Here’s How My Team Actually Uses AI
We talk about artificial intelligence like it’s something mysterious and monumental.Something out there. Something looming.But in my day-to-day work—helping family-run companies untangle their “random acts of marketing”—AI isn’t some magical oracle....
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Is AI Revving or Driving Marketing?
You’d never just toss your kid the car keys and say, “Figure it out. The car is too powerful. The potential for mistakes is too great, and the consequences? Far too costly. Instead, you teach them, and you set them up for success. You start them off ...
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Your Site is Polished, but is it Persuasive?
A buyer pulls up your site and a competitor’s.They're so close to a decision.One of the sites answers all those lingering questions that come with a purchase.The other makes them dig.Is your site polished? Yes. Is it professional? Sure.But guess who ...
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You Can't Feel Profit
It’s a never-ending, ever-exhausting pursuit. You diligently chase numbers: revenue, profit margins, and ROI for good reason. But you can't feel profit. You can see it on a spreadsheet. You can deposit it in the bank. But that deep, intrinsic satisfa...
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Vacation Mai Tais vs Office Calls
Two weeks. When David Whitwell* asked the question, “Can you go on vacation for two weeks uninterrupted?” I was struck. Because at that moment, for me and Bright Orange Thread, the honest answer was a resounding no....
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“Good” Is Overrated
You don’t want just good for your business. You want great. You want to keep those fires from starting and derailing your day. I’m not talking about perfection in every aspect of your day. I’m talking about actively working toward less friction among...
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You're NOT Uber. Good.
Uber, Airbnb, Apple. These are the companies that seem to be everyone’s go-to inspiration for strategy. Great companies, absolutely. Revolutionary, even. But here’s the thing: you aren’t Apple, and you can’t be like Uber. No, this isn’t an insult....
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Lead with the puppy. Sell the hamster.
When your 8-year-old begs for a puppy, all you can see is the potty training, the cleanup, the chewing. “What if we got a hamster?” Classic anchoring. The puppy was never the ask. The hamster was....
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Hard Sells Easy
If you make the alternative look exhausting… The service you provide is priceless. Like cleaning your trash cans. It sounds easy enough. But then you drag it into the yard, glove up, boil water, grab the hose, and start scrubbing. Then comes the smel...
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Answer to Your Tool Question: It Depends.
Someone once asked me what CRM they should use. Before I could even respond, they added: “We’re thinking Salesforce. That’s the standard, right?” I paused. Then, I gave my usual answer: “It depends. Tell me more.”...
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