Story Power Blog
No, You’re not an Unethical Scumbug
Hereās a headline that caught my eye this morning: āFear is an Outdated Marketing Tactic and What to Do Instead.ā The marketing “expert” who wrote it dropped these chestnuts in her article: ā£ āUsing the problems that a customer faces and promoting your product or service as the answer to those problems is manipulationā¦ā ā£ āStrategies…
Ditch the Tricks. Here’s Why…
A story pulled from the pages of the “Story Power Profit Pack” (Pointer #30)… Ditch the Tricks In late 2022, I got an email from big-time marketer Ryan Deiss with the subject line āRe: Refund Request.ā I opened the email, thinking, āI donāt recall buying anything and requesting a refund. Maybe this is a mistake.…
The Best April Fools’ Day Gag Ever
Dateline: April 1, 1957. The British Broadcasting Corporationās flagship current affairs show, Panorama, takes the air. The camara pans across a hilly, rural landscape to a flowering tree in the foreground. Bees buzz around the flowers. A dark-haired women snips one of the flowers from the tree, sniffs it, and smiles. The narrator tells us…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.03.31
Recommended Viewing Fun for Health and Profit I love Catherine Price’s TED talk, “Why Having Fun Is the Secret to a Healthier Life.” Price is a science journalist who says fun is essential for your health and happiness. She proposes a new definition of fun — what she calls “true fun” — and shares easy,…
What’s in a Name?
When I was a kid, Iād travel every year to visit my grandparents who lived just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. My favorite thing to do in Manhattan: Go to the old Madison Square Garden to see Barnum & Baileyās Circus. P.T. Barnum and his partners launched the circus on this day (March 28)…
How to Win, Even When You Lose…
I have a new favorite saying. But first, the backstoryā¦ On Tuesday, my beloved St. Louis Blues hockey club destroyed the Montreal Canadiensā¦ ā¦and I mean DEEEE-stroyed. Final score 6-1. And it wasnāt even THAT close. The two teams were the hottest in the National Hockey League going into the game so this was supposed…
Break-up Gone Wrong (A Cautionary Tale)
Remember that old Neil Sedaka songā¦? š¶ā¦down dooby doo down down Comma comma, down dooby doo down down Comma comma, down dooby doo down down Breaking up is hard to doĀ š¶ Tell me about it! Last week, I tried to break up with a software company whose screen capture app Iād used since 2009. Ninety…
Are you Making this Bank Robber’s Mistake?
If youāve ever robbed a bank, you know: Waiting is the hardest part. You hand the clerk a note or you wave a gun and say, āGimme the money.ā And then you have to wait and wait and wait and waitā¦ ā¦and waitā¦ ā¦and waitā¦ ā¦and waaaaiiiit. It takes a long time for a nervous…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.03.24
Recommended Viewing George Foreman Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union George Foreman passed away last week. He lived a remarkable life. In this long video (1 hour +), recorded in 2016, he shares his story. And what a great story it is… ********** Recommended Reading Seth Godin: The Second Time Through Seth Godin packs…
Are you Ferris or the Economics Teacher?
