“It was the best of books… it was the worst of books…” ~ Adapted from Charles Dickens (with apologies) It’s December now, so, as I look back at the year past and think about the shape of the year to come, I’ve taken some time to reflect on the projects I’ve completed this (so far) […]
How to Create a Magnetic Lead Magnet Quickly and Easily
“Lazy business owners have unpredictable cash flow!” ~ Debra Hilton Debra: Here’s your strategic marketing overview. This is what we’ll build and automate in the next 6 months. New Client: That looks like a lot of work… I mean, I don’t have most of that stuff. Debra: I know, that’s why your pipeline is half […]
Using Information Marketing to Set Your Business Apart
“If you can be commoditized, you will be commoditized…. If you stay stuck in “ordinary”: going to market with product or service, price and discounts, vague generality claims of (slight) superiority as one of many choices… you will be crushed.” ~ Dan S. Kennedy Let’s start with an important distinction between content marketing and information […]
Are You Testing Response or Opinion? – Why it Matters
I’m a direct response marketing fanatic based on both experience and conviction, and I believe results should drive your marketing (and every other aspect of your business) unless you have a specific reason for making an exception. Yet, many business owners base their decisions on others’ opinions, not actual results. Worse, sometimes those opinions are […]
What is an A.C.E. Book and Why Should I Write One?
Authority + Celebrity + Expertise = A.C.E. Why Your Business Benefits If You Write A Book! Guy Kawasaki calls this an A.P.E. Book – with the P standing for Personality. Since I’d rather be an A.C.E. or than an A.P.E. I’ll stick with Celebrity in the middle rather than Personality – but the important thing […]
Direct Response Copywriting Makes Your Website More Profitable
I’ve been spending quite a bit of time analysing the content on websites in response to a chorus of complaints about website profitability. A typical comment is: “I’m spending a lot of money on SEO and advertising, but visitors come to my website and leave without taking any action.” The unspoken complaint is, “I’ve spent […]
SEO is Dying – Will Your Business Avoid Being Buried With It?
Google’s Penguin, Panda, and now Hummingbird updates hit many businesses organic search rankings hard and the bad news is that there are more updates to come as Google seeks to promote genuine, valuable content that people want to read. This is unfortunate for dedicated SEO companies and their clients – but that could be good […]
How Do You Price Projects?
Although you can see some of my packaged prices here, there are many items that depend on what our total relationship looks like. If I am already doing a lot of writing for a client, then additional items are cheaper for the reasons I outline below. I receive a lot of questions about project pricing, […]
Content Marketing: Telling The Compelling Story of Your Business
“Every business has a story, and it’s that story that sets you apart from your competitors.” When you forget your story, you disappear into the faceless crowds. When you tell your story you attract the customers you want – in fact you often attract customers you never thought you could reach! Big Companies Tell Their […]
How Professional Service Companies Can Use Content Marketing to Stand Out
Professional Service Providers (Accountants, HR Consultants, Dentists, Physiotherapists, Business Coaches, …) face a very difficult challenge when trying to attract clients. There are so many options for your prospect to choose from! Even if they look among their own acquaintances, most of your prospects will have several options so they follow one of these paths:- […]
