The shellfish on the tennis ball
I was walking along a beach one afternoon. The tide was coming in, and in the surf I saw a tennis ball. I’ve always fancied myself as an English Rafael Nadal, so I stopped to pick it up. …and saw it was covered with tiny little shellfish. They were very much alive…moving around, poking out of their…
Water into rock
When I was about 10, I went on a school trip to see some caves. Wet and damp, they were. But I found them fascinating. (Except the time when the guide turned off all the lights – I was plunged into a darkness so dark that it smothered me.) The best bit was learning about…
She hands over the chickens, two by two
Chicken day is the busiest at the farm. That’s because once a month, poultry is ready for collection. It feels like the entire county descends on the farm for fresh chickens. It’s not my farm, of course, but a local couple who rear pigs, cattle, sheep…and chickens. Now, this post isn’t suitable for vegetarians. So…
When Halloween is in February and today is yesterday
Imagine for a moment, if you will, that you’re the editor of a glossy magazine, such as Cosmopolitan. This idea could either fill you with joy or horror, depending on your thoughts about the width of pants or the height of hair. But one thing you would be grappling with is a screwed-up calendar. Because…
Newsletter questions answered
Let’s dig deep into my inbox to answer more of your questions about newsletters. Here comes the first one. How often should I send a newsletter? Is quarterly enough? This is the #1 question I get. The best answer is that you should send it as often as you can. A small newsletter, more often,…
Are you ashamed?
Brrrrnnng! There’s the phone at Ready to Go Towers. It’s someone asking about our newsletter service. Indeed, it is a former client who quit a couple of years ago and went to use another newsletter. The scoundrel! He found someone younger and prettier…and now he’s back with his tail between his legs. There other guys…
You can’t make Stilton in Stilton
The European Union is famous for its rules. Some of its diktats make sense. But many others are simply crazy. In order to protect the local heritage of some foods, such as Champagne, Parma ham and a Spanish chili pepper called Asado del Bierzo, the European Union says they can only be called Champagne, Parma…
Dead leaves, clean sweeps and flossing
Fall comes early to my part of the world. The leaves have already changed color (boy, it was spectacular this year) and now they’re mostly dead on the ground. The firewood is delivered and stacked. The outdoor furniture secured from frost. The deck swept clean. …just as I do every year. It’s the rhythm of…
Heading westwards for a thousand reasons
I watched a movie called The Way the other day. It stars Martin Sheen and is directed by his “other” son, Emilio Estevez. The movie itself is OK. But the scenery is stunning. It’s about the El Camino de Santiago, an ancient route of pilgrimage that windswestwards from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, in…
Are You Better than CNN?
Once upon a time, I used to be in the news business. Newspapers, magazines (and even now I consult at a small town newspaper and help out at a community radio station). So why I am I telling you to ignore the news? Here’s the thing. If you were to listen any of the TV…
Why do realtors use newsletters?
Thanks for your interest in our Newsletter Academy and for wanting to learn more! You’ll soon be getting an email in your inbox outlining what to expect with the Newsletter Academy series that will start in the next 2 days. [Don’t forget to check your ‘Promotions’ tab if you don’t see anything in your inbox…
How to use your newsletter to make your website work better
Most websites I visit (and that includes the websites of many of our members) don’t function as well as they could do. The fact is, most websites look the same as every other website. They don’t do anything to give people a reason to choose that person or company over any other option. So it’s…
Prove You Are an Expert and Win More Clients
Who would you buy from? The person who says he has the experience and knowledge to help you, or the person who proves she has? The world is awash with advertising. There's so much of it that we've become quite used to tuning it out. We switch channels on TV during the ads or we…
Article Ideas to Help You Connect with Clients at a Deeper Level
I was talking with a potential client this morning. He's someone who really "gets" the value of newsletters when you personalize them a little and use them to really connect with clients. So I got to thinking…what concrete article ideas would be helpful? Here's a list. (Don't just read the one from your profession –…
This Is Just for Me! A Secret to Higher Response
One of the ways to get a better response to your newsletter is by making the content directly relevant to your readers. Ideally, you would like them to consider that your newsletter "is for me". You can, of course, do that to some extent when contacting your entire database. You have a feel for what…
Article Ideas to Help You Connect with Clients at a Deeper Level
I was talking with a potential client this morning. He’s someone who really “gets” the value of newsletters when you personalize them a little and use them to really connect with clients. So I got to thinking…what concrete article ideas would be helpful? Here’s a list. (Don’t just read the one from your profession – they…
Ikea’s Basement and Your Attitude of Service
Reading business books or getting a business education can seem a bit like browsing through the downstairs part of Ikea. Your senses are overloaded by all that interesting stuff. So you end up filling your cart with rugs and glasses and can openers – when all you came in for was a Poang chair. Big…
What is Your ‘Why’?
Today I’m going to talk about something that will help you grow your business more quickly and – perhaps more importantly – make it easier for you to get up each morning and go to work. I’d really like you to do the exercise at the bottom of this article – and put the results in…
Testimonials: A Way to Make Your Newsletter More Powerful
I was reminded yesterday of something you can put into your newsletter that will make it much more effective. It’s called Social Proof. Here’s the thing: people are much more likely to believe what other people say about you than anything you say about yourself. That’s obvious, really. So that’s why I encourage you to…
4 Keys to Business Success after Labor Day
At time of year, many of us press the reset button. Seems like New Year ‘s Day all over again, except with more school buses. So I thought it would be a good time to look at some fundamentals – the four big things that make the difference between success and just grinding along. As…