Distillations

I learned to appreciate the priority of proofing and editing my work the hard way: by making a careless error in a popular local newspaper. Dot Barrett seems like an easy enough name to remember, but thanks to my carelessness her name ran as “Dott...
A popular refrain goes, “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.” The saying is as true in life as it is in business. The statement is also true for content strategy, for it is talked about more often than it’s used effectively. Everyone...
In college, I studied Disruptive Innovation, the theory pioneered by legendary Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen to describe how new entrants to a sector initially thrive to meet the under-served parts of the market but quickly move upstream upon gaining traction. When they move...
Last year, I visited a small tackle retailer in Branson, Mo., near Table Rock Lake. Though it was spring and the fish were biting, this was a business trip. I was there to find out how his 1,200-square-foot store was able to weather the onslaught...
A 10x content experience refers to the entirety of the experience your brand creates and shares online and offline with prospects and customers. While 10x content points to information and messaging that is the best of its class, a 10X content experience means every interaction...
Who needs a beginner’s guide to public speaking? The ability to effectively and succinctly communicate an idea is a moat for any marketer or small business owner. What’s more, becoming an effective public speaker enhances the profile and appeal of your brand, creates awareness for...
[updated 03-31-2023] Most brands’ content marketing fails because it lacks adherence to solutions ideally suited to their businesses.  That is, they’re trying to execute a strategy that’s not optimized for the content marketing success they hope to enjoy. Simply put, their strategy is neither well...
  As a digital marketer, brand strategist, writer, and editor for more than a 15 years, I’m not used to being stumped by a question. But there it was, a high and tight fastball careening my way, courtesy of a coworker. “Do all small businesses need...
In a few short days, a content-first web design project I’ve overseen for months will be completed and I will be a happy man. Not because it was daunting, mind you. It was challenging, yes, but what made it worthwhile was having a great team...
Content should be an asset for your brand, not a chore. However, to make it work for your business, you must realize that content is everything. It’s also all-important, meaning that it helps to fuel all areas of your business, from sales and marketing to...