Story Power Blog
How to Bridge the Chasm Between Desire and Doing
It’s been less than one week since I began my video quest — 365(+) videos in 365 days — and launched my revampedĀ YouTube Channel. Already, the cold-callers are crawling out of the woodwork. Said one in a LinkedIn message: “Hello. Hope you are doing well. I visited your YouTube channel and noticed it’s not yet…
Why Amazon Book Sales Won’t Build Your Business
The following question landed in my inbox recently from a business owner who’s struggling to turn his book into clients: *** “Hey Tom — How do I get the names and emails of people who buy my book on Amazon? I’ve made a few sales. But I don’t know who the buyers are.” *** Short…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2026.01.05
Recommended Reading šĀ Steve Jobsās 6-Step Rehearsal Process He Used for Every Presentation Thanks to Dave Dee for telling me about this article. A longtime Apple designer breaks down the exact 6-step rehearsal process Steve Jobs used before every big presentation. Youāll get a peek behind the curtain at how he started early, rehearsed like a…
Implement More. Work Less.
Yesterday, Melissa and I kicked off the new year with a visit to the Saint Louis Art Museum and the exhibit “Anselm Kiefer – Becoming the Sea.” As we entered the exhibit, a museum employee asked us for our zip code and then dutifully recorded it when we told her. The museum tracks where its…
I’ve Made a Crazy Resolution…
Happy New Year! See that video below? That’s the first of many to come. My resolution for 2026: Publish at least one new video, every day, for the entire year. 365 days. 365 videos. There! I’ve said it. Cat’s out of the bag. No walking it back now. Check it out. Subscriber to my YouTube…
Looking Forward…
Two words I plan to say at midnight when 2025 ends: GOOD RIDDANCE! It’s been a rough year, and I’m glad to see it go. On May 16, an EF-3 tornado tore through St. Louis, leveled my backyard, and ripped the roof off my house. We planned to spend most of 2025 rebuilding. Instead, we…
How Could He Crack Jokes at a Time Like This?
On this day (Dec. 30) in 1999, a mad man broke into George Harrison’s house and nearly killed him. The attacker stabbed the former Beatle more than 30 times. If not for his wife, Olivia, joining the fight, George probably would have died. Gruesome, terrible, serious business… …and soon after, George was cracking jokes. After…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.12.29
ļøRecommended Video āĀ 404, the story of a page not found Two reasons I love this video: 1) It’s a TED talk that lasts less than 5 minutes. Not the typical 18-minute journey 2) It offers some funny, yet valuable advice. We all hate 404 pages, but Renny Gleeson shows why that moment of frustration is…
What Would the Dung Beetle Doo?
I’ve discovered my spirit animal… …thanks to my daughter Maddie who’s in Africa this week on safari. She’s been sending photos and videos of creatures great and small. Elephants. Giraffes. Cheetahs. Rhinos. Impalas. Impressive animals. But they’re just not ME. And then Maddie sent this… That is a pair of beetles with a tennis-ball-sized dung…
š¶ Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Merry Christmas to you and yours. Hope your day is filled with joy, good food, and the people you love. I’m grateful to have you as part of my online family. And I look forward to great things to come in the year ahead. All the best, p.s. During the holidays, my house is always…
My Favorite New Holiday Tradition…
A new addition to my holiday to-do list: Burn the Devil. Not literally. That would be messy and dangerous. And I don’t know where to find the real Devil. But metaphorically, burning the Devil seems like a great plan. I got the idea from the Guatemalans. Every year on December 7 at 6 p.m. sharp,…
How to Build a Bigger Email List (Santa-Style) š š»
You know that poem that begins “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house…?” Funny thing about that poem… Before it appeared in The Troy Sentinel newspaper on this day (Dec. 23) in 1823, no one talked about a flying sleigh, or magical reindeer, or Santa dropping down the chimney. All that stuff first appeared…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.12.22
Holiday History š š»Ā Shopping for Santa Claus: Origins of Macyās and the Holiday Icon Macy’s introduced the department store Santa more than 150 years ago. It was not the only innovation the store introduced to attract parents and children during the holiday season. ThisĀ articleĀ tells the story. It is loaded with business lessons. Holiday Humor š š»Ā “Santa is…
I’m Wondering If You…
