Story Power Blog
You Can Be a Dominating Marketing Presence. Here’s How…
When basketball great Bill Russell died on Sunday, I spent a couple of hours reading about him, watching videos, and searching for his quotes. He said lots of memorable things. But hereās the quote that stood out, the one I included in yesterdayās Monday Mash-Up: āWhat distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he…
Monday Mash-Up 2022.08.01
Recommended ViewingSam’s Philosophy for a Happy Life Thanks to Tim Ferriss for introducing me to this extraordinary TED talk video, featuring Sam Berns. Sam delivered this talk in December 2013, about one month before he passed away. He was 17. When he was 2, he was diagnosed with Progeria, a rare, rapid aging disease. In…
Do Not Read This If You Dislike “Bad Grammar”
Funny story I heard from Laura Belgrayā¦. (Sheās an email marketing master who writes copy oozing with personality.) In her email this morning, Laura told us about her run-in with a grammar cop. Officer Grammar Grump is a lawyer who objected to a phrase in Lauraās previous email. Lauraās offending phrase: āLooking forward to seeing…
I Curse the Friggin Water But I Ain’t Gonna Drown…
When Melissa and I moved into a century-old house 25 years ago, my father-in-law offered this unsolicited advice: āItās all about the water. If you control the water, everything will be OK.ā I had no idea what he was talking about. Now, I know. Friggin water. I hate friggin water. I wrote the other day…
The Trap That Killed a King. A Cautionary Tale
Back in the 1980s, Micropolis Corporation was the computer disc king. They sold more 8-inch āportableā discs than anyone. But trouble loomed. Competitors introduced a better product ā the 5-inch floppy disc. Less expensive. Easier to use. Simpler. CEO Stuart Mabon understood the threat and directed his manufacturing team to switch focus from 8-inch to…
Noah Knew… Business Lessons From a Biblical Rain Fall
I usually send my emails first thing in the morning. But not today. Iāve been busyā¦ ā¦building an arky, arky andā¦ ā¦helping the animals come in by twosies, twosies. Actually, it’s too late for that. Itās raining here in St. Louis, MO, USA. Big rain. Record-setting rain. Biblical rain. Nine inches and counting ā in…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.07.25
Recommended ReadingThe Power of Authentic, Human-to-Human Contact I love thisĀ blog postĀ from the great Mike Weinberg. Mike trains sales managers and sales people and is the author of three great books — including one of my favorites,Ā New Sales Simplified.Ā In thisĀ post, Mike discusses the power of HUMAN prospecting — and why it’s more effective than the…
Why a Would-be Subscriber Transformed from Hesitant to Happy
The meeting with my new friend, Erica, was rollinā, rollinā, rollinā along. We agreed to promote each otherās businesses. We discussed ways we might work together. We hit it off. But when I asked Erica if sheād like to join my daily(ish) email listā¦ ā¦we went from rollinā to reelinā. We went from āYes!…
Why Cassette-loving Radicals are Raging Against the Machine…or Not
On my 14th birthday, Mom and Dad gave me two 10-packs of Maxell XLII-S cassette tapes. Yes!!!!!!!!!! Greatest birthday gift ever. Back in the early 80s, before CDs or MP3s were a thing, cassettes were THE thing. Affordable. Portable. Swappable. Indispensable. High-fidelity cool I raided my friendsā record collections and taped my favorite albums. I…
Cautionary Tale: Don’t Cast Your Net Unless You’re Ready to Process the Catch
My son Jacob makes his living as a commercial fisherman in southwest Alaska. Sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay. This year, the salmon run will shatter records. Average sockeye run (2001-2020): 41.3 million fish. 2021 sockeye run: 66.1 million fish (a record). This year: 74 million and counting. And the season continues through July! What a…
Better Call Saul vs. Breaking Bad — and a Lode of Storytelling Lessons
Hereās a question sure to prompt furious debate: Which show is better:Breaking Bad orBetter Call Saul? If you donāt know these shows, stick with me. Thereās a heaping helping of storytelling how-to below… …and you don’t need to know diddly about the shows to dig in. If you do know the shows, cast your vote. Which…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.07.18
