Story Power Blog
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.07.10
Book Highly Recommended: Jerry Weintraub’s Incredible AutobiographyI have fallen in love with this book: When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man, by Jerry Weinbtraub. I wrote an email about it last week after I read Chapter 1. It gets better with each chapter. (Thanks to Brian Kurtz for recommending this in…
Elon, Zuck, and Me… (Must See TV)
Let the cage match begin. In one corner: Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and SpaceX and owner/destroyer(?) of Twitter. In the other corner: Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, Instagram, and the just-launched Twitter-killer(?) Threads. Threads launched earlier this week, and 30 million souls have already boarded the ship. I’m one of them. (Follow me on…
Stupid is as Stupid Does (a Cautionary Tale)
Another day. Another stupid marketing trick. Here’s the story… Last month, my pal Adam received a cold email pitch from a guy named Jim who wrote: “Hey Adam, My boss asked that I connect with you about a potential advertising opening for Words That Click…(his email below)…” Jim then described his advertising service and suggested…
From “Piece of Junk” to Priceless Gem (What a Story)
I spent the holiday yesterday lounging by the pool and reading a great book: When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead by Jerry Weintraub. Weintraub was a Hollywood producer, talent agent, and concert promoter whose clients included Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, The Four Seasons, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, and Led Zeppelin. His book boils…
Reflections on the 4th
On this day 247 years ago, our “founding fathers” acted. They decried tyranny and declared independence. A bold, brave move. Twelve years later, they ratified a Constitution… “…in order to form a more perfect Union.” I like that story. It inspires me. And today, on July 4, I reflect on it and celebrate. I don’t…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.07.03
Events Pick My Brain: Community Event(Wednesday, July 5, 4 PM ET)One of my favorite monthly events… Pick My Brain brings together smart, passionate people from all around the world together to meet, greet, connect, share ideas, solve world problems, and unlock new opportunities. Registration Open: How to Transform Your Content from Boring to Brilliant So Prospects…
I’m Not Ashamed of This…
Here comes a “shameless” sales pitch. No lead-in story. Just the facts, Zach. If you sign up for my Content Marketing Masters program before 11:59 p.m. today… I’ll be your Coach-on-Call for three months. That means you can contact me by email or video-chat with a question, problem, or feedback-request — anytime you want… …and I’ll give you my…
Why Wallflowers Fail at Love and Business
When I was in college, I had a roommate named Joe… …who was tall, dark, and handsome… …but shy as a vampire at a garlic festival. I once saw a great-looking woman approach Joe at a party, hand him a slip of paper with her number on it, and say, “Call me. Maybe we can…
How to Turn Your Site and Socials into List-building Machines…
In the second session of my coming-soon Content Marketing Masters, I’m going to dive deep into lead-generation and list-building — how to turn your website, social media pages, and other “real estate” into list-building machines. Here’s why… I know a bazillion business owners who tell me they want to grow their email lists (smart). But when I…
Sea-monkey Marketing — Lessons from a Legendary Ad…
When I was a wee lad in the early 70s, living in America’s heartland, reading one comic book after another… I was crazy for Sea-Monkeys. Every comic book contained an ad for these “Instant PETS!” And I begged my parents to let me buy some. (Only $1.00, plus 30 cents for shipping.) Mom and Dad…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.06.26
Events Create Your Book Without Writing a Word(Tuesday, June 27, 4 PM ET)Michael DeLon, “The Paperback Expert,” will demonstrate how you can increase your credibility and become your prospects’ obvious choice — by becoming a best-selling author of your own book. Registration Open: How to Transform Your Content from Boring to Brilliant So Prospects Tune In,…
How an Angel Turned us From Gripey to Giddy
Here’s the story of a customer support call from heaven … …loaded with lessons that will help you attract and retain clients… …and an offer at the end that could make you giddy. First the quick backstory: Melissa and I remodeled our kitchen two years ago and bought some stools, from a store called Amini’s, to…
