Goldmine Marketing

Here’s what I’m up to…

  • Do you have design skills? I might have work for you…

    2:16pm
    Saint Paul

    I have an obsession.

    Well, maybe a few…

    And I have a request for your help.

    This last month, I’ve been obsessing over a new patch of grass.

    See, we built a new garage during this past summer…

    (more…)

  • This is your cold outreach competition

    1:49pm
    Saint Paul

    They say you only have to try and you’re already ahead of 99% of other people.

    Is that true?

    Not in my experience.

    But it IS a good idea that makes people feel like they’ve accomplished something.

    I got a cold email today that starts by greeting someone else… and then it gets worse:

    (more…)

  • Defining Success with Bob Bly (Persuasion Play Podcast #016)

    1:18pm
    Saint Paul

    Robert W. Bly has been a “true freelance copywriter” for over 45 years.

    He’s written sales copy in dozens of industries with hundreds of clients, and he’s the author of The Copywriter’s Handbook. Bob’s 110th book is coming out soon:

    AI Apocalypse Now

    Bob joined me for a wide-ranging interview about his life in copywriting, including stories of huge wins and terrible failures… digital marketing vs direct mail… his life in Jersey… and so much more.

    You can find Bob and get 4 FREE Special Reports worth over $100 at https://bly.com/reports

    Listen now to Defining Success with Bob Bly, episode 015 on the Persuasion Play Podcast.

    (more…)

  • Kill the Industry Insider Talk (…except sometimes)

    8:45am
    Saint Paul

    Last week I came across this tidbit:

    Workplace jargon hurts employee morale, collaboration, study finds

    The short of it is that jargon——those “industry insider” words that most people don’t understand——doesn’t only confuse outsiders.

    (more…)

  • Stay Sharp and Fillet Some Fish

    10:54am
    Saint Paul

    (Check out the PS for some fun news coming soon!)

    Heya summer break is over and the kids are back to school!

    We spent Labor Day weekend at my in-laws, fishing, cleaning gutters, and cleaning fish.

    That’s a new skill for me: cleaning fish.

    And after years of removing the fillets on these Wisconsin weekends, I was finally given the chance to do the main work.

    I felt like Karate Kid: do the simple things a million times before the next step.

    (more…)

  • Kids wrote ads, got clients. And you?

    11:57am
    Saint Paul

    My kids want money.

    Ruby is 12 and wrote up some fliers for her babysitting services…

    Put them on doors around the neighborhood…

    And had 3 paying families within days.

    (more…)

  • Safety is Now For Sale

    1:02pm
    Saint Paul

    Recently I read an article that says Americans are cutting back on spending:

    • 56% say they’re spending less on restaurants

    (My DoorDashing friend might disagree…)

    • 47% have cut back on online shopping

    (Tariffs may play a role in pricing…)

    • 45% are spending less on vacations

    (I don’t know if that means fewer vacations, or cheaper ones…)

    But where are we not cutting back?

    Safety and security… Well, sorta. You see…

    (more…)

  • are you still on the hunt,?

    1:12pm
    Saint PAul

    I was rewriting a recent promo (due to client schedule changes) when a curious email landed.

    “are you still on the hunt,?” it asked.

    (more…)

  • ⚠️ Storage Full

    10:52am
    Saint Paul

    Computer storage is full.

    iPhone storage is full.

    iCloud storage is full.

    And Google storage is full… for four different accounts!

    And after 15 years of IT work, shuffling storage around doesn’t sound as fun as it once did.

    So I keep putting it off.

    But like everything, the longer I put it off, the more work it seems, and the more problems it causes.

    (more…)

  • The 80/20 Rule of Writing

    8:39am
    Saint Paul

    Effective marketing can’t target everyone.

    Even things that are commodities—like food—shows ads with a mother (or occasionally a bumbling father—which only exists in the ad to sell to the mother).

    Which is why the “Five Question Words” you learned in grade school are still important.

    (I remember my grade school classroom with these 5 words, each in a speech bubble, laminated and taped to the classroom wall.

    I don’t remember the grade. I don’t remember the teacher.

    But I remember those words… and being frustrated that there are more than just 5!)

    So before writing your sales letter or ad, make sure you answer these:

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