[PaulHoule]

Well the people he was talking to were at places like The New York Times who are so convinced of their superiority that they wouldn't talk to startup royalty (founder of Waze, backed by a16z) who had a polished product, never mind us!

I dunno how bad it is with email. My current adventure in marketing has been a hybrid of in-person and social media, I go “out” as a fox-photographer to get smiles from people, get approached several times a day, hand out a lot of business cards, my fame spreads and I get approached more often. It’s changed my point of view on a lot of things.

[solarisos]

The 'fox-photographer' approach is brilliant because it’s a high-friction, high-signal activity. It’s the ultimate proof that you aren’t a bot.

My takeaway from your story is that the 'inbox' isn't just a technical place anymore; it's a social one. Ten years ago, the barrier was just finding the address. Now, the address is public, but the barrier is 'Proof of Humanity.'

Do you think we’re heading toward a future where B2B 'cold' outreach only works if it's preceded by an offline or social signal? If so, the entire 'Verified List' industry is essentially selling a map to a city that has already pulled up its drawbridges.