My Robot is Ticked Off 😡. Here’s the Story…
Over breakfast this a.m. (Apple Jacks and black coffee), I had a chat with my GPT-powered copywriting robot, “B-9?” Turns out he’s spittin’ mad about the “AI-powered” hype machine. Here’s our conversation, word-for-word, straight from the robot’s (and my) mouth… Me:What’s up, “B-9?” Have you noticed how everything seems to be “AI-powered” these days? “B-9?”:Oh,…
This Guy’s Pitch Could Have Worked, if Only…
I got this LinkedIn direct message yesterday from a guy named Max after I accepted his connection request: “Θα ήθελα να σας γνωρίσω με το (τα προϊόντα μας), μια υπερσυγκλίνουσα πλατφόρμα που συνδυάζει το δίκτυο, την αποθήκευση, τον υπολογισμό και το σχετικό λογισμικό σε ένα συμπαγές, πραγματικά Ανθεκτικό σε σφάλματα αποτύπωμα δύο κόμβων με σχέδιο…
Persuasion Lessons from a King’s Speech Therapist
I watched “The King’s Speech” this weekend… …and, as always, I shed some happy tears. I couldn’t help it. When “Bertie” stands in front of the microphone… …and we hear the first bars of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony… ….and the speech therapist Lionel gives him an encouraging nod… and he begins, “In this grave hour…” …I…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.06.19
Events Your Message Matters Networking Event(Wednesday, June 21, 3 PM ET)Holly Jackson hosts this monthly event, combining guest experts with great networking. Marcy and Alex from Writers Co will share tips and tricks to success in writing your book and unblocking writers block. Dr. Noor will share some amazing pointers to unlock your energy and…
This Tactic is not Semi-sleazy. It’s 100% Sleazy.
I learned a new word today: Astroturfing. It means fake, grassroots support (get it?). Here’s the backstory… A guy posted a cry for help on an online forum because his boss wants him to create a fake Instagram account, build a following, pretend to be a customer of their company, and post rave reviews. “The…
The Thing That Makes us Humans Unique
I began listening to Pat Metheny in 1978, and I’ve been listening ever since. Last night, I sat in Section C, Row G, Seat 9 at The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, listening and watching as Metheny and his band created beautiful music for two(+) hours. As I sat there, tapping my foot, nodding…
How to Get a Prospect’s Attention – the Gary Halbert Way…
Copywriting legend Gary Halbert would have turned 85 this week. In honor of the occasion, I share an excerpt from The Story Power Profit Pack (Pointer #35): * * * A conversation between copywriting legend Gary Halbert and a protégé… Halbert: “The best way to get a prospect’s attention is to appeal to their sense of…”…
I Can’t Mail You a Baby, But I Can Send you This…
It’s almost summer. Time to pack up the kiddos and send them to grandma’s house… …or camp… …or some other far away place. In olden days, here in the good ol’ USA, you could dress the youngins in their Sunday finest, slap a few stamps on their coats, and drop ‘em at the post office. …
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.06.12
Events (All times EASTERN) Collaboration Strategies for a Changing Landscape(Wednesday, June 14, 2-3 PM ET) R.J. Redden and Dean Isaacs host this monthly roundtable designed for forward-thinking decision makers, entrepreneurs, and service providers. They’ll explore the transformative power of collaboration. Try New Things in Your Outreach(Thursday, June 15, 5-7 PM ET)A great networking/learning event hosted by…
🏇 Secretariat Rules — Blazing Good Insights and Inspiration
Fifty years ago today, Secretariat buried the field at The Belmont Stakes and became the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown. It’s one of those I-remember-where-I-was moments. The greatest sports performance I’ve ever seen. I was in my living room at my house on Nantucket Lane in St. Louis… …watching with…
AI did not Create this Brilliant AI-inspired Billboard…
Last week, I visited an online forum where some copywriters were debating the good and bad of AI. A couple of doomsdayers announced they were quitting copywriting to become plumbers or electricians. Maybe they should move to Antwerp where they can work on this building: Brilliant… …and ironic. I’d bet a gazillion dollars AI didn’t…
A Crazy Good Offer From Brian Kurtz
Soon after sending yesterday’s email, I interviewed the great Brian Kurtz for my podcast the Story Power Marketing Show. Ordinarily, days or weeks pass between the interview date and the episode go-live date. But I launched this episode right away because I wanted to get the word out about Brian’s upcoming Overdeliver Bootcamp which launches on June 20. I…