Quick question… When it comes to growing your business in 2026, which is more important to you: 1) Learning new strategies and tactics to attract leads and get them to hire you? 2) Getting help implementing strategies and tactics you already have learned? Please reply and let me know. I’m planning some cool stuff for…
The Popular Marketing Move that Doesn’t Pay The Bills
I saw a great question this morning on Reddit: “One marketing tactic you believed in earlier but completely stopped using?” The most common answer: Chasing vanity metrics on social media. Said one Redditor: “I used to obsess over likes, follower counts, all that shiny stuff. It felt like progress, you know? But then I realizedā¦…
This Legendary Show was Supposed to Flop
If you tuned into the Fox television network on this day (Dec. 17) in 1989 at 8:30 p.m. ET, here’s what you saw… Marge Simpson has to use the familyās gift money to get Bartās tattoo removed.ā To make up the difference, Homer takes a job as a department store Santa.But things get worse when Homer…
My Crowning Claim to Shame? You be The Judge…
Ripped from the headlines in Nevada: In girls high school basketball action last week, The Del Sol High School Dragons squeaked by the Cheyenne High School Desert Pigs (yes, the “Desert Pigs”). The final score 104-1. Reminds me of the time I coached the 8th-grade boys basketball team at the secondary school where I taught…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.12.15
Recommended Tools šĀ Sales Ready Organization (SRO) Assessment If youāre thinking about how to bring more predictability and profit into your business, my friend Christopher Filipiak has a smart tool called the Sales Ready Organization (SRO) Assessment. I took it myself and Iām already using what it revealed to guide my 2026 planning. In just a…
A Fast Way to Spot the Money Leaks in Your Business
I’m usually skeptical of those online assessments where you answer a few questions and then get “all the answers.” So when my friend and colleague Christopher Filipiak asked me to try The Sales Ready Organization (SRO) Assessment, I braced for the worst. “Sure, I’ll give it a look,” I told Chris, all while thinking, “Ugh! Not…
A Legend’s Secret to Understand His Market
I heard an interesting tidbit recently about Eugene Schwartz, the legendary copywriter who never suffered from writer’s block. He had a secret move for understanding his target marketā¦ He went to the theater and watched every hit movie. And not just once. He watched the blockbusters twice. Why? Because if you want to generate massive sales…
I’ve Had it With This B.S…
Four words that make my blood boil: “Hurry! Sale ends in…” So many fake sales with fake deadlines. Over the summer, I bought some shirts from an online store for $74.99 each. Last week, I received an email from the same store, offering the same shirts for the low, low price of… …wait for it……
The Time Ultra-conservatives and Hippies United
Come and listen to my story ’bout a man named Jeff… …a poor marketer who found riches by uniting hardcore, ultra-conservatives and tree-hugging hippies. I know that seems impossible these days, but it happened not that long ago. Our story starts just after the turn of the millennium, in 2002, when the Internet was still…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.12.08
Recommended Video šĀ Just Get Started! Moving From Learning To Doing Jeff Walker breaks down the gap between knowing and doing — and why the only real fix is to start before you feel ready. Itās a short, honest reminder that your first steps wonāt be perfect, and thatās the whole point. Worth a watch if…
The Best Business Investment I’ve Ever Made
I’m sitting on the terrace at the Ritz-Carlton TiburĆ³n in Naples, Florida, sipping fresh-squeezed orange juice and getting ready for day two of the two-day “Elite Mastermind” with Dave Dee. Our group meets with Dave every Monday morning for one hour on Zoom. Every quarter, we have two-day retreats — two times on Zoom, two…
What’s Your Claim to Fame?
Yesterday, I told you about Joe Weiss, and how he turned his humble beach-side fish shack into a world-famous restaurant. The seafood restaurateur who brought stone crab claws to the masses. Without stone crabs, Joe may have been just another business owner, struggling to attract client Which got me thinking… What’s your claim to fame?…
Joe Turned Trash to Treasure and Built an Empire
From a seaside cafe, Miami Beach, Florida… Melissa and I had a spectacular dinner last night at Joe’s Stone Crab — a legendary restaurant in the heart of Miami’s South Beach neighborhood. Before Joe’s, stone crabs weren’t a thing. I mean theyĀ existed,Ā scuttling along the sea floor and such. But humans didn’t want to catch, cook,…
The Worst “Perfect” Subject Line Ever?
