Story Power Blog

Brian

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 34

Ogilvy on Advertising + “The Moment with Brian Koppelman” + An Ogilvy Cheat-Sheet + Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Open Rates + My Favorite David Ogilvy Quote

dr heather

The Importance of Building Human Connections…

I launched my new podcast, The Story Power Marketing Show, back in July. We’re up to eight episodes. Last week’s is a good one. It’s all about being HUMAN. The episode title: “Act Like a Human, Not a Humorless Robot (with Dr. Heather Walker)” The more human you are in your business, the more HUMAN…

susan

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 33

Making “Intentional Connections” in a Remote Working World + What We Can Learn from Introverts + Decisive by the Heath + 5 Storytelling Secerts + Wise Words from the Guy Who Built THE Chocolate Factory

bruce s

Bruce Springsteen’s Ode to Fallen Heroes

I usually don’t send emails on Saturday’s. But I make an exception today. In addition to Story Power Marketing, I run a thing called (ware)HOUSE Concerts — a venue in St. Louis where (before the virus) we would host intimate concerts in a space that can best be described as a warehouse turned into an oversized living…

5 storytelling secrets

Client-Attracting Secrets from the Storytelling Hall of Fame

Major League Baseball inducted three players into the Hall of Fame yesterday — including one of my childhood heroes Ted Simmons. So yesterday seemed like a good day for me to release my new e-book that features …5 legendary ads from the Storytelling Hall of Fame. The e-book title: 5 Storytelling Secretsto Help You Captivate Prospectsand…

automation software

Cautionary Tale: How to Waste Money and Repel Prospects

I came across this quote from Bill Gates the other day that makes a ton of sense: The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency. For 19…

mail

Why I Dumped This Rotten Trickster…

I got an email the other day with the subject line that said, “Receipt for P’pal payment…” It came from a marketer named Victory Akpos. I bought software from him last month. I couldn’t understand why Victory sent a receipt now, weeks after my purchase. I worried that, maybe, I accidentally signed up for something…

creation

How Intention and Action Lead to Beautiful Creations

My friend Caren Libby posted a beautiful photograph on LinkedIn last week — a meadow with Black-Eyed Susans in full bloom. (That’s the photo above.) In her post, Caren wrote, “I stumbled across this lovely burst of blossoms in the John F. Kennedy trail in Forest Park.” I loved the post, and I shared it.…

julia

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 32

Sign up for Daniel Throssell’s Emails + Why you think you’re right — even if you’re wrong + (ware)HOUSE Concerts Song of the Day + The Difference Between Simple and Easy + Antoine de St. Exupery, author of The Little Prince, said…

ted p

Loads of Leads Won’t Always Help. Here’s Why…

I met last week with a business owner who was hungry to get new leads. As I dove deeper with him, I learned he has NO idea how to nurture those leads. His plan: Pitch them immediately and pitch them hard. He’s one of those “Pleased to meet you. Will you marry me?” types. The…

tim ferris

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 31

How Tim Ferriss Faces His Fear to Thrive in High-Stress Environments + Lessons from a Guy Who Had a Drunk Bartender Point a Gun at Him… + Kobe Bryant: Storytelling and the Awareness of Fear + The Marketoonist on Brand Loyalty + Seneca on the Stories we Tell Ourselves

music

What Would You Do If The Stories And Music Stopped

My friend Les Landes shared with me a story about stories. I’d like to share it with you. It comes from the author Neil Gaiman who said: “My cousin Helen…was in the Warsaw ghetto during World War II. She and a bunch of the girls in the ghetto had to do sewing each day. And…

michael delon

Tired of Chasing Leads? [Live Demo]

I rarely send promotions on behalf of other marketers (I see too many others pitching stuff that they don’t even seem to vet). But I’m making an exception for my friend Michael DeLon, who’s the real deal. He’s offering a great training that I recommend. I recommend it only because I know it will help……

b2b

How are B2B vs. B2C Marketing Different? You May Be Surprised…

I crossed paths the other day with a struggling marketer who said, “I’m having trouble distinguishing B2B copy from B2C copy and I feel so dumb.” No need to feel dumb, I thought. That’s a common question. How does marketing and copy change when selling to businesses (B2B) versus consumers (B2C)? Another marketer chimed in…

