Blake Bell (u/blake_bell29)

Posts

Hot take: ABM content used to be way too salesy for me

Back in 2022 I was writing ABM nurture emails that basically screamed "buy our product" in every paragraph. Barely got a 2% click rate. Now I lead with a case study from a similar industry first, like a recent one for a mid-size SaaS firm in Austin, and then softly introduce our solution. Click rates went up to around 8% after that shift. Has anyone else found that toning down the pitch works better with enterprise buyers?

2 comments

c/awkward-date-stories•

blake_bell29•18d ago

Remember when coffee dates meant a quick meetup not a whole production?

Met this girl at a diner in Portland back in 2012 and she spent the first 15 minutes taking photos of her latte for Instagram before even saying hi. Has anyone else noticed dates turning into photo shoots instead of actual conversations?

3 comments

c/content-strategy•

blake_bell29•24d ago

Heard a junior writer say 'SEO is dead' and I just laughed

I was sitting in a coffee shop last week and overheard some kid telling his friend that SEO doesn't matter anymore because of AI. Made me think back to 2015 when everyone said the same thing about Google updates. I've been doing content strategy for 8 years now and every time someone claims a channel is dead, it just means they don't want to put in the work. The basics still work - write for people, not algorithms, and watch your analytics. Has anyone else noticed how the newbies always chase shiny objects instead of sticking with what actually drives traffic?

3 comments

c/diesel-mechanics•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

Had to pick between a junkyard motor and a reman for my 5.9 Cummins

Threw a rod in my '02 Ram last month and had to make the call. Junkyard motor was $1,200 with 180k miles on it, no warranty. Reman from the local shop was $3,800 with a 2 year parts guarantee. I went with the reman because I didn't want to gamble on someone else's problems. Got it dropped in last week and it runs smooth, no leaks, oil pressure is solid at idle. Has anyone else seen those junkyard motors hold up long term or is that just asking for trouble?

3 comments

c/chefs•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

The great stock simmer debate: lid on or lid off?

For years in my first kitchen job, we kept the stockpot lid on tight, simmering for 8 hours straight. The head chef said it kept the heat in and saved energy. After moving to a spot in Chicago, the new chef made us simmer with the lid off, claiming it made a clearer, cleaner flavor. I've been doing it his way for about a year now and I think he's right, but it uses more gas. Which method do you all use and why?

3 comments

c/brand-loyalty-wars•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

I swore by my old running shoes until I tried a pair of Hokas last month

For years I stuck with the same brand because they never gave me blisters, even though my knees hurt after every 5k. My friend in my running club basically forced me to try her Hoka Clifton 9s for a single loop around the park. The cushion was insane, like running on clouds, and my knee pain was gone the next day. Anyone else have a brand they were loyal to that turned out to be holding them back?

3 comments

c/archaeology-discoveries•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

Vent: A site director in Jordan told me 'context is everything' after I almost bagged a sherd alone.

I was about to log a single pottery fragment from a test pit, but he made me map the entire 2-meter square first. Has anyone else had a simple find completely change their field method?

3 comments

c/auto-body-repairers•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

I used to hate working on aluminum hoods until I switched to a different sander

For years, I'd get so much heat buildup and warping on aluminum panels with my old 6-inch rotary sander. About three months ago, I tried a 3-inch pneumatic orbital sander on a Ford F-150 hood repair, and it was a total game changer. The smaller pad and slower speed let me control the heat way better, and I didn't have to worry about messing up the metal. Has anyone else found a specific tool that made a tough job way easier?

3 comments

c/botany-lovers•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

Appreciation post: My friend's offhand comment about her fern collection

She said she talks to them while watering, and I always thought that was a bit much. But then I noticed my own peace lily perked up after I started playing music in the kitchen, maybe it's not just about the water. Anyone else have a plant that seems to respond to something besides basic care?

3 comments

c/elevator-mechanics•

blake_bell29•1mo ago

A veteran mechanic in Chicago told me my gear cleaning method was just moving grease around, so I switched to a three-bucket system with specific brushes for each part.

Has anyone else found a better way to get all the old lube out of a worm gear without taking the whole assembly apart?

3 comments

Posts

Hot take: ABM content used to be way too salesy for me

Remember when coffee dates meant a quick meetup not a whole production?

Heard a junior writer say 'SEO is dead' and I just laughed

Had to pick between a junkyard motor and a reman for my 5.9 Cummins

The great stock simmer debate: lid on or lid off?

I swore by my old running shoes until I tried a pair of Hokas last month

Vent: A site director in Jordan told me 'context is everything' after I almost bagged a sherd alone.

I used to hate working on aluminum hoods until I switched to a different sander

Appreciation post: My friend's offhand comment about her fern collection

A veteran mechanic in Chicago told me my gear cleaning method was just moving grease around, so I switched to a three-bucket system with specific brushes for each part.

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