Remember that scene in Ferris Buellerās Day Off when the economics teacher drones on and on and on and on about federal economic policy? āAnyone? Anyone?ā The teacher (played by Ben Stein) describes post-war efforts to āalleviate the effects of ā Anyone? Anyone? āthe Great Depression.ā He decribes how Congress passed ā Anyone? Anyone? ā the Hawley…
A Cure for Writer’s Block? Get it Here…
If you ever struggle to generate ideas and produce emails, social posts, videos or other content… …join me tomorrow (Friday 3/21) at 1 p.m. ET for a small-group masterclass where I’ll reveal how to: āļøĀ Consistently and confidently generate better content, faster without writers block. āļøĀ Create content that attracts qualified prospects and inspires them to hire…
“Just Before The Twister Hit…”
The Tornado Chronicles, Day 2. I have twisters on my mindā¦ ā¦since Friday when 13 of them touched down here in Missouri. Yesterday, I sharedĀ the taleĀ of a community that rallied to support a gym owner whose business was blown away. Today: Another twister tale. Itās a story about tragedy narrowly averted, loaded with lessons to…
Doom, Gloom… and Inspiration
Itās twister season here in middle America. On Friday, the twisters struck hard. Thirteen touched down in Missouri. Twelve people died. No twisters hit where my family and I were. But they hit nearby, including down the road in Rolla. An EF-2 (120 mph) tornado touched down southwest of Rolla at 7:50 p.m. and barreled…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.03.17
Recommended Exercises What Is Stoicism? A Definition & 9 Stoic Exercises To Get You Started On this day in 180 AD, the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius died. He was one of the great stoic philosophers. Ryan Holliday describes Stoicism as “a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wiseāand as…
Holiday, Schmoliday. I’m not Celebrating…
My Weird and Obscure Holidays Calendar tells me itās National Write Down Your Story Day. Seems like my the perfect holiday for a guy who wrote a bestselling book on storytelling. But Iām not celebrating. On page 17 of that book, Story Power Marketing, I reveal why those who embrace this holiday may be killing their…
This Story ’bout my Bloated Lunch Bill Could Boost Your Biz
My daughter, Maddie, flew in from Philly last week for my birthday. On the big day, we walked to a new Mediterranean restaurant in the neighborhood for a celebratory lunch. Perfect weather. Outdoor dining. Delicious, healthy food. Just around the corner. What could go wrong? (Cue ominous music and image of dark clouds on the…
Finally, a Cure for Your Tech Headache
Whenever I invite someone to be a guest on my podcast, I ask them if they have a gift theyād like to share with listeners. The idea: Direct listeners to a page on your website and give them the gift in exchange for their email. A great way to turn podcast listeners into prospects you…
This Thursday: Turn Podcast Appearances into Business Gold
A few years ago, when she was a guest on my podcast, the brilliant sales consultant Lynn Whitbeck offered a free gift to those who tuned in: A free masterclass called āHow to Leverage Guest Podcasting to Grow Your Business.ā Holy practice-what-you-preach, Batman! Thatās how itās done. Land some gigs as a podcast guest. Share…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.03.10
Recommended Viewing John Cleese’s Legendary 1991 Speech About Creativity If you want to be a more creative person — or create with greater consistency and ease — watch this video. Monty Python’s John Cleese reveals creativity is not a talent but a “way of operating.” Adopting a childlike approach to play with ideas for enjoyment…
The Most Important Person in The World
Today is my 60th birthday. Thirty-five years ago today, on my 25th birthday, my dad died. Colon cancer. He was 51. So today (and every March 7) is a day I celebrateā¦ ā¦AND I remember Wallace Renard Ruwitch. I remember what my maternal grandmother, Miriam, told me about him that night 35 years ago: āWhen…
4 out of 5 Robots Surveyed Love this Book…
Bless his heart. My AI-powered copywriting robot, B-9(?), knows itās my birthday tomorrow and told me he wants to get me a gift. What follows is the actual conversation I had with B-9(?) this morning: āWhat would you like for the big day?ā he asked. Me: Thanks for asking, B-9(?). I would like the winning…
Warning: Do not Make this Email Marketing Mistake
A cautionary tale about email marketing gone wrongā¦ Waaaayyyy back when, I signed up for Andyās email list after I met him at a networking event. Heās an accountant with some interesting insights on how to manage finances and keep the IRS at bay. Yesterday, I received an email from him with a useful tip.…
An Ad that United Conservatives and Liberals? It’s True…
Back in 2002, marketing experts Dan Kennedy and Jeff Paul launched an ad that did the seemingly impossible: It united hard-core conservatives and far-left liberals. Crazy, huh!? Today at 4 p.m., Iāll break down the ad, share the story behind it, and reveal marketing lessons that can help you grow your business (and conquer writer’s…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.03.03
Recommended Events The Monetization Mindset with Sally Curtis I recently interviewed Sally Curtis on my posdcast (see below) and was blown away by the unique way she helps business leaders repurpose and monetize content. My friend and mastermind partner Dixie Gillaspie feels the same about Sally and will host thisĀ live training tomorrowĀ (March 4, 4 p.m.…
Build an Empathy-driven Marketing Machine
A group of business leaders were talking yesterday about EMPATHY. All of us agreed: Empathy is a critical ingredient to market and sell well. Then the conversation turned to an interesting question: Is empathy an innate trait? Are you born one way or another — empathetic or not? Here’s how Aleasha Bahr answered: All human…
Finally, a Cure for Commission Breath
I read something that made me laugh out loud the other day. Itās in Aleasha Bahrās new book āBlack Sheep Sales.ā Page 13: Black Sheep Sales Commandments, #10: āDetach from the sale. Itās about the prospectās best interests. NO ONE likes commission breath.ā Ooooh, thatās hilariously good. Most of us have been on the receiving end…
OMG! I Thought They Might Kill Her
I’ve had things go wrong during live presentations. But I’ve never had a client die. So imagine my horror when a blood-thirsty mob went after my client Lynn as she dished out some know-how during my online roundtable last night. Lynn was listing all she does to turn webinar registrants into clients. Long list: And…
Stall Less. Score More.
