100 Followers: How I Evolved an Effective Plan
It Starts With a Goal
I had been developing Cynical Theory for several decades and had a dream to present my ideas.
I discovered Medium in 2020 and followed several authors with three free reads per month. In early 2021, I joined Medium because three free reads weren’t satisfying my content fix.
In 2022, I started my Medium writing journey. I published several articles on Medium and Substack. I even got some followers…
The recommendation to new authors is to write to discover your “voice.” After many months of writing, I wasn’t happy with my results. I struggled with communicating my ideas, setting the proper tone, and finding my voice.
I decided the articles just weren’t good enough for public consumption.
I deleted everything.
I put on my analyst hat to identify my unique point of view, the value I intended to deliver to the audience, and how I would approach my writing “career.”
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, but I committed to pursuing my vision this January. I retooled my Medium profile and publication in preparation.
I was back on track…
Where’s the Plan?
I wish I had created the perfect plan initially, but that isn’t true.
Life is messy; real-life planning is messier!
No plan survives first contact with the enemy.
- Various attributions
All I had to start with was my commitment to myself.
Sometimes life kicks you in the n*ts, and sometimes life kicks you in the *ss!
While I was consumed with analysis paralysis, empty-page syndrome, and self-doubt, a gift dropped into my inbox. It was a 5-day Online Writing Challenge by Sinem GĂĽnel.
That was what I needed to jump-start and keep me motivated.
Participating in the challenges and learning helped me improve my skills and gave me the confidence to commit to my goal.
One of the challenges was to interact with other writers. I am not an avid social media participant, so this was a stretch goal.
Another challenge was to add your information to a google sheet of all the Challenge participants, review the profiles of other participants, and find writers you can relate to. When I added my details, I was 85th on the list.
As I perused the list, the marketing clue stick hit me. It was a list of writers that I had something in common with (the Challenge) — I should follow them all.
This discovery was a turning point for me…
The Messy Middle
The next day, my follower count increased!!!
I had stumbled upon the kernel of a plan.
Every day, I checked the google sheet and followed everyone who had added themselves since I last checked. Each day, another group of writers added themselves. It continued even a week after completing the Challenge.
In the end, I followed 160 writers from the Challenge.
I should have easily hit 100 followers. Right?
Well, not so fast.
Writers are human and follow the Cynical Theory rules of human behavior.
A body remains at rest … unless acted upon by a force.
- Isaac Newton
Only a small subset of those I followed returned the initiative.
Back to the drawing board…
Around this time, I read an article that proposed following other writers without any expectation of a follow in return. You may see altruism; I see marketing!!!
It is a classic implementation of the sales funnel. You put a lot in; you get a little out!
Anyone who has worked in Sales knows it’s a numbers game. The more you put in, the more you will get out.
It’s the same with getting followers…
Executing the Plan
I stumbled upon following writers in the Challenge and didn’t capture tracking information initially. Now that I had a specific daily task, I measured the results. (Yeah, I’m anal that way!)
I decided to group the follows I gave and received by the number of writer’s followers. As a business analyst, I wanted to gather information on which writers would be the best to follow to optimize my approach.
I assumed a writer with less than 100 followers would be more likely to follow me in return than a writer who had crossed that barrier and currently had several hundred followers. Seems logical. Right?
Nope  - we’re butting our heads against human nature again!!!
When I executed my plan, I did 150 follows every second day. I left a day gap to match my follows against the generated return follows. I was trying to minimize data skewing from the long tail.
When I performed my follows in the morning (I’m in the Pacific time zone), I would receive follows that day (thanks to all you active social animals). Most of my return follows accumulated by morning the next day, though.
Analyzing the Results
I had 50 followers when I began the formal plan of following 150 writers per day. I received the additional 50 followers in roughly six days (by gifting 150 follows every second day).
Based on my experience, I extrapolate you can gain 100 followers in a week by adopting this plan.
Be Cynical,
GB
Data Analysis
You can calculate ratios from the numbers I’ve provided in this article. (I know the mathematically inclined have already done that!!!)
I haven’t provided the actual statistics and ratios in this article because there are several assumptions and numerous variables. I would be irresponsible and unprofessional by publishing statistics without disclosing the context.
Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics
- Various attributions
It irks me when people, who don’t understand the data and its interpretation, misconstrue the meaning in numbers. Therefore I will disclose the data I gathered in Part 3, 100 Followers: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics.
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