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When, where, with whom and how we use the “F” word, still remains a mystery to some folks, and to others, is right down scary if not unacceptable.  And yet, not using it in an effective way can cost you thousands of dollars in business not to mention, missing out on prospects, opportunities, growth, expansion, belonging, and community relations.  And of course, your friends and family get left out as well.
In this day and age of “Social Media” Explosion and Revolution, with Facebook and Twitter leading the way, knowing how to use the “F” word is of the utmost importance; in fact, it has to become part of your vocabulary and branding mechanism because when effectively and properly used, you indeed, can and will….”double your business:”
When to use it:
Any time you want to make a memorable impression to not only be heard, but be outrageously remembered.
Where to use it:
Marketing materials, promotions, radio or television interviews, products, publicity, Public Relations campaigns, Social Media platforms, Blogs, Newsletters, Articles, Educational and training materials, when coaching and consulting, book writing, traveling, speaking presentations, etc.  You can also use it in the privacy of your own home and office.
How to use it:
Use...

Most of us have heard the clinical expression "OCD" (Obsessive  Compulsive Disorder) which as Wikipedia explains it: "is a  mental disorder characterized by "intrusive thoughts" that  produce anxiety, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing  anxiety, or by combinations of such thoughts (obsessions) and  behaviors or compulsions".
  However, what if I tell you that Obsession, in and of itself,  can actually be good to your health and wealth! Yes, it can, and  this is why. (I'll tell you the "how" along the way)
  Do you remember having a song in your head that you just  couldn't get rid of it, then you walk into a store, and low and  behold, the same song is playing? - Or, how about that constant  thought that doesn't seem to want to leave you alone, and when  you wake up in the morning, there it is again, and you wonder,  what the heck?
  I'm here to tell you that you're not crazy, you're just being  brilliant and don't know it yet. You have a passion for  something that continues to show-up as a constant melody or a  perennial thought which your subconscious really, and I mean  really, wants you to do something about it!
  It's one of your many passions showing up in a very determined  way telling you, "Do something with me, I'm on fire and need to  be self-expressed!" - And because passion with action is what  truly...

You know the definition of insanity, right? Not the Webster’s version, but the other one…?
The one that says insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
I’d always thought this saying was mostly funny, and just a little bit true. But now I suspect that—based on this definition—most folks really are at least a little bit insane (myself included). And small business owners tend to suffer from this kind of insanity even more than most.
Let me give you an example…
I was working with a client recently who brought me in because he was not getting enough new clients. I spent hours learning about his business and creating a marketing plan based on his needs. I even incorporated a number of ideas he was already planning to put into action.
Then I mentioned that he really needed to define a strong unique selling proposition (you know, something special that—all other things being equal—would make me choose to do business here instead of with the guy down the street).
Now, mind you, I wasn’t suggesting he change the way he does business. Just that he needed to better highlight the qualities and services that made him different from his competition.
You know what the first thing he said was…?
“I don’t...

As a marketer/copywriter, I can never resist critiquing every postcard, TV ad, sales letter or brochure I run across. And whether the company is big or small, I see the exact same mistakes made time and again.
To a large degree this is because fat cat corporations have traditionally had lots of marketing and advertising dollars to burn, and used few, if any, ways to track results. So they invest in lots of branding ads and fancy commercials. And maybe a little direct mail.
Of course, since that’s what we see the most, it’s only natural for small business owners to follow that example. So if you do any marketing or advertising, it’s probably more about branding and visibility than making sales.
Small business owners simply can’t afford to do this. But that’s not the only expensive, business-killing marketing mistake I see small businesses make all the time. Below are 6 more you’ll want to avoid like the plague...
Mistake #1 – Branding-only promotions.
While branding is important, if you’re creating ads and promotions that primarily include only your name and/or business name, phone number, logo, headshot, and Web address, you’re missing the boat.
Every promotion you do should, at a minimum, give people a good reason to want to know more and an incentive to do it. So make ‘em an offer they can’t refuse and provide plenty of reasons to take advantage of it right now (think deadlines, special bonuses, limited quantity, etc.)! Then track...

Have you ever noticed how people react when they have had it UP to here and they can’t take it anymore?  Has it happened to you?
It’s called “Overwhelm.”  So what do we do with it, we ask?
a) We change the situation
b) We change “our Perception” of the situation
c)  We Leave the situation or
d) We cope with the situation
Then, we prioritize, we make a list, and slowly begin to discern the “MUST DO’s” by putting number or symbols indicating...