Recommended ListeningSmashing the Plateau I’ve began listening to David Shriner-Cahn’s podcast,Ā Smashing the Plateau,Ā since soon after I met him earlier this year. I think David and his podcast are great!Ā I was honored to be his guest recently, and theĀ episodeĀ dropped this morning. We discussed:Ā Why I started Story Power Marketing Why I decided to focus on…
Why Your Beautiful Website Might be a Bust
A few days ago, when I offered website mini-makeovers to the first five people who requested them, I got an email from a subscriber who wanted my helpā¦ ā¦but needed, first, to point out for her siteās “shortcomings.” She wrote: āMy caveat…we are a small organization and pay an independent web designer to do our…
Shark Bites not Severe? This Story Paints a Different Picture…ļæ¼
Shark-attack stories are in the news. East coast. West coast. Sharks are attacking from sea to shining sea. Two attacks off the same Long Island beach yesterday. And earlier this summer, a swimmer in California nearly died. He described what happened on the morning news: āI was bitten ferociously by a shark right across my…
Reply Quickly if You Want a Better Website
Yesterday, I conducted a website makeover for a VIP member of my Content Transformation Academy. 30 minutes to transform his front page from āblahā to brilliant, prospect-repelling to prospect-attracting. In a week or two, after he launches the transformed site, Iāll put the URL in a bookmarks folder called, āWebsites – Good Examples.ā I also have…
How a Slobbering Rat-dog Inspired me to Fight Crime
I witnessed a crime yesterdayā¦ ā¦and I did nothing to stop it. Melissa, Maddie, and I were enjoying a quiet dinner on the patio at Saigon Cafe in St. Louis when we were interrupted by a high-pitched āYip, yip, yip.ā Startled, I dropped my chopsticks in my bowl of Bun Tom Heo Nuong Cha Gio, turned…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.07.11
Recommended Listening/ReadingHow to Make B2B Content Less Boring “People want to do business with people, and also people that they trust. Those people have the same motivations and desires and emotions and challenges, just like the rest of us.” So says content marketing expert Julie Revelant during a recent episode of the Marketing Smarts podcast. This episode…
Why This Legendary TV Character Would be a Rotten Marketer…
Remember Eddie Haskell? He was the guy on Leave it to Beaver (a TV classic!) who oozed insincerity. āHello, Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver. Isnāt it a lovely day,ā heād say to Beaverās parents. And then, when the adults left the room, Eddie would wreak havoc. The sweet-talking devil. I had an Eddie Haskell flashback the other day. …
Reply Requested: Finish This Sentence…
Finish this sentence I get my best content ideas from… Please reply to this email with your thoughts. If you’re not sure how to answer… …if you’re having trouble completing that sentence, please reply and let me know that. BTW, if you’re having trouble, you’re not alone. I used to have no ideahow to generatea consistent flowof…
The Sad Tale of a Guy Who Failed at Content Creation
Back when I ran an email marketing company, a client named Mike asked me to help him build a list. He ran a roofing company, and he wanted to send weekly emails. My advice: āBefore you build a list, write two or three practice emails. Make sure you have your content creation game down. Confirm…
You’ve Got to See This Rotten, Robot-generated Email I Received…
I got an email from an artificial-intelligence robot this morningā¦ ā¦thatās so bad I had to share it with you and break it down. Here it is (display images to see it): I knew something was wrong when I read the first line: “We hope things are looking nice at Story Power Marketing.” Looking nice…
The Difference Between Editing and Proofreading — and Why I Focus on The Former…
Rumor has it that some crafty marketers sprinkle typos and misspellings into their emails on purpose. The reason: Emails with typos and misspellings seem more personal and authentic — or so some claim. I get the idea. Typos and misspellings ARE common in āpersonalā emails. But Iām not into the fake-authenticity thing. When you see…
My Ancestor’s Incredible Journey and How it Instructs Yours…
