Story Power Blog
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 calledĀ (ware)HOUSE ConcertsĀ — 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…
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…
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…
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 couldnāt understand why Victory sent a receipt now, weeks after my purchase. I worried that, maybe, I accidentally signed up for something…
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, āI stumbled across this lovely burst of blossoms in the John F. Kennedy trail in Forest Park.ā I loved the post, and I shared it.…
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…
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. Heās one of those āPleased to meet you. Will you marry me?ā types. The…
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
What Would You Do If The Stories And Music Stopped
My friend Les Landes shared with me a story about stories. Iād like to share it with you. It comes from the author Neil Gaiman who said: āMy 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…
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……
How are B2B vs. B2C Marketing Different? You May Be Surprised…
I crossed paths the other day with a struggling marketer who said, āI’m having trouble distinguishing B2B copy from B2C copy and I feel so dumb.ā No need to feel dumb, I thought. Thatās a common question. How does marketing and copy change when selling to businesses (B2B) versus consumers (B2C)? Another marketer chimed in…
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
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 wasnāt a legend yet. He was a sales consultant, vacationing in cowboy country. The coat was a full-length āduster.ā The kind of coat real cowboys wear. John saw the coat, hanging in the back of Schaefer…
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 visitĀ StoryPowerMarketing.showĀ to view episode videos, get downloadable audio, and review show notes.…
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…
The Client-Attracting Power of Radical Empathy
In aĀ recent Monday Mash-Up, I told you about the author Cheryl Strayed and the advice columns she wrote under the pen name āSugar.ā Her friend and fellow author Steve Almond described Strayedās Sugar columns as āradical empathy.ā I canāt get that phrase out of my mind. Radical empathy. Powerful business storytelling is all about radical…
How to Turn a Claim from Questionable to Rock-Solid Believable
Iāve been helping one of my coaching clients Richard polish a print advertisement for his kitchen and bath remodeling business. Hereās the last line of the ad: āThatās why our average review on Facebook and Google is 4.92 stars out of 5.ā You may be wonderingā¦ āWhy 4.92?ā Hereās why: Because 4.92 is the EXACT…
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
“The Most Profound Advice…” From a Bestselling Author
In aĀ recent Monday Mash-Up, I shared Tim Ferrissā 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…
How to Conquer Stage Fright
Powerful storytellers embrace and conquer stage fright. Take Darden Smith. Heās 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. Heās an author, too, who wrote a book I love called The Habit of…
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
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. āShe would have things that she’d want to tell the audience,ā the speechwriter said. āShe wanted to make sure that she was honoring their stories. She’s always wants to learn about her audiences (āWhat…
How Business is Like Skydiving…
In 2017, I jumped from an airplane 15,000 feet above New Zealandā¦ …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,…
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
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 aĀ replay of the trainingĀ 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…
Why Great Creators Noodle, Doodle, and Jot
I listened recently to my friend Dan Rubright describe how he created a song. Danās a great jazz guitarist and composer who appeared on the Songs Out Loud podcast and dissected his tune āPrepare for Departure.ā This podcast blew me away — not just because I love great musicā¦ …but because I love to createā¦ …and I help…
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…
How I Developed The Habit of Noticing
When Instagram was new, I opened an account and thoughtā¦ …now what!? I wasnāt into selfies. Instagram marketing wasnāt a thing yet. I didnāt 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…
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 hadnāt stretched since the Reagan administration. Some of those muscles protested mildly. Others screamed, āYouāve got to be kidding me!ā Our instructor, Jessica, asked us to bend at the waist and touch the ground. She spotted me in my…
I Nearly Ignored This Awesome Advice…
Last month, I launched a free video e-course called āHow to Write Emails that Sell.ā 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…
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 didnāt want to face his classmates while down on his luck. I get it. He dreaded that āwhat are you up to?ā conversation. He didnāt want to tell his story of dreams deferred. He wanted to be the…
Monday Mash-Up ~ Vol. 2, Ep. 24
Recommended Reading12 Business Lessons from Mel Brooks Mel Brooks was born on this day in 1926. Here’sĀ aĀ Fast CompanyĀ articleĀ 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…
This LinkedIn Pickup Line Fell Flat
My brother, Mike, got a LinkedIn request the other day from a guy who wrote this: āLove to Connect. I just got a radar that detects high-performance humans. Damn thing won’t stop going off since I saw your profile.ā Thatās some fancy-schmancy, make-believe radar. Mike wasnāt impressed. No connection for you, Radar Man. I shared…
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…
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’sĀ The Daily Stoic.Ā I subscribe to his emails. I read his book. I listen to his podcast.Ā The websiteĀ describes stoicism as, “…a philosophy designed to make us more resilient, happier, more virtuous and more wiseāand as a result, better…
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 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…
Why You Don’t Need a Muse to Master Marketing
Thereās a movie I like called The Muse. Albert Brooks plays a screenwriter named Steven Phillips who has lost his āedge.ā Everyone says heās 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…
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
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.…
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 youād like me to address in future emails? I got a ton of great feedback and questions, including this one from…
Old Codger Secrets for Marketing Success
Over dinner the other night, my pals and I had one of those āback-in-the-dayā conversations. Back in the day, we said, people couldnāt 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…
