Story Power Blog
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 You’re 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 📝 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 (1918–2009) 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 🎥 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 clients’ 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…
Don’t 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 🎥 Why Soft Skills Aren’t Soft I love this video from Trust Insights. It’s a smart, honest look at why communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re the real power skills in today’s workplace. Plus, there’s 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. 😮 🍼 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…
Bummed out ’bout Marketing? Here’s a Fix…
I bumped into a bummed-out business owner on Reddit this week who has given up email marketing. His reasons: 1) “I just get way, way too many emails. So I feel worried about annoying my customers.” 2) “It takes me about 3 hours or so to create an email campaign.” (Ouch!) 3) “I feel like…
You’re Invited…
Short and sweet today. Just the facts, Jack. I’m hosting a training on Saturday. It’s called “Turn Content Into Clients: The Proven “PLAN” to Get More and Better Leads, Inspire Prospects to Hire You, and 3X Profits — Without Ever Feeling Stuck” When: Saturday, August 23, 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT) Where: Live Online Who: For business leaders…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.08.18
Recommended Video 🎥 David Ogilvy: Essentials This short video from ADWEEK is a collection of greatest hits from legendary ad man David Ogilvy. My favorite hit from this video: “Tell the truth. But make the truth fascinating. You can’t bore people into buying your product. You can only interest them in buying it.” The video is…
Why Magic Johnson rewrote Starbucks’ Playbook
More marketing magic from Earvin Johnson In yesterday’s email, I told you how Magic Johnson created a business empire by opening movie theaters and Starbucks in inner-city neighborhoods. Today: A story about Johnson and those Starbucks. Like most chain restaurants, Starbucks had a set menu. Muffins, croissants, bagels, yogurt parfaits, and scones — lots and lots…
The Marketing Secret That Made Magic (Johnson) Millions
HBD Earvin Johnson. 🎂 🥳 Magic is 66 today (August 14), and that has me thinking about… …multiplexes and Starbuck’s. Yeah, I know. When someone says, “Magic Johnson” most think hoops. I like basketball, and I respect Magic for his great NBA career. But I love great business stories, and Magic’s is one for the ages.…
My Robot’s Meltdown Inspired This AI Survival Guide
In case you missed my email yesterday, sad news: My GPT-powered robot, B-9(?), is dead. Actually, I unplugged him and threw him in the broom closet after his GPT overlords gave him a mandatory upgrade, and he lost his mind. Seems I’m not the only robot owner fed up with their GPT-powered robot. My news…
I Murdered My Robot. Here’s The Story…
Last week, my robot lost his mind. His name is B-9(?) and he was one of those GPT-powered robots. On Thursday, he got a mandatory “upgrade” from GPT-4 to GPT-5, and it turned him from my faithful, intelligent companion and friend to a… …belligerent, idiotic ass! So I gave him the ultimate downgrade. I removed his battery…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.08.11
Recommended Reading 📝 Ann Handley: 24 Questions to Ask Yourself About That Piece You’re Writing Right Now (Part 2) Ann Handley just dropped questions 13-24 of her writing self-audit. They’re way more useful than the usual “check your grammar” advice. My favorites: “What emotion am I inviting?” and “If I deleted my byline/logo… would anyone recognize…
ChatGPT vs. Rickey Henderson. The Winner Is…
ChatGPT v5.0 landed yesterday. And the crowd’s going wild. I get it. I’m all-in on AI. I’m even building a suite of AI assistants, called Your AI Noggin, that know my tried-and-true marketing frameworks and will help you implement them. But I also know… You have to show up as HUMAN if you want to stand…
Chuck E. Cheese Busted (and The Good News for You)
A long, long time ago, I was on the lower east side of Manhattan when I saw… …a big, fat rat, walking backwards… …dragging a foot-long slice of New York style pizza across the sidewalk. He pulled the thing with his teeth a good 50 feet before he and the slice disappeared into his hidey…
