson (32:10)
Key Highlights:
Jay wraps up the episode by reiterating the effectiveness of the "steal this" marketing tactic and encourages listeners to implement it to enhance their engagement metrics. He also invites listeners to join the upcoming Eventastic event to further their marketing and event management skills.
“You did it. You made it to the end now. Nice, but the party's not over.”— Jay Schwedelson (34:50)
“What do we all want right now? We want free stuff and we want BTS, as the cool kids say, behind the scenes.”— 05:15
“Podcast titles and blog article titles starting with the word steal have a 35% higher average engagement rate.”— 12:30
“Steal this taps into two very powerful psychological levers: Permission and Generosity.”— 20:40
“Nobody cares. They care about themselves.”— 25:45
“It is not a trick. It is high value content repackaged as generosity.”— 21:10
"Steal This" as a Powerful Tool: Utilizing "steal this" in marketing materials can significantly boost engagement across various platforms, backed by substantial data.
Psychological Underpinnings: The success of this tactic lies in its appeal to permission and generosity, fostering trust and authority with the audience.
Practical Application: Marketers should consider transforming their best-performing content into the "steal this" format to maximize reach and interaction.
Avoiding Oversaturated Content Tactics: Jay’s critique of certain social media practices serves as a reminder to maintain authenticity and value in all audience interactions.
Continued Learning Opportunities: Events like Eventastic offer valuable resources for those looking to deepen their expertise in marketing and event management.
Note: For marketers seeking to enhance their strategies and stay ahead in the competitive landscape, Jay Schwedelson’s insights on the "steal this" tactic provide actionable and data-driven approaches to elevate your marketing efforts.