Why Productive People Take Better Notes I’ve always been a big note taker which I just attributed to a short memory. So glad to see I’m in strong company. You might try it. I know it helps me a ton!
A Lesson on Pricing from Picasso Pricing your services is often much more difficult than just charging, “what the market will bear” don’t you think? After all, what is your talent and knowledge worth? Why are some in your profession able to charge so much? Others so little? Will you seem more attractive to potential customers if you’re perceived to be more affordable? As you ponder the answers to these questions consider this short story about the painter, Pablo Picasso. It’s a story I first read in Harry Beckwith’s best-selling book,
Don’t be a Dumb Ass! A picture (like the one here) can say so much. Like.. “I’m really ok with living with my mother.” Or, “I’m not out of work. ..I’m just resting.” Or, “Ladies, I’m available!” And of course, the most obvious one of all, “Yes, I’m a dumb ass.” You see, this is what happens when you DON’T give enough consideration to your personal brand. Don’t be that guy.. Know that EVERYTHING you say and do sends a message to others about who you are, what
Tell me. Who gets to the end of a commercial and asks, “How can I learn more?” Answer: NO ONE! Exactly! Yet, isn’t it amazing that companies spend millions of dollars creating marketing that assumes this is the way we think? Why would they do this? Because, they aren’t really thinking about us, they’re thinking about them. They’re thinking about their product or service. Despite, what they may know intellectually about people and their behavior, these companies and the bright minds making their marketing decisions still often fall prey to
Need a job? Create it! “You may ask yourself, what is that beautiful house? You may ask yourself, where does that highway lead to? You may ask yourself, am I right, am I wrong? You may say to yourself, my god, what have I done?” – Lyrics from, “Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads When I think about what crazy, disorienting times these are for job seekers I can’t help but recall the lyrics from this song by the Talking Heads. Are you, or someone you know in
“New and Improved” ≠ Exceptional. Differentiating yourself, or your product from the competition is marketing 101, right? Pick me. I’m better. I said so. Or, buy my product, it’s “new and improved!” See, it’s right here on the packaging! Using these kind of tactics to persuade others may sound ridiculous and obvious but I’m willing to bet you see examples of this type of promotion all around you whether it’s a product sold at the grocery store or the self-promoting co-worker in the next cubicle. The trouble with this thinking
“You don’t have to know the answers. Don’t waste all your time making it perfect … don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask questions.” – Katie Finnegan, co-founder of Hukkster. Katie and her co-founder, Erica Bell, on what advice they’d give to other startups. This is invaluable advice. Make it your mantra! …This much I know. (via fastcompany)
Shocking: Just 13% of the info on Google is actual search results! I bet you thought that if your company built a well structured website embedded with keywords in all the right places that your potential customers would certainly find you in a Google search. After all, you’ve been told that this is key to effectively generating traffic on the Internet, right? Yeah, well now… Not so much. In reality, if you run a search on Google today, you’ll see that only 13% of the information that appears on the
People do their most creative work when they are motivated by the work itself.
Sometimes there is real beauty in simplicity. ..In just two words this business was able to clearly and succinctly articulate its value. If you had just two words to convey your value what would you say? -Jeanine