Matt Gray

Your outreach strategy is your reputation. That might sound dramatic. But in a world where one screenshot can rewrite your story, how you connect with people online says everything about what you stand for. It’s not the big brand campaigns that make or break trust. It’s the small moments, the unsolicited DM, the misused name, the pitch disguised as a “connection request.” We live in an era where automation is easy, but intention is rare. And while automation might earn you attention, it won’t earn you respect. It won’t build loyalty. And it definitely won’t sustain your business long-term. Reputation compounds. It compounds when you follow through on your word. It compounds when someone sees your name and associates it with integrity, it compounds when your outreach feels personal, not predatory. The leaders and brands thriving today, and the ones that will be around in 5, 10, or 20 years are the ones playing the long game of trust. They show up consistently, they don’t shortcut connection, and they never confuse visibility with value. At Standout Authority, we’ve seen clients land 6-figure opportunities from a single message, not because of a funnel or a pitch deck, but because they earned trust through consistent, thoughtful presence. It wasn’t one post. It was the person behind the post. If your growth strategy involves pretending to be human, you’re already behind. Real influence doesn’t start with automation. It starts with attention to detail, with genuine outreach, with protecting your name like it’s your most valuable asset, because it is. So next time you’re tempted to “scale” your message, ask yourself this: 🔵 Is this message something I’d send to someone I actually care about? If the answer is no, it’s not the tool that needs fixing. It’s the mindset. Leadership isn’t just what you say on stage. It’s how you show up when no one’s watching. It’s how you treat the inbox, the comments section, the quiet conversations that never go viral. Your reputation isn’t built in campaigns. It’s built in consistency. And trust? That’s still the only thing that scales. #Leadership #ContentStrategy #Marketing #Branding #SocialSelling  

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A few subtle red flags that come up way more often than they should during agency reviews: 🚫 A deck that could've been built for (or by) someone else 🚫 A big idea with zero consideration for budget, timeline, or reality 🚫 A lead presenter who dominates the room 🚫 No mention of why this client matters to the agency 🚫 A close that lacks energy, next steps, and/or a direct ask for the business In a market full of highly capable, hungry agencies, generic won’t cut it. The details matter.

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AI might help you crank content, but it shortcuts the best part of writing - being in touch with the creative spark. There is an aliveness and flow not knowing what will emerge next. Writing is often the first place people experience a divine connection, often unconsciously. Information creatively flows into awareness and you are just there watching it happen. This process is not only magical, but typically highly insightful. When you jam things into GPT or claude and then edit them, you lose this precious experience. One approach connects us to something greater, while another, treats the creative process as a means to an end to get somewhere that we think will get us connection. I'm all for using AI to help with certain things I don't like doing including components of the writing process (i.e. find a better word, phrase etc). But I definitely don't think it's worth completely wholesaling out the best part of the process.

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“Let’s grow first. Fix later.” That’s how many CEOs justify delay. 🚨 But here’s the truth 👇 You can’t scale what’s already BROKEN. Declining margins? Blurry cost centers? Teams firefighting daily issues? 📉 These aren’t SMALL distractions. They’re SYSTEMIC signs your foundation can’t carry more weight. You don’t build a second floor on a shaky structure. 🏗️ At CE Interim, we often get called after the scaling FAILS. Not because the idea was wrong But because the EXECUTION never had a stable base. 💡 If you’re hiring for GROWTH, but not fixing cashflow, cost logic, or clarity… pause. ⏸️ RESTRUCTURING isn’t the enemy of strategy. It’s what makes strategy realistic. 💯 🚧 Want to scale? Start with stability. #TurnaroundLeadership #GrowthStrategy #InterimCEO #OperationalExcellence #BusinessRestructuring

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B2B truth I wish I knew sooner: everything starts with strong positioning. If I think there's a positioning issue, I immediately put a halt on ad spend, content creation, and anything else. The B2B market is so crowded. If you're not hitting your "sweet spot," your customers won't see any value, and your time and money will be wasted. What is the sweet spot? It's where your history, your product, and your market all align. History -> Analyze your sales history to identify successful strategies and high-performing customer segments, allowing you to refine your positioning for maximum impact. Market -> Conduct market research to identify unserved needs, define your target market, and gather insights to ensure your positioning resonates with the right audience and fills market gaps. Product -> Focus on what sets your product apart by highlighting the features that address your customers' pain points and creating a value proposition that makes it the best choice for your ideal customers. When it all comes together, you'll have a product positioned to dominate its niche, resonate deeply with its target audience, and drive sustainable growth. #salesenablement #sales

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Many thanks for the 📚 Book Recommendation Tej Gill CA CTA Positioning If you work in branding, marketing, sales or run a business of any kind. Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout is a must-read. It’s not about gimmicks or trends. It’s about how your brand (or product, or message) lives in the mind of your customer. And how to win that mental real estate before someone else does. It taught me that success isn’t just about being better it’s about being different in a way that matters. Here are a few key takeaways that stuck with me: ✅ You can’t change the mind — only reinforce what’s already there ✅ Being first in a category is more powerful than being best ✅ The battle isn’t in the marketplace — it’s in the customer’s head Still relevant decades later. A short, sharp read that will likely shift the way you think about marketing forever. What books shaped your thinking when it comes to branding or strategy? Drop your favourites below 👇 Also a brief note that our weekly newsletter is having a week off but will be back next week. If anyone has a pitch deck or any events to share then please send them over

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