A few months ago, I tried one of those AI-powered subject line checkers and it blew my mind — in a bad way. I fed it some of my best-performing subject lines, and the AI spit back scores of 42%, 56%, and 58%. So I ran some experiments to determine the “perfect” subject line according…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.12.01
Recommended Humor šĀ Chasing the Algorithm If you’ve ever found yourself trying to decode how to get your posts and ads seen on Facebook and other social media sites, you have to see thisĀ cartoon and postĀ by Tom Fishburne (a.k.a. The Marketoonist). So much wisdom and humor in this. Recommended Video šĀ The Power of Laughing at Ourselves…
Dumb Holiday Thief & Great Holiday Offer
My favorite holiday shopping story… The setting: A big box store in Belleville, Illinois in 1993. A customer leaves her credit card behind after buying a bunch of holiday gifts. Instead of returning the card to the customer, the clerk keeps the card and uses it to pay for a holiday shopping spree at the…
Thanksgiving Gratitude
I woke this morning in a house that isn’t mine. A rental house. The place we’ve been staying since May… …when an EF3 tornado (160 mph winds) ripped the roof of our house and leveled our yard. It’s been a rough year. We fired the first contractor. We’re waiting on the second to begin repairs.…
Is Your AI-generated Copy Any Good?
See if this story rings a bell… You open your laptop. Cursor blinking. “I should send an email…” 30 minutes later, you’ve written three sentences. Deleted two. Stared at your inbox. Checked LinkedIn. Made coffee. Still nothing worth sending. So you do what everyone else is doing. You ask ChatGPT to write it for you.…
Prospects Go Nuts for This Contractor. Here’s Why…
Yesterday, Melissa and I got a package in the mail from a guy who’s bidding to remodel our master bathroom. Here’s what was in the package: It’s a bag of cashews (the BIG, fancy kind) with a handwritten note: “Tom and Melissa, I hope you go absolutely nuts over your new bathroom design. Have a…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.11.24
Recommended Software šļøĀ Letterly Speech to Text I’ve tried lots of apps to turn speech to text, and was never satisfied until I triedĀ Letterly. It’s a mobile and desktop app that records your voice, turns it to text, and then uses AI to transform that text into organized notes, posts, or whatever you want. Use it…
You’re a Copywriter (Whether You Know it or Not)
I remember hearing the great Dan Kennedy once say something like this: “You’re not a plumber. You’re a marketer, promoting plumbing services. “You’re not a lawyer. You’re a marketer, promoting legal services. “You’re not an executive coach, you’re…” (You get the point, right?). I told that story yesterday to loyal reader June (an executive coach) after she…
The Biggest, Bestest Black Friday Deal of The Season…
I’ve spent the past few minutes writing a big, long entertaining email about The 2025 Black Friday Vault… …but I crumpled it up, tossed it in the trash, and decided to keep this short, sweet, and simple. The 2025 Black Friday VaultĀ is the best-est, yumdillyicious-est, WOWza-rific-est offers in this or any galaxy. The details… ā£ The…
A Sneak Peek Before The Doors Open
This thing is under lock and key until 12 a.m. Thursday. But I figure I can give you a sneak peek so you’re ready when the doors open. š¤«Ā Look… John McIntyre asked me and 10 other top copywriters — John Carlton, Doberman Dan, John Bejakovic, and many others — to contribute premium products for: 2025ās…
Picasso’s Genius Pricing Principle
A story about Pablo Picasso, ripped from the pages of “Pricing Genius” by Alastair Dryburgh… Picasso was sitting at a Paris cafe when a wealthy woman walked by and noticed him. She asked him to paint her portrait. “I’ll pay you whatever you want,” she promised. Picasso grabbed a menu, borrowed a pencil from a…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.11.17
Recommended Listening šļøĀ Easy Ways to Create Great Sales Stories When David Garfinkel invited me to be on his Copywriters Podcast, I jumped at the opportunity to trade insights with “The World’s Greatest Copywriting Coach.” We discussed it all… You can hear the episode wherever you get your favorite podcasts or onĀ David’s podcast website. You can…
Get it Before Midnight: Simple System to Boost Your Business
On Reddit this morning, I saw a post with the following headline: What does your content creation system look like? I bet a lot of people see that and think, “WHAT content creation system?” How about you? Do you have a system? What does it look like? Does it work? In a recent live training,…
I Broke My Own Rule. But Just For a Day.
