Articles
How to Sell to Subscription Service Customers
SaaS, pronounced “sass” (as in sassy), is a Silicon Valley acronym for Software as a Service. Personally, I’m not a fan. Sounds too much like the A-word (a synonym for “donkey”). But they had to come up with something because the business model didn’t really exist a few years ago. Now, it’s a gazillion-dollar industry full ... Read more
How to Sell a Job Opening
HR departments, recruiters, and employers themselves generally do a terrible job of selling a job opening. Need proof? Hop on LinkedIn, Indeed, or Monster and have a look. Pick a posting at random and behold: The warmed over, boilerplate language The near absence of enthusiasm The rampant use of clichés The contemptuous, “don’t call us” ... Read more
How to Sell a Bucket List Item
A bucket list… dreams… things to do before you die Just about everybody alive maintains a bucket list. The list may evolve, but the price? Ha! One-in-a-lifetime events are absurdly expensive. That’s not gonna change, even if Richard Branson thinks coach class seats on spaceships is feasible. Which means that if you sell bucket list ... Read more
Fundraising Copy: How to Sell a Good Cause
There are no shortages of good causes today. If you’ve given to any lately, you know what I mean. The second your donation clears, dozens of new charities swarm, like bees on a honeycomb. Ugh! It’s enough to turn even the most generous soul into Ebeneezer Scrooge… or Steve Jobs. But it’s actually a good ... Read more
How Targeted Content Solves the Sales Frequency Problem
Have you visited a children’s book store lately? On the surface, it’s gotta be one of the happiest places on earth. Why not? It’s filled with thousand of books, all with snappy covers… lots of color… and funny characters. But underneath the sensory overload, all is not rosy. Operating a brick and mortar store is ... Read more
Internet Famous & Broke
I’m not the hippest cat around, not by a long shot. In fact, I’m pretty lame. Since leaving New York in 2012, I’ve completely lost touch with pop culture…. No movie posters on the subway to gawk at. No subway conversations to overhear. No tabloid headlines to scan. Believe it or not, those little brushes with ... Read more
Should Your Copy Mention Competitors by Name?
“How do we mention competitors by name without starting a full-scale war?” “If we do acknowledge them as competitors, are we ready to go head-to-head with them?” It’s a familiar set of questions to anyone planning their company’s content strategy. Most corporate style guides advise against naming competitors. “Naming” could cause problems. You might end ... Read more
How to Write an Academy Award-Winning Sales Pitch
Did you know the key to structuring a movie was “starting a scene as late as possible”? It’s true. At least according to William Goldman, Academy Award-winning screenwriter (All the President’s Men). Meaning, when the movie director yells “action,” something should be happening, not about to happen. “You don’t want to begin with ‘Once Upon ... Read more
When “Pretty Good Copy” Isn’t Good Enough
“I’m judging a lot more than wins and losses.” And with that, the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) fired his head coach. To bring you up to speed, in case pro basketball isn’t your thing, the Cavaliers currently have the best record in their conference. The team, led by LeBron James, is the ... Read more
Dec 2015 Articles
I’ve written a few articles for other sites that you can check out here: How to Solve Content Inventory Problems by Copying Retailers (Business 2 Community) How to Fix Phantom Marketing Problems (Business 2 Community) The Problem with Chasing Trophy Clients (Target Marketing Magazine) How One Shameless Marketing Tactic Revived Kobe’s Lost Season (LinkedIn)