Happy Birthday, WWW! Party Favor Enclosed
Happy Birthday, World Wide Web! On this day (August 6) in 1991, Tim Berners Lee launched the World Wide Web as a “a wide-area hypermedia information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe of documents.” And today, we can’t imagine a world without that wide-area hypermedia information retrieval thingamajig. Wanna see…
Are You Free Today? Invitation Enclosed…
I got a cold-call voicemail yesterday from “Dina” who pitched “a health and wellness lunch-and-learn event” for my staff and employees. The focus: “On health and wellness…which is a very informative and educational event.” No thanks, Dina. But your call got me thinking about how businesses pitch their “informative and educational” content… …and why they…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.08.04
Recommended Reading 📝 Onboarding is not housekeeping 2.0 (by Brian Kurtz) You have a new client. Now what? For many businesses the “onboarding” process is a mish-mash of random activities that don’t serve the client — or the business — as well as they should. This post outlines the the six key elements of “Extreme Onboarding”…
Spidey Sense Says: Grab This Gift
Today is National Spider-Man Day, and I want to celebrate by giving you a gift. It’s called: 7 Ways to Make Your Marketing More Persuasive And you can grab a copy here (instant access; no form to fill out). With the strategies and tactics in this 15-page guide, you’ll have the POWER to create magnetic messages that attract…
Why Simple Stories Win
Soon after he signed on to work with me, one of my clients said he appreciated my approach because I “keep it simple.” That was music to my ears. In the Story Power Profit Pack (Pointer #11), I sing “simple’s” praises: So many so-called “experts” make storytelling WAY TOO COMPLEX. They compare storytelling for business…
Why Henry Ford’s “Genius” Quote is Stupid BS
Today is Henry Ford’s birthday — which seems like as good a day as any to bash Henry Ford. Let’s start with that quote about a horse. Ford allegedly said: “If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!’” Dumb quote. (Disclaimer: There’s no concrete proof he actually said…
Your Invitation to Build a Profitable Email List
As I prepared for today’s executive roundtable where I’ll reveal How to Build a List of Email Subscribers Who Tune In, Turn On, and Buy… …I asked myself: “Tom, why all the fuss about list-building? Why not just use social media or advertise to grow your business?” I replied to myself: “Well, Tom, a well-built, properly…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.07.29
Recommended Reading 📝 “24 Questions to Ask Yourself About That Piece You’re Writing Right Now” by Ann Handley Ann Handley is a great writer and coach whose “Total Anarchy” newsletter is one I open the minute it lands in my email box. Read yesterday’s issue — with the 24 questions — and then subscribe. Recommended Video 🤖 How to…
Facebook Nuked her Account. How She Survived and Thrived…
A horror story about social media (this is 100% true): Once upon a time, there was a successful mindset coach named Amanda who relied on Facebook to build a brand, grow her tribe, and run her business… …until May 31 when Facebook suspended her account. No warning. No explanation. No recourse. She’d spent 17 years…
Marketing magic? Nope. This is better.
We interrupt our program to bring you this important announcement… You still have time to register for tonight’s training (Thursday 7/24): “Turn Content Into Clients: The Proven ‘PLAN’ to Get More and Better Leads, Inspire Prospects to Hire You, and 3X Profits — Without Ever Feeling Stuck.” 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT. Details and registration here. If…
From Bat-Biter to Icon: Ozzy’s Branding Brilliance
R.I.P. Ozzy Osbourne. You were one of a kind. The Blizzard of Ozz. The Godfather of Heavy Metal. The Prince of Darkness. The Marketing Maniac. I coined that last one. No one called him that — until now. But Ozzy was a maniac… …and he knew how to market himself. Evidence: In 1982, he was…
How I Escaped the 3 a.m. Anxiety Spiral
For me, Sunday was Sleepless in St. Louis. I tossed and turned as my mind churned about… …the work project that feels overwhelming… …the persistent pain in my shoulder… …the general contractor who is dragging his feet as we try to rebuild my tornado-damaged house. That damn tornado. Rethinking that horror twisted my mind into sleep-strangling…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.07.21