fisherman

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 30

Marketing Lessons from the Gettysburg Address + “If You Want to Win the Game, You Have to Stay in the Game” + Powerful Business Lessons from a Master Fly Fisherman + Rest in Peace, Nanci + Keep Track of the Inspiration

peterman

How an Impulse Buy Led to a Legendary Business

While on vacation in 1986, a future legend bought a coat in Jackson, Wyoming that changed his life. John wasn’t a legend yet. He was a sales consultant, vacationing in cowboy country. The coat was a full-length “duster.” The kind of coat real cowboys wear. John saw the coat, hanging in the back of Schaefer…

podcast

New Podcast: The Story Power Marketing Show

Hi Ryan, My new podcast is live. It’s called The Story Power Marketing Show. Please check it out. You can listen on Apple, Google, Spotify and anywhere else you get podcasts. (See below for subscription links for all the major providers). You also can visit StoryPowerMarketing.show to view episode videos, get downloadable audio, and review show notes.…

apple tv

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 29

Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead + A Random Act of Kindness at Trader Joe’s + The Me You Cannot See + Great Business Tips from Jeff Walker + Jerry Garcia said…

emphaty

The Client-Attracting Power of Radical Empathy

In a recent Monday Mash-Up, I told you about the author Cheryl Strayed and the advice columns she wrote under the pen name “Sugar.” Her friend and fellow author Steve Almond described Strayed’s Sugar columns as “radical empathy.” I can’t get that phrase out of my mind. Radical empathy. Powerful business storytelling is all about radical…

ratings

How to Turn a Claim from Questionable to Rock-Solid Believable

I’ve been helping one of my coaching clients Richard polish a print advertisement for his kitchen and bath remodeling business. Here’s the last line of the ad: “That’s why our average review on Facebook and Google is 4.92 stars out of 5.” You may be wondering… ”Why 4.92?” Here’s why: Because 4.92 is the EXACT…

cheryl strayed sugar

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 28

Tiny Beautiful Things + Would you swap a Patek Philippe watch for a cartoon of a Bored Ape? + Otter.ai for Transcriptions + Copywriters Podcast + James Baldwin

bird by bird

“The Most Profound Advice…” From a Bestselling Author

In a recent Monday Mash-Up, I shared Tim Ferriss’ podcast interview with Annie Lamott. Her book Bird by Bird is one of my favorites about writing. In the interview, Annie tells Tim how she came up with the book title. This story alone is a priceless lesson for writers — especially those struggling to get it…

Darden

How to Conquer Stage Fright

Powerful storytellers embrace and conquer stage fright. Take Darden Smith. He’s a singer-songwriter who has released 15 critically acclaimed albums and performed around the globe — including a concert in February 2019 at the venue I run, (ware)HOUSE Concerts in St. Louis. He’s an author, too, who wrote a book I love called The Habit of…

artist

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 27

Travis Linville + 8 Tips For Staying Creative In Your Content Marketing + How a Video Streaming Giant Has Changed Storytelling + The Fine Line Between Awareness and Noise

first lady

Do This to Delight and Connect With Your Audience…

I heard a speechwriter describe why her boss — the First Lady of the United States — connected so well with audiences. “She would have things that she’d want to tell the audience,” the speechwriter said. “She wanted to make sure that she was honoring their stories. She’s always wants to learn about her audiences (“What…

skydiving

How Business is Like Skydiving…

In 2017, I jumped from an airplane 15,000 feet above New Zealand… …on purpose. Here’s a picture at the moment of truth. Those are MY legs, hanging out of the airplane, 2.84 miles above Lake Wanaka. Here’s another picture… …after I jumped, freefalling at about 200 feet per second. The plan: Freefall for 60 seconds,…

steel fear

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 26

Anne Lamott on The Tim Ferriss Show + Steel Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann + The Neurobiology of Great Business Writing + Wise Humor re: “The Next Big Thing” + Winston Churchill on Faith and Victory

tom

Now You Can Watch This Valuable Training Whenever You Want…

I’ve heard from so many people who couldn’t attend my live training at the times I’ve offered it. So I’m now offering a replay of the training that you can watch whenever you want — 24/7. It’s called “How to Harness The Magnetic Power of Storytelling to Captivate Prospects and Inspire Them to Act… So You Can…

creators

Why Great Creators Noodle, Doodle, and Jot

I listened recently to my friend Dan Rubright describe how he created a song. Dan’s a great jazz guitarist and composer who appeared on the Songs Out Loud podcast and dissected his tune “Prepare for Departure.” This podcast blew me away — not just because I love great music… …but because I love to create… …and I help…

goconfident

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 25

A Jazz Guitarist and Composer Discusses the Creative Process + Business Lessons From Henry David Thoreau + Spreeder — A Tool to Help You Speed Read + Lessons Learned from Hanging Out with Millionaires + Desiderius Erasmus…

