It’s just this.
It’s just that.
Using “just” when you write or speak does your subject no justice.
Category Archives: Business
Where we rowing?
Everyone has advice:
- How to get more subscribers.
- How to get more dates.
- How to get more Facebook likes.
- How to avoid gluten.
- How to upsell.
- How to manage people.
- How to scale a business.
- How to launch a product.
That’s all fine and good. But that’s all just tactics.
Figure out where you’re taking the boat. Then, and only then, take advice on how to get there.
Mr. Fix-it, Mr. Break-it
Consultants fix things. They’ll fix broken models, slow traffic and inventory shrinkage. Find your consultant, and they’ll fix it.
Entrepreneurs break things. They bust models, cut off marketing and steal inventory. Find your entrepreneur, and they’ll break it.
Counterintuitively, fixing is so much easier than breaking.
Breaking shit takes guts.
The best people in the office
Some great organizations:
- The Daily Show.
- Rafflecopter.
- Lagunitas Brewing Company.
- Life is NOYOKE.
- The Northbrook Illinois Mainstream Boutique.
What do these great organizations have in common? They all welcome dogs to the office.
Yes, these great organizations are great on their own. But would they have become as great without dogs in the office?
Maybe.
But according to a study that confirms the obvious, there are many benefits to having dogs in the office.
So who’s the next great organization? There are plenty of eager employees and wagging dogs ready to join the team.
P.S. Links above to listed organizations are very dog friendly.
Talk
Down to someone, and they might not listen.
Up to someone, and they might not listen.
Straight ahead with someone?
That’s what I’m talking about.
To a friend, from a friend
Emails everybody likes getting:
- Updates on what’s new.
- Upcoming events I’m invited to.
- Interesting links that distract me or teach me something.
Friends send these types of emails.
You open them. And you hardly ever unsubscribe.
So why not think of your email list exactly the same way?
It’s how I think of mine.
Be who you are, small businesses
If your business is:
- Local, be local.
- Small, be small.
- Young, be young.
For example, a Chicago-based retailer should be an authority on Chicago trends. A five-person team should show themselves off on their website. A one-man startup should use “I”, not “we.”
Be who you are.
You’ll attract people who like you for who you are and for who you are not.
An alternative to also
Making two points in an email is easy.
- Here’s point 1.
- Here’s point 2.
Also, this is the best way to make two points. Because if you have an “also”, you actually have a second point. Except “also’s” get lost. “Also’s” get ignored. “Also’s” are an after-thought.
See?
So excited to follow up
Following up shouldn’t be a chore. Or scripted. Or forced.
If you don’t want to write it, they don’t want to read it.
The opposite holds true, too.
How to be, naturally
How do you act? When you know everyone’s watching.
How do you write? When you know everybody’s listening.
What do you say? When you know everybody’s listening.
The answer is the same for all.
The same.