Tom Ruwitch
Here’s a tale of two marketing tips — one right on, the other off the mark. It starts with a question posted to an online forum: How can I generate leads for my graphic design business? Two people responded. The first person wrote 272 words… …loaded with one recommendation after another. Use LinkedIn. Try XING…
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Here’s a tale about Dizzy Dean — a Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals… …who was a country boy and… …not as educated or polished as the city-slicker reporters who covered the team. When a reporter accused him of corrupting language students with his lousy grammar and diction, Dizzy replied, “A lot…
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I heard about a restaurant in New York… …with a stuffed fish on the wall… …above a plaque that said… “Take a tip from me — I wouldn’t be here if I had kept my mouth shut!” There’s truth in that fish story. A good business fable. Don’t talk at your prospects. Shut your mouth…
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Short and sweet today. Just a quick question for you… What nagging marketing and sales challenge is holding you back? Please share with me what’s on your mind. What’s causing frustration, confusion, or anxiety as you try to grow your business? If you submit a question/concern, I’ll answer you directly… …and my answer won’t be…
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Long before Apple and Android turned phones into pocket-sized computers, Palm dominated the mobile device market. The simple, compact PalmPilot handled four functions: calendars, contacts, memos, and tasks. Jeff Hawkins, the product team leader, carried in his pocket a PalmPilot-sized block of wood. When other team members suggested new functions beyond the core four, Hawkins…
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I read some marketing advice last week that was SO bad I had to share it with you… …so you can add it to the top of your “Do Not Do This!” list. It came from a so-called marketing “expert” in one of those fancy-shmancy magazines for entrepreneurs. The article contained dos and don’ts for…
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A few months ago, my wife and I woke to a loud “thud.” She thought the sound came from inside the house… …and, for her, that meant trouble. “What was that!?” she asked, sounding a little frantic. We live in the city and crime is a thing so I don’t blame her for worrying. I…
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I gotta hand it to President Donald J. Trump. Love him or hate him, El Presidente just did many of us a favor. He shut up the “TikTok-is-the-Next-Big-Marketing-Thing” crowd. (Search for “tiktok marketing next big thing,” and you’ll find them). On Friday, he issued an executive order banning TikTok in the USA, effective next month. …
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Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway won a bar bet by writing a story that contained just six words. Here’s the story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” That tiny story reveals a giant truth for marketers: Great stories don’t have to be long stories. In fact, one of the greatest marketing stories I know…
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When I was a kid, I remember my relatives talking about some Great Aunt I’d never met. They called her an “Old Maid.” I had no idea what they were talking about, but I could tell they considered it an insult. Years later, I learned the meaning: A woman who has — gasp! — never…
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