Instagram cartoon

How I Developed The Habit of Noticing

When Instagram was new, I opened an account and thought… …now what!? I wasn’t into selfies. Instagram marketing wasn’t a thing yet. I didn’t know what to photograph or why. Then I decided to look for interesting images that surrounded me. I was at home so I looked for interesting stuff in my house. I…

yoga

How Yoga Can Help You Become a Better Storyteller

I attended a yoga class last week. First time ever. I worked muscles and tendons that hadn’t stretched since the Reagan administration. Some of those muscles protested mildly. Others screamed, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Our instructor, Jessica, asked us to bend at the waist and touch the ground. She spotted me in my…

subtitle

I Nearly Ignored This Awesome Advice…

Last month, I launched a free video e-course called “How to Write Emails that Sell.” Seven videos, delivered by email, one per day, over seven days. To promote the course, I shared one of the videos in an email I sent to you and on this LinkedIn post. I got lots of positive feedback for that…

School Reunion Calendar Cartton

Why This Letter Generated More Than $2 Billion in Sales…

A few years ago, my friend skipped his high school reunion because he was between jobs. He didn’t want to face his classmates while down on his luck. I get it. He dreaded that “what are you up to?” conversation. He didn’t want to tell his story of dreams deferred. He wanted to be the…

marketing makers

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 24

Recommended Reading12 Business Lessons from Mel Brooks Mel Brooks was born on this day in 1926. Here’s a Fast Company article from several years back with 12 lessons Brooks discovered over his legendary career. These are valuable lessons for anyone managing a business. Recommended ResourceVelocity Jam Helps You Establish High-Value Connections on LinkedIn If you want to expand your…

Cartoon of Pickup Artist

This LinkedIn Pickup Line Fell Flat

My brother, Mike, got a LinkedIn request the other day from a guy who wrote this: “Love to Connect. I just got a radar that detects high-performance humans. Damn thing won’t stop going off since I saw your profile.” That’s some fancy-schmancy, make-believe radar. Mike wasn’t impressed. No connection for you, Radar Man. I shared…

write emails

7 Secrets to Write Emails that Sell

Good Morning: I’ve launched a new video e-course called 7 Secrets to Write Emails that Sell. It’s 7 short videos, one per day, delivered to your inbox over 7 days. Here’s what we cover: How to come up with great ideas for irresistible emails. The key to overcome writers block so you can knock out your…

Joni

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 23

Recommended Reading / ListeningThe Daily Stoic: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Age I’m a big fan of Ryan Holiday’s The Daily Stoic. I subscribe to his emails. I read his book. I listen to his podcast. The website describes stoicism as, “…a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wise–and as a result, better…

big words

Why Simple Words Sell More Than Big Ones

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who peppers their speech with big, fancy words — just to show the world how smart they are? Yeah. I run into that person a lot. And, I have to admit (gulp!) I used to be that guy. I used to love big, fancy words —…

summit

Summit Starts Tomorrow. I Speak Friday…

Hi — I conducted a group coaching call earlier today, and one of my clients suggested she doesn’t have the “gift” needed to market her business with ease. It’s not a gift we’re born with, I told her. You master marketing and grow your business by learning from the masters. The masters make it look…

muse (1)

Why You Don’t Need a Muse to Master Marketing

There’s a movie I like called The Muse. Albert Brooks plays a screenwriter named Steven Phillips who has lost his “edge.” Everyone says he’s past his prime. So Steven gets a Muse. Not a figurative muse. A literal muse — as in a real-life Greek goddess, a daughter of Zeus. Her name is Sarah Little (Sharon…

TED Talk

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 22

Six-Figure Summit: Priceless Presentations and the Price is Right + Theresa Carrington, founder of Ten By Three + Marketoonist Mocks the “Next Big Thing” + Suzanne Somers Answer Big Questions + Happy Flag Day + From Harriet Beecher Stowe

sarah

I Met a Remarkable Woman

I met a remarkable woman yesterday. Her name is Sarah Walugembe. She lives in Uganda. Her mom left her when she was two months old. Her dad died a few years later. She married when she was 14. She thought marriage was her ticket to a better life. But her husband was a bad man.…

email

How Do You Get People to Open Your Emails?

