Cautionary Tales

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Why Your Rags-to-riches Story Will Fall Flat

By Tom Ruwitch

Raise your hand if you feel an emotional connection with Amazon because you’re drawn to founder Jeff Bezos’s origin story. (Me neither) Why do I ask?  Because I read yet another article about storytelling in one of those big-time business magazines that dished out rotten advice. The article said… “Online shopping behemoth Amazon is another…

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You’re in This Business — Whether You Know It or Not

By Tom Ruwitch

I spoke the other day with a business owner who said, “I’m too busy serving my clients to spend time marketing my business.” I hear that occasionally. Maybe you’ve thought that yourself.  I responded by citing the great Dan Kennedy who taught me long ago:  All who run a business are in the marketing business. …

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The Problem With “Look at Me…” Origin Stories

By Tom Ruwitch

I read an article this morning in one of those big-time business magazines about “how to create an unforgettable origin story.” It was kinda forgettable.  It contained lots of dos and don’ts… …be honest… …don’t just list a chronology of events… …include specific details… …describe a vivid moment… …and so on, and so forth.  But…

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Noah Knew… Business Lessons From a Biblical Rain Fall

By Tom Ruwitch

I usually send my emails first thing in the morning. But not today. I’ve been busy… …building an arky, arky and… …helping the animals come in by twosies, twosies.  Actually, it’s too late for that.  It’s raining here in St. Louis, MO, USA.  Big rain. Record-setting rain. Biblical rain.  Nine inches and counting – in…

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Cautionary Tale: Don’t Cast Your Net Unless You’re Ready to Process the Catch

By Tom Ruwitch

My son Jacob makes his living as a commercial fisherman in southwest Alaska. Sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay.  This year, the salmon run will shatter records.  Average sockeye run (2001-2020): 41.3 million fish. 2021 sockeye run: 66.1 million fish (a record).  This year: 74 million and counting.  And the season continues through July! What a…

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Reply Quickly if You Want a Better Website

By Tom Ruwitch

Yesterday, I conducted a website makeover for a VIP member of my Content Transformation Academy. 30 minutes to transform his front page from “blah” to brilliant, prospect-repelling to prospect-attracting. In a week or two, after he launches the transformed site,  I’ll put the URL in a bookmarks folder called, “Websites – Good Examples.”  I also have…

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Why This Legendary TV Character Would be a Rotten Marketer…

By Tom Ruwitch

Remember Eddie Haskell? He was the guy on Leave it to Beaver (a TV classic!) who oozed insincerity.  “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver. Isn’t it a lovely day,” he’d say to Beaver’s parents.  And then, when the adults left the room, Eddie would wreak havoc.  The sweet-talking devil.  I had an Eddie Haskell flashback the other day. …

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The Sad Tale of a Guy Who Failed at Content Creation

By Tom Ruwitch

Back when I ran an email marketing company, a client named Mike asked me to help him build a list. He ran a roofing company, and he wanted to send weekly emails.  My advice: “Before you build a list, write two or three practice emails. Make sure you have your content creation game down. Confirm…

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You’ve Got to See This Rotten, Robot-generated Email I Received…

By Tom Ruwitch

I got an email from an artificial-intelligence robot this morning… …that’s so bad I had to share it with you and break it down. Here it is (display images to see it): I knew something was wrong when I read the first line: “We hope things are looking nice at Story Power Marketing.”  Looking nice…

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Friendly PR Guy or Satan? You Decide…

By Tom Ruwitch

I met a “PR guy” named Mark at an online networking event last month. He seemed like a nice guy. (Spoiler-Hint: Remember Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate, Robert De Nero in Angel Heart, or Jack Nicholson in The Witches of Eastwick? At first, they seemed like nice guys, too). So I was happy to hear from Mark…

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