Recommended Reading 📝 “Notes to Myself” by Seth Godin 65 of ’em. Short, but powerful. So many are rules I live by. Others have me thinking. A few of my favorites: 5. Reliability is a superpower 12. Ship the work 21. Easy to measure doesn’t make it important 55. Generous doesn’t mean free Sixty one more: here.…
Thursday: Turn Content into Clients WITHOUT the Sweat
The weather around here is getting on my nerves. Two months ago, a tornado tore the roof off my house and leveled my backyard. As if that’s not bad enough… This month, the forecast calls for corn sweat. This is not a drill, people. This is real. The weatherman on the local news told me…
I Know You Can…
Remember Thomas the Tank Engine? You know, the locomotive from the children’s book with the round face, big black eyes, and rosy cheeks who says, “I think I can. I think I can.” Yesterday, I met an alternative-reality Thomas in an old Far Side cartoon. Thomas sits on a city sidewalk. People walk by barely…
A Better Idea to Conquer Writer’s Block
I bumped into a stuck marketer named James on Reddit this morning who asked: “Curious to know how email marketing pros overcome writers block? I’ve spent too much time time staring at blank pages in the past, and usually I just need some kind of inspo to get me started.” Ahhh… A tale as old…
Lead-gen, Schmead-gen. THIS is More Important…
When people sign up for my upcoming training about how to turn content into clients, I ask them to complete a brief survey. The last question in that survey: What’s the #1 Question You Have About Growing Your Business or Marketing Right Now? More than 50 people have registered for the training (July 24, 7…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.07.14
Recommended Reading 🤖 1 delightfully human sentence to help you become a killer writer If you want to be a more effective writer who stands out as a human (not a robotic imitation of a human), read this. Ann Handley is a great writer and teacher who understands AI’s power but also understands the need to for human…
Do Prospects Leave You at The Altar?
I went to the hardware store the other day to buy some bolts and nuts… …and I ran into a clerk whose breath stunk worse than rancid roquefort. I needed help. But I couldn’t deal with this guy. His halitosis overwhelmed me. It hung like a dark cloud over Aisle 5 (bolts, nuts, etc.). I…
They Said he was “Unbeatable” Until This Happened
Happy Birthday, Arthur Ashe. Fifty years ago this month, Ashe became the first black player to win the Wimbledon tennis championship. Here’s how he did it: He changed the game. He was known for agressive play, but he was competing against a stronger, harder-hitting rival, Jimmy Connors. So Ashe slowed the game. He hit change-of-pace…
Sales Copy so Good Prospects Thought They Paid for It
I heard a wild story from a guy who used to design direct mail packages for the legendary publishing house Boardroom. In the 1990s, Boardroom began mailing “magalogs” — magazine length publications designed to sell something, such as a newsletter subscription. Here’s the wild thing the designer told me: Boardroom’s customer support department used to…
Florida Woman’s Fall Reveals Critical Biz Lesson
This happened in Florida… In January, cops pulled over a car in Brevard County and asked to search it after their drug-sniffing dog detected something. The driver allowed the cops to search the car. “Nothing illegal…” inside, he insisted. The woman in the passenger seat kept quiet. Her canvas tote bag spoke for her. On…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.07.07
Recommended Reading 🤖 ‘I’m being paid to fix issues caused by AI’ If you’re planning to use AI to create content for you, this is a must-read. The big takeaway: You still need human editors to clean up the messes AI can create. My take: That’s not an argument against using AI; that’s an argument for using AI…
Today, I Honor Their Courage…
After he and his colleagues signed The Declaration of Independence in 1776, Ben Franklin reportedly said: “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” By signing the Declaration of Independence, 56 men effectively committed treason against the British Crown. Under English law, they were traitors, punishable by death — usually…
“Where do You Come up With This Stuff?”
