One of the hardest things most of us have to learn is this: No is a complete sentence. When we understand and apply this to our lives, we increase our productivity and reduce our negative stress. You don’t need to apologize or offer excuses when you say no. Nancy Reagan nailed it in her “just say [...]
One of the most effective ways to position yourself as an expert, generate media coverage and increase your social media engagement is a technique known as newsjacking. It’s a process by which you inject yourself into breaking news in real-time. Have you ever wondered where media outlets find the sources they quote? In most cases, [...]
I'm always amazed when I hear people say things like, "I can't spell" or "I'm a terrible writer" — especially when they seem to say it with so much pride! Of course, we can't all be professional writers, but writing skills count in most careers. The folks at Grammarly (one of my favorite websites and [...]
Here’s an interesting bit of trivia that was in a marketing email I just received: Did you know that in the original Star Trek series 59 crew members were killed in action and 73% of them were wearing red shirts? Might want to avoid wearing red shirts -- or standing next to someone else who [...]
Email marketing can be powerful -- but only if your readers know how to whitelist your email address so they receive your messages. In my blog "Do You Check Your Spam Folder?", I suggested that it's a good idea to periodically take a look at what your email system is reading as junk to be sure [...]
We've talked in other blog posts about how important it is for your slogan or other marketing message to be clear and say what you intend. Recently a reader sent us a great infographic showcasing the evolution of slogans. It contains some fun trivia as well as lessons for today's marketers. For example, did you [...]
Recently Jerry and I were featured in an article about what happens to digital assets after we die. Orlando Sentinel writer Kate Santich was reporting on Florida State Sen. Dorothy Hukill’s proposed legislation to deal with digital life after death. Click here to read the article and see the video online; click here to see a [...]
If you’re going to invest in creating great content, why would you block people from seeing it? This is as much of a rant as it is advice. I get really annoyed when I respond to a content offer and then can’t get to it because it’s blocked by a bunch of pop-ups (either [...]
When you make an offer either online or through an email campaign, is what you wrote clear enough for your readers to understand? Full disclaimer: I’m a huge fan of Total Wine & More. I like browsing through the store, finding interesting wines and related gadgets, talking to the staff and getting their recommendations. Though [...]
Do you receive the marketing emails your company sends out? Do you open them, look at the design through the eyes of your customers, check the offers and the links, even place the occasional order or put in a help request? If you don’t, you should. You may be thinking that you pay other people [...]
