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1. Lists are easy to read. 2. Lists are easy to write. 3. Lists are fun to write. 4. Lists are easier to memorize. 5. Lists are efficient ways to transfer value. 6. Lists force you to clarify your thoughts. 7. Lists beget shorter sentences, which get read FIRST. 8. Lists allow us to easily put information which belongs together in one place. 9. Lists give people who don’t…

(Read part one of this series here!) Vincent Van Gough took ONE art class during his entire life. The rest was self-taught. Pretty shocking, huh? Similarly, many notable innovators have agreed that lessons weren’t critical to the successful execution of their ideas. Take Edison, for example. He went to school for only three months. His teacher thought he couldn’t learn because he had a mental problem! From that day…

(For part one in this series, click here!) 1. First of all. Never “read” any book. Study it. 2. Value. A book is an investment in yourself. It’s yours. So, don’t lend it out to ANYBODY. Not even your mom. 3. Personalize. Write, highlight, annotate and mark up that book like you were studying for med school finals. When you personalize a book, it becomes priceless. Even if it’s…

The secret to writing is to addict yourself to it. Now, I admit: there’s nothing more terrifying than facing a blank page. Even Shakespeare and Steven King would agree to that! But, if you can get yourself addicted to writing, writer’s block will become an impossibility. See, I’ve been writing professionally now for about five years. And while that doesn’t mean I’ve discovered all of the secrets, I HAVE…

The most common piece of criticism I receive is: “Scott, wearing a nametag is not a unique idea. I could have done that!” And I always respond with the same two comments. Number one: You know what? You’re right: you probably COULD have done that. But you didn’t. And number two: You know what? You’re (also) right: wearing a nametag is not a unique idea. But if you think…

“Hey Scott, why do you choose to wear the simple, hand-written, first-name-only nametags? Why not get something more customized and permanent?” Well, I guess it HAS been a while since I riffed on nametags. Over the years I’ve been asked this question SO many times that I have several answers: 1. It’s pure, human and friendly. And most importantly, it’s simple. Not to mention, you’re immediately on a first…

(Read the first post in this series here!) Being an entrepreneur can be a LONELY profession. Especially if you work out of your home. After all… You have no office. You have no coworkers. You have no sense of community. And sometimes, it just sucks! SO, THAT’S THE CHALLENGE: learning how to protect yourself against potential solitude. Here’s a collection of tips to help convince yourself that you actually…

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…

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…

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…