It’s time to write that marketing email or sales letter or request for a donation. You need to convince someone to buy something and you don’t know where to begin. Here’s are six steps to create a powerful message that gets results. AIDA Isn’t Just an Opera Writers use a number of formulas to get […]
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Lies, Damned Lies, Google, And Statistics
Thank you, Mark Twain, for helping me put it so succinctly. I am once again being buffeted by statistics. Statistics, the math of populations, not of individuals. And I am an individual. Statistics Be Damned I survived a rare and aggressive form of cancer in 2017, no thanks to statistics. I rang all the bells […]
Continue readingImmigrants: Fear, Loathing, and A Happy Ending
While we’re arguing about the immigrant caravan headed for our southern border, let me share a personal story. I originally posted this on Facebook when a different president was in charge. We were arguing about Syrian immigrants then. I’m sad to see how little has changed. The love of my life wouldn’t be in […]
Continue readingThe Ethics of Good Copywriting
I’m fascinated by the power of the written word. I can spend hours immersed in a thesaurus, picking the precise word to express a thought. I analyze speeches, blogs, and news articles to understand how the choice of words and images can sway readers. Same thing with websites, billboards, flyers, advertisements, and social media posts. […]
Continue readingWords Matter: Teaching a Rescue Dog New Tricks
Another lesson from my dogs: this time it’s about words that matter. Read how I was more the trainee than the trainer when I tried to teach one very smart dog a very simple command.
Continue readingDo I Need a Privacy Policy?
A couple of clients have asked me whether they need a privacy policy for their website. The short answer: yes, if you collect any personally identifiable information from a viewer, even an email address. I started to wonder if this would apply to me, so I dug in and did a little research. Here’s what […]
Continue readingHow to Script a Memorable Video
There’s a good reason why videos are increasingly popular. They’re easy to consume and, more important for those of us with a message, they are easy to make. You can do a lot armed with just a smartphone. You don’t need an expensive crew, equipment, and studio to produce a decent-quality video. In a memorable […]
Continue readingGreat Lessons in Not Taking Yourself So Damn Seriously
The world is suffering from an overabundance of people who take themselves too damn seriously. Maybe we blame it on social media. Maybe we blame it on the current social and political climate. Whatever it is, people, we need to lighten up! How many of you have abandoned Facebook because of the vitriol, or look […]
Continue readingHow to Write a Killer Bio
At some point in your professional life, you’ve probably been asked to write a bio. When you protest, you’re told “It’s simple. Just a few facts. Really, we don’t need much.” Ack. It’s not all that simple. How do you know what facts to include and what to leave out? What will your audience find […]
Continue readingLeader of the Pack: A Snake, A Dog, and a Good Decision
A lot of life’s lessons have come from my dogs, especially the pack of Siberian Huskies that shared my life for a while. Boy, did they teach me a lot. Making a good decision quickly was at the top of the list. As a breed, Huskies are smart, loyal, independent decision makers. They can sense trouble […]
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