Yesterday, I shared a story about a veteran who shed a tear as 18,000+ hockey fans cheered him and others who served. That email did not include a call-to-action. No request to reply. No download offer. No event registration. No product for sale. It was the first time in months I sent an email without…
A Veteran’s Day story
Last night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, MO, five minutes into the hockey game between the St. Louis Blues and Calgary Flames, the P.A. announcer asked all veterans in the crowd to stand. Hundreds rose. Those still seated cheered. To my right, five seats down, stood a man, still as a statue, as…
He Paid HOW Much? For a NOTEBOOK?!?
On this day in 1994, Bill Gates paid $30,800,000 for a notebook. Granted, this wasn’t just any notebook. This was Leonardo daVinci’s “Codex Leicester.” But still. $30 million!?!? Nice work if you can spend it, Mr. Gates. You had some big ideas in your day. You implemented, and you cashed in. And then you bought…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.11.10
Recommended Listening šļøĀ Rick Rubin: The Spiritual Secret to Limitless Creativity Rick Rubin is one of my musical heroes. He’s a producer who has collaborated with greats across multiple genres — Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run D.M.C., Tom Petty, The Beastie Boys, The Avett Brothers, Adele, etc. etc. etc. And he’s a scholar —…
Before You ask AI to Write For You, Do This…
James wants to write some emails to attract prospects and inspire them to hire him. But he’s stuck. So he turned to Reddit where he asked how to conquer writer’s block. “Iāve spent too much time time staring at blank pages in the past,” James wrote. One guy suggested he “go for a walk.” Another…
Bad-Day Dolphe’s Incredible Comeback
Next time you’re having a bad day and feeling frustrated or stuck, think of Adolphe Sax and take heart. Bad-Day Dolphe had more than his share of rough ones. One day he fell from a third-storey window and hit his head on a stone. Another day, he accidentally drank a bowl of acidic water. The…
The Non-cringey Way to Do Funnels
I met yesterday with a business owner (let’s call him “Bill”) who hates the idea of “funnels.” The very word makes him cringe. So many pitchy pests using funnels to dish out their over-hyped offers with inflated promises, Bill said. He doesn’t want any part of that. I get it. How about you? Have you…
How to Make ’em Say, “Wow”
Here’s what happened when I walked into Lilo restaurant in Carlsbad, CA last week with my high school pals Mike and Alison… The floor manager welcomed Alison who had made the reservation. Then she looked directly at Mike and me and asked, “Which one of you is Mike?” Mike smiled and said, “That’s me.” Then…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.11.03
Recommended Reading ā©Ā Perseverance: 7 Stoic Lessons on How To Keep Going Need a boost to keep going? This Daily Stoic article delivers seven practical lessons on perseverance from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus. It opens with Admiral James Stockdale’s incredible story of surviving 7 years as a POW using Stoic philosophy, then breaks down timeless…
The Most Profitable Horror Movie Ever?
Fun fact about Halloween — the movie that is. John Carpenter made the 1978 classic for around $300,000. The movie grossed $70 million. That’s a 232X profit. Speaking of profit, my client RJ 3X’d hers after she implemented my PLAN framework to turn content into clients. I’ll tell you that story and show you how to do…
This Works For Funerals, But Not For Webinars…
Of all the wacky, unusual holidays out there, this might be the wackiest: Today, October 30, is Create a Great Funeral Day right here in the good ol’ USA. Really. It is. Now, you may be thinking, “Why is there a holiday for this!?” Or maybe you think, “Planning a great funeral is NOT on my agenda…
What Were They Thinking When They Bought This?
