Story Power Blog
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…
Pity the Fool Who Does This…
Today’s the day: The meeting of the Mastermind Book Club where we’ll discuss “The Boron Letters” by Gary Halbert. 2:30 p.m. ET. One-click registration here. A true story, ripped from the pages of “The Boron Letters:” Once upon a time, a beer company did a survey to find out which of their products customers preferred. You…
Gary Halbert’s #1 Money-making Secret
You’re invited to attend tomorrow’s meeting of the Mastermind Book Club where we’ll discuss “The Boron Letters” by Gary Halbert. Thursday, 2:30 p.m. ET. One-click registration here. I’m reading the book for the zillionth time (give or take) and loving it as much as ever. I’m about to share a nugget from Chapter 5 where Halbert…
Invitation… and Great Advice From Gary Halbert
While serving time in the Boron Federal Prison Camp in 1984, Gary Halbert sent letters to his son Bond with lessons about business and life. Lots of the the letters encouraged Bond to exercize and eat well. I don’t disagree. But that advice doesn’t rock my world. This advice — dispensed in a letter Gary…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.04.21
Recommended Viewing OpenAI’s Sam Altman Talks ChatGPT, AI Agents and Superintelligence The AI age is here, and OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, may be the most important player in the AI space. Earlier this month, Altman sat down for a wide-ranging conversation at TED2025 to discuss the future of artificial intelligence — from creative tools like…
AI Without Overwhelm – Learn How at 12:30 ET
Here’s the one-click, instant registration (no form required) for the Business Roundtable I’m hosting today (12:30 p.m. ET): The Problem with AI and How to Fix It. A quick story to demonstrate one of the BIG problems and how I’ve solved it… Remember a few months back when news broke about a new Chinese AI model called…
My Robot Hatched a Haiku
My AI-powered robot, B-9(?), has been itching to help me promote the small-group roundtable I’m hosting on Friday (12:30 p.m. ET). It’s called “The Problem with AI and How to Fix It.” AI is kind of like a wild horse that will take you to places you don’t want to go — unless you control…
The Problem with AI and How to Fix It
I’m hosting a special roundtable for business leaders on Friday (12:30 p.m. ET) called “The Problem with AI and How to Fix It.” If you want in, click here (instant registration, no form to fill out). If you want to learn more about why I’m doing this (and whether it’s for you), read on for a cautionary…
Why do I Create so Much Content?
A business owner asked me recently, why I create so much content. I sent him this passage from Chapter 1 of my book Story Power Marketing: I have an old pair of brown shoes I nearly tossed in the trash. I didn’t dump them, though. I kept them. They still sit today on a dusty shelf…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.04.14
Recommended Viewing If You Hate Marketing, Watch This I love this short video. Jeff Walker reframes marketing as a sacred act of service, not sleazy salesmanship. He shares how even wildly successful authors often feel uncomfortable with marketing, but the key is to see it as telling the story of your client’s future transformation. \If…
An Answer for “I Don’t Know What Prompt to Write”
If you ever have trouble writing or coming up with ideas for emails. social posts or other content… …this story (and the invitation that follows) is for you. Yesterday, after sending my invitation for a sneek peek at my Make-Life-Easier, AI-powered marketing tools, I heard from a subscriber named Ellen who told me AI robots…
[Invitation] Rise Above the Great Unnoticed
For the last several months, I’ve been working with the great RJ Redden on a suite of AI Tools… …that will help you create BETTER business-building emails, social posts, video scripts, and other content FASTER… …show up as the stand-out, must-hire human in your niche with a powerful and authentic voice (You’ll no longer be…
A Provocotive Question About AI
I met the other day with a business owner — let’s call him “Jim” — who’s hooked on ChatGPT. Every time he sits down to write an email, social post, or other content, he pushes the GPT-Easy-Button, and… …VOILA! He almost-instantly has a steaming pile of fresh content ready to share with the world. (Important…
Chin up Like Buttercup
Princess Buttercup is 59 today… More specifically, Robin Wright, the actress who played the Princess, is celebrating her 59th birthday today. I love the movie The Princess Bride — and I love its lead female. Here’s why… Buttercup is no action hero. She doesn’t swing a sword or storm the castle. She grieves. She struggles. She suffers.…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.04.07
Recommended Reading We Are All Goofballs by Seth Godin Reading time <20 seconds: A short, powerful post by Seth Godin which you must read if you’ve ever been hard on yourself (or others) for making a mistake. ********** Recommended Event Mastermind Book Club – April 26 Speaking of “The Boron Letters” and Gary Halbert’s son,…
Don’t Press the AI Easy Button Until You do This…
Want to know why I share so many stories… …and why you should, too? Here’s the answer, pulled from Pointer #1 in the Story Power Profit Pack: Stories Can Power-Up Everything I write long stories in my (almost)-daily emails and short stories in social posts. I weave stories into webinars, sales calls, and coaching sessions. I…
No, You’re not an Unethical Scumbug
Here’s a headline that caught my eye this morning: “Fear is an Outdated Marketing Tactic and What to Do Instead.” The marketing “expert” who wrote it dropped these chestnuts in her article: ‣ “Using the problems that a customer faces and promoting your product or service as the answer to those problems is manipulation…” ‣ “Strategies…