Later this evening, Iām hosting aĀ small-group RoundtableĀ called āTurn Content to Clients Daily.ā Hereās a sad-but-true tale that sheds light on why Iām hosting this event (and why you might wish to attend)ā¦ A few months ago, I asked clients in my Content Transformation Academy if they had any unreleased work. And all of them said,…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.02.24
Welcome to the new-look version of RecomMONDAYtions. I’m experimenting with a stripped-down, image-free version of my Monday-morning newsletter… …to see whether delivery rates improve. The meanies at Microsoft, Gmail, Yahoo (etc.) are constantly changing the rules of the game. So marketers have to adjust if they want to maximize email opens and engagement. Too many…
Boost Your Vanity or Grow your Biz? Time to Choose…
I used to work with a guy who bragged about his email open rates and social media likes… …but struggled to grow his business. While his business flirted with failure, he celebrated āsuccessā based on vanity metrics. Email opens and social engagement are swell. They make us feel good. Each open and like strokes our…
You Must Ignore This Hall of Shame Advice
Hereās a sad but true tale about a marketing āexpertā whose advice was SO BAD it belongs in the Storytelling Hall of Shame. I stumbled across him on LinkedIn. He had 10,000+ followers so I thought he was credibleā¦ ā¦until he said you should NEVER begin a story by saying, in effect, āHere comes a story.ā A…
Chrisās Recipe For 9x ROI
I heard this story from a business owner named Chris who lost a little money before making a lot. The story begins with paid advertising and a low-cost product. Chris invested in ads to drive cold leads to a page where he sold a low-cost product. The results: For every $1000 he spent on advertising,…
Huck No! (The Wrong Way to Attract Prospects)
Happy 140th Birthday Huckleberry Finn (the novel, that is, published on this day in 1885). One of my favorite stories from the novel: the time Huck tried to pass as a girl. He put on a dress. He strolled into town. And he confidently introduced himself asā¦ Sarah Williams. So far, so good. But then he forgot his own…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.02.17
Recommended Reading š”Ā A Case Study in B2B Storytelling Here’s a fascinating case study in B2B storytelling from Ann Handley that proves how thinking outside the box can transform even the most “boring” products into compelling content. Tennant Company, which sells industrial floor-cleaning equipment, launched a brilliant “Custodians Are Key” contest that invited nominations for outstanding…
Holy Guacamole, Batman
A classic moment from my all-time favorite television show, Batman (the 1960s version, of course). Commissioner Gordon is hanging out with Batman at Gotham City Police HQ. The Commish turns his back for just a second then 360s to say something to Batmanā¦ andāPOOF!āThe Caped Crusader is gone. Vanished. Disappeared into the night like a a bat…
Wild Story and Quick Request…
True storyā¦ A British guy created a fake restaurant listing on Trip Advisorā¦ ā¦and got a bunch of friends to post reviews. He soon was the proud owner of the siteās #1 restaurant in London. He fielded hundreds of calls daily from real people who wanted to reserve a table. That story proves a lot…
How Elite Athletes (And You) Can Stay in The Game and Win
What does a pro hockey player know about running a business? Plenty, I think, after hearing Ryan Suter talk about whatās kept him in the league so long. Last week, he played his 1,500th National Hockey League game. (Thatās A LOT of hockey games.) When a reporter asked him how he lasted so long he…
Donāt Shrug Over Spilled Milkshakes
According to my handy-dandy holiday calendar, today is National Donāt Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. Strange holiday. Good adivice. More good advice: Donāt Shrug Over Spilled Milkshakes The backstoryā¦ A few years back, my daughter Maddie and I ordered for delivery cheeseburgers and milkshakes from Shake Shack. IĀ ā¤ļøĀ Shake Shackās strawberry shake. So when the delivery app told…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.02.10
Recommended Video š„Ā Is Perfectionism Just Procrastination in Disguise? Struggling to finish and share your work? Jon Youshaeiās TED Talk reveals how perfectionism holds us backāand why success comes from publishing, not perfecting. He went from 6 videos a year to 173 with 300M+ views just by shifting his mindset. Recommended Resource āŗļø Fathom Fathom has…