My great-great grandfather Joseph Ruwitch was born in 1852 in a place known today as Ukraine. Back then it was part of Russia ā an area called the Pale of Settlement. It was a massive place created by Tzar Catherine the Great. It was a place the government set aside for Jews… …a place to…
Here’s What Really Sets Apple Apart
Fifteen years ago today (June 29, 2007), Apple released the first iPhone. The rest is… …you know. Here’s the thing about Apple: The company makes great technology, but what really sets it apart is the storytelling. So many great, story-powered ads. My favorite? One called “Bounce” — a 2019 ad for AirPods (ear phones). I…
Top Gun Marketing Tips – How to Pilot Your Business to Soaring Success
āItās not the planeā¦Itās the pilot.ā So says Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) in the new movie Top Gun: Maverick. I saw it over the weekend, and I liked it. That quote about planes and pilots keeps knocking around in my noggin. Maybe itās because Iāve seen so many business people get it backwards. They…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.06.27
Recommended ReadingHow to Stay Relevant — The Beatles and George Carlin Way In past Monday Mash-Ups, I’ve recommended the documentaries “George Carlin’s American Dream” (HBO) and “The Beatles: Get Back” (Apple TV). Here’s aĀ great articleĀ by Brian Kurtz that is loaded with lessons about how the best creators evolve to stay relevant (and then some).Ā And…
The Greatest News Ever
Hello and welcome. We’ve introduced new security protocols here at Story Power Marketing. So before you read any further, you must complete a “simple” CAPTCHA puzzle to prove that you are not a robot, alien, aardvark, or orangutan. And by “simple,” I mean: “Isn’t it amazing how SIMPLE it is to turn a perfectly calm human…
How to Make Your Content More Readable
Notice anything different? A quick story to help you solve the riddle… Last night, I was going through my inbox when I came across an email from a talented coach named Kim. I wanted to read Kim’s email but I didn’t… …because the font was too small. My aging eyes struggled to read it —…
Friendly PR Guy or Satan? You Decide…
I met a “PR guy” named Mark at an online networking event last month. He seemed like a nice guy. (Spoiler-Hint: Remember Al Pacino inĀ The Devil’s Advocate, Robert De Nero inĀ Angel Heart, or Jack Nicholson inĀ The Witches of Eastwick? At first, they seemed like nice guys, too). So I was happy to hear from Mark…
How to Identify Ideal Prospects? Here’s a Hint…
A curious subscriber named Cynthia asked me last week: āIf I want to create a business based on my expertise, how do I begin to identify my prospects?ā Great questionā¦ ā¦because most business people think theyāve identified their prospects well, but most get it (somewhat or totally) wrong. So most waste time and money on marketing…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.06.20
InvitationAsk Tom Anything You’re invited to a special live Zoom event called “Ask Tom Anything.” When: This Wednesday, June 22, 4 p.m. EDT, 3 p.m. CDT. Where: Zoom. Registration: Click the blue button below Anything on your mind now? Ask away asap. If you reply to this email and ask a question right away, I’ll answer it at the beginning…
Avoid This Storytelling Advice at All Costs
A few weeks back, I stumbled across an article by a so-called “storytelling expert” who droned on and on about something called Freytag’s Storytelling Pyramid. Freytag was a 19th-century German playwright. And, unless you’re a glutton for punishment, I have good news for you: You don’t have to know anything about Freytag or his pyramid…
Any Questions?
Next week, I’m going to host a special live Zoom event called “Ask Tom Anything.” You’ll be invited (keep an eye out for an email with the details). Anything on your mind now? Ask away asap. If you reply to this email and ask a question right away, I’ll answer it at the beginning of…
Don’t Market Like This Booger-eating Blowhard
Back in the early 1970s, I was still a wee lad playing kick ball on the blacktop at Conway Schoolā¦ ā¦when I heard the rumor. Cathy Summers eats her own boogers. (GASP!) I donāt remember who started the rumor, and I have no idea if it was true. But I know the booger-rumor stuck. And…
Are You Stuffing Chocolates Down Your Shirt Like Lucy Ricardo?
