This piece is really two pieces, one on the theoretical mistake of imitating success, and the other on the practical approach of breaking from the herd. Part 1: First, an example - one of the common questions I get about the new internet marketing (e.g. social media marketing) is this: "I haven't seen anyone doing that." Answer: I'm confident I can provide lots of examples. … [Read more...]
Dead Companies Don’t Twitter
Back in the mid 1990s, it was quite common to hear people say "I just have no need for e-mail" and "I believe in doing everything face to face." The verbal emphasis on the "e" in "e-mail" was one of rolling the eyes or sometimes derision. A bit later, it was common to hear the same attitude toward internet privacy. At the same moment people thought viruses could jump out of the … [Read more...]
Starting a Business Blog That Doesn’t Suck
"I'm a landscaper or plumber - how do I start a business blog? Who would want to read it?" Exactly. Or maybe. I hear that a lot. It's a reasonable question. "And if I write it, and I don't know what I'm doing, won't it suck." Probably not. It could, if you don't keep an open mind. But it won't otherwise. Image by Getty Images via Daylife So how is it done? That's … [Read more...]
Prices: To List or Not to List?
Personally, I rarely publish prices for services, because I think it encourages price shopping, and creates a climate where I can't add value, and so I can't compete. That's bad for the client, because they always get nickel and dimed with mediocrity. With pure price shopping, I'm competing even with unscrupulous and dishonest service providers and even with incompetent ones. I … [Read more...]
Writing Winning Marketing
You've seen them - the blog articles that are just fluff with a sales pitch. "You too can make millions. Buy my system, and get started today!" Or it's like a book, but it doesn't ever tell you what to do with this knowledge. I'm always telling my clients to blog, but how to write effectively for a business blog - well, that's not always obvious. Sometimes, the slice of life … [Read more...]
