I’ve noticed something.  Many marketing and writing gurus are boring.  Don’t get me wrong…some are excellent teachers, and there is great information being formatted every day in different ways that help you create your marketing and writing style to fit your market.

The one thing I find missing, though, in many “how to” books, articles, blog posts, and videos, is the lack of humor…the thing that not only keeps you engaged, but helps you find ways to engage your prospective market.

I read an email this morning about the joys of motherhood.  A great post, timed perfectly to coincide with the upcoming celebration of Mother’s Day.  The email described the scramble for sanity in a 3 small-child household with everyone getting ready to take Mom out for breakfast.  The middle-child, a 2 1/2 year-old was “missing” in the house, and discovered in the bathroom, putting chapstick on the cat’s butt.

His mother had previously given the child permission to use her chapstick on his own lips, and had shown him where she kept it in the bathroom.  When Mom entered the bathroom and observed what he was doing, he simply said “Chapped.”

The picture formed immediately in my mind, and I burst out laughing.  Mom, undoubtedly along with the rest of the family, was thinking about how many times in the past that chapstick had gone from the cat’s butt to their lips.  Owwww…makes you pucker, doesn’t it? Read More→

Hero or heroine? Who are yours? What are the characteristics that define who we look up to and choose to emulate…in business and in life?

I am fortunate. When I first started my company, and began looking for a true marketing guru whose skill set was exceptional, and from whom I knew I could gain the expertise to become not just a good, but a great, copywriter, I found one.

In my journey to find someone who not only had the knowledge I sought, but the ability to teach it well, I discovered how important it is to choose who you follow carefully.  The characteristics of who I want to emulate as I do business include: Read More→

What are the things that really trouble you as a business person?

Are they like my challenges…sometimes it seems there’s not enough money, not enough time, boring work, or just not knowing where to go to find necessary resources.  And I have a few odd-ball challenges as well:

• There’s no cat on my lap or in the basket next to me.  You may consider that an odd challenge, but as a writer, I do a lot of work at home, and I am the first to admit, I get  inspiration from the bundles of fur and purrrrrr that normally supervise my every move.  If they’re not around, I feel bereft, lonely, and sometimes idea-less.
• My coffee cup moves.  I don’t know how it happens, but one moment it can be right beside me, where it belongs, and the next…even though I have absolutely no recollection of putting it anywhere else…it’s gone.  I get up, go to the kitchen, wander the house, and sometimes it won’t show up for days.  If I ever catch the “coffee cup thief” I’ll have a word or two to say to them!
• The heat goes up and down.  Yes, I have a thermostat.  I leave it set at 68 degrees.  Yet somehow, one minute  I am freezing, and then 5 minutes later, I’m cooked.  I tell myself that it’s because I get so excited about a new communication idea or topic for one of my clients that I get all heated up, and then as the excitement of the moment dies, my temperature drops.  My doctor thinks I’m nuts.  Oh, she doesn’t come right out and tell me that…but she has this “look.”

I know, these odd-ball things seem quite trivial.  And sometimes they are.  But sometimes they are absolutely THE most important thing there is, and I can’t possibly get to the real worrisome stuff until I resolve one of these little problems.

Then, of course, there is what I consider  the big stuff.  Like how to make more money when I want  to.  How to create time.  And how to have fun while I’m working.   I have to say, though, sometimes the big stuff seems easier.  No, I haven’t found the perfect system yet, but I have discovered a few secrets to meeting some of these major challenges: Read More→

What are the things that magnetize you to the television set?  Is it the horrific sight of bloodshed or the volcano that’s set to erupt at any moment, and you are mesmerized by the bubbling lava whose slightest change in hue is broadcast constantly?  Or…perhaps it’s the overnight sensation on YouTube, like UConn football player John McEntee dunking the football in the basketball hoop from mid-court,  or knocking the bottle off the top of his friend’s head  that catches and holds your attention.

The question is “What attracted you?”  What originally pulled your attention to the television or the video?  Well, it was probably megawatt words.   A word or words that evoked an emotion.  Maybe a friend told you about the YouTube video…and said “You should watch this, Dude” with such admiration that you were immediately sucked in.  Or a word you heard that triggered a memory of something that happened to you, or someone you knew, in the past.

Words trigger emotions.  Emotions trigger a response.  But…not all words.  Words that are ordinary, mundane, or speak to our moment-to-moment existence, do little to feed an emotional response.  For example, “The sky is blue” is unlikely to evoke the same response as “Wow, I’ve never seen the sky with so many different shades of blue…look…the blue near that dark storm cloud in the western sky is almost purple, while the sky further to the east near that snow-covered mountain top with the sunshine hitting it, is the most brilliant blue I’ve ever seen.”

Words that are extraordinary, and tell a story that capture the imagination, or the subconscious mind, feed the primal layers of emotional response, whether that response be fear or joy, with the full range of how visceral that response is. 

So…how can you create megawatt words?  Where do they come from?  I have a few suggestions for you to consider. Read More→

For anyone who has  a cat…I know that you know…that they know…exactly how to get your attention, and keep your attention until you have served whatever need they may have in the moment.

