A couple days ago, I almost gave up writing this week’s newsletter.
I’ve got a big project deadline at my day job, as the friendly neighborhood architect.
Plus, I’m helping some coaching clients rewrite their marketing information.
And I was a little tapped out on valuable ideas for you…
Then, whilst wallowing in my stew of rejection and self-pity…
I plopped down on the couch next to my wife, who was watching a documentary on slime mold. [You know… as you do…]
It’s that yellow goo that grows on rotting leaves. Anyway…
Turns out this nasty-sounding stuff is a content strategy genius.
As I watched it slowly ooze across the screen and the narrator explained what it was doing, I realized it does what I’ve learned to do with my online content.
And what a lot of product reps and marketing teams could be doing better.
So, I hopped off the couch and ran back down to my office to write…
Why a blob with no brain could outperform both of us online
Meet Physarum polycephalum.
A single-celled blob with zero brain cells that can still solve mazes using a brilliant process of decentralized exploration and optimization.
It does this by:
- Spreading out to find food [its goal]
- Sending tendrils (psuedopodia) out in all directions
- When a tendril finds food, it reinforces it with more resources
- Pulling back from the ones that don’t [saving energy]
And it just keeps cycling through that. Explore. Reinforce. Withdraw. Repeat.
Which made me think:
“Man… if slime mold ran a marketing department… it’d be crushing it on LinkedIn.”
“Still sounds nasty… what’s that gotta’ do with me?!?”
OK, fair enough! I’ll show you…
- The “maze” is the multi-channel digital space where architects get information (LinkedIn, industry sites, email, etc.)
- Your “food sources” are engaged architects and new opportunities
- Your “slime mold body” is your existing content (AIA presentations, articles, newsletters, and case studies)
- Your “tendrils” are the smaller, repurposed content pieces you’ll create from these assets.
Most of us treat content like a single tendril, posting a link in one place and hoping it connects. The slime mold has a better approach. It spreads widely, explores often, and strengthens connections.
This approach can build a powerful content flywheel for you.
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The “Slime Mold Strategy” for Product Reps
Here’s the slime mold blueprint for your content flywheel:
Step 1: Explore widely (break stuff down)
Take one big piece of content (a product demo, an AIA presentation, a newsletter) and extract the good stuff. Things like:
- 3-5 key insights or takeaways
- Visuals (diagrams, project photos)
- A client story (even better if it’s messy)
- One surprising insight
- 2 punchy quotes
Example: Let’s say you’ve got an article on sustainable windows on your website. Pull a stat on energy savings, a quote on occupant comfort, and a photo of a notable project.
Step 2: Spread it out (repurpose for platforms)
Slime mold doesn’t just plop down and pray. It moves.
Your content should too.
Take those nuggets and adapt them for each platform:
- LinkedIn → Punchy text post. Short article. Video clip. Or a carousel.
- Instagram → Pretty infographic + quote
- Newsletter → One nugget from the presentation + link to deeper article
- Sales follow-up → “Hey, this reminded me of our convo…”
Example: You can convert that window energy-saving stat into a LinkedIn post, an Instagram graphic, and a newsletter.
Step 3: Reinforce success (watch what clicks)
Where are your ideal architect prospects actually engaging? [Not just your coworkers or other reps.]
Monitor your analytics. Which posts get likes, comments, shares, or clicks? What drives traffic to your website?
Double down on what works. Throw out what doesn’t.
Example: If LinkedIn polls spark discussion, do more polls. If Instagram carousels get saved, create more visual summaries.
Step 4: Adapt & optimize (blob smarter, not harder)
Slime mold doesn’t waste energy on what’s not working. Neither should you.
If a post or platform has low engagement, look at the format or timing. Test something different. Don’t keep using ineffective tactics.
Example: If your infographic on U-factor tanks. Maybe your ideal audience isn’t on Instagram. Or maybe “U-factor” isn’t exactly setting hearts on fire. Find new angles. Try it on LinkedIn.
Keep testing and iterating!
Bottom Line: Get your content flywheel spinning!
Most reps “post once and pray.” That’s not a strategy. That’s a wish.
Be slime mold. Spread out. Test. Reinforce. Adapt. Before long, you’ve got a content flywheel spinning… bringing architects in from all directions.
And unlike the gooey original, you don’t even need to live on a log.
Want help breaking down your latest AIA talk into content nuggets?
Hit reply and we can chat about it.
Otherwise, as Bruce Lee was famous for saying, “Be slime mold, my friend…”
[Or maybe he said “be water…” but whatever!]
The point is: spread out, explore, and build a powerful network for your expertise.
That’s it for this week!
Cheers to building more than just buildings, and see you next week,
Neil “Who-you-callin’-slimy?” Sutton
Architect | Product Rep Coach
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