A few days ago, I watched the old I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel take a job at the chocolate factoryā¦ ā¦and canāt keep pace with the assembly line. It might be the funniest scene in television history.Ā Classic slapstick comedyā¦ ā¦that also has me thinking about business systems. Assembly lines and other automations are…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.06.13
Recommended ListeningRichard Koch on the Tim Ferriss Show Richard Koch is an entrepreneur, investor, former strategy consultant, and author of several books on business and ideas, including four on how to apply the 80/20 principle in all walks of life. In September 2020, Koch was a guest on Tim Ferriss’ podcast. This conversationĀ is a beauty…
Dave Letterman Dissed Us, But We’re Not Gonna Take It
A few days ago, I was watching David Letterman on the living room flat screen. He was interviewing the singer/songwriter Billie Eilish, and he said this: āI have seen your concertsā¦And the commanding power that emanates from you and the music is stunning. Do you remember the first time you recognizedā¦ā Dave paused for a…
If This is Your Mindset, Get a Job at Amazonļæ¼
Every so often, I hear from a sad-sack marketer who plays the āeasy for you to sayā cardā¦ ā¦as in āWrite story-powered emails that captivate prospects? Easy for you to say, Tom. Youāre a storytelling genius.ā (Sigh!) I heard from someone yesterday who griped about my list-building advice. In yesterdayās email, I encouraged you to…
The Surprisingly Simple Way to Build Your Email List
How can I build my email list? That was the question I got yesterday from a member of my Content Transformation Academy during our weekly group meeting. He has transformed his emails from boring to brilliant. Now he wants to share his content with a larger audience and reap the rewards. My answer: Just ask. …
Why Your “Why” May Miss The Mark — And What You Can do About It
I touched a nerve yesterday. In myĀ Monday Mash-UpĀ yesterday, I shared an article that called āB.S.ā on Simon Sinekās āstart with why.ā I received lots of replies from subscribers who agreed. No one defended Sinek. Sinekās big idea from his 2010 TED talk, āPeople donāt buy what you do; they buy why you do it.ā That…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.06.06
Recommended ReadingWhy āKnow Your Whyā Isnāt Great Content Marketing Advice I say this often: Storytelling for business is not about fashioning your origin story. It’s about discovering your prospects’ stories. That’s why I loveĀ this articleĀ by Robert Rose. So many marketers “start with why,” thanks to Simon Sinek who touted the idea in his TED talk…
Do Toddlers Write Better Emails? You may be Surprised…
Yesterday, while I was walking Moose around the block (actually, Moose was walking me) I heard this gem from marketing master Justin Blackman: āWant your writing to sound more natural? Make zero effort to sound smart. That’s it…Sentences are short, and my vocabulary is on par with a toddler. And no big words. I just…
Today’s Email From Me
Quick question: Why did you open this email? Really, itās not a trick question. Please shoot me a quick reply and let me know. You can do that now (the rest of this email can wait). ā¦ ā¦ ā¦ Soā¦back to the question at handā¦ Whyād you open the email? It couldnāt have been the…
Why I Called B.S. on my Friend Who Said All Marketers are Liars
I met yesterday with a friend whoās feeling down in the dumps. His business is struggling and so is he. And even though heās a brilliant mindset coach, he now questions everything heās doing ā including all things marketing. āI donāt like marketing,ā he told me. āItās the use of psychology to deceive people into…
Invitation: Stand Out Above the Trash-generating Crowd
The email from longtime subscriber āScott Hā landed in my inbox last week with a āthudā It flashed as a notification on my iPhoneās home screen, revealing just the first lineā¦ āI have a problem with yourā¦emails…ā āUh-oh!ā I thought. I took a deep breath, sat up straight, and clicked the notification to open the…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.05.30
Memorial Day ViewingHonoring Soldiers on Both Sides of the Battlefield Memorial Day. Every year around this time, I re-watch Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima — a pair of films directed by Clint Eastwood and released in 2006. Both tell the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima — “Flags…” from the perspective of the Americans and…
Storytelling Lessons From a Good Song by Taylor Swiftļæ¼
