Story Power Blog
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…
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
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…
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. …
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
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…
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…
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
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…
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. 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…
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
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…
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…
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
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…
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…
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
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…
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…
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
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…
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…
Monday Mash-Up, Vol. 2, Ep. 3
Dr. Pelè aThe Profitable Happiness™ Podcast + The Tim Ferriss Show + Downton Abbey The English Game + Taylor Swift
Why Happy Customers Don’t Show You The Love
For the last few months, my wife and I have skipped trips to the store and ordered groceries for home delivery. You know… the pandemic and all. Here in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, we have several options. We prefer one called Shipt. Why? Because the shoppers communicate well with us and consistently delight us. We…
Henry Aaron. Immortal. Inspiration.
I was 9 years old when Henry Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record. I watched him hit number 715 on TV with my brother and my dad. We celebrated the feat. I didn’t have a clue what he’d gone through. Even some of his teammates now say they didn’t know… …He received tons…
The Return of the Monday Mash-Up, Vol. 2, Ep. 1
Ted Prodromou Ginger or Mary Ann? + Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson + Free Photos + Music to Write By + Words to Live By
A Fan, A Hall of Famer, and A Wink… Business Lessons from the Ballpark
Marketing master Gary Vaynerchuk shared a story on LinkedIn the other day that I have to share with you. He describes going to his first baseball game with his mom and uncle in 1985 when he was a kid. Superstar outfielder Rickey Henderson catches a fly ball to end an inning and (Gary V takes…
Al Franken Messed With My Mind and Then I Got Over It
When I was a younger business person, I never thought much about mindset. Meditation? Not for me. Visualization? No, thanks. Self-affirmation? Not a chance. I think it was Stuart Smalley’s fault. Remember him? He was a recurring character on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s. Al Franken played the part before he left SNL to…
How to Know Exactly What Prospects Want — Without Hocus Pocus
Remember that movie with Mel Gibson playing a male chauvinist pig who magically acquires the superpower to “hear” women’s thoughts? I just heard a real-life version of that story. Both the real-life and Hollywood versions reveal a ton about marketing. The real-life story features a marketing guy named Ben Settle who, like Gibson’s character, has…
John Lennon’s Song for Social Media
Imagine there’s no Facebook. It’s easy if you try. No tweets……or REtweets. Pinterest? Say goodbye. You may say I’m a dreamer. But… …Really… …Imagine a world without social media. Then what? What would you do next? How would you connect with prospects? What would you say? Without memes… …without some pithy <280-character comment… …without likes and shares? What if…
Why Nicole Kidman Did This for Tom Cruise…
Back in the 1990s, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were Hollywood’s IT couple. A fairy-tale marriage. Three movies together — including a really creepy one called “Eyes Wide Shut” and this: When their love was shining brightly, Nicole dished out a few dozen bucks to the International Star Registry. She chose a twinkly little star…
A Less Complicated Way to Power up Business Growth
Happy National Screenwriters Day. (Yeah, that’s a thing). Last night, to get into the holiday spirit, I picked up my copy of “Story – Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting” by Robert McKee. Great book — especially if you want to be a screenwriter. Marketers swear by it, too… …especially ones who understand…
Hard Times Come Again No More
Back in April, I made a Spotify playlist for my 23-year-old daughter, Maddie. She lived on High Street in Denver. I named the playlist “Shelter in Place on High Street – Volume 1.” In the letter I sent with the playlist, I wrote, “…sharing music is sharing love. It’s about connecting.” I imagined she and…
Recommended Reading…
During my down time last week, I read this essay by Ann Patchett, published in the January 2021 issue of Harper’s Magazine. Ann Patchett is a writer whose books I like. And she’s a business owner whose bookstore I love. She opened Parnassus Books on the south side of Nashville in 2011… …because the city’s…
