On my way home from dance last week, at the crosswalk on 5th Ave and 9th Street, I noticed a guy walking slowly in front of me. He was weaving a little as people do when they’re texting, except he was looking down at a piece of paper and then back up at the street […]
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The Curious Case Of The Cagey Waitress And Her Secret Steak
”Before we decide, I want to hear about the specials,” our friend JP said. He and his wife, Caroline, had been to this Brooklyn restaurant before and had wanted to come back, with us. Mostly because they liked it, but partly because JP felt ripped off that no one had mentioned any specials, and then he saw […]
KEEP READINGThe beauty of the non-niche niche
“You need a niche,” everyone screams. I get it. When you do one really specific thing for one really specific group, you’re more likely to be the only one. You get to be THE top expert who’s top of mind when someone says, “I need an online business strategist for gluten-free bakeries.” “I need an […]
KEEP READINGHow to know if your idea is a winner or a dud
I keep a stash of images to post on Instagram. Sometimes, I get low on supply and say, f- it. I’ll use this dumb picture I keep passing over because it’s meh. To me, it’s the peanuts and filberts at the bottom of the nut mix when all the cashews are gone. It’s the unflattering, […]
KEEP READINGHate Monday? Here’s how to tear it a new one.
“You teach people how to treat you.” You’ve heard that one, right? What if you could teach Mondays how to treat you, too? If you don’t like Monday, show it who’s boss. Tear it a new one. I don’t mean “Go get ’em tiger, be an unstoppable beast.” That’s great if you can do it on […]
KEEP READINGI Was A Domain Name Junkie (Or, business name indecision, dreams of riches, and that night I bought a URL named after a Little House On The Prairie episode)
I used to have a serious domain name addiction. Late at night was the most dangerous time. I’d get all these ideas that seemed better in the dark, when I was hopped up on my second bowl of Haagen Dazs Vanilla Bean. This was back in 2009 and 2010. My business was young. So was Facebook. […]
KEEP READINGThe best Power Pose for work.
You’ve heard about power posing, right? Using your body language to generate confidence, calm, or sharpness in your brain? The Wonder Woman pose is the one you hear about most.⠀I’m sure it’s great before speaking on stage. Or walking into a negotiation. (Because a quivering lip does not back up “It’s my way or the […]
KEEP READINGHow to be concise in your writing. (Because “Sorry for rambling” is BS.)
“How can I be more concise in my writing?” Everyone asks that. Usually, the first key to being more concise is…making an effort to be concise. Most people don’t try. They just decide, “I’m not a concise person.” That’s like deciding you’re a late person. Decide not to be. Look — ???? ???? ☢️ When someone […]
KEEP READINGHow to type new copy into any website (and freak out your friends)
Ever wish you could: Edit the existing copy on your website…without messing up the existing copy on your website? Change the tagline on one of the Internet’s most visited websites? Just for kicks? Get a more constructive, healthy hobby? Kidding. If you’re writing web or sales copy – your own or anyone else’s – nothing could be smarter […]
KEEP READINGHow not to write like a 90s business robot that had a baby with a college professor
Fact: Good copywriting is always conversational copywriting. So, the first test of good copy is: Does it sound like something you’d say to a friend? Here’s the deal — most people still confuse “professional” with “formal and corporate.” Truth is, conversational is the new professional. Stiff and stodgy feels as dated as a smooth jazz cover of […]
KEEP READINGThe #1 saddest use of website real estate
✏️#copywritingtip: You’ve got that big, beautiful header and that’s what you’re going to put in it? “Welcome to my website”? ⠀ Or even, “WELCOME. WE’RE SO GLAD YOU’RE HERE.”⠀ ⠀ First of all, we know it’s a website. It’s not 1994 where we’re like, “Oooh, this is part of the Internet. It’s interactive!” ⠀ ⠀ […]
KEEP READINGHow to be famous
Last year, I attended a fantastic event in Florida called Heroic Public Speaking Live. Or, as I now call it, “HPS Live.” That’s insider lingo. At 8:25am on the first day, I met a woman named Brenda Barbosa. She’d lined up right behind me to register, in the “last names A-D” line. Brenda knew that […]
KEEP READINGWayback Wednesday: I Worked In A Fecal Punk Rock Bar (Or, How To Avoid Having A Business That’s Not Your Scene)
25 years ago, a fucking quarter century, I was working in a bar downtown. East Village. I didn’t even know where I was, except how to get there from the subway. On my way, I walked past the Palladium and a bunch of junkies. It was winter, so I wore my black wool coat there. […]
KEEP READINGWriting resolutions I want to start right now
Writing resolutions I want to start right now: Write every day. Write shorter copy. Write shorter sentences. Trim the fat, even if I’m in love with the fat. I meant that figuratively, but I do love fat. I’ve fork-stabbed my own husband over a piece of chicken skin. Stop using so many parentheses (though I might […]
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