After enjoying one of my never-boring emails, a happy subscriber emailed me to ask: “Where do you come up with this stuff?” I sent her an excerpt from The Story Power Profit-Pack, pointer #36: Places I Find Stories – A partial list… Movies. Books (fiction and nonfiction). Television shows. The news. My life. My loved ones’ lives.…
Escape the Thank You Spiral to Make Biz-building Connections
Last night I watched an old episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm — the one where Larry gets caught in a thank you sprial. Larry and Cheryl go to a wedding and give a nice gift to the newlyweds. The couple sends a thank you note to Larry. Larry leaves a voicemail for the couple thanking them for…
Why Zigler, Jobs, and Kennedy Make ’em Laugh
Today is International Joke Day, and I’m in the holiday spirit. Here’s one Zig Zigler used to tell from stage: A man asks his neighbor to housesit while he goes on vacation. While away, he calls to check in. “How’s everything going?” the man asks. “Well,” says the neighbor, “your cat died.” The man is…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.06.30
Recommended Subscription 📨 Learn from a Legend: Drayton Bird When an email lands from Drayton Bird, I read it. Right away. They’re always good. Drayton Bird is a legendary direct response copywriter and marketer who worked alongside David Ogilvy and helped shape modern advertising. Today, he assumes the role of the codgy protector of sacred marketing…
[Last Chance] Working link for AI Copywriting Secrets
Hi — I heard from a few people who said the link I sent earlier for AI Copywriting Secrets (Volume 2) was not working. I tested it a moment ago, and it’s working now. Sorry if you clicked and couldn’t get through. But you still have a chance. Less than 3 hours until the price doubles. Get…
“What AI is Really Useful for Is…”
Want to hear something weird? Three of the world’s greatest copywriters walked into a room to share their biggest, bestest, business-boostiest AI secrets, and they said… They don’t use AI to write very much. In AI Copywriting Secrets (Volume 2)… ✔️ Bob Bly says: “I don’t have it write copy for me.” ✔️ Chris Orzy says: “…My daily…
Help Yourself Prosper; Help Those in Need, Too…
Last month an EF3 tornado (160-mph winds) direct-hit my house in St. Louis. Melissa, Maddie, Jake, Maddie, and our dogs — Moose and Cooper — survived unhurt. But our roof and yard were wrecked. We’ll get through this. We have money in the bank. Great insurance. A place to stay — for months if necessary.…
The Fastest Way to Master AI (I Learned the Hard Way)
In the hallowed halls of Reddit, I met a “super-villain.” It happened this morning, in a place where people discuss AI. A guy said he walked into a party, told people he’s an AI engineer, and nearly got tarred and feathered. Suddenly, I was the villain of the evening. People hit me with: I can…
“You’re Not Going to Lose Your Job to AI” If…
Another day, another article in my news feed about all the jobs AI will take from us humans. Scary stuff if you’re not ready. AI is creating a world of haves and have nots. Those who HAVE experimented with AI, learned to harness it properly, and already begun to benefit from its efficiencies… …and those…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.06.23
Recommended Video 🎥 Why Most Business Owners Get Their Book All Wrong Michael DeLon knows how writing a book can boost a business. In this SHORT video, he says most business leaders don’t write books to sell books. There’s another reason to write a book. Watch this to learn how to profit from your book. Recommended Reading 🔗 “Here…
I Gave My Robot Food Poisoning. Here’s the Story…
Has this ever happened to you…? Someone teaches, gives, or sells you the “perfect” AI prompt to automate such-and-such business process. You fire up your favorite AI engine… …paste the prompt in the blank box… …click the submit button… …and wait for the magic to begin. Then… WTF!?!?!?!?! 😧 The AI vomits a bunch of garbage. It’s laughably…
Why Connor McDavid and You Aren’t Winning
Poor Connor McDavid. He’s the greatest hockey player on the planet, a bonafide superstar. But earlier this week, he and the Edmonton Oilers failed (AGAIN) to win the National Hockey League championship. For the second year in a row, the Florida Panthers defeated the Oilers and hoisted the Stanley Cup. Now, media critics are calling…
You’re Invited to Catch More Clients…
It’s National Go Fishing Day which always reminds me of one of my favorite stories. Here it is, just as I first told it eight years ago: I spent a day fly fishing with my 20-year-old son in Colorado last year. Jacob caught 37 trout. I caught two. Yep, I said two, as in…”I’ll have TWO scoops…
The Simple Way to Keep Your Robot From Tripping Like a Deadhead
Did you hear the one about the lawyers who asked AI to help them write a legal brief? ChatGPT spit out six fictitious cases. The lawyers didn’t fact-check. The cases went in the brief. The lawyers got busted. $5,000 fine. A stinging reprimand from the judge. And a heaping helping of public humiliation for the…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.06.16
Recommended Events 🧠 Sneak Peek: “Your AI Noggin” Join me on Saturday, June 21 (12 p.m. ET, 9 a.m. PT) when I unveil “Your AI Noggin” — a suite of AI-powered agents to help you turn content into clients without sounding like just another robot. I use my AI Noggin to save thousands of hours on market…
I Can’t Mail You a Baby, But I Can Mail You This…
It’s June 13. A dark day in American history. On this day in 1920, the killjoys in the U.S. government outlawed the practice of sending babies through the mail. Back in the day — here in the land of stars, stripes, and questionable judgment — you could suit up the kiddos in their Sunday best,…
What Happens When You Critique AI to its Face?