As a cat staffer…I would never say cat owner, because one of the first things cats communicate is that no one owns them…I have observed my cats carefully to discern their secrets of getting you to do exactly what they want.  Those observations have lead me to propose cats are excellent marketing masters…and are happy to train anyone willing to pay attention…how to discover “what the prospective client wants.” Read More→

Wherever we’re at in life,  we all wish to succeed…at something.  At the core of our being, that’s why the majority of us believe we are here.  Whether love, money or power is your goal, if you read success books about people who have accomplished what they’ve set out to do,  you’ll find three traits shared by all:

1. Successful people see what they will give.  They  can envision what their product or service will do for the person who will use it.  They “see”  how it will be distinct…and of greater benefit than anything else available.  They create a vision of the one…or of the thousands…or millions…of satisfied receivers.
2. They create a plan.   Successful dreams require a road map, with places to visit (to-do lists) and checkpoints.  From A to Z, they create the steps needed to keep going while ALWAYS keeping their eye on the destination.
3. They take action.  More than a dream…there is action.  Successful people take action every day.  Even if it’s just thinking about what they want to happen and ways to move around potential barriers, there’s always action.  Sometimes these actions work out, and sometimes they don’t, but the successful person keeps striving…taking another action step.

Sounds pretty simple, right?  And…common sense.  So why do we make it so hard?

My theory…and it’s only that…a theory…is that most of us are either hard-wired or programmed (or both) for near-sightedness.  We see ourselves in the middle of a forest, and get caught up in seeing only to the edge of the clearing we’re standing in.  We create products or services that never leave the clearing…things that capture neither the imagination nor the heart of those who could benefit from what we might truly be able to provide.    We fail to see that in the forest all around the clearing there is potential for products and services just waiting for our imagination to find a way to make something useful for ourselves and many others.  Or sometimes we just fail to find a way to help the receiver “see it” from where they are standing.

I like to think that I’m a pretty successful business person…writer, speaker, e-mail and social media marketer. I make a comfortable living and my clients like my work.  Of course, it hasn’t always been that way. When I look at the mistakes I’ve made along the way (and who hasn’t?),  most of my failures came from not focusing on these three traits.

Some people pay thousands of dollars to a “success guru” for consultations and classes who…if you boiled all of their advice down…focused your attention on these same three things.  They may have given you dozens of charts, or maybe CD’s and DVD’s, and workbooks, and perhaps told you some things to put on your “to do” list, but if you think about it…didn’t they really just expand on “see the end, create a plan, take action?”

I’m not saying their advice wasn’t worth whatever you paid. These three traits are important.  If their advice helped you focus, plan and implement a success story, it was clearly worth every penny.   There are a couple of quotes I’ve heard numerous times throughout my career…as have many of you I’m sure.  One of them is “Those who can’t do…teach.”  Another one, one that I much prefer, is “Those who teach…learn.”   Successful coaches aren’t just great do’ers, they’re great teachers.  And the great teachers will help you find a way to apply these three traits specifically to your goals, whatever they may be.  So don’t be afraid to spend the “big bucks” if you find someone that really helps you develop your passion along this path.

If you can’t afford the gurus, however, or…you’re pretty confident you can make it on your own with this simple template…”GO FOR IT!!!”

I’ve had many lessons from the experts…I’ve also been the facilitator for many “how to be an expert” classes. I’ve been the passionate entrepreneur trying new paths without a solid framework.    I’ve had both success…and failure.   What I’ve learned…and want to share with you…is that success comes from thinking about…and applying… three traits…to whatever you’re doing.

So…today…give yourself the gift of three traits…create success the simple way.

Whether you’re marketing hair care products, clothing, perfume, housecleaning, remodeling services, or marketing services, the person you are speaking with…your prospect…wants to be convinced that whatever you’re offering is the best…because they’re worth it!

As a marketer, on line or off-line, your ability to persuade someone to do something they already want to do is the difference between getting the sale…or not.  It is the ability to convince your prospect that they are a star…that there’s a performance going on…in this moment… in which they have a huge role…along with an obligation to act…in their own best interest.

The best marketing teachers…Clayton Makepeace, Armand Morin, David Garfinkel, Ray Edwards, Robert Bly…all talk about it.  In his new book Writing Riches, Ray Edwards calls it “aspirational language” or words that evoke the image of the end result of what the prospect wants…what he or she aspires to. Robert Bly, in The Online Copywriter’s Handbook, advises the use of laser-like focus…to “practice the art of selectivity.”  Clear, concise and compelling language  that will…capture attention, gain interest, create a desire, and invoke action…AIDA…the acronym you’ve heard trumpeted by marketers forever.

So…why do some marketing efforts, even using AIDA,  succeed while others fail?  Perhaps it’s the story.  What about your efforts? Read More→

Are you one among the many today who are continually worried about your company and whether you might be the next person called and let go?

If you are, you certainly have a lot of company.  And I hope you read this article thoroughly, because I want to share with you some steps you can take now.  These steps may or may not prevent your lay-off, but they can help you be prepared for the future, and to move through each day with confidence.

The first thing I’m going to suggest is that you believe in yourself. As odd as this may sound, there are a good number of people today who don’t truly believe they have talents and skills that can either help them hold the position they have, or to be prepared to step promptly into a new position.  People who see themselves as too old, too young, too quiet, too gregarious, too “average”….and the list goes on.  Are you one of them?  If so, today is the day to begin to view yourself differently.  Today, you can put together a plan that allows you to hold your head up and know that…no matter what…you will succeed. Read More→

“Begin with the end in mind.”  I’m sure that concept is familiar to anyone who’s ever heard of Stephen Covey, and his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  I first heard it more than 20 years ago at a management seminar, and it’s retains  its significance to this moment.  It’s ingrained in my marketing philosophy.

I thought it might be helpful to look at and review the three ways that Internet marketers today fail to adhere to that concept and as a result, lose their audience. Read More→