Driving yesterday from St. Louis to Kansas City, Melissa and I listened to one of my favorite podcasts called āGood Songs.ā The singer/songwriter Peter Himmelman and his son Isaac pick a song they love and discuss it briefly. As we drove through Kingdom City, MO, we listened to the episode about Taylor Swiftās song āTis…
How to Rise Above The Dime-a-dozen
I got a GREAT email last week from world-class marketer Dave Dee. Dave told about a conversation he had with a lawyer who thought creative, personalized marketing was below him. “I didn’t go to law school to be seen as a celebrity,” the lawyer told Dave. I hear the same from some coaches, consultants, and…
The Difference Between “Motion” and “Action” — and Why it Matters
In the Mastermind Book Club this month, we’re discussing Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones, by James Clear. You’re invited to join us tomorrow for our monthly meeting (Thursday 5/26, 1 p.m. EDT, 10 a.m. PDT). You can join the ClubĀ hereĀ (it’s free).Ā Club members will discuss lessons learned…
I Wanted to “Murder” the Prosecutor in This Murder Trial. Here’s the Story…
As jury selection entered its second hour, with no end in sight, the prosecutor strolled slowly to his table, grabbed his notes, paged through them, paused, paged through them some more, took a deep breath, and then asked, āHave any of you ever had a negative encounter with a prosecutor that would prevent you from…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.05.23
Recommended ReadingSeth Godin on Quality vs. Quantity Here’s anotherĀ short blog postĀ from Seth Godin that packs a big punch. Here’s a bit from the post… “The media and our culture push us to build something for everyone, to sand off the edges and to invest in infrastructure toward scale. But it turns out that quality, magic…
Entertainment vs. Sales — Which Matters More? (Hint: It’s a Trick Question)
I was up past my bedtime last night watching the NHL playoffs (St. Louis Blues 4, Colorado Avalanche 1. Woo-hoo!) And I had to rush downtown this morning to report for jury duty. So I’m sitting here, sleep-deprived, in the St. Louis Municipal Courts jury waiting room (quite possibly the dreariest place in the galaxy). The…
How to Know if You’re Sending Too Many Emails
After sending my daily email yesterday (subject line: “I didn’t punch Chad in the face, but his email tempted me” — which you canĀ read here) I received a reply from a surprised-to-be-happy subscriber named Kimberly. When she signed up for my list earlier this month, she was hesitant. Daily emails? Not her thing, she thought. …
I Didn’t Punch Chad in The Face, But his Email Tempted Me
I woke this morning to an email from a guy named Chad who claimed his appointment-setting firm could add āan extra 20K to 40Kā to my monthly recurring revenue. Wow! What a promise. The email contained a video. And in the video, Chad said this: āWe have a system that allows us to harvest anywhere…
The tragic Tale of Sweetie and The Prince of Joy
Sana met āPrince of Joyā in an online chat room after she grew tired of her husband, Adnan. She called herself āSweetieā in the chat room, and she poured her heart out to Prince of Joy. Prince poured back. They had so much in common. Both from Bosnia. Both in loveless marriages. Both looking for…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.05.16
Recommended ReadingCreative Thinking – What’s Holding You Back? Brian Clark was serving up great, creative content before “content marketing” was a thing. He created Copyblogger, one of my favorite sites for marketing tips. Here’s a post by Brian from last year that I especially like. I say this often: Every one can deliver content that…
Ripped From the Headlines: Wacky News Stories that Make Great Emails
Every so often, my buddy Adam sends me a link with a challenge to āemail this.ā Sometimes itās a link to a crazy discussion thread on Reddit. Often, itās a random, funny news story. My favorite āemail thisā challenge was a news story about status-hungry Chinese big-shots and strippers (more on that in a moment). …
The Power of Scratch-between-the-ears Marketing
Moose is jealous. For those of you just tuning in, Moose is my dog (Melissa claims him, too). Heās big and brown, with floppy ears, like a moose, and heās usually the only dog around. But thereās a new dog in town. His name is Cooper, named after a place called Cooperās Landing in Alaska…
How I Broke my Monstrous Cookie Habit
Three days after the Girl Scout cookies arrived, I couldnāt find them. I searched all over the kitchen. In the snack cabinet? Nope. The freezer? Not there. That tiny never-used space above the fridge that requires a step ladder to reach? Not there, either. As I stepped down from the ladder, I yelled for my…
This Braggy Bigshot is Full of BS, so I Dumped Him
