Good Examples
Sixty-one years ago today, a guy named Robert Allen Zimmerman legally changed his name to Bob Dylan. In a few months, I’ll publish a book that embraces Bob Dylan on its very first page. Here’s how the book — at least in its first draft form – begins: When I was a young boy, my…
Ripped from the headlines… …another story for the “you can’t make this stuff up” file… Last month, government killjoys in Baltimore shut down a dispensary after a surprise inspection revealed illegal try-before-you-buy activity. Turns out Cookies dispensary fired up free samples – token tokes – for anyone strolling by. According to the shut-down notice, the…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 protĂ©gé… Halbert: “The best way to get a prospect’s attention is to appeal to their sense of…”…
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,…
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…
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…