The Night Ride
This past weekend I rode in a Portland tradition called The Night Ride. Sponsored by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in Oregon, they hold a variety of fun rides throughout the year, including the Bridge Pedal which attracts 12,000 riders. The Night Ride had about 1200 riders. Proper attire was “pajamas or costumers” and I […]
The Incredibly Tender Process of Niche Marketing
It’s maddening the way all those professional marketers say: “Well, first pick a niche, and then…” ERRRRRRrrrr! Hold everything, buddy! Don’t move on, I’m still stuck on step one! Why is it soooo hard to pick a niche? A niche is more than just focusing your business. If you have a heart, a niche […]
The Uphill Climb of Creating Products
I’m taking a short break from some audio editing for our soon-to-be-released audio seminar The Sacred Moment: How to talk to potential clients with integrity and heart, and still get paid. It was a tremendous two-day seminar I led here in Portland in April… aside from the technical glitches. Which were so bad, that we […]
Walking In the Footsteps of Pre-Saints.
I was in a discussion on a blog within Zaadz.com. And, the subject arose was that it’s kinda normal for all of us to look up to people who have succeeded. Whether they are business tycoons, spiritual masters, or our parents, many of us have saints we’re trying to emulate to one extent or another. […]
Whether or Not to Publish Your Prices
In The Business Oasis, an earlier incarnation of our business Community, one of the members wrote: “I am unsure if it’s a good idea to include my fees in my brochure and on my website.” Good question: do you or don’t you include your price? If you don’t include pricing, are you being coy and […]
Limits to the Online Conversation
I’m relatively new to the conversational style of blogging, and it’s been very alluring to me- meeting folks, connecting, engaging in conversation. However, one frustration that has cropped up for me is that I do love connecting at a deeper level, if possible. And, when we’re talking about some of my favorite subjects, like marketing […]
The Danger of Metaphors in Your Marketing
You’re trying to make a point to a potential client, either in person or on your website. “And that problem is like tripping on a toy, and spilling red wine onto your brand new white rug, in the middle of a business dinner where you’re trying to impress certain guests.” Your client nods and makes […]
The Missing Ingredient Before You Launch a New Offer
Have you ever had a whiz-bang idea, and you’re ready to launch it out in the world? A book, a class, a program, something you’re wanting to contribute to the greater whole through your business? And you get it 90% done. In fact, you could have it done in time for tomorrow, 9am. But you […]
Photographer Goes Crazy
Patrick Galvin, who publishes the blog Buzz Builder just wrote a great post about how photographers can create word-of-mouth referrals. I was impressed by the idea, not because it was so revolutionary, because it’s not. And not because it’s slick, because it’s not. What impressed me was how ordinary, simply, straight-forward, and common-sensical it was. […]
Avoiding the Third Degree Syndrome in Marketing
When you last wrote a flyer or a webpage, or when you last read one, what was the first bit of text on it, after the headline? I’m willing to bet you beads to bogarts that it was a series of questions. Like this list I just saw on a website I randomly picked off […]