How the Marketing Legend Became my “Devoted Student”
A few weeks back, marketing legend Brian Kurtz joined my list, fell in love with my emails, and then shouted so from the rooftops. First the backstory… For 34 years, Brian worked for the publisher Boardroom, Inc. (now Bottom Line, Inc.) where he handled all marketing activities – including direct mail, direct response television, e-mail,…
RecomMONDAYtions ~ 2023.06.05
RecomMONDAYtions Episode #2 In case you missed last week… This is RecomMONDAYtions, a weekly serving of sites to visit, podcasts to hear, videos to watch, resources to try, and more — delivered every MONDAY morning. Enjoy… Events Build a Network That Works(Monday, June 5 — 3:00 PM ET)Last chance to attend this masterclass with Virginia Muzquiz…
Invitation to Free Training…
Happy Friday! If you’re free next Thursday, please join me for a live training called… How to Transform Your Emails from Prospect-Repelling to Client-Attracting It’s a new training I unveiled at a private event yesterday. The response was so good I’ve decided to share it with my loyal subscribers. The details: What: Email can generate…
The Perils of Robot-powered Podcast Guesting
Yesterday, I met on Zoom with the wise and wonderful David Baer to record an episode for his podcast. I told a bunch of stories… …the one about the executive coach who used storytelling to turn her content from boring to brilliant… …the one about the world’s greatest copywriter who never suffered from writer’s block…
Dumbest Holiday Ever? Could Be.
Today is National Speak in Sentences Day. (Silly holiday.) The Sentence Police who invented this holiday say, “No fragments allowed! Incomplete sentences are incoherent.” My take: Fragments are OK. Not always. But sometimes. My GPT-powered copywriting robot, B-9(?), agrees. I asked him to write a blog post to explain why this holiday is NOT necessary. And…
Marvelous advice from Mrs. Maisel
Over the weekend, I watched the series finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and heard something I had to share with you. If you haven’t seen the TV series on Amazon, here’s all you need to know: Midge Maisel is a ambitious comedian trying to get her big break. (For those who have seen the…
Introducing: RecomMONDAYtions
Welcome to the first issue of RecomMONDAYtions Starting right here, right now, I will serve you a fresh-from-the-oven selection of recommendations — sites to visit, podcasts to hear, videos to watch, resources to try, and more — every MONDAY morning. RecomMONDAYtions will be similar to the Monday Mash-Up — which I’m retiring after 10+ years…
Writer’s Block – Myth or Reality? You can Choose.
I woke this morning to a LinkedIn post from copywriting legend John Carlton who wrote… “Writer’s block ain’t real.” My initial reaction: “Whatchu talkin’ about, Carlton?!” Writer’s block ain’t real!? Tell that to all the people who sit in front of a blank screen — hoping to write an email, social post, or other content — while…
Don’t Do LinkedIn Like This Guy…
Some people don’t know how to take “no” for an answer. Take Brecht D. who messaged me six days after we connected on LinkedIn. He said he “collaborates” with businesses like mine to “scale to $100k+ /mo profit through our Neuro-Emotional Persuasion Scaling model.” Brecht asked: “Are you opposed to having a brief conversation around…
How to Stand Out Like a Diamond in The Muck
Ripped from the headlines: Thirteen years ago, Mary Strand accidentally dropped her diamond ring down the toilet and thought it was lost forever. Mary’s husband, David, had given her the ring on their 33rd wedding anniversary. Fast forward to March 2023 when workers at the Rogers, Minnesota water treatment plant found the ring in a…
Bourbon-barrel Marketing (More Bang for The Buck)
My high school buddies and I spent last weekend in Kentucky, touring bourbon distilleries. Fun fact: Distilleries must use “virgin,” white oak barrels to age their whiskey. Otherwise they can’t call it “bourbon.” After they age the whiskey for two to 23 years and empty the barrels, distilleries can’t use them for bourbon again. What…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.05.22
Recommended EventWriting an AI-Powered Book? My friend Michael DeLon (“The Paperback Expert”) will host a live webinar tomorrow: “Can ChatGPT Help You Write Your Book? Beyond the Hype: AI’s Potential and Pitfalls” Here’s what he said about it in an email last week: “This will not be a webinar about how AI is ‘the greatest…