A few months back, I saw a video on Facebook by a marketer named Victory. The video begins with a camera panning across his well-appointed bedroom. Victory strolls into the frame, sits on his king size bed, ties his fashionable shoes, and then marches from his room down the stairs and out the front-door of…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.05.09
Free WorkshopMonday Morning Live Event Starting Soon Here’s a good way to start the week: Discover… How to Build Emotional Bondswith Prospects So They’llChoose to Buy from You That’s the title of the one-hour workshop I’m hosting today… …and it starts soon — 10:30 a.m. CDT, 8:30 a.m. PDT. You may still have time to…
Lessons From a World-class Marketer Who Loved my Email
I got lots of great feedback from subscribers after sending an email yesterday aboutĀ my humiliatingĀ Cinco de MayoĀ mishap.Ā My favorite response came from the greatĀ Michael DeLonĀ — America’s Foremost Authority on Credibility Marketing — who said:Ā “Well done! I could just picture being at the table, drinking margaritas with you… and telling you, ‘You have salsa on…
Ai yi yi! This was Embarrassing…
When Dr. Ruth Allan asked me during a podcast interview to, ātell us about an embarrassing thing that happened to you,ā I didnāt hesitate. Iāve deposited piles of embarrassments in my memory bank. But Ruth was interviewing me during the first week in May, so I had to trot out the story of… My humiliating Cinco…
A Simpler Way to Ensure the (Storytelling) Force Is With You
Yo! Itās Star Wars Day. May the fourth be with you! (Get it!?) So dust off your Chewbacca costume. Fire up your lightsaber. And let the celebration begin! One thingā¦ ā¦I wonāt be joining you. I have nothing against the Star Wars movies. Itās not my favorite sci-fi (that honor goes to Battlestar Galactica, the 2004-09 edition), but…
How Richard Transformed an Email from Boring to Brilliant
Hereās a content transformation story starring my client Richard Terry. Richard runs Accolade Kitchen and Bath in my hometown, St. Louis, MO, USA. Richardās promise: Help clients take their outdated kitchens, bathrooms, and closets and transform them into Gourmet Playgrounds, Spa-Like Retreats, and Personal Sanctuaries. Promise kept for Melissa and me. Richard transformed our kitchen…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.05.02
Les “The Time Lord” Watson + How to Outsource to a Virtual Assistant + Dan Ariely re: Irrational Humans and Pricing Strategy + The Marketoonist re: Loyalty Programs + DaVinci re: the “Urgency of Doing”
Why I Died of Boredom and How to Keep from Killing Your Prospects
Yesterday, I was minding my own business, scrolling through a news feed, when I came across an article that preached storytelling. And, mercy me, that article wasā¦. ā¦BORING! I read the first sentence and quickly began to tune out. My eyelids were heavy. My head began to bob. Then I got to the part that…
You’re Invited…
Tomorrow, I’m hosting a live workshop (on Zoom) called… How to Harness the Power of Storytelling to Boost Sales — without Pitching and Prodding When: Friday, 4/29, 11:30-12:30 p.m. EDT, 10:30-11:30 a.m. CDT. Where: Zoom. Click the button below to reserve your spot Here’s a sneak peek… I’ll share the story of a business owner who was…
? Why I’m Focused on Habit-formation
A few days back, I was seeing double. Not in the metaphorical, mad-as-hell kind of way. No, I was literally seeing double. On Saturday, I began wearing glasses with progressive lenses. Iāve used reading glasses for the last few years. But I canāt wear those while driving or at a hockey game or watching…
A Marketing Legend’s Wise Take on Storytelling
I love it when the legends praise āstory power.ā It happened again yesterday. An email from Drayton Bird. Heās a living legend ā among the most influential and successful marketers and copywriters alive. And in his email he broke down a century old ad for a mail-order business course. The ad tells āthe story of…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.04.25
A Customer Support Horror Story + A Unique Way to Deal with a Writing Deadline + Aretha Reinvents a Legendary Song + Two Comedy Greats Discuss Great Comedians + re: Babe Ruth’s Homruns and Strikeouts
Why The Wrong Way is Often The Right Way to Persuade and Teachļæ¼
Once in a while, I share with you stories about the wrong way to market your business. Like thisĀ story about a marketer who pretended sheād sent me a personal noteĀ when it was, actually, a message sent to everyone on her list.Ā Or thisĀ story about a marketer who sent me a sales pitch disguised as a…
The Most Important Holiday You’ve Never Heard Ofļæ¼
