Tom Ruwitch
I used to work with a guy who bragged about his email open rates and social media likes… …but struggled to grow his business. While his business flirted with failure, he celebrated “success” based on vanity metrics. Email opens and social engagement are swell. They make us feel good. Each open and like strokes our…
Here’s a sad but true tale about a marketing “expert” whose advice was SO BAD it belongs in the Storytelling Hall of Shame. I stumbled across him on LinkedIn. He had 10,000+ followers so I thought he was credible… …until he said you should NEVER begin a story by saying, in effect, “Here comes a story.” A…
I heard this story from a business owner named Chris who lost a little money before making a lot. The story begins with paid advertising and a low-cost product. Chris invested in ads to drive cold leads to a page where he sold a low-cost product. The results: For every $1000 he spent on advertising,…
Happy 140th Birthday Huckleberry Finn (the novel, that is, published on this day in 1885). One of my favorite stories from the novel: the time Huck tried to pass as a girl. He put on a dress. He strolled into town. And he confidently introduced himself as… Sarah Williams. So far, so good. But then he forgot his own…
Recommended Reading 💡 A Case Study in B2B Storytelling Here’s a fascinating case study in B2B storytelling from Ann Handley that proves how thinking outside the box can transform even the most “boring” products into compelling content. Tennant Company, which sells industrial floor-cleaning equipment, launched a brilliant “Custodians Are Key” contest that invited nominations for outstanding…
A classic moment from my all-time favorite television show, Batman (the 1960s version, of course). Commissioner Gordon is hanging out with Batman at Gotham City Police HQ. The Commish turns his back for just a second then 360s to say something to Batman… and—POOF!—The Caped Crusader is gone. Vanished. Disappeared into the night like a a bat…
True story… A British guy created a fake restaurant listing on Trip Advisor… …and got a bunch of friends to post reviews. He soon was the proud owner of the site’s #1 restaurant in London. He fielded hundreds of calls daily from real people who wanted to reserve a table. That story proves a lot…
What does a pro hockey player know about running a business? Plenty, I think, after hearing Ryan Suter talk about what’s kept him in the league so long. Last week, he played his 1,500th National Hockey League game. (That’s A LOT of hockey games.) When a reporter asked him how he lasted so long he…
According to my handy-dandy holiday calendar, today is National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. Strange holiday. Good adivice. More good advice: Don’t Shrug Over Spilled Milkshakes The backstory… A few years back, my daughter Maddie and I ordered for delivery cheeseburgers and milkshakes from Shake Shack. I ❤️ Shake Shack’s strawberry shake. So when the delivery app told…
Recommended Video 🎥 Is Perfectionism Just Procrastination in Disguise? Struggling to finish and share your work? Jon Youshaei’s TED Talk reveals how perfectionism holds us back—and why success comes from publishing, not perfecting. He went from 6 videos a year to 173 with 300M+ views just by shifting his mindset. Recommended Resource ⏺️ Fathom Fathom has…