Biz Lessons From my Spawns of Satan
Twenty-eight years ago today, our twins Maddie and Jake were born. THE happiest day for Melissa and me. Angels straight from heaven.Ā š Fast forward three days. Itās 4 a.m. The demon children are howling.Ā šæ Maddie wails and wails and wails then stops. Jake steps in and shrieks and shrieks and shrieks and then stops. Maddie…
[Invitation] It Happens This Evening…
In case you missed it… ā¬ļø ā¬ļø ā¬ļø I’m hosting a free training THIS EVENING at 8 p.m. EST called “The Tech-to-Profit Formula” (The Secret Recipe to Attract High-Quality Leads, Land Clients Who Love You, & Skyrocket Profits — With Time-Saving, Hassle-Free Tech) As the countdown nears 00:00:00:00… …I’ve heard from a few people who…
[Invitation] Escape The Inertia Trap
Fun fact about me: I invested more than $50,000 last year in coaching and mastermind groups to elevate my business and me. And the coaches and mastermind leaders I work with all say they invest similar amounts (or more) to elevate their game. Why tell you this now? Because today is the day (in 1676)…
Stalled in The Red Zone? How to Score More…
Itās Super Bowl weekā¦ ā¦which means itās time for a story fueled by football metaphors.Ā š A few months ago, during a meeting of my Content Transformation Academy, I asked members if they had content projects stalled on the 5-yard line. Projects nearly finished but not pushed across the goal line. Everyone in the room raised…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.02.03
Recommended Event š”Ā The Tech-to-Profit Formula This Thursday, I’m hosting an all-new version of my 100%-free training. I’ll share the secret recipe to attract high-quality leads, land more clients, and skyrocket profits — with time-saving, hassle-free tech. Details and registrationĀ here. Recommended Reading šĀ Black Sheep SalesI’ve been waiting for Aleasha Bahr’s book to come out. It’s finally…
Should I Close my Biz and Try This…?
If this marketing thing doesnāt work out for me, I know what I can do when I grow up. I can be aā¦ ā¦Villain-for-Hire! I got the idea from a guy in Malaysia named Shazali Sulaiman who launched his villain-for-hire biz earlier this month. It works like this. You pay Shazali $22 (weekdays) or $33…
Why Your Biz My Wobble & Tumble…
Iāve been in the marketing business for about a quarter-centuryā¦ ā¦and have witnessed a thing or 10 along the way. For 19 years, I ran an email marketing software company and agency. I witnessed this: Many business leaders struggle to craft MESSAGES that click with their market, attract quality leads, and generate sales. I founded…
Are You Winning Or…?
Yesterday in the Content Transformation Academy, VIP members and I discussed the marketing power of winner-loser stories. A simple, proven story formula: One winner. One loser. One valuable lesson. David and Goliath (Intelligence and strategy can defeat brute force). The Tortoise and The Hare (slow and steady wins the race). Harry Potter and Voldemort (choose…
My Robot is Crying. Here’s Why…
Wow! What a morning. I rolled out of bed. Woke up my crazy-doodle, Moose. And strolled with him into the kitchen. There sat “B-9(?),” my GPT-powered robot, sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on his double espresso, brooding. Here’s the conversation that followed: Me: Good morning, B-9(?)” What’s wrong? B-9(?): Just another day in paradise……
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.01.27
Podcast (The Story Power Marketing Show) š” Quiz Your Way to Business Growth (with Maxwell Nee)In this episode of the Story Power Marketing Show, I discuss the advantages of quiz marketing with Maxwell Nee, Chief Revenue Officer of ScoreApp. With over 6,800 paying clients, ScoreApp helps businesses use quizzes to engage prospects, gather valuable data, and…
Make Your Marketing 12.6x More Memorable
A very short story about the power of stories: Once upon a time, a business professor at Stanford University asked his students to give one-minute speeches with three statistics and one story. After passing some time following the speeches, the professor quizzed his students on what they heard. Only five percent remembered a single statistic.…
An Invitation And a Gift…
I want to make it as easy as possible for you to reserve your seat for tomorrow’s Mastermind Book Club meeting… …where I’ll be the featured guest author… …discussing my book, Story Power Marketing. Just click the button below, and you’ll automatically save your seat, get the Zoom link, and become a Club member. No admission…
Which Social Media Platform…?
