Strategy
say yes and figure it out
I’m not a big fan of proclaiming any one thing “the secret” or “the thing” responsible for success. There’s no miracle button, no magic pill. And certainly no “secret” that, once unlocked, will suddenly put wind in your sails and take you to Successville. If you want something, you need to take every opportunity. And…
Read Moreself promotion and nuclear winter
To say I have a flair for the dramatic is a tiny bit of an understatement. It makes sense, considering it was once my dream to write for television. Mmmmm… drama. Delicious. So I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise that I am good a catastrophizing. Turns out this is a skill a lot of…
Read Morethe choices we make
This week I find myself in a situation that I never dreamed I’d be in, not in a million years. I’m in Cleveland, Ohio. I’m wrapping up my last day at an event called the Titans Master Class. And what it is, is a business/marketing training/mastermind hybrid. It’s put on by people who have decades…
Read Morehow to get hired (especially if you’re just starting out)
Last week, I got a bit ranty about why you shouldn’t offer to work for free. (refresher: There should always be an exchange of value, whether you’re paying a mentor to educate you/shorten the learning curve, or you’re being paid/trained as a copywriter. Both you and your client/mentor will value your work more.) At the…
Read Morewhat clients really think of your offer to “work for free”
Recently I came across a question in a copywriter group that I see pretty consistently: I have no degree and very little experience so I’m willing to work for free, which I’ve already proposed to two smaller businesses but unfortunately, I’ve received no response. How would you guys go about this? Any tips/strategies? …
Read Morecan we talk about ta-tas?
This one’s all about a common pitfall I see retailers and e-comm folks run into. I love me some product descriptions, but a phenomenal funnel and amazing product descriptions won’t save you from this particular fail… ______ Not too long ago, I got served a pretty awesome ad on Facebook (how often can you truthfully…
Read Morewhy good ideas sometimes have to die
In my early days, I had this tendency to come up with an idea I thought was BRILLIANT. And one day I had to create a full-page magazine ad. After a fit of inspiration (and some kickass input from my design partner), I brought the ad concept to the Creative Review meeting. This was where…
Read MoreGo out and get your great deal TODAY… only we won’t tell you where.
Want to know how to kill a sale REALLY quickly? Don’t tell them where to buy. You might be chuckling to yourself, wondering who would ever make such a silly mistake. Who has two thumbs and has done that very thing? This dork: Once upon a time, I worked in-house for a VERY high-volume retailer.…
Read Morethe one about the flaming saxophone…
Quick hypothetical question… Say you’re looking to take a special someone out on the town. You know your sweetheart adores live music. But you? Music’s never really been your thing. You just REALLY want to show your favorite music buff a great time. And as luck would have it, you’ve never heard any of the…
Read MoreWhat I learned about sales from my time slinging hash
If you want to get the sale, you’ve got to ask the question. But HOW you ask is just as important as asking:
Read More