Please don’t be offended at the suggestion implied in the headline. I know loads of lazy optimists, and they are generally very conscientious, hard-working and busy people. But they do have a problem. And their unwittingly diligent single-mindedness and commitment to their work lie at the root of their commonly-held rarely diagnosed condition. I say […]
We all know what P.S. stands for but do you know what it means? Derived from the Latin’ post scriptum’, it translates as ‘written after’ and pre-empts a transcribed afterthought. Used well, however, the P.S becomes a potent marketing weapon. Think how Colombo, after questioning a suspect and opening the door to leave, turns […]
The French movie director, Jean-Luc Godard, once said, “Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form.” If this is true of complexity, you could apply the same ‘problem and solution’ idea to commerciality, necessity or just plain boringness in the business world. Let’s face it, most people have very little interest in the daily […]
Your website content, sales letters, emails, blog posts, videos and every customer communication you publish speaks volumes about you. If the message is disjointed, contradictory or just plain confusing, that will form the opinion (or brand) people have of you and your business. “People will assume that the way you do one thing is the […]
Have you ever watched ‘Would I Lie to You’? The show where celebrities are challenged to share stories with each other and separate tall tales from unlikely truths? It is hilarious and, aside from the spontaneous chemistry of the show’s captains and host, it makes for a fascinating study into the human ability to weave […]
I share a birthdate with Jack Dee (although he is precisely seven years older and approximately seven years grumpier than me). And ever since discovering this irrelevant coincidence, I have felt an odd sense of affinity with him. Aside from the fact that I enjoy his sarcastic wit and deadpan delivery, this commonality creates an […]
Do not write a business book if… The thing about business books is that most of them are boring. This is not just my opinion – it is a fact. Ask any business owner or entrepreneur how many business books are lining their shelves. Then ask how many they have read. I can’t give […]
What is the secret to a compelling business story? The first thing you need to do is have a plan. The irony of stories is they don’t write themselves, yet the real-life ones are perpetual in motion and seldom need a writer. But it was left to the genius of Alfred Hitchcock to explain […]
Copywriters and SEOers (search engine optimisation experts) have argued the pros and cons of ‘how to’ write and ‘who for’ since optimisation was even a thing. What matters most, keywords and metadata or style and engagement? As a writer, my view might surprise you. It is a sad fact of life that smart marketing will […]