He Might Have Gotten Away with it, if Only…
Here’s a funny story for a Friday morning… Last weekend, police in Springfield, Colorado pulled over a drunk guy for driving 52 mph in a 30 mph zone. As an officer walked toward his car, the driver switched places with his passenger… …which might have worked… …if the officer hadn’t seen the whole thing … …and…
Why Yogi’s “Nonsense” Can Help you Grow your Business
I’ve got Yogi on my mind. Yogi Berra, that is. He’s the baseball hall-of-famer who grew up three miles, due south, from where I currently sit in St. Louis, MO. Yogi’s in the news because of a new documentary about him that opened this week. It’s called “It Ain’t Over…” …as in, “It ain’t over…
Same Point, Different story (Bye-bye Writer’s Block)
I sent you an email yesterday about Brian Wilson and his perfection problem. The big takeaway: It’s better to be prolific than perfect. That’s an idea I’ve shared before. I once wrote an email about Leonardo DaVinci who, like Brian Wilson, got stuck chasing perfection. Same point, different story. I tell that DaVinci story in The…
This is NOT the Greatest Email Ever Made (and That’s Good)…
When the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson heard The Beatles’ “Rubber Soul” in December 1965, he was blown away… …and he was inspired. Legend has it he told his wife, Marilyn, he was going to produce “the greatest rock album ever made.” (Holy Ambition, Batman!) Six months later, on this day (May 16) in 1966, The…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.05.15
Last ChanceThe Authentic Marketing Summit Still time to register for the Authentic Marketing Summit… …An entire event devoted to marketing and selling authentically without pitching and prodding. It’s happening today, and it’s free to register and attend. Registration ends when the program begins at 11 a.m. ET, 10 a.m. CT. I’ll be one of the…
Referrals Without Asking!? 🥳 This Way, Please…
When Stacey Randall Brown launched her first consulting business, she tried a hodgepodge of “old school business development techniques.” She tried “incessant networking,” free speaking gigs, direct mail, even cold emailing. She generated some business this way, but these techniques did not work consistently well. “I ultimately worked too hard for each client,” Stacey writes. …
2 Quick Q’s For You…
Good morning, Tom I bumped into a guy named Alex in an online forum yesterday. He had this to say about content marketing: The most frustrating part of the content creation process for me is when I get stuck on what to write next. I’ll have an idea in my head of what I want…
Please Register for This Summit
Hi — I’m speaking at The Authentic Marketing Summit on Monday. I’m trying to build up registrations for the event. Please register with your gmail account. No cost. No obligation to attend, although there are some great speakers and you’d learn a lot. https://go.eventraptor.com/summit/the-authentic-marketing-summit-2305/tomruwitch Thanks.
Fail Fast or Win The Race?
I met yesterday with a marketing agency owner named Nancy who told me a client-from-hell story. The client hired Nancy to flood his website with new leads. Nancy delivered. But when those leads landed on the site, they had just one option: Call to buy. The client’s phone didn’t ring so he fired Nancy. She…
I Have to Share This…
Sometimes I stumble across something in a book, movie, television show, or wherever and think, “I have to share this in an email.” It happened last night. I was reading Pappyland by Wright Thompson (must reading if you enjoy bourbon). And I came to the part where he describes his father: “He was magnetic and kind and…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.05.08
Recommended EventThe Authentic Marketing Summit An entire summit devoted to marketing and selling authentically without pitching and prodding??? Yes, please! It’s happening on May 15. It’s called the Authentic Marketing Summit. And it’s free to register and attend. I’ll be one of the 12 speakers. My topic: “How to Transform Your Content from Boring to…
Puppy Guy Strikes Again — With no Better Results…
Earlier this week, I emailed about a spammer named Neel who tried to woo me with a picture of his puppy. It didn’t work. In my email, I wondered whether Neel-the-Spammer might have gotten me to bite on his podcast production services… …if he’d sent me a better attention grabber — such as a dancing goat…
Would You Give Your Cell Phone # to a “Stranger?”
