There’s a global panic right now about the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.
While the illness is real, we have very little factual data about the illness or its spread.
For starters, there’s an indication this isn’t actually a virus — antiviral medications aren’t making much of a dent.
Continue reading “The Coronavirus is coming for you (Part 1)”
Today is the first day of Lent, the Christian observation of the 40 days before Jesus Christ’s resurrection, marked by Easter.
The Catholic Lenten tradition* involves some sort of fast or abstinence from a pleasurable activity during these 40 days, as a minor attempt to understand the struggle of Jesus’ final days and to build our self-restraint in a world bent on pleasure and external happiness.
*(I can’t speak towards other Christian traditions.)
Looking around, it’s evident that most people shun the idea of self sacrifice as improvement.
Continue reading “Lent me get comfortable”Business meetings are often held at a table or desk. One side of the negotiation (or argument) sits on one side of the table; the other side of the negotiation sits… on the other side. (amazing insight, I know)
If business is war, then the negotiation table is the battle field.
But good negotiations don’t have to be a battle. In reality, they should be a collaborative approach to problem solving.
Here are a few tips to improve your influence… just based on where you sit.
Continue reading “Where should you sit?”Famous advertising man Claude Hopkins wrote in his book My Life in Advertising that his desire to go into sales was an effort to graduate from the debit class.
In his administrative position, Hopkins recognized that he could only make so much money if he drew a company salary. To graduate from the debit class, Hopkins had to produce income for his employer.
Hopkins became a very successful rainmaker, bringing in the magical rain —money— that allows a company to grow.
Not all sales people are rainmakers… but they could be. You could be.
Jeffrey J Fox’s book How to Become a Rainmaker details the rules to becoming this high-selling rainmaker in your company. Continue reading “How to Become a Rainmaker by Jeffrey J Fox”
Jan 22
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Do you struggle to build new habits?
You’re not alone.
With the New Year, many people want to build a new habit… Continue reading “3 Tips to Build New Habits”
Think fast!
A lawyer, a priest, and a dentist walk into a bar…
Maybe you’ve heard this one before?
The brain has this thing with events that come in 3’s.
For example, we think bad luck comes in threes.
We’re relieved when that third thing finally happens… and it wasn’t all so bad after all.
This is one Rule of Three.
There are more tho…
Here’s a few. Continue reading “Rules of Three”
Today on the Persuasion Play Podcast, episode 008…
I welcome a very special guest, Mr. Drayton Bird!
Drayton Bird is an old-school direct marketer and advertiser. He worked along side fellow greats such as Eugene Schwartz and David Ogilvy, who famously claimed that… Continue reading “Marketing Adventures with Drayton Bird (Persuasion Play Podcast 008)”
7:10am
Saint Paul
It’s snowing here in Saint Paul.
I used to hate the snow, hate the winter.
And I made sure everyone knew of my misery.
See, I’m kinda always cold.
And while I’m not exactly Mr. Universe, I get plenty of comments that I should add some fat to my bones.
Poor advise from an old joke.
What I did instead was change my mindset. Continue reading “Program your Brain”
Saint Paul
*|FNAME|*, when I first started my current full-time job…
(not this copywriting gig I’m crushing on the side…)
I was frustrated by a co-worker’s “Google Chat” methods.
You see,
instead of sending a complete thought,
11:15pm Sunday
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Hey there,
This weekend I took my two kids to the library. I was previously unaware, but there was early voting available for Tuesday’s November election.
Francisco Osorio, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
“Are you here to vote today?” asked the voting attendant. Continue reading “Why I didn’t vote for my city’s most pressing issue: Trash Collection”
