Good Examples
While on vacation in 1986, a future legend bought a coat in Jackson, Wyoming that changed his life. John wasn’t a legend yet. He was a sales consultant, vacationing in cowboy country. The coat was a full-length “duster.” The kind of coat real cowboys wear. John saw the coat, hanging in the back of Schaefer…
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I’ve been helping one of my coaching clients Richard polish a print advertisement for his kitchen and bath remodeling business. Here’s the last line of the ad: “That’s why our average review on Facebook and Google is 4.92 stars out of 5.” You may be wondering… ”Why 4.92?” Here’s why: Because 4.92 is the EXACT…
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In a recent Monday Mash-Up, I shared Tim Ferriss’ 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…
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I heard a speechwriter describe why her boss — the First Lady of the United States — connected so well with audiences. “She would have things that she’d want to tell the audience,” the speechwriter said. “She wanted to make sure that she was honoring their stories. She’s always wants to learn about her audiences (“What…
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I listened recently to my friend Dan Rubright describe how he created a song. Dan’s a great jazz guitarist and composer who appeared on the Songs Out Loud podcast and dissected his tune “Prepare for Departure.” This podcast blew me away — not just because I love great music… …but because I love to create… …and I help…
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I attended a yoga class last week. First time ever. I worked muscles and tendons that hadn’t stretched since the Reagan administration. Some of those muscles protested mildly. Others screamed, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Our instructor, Jessica, asked us to bend at the waist and touch the ground. She spotted me in my…
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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 —…
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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 you’d like me to address in future emails? I got a ton of great feedback and questions, including this one from…
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After his book The 4-Hour Workweek became an international bestseller, Tim Ferriss told an interviewer he wanted to name the book The 3-Hour Workweek… …But, Ferriss quipped, “My publisher thought ‘3-Hour Workweek’ was unrealistic.” Ha! I’ve read the The 4-Hour Workweek a few times. It’s loaded with valuable lessons. But the most valuable lesson is one not even in the…
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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…
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