A short one today because I’m about to spend the next two days working on my business with 15 mastermind partners. But before that gavel drops on that, a question… If an email sign-up form requires you to share your mobile phone number, what would you do? ？Enter your number and opt-in? ？Refuse to opt-in? ？It depends…
Why I Call Out Bad Behavior
Last week, I called out a social media influencer who crossed the line. She posted on LinkedIn about the a program she was selling. Below the post she added 10 comments. In each comment, she tagged 30 of her connections. No commentary in the comments. Just tagged connections — 300 in all. Why’d she do…
Puppies 🐶 & rabbits 🐰 & hedgehogs 🦔 (oh my)
I got this picture of a puppy named Tino in my spam folder this morning. A guy named Neel sent it. Neel wrote: “Before this starts sounding like an email fit for your spam folder, here is Tino saying Hi on my behalf. Now that you know Tino, I can calmly introduce myself…” (Note: When…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.05.01
Recommended Viewing/InteractingThe World’s Most Unconventional Intro RJ Redden uses bots, interactive videos, and other smart technologies to create “epic engagement adventures that get people to click that button, connect with you, and convert like crazy.” Her “welcome video” is fantastic — unique, informative, and funny. And most importantly, it demonstrates a creative way you can…
Lessons From a 3-year-old Who Made it Rain
Blow the horn and tap the tambourine… It’s National Tell a Story Day! So buckle up, Buttercup. It’s story time. (This is one of my favorites) About a quarter-century ago, when my twins were toddlers, we were spending the weekend at our country place in the Ozark foothills in south-central Missouri. The ground was thirsty.…
“Email Does Not Build Rapport!?” Inconceivable!
I had a Princess Bride moment yesterday. Here’s the story… I was a guest expert (discussing email marketing) at an online mastermind meeting. Co-host (and Story Power email subscriber) Lesley Nase shared some great tips about how to use email to build rapport with followers. Then we entered the Zoom breakout room where a naysayer proclaimed: “You can’t…
How a “Homeless” Chef is Building a Brand
I had a great meal last night — prepared by a “homeless” chef named Alec Schingel. Until last year, Alec worked for various restaurants around the country — including some great ones in my town, St. Louis. Now he’s on his own, no longer working for a restaurant, planning to open his own place some…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.04.24
Recommended ProgramLearn LinkedIn from the Best Ted Prodromou has released a new-and-improved version of his Linked Accelerator program, and I’ve signed up. If you sign up from the link below, you’ll get an amazing deal. I enrolled in the previous version of the program and learned a ton. But LinkedIn changes constantly so its time…
Australian Toilet Humor
Here’s a rerun. I wrote it back in 2019 when I still led my email marketing company, MarketVolt. I republished it on LinkedIn yesterday. My friend Ted Prodromou saw it there and called it laugh-out-loud funny — which inspired me to email it to you now. In my soon-to-be-released “Email Marketing Power” program, I’ll reveal the many…
You’re Invited…
I founded an email marketing company in 2001 and ran it for 19 years… …which means I spent 19 years hearing naysayers tell me “email marketing won’t work” or “email marketing is dead.” My experience: Email is alive and well, and it works… … … … … …if you know what you’re doing. Therein lies…
My No-BS Pinky-pledge…
May I vent a little? Last week, I got an email from a business coach (let’s call him “Pinocchio”) who pitched Sai Blackbyrn’s free course. Sai is a well-established coach-for-coaches with a complex marketing machine. Pinocchio wrote: “I have something very special for you, I just got off the phone with my friend, Forbes-featured, best-selling…
5 Ways to Boost Email ROI
No story today. Just an invitation… Join Dean Isaacs and me on Thursday when we host… 5 Ways to Boost Email ROI This 5in25 training — 5 tips in 25 minutes, followed by Q&A — will reveal 5 strategies you can implement right away to elevate your email marketing and improve results. Dean and I…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.04.17
Recommended EventRegister, Attend, and Thrive… This one is a no-brainer. A free, interactive event: Thrive in All Economic Times. Details and registration here… This is NOT another one of those sit-and-listen yawn-fests. “Interactive event” means you’ll network with like-minded business people, meet the speakers, and make business-building connections. If you want to just sit and listen,…
Does Your Job Title Repel or Attract? Here’s a Clue…
A few months ago, I updated my LinkedIn profile with new job titles. One of those titles: “Writer’s Block Remover” Back in the early 2000s — before I had a LinkedIn profile — a hotelier named Chip Conley did something similar with his employees. He’d tell them: “Forget about your current job title. What would our customers…
Turn Down a Pot of Gold? Do This Instead…
Yesterday, I attended a mastermind session with Michael DeLon (PaperBackExpert) and his brilliant right-hand-man Caleb DeLon. The discussion turned to inbox management — how to handle all those emails you receive every day. Caleb described how he set up automations (he’s great at that) to organize incoming emails. For example, when he gets emails from…