Happy Get to Know Your Customers Day. Let the confetti fly! Do you have any big celebrations planned? A confession: I didnāt know there was such a holiday until a few days back when I consulted my calendar of strange holidays. Strange holidays make great hooks for emails so I check the calendar often. Some are…
The Wreck Wasn’t My Fault, But This Was…
Yesterday, I sharedĀ the story of how a hit-and-run driver wrecked my car. I was stopped at an intersection. The truck driver cut a left turn too tightly and slammed their trailer into my car. I didnāt get the driverās license plate. No company logos or other identifying info on the truck or trailer. No recording…
Why I Won’t Treat You How This Truck Driver Treated Me…
A few hours before leaving on my family vacation last week, I was running errands around town when this happenedā¦ I was in my car, idling in the intersection turn lane, waiting for the left-turn arrow, turning the radio to another station. Not a care in the worldā¦ ā¦and then the airbag exploded in my…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.04.18
Rewriting the Stories We Tell Ourselves + Is This Syndrome Sinking Your Sales? + Picking the Brain of an Egyptian Scientist + A Deep Track by The Monkees + Conan O’Brien on Worst Fears Realized
Why Home is Better Than Oz to Build Your Business
Last weekend, I watched The Wizard of Oz for the zillionth time. The first time I watched it, I was terrified. You know, the flying monkeys and all. But this time I wasnāt scared. I was inspired. Dorothy dished out some inspiring wisdom right before she clicked her heels and returned to Kansas. āIf I ever go…
Opening Day Marketing Wisdom From Yogi
Major League Baseball opening dayā¦ ā¦makes me think of Yogi Berraā¦ ā¦and something he once said: āIf people donāt want to come to the ballpark, how are you gonna stop them?ā Yogi was a Hall-of-Fame catcher for the New York Yankees ā not a marketing genius. But those words are loaded with profound marketing wisdom. …
The One Word That Can Make You More Persuasive
Hereās a quick story that reveals how a single word can make you more persuasive. That word: Because A Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer sent researchers to a copy store near campus to study how powerful that word can be. Researchers, posing as customers, visited the store multiple times and asked if they could skip…
How to Captivate an Audience — the Zelensky Way
On March 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared on video before the British House of Commons. He delivered a defiant, confident speech that included these words: āWe will not give up, and we will not lose. We will fight to the end, at sea, in the air, we will continue fighting for our land, whatever…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.04.04
Organize All Your Shift + Brian Kurtz’s Tribute to Joe Sugarman + The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey + “Coming Home” by Drew and Ellie Holcomb + re: Procrastination
How to Consistently Create Never-boring Content
In case you missed, I sent an email yesterday that was bursting with dick jokes. Vance Morris dared me to do it (ā…use āoversize reproductive assemblageā in an email to your audience,ā he said). And I rose to the challenge. Thereās a big lesson in that email (you can readĀ the archived emailĀ for that)… ā¦but thereās…
R-rated Lessons Enclosed. I Dare You to Read On.
Itās not every day that someone triple-dog-dares you… ā¦but thatās exactly what my friend Vance Morris did yesterday. Iāll get to that story in a moment. But first, a warning: When I turn this email into a movie, The Motion Picture Association of America will give it an R rating. So if youāre the G…
A Cautionary Tale About a Marketer’s Trust-busting Email…ļæ¼
I got an eye-roll-inducing email yesterday from a marketer named Stephanie. I signed up for her list a few months ago. So technically, this wasnāt SPAMā¦ ā¦but it sure felt like it. Hereās what it said: Hi there Tom, I wanted to send you a special note, but I don’t have your mailing address š…
You’re Invited (Today)…
If youāre free today at 3 p.m. CENTRAL, hereās an ideaā¦ Be my guest as I revealā¦ 9 secrets to write client-attracting, story-powered content (the Joe Sugarman way). Hereās what youāll learnā¦ Eight āmagicā words that transform readers from tuned-out do-nothings to turned-on buyers The single, most important thing your copy needs to keep prospectsā…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.03.28
Joe+Joe — Polish Interviews Sugarman + You’re Invited… + The Implied Trade-Off with Loyalty Programs + Is Persuasion Legal? Ethical? Where Do You Draw the Line + The Medicine Man by Keb’ Mo’ + Tom Peters Says “Think Small!”