How TV’s Greatest Host Can Help You Be a Great Marketer
I was browsing through some of my favorite old marketing training discs the other day and came across one by Dave Dee… …whom I still listen to today. Back in 2007 Dave offered some unconventional advice about how to write better emails: Watch Regis Philbin on television, Dave advised. I don’t recall what I thought about…
Why This Superpower Skirmish Could Kill Your Biz…
The war between the Superpowers has begun. Not a traditional war with guns and tanks and airplanes, mind you. This is a war between two digital Superpowers — Facebook and Apple. Apple fired the first shot when it announced recently that iPhone owners will soon have to give explicit permission before apps can track their…
Here’s Why Google Outage Didn’t Crush My Spirit…
I woke yesterday at 5 a.m. because I had to finish a proposal that I’d promised to send to a prospect by start-of-business Monday. I was knocking it out steadily when… …Google broke. You probably heard the news: Around 5:30 a.m. CST, Google suffered a worldwide outage. Google Drive stalled. Gmail gave out. YouTube tanked. …
The #1 Quality That All Great Marketers Have
My business is growing so I’m hiring. Last night I posted a job opening for a software developer to assist with several projects. I described the projects, but only in vague terms. Applications flooded my inbox. Most applicants told me they had EVERYTHING it takes to tackle the projects. One applicant, Noah, said this: “Let’s discuss more…
Beware of These Make-Me-Gag Marketing Pitches…
I was eating breakfast the other morning and nearly choked. It wasn’t the spinach and salsa omelette that did it (although that jalapeno salsa made me sweat a little). No, it was the email that landed in my inbox… …with yet another breathless, over-hyped, meaningless statistic… …about yet another can’t-miss digital marketing channel. Here’s the…
This Milkshake Mishap Reveals Mucho About Marketing…
When my daughter suggested last night that we order delivery from Shake Shack… …rather than have yet another night of leftover turkey for dinner… …I thought, “That’s the greatest idea EVER!” Red meat, topped with bacon and orange cheese. Yum. But what really had my mouth watering was the thought of that shake… …that sweet,…
This Email Made Me Laugh — For The Wrong Reasons…
Every so often, I browse my junk email folder to see what the spammers are up to. I always come across something that makes me roll my eyes and chuckle… …like this one from a lender: Subject line: Equipment Financing That’s it. No website address. No call to action. No benefits. No story. No nothing…
Deliberate Gratitude
A few years ago, I regularly posted “Gratitude Snippets” on Facebook. They were short posts. Expressions of appreciation for people and things… …a beautiful day… …a restaurant server who went the extra mile… …a mail carrier who braved snow and rain to make the delivery… …a song that brightened my mood… …a colleague who offered…
I Love This Billboard…
For three years, I never opened my mouth when I smiled. That was from 1978 through 1980. Those were the Braces Years, the period when my mouth was full of metal hardware and my parents’ checking account was shrinking. It’s tough being a 13- to 16-year-old — especially when your pearly whites are covered with stainless…
Recommended Reading and Big Lessons re: What You Control
Roughly once a year, I read Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. Frankl was a Holocaust survivor who later wrote about his experiences as a prisoner at the Auschwitz concentration camp. The book is heavy stuff, yes. But it’s also full of huge lessons for business and life. These are strange days. Many call them “dark…
How to Attract Attention – The Jesus Way
Here’s a parable about parables… …with a lesson that can help you attract attention for your marketing messages and inspire people to act. In the Bible’s Gospel of Luke, someone asks Jesus, “…who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers with the story of a “certain man” who was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and “fell among…
Henry Ford Was Full of It & Why That Matters For Your Business
A couple of days ago, I asked what you think of this Henry Ford quote: “If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!’” A bunch of subscribers told me Ford was a visionary who saw something his prospects did not. One told me: “…Ford wasn’t concerned or focused with finding out what people wanted. He…
For People Who Want to Write Better Headlines But Aren’t Sure How…
Once upon a time, I tried to cook a batch of paella. It didn’t go well. The mussels were chewy. The chicken was dry. The rice was a sticky mess. So frustrating! I fancy myself a decent cook. But decent doesn’t cut it when you strive to master a complicated dish. Today, aspiring home chefs can…
Read This If You Want to Write Copy That Readers Love
Short and sweet today. If you want to write emails that recipients are happy to open… …that they read from top-to-bottom… …that inspires them to act… Read this great article by copywriter Neville Medhora.