Last month, I sent an email encouraging subscribers to answer a few questions: Why do you subscribe to my list and open these emails? What do you hope to learn/accomplish here? Any marketing questions/challenges you’d like me to address in future emails? I got a ton of great feedback and questions, including this one from…

back in the day

Old Codger Secrets for Marketing Success

Over dinner the other night, my pals and I had one of those “back-in-the-day” conversations. Back in the day, we said, people couldn’t stream music on their phones or computers. We had to buy vinyl records (big as a dinner plate) and play them on bulky record players. If you scratched the record (easy to…

falling water

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 21

Six-Figure Summit: Priceless Presentations and the Price is Right + Affordable Microphones for Better Audio + Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterwork + Want More Customers? Solve Their Problems + From Frank Lloyd Wright

helping hand

Never Say “Sorry” For This…

When I was in high school, no one visited the guidance counselor. I mean NO ONE. He was a creepy hippy-turned-teacher who sat alone in his third-floor office, waiting for someone to show up and ask for help. We students thought asking for help was an act of surrender. A sign of weakness. An admission…

sentence

I Fought The Law And The Law Lost

Happy National Speak in Sentences Day. Party on! Oops. “Party on” is not a complete sentence! My bad. Oops, I did it again. LOL! Darn it! I meant, “I am now laughing out loud.” That’s better, at least according to the “Speak In Sentences” police. I hear from them occasionally. “Your emails and blog posts…

memorial

Memorial Day Mash-Up

Former POW Hal Kushner + Tim O’Brien The Things They Carried + National Memorial Day Concert + Eastwood’s Iwo Jima Double-Feature

question

Quick Question…

Hi – Last week I sent an email about the welcome message I send to new subscribers. I later realized the questions I ask new subscribers are relevant to longtime subscribers, too. So I’m reaching out to ask… Why do you subscribe to my list and open these emails? What do you hope to learn/accomplish here? Any…

4 hour week

How Tim Ferriss Named “The 4-Hour Workweek”

After his book The 4-Hour Workweek became an international bestseller, Tim Ferriss told an interviewer he wanted to name the book The 3-Hour Workweek… …But, Ferriss quipped, “My publisher thought ‘3-Hour Workweek’ was unrealistic.” Ha! I’ve read the The 4-Hour Workweek a few times. It’s loaded with valuable lessons. But the most valuable lesson is one not even in the…

ted talk

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 19

Cathy Sexton Overcome Email Overload + Class Action Park + Why Storytelling is So Important in the Digital Era + Chris Voss Never Split the Difference + From Bob Dylan

email signature

How I Evolved From Procrastinator to Implementer

I recently noticed a new signature section at the bottom of emails from Dave Dee, one of my favorite marketing experts. The section described several ways prospective clients can connect and do business with him. Not a hard pitch, just a short catalog of available opportunities. I liked it so I asked Dave about it…

autoemail

Her Email Was Great. So I Swiped It.

Last week, I subscribed to a great email newsletter by Ann Handley. I immediately received a thank you email from Ann that’s so good, I swiped it for my own biz. In that email she: Thanked me for subscribing. Told me what she will send and when. Shared some examples of archived emails. Shared simple instructions to…

persuasion

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 18

Two Masters Discuss the Power of Storytelling + Writing Tips from 15 Greats + LinkedIn Master Chats with the Copywriting Great + The New Edition of Robert Cialdini’s Classic + Jeannette Rankin Gives You The Green Light

dr-pele

Video: The Key to Powerful, Business-building Storytelling

I had a blast visiting with the great Dr. Pelè on his Profitable Happiness Podcast. In this short clip, Dr. Pelè asks me to “help us understand the power of storytelling…” So that’s what I do. In < 5 minutes, I describe the wrong way and the right way to describe your business when prospecting and…

Untitled-1

Priceless Marketing Lessons From Soggy Sweat

Here’s a fun fact that could win you a bar bet: Mississippi was the one-and-only state to continue prohibiting alcohol after the 18th Amendment repealed federal prohibition in 1933. Prohibition continued in “The Magnolia State” until 1966. Another fun fact: A guy named Noah “Soggy” Sweat (you can’t make this stuff up) delivered the most…