Hereās a question I spotted on Reddit this morning: āWhich social media platform should be first priority for a business to promote their products? For a client with a small business and a limited budget, what is the platform you would recommend and why?ā I hear that question (or ones like it) all the time.…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.01.20
Recommended Events š”Ā The NEW Way to Make More Money Without Chasing Leads We’re on the verge of a “customer loyalty crisis,” and Vance Morris knows how you can fix this. On Thursday, he’ll host a 47-minute free training to reveal how to cultivate fiercely loyal customers who are willing to pay premium prices. Vance is…
You’re Invited… Meet The Author
Youāre invited to thisā¦Ā š„³ Next Thursday, the Mastermind Book Club will have a special guest authorā¦ ā¦of a best-selling, must-read business bookā¦ ā¦live in the Zoom room to discuss his work and answer questions. That author isā¦š„… āØ ME āØ The book isā¦ STORY POWER MARKETINGProven Methods to Create Client-Attracting, Profit-Generating ContentāWithout Getting Stuck The…
Reply Requested
Quick questions for you (please reply)ā¦ If you could significantly boost your profits, what would that mean for you? What would you do that you currently canāt? What aspirations would you fulfill? How would it transform your life? How would it transform others you serve? Hereās why I askā¦ In yesterdayās email about goal-setting and…
Judge Yourself On This (Not That)…
For the last few years, Iāve used an application calledĀ NotionĀ to record goals, track progress, manage projects and tasks, and store important information. I use aĀ customized version of Notion, designed by August Bradley, as my āLife Operating System.ā Yesterday, August ran a training for his clients to present a new version of his system and discuss…
When “Impossible” Becomes Probable
Once upon a time, human beings believed a four-minute mile was impossible. For thousands and thousands and thousands of years, humans ran and raced, and not one achieved the four-minute mile (at least not one measured by an authorized track-and-field organizationĀ š). And then, in May 1954, Roger Bannister did it. Seven weeks later, John Landy…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.01.13
Recommended Reading š”Ā Like a Wedding Photographer Who Takes Selfies Adam Kreitman, a.k.a. “The Marketing Advocate,” has done it again. If you post on social media, this is a must read. It’s a cautionary tool about how so many business people get “so-shill” wrong. Recommended Tool š§Ā Spark — Smart, Focused. Email. I’ve been using Gmail since…
The Dum-dum Who Doesn’t Know What “Rhyme” Means
Before you beat on the AI E-Z Button again, you have to hear this oneā¦ Yesterday, as I was celebrating Word Nerd Day, I grabbed a cup of jo with my AI-powered copywriting robot, B-9(?). I mentioned the holiday and observed, āThere arenāt many holiday names that rhyme.ā In fact, I couldnāt think of any…
My Favorite Rhyming Holiday
Happy Word Nerd Day.Ā Iām celebratingā¦ ā¦becauseā¦ ā¦wellā¦ ā¦Iām a word nerd!(say it loud and say it proud). Some nerds are all about the big words. They dish out grandiloquent content (āGrandiloquent?ā Look it up). Iām more of a word-play guy. I go for short words. I love me a good rhyme. āWord-nerd?ā Nice and…
From āYada. Yadaā to āYes! They get me!ā
Have you ever experienced that moment when a prospect tells you, āWow! You really get what Iām going through?ā Maybe they donāt say it exactly like that. But you can tell that’s what they’re thinking. Youāve made the connection. They see you as someone who gets them. Someone they can trust. Someone they respect. Someone…
A Rotten Way to Ruin a Rolls Royce (A Cautionary Tale)
A priest, rabbi, and guy in a bear suit walked into a barā¦ ā¦ ā¦correctionā¦ ā¦A guy in a bear suit broke into a car, and then he and his accomplices got charged with fraud. No joke. This happened. The story begins in January 2024 when a man claimed a bear broke into his Rolls…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.01.06
Recommended Video Ā Why It’s NOT Better to Give Than Receive I met Kevin Thompson last year (thanks, Dan Kuschell for the intro) and quickly discovered heās an extraordinary giver. But he also has an interesting, counter-intuitive perspective on giving and receiving. In thisĀ video, Kevin argues that being good at RECEIVING is as crucial for personal…
How I Ring in Healthy Habits
