A lesson from teabags shaped like pyramids
Here’s a story that could happen only in England. A fight has broken out about the shape of teabags. One manufacturer makes them round in shape, the other like a pyramid. The pyramid guys claimed in ads that the pyramid shape brews better tea. The round guys complained, and so the dispute went into arbitration.…
Why prospects are like a vaguely warm morning shower
My hot water heater is broken. So it’s vaguely warm (if that) showers for me right now. Not so pleasant. There’s a point to me telling you this… because your prospects are a little like my morning water – they’re only vaguely warm when they first come into contact with you. … And it’s up…
Doing “a California” with your database
So, there’s this crazy idea in the works to split California into six states. They say it will make it more governable – a government for each of the regions of California, each with its different needs. Never going to happen of course, but there’s an interesting point to be gleaned from it for our…
As intriguing as a curveball bulldozer
The other day, not far from where I live, a great big bulldozer fell off the back of a truck and landed on its butt in the middle of the road. There it sat, looking like a dog begging for scraps. The picture made page 3 of the newspaper. Odd – incongruous – things like…
Why client lifetime value is so important
Here’s a concept that could make a big difference to your business: client lifetime value. While many people think of only the first transaction, the reality is that successful agents think of the total value of transactions that a client could make over his or her entire lifetime. So, if you earn a gross commission…
When clients are like lost dogs
I helped to reunite a lost dog with its owner yesterday morning. On the morning radio show (for those new here, I host the breakfast show twice a week on the local volunteer community radio station), we put out the call. And by 8.30, the dog was back with its family. That’s what community radio…
How newsletters bring dollars in the door
I’ve been down in the weeds lately, talking about particular aspects of marketing with newsletters. So I thought I would go back to the big picture and talk about how newsletters will make you more money. The bottom line is this: Newsletters help you build and maintain a database of leads and clients. By communicating…
The 5-foot worm and the juicy newsletter
Someone in Ecuador has dug up an earthworm that was five feet long. Imagine the fish you could catch with that thing! But seriously, fishing is a good metaphor for hooking clients. First, you’ve got to be out there on the water. Many people stop marketing when times are good, which leads to no clients…
“Getting around” anti-spam law
I had someone ask how to get around anti-spam laws yesterday. I replied to him, but not very well. So I thought I would write about it here. Here’s the bottom line: Don’t try to “get around” anti-spam laws. There’s no point playing a game of cat and mouse and trying to escape the clutches…
Canyons of the mind
It’s been raining around these parts recently. Bathtubs of rain. Roads-washed-away rain. Indeed, our driveway now has a mini-Grand Canyon running down it. You could lose a car down that thing. That’s the power of water. It runs and it runs, gradually creating a channel for itself as it finds the path of least resistance.…
Bird feeders, headboards and newsletters
A bird feeder made from a patio umbrella. An old door transformed into a headboard. And a picnic table molded into a sculpture of a giant yellow mosquito. These were just some of the entries in my local municipality’s “repurposing” content, designed to show how everyday junk can become something useful and beautiful instead of…
So you think they’ll remember you?
Yesterday morning I couldn’t find my keys. Same thing happened a few days earlier. And the previous week. …And don’t even start with my cellphone. Yes, people can be very forgetful. A potential new client reminded me of this fact yesterday. He told me how people would forget that they had hired him in the…
You just gotta ask
We’ve just finished the radiothon at the community radio station I volunteer at. I was on air for about four hours. Exhausting… but we raised over $29,000. Well worth the effort. The whole thing was one big “ask” – we need your money, and this is why it’s important. It was no place for a…
Imagine if they actually looked forward to hearing from you
If you’re a parent (or an uncle or aunt, for that matter), you’ve no doubt had to convince a child to eat his or her dinner. But whatever you do, no Brussels sprouts or “weird tasting stuff” is going into their mouths. Now, of course, if you had chocolate to feed them… it would be…
Email newsletters aren’t dead, says the New York Times
The New York Times, no less, has weighed in on email newsletters. Apparently, email newsletters aren’t dead. Indeed, they are on the march, says The Times’s media writer David Carr. Well… Duh…. Like we could have told you that already. But here’s the thing: The article makes a point that is critical to your success…
One thing very well
I ate at a restaurant that specializes in smoked meats yesterday. Delicious. (Unless, of course, you are a vegetarian.) Here’s a place that does just one thing… and it does it well. There are just eight mains on the menu – and they were all themed around smoked meats. (And at least one dish was…
Why this tough new law is a good thing
Up in Canada, a tough new anti-spam law goes into place next Tuesday. While that doesn’t directly affect you (unless you email to Canadian clients), there are some interesting things that can be learned. And I am also going to give you the opportunity to confirm that you want to hear from us. The law…
The power of touch
I read an interesting money-saving tip the other day, so I thought I would share it with you. Apparently, if you touch something when you are out shopping, you are more likely to buy it and are willing to pay more for it. So… to keep your wallet shut, keep your hands in your pockets.…
You, your newsletter and a cup of coffee
I’ve been doing the volunteer morning radio show gig for over a month now. For those of you new here, I host the breakfast show two days a week for our local community radio station. It’s fun. But those mornings… they are so early. One of the tips I picked up from one of the…
Losing money by saving money
I was in a condo building yesterday. Like most condos, it has a newsletter for residents, to keep them up to date with happenings in the building. In the elevator yesterday was a notice proudly saying that the newsletter was no longer going to be printed. The condo was “going green” and “saving money.” Residents…