Untitled-1

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 17

Guy Raz’s How I Built This podcast + Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) + The 5 Biggest Email Marketing Mistakes That Are Costing You + Prosecuting Evil: The Extraordinary World of Ben Ferencz + Nelson Mandela said

linkedin

Warning: Don’t Do This Unless You Want to Damage Your Brand

My friend Ted Prodromou reached out to an old friend on LinkedIn the other day. He just wanted to say, “Hello” and catch up. The friend replied instantly… …with an automated message… …that said, “Subscribe to my YouTube channel.” That’s it. Nothing else. No “Glad to hear from you, Ted.” No personal comments. Just an…

bakery

Why do Prospects Hire You?

Before he became a famous and wealthy editor of Ladies’ Home Journal, Edward Bok was just another depression-era kid trying to scrape together some money for his ill mother. He was standing outside of a bakery, watching as the baker put cakes and cookies in the window display. The baker asked young Edward, “Don’t they look…

TedX

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 16

Marketing Lessons from Apple + Jason Bateman and Will Arnett Smartless Podcast + Seth Godin’s Blog + TEDx Talk The Magical Science of Storytelling + Great Advice from Bing Crosby

Moose

How My Hungry Dog Can Help Your Business Grow

My dog, Moose, likes to spend most of his time standing still as a statue, staring at the treetops. That’s where the squirrels are. In the treetops. Moose stands in the backyard. Staring and staring and staring. Waiting for one squirrel, just one, to fall from a tree so he can pounce. I’ve never seen…

headline

How to Tell the Difference Between a Winning and Losing Headline

In the 1920’s, a copywriter named Max Sackheim wrote an advertisement for a book entitled, “How to Master Good English in 15 Minutes a Day,” by Sherwin Cody. It was one of the most successful direct response advertisements ever written. The publisher hired other copywriters to try and outdo Sackheim’s. But every time they tested…

Tyler

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 15

Tyler Perry Rejects Hate + Daniel Levis “Interviews” John Caples + Carol Burnett Shares Her Favorites + A Call for Calls to Action + Marcus Auerlius on LIfe and Death

liquid potion

The Right and Wrong Way to Win Prospects’ Trust

Stephanie Michelle was hunting for a job, and she wanted an edge. So she dished out $29.95 for a 7.5 ml vial of “Liquid Trust.” The product description on Amazon says Liquid Trust “can help people gain the trust of others.” Great for sales people, job hunters, and anyone else who wants others to “feel…

avengers

How to Keep Avengers from Attacking You

I’ve been thinking about revenge. A movie made me think it. A movie called “Promising Young Woman” that I saw last weekend. It tells the story of a 30-year-old Cassie, who exacts revenge on men who mistreat women. I won’t give away the details. I’ll say only that the movie made me cringe and laugh…

ariely

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 14

Kevin Roose book “Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation” + Emotional Advertising Works Better + Dan Ariely Predictably Irrational

project managers

Why Project Managers Make Great Marketers

Yesterday, I ran a group training for my Story Generator VIP members. I showed them how to boil down storytelling to a simple process of gathering the building blocks and then assembling them. “We don’t write copy,” I told the VIPs. “We assemble it.” When you learn the simple process (the gathering), the “hard part”…

love sick

Marketing Lessons From a Lovesick Teenager

When I was a lovesick teenage boy, I listened to one song more than any other: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by the Animals. It usually worked like this: I had a crush on a girl. She didn’t have a crush on me. That made me sad. I’d come home from school, close my bedroom…

PBS

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 13

Ken Burns on Earnest Hemingway + Hemingway on How to Become a Great Writer + Natalie Hemby Time-Honored Tradition + Clara Barton on Danger, Fear, and Courage

aaron

Don’t Take My Word For it, But Believe This…

First a music recommendation and then a business lesson… I’m a big fan of Aaron Lee Tasjan. I recommend all of his albums, including his new one “Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!”Maybe you’ve heard of him. Maybe you haven’t.Maybe my recommendation influences you. Maybe it doesn’t. But don’t take my word for it. Check this out… That’s this…