Have you ever thought about making and posting an online video?
If so, then I ask...“What’s stopping you?”
Maybe it’s a profound fear of looking like an idiot.
Understandable. But I can tell you from experience, you’re always going to be far more critical than anyone else. So you just have to get over it.
When I made my first video I thought I was having a bit of a bad hair day. But I posted it anyway. Then lo and behold a friend spontaneously posted a compliment about my hair when she saw the video. Go figure.
Now, if you’re willing to make a little bit of a fool of yourself, you can do like Lou Bortone, The Online Video Guy. His videos are a hoot with crazy costumes and fun personalities. I love watching them and know his stuff has gone viral (http://www.loutube.com).
But you don’t have to do anything crazy to make an effective video. Just offer valuable information in an upbeat manner. And be authentic. People will love it.
Of course, maybe you’re stuck because you don’t know HOW to actually record, edit, format and upload video to the Web.
Problem solved!
Below are exactly the steps I take. I’m not an online video expert by any means. But I’ve had people who saw...

If you work in a highly technical field, chances are you’ve struggled with how to present technical information in your marketing, or on your Website, without losing the reader (or boring them to tears)...Especially if the end buyer isn’t particularly technical.
Clients and folks at my workshops ask me how to write technical information in a readable way all the time. Here’s a perfect example from one of my e-newsletter subscribers, Josie.
“In the market that I am in…Medical devices...There is a ton of technical information. Digesting that down to a lay reading level is sometimes difficult. Is there a handy guide or rule of thumb?
I know that you need to present everything in a 6th grade reading level...How do you measure that, where do you find the standard for that?
Then once you get there are you really saying the same thing with the .05-cent words that you did with the .50-cent or $1 words?
Since Josie is really asking 3 questions here, I’ll tackle them one-by-one...
Question #1 - “In the market that I am in...Medical devices...There is a ton of technical information. Digesting that down to a lay reading level is sometimes difficult, is there a handy guide or rule of thumb?”
Sadly there is no handy guide for turning technical...

Brilliance is a word that is used in many different contexts. When we use it to describe people, it's often as a synonym for super-smart or genius. Sometimes when working with my clients on discovering their brilliance, they’ll tell me this: "I'm not that smart." (But they usually are!)
When I think of brilliance, I think in terms of diamonds - and then the imagery is more along the lines of "exceptional brightness and clarity" or "showy splendor."   So when I talk about people discovering their brilliance, marketing their brilliance, or heck, showing off their brilliance, what I'm thinking about is the unique aspect that each business owner brings into their business. It's the special gift that is what usually propels people into business in the first place, something a business owner wants to offer the world.  How do you know if you haven’t found your brilliance? One common theme I’ve heard is that you feel like you’re “spinning,” trying to...

A few years back, I was brought in to write copy for a client’s new Website.
The client had a fancy (but frankly, butt-ugly) black flash Website that didn’t match his brand. It had a lot of pages and images that moved, but not much useful information. And it sure didn’t do much to make me want to hire him.
I began work on the project by consulting with the other Web, designers, graphic designers and marketers on the team. In addition to creating a new site design, we decided he needed quite a bit more content, including: case studies, helpful tips, solid reasons to hire them instead of the competition, tools to keep people coming back to the site, and more.
Then there was the matter of organizing everything…From planning the navigation, to deciding on the path visitors should take through the site, and creating compelling calls to action.
Soon things were coming together nicely. But when we brought the client in to review our plans, he seemed confused.
He couldn’t understand why we were putting so much time and energy into planning. Seems all he wanted was a Website that looked nicer and better matched his new logo and colors.
Boy, did this throw me for a loop! I mean, why invest any time and money redesigning your Website if you’re not going to make it a more effective sales tool, right?!?
So I started asking questions trying to better understand where he was coming from. Finally, I got to...

This past holiday season we saw what I consider to be a highly reactionary response to the current market correction we’re undergoing.  For the first time in my recollection Luxury brands were not immune to this volatile mindset, but at what cost to their long term brand equity?  I have several friends of mine that work at the local Movado Boutique, and I was amazed at the level of discounting that was being offered.  What didn’t surprise me at all were the consumer reactions once the season ended.
 
I’ll share with you a story that my friends shared with me.  Names have been withheld to protect the innocent.  A client of the boutique had purchased three of the exact same watch at the deeply discounted price over the holidays.  Several weeks after the sale had ended the client came back to the boutique to...