emotions
56 posts
Something To Lose
The solitary guy who sets up shop in his garage or carves out a space at the local cafe to use as an office has nothing to lose. He can tell his friends that he’s following his passion, that it might not work but he’s giving it a go anyway. Not so easy to be…
The Glory Or Generosity?
The performer exited stage left, applause ringing in his ears. Relief and joy flooded through him as he grabbed a sandwich outside the greenroom. The stagehand waiting in the wings congratulated him on giving a great performance. He didn’t stop or turn to face her as he stuffed the sandwich into his
Who Is It For?
They’ve put a beautiful Christmas tree in the foyer of our local leisure centre. It stands almost three metres tall, complete with the usual baubles and wrapped presents underneath. The tree would be perfect if it wasn’t for the temporary barrier that surrounds it on four sides, (you know the kind,
The Art Of Giving People What They Really Want
The group fitness instructor at our local gym is exceptionally good at giving people what they really want. During a tough early morning Pump® session he doesn’t talk about resting heart rate or thermogenisis. Duane punctuates those last thirty seconds of effort by telling us that this is how we’ll
Why I Stopped Working For Coffee And 12 Reasons Why You Should Too
Are there still days when people ask to “pick your brain” and offer to buy you a cup of coffee? It’s tempting to take people up on those offers and flattering that they think you’ve got something valuable to contribute. I know. I’ve been there, done that and got the t-shirt. I understand the allure…
The World Is Calling You. Be Ready
Giving A Damn Is Seriously Underrated
My boys had a sick rat last week. At the vet’s she was weighed and had her chest listened to. The vet sent her home with an antibiotic and instructions. If she didn’t get better very quickly the outlook wasn’t good. At ten the following morning I got a call from the vet nurse. She…
What If Post-it Told A Different Story?
Everyone knows what Post-its do. You know they come in every colour, all sorts of shapes and sizes, easy peel and super sticky. And yet Post-it keeps telling you that stuff in its marketing. They tell you the things you already know about features and benefits. Stories that don’t mean much, that any
The Apple Store, Belonging And Love
What’s the one thing you never find at an Apple Store? That thing you probably found in your hotel room when you checked in. The poorly expressed intention to customers, that guarantees they will never come back. Oh, and it’s most likely laminated and taped up in several places. Ah yes….. a list of
You Are Whoever You Believe You Are
While working with people on crafting stories about their brands, businesses, products and services I’ve stumbled across this under-acknowledged fact. Yes it is a fact, with a capital ‘F’ not simply a theory. You are whoever you believe you are Some of the most important stories you tell are the one
How To Tell A Good Business Story
Start with the truth. Identify the worldview of the people you need to reach. Describe the truth through their worldview. ~ Seth Godin What picture are you painting of your business? Are you trying too hard to sound more professional, bigger, slick, more polished than the competition? Is your story
If : A Love Note To Entrepreneurs
If you’re doing your best work. If you touched one person. If it makes a difference to a handful. If you’re building a legacy, not just an empire. If your values are front and centre. If you’re launching ideas from the heart. If you understand why you’re doing this. If it doesn’t have to matter…
Why Learning To Say No Matters
When you started out you were so glad to get email enquiries, calls and visitors. Getting people through the door, even a virtual one was the best feeling! Someone was interested in what you were doing. Your idea wasn’t going to flop, your services were needed and more importantly wanted. You weren’
The One Thing To Remember About Website Traffic
It wasn’t going to be cheap, but Anna figured that she’d outsource all of her online marketing to a company who knew what they were doing. She’d spent the past two years working really hard to build her service business offline, and was hugely successful at converting customers face to face. Now in
The Idea Validation Roller Coaster
“There’s a difference between achieving your goals and realising your work matters.” Seth Godin Yesterday was a good day! You logged on first thing and found you’d sold a dozen eBooks overnight. You had five email queries about your latest online program and ten enrollments…..not bad. Your blog post
How Does Your Business Sound?
“To handle a language skillfully is to practice a kind of evocative sorcery.” Charles Baudelaire Have you ever thought about what makes a good brand name? Is your business name evocative or interesting, fun or maybe just a bit boring? Some of the best brand names evoke emotions and memories, eliciti