trinkets

How They Got 28x Return Selling a Pile of Junk

Joshua and Rob bought 100 little thrift store objects because they wanted to prove a point. They wanted to show that one person’s thrift store junk is another person’s treasure… …if you can attach emotional significance to the object. So, Joshua Glenn and Rob Walker enlisted 100 creative writers, assigned one of the objects to…

trust

A Great Subject Line and Why it Didn’t Work…

When a top-notch copywriter forwards to me an example of great marketing, I pay attention. My buddy Adam is one of the best copywriters I know. And yesterday, he forwarded to me a subject line that caught his eye. The subject line: “MIT Device Cuts Power Bills By 65%” Adam said, “That’s about as good…

iwill-1024

The One Word That Can be The Difference Between Success and Failure

I nearly no-showed for a meeting with a new LinkedIn connection last week. The connection, Terri, sent me a message to tell me she was waiting in the Zoom room. I had forgotten our meeting. I was eating lunch, oblivious, when Terri’s message arrived. I joined the Zoom room, tail between my legs, apologizing, embarrassed.…

featured

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 11

Apple’s great “Bounce” advertisement + Scott Ginsberg Prolific + Mastering Fear — A Navy Seal’s Guide by Brandon Webb and John David Mann + The Highwomen “Crowded Table” + Cy Young Preaches Patience

airpods

How Apple Captivates Prospects and How You Can, Too

In the most recent Monday Mash-Up, I shared with you this ad from Apple which I love: Great visual storytelling. Great special effects.  But as great as the “Jump” ad is, it’s not the greatest I’ve seen from Apple. This one, named “Bounce,” is even better: When Apple released this ad in 2019, I showed the ad…

chess

Computers Are Smart But They Can’t Beat You At This…

In 1987, world chess champion Garry Kasparov declared, “No computer can ever beat me.”   That was the year I graduated from college, ready to make my mark. I was cocky as Kasparov. Supremely confident in my abilities. A problem solver. A go-getter.   Ten years later, an IBM super-computer called “Deep Blue” whipped Kasparov in a…

airpod

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 10

Daniel Levis Why Facts Tell and Stories Sell + One Night in Miami + Sara Bareilles: Goodbye Yellowbrick Road + William Shatner

burger

This Made Me Laugh…

Last month, a burger joint in Toronto added a new section to its Ubereats and Doordash delivery menus…  …with items named after office supplies.  You can order a “Basic Steel Stapler” (actually a Fortune Burger).  Throw in a side of “Braided HDMI Cable” (Classic Fries).  Want parmesan on those fries? Then order the “USB Wired…

tom ruwitch

You’re Invited…

You’re Invited… I’m hosting a free, online training on Thursday.   How to Harness The Magnetic Power of Storytelling to Captivate Prospects and Inspire Them to Act… So You Can Get More Clients Quickly and Easily  I dug an old pair of shoes out of the attic and shot a new video to tell you all about it. …

zoom

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 9

Most Powerful Marketing Advice Nobody Wants to Hear + Fred Miller on Zoom Backgrounds + How One Magic Phrase Can Power-Up Your Business Story + James Taylor: American Standard + Roman Emperor Julius Caesar

Untitled-1

How Hardcore Conservatives and Hippies Found Common Ground

This is a story about how hardcore, ultra-conservatives found common ground with a bunch of hippies.  I know that seems unlikely these days, but it happened not that long ago. And this happening is loaded with business lessons. Our story begins soon after the turn of the millennium, in 2002, when the Internet was just…

fimage

How Steve Jobs Cracked ’em Up and Why It Matters

Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone during his keynote address at the Macworld conference in San Francisco, January 2007.   Standing on stage, in his bluejeans and that black, mock turtleneck, Jobs whipped the crowd into a frenzy by confirming the Apple phone was here.  And then it was time to reveal it.   Three minutes into the…

unnamed-3

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 8

John David Mann’s “How to Write Good” + How to Hold Back a River of Lava — Or Not + John Eyres on Goal Setting + The Reckless Electric

photo-1455732063391-5f50f4df1854

My Birthday & My Dad

I don’t usually write to you on Sundays. But I’m making an exception today because it’s my birthday, and I’d like to tell you a story… …about my dad. His name was Wally Ruwitch. When he was 50 years old he was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. I was 24 then, working as a…

romantic-hotel-room

How a Hotel Discovered the Story to Skyrocket Sales

I heard a great story the other day about a hotel owner who raked in more revenue by thinking differently about what he sells.   This story is not just for bigwigs with hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place.   This applies to YOU and me and anyone else who wants to…  …delight customers…  ….forge stronger relationships…