Melissa and I have this holiday routine where we buy ourselves something we like and then announce to the other, āYou got me such-and-such for Christmas.ā So, this year, Iām happy to announce: My dear, sweet, generous wife āgotā me an Oura ring for Christmas. Itās one of those āsmartā rings, measuring heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen,…
Why Scary is Good
Season 2, Episode 12 of the great Apple TV series Shrinking: Gaby is struggling to act. She knows what she needs to do. But sheās WAY outside her comfort zone. Itās āscary,ā she says. Her friend Liz replies: Just do it. And then their friend Aliyah chimes in: āYou know, bravery isnāt about not being scared;…
š„ HNY (And The Best Offer Yet)
Story Power Stocking Stuffers – Day 8 of 8 Happy New Year! Let’s get 2025 off to a great start with the 8th and final Story Power Stocking Stuffer — the best one yet. Today through Friday, you can join Club Storyville at the lowest price I’ve ever offered. Club Storyville is my exclusive online…
Stocking Stuffer 7 of 8: The Gift-iest Gift Yet
Story Power Stocking Stuffers – Day 7of 8. This is the greatest, most gift-iest gift yet. My biggest and bestest program for $500 off (with coupon code “EARLYBIRD500”)… …plus a pile of bonuses worth more than $2,700. Pass on this at your peril… …or give it a try… …so you can begin 2025 with the…
Story Power Stock Stuffer 6 of 8: The Story Behind the Story
Story Power Stocking Stuffers – Day 6 of 8. For members of my paid online community, Club Storyville, I regularly break down one of my emails and reveal all strategy and tactics I employed to create it. I call these “The Story Behind the Story.” They’re a great way to learn how to create emails that…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.12.30
Recommended Reading Ā Do the Cognitive Shuffle to Sleep Better One of my goals for 2025: Sleep better. A key to better sleep: Fall asleep faster. Here’s a way to do it: “The Cognitive Shuffle.” It’s a new twist on counting sheep. And it’s been working for me since I began doing it earlier this month.…
Stocking Stuffer #5: 7 Secrets to Write Emails that Sell
Melissa, Maddie and I have headed to the country for a few days of escape at our family farm in the Ozark foothills. Just a two-hour drive from Story Power HQ in St. Louis. But it feels 2,000 miles away. The water is ice cold, but our crazy-doodle, Moose, doesn’t mind. He doesn’t like to…
Stocking Stuffer (Day 4 of 8) – A Personal Story
Story Power Stocking Stuffers – Day 4 of 8 This one feels a bit more personal. A few months after launching Story Power Marketing, I spoke at a virtual event hosted by Experts 4 Entrepreneurs in St. Louis. The presentation is called “You Can’t Predict Your Future…But You Can Control It” It’s about journeys. The…
Stocking Stuffer #3: Remove Revenue Roadblocks
I’m going to spend the day working on my business, not in it. (Thanks, Michael Gerber, for introducing me to that concept in your “E-Myth” books) Year-end planning. Reflecting on what worked and what didn’t in the past year. Looking ahead and forming strategies and plans next year. Part of the process involves identifying the…
Stocking Stuffers Day 2: Powerful Persuasion Tips
Day 2 of Story Power Stocking Stuffers. Before I share with you today’s gift, “7 Ways to Make Your Marketing More Persuasive,” a story for those reluctant to persuade… A client once told me she didnāt want to employ persuasion techniques because she did not āwant to manipulate people.ā Thatās a common concern. Hereās how…
š I Come Bearing Gifts
I come bearing gifts Merry Christmas and… Happy Hanukkah. A rare double-header. Today is just the fifth time since 1900 that the first day of Hanukkah and Christmas have fallen on the same date. It last happened on 2005. And it won’t happen again until 2035. So let’s celebrate with some gifts. In the tradition…
The Time my Brother Ruined my Christmas Dream
Do not — I repeat DO NOT — read this story to a Santa-loving child… …unless you want to be a dream-crushing killjoy like my brother, Mike. Here’s the story… It was Christmas Eve, 1971. Mom, Dad, Mike and I were in Snowmass, Colorado, enjoying a Christmas break ski vacation. After a long day on…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.12.23
Recommended Training Thrive In ’25 30th 3-Day FREE LinkedIn Masterclass/Workshop Jon Keel is a LinkedIn master who is very generous with his time and expertise. Next month, he’ll host a 100% free, three-day masterclass workshop where he’ll reveal everything you need to make LinkedIn an effective tool to grow your business, including how to increase…
