The Lowdown
The Case for Conversational Writing
Plausible deniability. It would be a great name for a comic book villain. It's also an elegant way to describe ducking nefarious knowledge (although Ducking Nefarious Knowledge could be Plausible Deniability’s evil mentor — imagine a large D on a shield hanging behind...
Flawed Criticism: Ignore these Words
The reluctance to tell your brand story — the sometimes very personal reason you do what you do — is understandable.There are harsh critics out there. And there are imaginary critics in your head. But some of their words can be safely ignored.“This is terrible.”“Who...
Claim Your Call to Action
A well-known writer and blogger with a sizeable following starts an online community.Smart, creative, engaged people join in healthy numbers, but the conversation quickly fizzles out. A community member asks the group about ways to get people talking, or even better,...
Two Minutes to Delight or Disappoint
A small thing can make a big difference in the eyes of a customer. The smallest exchange can be a delight or a disappointment.It was 15 minutes before the show closed. I was looking for a specific potter, to replace a mug that got broken months ago — only a week after...
What’s Your Something?
Shouting and tired jargon need not apply.Communicating what sets your business apart — so your customers know they're in the right place — can feel pretty uncomfortable if you're not used to doing it.The old expression “unique selling proposition” might put the...
Stop Undercharging: Tell Yourself a Better Story
Something that comes up every time I teach a workshop is the issue of pricing. At least one person expresses the concern they can’t price their work to make a decent profit, or worse, that friends and sometimes colleagues encourage them to set low prices "because you...