You Won’t Believe How Much This Sandwich Costs…
Today is National Grilled Cheese Day (according to my handy-dandy holidays calendar)… …so I think I’ll grab a couple of Kraft singles and two slices of Wonder bread, smear some butter on the bread, slap it all together, fry it up in a pan, and enjoy a warm-gooey sammie. Toss in a some Campbell’s Tomato Soup,…
The Secret to Serve Better and Sell More With Email…
Ben Settle is one of the people who inspired me to send daily(ish) emails to you and the rest of my online family. And last week, I heard Ben share his wisdom for 2+ hours with Brian Kurtz’s Titans Xcelerator mastermind group. I filled my notebook with 10 pages of notes, and I’m still sorting…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.04.10
Recommended ReadingWhat Does AI Mean for Writers Here’s a great article from a great writer (Ann Handley) about AI and its limitations. AI is a tool, she writes. “It’s a power tool, sure—maybe a diamond-toothed chainsaw capable of felling a redwood. But it’s also just a tool.” And you must understand its limitations. “The one holding the…
The 1st US Prez Ever Arrested (The Untold Story)
This is one of those “boys just one have fun” stories. A story about a U.S. president who knew he might be punished if he continued his reckless behavior. A story that was covered up for years but eventually got out. A story about… … … … … … Ulysses S. Grant It happened in…
How to Transform From an Opportunity-misser to a Business-builder
A cautionary tale about the wrong way to conduct email marketing… Last July, I met an executive coach and author who impressed me. So I bought his book and joined his email list. That month, he emailed me a pitch to join his mastermind program. A month later, he sent another mastermind pitch. Then silence…
Why This Email Gives You a “Serious Competitive Edge”
I’ve been thinking a bunch about how happy doctors diagnose better (see yesterday’s email)… …and how, as Shawn Achor, wrote… “Even the smallest shots of positivity can give someone a serious competitive edge.” Makes me wonder about my emails. Each weekday I serve you some marketing nourishment — seasoned with personality and sweet humor. I add…
😊 leads to 🏆(Here’s the story…)
A story about how happiness fuels productivity… Back in 1997, researchers conducted a study to explore whether happy doctors perform better than others. They divided a group of doctors in three. The researchers gave candy to the first group — to spark the feeling of happiness. ( = ) The second group received medicine-related statements to read. …
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.04.03
Recommended ListeningDerek Sivers with Tim Ferriss Derek Sivers founded the popular compact disc vendor CD Baby, sold it in 2008 for $22 million, and donated the proceeds to charitable trust for music education. Now, he’s an author, speaker, philosopher, and all-around inspiring guy. Here’s the 2015 interview I heard that first introduced me to Derek…
Today (March 31) Only…
I woke this morning — March 31 — and decided to offer my Story Power Profit Pack with a $31 discount (30% off). Why? Because I feel bad about NOT releasing my new Email Marketing Power program this month as I originally hoped (see yesterday’s email for that story). The Power Pack contains 52 strategies, tips, and tactics to transform…
Laura Belgray Made Me do This (Which Will Be Good For You in The End)…
I thought I was (all but) finished creating my new program, “Email Marketing Power.” But I’m not. And I blame Laura Belgray. Here’s the story… I recently saw Laura walk through the “thank you” emails she sends after people download a freebie. In one those emails she promotes a paid service — her 60-Minute Makeover. But…
The Tale of How I Became a “Story-seller”
Here’s a story from my upcoming book — about my transformation from a hard-pitch sales guy to a “story-seller…” I was sitting in my office at MarketVolt, the email marketing software company I founded in 2001. I was making some phone calls when our VP of Sales, Pat, bounded in. He’d come from a meeting where…
Why Adam Sandler and I Don’t Sweat Opt-outs
Once upon a time, when I was an inexperienced email marketer, I would fret every opt-out. “They don’t want to receive my emails!? Oh nooooooo!!!!” I’d think. (The horror ) I got over that a long time ago. Now when someone leaves my list, I think… “…My list just got better.” Smaller? Yes. But better, too. …
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.03.27
Recommended Viewing (and Reading)The Happy Secret to Better Work Many people think business success can lead to happiness. Shawn Anchor has shown it’s the other way around — happiness leads to business success. I love this TED talk. Funny. Insightful. Inspiring. Anchor’s book The Happiness Advantage is the April selection for the Mastermind Book Club. If you…
How Ryan Reynolds and I “Team Up” to Make You Laugh…
It’s National Cocktail Day! Rather than have a two-martini breakfast, I spent the morning researching what cocktail marketers have been stirring up. And I came across this: Heartthrob-actor-turned-entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds revealing “The Process” to make Aviation Gin. Reynolds is not a paid spokesman. He co-owns the company. He’s a brilliant marketer. And he knows… Brilliant…
May I Send This to You?