A Video For You…
Hi — I’m soft-launching a new program today with some cool bonuses and discounts (good through Saturday). It’s kind of a greatest hits box-set of everything I know about creating profit-generating content, conquering writer’s block, and using AI effectively to save time and money. If you want to know more, check out thisĀ videoĀ with all the…
Oh no! My Robot is a Lying Sack Of…
Back on this day in 1732, Ben Franklin published the first issue of “Poor Richard’s Almanack.” That’s a hook for an email, I thought. So I summoned my AI-powered robot, B-9(?), offered him a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and asked him for some amusing facts about the Almanack. The robot told me this: “In…
One of The All-time Greats…
One of the great business stories of all time is also one of the shortest. The tagline/lesson is a classic: You can pay me nowā¦ ā¦or pay me later. If you watched television in the 70s, you couldnāt miss those ads for Fram oil filters. The broken car. The expensive repair. The mechanic saying all…
How to Un-train Your Robot for Fun and Profit
I played a dirty trick on my GPT-powered robot, B-9(?). I asked him to “draft an email to a cold lead to promote my business, Story Power Marketing.” I didn’t intend to send an email to cold leads today — especially a robot-generated one generated from such a lousy prompt. I just wanted to see…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.12.16
Recommended Event – Last Chance Ā The Tech-Powered Profit Machine TODAY at 1 p.m. ET, Iām hosting a small-group session where Iāll reveal how to use AI, automation, and other technology to profit more while working less. ā My go-to AI tools and tactics (including ones Iāve built and you can use) to SAVEĀ Ā & $$$$$. ā…
Why I’m so Passionate About What I Do
I love my job. Last night, I was especially feeling it. I ran a successful training (“The Tech-to-Profit Formula”), and I was still hopped up on adrenalin at bedtime. So rather than floating off to Slumber Town, I grabbed my Kindle and opened “No Shortage of Good Days” by John Gierach. Gierach is one of…
You’re Invited…
A short email today… This evening, I’m hosting a free training called… The Tech-to-Profit FormulaThe Secret Recipe to Attract High-Quality Leads, Land Clients Who Love You, & Skyrocket Profits — With Time-Saving, Hassle-Free Tech It begins at 8 p.m. EST. Details and registrationĀ here. Join us me if you can. Thanks for reading. p.s. If you’re…
Dumb Criminals, AI, And You (A Cautionary Tale)
This is one of my favorite dumb criminal stories. In 1995, McArthur Wheeler and Clifton Earl Johnson robbed two banks in Pittsburgh without wearing masks. Cops used footage from the banks’ security cameras to track down the robbers and arrest them. When cops showed Wheeler the photos they used to identify him, he said, “But I wore…
How To Grow, Not Gripe
A long, long time ago when Groupon was the shiniest object online, I knew a lot of business owners who tried it but didn’t like it. Groupon sales reps would woo these business owners with this promise: Instead of paying for advertising that doesn’t work, do a Groupon and get a flood of new customers…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.12.09
Recommended Resource Ā Descript Here’s the message that greets you when you visit Descript.com: “If you can edit text, you can edit videos. Descript is the AI-powered, fully featured, end-to-end video editor that you already know how to use.” I love this tool, and I recommend it. Learn moreĀ here. Recommended Podcast Episode Ā Ā Groupon and Descript: Andrew…
Read This if You Like Simple
On Tuesday, I shared a video that revealed how to sell more, with greater confidence and clarity, and without feeling like a pest. A subscriber replied: “I just viewed your video. Do you have any suggestions for specific language to use that makes the ‘promotional stuff’ sound like a genuine, non-pushy invitation?” My answer: Don’t sweat the…
The Amusing and Curious Tale of Soggy Sweat
Happy National Repeal Day!Ā Ā If you partake, pop some bubbly, pour yourself a stiff one, or enjoy a cold-frosty. Today’s the day (in 1933) when prohibition in the USA ended… …except in Mississippi which continued to prohibit alcohol until 1966… …which reminds me of the amusing and curious tale of Soggy Sweat. Noah “Soggy” Sweat…
Mavis-inspired Marketing (To Profit More While Working Less)