The story-powered Ad That Launched an Eyeglasses Empire
We lost a legend this week — Joe Sugarman, a copywriting great, who taught me (and countless others) tons about marketing. He wrote many great books, including The Adweek Copywriting Handbook. I pulled that book from my shelf yesterday and flung it open to the place I dog-eared long ago: Page 178. The section about storytelling.…
Ben Franklin’s Wily Way to Turn Foes to Friends
Want to turn an enemy into an ally? Hereās a story I got from chapter 18 of āYes!ā by Robert Cialdini ā this monthās selection in theĀ Mastermind Book ClubĀ (more on that below).Ā Back in colonial times, long before he graced the $100-bill, Benjamin Franklin was running for reelection as an officer for a literary and…
I Missed the Holiday. Here’s a Pot o’ Gold to Make up For It…
Happy Belated World Storytelling Day. The big day was Sunday. I canāt believe I missed it. š I usually round up a bunch of my storytelling pals, head down to the corner tavern, and get drunk on green beerā¦ ā¦umā¦check thatā¦ Different holiday. World Storytelling Day? I donāt have any special alcohol-soaked traditions. In fact, I…
How my Client Overcame a Dreaded, Business-Crushing Disease
āI donāt have an interesting story,ā Elizabeth said. Her shoulders slumped. She stared at her shoes. Elizabeth was a client. Weād discussed how storytelling captivates prospects and inspires them to act. She understood and agreed. But then she told me she didnāt have what it takes. āThereās nothing about me worth telling. My story is…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.-03.21
How to Make Your Business Grow Without Being a Braggy, Bigshot Bro + How Content Marketing Has Evolved + Is Persuasion Legal? + 9 Strategies To Make Content Creation Effective And Enjoyable + Prepare for the BEST
The Great Peanut Fiasco and What it Reveals for Your Business
All I wanted was a frigginā bag of peanuts! Last night, at the NHL hockey game between (my beloved) St. Louis Blues and the Pittsburgh Penguins, I had a hankering for some salt and crunch. Peanuts in the shell. Some water to wash āem down. It was between the first and second periods so the…
How to Turn “Yawns” to “Yeses” When You Ask for Email Signups
Want to know one of the best ways to inspire more qualified prospects to join your email list? Sell them on the idea of subscribing. Seems kind of obvious, doesnāt it? Yet so many business people undersell their emails. They put a little form on their site with a headline āJoin our email listā (or…
How to Build Your Email List with the Right Prospects
Iām hosting a free workshop tomorrow (Thursday, March 17)Ā at 3 p.m. EST, 2 p.m. CST) called:Ā 5 Ways to Build Your Email List with the Right Prospects. This is a 5in25 presentation ā five tips in 25 minutes ā followed by discussion and Q&A. If you want to join us, sign upĀ here.Ā
Mastermind Book Club is live. Join now…
The Mastermind Book Club is live. And You’re invited… Go toĀ MasterMindBook.clubĀ to join. Ted ProdromouĀ and I started the club to help ourselves (and YOU) turn all those books we read into business-advancing action.Ā Here’s how it works… Ted and I will choose a book every month. We will share insights they draw from the books. Community…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.03.14
Goodreads is a Great Resource for Book Lovers + How the Chandlers Built Goodreads + How to Accomplish More in Less Time + Setting the Table + …from Albert Einstein
This Book Proves the Power of Rapport-Building
When I make a new connection on LinkedIn, I usually send a direct message ice-breaker to build rapport with the person. Often Iāll say, āPlease tell me something about you that I wouldnāt know by reading your profileā¦ā and then I share something about myself. I got that idea from Ted Prodromou (America’s Leading LinkedIn…
This Club Will Break All The Rules — in a Good Way
Every few months my wife, Melissa, leaves me. Itās not the pack-her-bags, move-back-to-her-momās, and call-a-lawyer kind of leave me. Itās the Book-Club-in-four-days kind of leave me. And it goes like thisā¦ Tom: Itās a Wonderful Life is on TV tonight. You love that movie. Wanna watch it? Melissa (with 3-inch thick Toni Morrison novel propped on her…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2022.03.07
My Birthday and My Dad + Remembering “Bloody Sunday” + The Go-Giver Marriage + Tim Ferriss Interviews Neil Gaiman + …from John Lewis
Why I Should Have Dumped That Rotten Client Sooner…
I fired a client last month. It felt great. I should have done it several months ago, but I balked. This client didnāt return emails, voicemails or texts. Didnāt complete work they promised. Didnāt meet deadlines for work they delivered. Then, they would pop up out of the blue and bark some command at me,…