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 “Re: Refund Request.” I opened the email, thinking, “I don’t 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 Corporation’s 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, I’d 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 & Bailey’s 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 backstory… On Tuesday, my beloved St. Louis Blues hockey club destroyed the Montreal Canadiens… …and I mean DEEEE-stroyed. Final score 6-1. And it wasn’t 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 song…? 🎶…down dooby doo down down Comma comma, down dooby doo down down Comma comma, down dooby doo down down Breaking up is hard to do 🎶 Tell me about it! Last week, I tried to break up with a software company whose screen capture app I’d used since 2009. Ninety…
Are you Making this Bank Robber’s Mistake?
If you’ve ever robbed a bank, you know: Waiting is the hardest part. You hand the clerk a note or you wave a gun and say, “Gimme the money.” And then you have to wait and wait and wait and wait… …and wait… …and wait… …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 Bueller’s Day Off when the economics teacher drones on and on and on and on about federal economic policy? “Anyone? Anyone?” The teacher (played by Ben Stein) describes post-war efforts to “alleviate the effects of — Anyone? Anyone? —the Great Depression.” He decribes how Congress passed — Anyone? Anyone? — 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: ✔️ Consistently and confidently generate better content, faster without writers block. ✔️ 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 mind… …since Friday when 13 of them touched down here in Missouri. Yesterday, I shared the tale of a community that rallied to support a gym owner whose business was blown away. Today: Another twister tale. It’s a story about tragedy narrowly averted, loaded with lessons to…
Doom, Gloom… and Inspiration
It’s 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 wise–and as…
Holiday, Schmoliday. I’m not Celebrating…
My Weird and Obscure Holidays Calendar tells me it’s National Write Down Your Story Day. Seems like my the perfect holiday for a guy who wrote a bestselling book on storytelling. But I’m 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 they’d 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 “How to Leverage Guest Podcasting to Grow Your Business.” Holy practice-what-you-preach, Batman! That’s how it’s 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 celebrate… …AND I remember Wallace Renard Ruwitch. I remember what my maternal grandmother, Miriam, told me about him that night 35 years ago: “When…
4 out of 5 Robots Surveyed Love this Book…
Bless his heart. My AI-powered copywriting robot, B-9(?), knows it’s 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: “What would you like for the big day?” 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 wrong… Waaaayyyy back when, I signed up for Andy’s email list after I met him at a networking event. He’s 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., I’ll 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 this live training tomorrow (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. It’s in Aleasha Bahr’s new book “Black Sheep Sales.” Page 13: Black Sheep Sales Commandments, #10: “Detach from the sale. It’s about the prospect’s best interests. NO ONE likes commission breath.” Ooooh, that’s 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, I’m hosting a small-group Roundtable called “Turn Content to Clients Daily.” Here’s a sad-but-true tale that sheds light on why I’m hosting this event (and why you might wish to attend)… 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 “success” 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
Here’s a sad but true tale about a marketing “expert” 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 credible… …until he said you should NEVER begin a story by saying, in effect, “Here comes a story.” A…
Chris’s 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 as… Sarah Williams. So far, so good. But then he forgot his own…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.02.17
Recommended Reading 💡 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 Batman… and—POOF!—The Caped Crusader is gone. Vanished. Disappeared into the night like a a bat…
Wild Story and Quick Request…
True story… A British guy created a fake restaurant listing on Trip Advisor… …and got a bunch of friends to post reviews. He soon was the proud owner of the site’s #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 what’s kept him in the league so long. Last week, he played his 1,500th National Hockey League game. (That’s A LOT of hockey games.) When a reporter asked him how he lasted so long he…
Don’t Shrug Over Spilled Milkshakes
According to my handy-dandy holiday calendar, today is National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day. Strange holiday. Good adivice. More good advice: Don’t Shrug Over Spilled Milkshakes The backstory… A few years back, my daughter Maddie and I ordered for delivery cheeseburgers and milkshakes from Shake Shack. I ❤️ Shake Shack’s strawberry shake. So when the delivery app told…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2025.02.10
Recommended Video 🎥 Is Perfectionism Just Procrastination in Disguise? Struggling to finish and share your work? Jon Youshaei’s TED Talk reveals how perfectionism holds us back—and 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 ⏺️ 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. 😇 Fast forward three days. It’s 4 a.m. The demon children are howling. 👿 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… ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ 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…
It’s Super Bowl week… …which means it’s time for a story fueled by football metaphors. 🏈 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 💡 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 registration here. Recommended Reading 📙 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 doesn’t work out for me, I know what I can do when I grow up. I can be a… …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…
I’ve been in the marketing business for about a quarter-century… …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) 📡 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…?