Last night, Melissa and I saw Mavis Staples at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis. (Holy hall-of-famer, Batman! What a great concert!) “Mavis who?” you say. Mavis Staples… inducted in the Gospel, Blues, and Rock and Roll halls of fame. Four-time Grammy Award winner, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. A Kennedy Center Honoree. And…
[Video Premier] How to Cure That Pitchy-pest Feeling
Do you ever worry that you’ll come across as a pitchy pest if you sell too hard or too often? If so, you have to watch this brand newĀ video. When you follow the approach I share (viewing time <2.5 minutes)… …your audience won’t feel imposed upon. They’ll feel invited to take advantage of an opportunity. And you…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.12.02
In Case You Missed This the First Time… The Tech-to-Profit Formula Training On December 12, I’ll host a live training where I’ll reveal the secret recipe to attract high-quality leads, land clients who love you, & skyrocket profits — with time-saving, hassle-free tech. This is a new, improved version of a training I unveiled a…
Shopocalypse Now
I’m sitting in the kitchen with my AI-powered copywriting robot, B-9(?)… …eating a hearty breakfast of leftover stuffing (the best!), cranberry relish (the chunky kind with orange peel), and pumpkin pie. Meanwhile, it’s Black Friday… …which is supposed to be all about great deals and frenzied shopping… …but the name reminds me of darkness and…
I’m a Turkey; He’s a Turkey…
Melissa and I didn’t do this on purpose. When our twins were born in 1997, and we named them Madeleine (Maddie) and Jacob (Jake)… …we weren’t thinking about Thanksgiving (although we were VERY thankful)… …or poultry. But then a few years later, at one of our family Thanksgiving dinners, someone (I think it was Aunt…
The One I Want to Meet Is…
Last night, my brother Mike hosted the extended family for an early Thanksgiving dinner. Between the main course and dessert, Mike asked this question: “If you could sit down with any celebrity — living or dead — and have a conversation, who would it be?” Good question! The first name that popped into my head:…
Customer service? NopeĀ š
Yesterday, I got an email from “Customer Service” with a subject line that started with “URGENT…” Of course, I opened it because… …well… …it was from “Customer Service…” …and it was “URGENT.” I thought it might be a scam, but what if it was real? What if I ignored something truly urgent regarding my account?…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.11.25
Recommended Training Podcast Guesting Masterclass with Interview Conections A few months ago, podcastĀ Jessica Rhodes on my podcast. Jessica founded Interview Connections, the worldās first and leading podcast booking agency in 2013, back when no other agencies like it existed. Since its founding, Interview Connections has booked over 30,000 podcast interviews for over 800 clients! Next…
Gratitude Snippets
A long, long time ago, I used to post “Gratitude Snippets” on Facebook. Most days, I would post a short message, expressing gratitude for something or someone. Sometimes I expressed gratitude for the server at the restaurant who was having a hard day but still met me with a smile. Sometimes I thanked a client…
The Most Effective Way to Turn Social Followers to Customers
I came across this question earlier in an online marketing forum: “What are some of the most effective strategies you’ve used for converting social media followers into loyal customers?” My answer: Offer social media followers a valuable resource in exchange for their email address… …so they’ll be on my email list. A quick story to…
Why Vague Claims Flop and Specificity Sells
Another timeless marketing tale, ripped from the pages of Scientific Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins: Back in the early 20th century, razor manufacturers touted how quickly their devices could complete a shave. All used vague phrases, such as “quick shave,” to state their claims… …until one manufacturer advertised a “78-second shave.” The result? “…sensational advances in sales.”…
A Tale as Old as Time…
Here’s a timeless marketing tale from page 37 of Scientific Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins: Two advertisers offered nearly identical food products. One offered the product for free. The other promoted the retail price (15 cents) and offered a coupon to get the produce for $0. With the couponing approach, it feels like the product “maker” has…