I can’t stop thinking about Paul Hartunian — the guy who bought scrap wood from the Brooklyn Bridge during its 1983 renovation and sold it in one-inch square slices (with a certificate of authenticity) for $14.95, plus shipping and handling. I close my eyes and imagine a person who bought a piece of the bridge…
True story: Guy sells Brooklyn Bridge
Here’s the story of how Paul Hartunian became the first person to “sell” the Brooklyn Bridge — for real. For years, scammers and hoodlums “sold” the bridge to gullible dupes. But Hartunian’s offer was the real deal. It was 1983. Hartunian was living in New Jersey, across the Hudson from New York City. He was…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.10.27
Recommended Reading š¢RIP to the Old PR Master by Ben Settle Legendary PR master Paul Hartunian died earlier this month. Never heard of him? Well, he’s the guy who sold the Brooklyn Bridge — one piece at a time — and it was NOT a scam. (I’ll share that story later this week in another…
This “Completely Changed” How He Thinks About Writing Copy
My friend Ted Prodromou sent a fantastic email to his list on Wednesday, and I’ve swiped it for you. Ted and I hosted the legendary copywriter David Garfinkel on Tuesday to discuss his book “The Persuasion Story Code” with members of the Mastermind Book Club. It was an incredible discussion — valuable for anyone who…
ā³ Last chance: LinkedIn Training Today
Quick reminder: Jason Osbornās live LinkedIn training starts today (10/23, 2:30 p.m. ET) If you havenāt registered yet,Ā click here and save a seat. I heard yesterday from someone who got my invitation to this training and said, “LinkedIn is just a big job board; it’s not a place to market your business and find leads.”…
Does This Make You Cringe, Too?
Six words that make me cringe: “I came across your profile and…” The first time or three I received messages like this on LinkedIn, I felt honored. (“Gosh, he was ‘impressed’ by my profile!’) But that grew old — quickly. And I saw the messages for what they were: Impersonal, spammy cold pitches. There’s a…
Most People Use LinkedIn Wrong ā Are You One of Them?
Want to know why I highly recommend Jason Osborn’sĀ liveLinkedIn training? Because he’ll show you how to use LinkedIn to land more clients — without spinning your wheels or being a pitchy pest. (Details below). Most people treat LinkedIn like Facebook or Instagram and wonder why nothing happens. (The wheel spinners). Or they act like this…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.10.20
Recommended Training š Free LinkedIn Training On Thursday, Jason Osborn will host a free training session — for my online family — where he’ll reveal how to attract high-quality leads on LinkedIn the authentic way. No paid ads. No spammy tactics. Just proven strategies that work. Details and registration here. Recommended Bootcamp Starts Today š§…
Why Great Copywriters Reject the “Hero’s Journey”
In Chapter 1 of his bookĀ The Persuasion Story Code,Ā David Garfinkel says: A friendly warning: You may have heard of a widely held theory that the only kind of story which works for persuasion in business is what is known as ‘the hero’s journey.’ While this complex, long-form narrative can work in persuasion, it rarely does.…
Meet the Persuasion Master Who Became the Pioneering Teacher
By 1999, David Garfinkel had already made it as a copywriter. He’d written a sales letter that brought in $40 million for one client. He’d studied under the masters. He knew the craft inside and out. While taking a screenwriting course in California, David often would cite connections in class between what they were learning…
How Unexpected Benefits Stories from Ignored to Irresistible
A long, long time ago, the great orator Daniel Webster served as auctioneer for the sale of a New Hampshire farm. Here’s Webster’s pitch: āNeighbors, weāre not auctioning Tom Brownās good milk cowsā¦ or 80 acres of fine landā¦ or a sturdy home thatās seen 20 winters. “No. Iām offering you the chance of biting…
Wow! Cool! But will it work?
The beautiful blonde “actress” strolls toward the camera and declares, “This video was created by AI.” Strolling at her side, a furry, white creature who looks like the abominable snowman from the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer cartoon — only this is a hyper-realistic video, not a cartoon. Then she’s… ….tapping on her laptop — while…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.10.13
Recommended Bootcamp š§Ā The Breakthrough Advertising Bootcamp I’ve studied a lot of great copywriters and none has made a greater impact on me than Eugene Schwartz. His book “Breakthrough Advertising” changed how I think about marketing and sales, helped me conquer writer’s block, and inspired me to create the marketing frameworks I teach today. You can…
ā³ This Goes “Poof!” at 11:59 P.M.
