Let me tell you a story. When Mark (pictured above, juggling pineapples) was 21 he went on a big adventure. He travelled the world for two years, getting lost in the rich colours, sounds and smells of Asia, Australasia and the Caribbean. He returned with vivid memories of remote villages, expansive beaches and magical moments… Read more
Delegate your story to people who tell it better
One of the best ways to explain why your business is valuable is to get someone else to do it for you. Someone who can do it better than you. They’re not necessarily a better communicator than you, but they will have the edge over you because of who they are. That someone is your… Read more
Be understood the first time. Use DIY.
This is not about losing yourself amongst the aisles of B&Q and Homebase. (Oh, the horror.) This is about using drawings to make your message clearly understood and memorable, the first time round. That’s what I said. The first time round. Imagine never having to repeat yourself because your colleagues or your clients get… Read more
How to find new angles to your story – and get new clients.
Yes, your prospects are busy. So how do you get their attention? One way is to keep writing content. Even if they’re too busy to look at your first 3 blog posts, they might have 5 minutes for the fourth. Another way is to find different angles to the issue you’re tackling. One of them… Read more
Do words fail your business? Let me help.
I use the word ‘interview’ a lot to describe what I do. But I wish I didn’t. I wish someone could come up with a new word because ‘interview’ is so loaded. Do you have a similar problem? Mention your profession – accountant, builder, coach – and you see your networking companion glaze over. Or… Read more
Get those clients – but get your thoughts together first. Pick My Brain.
We live in a world where, if you run your own business, you are expected to be out there. A website and LinkedIn profile are bare minimums. After that, there’s your blog/vlog/YouTube channel/Twitter feed… I could go on, but I won’t. For any of these things to work, you have to be clear in your… Read more
When you stop speaking, how much will your audience remember?
Even in the age of cyber marketing, doing the occasional event – a presentation, speech, workshop – in front of an audience of real human beings, is a good way to promote you and your work. But it has to be worth all the effort – the thinking time, the rehearsal and the nerves. You… Read more
Be a knock-out success with your audience. (When being weak is a strength.)
Does anyone have a question? It’s a question speakers routinely ask at the end of any session. In my experience, it kills the conversation. An irony, because it’s designed to do the opposite. And I understand that. When I go to conferences, I never want to speak up first. It takes me back to the… Read more
Which comes first, the dosh or the desire – and why does it matter?
Looking ahead to The Brighton Summit 2016. When I was a happy wage slave at the BBC, I used to think that everyone else on the outside – in the commercial world – was just in it for the money. Headlines about corporate fat cats didn’t help. But when I set up my own business,… Read more
Write memorable content, with help from your childhood holiday.
Taking a beach holiday this summer? It could teach you something about writing vivid and memorable content. Whenever I go near a beach, it short-circuits to my childhood. Why? Because it triggers memories from all 5 senses: Touch: the comforting feeling of warm sand; the uncomfortable feeling of bobbly pebbles. Sound: seagulls clamouring; children shrieking;… Read more
