Blog
How far do your thoughts travel?
Edward DeBono once said, “The measure of a great thinker is how far his thoughts travel.” I call this “Idea Reach.” And if you’re a creative professional, thought leader or entrepreneur, know this: The farther your ideas go, the more your business will grow. Now, if you want to figure out how far YOUR thoughts travel, the first thing you’ve got to do is take stock. Consider these self-assessment…
Hear The Nametag Guy on the Marketing Monday Podcast!
Just finished an interview with my new friend, Dean Jackson, from Marketing Monday. We had great discussion about one of my favorite topics, PERMISSION. In sales. In marketing. In conversation. You can read the transcript or download the MP3! Enjoy! LET ME ASK YA THIS… What’s your best Marketing Monday tip? LET ME SUGGEST THIS… Post it here! * * * * Scott Ginsberg That Guy with the Nametag…
Things I Don’t Understand, Pt. 2
PICTURE THIS: you get an email from someone you’ve never met. Let’s say his name is Matt. He’s read your blog. He introduces himself. He tells you what he does for a living. Then he asks you to check out his website (if you have time). Perfectly fine, right? Nothing wrong with reaching out to someone new! But. THEN, let’s say Matt asks, “Could you please blog about my…
Create a portable creative environment
Inspiration comes unannounced. And if you don’t write it down, it never happened. SO, HERE’S THE SECRET: create a portable creative environment. My new favorite creativity Big Shot is Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. (Try saying THAT one three times fast!) Anyway, he says, “Shape your immediate surroundings so as to feel in harmony with the small segment of the universe in which you happen to be located.” So, if you’re a…
13 reasons to give stuff away for free
1. Because the more you give away for free, the wealthier you will be. Read more about this theory here. 2. Because stuff that you create doesn’t do you any good sitting in a folder on your computer. 3. Because you can let the world be your editor. By sharing your ideas (for free) with lots of people, you will get unexpected, unsolicited feedback on how to improve it….
Who are you creating art for?
Some artists create art for fame. Some artists create art for money. Some artists create art for awards. Some artists create art for getting laid. Some artists create art for recognition from critics. Some artists create art for recognition from other artists. Some artists create art for people who don’t appreciate it. Some artists create art for the needs and wants of a certain target market. Here’s what I…
A few things I don’t believe in…
I don’t believe in MARKETING. Sure, I do a lot of stuff that might be considered marketing: blogging, ezines, publicity and articles. But to me, that’s not marketing. That’s storytelling. That’s sharing expertise with fans. That’s positioning yourse as a resource. That’s consistently and uniquely sticking yourself out there. I don’t believe in BRANDING. Sure, I do a lot of stuff that might be considered branding: answering the phone…
35 cultural trends that (should) change the way you do business
1. The Paradox of Choice. There are more choices than ever before – approaching infinite. So, people are just going to pick the best choice. Often times, it’s the first choice. Are you at the top of the list? 2. Time isn’t on your side. There are more thieves of time, attention and mental energy than ever before. You’re not the only important thing in your customers’ lives. THINK…
Who pissed YOU off?
A common thread shared by most successful entrepreneurs and innovators is that they all were, at some point in time, pissed off. Pissed off at someone. Pissed off at something. Not willing to accept the status quo. Always willing to abandon popular delusions. Dissatisfied with what they saw around them. Happy to invest the time, energy and money in finding a better way. I think Tom Peters said it…
Detach from outcomes
When you’re writing… When you’re creating art… When you’re brainstorming… REMEMBER THREE WORDS: detach from outcomes. For five reasons: 1. When you detach from outcomes, you relax more. 2. When you detach from outcomes, you lower your guard. 3. When you detach from outcomes, you lower other people’s guards. 4. When you detach from outcomes, you produce better quality work. 5. When you detach from outcomes, you lower the…