A pitchy pest named Hannah messaged me on LinkedIn a few days ago and said: “Hey Tom, I saw the glowing recommendation from Lesley saying you help businesses grow through storytelling – I am impressed.” Then she went on to pitch me her “DM scripts” so I could send messages just like the one she…
You Won’t Believe What This Russian Dude Told His Doctors
Ripped from the headlines in Russia: A 65-year-old man showed up a regional hospital in Kirov with a head-sized tumor growing from the back of his neck. And when I say “head-sized,” I’m talking the size of a HUMAN skull — like a bowling ball or cabbage… …stuck – to – the – back – of –…
[Please reply]: A Tip, a Favor, and Gifts
A quick marketing tip,a favor, and some gifts… 1) The Tip — How to Improve Email Delivery If email is part of your marketing mix, encourage subscribers to click and/or reply. Clicks and replies signal to Google, Microsoft, Apple, and the other mailbox providers that your emails are being read. The result: Better delivery rates.…
Training Replay + How to “Write Yourself Rich”
Chris Orzechowski opened the cart yesterday for his “Write Yourself Rich” program… …and between now and when the cart closes on Friday at midnight, he’s going to rake it in… …and those smart enough to buy the program will learn exactly how he did it… …so they can do it, too. Here’s a simple breakdown……
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.10.06
Recommended Event (TODAY) š§Ā 5 Steps to a Million-Dollar List Today, email marketing master Chris Orzechowski will show you how to start or grow your own email list, so you can get more leverage in your business and sell your OWN products and services. Youāre going to discover: āļøĀ A simple way to generate 5-6 figures/month from…
Lessons From “The Greatest Sales Letter Ever”
My granfather Joseph F. Ruwitch was born on this day (October 3) in 1911. Happy Birthday, Gramp! Here’s one of my favorite stories about him, ripped from the pages of my bestselling book, Story Power Marketing: Soon after I began dating Melissa, she met my paternal grandfather, Joe. The first thing Gramp asked her: āSo, Melissa,…
Grumpy’s Loss Can be Your Gain (An Email Marketing Story)
I ran across a grumpy guy on Reddit this morning who declared: “Email marketing is dead.” Grumpy’s story: He grew his email list to 5,000 subscribers. He sent “regular newsletters” to his list “about once a month.” — whenever he was launching a product or doing a “flash sale.” He didn’t sell anything. And then…
“No List. No Deal.” The $4 Million Mistake…
A crazy story a business broker once told me… He was on the verge of closing a deal for his clients to sell their company. But during due diligence, the buyer asked about the client’s email list. “No email list,” the sellers said. “Deal’s off,” said the buyer. And so a $4 million deal collapsed…
[Invitation] 5 Steps to a Million-Dollar List
When Chris Orzechowski talks email, I listen. Thatās why you should run, not walk, toĀ this pageĀ and sign up for his new LIVE workshop called ā5 Steps to a Million-Dollar List.ā (I’ll be there.) This workshop is for anyone who has an email list and wants to make more sales. Chris is an email marketing master…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.09.29
Recommended Reading šĀ To be heard (by Seth Godin) Another tiny but powerful post from Seth Godin — about customer service and how so many businesses get it wrong. My favorite line: “When we depersonalize our interactions and work to minimize the time spent and use a refund or policy to āmake it rightā, we forget…
[Breaking News] Mark Zuckerberg sues Mark Zuckerberg
Ripped from the headlines… A bankruptcy attorney in Indianapolis is suing Meta because they keep shutting down his Facebook account. The attorney’s name “Mark S. Zuckerburg.” His offense, according to Meta: Impersonating a celebrity and using a false name. The celebrity in question: Mark E. Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO. What a cluster-Zuck!Ā š “It’s not funny,” said…
The Secret to Land More Clients