Here’s a question I spotted on Reddit this morning: “Which 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?” I hear that question (or ones like it) all the time.…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.01.20
Recommended Events 💡 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
You’re invited to this… 🥳 Next Thursday, the Mastermind Book Club will have a special guest author… …of a best-selling, must-read business book… …live in the Zoom room to discuss his work and answer questions. That author is…🥁… ✨ ME ✨ The book is… STORY POWER MARKETINGProven Methods to Create Client-Attracting, Profit-Generating Content—Without Getting Stuck The…
Reply Requested
Quick questions for you (please reply)… If you could significantly boost your profits, what would that mean for you? What would you do that you currently can’t? What aspirations would you fulfill? How would it transform your life? How would it transform others you serve? Here’s why I ask… In yesterday’s email about goal-setting and…
Judge Yourself On This (Not That)…
For the last few years, I’ve used an application called Notion to record goals, track progress, manage projects and tasks, and store important information. I use a customized version of Notion, designed by August Bradley, as my “Life Operating System.” 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 organization 😉). And then, in May 1954, Roger Bannister did it. Seven weeks later, John Landy…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2024.01.13
Recommended Reading 💡 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 📧 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 one… 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, “There aren’t many holiday names that rhyme.” In fact, I couldn’t think of any…
My Favorite Rhyming Holiday
Happy Word Nerd Day. I’m celebrating… …because… …well… …I’m a word nerd!(say it loud and say it proud). Some nerds are all about the big words. They dish out grandiloquent content (”Grandiloquent?” Look it up). I’m more of a word-play guy. I go for short words. I love me a good rhyme. “Word-nerd?” Nice and…
From “Yada. Yada” to “Yes! They get me!”
Have you ever experienced that moment when a prospect tells you, “Wow! You really get what I’m going through?” Maybe they don’t say it exactly like that. But you can tell that’s what they’re thinking. You’ve 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 bar… … …correction… …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 Why It’s NOT Better to Give Than Receive I met Kevin Thompson last year (thanks, Dan Kuschell for the intro) and quickly discovered he’s an extraordinary giver. But he also has an interesting, counter-intuitive perspective on giving and receiving. In this 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, “You got me such-and-such for Christmas.” So, this year, I’m happy to announce: My dear, sweet, generous wife “got” me an Oura ring for Christmas. It’s one of those “smart” 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 she’s WAY outside her comfort zone. It’s “scary,” she says. Her friend Liz replies: Just do it. And then their friend Aliyah chimes in: “You know, bravery isn’t about not being scared;…
🥂 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 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 didn’t want to employ persuasion techniques because she did not “want to manipulate people.” That’s a common concern. Here’s how…
🎁 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 this video 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 now… …or pay me later. If you watched television in the 70s, you couldn’t 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 The Tech-Powered Profit Machine TODAY at 1 p.m. ET, I’m hosting a small-group session where I’ll reveal how to use AI, automation, and other technology to profit more while working less. ✓ My go-to AI tools and tactics (including ones I’ve built and you can use) to SAVE & $$$$$. ✓…
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 registration 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…