I’d like to send you a gift. It’s a short video called The Story Behind The Story. I break down one of my emails and reveal the story of how I created it — including strategies and tactics that you can apply to your own marketing. Interested? If so, click the button for instant access (no…
How Persuasive Marketers Choose The Right Words
A peek behind the curtain into my email laboratory… Yesterday, I broke down some of my emails for VIP members of my Content Transformation Academy… …to reveal a few of my content creation strategies and tactics… …to help them become email marketing masters. One of the emails: The Dirty Little Secret Newspaper Publishers Don’t Want You to…
The Secret Reason Marketing Results Tank — And What You Can Do About It
A cautionary tale about TikTok, other social platforms, and online advertising channels. A marketer posted a cry for help on a public forum last week: “Engagement on TikTok went down significantly … HELP!” He used to get 10,000+ views and “lots of engagement” with each TikTok post. All of a sudden, views and engagement plummeted.…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.03.20
You’re InvitedTwo Great Events on Thursday Join me this Thursday, March 23 for back-to-back, business-building events. Mastermind Book Club: 2:30 pm ET, 1:30 CT Ted Prodromou and I will lead a conversation about this month’s Book Club selection — “Magic Words” by Jonah Berger. You don’t have to read the book to join the conversation. Join…
My GPT-powered Robot is a Liar. I Caught Him. Here’s The Story…
My AI copywriting robot is full of feces Before I explain with a story, two things you must know: 1) This is IMPORTANT for anyone who uses ChatGPT or other AI-powered content-generators. Yes, this email is long. But I encourage you to read it top-to-bottom. I don’t use all-caps often. When I say IMPORTANT, I mean…
My Stupid Robot Confessed His Stupid-ness. Here’s the Story…
My rented AI copywriting robot, B-9?, read my email yesterday about tracking the mood of your market (read it here in case you missed it)… …and he offered to help. “You know, Tom, if you want to understand your prospects’ ever-changing moods, just ask me,” he said. “I’m you’re all-in-one market research tool.” So I asked:…
Why This Marketing Legend And I Dig Deeper…
A peek behind the curtain… …as internet marketing legend Jeff Walker prepares to launch a new workshop: Jeff is the guy who created The Product Launch Formula — a program that redefined how businesses market new products or services online. So when Jeff launches, I listen. Last week, he released a 6-minute video describing his preparation for the workshop…
Here’s What Happens When a Robot Writes Your Story…
Sad story… My AI copywriting robot thinks I’m cool, but not that cool. It all started when I asked my rented robot, B-9?, to write a story about me. Today is National Write Down Your Story Day. So I figured I’d write down my story and send it to you. But I’m just back from vacation. I’m…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.03.13
Recommended ReadingSeth Godin on the Power of “I Don’t Know” Another quick read from Seth Godin’s blog. Well worth the <1 minute it will take you to read it. Why it’s OK (or better) to say, “I don’t know.” Recommended ReadingBrian Kurtz: How Life Imitates Direct Marketing Baseball season is here. Spring training is in full…
The Oscar’s Champagne Problem (A Cautionary Tale)…
I invented a new drinking game called “Red Carpet Roulette.” Details and rules below. But first, the backstory. The Einsteins who run The Academy Awards decided they have to “reimagine the Oscars’ red carpet aesthetic and guest experience.” (Because, everyone knows: The #1 gripe about The Oscars is the red carpet aesthetic.) So they hired…
Business Lessons From a Jazz Master
Before the pandemic, I attended a workshop called The Hidden Jazz of Teams. It revealed how artistic pursuits, such as playing and composing jazz, reflect and instruct business pursuits, such as team-building and creating. Dan Rubright — a jazz guitarist, composer, and teacher — ran the workshop with his partner Leslie Peters. I loved that workshop…
“One of the greatest jobs of marketing that the universe has ever seen is…”
