Eric YimIdeas & field notes

Eric Yim · Personal writing

The notebook.

Notes on storytelling, building Protocol, and the people behind the work.

An empty theater stage seen toward rows of seats and bright lights.

A bigger marketing budget does not mean a better fit

A smaller service business can help customers judge fit by explaining its scope, process, availability and limits. I think staying silent because a competitor spends more leaves useful options unseen.

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Closed red theater curtains under stage lights.

Eric Yim: How theater helped me find my voice

High school theater and speech gave me a way to tell stories and come out of my little bubble. Here's what that experience means to me, with an exercise for service business owners who struggle to explain what they know.

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An open cream-colored notebook with a pen laid diagonally across it.

The five questions behind a clear business story

Your business content should explain what you see, the problem you want to address, why you’re suited to help, how your process works and what supports your claims. Here’s how to find the explanation your content is missing.

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The structure and cables of a bridge stretching across water.

Eric Yim: Why relationships are hard to copy

Eric Yim explains why personal relationships, care with a business's story, and small product details would be difficult to copy at Protocol Text, and how service business owners can evaluate that care.

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Paper moving through the rollers of a printing press.

The cost of sharing your message has changed

Technology has reduced the time and money needed to share a service business’s message. Eric Yim explains how to use that change without confusing faster content with faster results.

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A well-used workshop wall and bench holding many different tools.

One Size Does Not Fit Every Customer

Your service list tells people what you do. Your values and story help them understand how you work and decide whether that fits what they care about.

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Hands typing on a smartphone in a softly lit work setting.

Why I want marketing to happen through text

I want marketing through text to help an owner turn a rough thought into a clear draft, correct it, and understand what happens next. The interaction details matter as much as the text box.

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A silhouette holding a large megaphone against a light background.

Word of mouth can reach further

If referrals already bring you good customers, marketing can help that trust travel further. Eric Yim explains what to share, how to start, and what to look at besides views.

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A cluster of pastel and bright balloons floating against a blue sky.

The Story Behind Her Balloons and Gelatin Cakes

A conversation about balloons and gelatin cakes reminded me how much a service business owner can leave unsaid. Here’s how to explain what your work means without turning your story into a sales pitch.

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A green cutting mat with measurement lines and pencils at the edge.

You can show proof before you have a case study

A new service business can show what’s true now: local presence, preparation and an observable process. Here’s how to connect each claim to evidence without implying results you haven’t delivered.

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A white measuring tape arranged in a wave on a yellow background.

Eric Yim: Views Need a Path to Real Value

Views can help a service business, but the count alone doesn't tell you much. Eric Yim explains how to connect content with relevant viewers, useful next steps and inquiries worth tracking.

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Hands pouring steamed milk into a cup of coffee to create latte art.

Eric Yim: Why the product experience matters to me

I care about how a product looks and feels because the details reflect decisions about the people using it. Here’s how I’d evaluate that care when choosing marketing software for a service business.

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A finished coffee beside ground coffee and beans on a work surface.

The right service might be your neighbor

People can’t consider a service they don’t know exists. Eric Yim explains how independent service businesses can help nearby customers recognize a good fit without making a big sales pitch.

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A broad stone staircase with one small figure climbing at the edge.

Balance the Big Vision and the Daily Details

A big business goal needs work you can finish this week. Eric Yim explains how to connect the two, decide when to move quickly, and check the details without getting stuck polishing.

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A magnifying glass held above a laptop keyboard.

AI still needs your discernment

AI can amplify your skills, but you still need to check its assumptions. Eric Yim explains how service business owners can evaluate marketing advice before using it.

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A retractable metal tape measure extended across a plain surface.

What should hands-on marketing help actually include?

Hands-on marketing help should make the work understandable and spell out what still needs your input. Eric Yim explains the middle ground he wants to build and how service owners can compare it with DIY.

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Orderly shelves of bound books in a dark wooden bookcase.