A few years ago, I went fishing with my son, Jake. He caught 37 trout. I caught two. When I asked him how he did it, he said, “I put my fly on the water.” While I spend too much time analyzing the water, determining which insects are buzzing, flipping through a box for just…
[Invitation] Learn Life Lessons From the Philly Playground
When the Chicago Bulls three-peated as NBA champions in 1996, 1997, and 1998, Michael Jordan was the star — the guy who scored more points, the one who sank the last second shots. The unsung hero was Dennis Rodman — the guy who grabbed the rebounds. When his teammates missed a shot, Rodman grabbed the…
The Science of Landing Trout (And Clients)
Earlier this month, I went fishing with my high school buddies in southern Wyoming and caught thisā¦ Thatās a 21-inch brown trout — a real beauty. September is a good time to catch brown trout. They spawn in October and November so theyāre hungry and aggressive in September. The water cools which makes the trout…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.09.22
Recommended Reading šĀ Lies Damned Lies This blog post from the great Drayton Bird contains a tip so simple, yet so powerful, it could transform your marketing content from pitiful to profitable overnight. Everyone who writes marketing copy should readĀ thisĀ and take Bird’s advice. Recommended Listening š”Ā Cal Fussman: April 20, 1999, September 10, 2025, And The Future…
Batman Rules: Leave Them Hanging
Way up yonder, in the big Bat Cave in the sky, Adam West is celebrating his 97th birthday today (September 19). (Here’s to the greatest Caped Crusader of them all!) Fun fact about the 1960s ‘Batman’ series: Its creators intended it to be an hour-long show. But ABC didn’t have any hour-long slots available… …so…
You’re Losing Money If You Don’t do This…
Yesterday, I attended an event hosted by the great and powerful Dave Dee, and I heard something that blew my mind: For professional service providers coaches, or consultants, only 18% of the prospects who turn into clients will buy within the first 90 days of meeting you. Most future buyers take up to 18 months before they…
Don’t Write Like This (Please)
I keep a swipe file of notable emails I receive — good and bad. Ones that demonstrate the right way to do things. Others that get things wrong. Here’s one from the wrong-way file — a cold pitch I received a few years ago: (Our magazine) has been an apex platform reaching out to 45,000…
Why ‘Wait and Hope’ Won’t Skyrocket Profits
Ripped from the headlines on this day (September 16) in 1931: A blimp tried, but failed, to dock at the top of the Empire State Building. When they opened the skyscraper in May 1931, planners imagined the Empire State Building would be a station for blimps. Tie the airship to the top. Drop a gangplank…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.09.15
Recommended Reading šĀ The Zero-Click Future: Winning In A World Where Google Doesnāt Send Traffic This one’s a must-read for anyone who has invested in SEO — or plans to do so. Googleās changing the rules — and marketers need to catch up. This article breaks down the rise of “zero-click searches” and what it means…
Gas Leak + Dumb Dude = Marketing Lesson
True story: Once upon a time, a dumb dude in Michigan smelled gas coming from his newly installed water heater. He checked for the leak by lighting a match. He shoulda died, but he got off easyā¦ ā¦with singed eyebrows. Mixing fire and gas leak ā that wasnāt his first mistake. Installing the gas heater…
Hi Didn’t Catch a Fish. Why’d He Celebrate?
Yesterday. Southern Wyoming… “Hey, Paul,” I said. “I think that hole is fished out.” Paul had been casting his fly to the same spot on the North Platte River for the past five minutes and hadn’t gotten a bite. If any trout had been there, they were long gone. “I know,” he replied. “I’m not…
Off the Grid. On the River. Still Writing.
Good morning from the middle of somewhere in southern Wyoming, not far from a town you’ve never heard of, near a river filled with trout. I’m here to do some fishing with my pals. This place we stay is off the grid — no cell signal, no wi-fi, no internet — except in a 300…
How Do YOU Prove Youāre in the Peace-of-Mind Business?