My Kids Made It Rain… and So Can You
It’s raining here in St. Louis, MO, USA… …which reminds me of the time my twin kiddos summoned a drought-ending thunderstorm with a rain dance. We were at my inlaw’s farm in central Missouri. It was bone dry for weeks. But (finally!), we adults could smell and feel the rain coming. As the wind picked…
How 1 Pic and 3 Words Transform A Boring Log Into a Romantic Tale
My friend Cabanne Howard (a great marketing strategist) sent this picture to me the other day… It’s a closeup of this Duraflame log… Cabanne thinks it’s a great example of story-powered marketing. And she’s right. Feeble marketing focuses on features. Better marketing focuses on benefits. The best marketing — story-powered marketing — promises transformations. A Duraflame log features sawdust…
A Tale of Two Posts: One Inspiring, The Other a Yawner
Here’s a tale of two blog posts — both covering the same topic: Why your business needs a customer support playbook and how to implement one. In one corner we have a treatise. Here’s how it starts: Building and managing a help desk in your organization can either become a triumphant, effective tool or end…
When Having a Bad Day, Consider Adolphe Sax’s Story…
Last week, I had one of those days when nothing went right. It made me grumpy. And as I grumped around, I focused more on feeling sorry for myself and less on staying focused and productive. That made it worse. I got past it, but it made me think about how easy it is to…
How to Make Your Business Story More Interesting
I heard from a business owner who wants to power up his story to grow sales… …but he fears he doesn’t have a compelling story to tell. “My story isn’t interesting,” he said. I hear that a lot. Business people assume storytelling should be about themselves. They rack their brains for an inspiring origin story.…
Here’s a Surefire Way to Blow 35 Grand
I came across this gem of a headline in an online marketing forum this week: “I’m buying a domain name for $35,000.” The guy who posted it explained: “We presently use the domain with ‘the’ prefix for our product, so it looks like https://the___.com But going to go bolder way and buy the name without…
40 Years Later, I Still Remember This…
I was cleaning out a closet the other day and found an old biology textbook. As I paged through it, I was struck (stunned, saddened) by how little I remembered. Then I got to the chapter about animal biology… …and my memory clicked: “Kids prefer cheese over fried green spinach.” That’s the little story I…
How Jerry Seinfeld Helped to Reset my Mindset
60 Minutes presented an interview with Jerry Seinfeld on Sunday, and it was great. Here’s the link to the video. Seinfeld said so many funny, profound, and wise things. I’ve rewatched it three times. And now I’m sharing some of the highlights. Asked if Covid has killed New York, he scoffed and said: “When you were…
He Picked the Worst Time to Pitch to Me
A cautionary tale: Earlier this week, I was helping a client move a website. He registered his domain with GoDaddy, and I spoke to their customer support before moving the site. Everything GoDaddy told me was wrong, and when we moved the site it came crashing down. I launched a chat with GoDaddy support and…
Why Stick-to-the-Script Syndrome Could Kill Your Business
Back in March, when the pandemic was a fresh, new misadventure for all of us, I wrote this email asking why the local traffic reporter needed to do her thing every morning — even though no one was driving to work. I concluded that she and her station kept doing their thing because that’s what they do.…
Marketing Lessons from My Neighbor’s Perfect Lawn
I was walking my dog, Moose, around the block the other day and came upon a neighbor who was manicuring his lawn. This wasn’t your standard roll-the-mower-over-the-grass job. This was high-intensity fuss-over-the-fescue. He was on his knees with a hand clipper, working the edges, getting everything right. Not just good enough. But perfect. After he…
