“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci, Born Apr. 15, 1452. Y’all are making it too complicated. Drowning in options and possibilities? Start slapping some arbitrary limitations on yourself and see what you come up with. Innovation and elegance come from making the best solution out of what you have at hand. So […]
Over-complication Leads to Under-performance – So Simplify, Stupid Read More »
“We imagine that we want to escape our selfish and commonplace existence, but we cling desperately to our chains.” – Anne Sullivan, Born Apr. 14, 1866. This one is going to be really uncomfortable. Ready? See in that quote where she says “imagine”? That imagination is why we can sell people stuff all day long
The Ugly Difference Between a Buying Brain and a Selling One… Read More »
“There is no persuasiveness more effectual than the transparency of a single heart, of a sincere life.” – Joseph Barber Lightfoot, Born Apr. 13, 1828. Let’s define a term temporarily for the purpose of this piece. I’m talking about your average bullshitter. And by “bullshitter” I mean the kind of person that is just always
How to Get Away With Embellishment: Admit To It Proudly! Read More »
“The purpose of narrative is to present us with complexity and ambiguity.” – Scott Turow, Born Apr. 12, 1949. Scott writes fiction, unlike us. But his point holds, because we DO use complexity and ambiguity. The purpose of narrative in copy is to give COMPLEXITY to the problem the prospect is facing. We give it
The Difference Between Fiction and Copy is in Where You Put the Confusion… Read More »
“Indecision and delays are the parents of failure.” – George Canning, Born Apr. 11, 1770. Do you have these problems? Procrastination? Overanalyzing? Thinking too much? Over-planning? Inability to just get started on your grand plans and possibilities? It all boils down to what old George is saying. Indecision, and delay. If you can’t decide WHAT
Decide what to do, and do it now. End indecision and procrastination IMMEDIATELY. Read More »
“Lying increases the creative faculties, expands the ego, and lessens the frictions of social contacts.” – Clare Boothe Luce, Born Apr. 10, 1903. Lying is powerful. Whether you call it telling tales, self-delusion, pretending, make believe, whatever – if you want to get good at what we do, you need practice. If you want to
To Gain Persuasive Power, Practice Practical Lying in Person… Read More »
“For each letter received from a creditor, write fifty lines on an extraterrestrial subject and you will be saved.” – Charles Baudelaire, Born Apr. 9, 1821. Practical advice there – shockingly from a POET, no less. Poetry being the most useless kind of writing. But even in Baudelaire’s time, he knew that if you’re going
If You Want to Get Paid to Write, Write Where the Money Is Read More »
“If you’re too big to fit into fashion, then you just have to do your own fashion.” – Vivienne Westwood, Born Apr. 8, 1941. When I first went freelance and was trying to figure out this whole guruhood-as-a-business-model thing, I had a worry. What is going to be my “thing”? What is going to be
“Each of us is meant to have a character all our own, to be what no other can exactly be, and do what no other can exactly do.” – William Ellery Channing, Born Apr. 7, 1780. This is good advice in general, but I would add that if you can manage to be interesting, and
The “U” in USP Stands for “yoU” Read More »
“The ability to speak is a short cut to distinction. It puts a man in the limelight, raises him head and shoulders above the crowd.” – Lowell Thomas, Born Apr. 6, 1892. Getting on stage to teach copy at marketing events was easily the biggest factor in my rapid rise to recognition and success –
Speaking Publicly is the Shortcut to Authority on Any Topic (If You Don’t Do It Wrong) Read More »
