You’re probably tired of hard sells, big launches and links to all sorts of promotions. I don’t blame you. I get tired of it too sometimes. That’s why I’ve always taken a stance of quiet marketing. We have a reputation for soft launches, and we don’t push sales pitches down your throats. The feedback’s been good – we’ve had many people email us to say they appreciate this strategy. They know we won’t annoy them and that when we do speak up, it’s worth paying attention. But quiet marketing can bite you in the ass.
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Why You Should Write When Life Sucks
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When Ali Hale sends me a post, I know it’s going to be good. And this one – on what to do about writing when life sucks – hits the target. Feel free to let us know in the comment section what you’ve done with those “life sucks” moments and how you can use them to create emotional content that packs a punch. This isn’t news to you: sometimes life sucks. Maybe a bunch of things have gone wrong. Family issues. Financial hiccups. Teenage dramas. A business downturn. Perhaps you’ve lost some of your usual
> Read MoreWebsite Evaluation Special Report: Kidorable
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We do quite a few website critique reports here at Men with Pens. People with existing sites often want to know what changes they could make to improve sales or conversion rates, so they come to us for eagle-eye expertise, an objective opinion and a drive-by website critique that covers everything, head to toe. Speaking of covering everything head to toe… today is a special report website critique for Kidorable, an acclaimed kids’ clothing and accessories company dressing little kids up right. Kidorable came to us asking what they could do to improve their site
> Read More168 Hours: Why You Should be Writing Your Holiday Letter Today
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Last week, I wrote about how you have more time than you think to do more meaningful activities than you are now, and I even gave you tips to start reclaiming just five out of every 168 hours so you could start living a life you love. Today, I’m giving up my Monday spot in honour of Laura Vanderkem, the author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. She graciously accepted to write a post just for you, dear readers, so be nice. Oh, and don’t worry; it’s a special exception –
> Read MoreThe Worst Mistake a Writer Can Make
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Author’s note: I wrote this post while picturing James Chartrand leaning forward, squinting into a computer, wondering when all the aches and pains would go away. As always, I swooped in to rescue someone who probably doesn’t want my help. Editor’s note: At the moment of reading this post, I was actually sitting casually (meaning, slumped, not straight), leaning to the left with my elbow propped on the chair, my shoulders forward, and my head tilted. It doesn’t sound comfy… I swear it was. There is no off switch to adaptation. Our bodies are pretty
> Read More168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think
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We tend to think about life in 24 hours. Most freelancers complain about needing 40 hours just to get everything done. But imagine all the things you could do if someone handed you 168 hours to spend however you pleased? Go ahead. Take a minute to think about that. A whole 168 hours… what would you do? Want to know a little secret? You have that 168 hours – everyone does. When I picked up a copy of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam, I did so because a
> Read More5 Sneaky Ways to Find Out What Customers Really Want… Without Asking Them
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Joshua Black has long stood out in our comment section here at Men with Pens – I admire his firm tone, his thought-provoking suggestions and his dead-on comments that show plenty of marketing brains. (His avatar also shows off a nice pair of shades, but that’s a different story.) Enjoy Joshua’s post – and put his ideas to good use! “If I asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said -a faster horse.” – Henry Ford You can’t swing a dead cat these past few years without hearing that the customer is king
> Read MoreWhat to Do When You Feel Like You Can’t Catch Up
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Do you ever feel like you can’t catch up to what everyone else is doing? Do you feel worried that you don’t have enough time and that opportunities are passing you by? The internet moves at the speed of light, and just as you start to work on your new ebook… you find out that ebooks are out. Oh, okay. Well, a membership forum then. That’ll work. Too late. Passé. Hm. Okay, a course would be alright. How about a course? Except you look up and see everyone clamouring away about their course and you
> Read MoreHow to Take the Next Step in Your Freelance Career
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When someone I don’t know emails me out of the blue and hands me a guest post, I’m usually a little skeptical. (There’s truth in the experts’ advice of building relationships and trust first.) But when I took a look at Justin’s post – and the quality of his writing – I fired back a reply. “Win.” You see, there’s a whole world out there beyond our screens, and we often forget about it. Justin’s post will remind you of the potential that’s right outside your door. More clients, more exposure, more credibility… go for
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