Turn Frustration to Fascination and Good Things Happen
I’m enjoying a book called “Blessed Beyond Measure,” by Dr. Tom Hill. On page 69, Dr. Hill offers an idea that got my attention: Some time ago, I intentionally began using the word “fascinated” when I felt like saying something frustrated me…I realized the frustrating quality of situations causing me to feel frustrated naturally include a legitimate…
Cool Tools to Remove Background and Apply Effects to Photos
Last week, I shared “5 things you might not know about me…” on LinkedIn. The post included this picture of me… A few people told me they liked that picture, and they suggested I use it as my profile picture — instead of the one I was using. “Sure, why not?” I thought. But before…
Don’t Choose Your Marketing Channel Until You Do This…
Here’s a tale of two marketing tips — one right on, the other off the mark. It starts with a question posted to an online forum: How can I generate leads for my graphic design business? Two people responded. The first person wrote 272 words… …loaded with one recommendation after another. Use LinkedIn. Try XING…
How to Write Better Copy That Drives Grammar Police Crazy
Here’s a tale about Dizzy Dean — a Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals… …who was a country boy and… …not as educated or polished as the city-slicker reporters who covered the team. When a reporter accused him of corrupting language students with his lousy grammar and diction, Dizzy replied, “A lot…
Priceless Advice from a Wise Bass
I heard about a restaurant in New York… …with a stuffed fish on the wall… …above a plaque that said… “Take a tip from me — I wouldn’t be here if I had kept my mouth shut!” There’s truth in that fish story. A good business fable. Don’t talk at your prospects. Shut your mouth…
You Ask. I’ll Answer.
Short and sweet today. Just a quick question for you… What nagging marketing and sales challenge is holding you back? Please share with me what’s on your mind. What’s causing frustration, confusion, or anxiety as you try to grow your business? If you submit a question/concern, I’ll answer you directly… …and my answer won’t be…
This Marketing Secret is as Smart as a Block of Wood
Long before Apple and Android turned phones into pocket-sized computers, Palm dominated the mobile device market. The simple, compact PalmPilot handled four functions: calendars, contacts, memos, and tasks. Jeff Hawkins, the product team leader, carried in his pocket a PalmPilot-sized block of wood. When other team members suggested new functions beyond the core four, Hawkins…
Conventional Lunacy You Must Ignore
I read some marketing advice last week that was SO bad I had to share it with you… …so you can add it to the top of your “Do Not Do This!” list. It came from a so-called marketing “expert” in one of those fancy-shmancy magazines for entrepreneurs. The article contained dos and don’ts for…
Why You Shouldn’t Be Afraid of Fear in Your Marketing…
A few months ago, my wife and I woke to a loud “thud.” She thought the sound came from inside the house… …and, for her, that meant trouble. “What was that!?” she asked, sounding a little frantic. We live in the city and crime is a thing so I don’t blame her for worrying. I…
Priceless Marketing Lessons Courtesy of President Trump
I gotta hand it to President Donald J. Trump. Love him or hate him, El Presidente just did many of us a favor. He shut up the “TikTok-is-the-Next-Big-Marketing-Thing” crowd. (Search for “tiktok marketing next big thing,” and you’ll find them). On Friday, he issued an executive order banning TikTok in the USA, effective next month. …
How a Tiny Story Can Pack a Giant Punch
Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway won a bar bet by writing a story that contained just six words. Here’s the story: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” That tiny story reveals a giant truth for marketers: Great stories don’t have to be long stories. In fact, one of the greatest marketing stories I know…
What Can You Learn from an Old Maid?
