No Response? Leave 'em Satisfied … and Hungry! (1/24/2023) We all love dessert! If you dine at Seasons 52, you'll be presented with a selection of tiny sweets at the end of your meal—chocolate mousse, key lime pie, carrot cake, and a host of other delectable options to enjoy… READ ON
Change Your Pricing Story (1/10/2023) Should you charge $20 for your new book or $19.97? Will dropping your price by three cents help you sell more books? What about smart consumers who are educated about sales and marketing? Will they think you're being manipulative?… READ ON
The Truth About Christmas : A Parable (12/20/2022) Jefferson Baugh despised Christmas. He hated the incessant month-long cacophony of pop-music-infused holiday carols that began the day after Thanksgiving and droned on through New Years. He loathed holiday sales and the annual cycle of rampant commercialism. He scoffed at… READ ON
Shared Stories and The Next Generation (12/6/2022) Hooray for Hollywood! Well … maybe; maybe not. Movies about rock stars' journeys and superheroes (Is there really a difference?) may amount to no more than the latest money grab by motion picture studios and music labels (Is there really… READ ON
“Pit of Despair” Stories (11/22/2022) I watched Jannie Kruse give a short talk on “labels.” She talked about the categories we put ourselves in—how we label ourselves based on our upbringing, and about her stern and abusive grandfather. To make her point, she stuck a… READ ON
Real Estate and Storytelling (11/8/2022) Maria, a realtor attended one of my storytelling workshops at the suggestion of a mutual friend. “What does storytelling have to do with real estate?” she asked before the session started. Tell me about a property you're excited about,” I… READ ON
Lost and Found Losers (10/25/2022) Lost and found items create logistical challenges, but stories are always about people. The story of how (or whether) a person is reunited with a lost item they need or value determines the success of important business relationships. Create a… READ ON
Avoid the Data-Dump Doldrums (10/11/2022) Data-dump presentations are guaranteed attention-killers. Information is important, but storytellers make that information meaningful. Add PowerPoint slides full of tables and tiny type to create a particularly excruciating audience experience. The following statements are true. The description is accurate. But… READ ON
You Can Keep Your Business Cards (9/27/2022) I was talking with a friend at a business networking event when a man came plowing through the crowd doling out business cards as if he were handing out candy on Halloween. After the most cursory of introductions, he put… READ ON
Rewrite the Bogus Story of Happiness (9/13/2022) What's the number one cause of unhappiness? Love? Money? Hunger? Insurance companies? The number one cause of unhappiness is the pursuit of happiness! You can never be happy. Think about your last new… READ ON