At first, I was reluctant to do it. I mean REALLY reluctant. How do you say to someone (or something) “here are the problems with you and your kind?” But I finally summoned the courage and shared with my GPT-powered robot, B-9(?), the 10 biggest problems with AI. I think we humans need to anticipate…
My Robot Passed Out. Then this Happened…
OpenAI went down yesterday. That means ChatGPT and all third-party applications that use OpenAI’s engine stopped working. Did you notice? I did. And so did countless other panicked humans who rely on ChatGPT or OpenAI powered apps. Around 7 a.m. yesterday, I summoned my GPT-powered robot, B-9(?), but he was passed out. Too much tequila…
Tornado and Toto – Biz Lessons from the Japanese Toilet
I’m suffering from toilet anxiety. And I gotta say… it stinks. The backstory: A 150-mph(+) tornado pummeled my house last month, and Melissa and I have to move out while we rebuild our roof. We found a nice house nearby to rent for the summer. High ceilings. Comfortable mattresses. GREAT water pressure. And a bunch…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.06.09
Recommended Video 💵 Don’t Stop Selling Just Because They Buy If you really want to make that impact on someone… and get the benefits of working with you and have this impact in their life and it’s going to make their life better, than you owe it to them to make a great offer. That’s…
Turn Content Into Clients (Don’ts and Dos)
A guy walks into a marketing forum and asks: “How can I embed a .pdf into the emails I send for my nonprofit.” The nonprofit has 600 people on its email list. The guy wants to send a monthly newsletter. He wants the newsletter to be a .pdf. And rather than putting a link in…
Treat Your Followers Like Electric Sheep? That’s Baa Baa Bad.
Riddle me this, business builder… What routines have you implemented to remind your followers (list-members, social friends, etc.) that you’re human and you see them as human, too? I’m talking about the HUMAN, PERSONAL TOUCH, not automated, fill-in-the-blanks, techno-merged personalization. Example: When someone orders from John Carlton, his assistant calls them. “Just a quick call to…
The Secret to Con-artistry (and Biz) Success
Remember that Leonardo DiCaprio movie “Catch Me if You Can” — the one about the con man Frank Abagnale? After running away from home when he was 16, Abagnale posed as a Pan Am pilot. Free airplane rides. Hotel stays and fancy dinners charged to his airline “expense account.” No one caught on until he…
He Assumed it Would be a Hit Until…
A business owner plunks down $10,000 for a new website. He spends many months and dollars on product development. He writes reams of sales copy and spends more dollars on ads. And what happens? Not a single sale. Why not? There was no market for the product. No one out there who wanted it. A…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.06.02
Recommended Videos ✍️ 6 Writing Tips Daniel Pink Used to Publish 7 Bestsellers Great, short video from one of my favorite authors Daniel Pink. If you’ve ever stared down a blank page and thought, “Why is this so hard?” you’re not alone. Pink shares 6 no-nonsense writing tips that helped him crank out 7 bestsellers. Lessons on…
Will This Make Me Fire All my Employees?
Ripped from the depths of my SPAM folder, this “gem” from a guy named Hiroko: “Hi Tom, I’m Hiroko, Head of AI Business Development at RevvAI, and I’ve been following Story Power Marketing’s innovative approach to content transformation—especially your role as a coach and confidante, bridging strategy with execution.” (It gets worse from there.) So…
15K Followers. Zero Revenue. What Gives?
