Tom Ruwitch

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The Tragic, Cautionary Tale of a Speaker Known as Boring

By Tom Ruwitch

There’s an old legend about an up-and-coming motivational speaker who joined the National Speakers Bureau and hired an agent to book gigs. The speaker’s name: William Boring.  The agent begged the speaker to change his name.  “No one will put you on stage with that name,” the agent said.  Reluctantly, the speaker hired a lawyer,…

Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.10.03

By Tom Ruwitch

Recommended ViewingWhat Makes Us Feel Good About Our Work Dan Ariely is a brilliant behavioral economist (more on him below) who explores what motivates us — at work, when we shop, in our relationships, and more. In this TED talk, Ariely describes two fascinating studies that reveal what drives us in the workplace. Recommended Viewing…

Do You Mind If I Blow Cigar Smoke in Your Ear?

By Tom Ruwitch

Sex sells. Always has. Always will. Take this modern day ad for Lindor truffles, oozing with innuendo:  “Taste the Lindor Truffle. Created with passion…Like nothing you’ve ever experienced.”  That would make Milton S. Hershey blush. But here’s the crazy thing… That Lindor spot and other ads released in our 21st-century, anything-goes, twerk-crazy world… …they’re nothing…

Process Automation Gone Wrong. A Cautionary Tale…

By Tom Ruwitch

It began as a shoulder ache. Now I have a headache.  And it’s all because of process automation gone wrong. I woke Monday morning – after a restless, painful night – with a sore shoulder. The pain had spread down my forearm,  to my hand.  I knew these symptoms. I’d had them before – 15…

I have a Feeling You’ll Open This Email Even Though the Subject Line is 103 Characters and 20 Words Long

By Tom Ruwitch

A VIP member of my Content Transformation Academy asked me last week: What’s the ideal length for a subject line?  “Provocative question,” I replied. My answer: “Size doesn’t matter.”  The VIP shot back: “I read ‘shorter is better.’”  “Yeah,” I replied, “Some say short. Some say long.”  I Googled “what’s the proper length for a…

Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.0926

By Tom Ruwitch

Recommended ViewingTim Ferriss and Neil Strauss re: Writing and Creativity Watch the first two minutes of this video. You’ll hear a brilliant insight about how to develop a productive writing habit. Then keep going. The YouTube video description: “…best-selling author and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss sat down with his friend and fellow writer Neil Strauss. Ferriss and…

Email Away — as Long as You Don’t Drop Boredom Bombs

By Tom Ruwitch

I spoke yesterday to a business owner who doesn’t like getting emails… …so she doesn’t want to send them. “I’ll be honest about email lists or subscriptions,” she said. “I don’t really like being on them. because I always feel like I’m being bombarded by emails…So I’m only intending to send (email) out once a…

Lessons Re: Stupid Social “Trends” And The Stupid People Who Report Them

By Tom Ruwitch

Ripped from the headlines: The Food and Drug Administration does not want you to cook chicken in NyQuil I repeat:  The FDA does NOT want you to cook chicken in the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine.  In a “consumer update” on its website, the US government agency…

The Brilliant Way Scammers Find Their Best Marks

By Tom Ruwitch

A few years ago I got an email that claimed to be from my friend Mark. It said, “Hope you are doing well? It takes me great pain to write this email to you and I feel so devastated. My family and I had a trip visiting Manila,(Philippines) unannounced some days back for a short…

Why Social Media Sucks for Selling — And What You can do About It

By Tom Ruwitch

A quick story about the awesome selling power of social media… …or lack thereof: Last month, I heard Kim Garst speak. She’s a Forbes top 10 Social Media Power Influencer with 23,364 followers on LinkedIn.  And she said this:  “I’m known for social media,but only 3% of my salescome from social media.” As Scooby Doo’s…