Some blogs with good information worth sharing: Got any other bad ideas? This is a funny post from PR Daily with some valuable advice on how to shop for and deal with a PR agency -- and how PR agencies can identify prospective clients they should avoid. The thoughts can be applied to any professional [...]
I put a post on my personal Facebook page comparing Tweets by two opposing political candidates on September 11. Here’s the story (minus the names): Candidate A posted a compassionate, caring message about the significance of the day. Candidate B posted a volunteer recruitment message. In full disclosure, I happen to support Candidate A. A [...]
Last November, I went to small claims court and sued a lawyer for non-payment. After some wrangling, we settled with both of us feeling ripped off. In retrospect, we could have avoided all the ugliness – and perhaps even still be working together – if we had written and both signed a contract that [...]
Sales professionals know that a gatekeeper is anyone they must go through to get to the decision-maker -- and it can be a challenge to get past the gatekeeper. Gatekeepers are typically receptionists, secretaries and assistants, but they could also be first-line managers, other decision-influencers, outside consultants or even your competitors. Many sales reps view [...]
Full disclosure: I'm a ghostwriter. I write books, articles, blogs and more that are published under my clients' names. Using a ghostwriter is a smart move for busy executives, professionals and subject matter experts who need to publish material but don't have the time and/or writing skills to do it themselves. One caveat: If you [...]
Press releases can be a powerful weapon in your marketing and public relations arsenal. Just be sure you don't shoot yourself in the foot with them. I can’t count the number of press releases I’ve written over the years in my career as a business writer--and it’s almost as hard to count the number [...]
If you extend credit to your customers, how long has it been since you’ve done a credit check on your accounts? If it’s been more than a year, it’s been too long. You may know that JK Harris & Co. was my client (I was the ghostwriter for JK Harris’ books Flashpoint, Sales Flashpoint, and [...]
Have you decided to hit the speaking circuit to promote your product or service? Congratulations! Giving talks is a powerful, effective way to enhance your reputation and grow your business. Once you’re booked, these tips will help you be a speaker who is applauded, referred and invited back: 1. Provide appropriate promotional materials in [...]
Recently I discussed the possibility of ghostwriting a book for someone who might have been (but will not be) a new client. The story illustrates everything you should not do when you’re looking for a writer for any project, but especially for one as important and comprehensive as a book. I was introduced to this [...]
I grew up listening to and singing along with James Taylor and Carly Simon. In an interview, their son, Ben Taylor (who was on tour with his talented father at the time), said this about getting into the music/entertainment business: “My dad let me know that it’s a blue-collar job, that the glamour of it [...]