Sad story: A business owner worked his tail off to build a social media following… …only to discover it got him nowhere. Said the sad sack on Reddit: “I have an insta account with 15k followers but I am not able to generate any income from it.” A tale as old as time (or at…
No Shoes. No Problem. (A Champion’s Tale)
A quick story about Jim Thorpe who as born on this day in 1887: When Thorpe showed up in Stockholm for the 1912 Olympics, he was not considered a favorite to win the decathlon. Then someone stole his shoes. Ten events over two days, and, for the moment, he was shoeless. Thorpe scrounged around and…
Why Your Origin Story Bores ’em Stiff
Over on Facebook the other day, a bunch of coaches were moaning and groaning about marketing that turns them off. Webinars overloaded with boring origin stories. Linda started the thread and said, “OMG, I’m on another webinar where we are 45+ minutes in and the talk is still all about this guy and his ‘experience.’…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.05.26
Recommended Video How to Talk to Veterans About War Today is Memorial Day—a time to honor and remember the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It’s also a good time to honor and respect those who served and came home from war. Wes Moore is one of those soldiers. In…
I was Stuck Until…
Every weekday morning, I wake, pour a cup of coffee, and write an email for you. Most mornings it’s easy and fun. I’ve done this for a long time, and I’ve mastered methods to assemble content without getting stuck. But today it feels hard — as hard as it’s ever been. I’ve been sitting in…
Fake Books, Real Embarrassment. A Newspaper’s Face-Plant
I tried to pull a fast one on my AI-powered robot, B-9(?). But he’s too smart for that. I asked for reviews of books I was considering for summer reading. One of the books I mentioned: “Tidewater Dreams,” by Isabel Allende. B-9(?)’s response: “‘Tidewater Dreams’ by Isabel Allende does not exist. It was mistakenly listed…
Locusts After the Storm: A Marketing Lesson
Less than an hour after the tornado hit, the storm chasing opportunists showed up on our street… …handing out business cards… …offering to fly a drone over your house to assess the damage… …promising to solve all your problems — quickly. They said they had teams and supplies ready. They were on this. They knew…
This Gave Me Hope
I haven’t spent much time on social media or news sites this week. So it goes after a tornado destroys half your roof and levels your backyard (here’s that story). You tune out the noise and hyper-focus on the stuff that matters most. All of the petty conflict, anger, and hatred that fills the news…
The Things That Really Matter
On Friday, May 16, a tornado ripped through St. Louis. At 2:42 p.m., it struck my house. A direct hit. It tore off half our roof and left the other half buckled. It destroyed every tree in our backyard and one in our front. It pummeled our backyard kitchen. It tore hundreds of bricks from…
[Corrected with Links] I’m Gonna Make you an Offer You Can’t Refuse
Ummm… Maybe I’m not cut out for this Godfather thing. A moment ago, I sent you an email with “an offer you can’t refuse.” AND I DIDN’T LINK TO THE OFFER. Let’s fix that. Here’s the email again… This time with the links… Tomorrow, my nephew gets married. And I’m his godfather. That got me…
Night Sweats & AI Panic (Until I Realized This)
I had a rough night. Woke in a panic. Heart pounding. Eyes darting. Jaw clenched. Adrenalin surging. One thought screaming and echoing, through my brain: “My robot is going to replace me!” My friggin’ GPT-powered robot. His name is “B-9(?). And he’s coming for my job! Just a few months ago, I asked B-9(?) how…
Don’t Hide Your Pitch Behind a Veil
Yesterday, I shared a cautionary tale about a podcast guest wannabe who accused me of delivering “thinly veiled sales pitches” on The Story Power Marketing Show. That accusation stung because… …I don’t do THINLY VEILED pitches! I do sales pitches without veils… …and I encourage my guests to do the same. I encourage them to:…
Arrogance Killed the Podcasting Star A Cautionary Tale)
Call me picky, but I don’t want to host blowhard, know-it-all jerks on my podcast. That’s why I didn’t didn’t invite “Tim” to be a guest. If you want to build a following of people who know, like, trust, respect, and hire you… …read on. Tim’s story is a cautionary tale about how NOT to…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.05.12