Why I’d Invest in Content That Can Last

Paying more for content makes sense when the extra work creates something customers can keep using. Here’s how I’d compare proposals, choose lasting topics, and plan for updates.

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A person seen from behind holding a compass toward a mountain landscape.

A future where customers find the right fit

Eric Yim shares his belief that customers could find businesses through shared values, practical needs, and budget, and explains what service business owners can make clear today.

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A blue storefront with a bicycle parked outside its display window.

The cost of keeping a good service invisible

When people can't find or understand a good service, the cost includes help they never receive. Eric Yim explains how independent service businesses can make their value clear without making big promises.

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A magnifying glass on pale blue paper.

Low visibility can start to feel like low value

A quiet service business can leave you questioning everything. Before deciding that nobody cares, look at where people stop: finding you, understanding the offer, inquiring, choosing or receiving the service.

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A narrow staircase rising toward daylight between plain walls.

Eric Yim: On the hard days, at least show up

On days when getting better feels out of reach, I come back to maintaining. For an independent service business owner, that can mean protecting one commitment and leaving bigger improvements for another day.

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A camera body and two lenses arranged on a dark surface.

I still feel awkward when the camera turns on

I can talk comfortably without a camera, even with a voice recorder running. Video feels different. Here's a low-pressure recording experiment for service owners who want to share a useful answer without forcing a different personality.

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A large tree standing in an open field in warm morning light.

How far I want to take this mission

I want to help people gain the confidence to speak and amplify what they have to say. That ambition comes from knowing what it feels like to stay quiet, and it shapes what I want to work on now.

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Tall library shelves filled with books in a quiet reading space.

Your content does not have to go viral

A service business post can help someone make a decision without getting millions of views. Eric Yim explains what to publish, where to keep it, and how to judge its usefulness.

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A hand holding a pencil above an open notebook.

Learning AI starts with a conversation

You can start learning AI with one real business task and a conversation. Eric Yim explains what to ask, how to improve a weak answer, and where your judgment still matters.

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A sharpened pencil resting on an open blank notebook.

What perfectionism has cost me

Trying to create the perfect product before talking to people has hurt me. Here’s how I think about balancing quality with getting feedback, and a practical exercise for service business owners.

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One slim paintbrush standing against a plain white background.

Eric Yim: Why I give real work away for free

I write articles about people for free because I want to spend time learning their story and give them something useful without asking for anything back. Here’s how that connects to my approach at Protocol Text.

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A hand writing in a notebook at a table beside a window.

Give your service business message one foundation

You can post about different things without sending different messages. Eric Yim explains how to connect service business content to one foundation, with a practical exercise for choosing what belongs.

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A small sign reading We Are Open in a window surrounded by plants.

No revenue? Look at how you talk about your work

If your service business isn't getting work, start by checking what people understand about your services and who actually sees that message. Eric Yim explains how to find the gap before spending more on marketing.

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A microphone silhouetted under a spotlight on a dark stage.

I Used to Be Afraid to Say What I Thought

Eric Yim reflects on being afraid to speak as a kid, why helping others share their stories matters to him, and where a hesitant service business owner can begin.

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Cafe tables and hanging lights in front of a service counter.

Who Protocol Text is built for

I’m building Protocol Text for service business owners who want help telling their story without becoming marketers themselves. Here’s how to think through the fit and clarify what you need.

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Blank note cards, a tan envelope and a pen on a light surface.

Eric Yim: The message that made this work matter

People have told me they'd return to their stories when they felt down, to remember why they were doing any of this. That response helps explain why I care about interviewing people and sharing their stories.

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Wooden hand tools and a small wooden box on a sunlit carpenter's workbench.

Find what makes your service business different

Start with what you notice, the problem you want to be known for, and the way you handle the work. Eric Yim explains how to turn those details into a clear, supportable marketing message.

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A better fit

The future I want to help build starts with a more thoughtful introduction.

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Start with a question.

100 answers across five parts of the work.