Dr

Dr. Seuss Inspired This…

Theodor Geisel was born on this day in 1904. You know him as Dr. Seuss.   In honor of his birthday, I wrote a little something. Not as good as he used to do, but maybe worth a minute of your reading time… When I earned a diploma,  I got many a gift. A watch. And a…

unnamed

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 7

Michael DeLon and Me + The Lost History of Yellowstone + Jane Fonda on Storytelling and Empathy + Free Training to Harness the Magnetic Power of Stories

sally-and-harry-faking-it

How Meg Ryan’s Most Famous Scene Can Help You Sell

Remember the famous, “I can tell if she’s faking…” scene in When Harry Met Sally?   Harry (Billy Crystal) insists his partners have never…ummm…faked it.   Sally (Meg Ryan) says women fake it all the time.   Harry’s not buying it.   So Sally proves the point by…  …putting down her turkey sandwich and…  …well…  …faking it…  …enthusiastically…  …right there…

chloe-zhao-new-york-magazine

Which of These Are You?

In yesterday’s Monday Mash-Up, I shared this this article about the director Chloé Zhao.  Her new movie, Nomadland, is getting a lot of Oscar buzz. And she’s getting lots of attention.  Well deserved, I believe.   The article has several great business lessons. Here’s one… Zhao met her husband, cinematographer Joshua James Richards, when they were film students at…

Nomadland-Photo

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 6

Let’s Work on Our Connections + Nomadland is a Haunting, Powerful Movie + The Story Behind Chloé Zhao’s Storytelling

twain-cartoon

How Huck Finn Can Help You Grow Your Business

I was thinking this morning about Huck Finn and his friend Jim, the runaway slave.   Mark Twain published The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn on this day in 1885. I first read it ialmost 100 years later when I was a junior in high school.  And for two years after college, I was an English teacher who taught…

Man fleeing...

How to Make LinkedIn Cold-Callers Flee

I get slammed by cold-call LinkedIn connection requests.  They usually start with something like this… “I visited your website and was really impressed…” or  “I read your profile, and we seem to have a lot in common…” or “It looks like you do some great work…”  My favorites are the ones that make it seem…

Atomic Habits Book Cover

Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 5

Tips for Producing Better Content + Valentine’s Song List + Dr. Pele “Combining Your Business And Passion To Create Profitable Happiness” + Books and Emails by James Clear + A Movie about the Great Quincy Jones + Wise words from James Clear

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Would You Pass on a Dollar to Save a Nickel?

A business coach called me because she wanted to find a better lead generation service.  She helps clients find connections on LinkedIn and turn those connections into customers.   She’d been using a third-party service that worked well…  TOO well, she said.   One of her clients had to pause the service because it generated more leads…

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How Walt Disney Built the Happiest Place on Earth

Back in the early fifties, when he was trying to build a park like no other, Walt Disney needed to raise some dough. Disneyland was going to cost him $17 million to build. That’s equal to around $165 million today. Walt and his company had done pretty well. But not THAT well so… …he launched…

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Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 4

Marian Brickner’s 100-Page Book + Ted Prodromou’s Secret to Success + Due Tramonti (Two Sunsets) by Ludovico Einaudi + Powerful Words from Alice Walker

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Bill Murray Hates This and So Do Your Prospects…

Happy (Belated) Groundhog Day. Silly holiday.  GREAT movie.  I love the scenes with Ned Ryerson.  He’s the insurance salesman who went to high school with Phil (Bill Murray’s character).  Groundhog Day after Groundhog Day (see the movie if you don’t know what I mean), Ned accosts Phil on the street and pitches insurance.  “Have you…

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How Eddie Murphy’s Fear Can Make You Better

I used to think Eddie Murphy was fearless.  I mean think of him at his peak… He was a badass. A comedy legend. Full of bluster. The coolest cat in town.  This guy:  Fearful? No way!  Then, I saw him on a 2019 episode of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and… Eddie said…

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Monday Mash-Up, Vol. 2, Ep. 3

Dr. Pelè aThe Profitable Happiness™ Podcast + The Tim Ferriss Show + Downton Abbey The English Game + Taylor Swift