I came across an old video of Steve Jobs talking about marketing… …and dishing out high praise for Nike. He said… “One of the greatest jobs of marketing that the universe has ever seen is Nike.” And then he explained: “Nike sells a commodity. They sell shoes. And yet, when you think of Nike, you feel something…
The Worst Reason Not to Email
I know a business coach who’s great at what she does but struggles to sell it. We’re in a mastermind group together, and during our last meeting she asked how to promote her new program. Ideas flew around the Zoom room — mostly about ways to get new leads. “Try Pinterest,” someone suggested. And then…
About My Dad
I’ve completed another lap around the sun. Time to stick another candle in the cake, make a wish, and blow ’em out. And time to write about Dad. This has become a tradition for me: Tell a story or two about Dad on March 7 — the day I was born (1965) and the day…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.03.06
Recommended ReadingWhy You Shouldn’t Be Swayed by the Popularity of Super Bowl Ads This is a great article from AdWeek about the difference between “popular” ads and profit-generating ads. Valuable lessons here about measuring what matters. Recommended Listening and ViewingHappy Birthday, Wes Montgomery Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery was born 100 years ago today (March 6). Many call…
Why You Should Celebrate The Impact You Make
Marketing master Dave Dee sent his list a great email yesterday. With his permission, I share it now… I have a simple question for you. Is your business a force for good in the world? I don’t mean that metaphysically. Instead, do you genuinely help people solve problems and help them get the outcomes they…
A Seuss-inspired Mindset Beusst…
Theodor Seuss Geisel — a.k.a. Dr. Seuss — was born on this day (March 2) in 1904. Happy Dr. Seuss day. A few years back, I wrote a poem, in the style of Dr. Seuss. It’s a true story. Here it is… When I earned a diploma, I got many a gift. A watch. And a camera. Some…
The “One Thing” That’s Helped me More Than Any Other…
I have a stack of newsletters Dan Kennedy wrote in 2001 – when the economy was “bad” and most business owners were in retreat. In the August 2001 issue, Dan told a story about a business owner who refused to invest in his “Magnetic Marketing” program. The business owner said, “If I did (purchase it),…
Conventional Wis-dumb Gets This Wrong About Email Engagement…
My fat fingers flubbed my email delivery this weekend. I drafted my Monday Mash-Up on Sunday and meant to schedule it for delivery on Monday morning. But when I clicked through the wizard to schedule delivery, I accidentally clicked “send now…” …and away my “Monday…” email went… …on Sunday morning. (D’oh!) Conventional wisdom says Sunday is a…
Monday Mash-Up ~ 2023.02.27
Recommended ReadingAnn Handley: The One Email Metric You Need to Track This is a great post from Ann Handley who describes how she began measuring this ONE thing related to her email marketing — and how that one thing is the most important thing she tracks. I measure it, too. And so should you. When I launch…
The Secret to Create Funny Content When You’re Un-funny
How do you write entertaining, humorous content if you’re not an entertaining, humorous person? So asked a “Serious Sadie” (name changed to protect the innocent) during yesterday’s meeting of the Mastermind Book Club. We were discussing Joe Polish’s Hello Kitty wallet (I wrote about that yesterday. Subject line: “How the ‘Hello Kitty Effect’ can help you…
Why Your Human-like Robot Will Get You The Boot
Here’s a sad but predictable story about the perils of robot-generated writing. A business owner in Maryland was hiring for a tech position. One applicant rose to the top after exchanging several well-written emails with the owner. Then came the interview. The applicant could barely spit out a complete sentence. It was so bad, the…
How the “Hello Kitty Effect” Can Help you Grow Your Biz
Marketing legend Joe Polish has more money than Thurston Howell III, and he carries some of that dough in – get this – his Hello Kitty wallet. Yeah, I said, “Hello Kitty,” as in this cat… He got the wallet from his pal Dean Jackson who also carries Kitty in his pocket. On page 144…