“Folks don’t like to have somebody around knowing more than they do.” – Harper Lee, Born Apr. 28, 1926. When you’re trying to position yourself as a trusted advisor, your audience can’t ever feel like you are holding out on them. They can’t feel like you’re keeping secrets or withholding valuable knowledge for yourself. Countering… Read More →
Infinite Ideas To Write About When You Need Them (Preparation Hack)
“Ideally, one should have more material than one can possibly cope with.” – Frank Auerbach, Born Apr. 19, 1931. “I can’t think of anything to write about.” Some people say that. Bitch-baby writers do. Not me. I am a bottomless wellspring of material. I didn’t used to be. But I endeavored a little to make… Read More →
Everything Old is New Again – If You Just Try a Little Bit
“The secret of good writing is to say an old thing in a new way or to say a new thing in an old way.” – Richard Harding Davis, Born Apr. 18, 1864. I wouldn’t say it’s THE secret… But it IS a great trick. Can’t think of something to write? 1. Take some old… Read More →
Ads That Seem Like Ads Are Not Good Ads. Learn To Sell With Persuasive “Content” That Prospects Love
“The public doesn’t particularly care for advertisements.” – John C. Malone, Born Mar. 7, 1941. They don’t. It’s true. Unless it’s the Super Bowl, normal people don’t really want to be subjected to ads. For some marketers, they try to solve this problem by having a certain ratio of content to ads. 22 minutes of… Read More →
To Persuade, Concern Yourself with Emotional Truth Rather Than Cold, Hard Fact
“In journalism just one fact that is false prejudices the entire work. In contrast, in fiction one single fact that is true gives legitimacy to the entire work. That’s the only difference, and it lies in the commitment of the writer. A novelist can do anything he wants so long as he makes people believe… Read More →
The Crystal Ball Says… Success Is Just Around the Corner, So Grab That Pistol and Follow Me.
“Most successful pundits are selected for being opinionated, because it’s interesting, and the penalties for incorrect predictions are negligible. You can make predictions, and a year later people won’t remember them.” – Daniel Kahneman, Born Mar. 5, 1934. Gurus need to make a lot of predictions. That’s really why people follow us at all. People… Read More →
Only Two Things Have Potentially Infinite Value: Art, and Information… (And Art IS a Kind of Information)
“The price of a work of art has nothing to do with what the work of art is, can do, or is worth on an existential, alchemical level.” – Jerry Saltz, Born Feb. 19, 1951. Information is like art in this way, at least when it’s for sale. For example, imagine a piece of information… Read More →
Don’t Cut Away at What You Are – Slice Away What You Are NOT to Create a More Powerful Persona
“A man who trims himself to suit everybody will soon whittle himself away.” -Charles M. Schwab, Born Feb. 18, 1862. An offer that is for everyone excites no one. Product, service, or persona – it’s all the same. If you try to please everyone, you can only please each of them a little, and therefore,… Read More →
How to Quit Sucking Forever: Decide to Be Excellent Instead
“If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” – Thomas J. Watson, Born Feb. 17, 1874. If you can’t get into your writing or building your business or whatever, it might be because you aren’t being excellent. If you’re being excellent, you automatically love… Read More →
Lie Like a Magician, and Make the Audience Work the Magic For You
“When a magician lets you notice something on your own, his lie becomes impenetrable.” – Raymond Teller, Born Feb, 14, 1948. A lot of people think persuasive writing is about what you say to people. Your words push their buttons and they act. But a lot of times, it’s what you DON’T come right out… Read More →