When I was a kid, I remember my relatives talking about some Great Aunt I’d never met. They called her an “Old Maid.” I had no idea what they were talking about, but I could tell they considered it an insult. Years later, I learned the meaning: A woman who has — gasp! — never…
How to Land More Business With Less Selling
I read a definition of “marketer” yesterday that may be the best I’ve ever seen.It came from Troy Broussard, one of my favorite marketers and a top-notch product developer. He co-created Learnistic, the mobile platform on which I run the Story Power Marketing app. He said a marketer is “a person that creates such a strong…
How to Be a Better Listener So You Can Craft More Powerful Stories
The other day I was in a Zoom meeting with a group of prospects when… …I realized I had zoned out — completely. I don’t know for how long I had not been listening. I just knew I was staring at the squirrel in the tree outside my office window. Yep, my gray matter had…
How to Create Great Content with Less Effort and Cost
For those of you who would like to produce good, business-building content… …with less time-consuming, costly effort… …here’s a story for you. On Wednesday, I was one of the speakers at an online networking event. The guy who organized the event, called me a few weeks in advance, and asked for a presentation topic. Earlier…
The Critical Thing to Do BEFORE You Storm The Castle
When he was a young college student, my wife’s great-great-grandfather joined the revolution. He and his pals tried to overthrow the German government. The year was 1833, and young Adolph Wislizenus “stormed the castle” with a band of student revolutionaries in Frankfurt. Their plan: Sneak-attack a few arsenals. Capture the soldiers. Take the guns. Arm…
The Salty Popcorn Marketing Method
I miss movie theater popcorn. A large bucket. Plenty of salt. None of that fake butter. On a good day — especially if my wife grabs a few handfuls from the first bucket — I go for the free refill. Ahhh…such fond pre-pandemic memories. When the movie theaters reopen, I’ll rush back… …not because I…
How a Master Copywriter Got the Scoop on His Target Market
I recently heard this interesting tidbit about Eugene Schwartz, a genius copywriter who penned ads that generated massive sales: He had a secret way to get the scoop on his target market… He would go to the theater to see all the hit movies… …and he would see the blockbusters TWICE. Why? Because if you’re…
Native American Warriors Reveal Ancient Marketing Secret
I recently heard this wild story about Native American warriors. Two tribes face off on the battlefield — maybe the Sioux on one side, the Crow on the other. They shout taunts at each other. Then a brave young warrior from one side gallops forward on his pinto, charging at the enemy… …not to kill…
This Tactic Will Land You in the “Thanks, But No Thanks” File
My pal Harry forwarded to me a how-not-to-do-it sales email he received the other day. He called it “fertile material” for the emails I send. He got that right. The email Harry forwarded was from a design firm in Arizona that was fishing for business. The email came from Dave, the firm’s principal. “Hi Harry,” Dave wrote.…
The Story Behind One of the Greatest Ads Ever
In 1925, John Caples was a rookie copywriter working on an ad for home-study piano courses. He drafted several headlines that he shared with his boss. Here are a few: “Can you play the piano? Neither could I three months ago?” “They laughed when I sat down at the piano. But when I started to…
The Insanity of the Tactics-First Crowd
A desperate marketer posted a sad-sack story last week on a public forum. He was trying to reach prospects in a niche market… …and he was getting ZERO response. Facebook Ads? No-go. LinkedIn messages? Zip? Search advertising? Nada. So he asked the internet for help… …and the internet responded with a bunch of INSANITY. First, I’ll…
Understand This and Your Marketing Will Be Better
I read something cool this morning. It comes from a book called Breakthrough Advertising, by Eugene Schwartz. He was one of the great direct response copywriters of the twentieth century. Breakthrough Advertising is a Bible for those who want to write copy that works. At the beginning of Chapter Seven, Schwartz writes… “…Advertising is the literature of…
How a Nine-Word Story Sold Millions
One of the great business stories of all time is also one of the shortest. Just nine words. Here it is: 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…
This Magic Phrase Will Help You Attract More Leads
I was planning to send a different message this morning… …until I read an email from one of my favorite marketing experts Dave Dee (check out his stuff here). He offered a tip that is so good I had to postpone the other email so I could share the idea with you now. Here’s the tip: …
I Reveal This Mistake So You Don’t Repeat It
I got some great advice from a marketing expert last week after he read one of my emails. If you’ve read my emails lately, you’ve noticed that I offer a free Story Assessment. I’ll review your website, social media or any other channel where you tell your story. Then I’ll reveal ways to power up your…