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
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…
I Fought The Law And The Law Lost
Happy National Speak in Sentences Day. Party on! Oops. āParty onā is not a complete sentence! My bad. Oops, I did it again. LOL! Darn it! I meant, āI am now laughing out loud.ā Thatās better, at least according to the āSpeak In Sentencesā police. I hear from them occasionally. āYour emails and blog posts…
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
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…
How Tim Ferriss Named “The 4-Hour Workweek”
After his bookĀ The 4-Hour WorkweekĀ became an international bestseller, Tim Ferriss told an interviewer he wanted to name the bookĀ The 3-Hour Workweekā¦ …But, Ferriss quipped, āMy publisher thought ā3-Hour Workweekā was unrealistic.ā Ha! Iāve read the The 4-Hour Workweek a few times. Itās loaded with valuable lessons. But the most valuable lesson is one not even in the…
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
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…
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 thatās 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…
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
Video: The Key to Powerful, Business-building Storytelling
I had a blast visiting with the great Dr. PelĆØ on hisĀ Profitable Happiness Podcast. In this short clip, Dr. PelĆØ 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…
Priceless Marketing Lessons From Soggy Sweat
Hereās 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 āThe Magnolia Stateā until 1966. Another fun fact: A guy named Noah āSoggyā Sweat (you canāt make this stuff up) delivered the most…
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
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, āHelloā and catch up. The friend replied instantlyā¦ …with an automated messageā¦ …that said, āSubscribe to my YouTube channel.ā Thatās it. Nothing else. No āGlad to hear from you, Ted.ā No personal comments. Just an…
Why do Prospects Hire You?
Before he became a famous and wealthy editor of Ladiesā 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, āDonāt they look…
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
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. Thatās 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. Iāve never seen…
How to Tell the Difference Between a Winning and Losing Headline
In the 1920ās, a copywriter named Max Sackheim wrote an advertisement for a book entitled, āHow to Master Good English in 15 Minutes a Day,ā by Sherwin Cody. It was one of the most successful direct response advertisements ever written. The publisher hired other copywriters to try and outdo Sackheimās. But every time they tested…
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
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 āLiquid Trust.ā The product description on Amazon says Liquid Trust ācan help people gain the trust of others.ā Great for sales people, job hunters, and anyone else who wants others to āfeel…
How to Keep Avengers from Attacking You
Iāve been thinking about revenge. A movie made me think it. A movie called āPromising Young Womanā that I saw last weekend. It tells the story of a 30-year-old Cassie, who exacts revenge on men who mistreat women. I wonāt give away the details. Iāll say only that the movie made me cringe and laugh…
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
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. āWe donāt write copy,ā I told the VIPs. āWe assemble it.ā When you learn the simple process (the gathering), the āhard partā…
Marketing Lessons From a Lovesick Teenager
When I was a lovesick teenage boy, I listened to one song more than any other: āDon’t Let Me Be Misunderstoodā by the Animals. It usually worked like this: I had a crush on a girl. She didnāt have a crush on me. That made me sad. Iād come home from school, close my bedroom…
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
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…
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 personās thrift store junk is another personās treasureā¦ …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…
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: āMIT Device Cuts Power Bills By 65%ā Adam said, āThatās about as good…
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 Terriās message arrived. I joined the Zoom room, tail between my legs, apologizing, embarrassed.…
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
How Apple Captivates Prospects and How You Can, Too
In the most recentĀ Monday Mash-Up, I shared with you this ad from Apple which I love: Great visual storytelling. Great special effects.Ā Ā 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…
Computers Are Smart But They Can’t Beat You At This…
In 1987, world chess champion Garry Kasparov declared, āNo computer can ever beat me.ā 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 āDeep Blueā 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 āBasic Steel Staplerā (actually a Fortune Burger). Throw in a side of āBraided HDMI Cableā (Classic Fries). Want parmesan on those fries? Then order the āUSB 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 customersā¦ ….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, āI can tell if sheās fakingā¦ā 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. Harryās not buying it. So Sally proves the point byā¦ …putting down her turkey sandwich and… …wellā¦ …faking itā¦ …enthusiastically… …right there…
Which of These Are You?
In yesterdayās Monday Mash-Up, I shared this this article about the director ChloĆ© Zhao. Her new movie, Nomadland, is getting a lot of Oscar buzz. And sheās 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 ChloĆ© 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 thisā¦ āI visited your website and was really impressedā¦ā or āI read your profile, and we seem to have a lot in commonā¦ā or āIt looks like you do some great workā¦ā 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. Sheād been using a third-party service that worked wellā¦ 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 soā¦ …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. Heās the insurance salesman who went to high school with Phil (Bill Murrayās character). Groundhog Day after Groundhog Day (see the movie if you donāt know what I mean), Ned accosts Phil on the street and pitches insurance. āHave 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 peakā¦ 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 Seinfeldās Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee andā¦ Eddie said…
Monday Mash-Up, Vol. 2, Ep. 3
Dr. PelĆØ aThe Profitable Happinessā¢ 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 knowā¦ 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 Ruthās career home run record. I watched him hit number 715 on TV with my brother and my dad. We celebrated the feat. I didnāt have a clue what heād gone through. Even some of his teammates now say they didnāt knowā¦ …He received tons…
