Blog

I recently had an interesting experience on an art site, and it reminded me of an important principle that applies to both your business and your life in general. I was reading a comic by one of my favorite artists, and I thought about making a comment. I typed something I thought was fitting and funny... and then paused. I found myself asking, Should I post this? Does it add enough to the conversation, or is it just more internet noise? This person already gets a lot of comments on her art. In the end, I decided to post it,... Read More

How many times have you formed a referral partnership, affiliate partnership, or strategic alliance, only for nothing to ever come of it? You probably know the familiar line: "If I meet anyone who needs you, I'll mention you to them." You and the other person probably mean it when you say it... so why does it so seldom translate into actual referrals? Today, I'm going to share six reasons why many referral partnerships don't make you money, and what to do about it. Here's why many referral partnerships produce few or no... Read More

​ When you make a marketing video, are people watching the whole thing, and are they reaching the end of the video with a desire to take the next step? Or are they clicking away and forgetting about it the moment its over or, even worse, giving up on it halfway through and leaving? Today, Im going to share 10 classic mistakes Ive seen people make in their marketing videos, and how to avoid boring your viewers into abandoning your videos. Mistake #1: Not getting to the point IMMEDIATELY. Yes, your animated logo is cool. No,... Read More

Guest post byBrad Shorr . By now you should know that it doesnt matter how good your product or service is if you dont have the marketing skills necessary to drive customers to do business with you. The same idea applies to Internet marketing, where developing a high-performance lead generation website is absolutely crucial for any business to succeed. The number of products and services that sell themselves is so small that its insignificant. You simply cannot afford to have anything less than a fully functional and highly... Read More

When you try to raise curiosity in your potential clients, are you actually getting them interested, or just confusing them and turning them off? There's a right way and a wrong way to build curiosity. I recently participated in a #wattpad4 conversation on Twitter , where fiction authors congregate to discuss their craft. While the conversation was focused on fiction books, one of the participants gave a piece of advice that applies very strongly to marketing: "It's crucial that the opening line be CLEAR. Any questions the... Read More

Want to get more leads through your website? In today's blog post, guest writer Tracy Williams is sharing an infographic that reveals 25 features that will help you get more leads, clients and money through your website in 2017. I may have to give my own websites a tune-up after reading this! Here's what Tracy has to say about optimizing your website to get more leads: If you're going to go to the trouble of getting a website set up to promote your business, then you shouldnt do it half-heartedly. There are many different factors... Read More

Don't you hate it when you're supposed to write some content for your business, but you just can't figure out what to say in the first few sentences? One of the biggest challenges for a writer is knowing where and how to start. I've noticed this in my capacity both as a marketing copywriter and a novelist - sometimes, the first scene or paragraph is the hardest. This challenge stems partly from the fact that the first sentences are the most important. They're the ones that help your readers to decide whether or not to keep reading,... Read More

Are you selling something your clients know they want? Or are you offering a cure for a disease they don't know they have? A little while ago, I was scrolling through my Twitter feed, and I came across this gem from Calvin and Hobbes: It reminded me of a recent conversation I'd had with one of my clients when I suggested that she change the name of a chapter in her course. Why did I want her to change it? Because her potential clients don't know that they need the mindset she was describing. And if they don't know they need... Read More

When you're describing your product and how it helps your clients, there's one "selling point" that you should seldom or never use: "Why you should/shouldn't X". Seriously, this is a sale-killer. "Why you should never do __"... "why it's vital to __ after each meal"... "why every business needs __"... those are all examples of phrases that DON'T belong in your emails, sales pages, blog posts, and other marketing materials. Why is "why you should/shouldn't" such a bad phrase? I'm going to be a hypocrite for a minute here, and... Read More

When I teach people how to describe their services, or when I write their materials for them, I often end up having to tell them a certain harsh truth: Unless they know you personally, your potential clients probably don't care about the things you care about. You know these things are important. I know they're important. But your clients don't know, and therefore, they don't care. At least, not until you give them a reason to care. Here are three things your clients don't care about as much as you might think. 1. Your... Read More