It’s been 115 days since the tornado ripped the roof off my house. And I’m still waiting on my general contractor to finish a quote that my insurance company will approve. That’s too long. I’m fed up. So I’m shopping for a new contractor. I’ve spent the last two weeks interviewing candidates, including a guy…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.09.08
Recommended Reading šĀ The Hustle Loop I used to believe that hustle (+ more hustle) was the recipe for business success. I eventually learned better. In this short post, Seth Godin shares a viewpoint I wish I learned sooner. He warns that hustle pushes people to cut corners, create discomfort, and race to the bottom. The…
The Chamber Pot Strategy for Biz Growth
James told me he’s about to scrap his podcast. “No one is listening,” he said. “I’m not getting any calls or clients from this.” I replied with a story about “The Groom of the Stool.” In olden days, kings had fancy toilets called “stools” where they took care of business. Picture a throne-like chair, with…
How to Churn Out Stories Like Paul Harvey
It’s Paul Harvey’s birthday (September 4). Never heard of him? Never heard him? Well, now’s your chance. Paul Harvey (1918ā2009) was a legendary radio broadcaster who, at his peak, reached 24 million listeners per week. Here’s a classic Harvey clip about… …well… …you’ll just have to listen to the end to find out… Harvey delivered thousands of…
Why do People Buy? Reply, and I’ll Tell You…
It’s been 16 weeks since the EF3 tornado roared through our neighborhood, ripped the roof of our house, and leveled our back yard. Many of my neighbors’ yards got wrecked, too. But a few houses down from me, one neighbor has restored his yard to its former glory. No surprise, really, because this neighbor is…
[Invitation] Give Your Biz Some “Schweppervescence”
Back in the 1950s, Schweppes was a tiny player in the US tonic water and mixer market. And then legendary ad man David Ogilvy introduced America to this guy: That’s Commander Edward Whitehead who served in the Royal Navy during World War II and then became the President of Schweppes (USA). Ogilvy launched a series…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.09.01
Recommended Podcast Episode š„Ā Magnetic Marketing: Jay Abraham and Dan Kennedy This is a crash course in how to grow your business. A rare conversation between Dan Kennedy and Jay Abraham — two giants of direct response marketing. They swap stories and strategies on positioning, preeminence, joint ventures, and how to become your clientsā most trusted…
New Leads are Worthless if You Make This Mistake…
What happens when a new lead signs up for your email list or your lead magnet? Here’s what happened when I signed up for a marketing consultant’s list yesterday. Nothing! Well… actually… something happened… Under the form I filled out, this message appeared: “You have successfully submitted the form.” Then… nothing. No thank you page. No follow-up…
Donāt Curse the Boulder — Leverage It
When I began reading Ryan Holiday’s “The Obstacle is the Way,” I thought: “The Obstacle is the Way!!?!?!” What the heck does that mean!? On page 14 Holiday answers. He tells an ancient Zen story about a king who noticed his people had grown soft and entitled. He wanted to teach them a lesson. So he…
From Paralyzed to Productive — Nick Saban’s Secret
Earlier this month, I felt overwhelmed and stuck. The to-do list felt infinite. I had a webinar to launch. I was rebuilding my online communities. Onboarding several new clients. And, as if that wasn’t enough, I’m still dealing with contractors and insurance adjusters so I can rebuild my house after it was pummeled by the…
How a Roman Emperor Prevented a Road-rage Disaster
This happened on Sunday… I was driving southbound on Kingshighway Blvd. in St. Louis, heading to the Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park when — out of nowhere — a 1980s-vintage Toyota Tercel zoomed from behind and nearly rear-ended me. The driver was in a hurry. She zigged to the left. Then she zagged…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.08.25
Recommended Podcast š„Ā Why Soft Skills Aren’t Soft I love this video from Trust Insights. Itās a smart, honest look at why communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence arenāt just nice-to-haves. Theyāre the real power skills in todayās workplace. Plus, thereās a fascinating dive into how AI bias can undervalue human-centric work. Worth watching if you…
Tomorrow: The Formula to Turn Content Into a Client-getting Love Potion
Ripped from the pages of science journals:Shocking proof that a good story, well-told can be more powerful than the most potent love potion. Here’s the story… In 2009, neuroscientist Paul Zak conducted a study where he presented one of two short videos to volunteers. One video was a snoozer. No story. No emotional arc. The…
The Weirdest Stress-relief Craze Ever?
Ripped from the headlines in China: Pacifiers for pressure-cooked professionals.Ā š® š¼ It’s true. Plus-sized pacifiers are all the rage in China. Over-stressed adults dish out up to $70 for a binky to relieve burnout. Some stores sell more than 2,000 a month. Count me out. I know. Too much stress sucks. But I ain’t sucking…