Special Sauce

Create A Pattern Interrupt

Did the subhead of this post make you stop and read a little further? There’s a reason for that, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Let’s talk more about, “I Heart Butt Drugs” first. That’s a direct quote from a billboard I came across as my family drove from Louisville, KY into Indiana. …

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Obsess On Your Product

Every business is looking to acquire more customers and grow. But how? Instagram influencers, Facebook ads, LinkedIn selling, blogging, Adwords, traditional advertising, and all the other tactics out there available are important tools at the right time. But not yet. There’s a much better investment for 90% of us looking to grow sustainable customer bases …

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How Not To Use LinkedIn For Business Development

The following is pulled directly from my LinkedIn messages. I’ve replaced the name (it obviously wasn’t Kurt Russell) and samples, but I haven’t altered the message otherwise. I get an almost exact copy of this message multiple times a week. It’s become a game I play with new website developer connections. I put odds on …

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Commit To A Customer

Our customer is… This is the first question in our brand script process. Three simple words that can bring the most confident entrepreneurs and marketers to their knees. Almost every client struggles with the idea of possibly alienating people that don’t fit their defined ideal customer. I understand. I’ve owned businesses for the last 15 …

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Does Your Brand Have Bad Habits?

I can go out and ride my bike for an hour, or I can go to the bar and drink two beers. What vote will I cast today? “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes …

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How To Win The Hearts & Wallets Of Customers

Walmart. Save money. Nike. Just Do It. Disney. Most magical place on earth. Great brands focus on conveying one story. Relentless execution of a clear story is what made them remarkable brands in the first place. I’m not talking about taglines, although a tagline may be an important part of conveying your story. Walmart has …

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How To Create A Marketing Plan You’ll Actually Execute

I had grand plans for a blog I launched ten years ago. I posted three times and then let it slide behind everything else on my plate. I told myself I was too busy. A great idea killed by poor execution. I’m willing to bet you’ve got a similar story somewhere in your past. Good …

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How To Craft A Brand Script That Sells Like Ice Cream In The Desert

Does everyone on your team know what you do? I’ll bet you’d be surprised by some of the answers employees or coworkers give to the question, “What does your company do?” Do you ramble incoherently when you’re asked? You’re not alone. This is the most common problem I come across when I start working with …

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How To Use Social Proof

“People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast message. A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising.” — Mark Zuckerberg, CEO People have always made decisions on what to wear, eat, listen to, visit, and buy based on …

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How To Make Your Website Sell More

Pain drives us to do crazy things. Whether physical or emotional, we want to avoid it at all costs. I have chronic back pain. I’d pay a Tibetan Monk to fly to Boulder and heal my back if I knew it would work. I’m not alone. Pain (or the avoidance of pain) is the greatest …

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