- March 22, 2018 -

Launching an online business is light years from where it was a decade ago...thanks to technology.

The current recipe du jour goes something like this:

+ Start with a spanking new fancy computer.

+ Mix in Infusionsoft.

+ Toss in a handful of LeadPages.

+ Add a dash of ScheduleOnce for appointments.

+ And a splash of Stripe to take money.

And by golly, you're a funnel expert! You've now got a 24-7 cash machine working while you sleep, right?

Well, herein lies the rub...

Yep...that's the dirty little secret that nobody tells you when [...]

- February 26, 2018 -

Who doesn't love a good story?

I've always been a fan of John Grisham's books. Suspense. Intrigue. Legal thrillers.

He just tells a damn good story.

I'm certainly not John Grisham by a long shot - but it's no surprise that I tend to gravitate to telling stories in our emails.

Stories that teach a business or marketing lesson.

Why?

Mostly because I think there's plenty of article-based content already available on the Internet to satisfy anyone willing to search.

And because I never get tired of hearing a good success story.

Take the Ritz Carlton, for example.

They go the extra mile for their [...]

- February 21, 2018 -

I was a one-call close salesman.

We were taught to...

Think like a closer.

Act like a closer.

Walk like a closer.

Believe you were a closer.

Weeks one and two of every month were spent cold-calling anyone listed in the county directory...one after another, making our pitch.

Typical example back then? Here's one...

So I have John on the phone and he wants to submit an order...but needs to talk it over with his wife first.

My response goes like this: "Hey, John. We're buying stock, not curtains!"

Pretty cringe-worthy, isn't it?

I'm [...]

- January 19, 2018 -

So we all know that Kroger, Wallmart, CVS along with most retail stores rely on loss leaders.

I mean, think about it...when was the last time you ran to the grocery store for a dozen eggs or a half gallon of milk and that's all you left with?

No, no, no...if we dudes are doing the shopping and not our wives, we grab more stuff on our way out. Salami and good provolone, not the cheap stuff.

And oh my god, that's my favorite mustard!

...and that deli bread with the olive chunks? Gotta have me some of that!

Heck...I'm getting [...]

- January 16, 2018 -

Given the fact that I'm a Libra and a middle child, it's no surprise that I've been a broker all my adult life.

Stock broker. Mortgage broker. Property investment broker.

Being stuck between two sisters growing up, keeping the peace became a full-time job LOL

Negotiating and coming up with a fair outcome for two parties is my sweet spot.

So the quagmire I was dealing with yesterday really got me going.

Here's what happened...

I had a buyer for a property who wanted to sign the contract right away. I mean he was chomping at the bit.

So you're probably asking, "What's [...]

I’d rather have a colonoscopy than watch reality tv, but there’s one show I never miss.

ABC’s Shark Tank.

Premiering in 2009 and still going strong, it’s the most-watched program on Friday nights.

Hopeful entrepreneurs go on the program and present their business idea to a panel of self-made millionaire investors (Sharks) with a goal of convincing at least one Shark to invest in their concept in exchange for a stake in their company.

First comes the pitch… portable urinals that look like a golf club, remote-controlled bird feeders that allow you to “zap” pesky squirrels, and man candles designed to freshen your house but [...]

It's not often that an order confirmation email catches my attention - beyond making sure that the amount they charged to my credit card is correct.

I mean, what can you possibly do to make transactional emails anything other than sufficiently boring?

So when I found myself going back and re-reading what is normally a run-of-the-mill order confirmation email, I wanted to yell "Hallelujah! Someone actually gets what great marketing is all about!"

Moosejaw Mountaineering, whose Facebook tagline is "The Most Fun Outdoor Retailer on the Planet," knows how to put the fun back in marketing.

How about this for a company overview posted [...]

A few weeks ago, I woke up and my right arm was throbbing. My right hand was completely numb. And after checking, it didn't appear that I'd slept on my hand.

So like 90% of the human race I Googled "my hand is numb."

Apparently, I could have a spinal cord injury, Lyme disease, carpal tunnel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cervical spondylosis and syphilis. Great!

So maybe I should have gone to the doctor after attempting to pull out a deer tick from my stomach and leaving half of it there.

Seeing as I haven't had a regular checkup in 10 years, I call [...]

Oprah has it. Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Tony Robbins, and George Clooney have it.

Adolf Hitler had it.

"It" is that elusive charm that engages, captivates and influences.

And when used for good has the power to make people's lives exponentially better.

Most would call "it" charisma.

The best salespeople are charismatic. You meet them. You like them. You buy from them.

Even when they don't have the best product or offer the best prices.

And the salesmen who don't have "it" grudgingly say of those who do, "Pffh...well, they were born with it." In other words, they must have the sales gene - lucky bums.

Sounds like [...]