How the U.S. Grant Playbook Can Help Your Business
Here’s a TV recommendation: Watch “Grant,” the new three-part documentary on the History Channel (here’s the trailer). Ulysses S. Grant was a complicated man. Some historians have painted him as a drunk, a villain, a reckless general who got lucky, a corrupt politician. This documentary rewrites that history. It exposes some of the warts. But generally,…
Top Marketers Say This is More Important Than Anything
I recently heard this story about the great copywriter Gary Halbert… Near the end of his career he was quizzing a protege and said, “The best way to get a prospect’s attention is to appeal to their sense of ___________.” The protege replied, “Their sense of self-interest?” Halbert said, “No…their sense of curiosity.” That’s great…
Why Sales “Hunters” Bag Fewer Long-Lasting Clients
A few years back, I met with a prospect about a massive project. The meeting went well. I remember thinking as the meeting moved along, “I’m CRUSHING it.” Before I left, they committed to hire me. I returned to the office, shared the news with my team, and slapped high fives all around. “Way to…
A Big Mistake that Costs Businesses Time and Money
A business owner recently asked me to launch an email campaign for her new company. She told me she wanted to “spread the word” about the business. Spread the word. That’s a popular idea. Let’s send some emails to spread the word. Let’s post on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to spread the word.Let’s buy…
Spiderman Reveals the Difference Between Manipulation and Persuasion
I love the scene in the Spiderman movie (the first one with Tobey Maguire) when Uncle Ben tells Peter, “With great power comes great responsibility.” That’s true for super heroes. That’s also true for marketers. I’m working on a revised and expanded version of a free resource I created a few years back called “7 Ways…
Email Story: Betrayed by a Travel Brochure
Back in the day, when people used to go on vacation, my mom, dad, brother and I packed up the station wagon and drove west in search of a ghost town. Actually, we were headed to some national parks in Wyoming and Montana. But I insisted we detour. The brochure I grabbed at the Stuckey’s…
Why Does She Still Do THIS?
Here’s something I wonder during this pandemic: Why is the local news station still broadcasting traffic reports every 30 minutes in the morning? I turn on the news, and there she is, the Traffic Reporter, standing in front of the map with all the highways and byways color coded — green for “all clear,” yellow for “moderate back-ups” and…
How Taco Bell Hotel Rooms Sold Out in 120 Seconds
I read about a hotel that promises a “fun, colorful and flavorful” and magical experience. Set to open in August, the hotel began taking reservations online in June. It sold out in two minutes. Introducing The Bell: A Taco Bell Hotel and Resort in Palm Springs, California. The Bell is just a temporary rebranding of…
Guessing VS Explaining With Data
I saw something on the TV news this morning that annoyed me. (What else is new?) I’m sharing this with you not to spread the annoyance, but rather to deliver a business lesson. The news headline: The number of asylum-seekers reaching the Mexico-US border has decreased over the last few months. The analysis: Supporters of…
It’s About Building a Community
Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death. So the TV talking heads spent a bunch of airtime debating whether it’s OK to enjoy the King of Pop’s music. The debate goes like this… On one side are those who cite allegations that Jackson molested children. You can’t separate the art from the artist,…
Testing Works In Business
Before publishing his first best-seller, Tim Ferriss tested options. He came up with six potential titles. Then he purchased Google Adwords ads — one version for each title — targeting search terms related to the book’s topics. Each ad used the potential book title as the headline and used the book’s tagline for the ad’s…
How Do You know If Your Marketing is Working
A marketing novice wondered whether a direct mail ad he received from a restaurant was any good. He described the ad in an online discussion board and waited for responses. Dozens of people replied with all sorts of marketing advice. Lots of them said they liked the ad. Some asked to see the advertisement so…
Lousy Customer Service
A few months ago, I went to a St. Louis Blues hockey game with my son. He ordered a chicken sandwich from a concession stand run by a local restaurant. The chicken was raw. When we returned the food to the stand and asked for a refund, the woman at the cash register apologized and…
Reach Out to Former Customers
Last month, a networking group that I help manage contacted 18 former members to learn why they quit. Three of the 18 said they quit for no particular reason. They just let their commitment lag. Prompted by the phone call, they committed to resubscribe. Three out of 18. That’s 17 percent. That’s pretty good. Many…