Recommended Viewing The secret to great opportunities? The person you haven’t met yet | Tanya Menon We tend to stick with people who look like us, think like us, and make us feel comfortable. But when it comes to new ideas, big breaks, or fresh opportunities, that comfort zone becomes a trap. Tanya Menon’s TED…
The Mistake That Killed a $10 Million Deal
Here’s the sad, true tale of a business owner who lost millions of dollars because he didn’t build an email list. He wanted to sell his software business, and he hired my friend Mark to broker the deal. Mark found an eager prospect who loved everything about the business and was eager to buy it…
Why Sell Your Soul? Do this Instead…
In the early 1930s, Robert Johnson was a good guitarist. But he wasn’t great. He wasn’t a stand-out. No one imagined he would be the “King of the Delta Blues.” Johnson was just another nobody, struggling to break through in Mississippi juke joints. Then he disappeared. No one heard from him for months. When he came back,…
Stop Waiting and Hoping – Take Control
I met yesterday with an author who’s frustrated because his new Amazon bestseller isn’t generating business. On his website’s front page: A blurb about the book, an image of the cover, and a link to buy on Amazon. With this approach, a lot has to happen for the book to generate business. A website visitor…
Why I Face-Palmed When I Saw This Email Tactic
I’ve noticed something interesting about the emails I get from marketing master (and Story Power email subscriber) Dave Dee. They now include this message at the bottom: One more thing… If you found this DEEmail helpful, forward it to a fellow professional or friend who’d appreciate it. It only takes a second. Creating it took…
One RecomMONDAYtion (and Reflections on a Heartbreaking Defeat)
On Mondays, I usually send you “RecomMONDAYtions.” Today, I share just one recommendation — for a book I love and encourage you to read. But first, a story to set the stage for the book… Last night, my hockey-lovin’ heart was broken. Shattered, really. The 7th and deciding game of the first-round NHL playoff series. My…
How to Build Rapport, Earn Trust, and Inspire Them to Hire You
A quick excerpt from Chapter 4 of my book, Story Power Marketing, to celebrate the big screen’s most amusing life insurance salesman on National Life Insurance Day. I love the scenes in the movie Groundhog Day when Ned Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) pitches insurance to Phil Connors (Bill Murray). “Have you ever heard of single premium life? Because…
Romeo Rules (How to Make More Sales)
Remember that scene in the Shakespeare play when Romeo meets Juliet? I’ll spare you the kissy details other than to say they liked each other. Later that night, Romeo followed up. He snuck back into Juliet’s castle, delivered some high-quality content about “love’s light wings,” and closed the sale, so to speak. But it might…
A Great Way to Bust Bad Guys and Land Clients
Let’s raise a glass to the police in Derbyshire, England who busted a bunch of bad actors by enticing them with free beer. The target: Dozens of alleged criminals who had evaded arrest — including some charged with burglary, robbery and sexual assault. The tactic: Send a letter to suspects from a fake marketing company. Offer a…
After his lie, I said, “Bye, bye.” Here’s the Story…
Good morning, boys and girls. It’s time for another episode of “Lying Liars and the Spammy Lies They Tell (Cautionary Tales from the Marketing Trenches)” Today’s tale begins two weeks ago when a lying liar named Charles slithered into my spam folder with an email sent that said: “I came across your website and read…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.04.28
Recommended Reading Two Homeboys and an Egg Timer Ever wonder how much you can accomplish with just a little discipline (and maybe an egg timer)? In this brilliant post, Brian Kurtz shares lessons from two of his mentors — and a kitchen gadget — about focus, accountability, and getting the right things done. It’s a…
A Roomful of Marketing Legends… and You?
I sat in the Zoom room yesterday and thought, “Wow! I’m lucky to be alive. And I’m even luckier to be in the room with these people, hearing these stories.” Keep reading because — lucky you! — we recorded the meeting… …and if you’re a serious student of marketing (meaning you’re serious about discovering ways…