Author Archive
Come to Coburg!
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Here’s that case study I promised.
It’s a medical clinic that has everything going for it.
Yet they can’t get a single full-time general practitioner (GP) doctor to join them.
They’ve run press ads till they’re blue in the face, with zero effect.
That’s why I won’t write them another one.
So what [...]
How to do yourself out of a thousand bucks
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Greater love hath no man.
Last month, two prospects offered to pay me for stuff they didn’t need.
I talked them both out of it.
Am I crazy?
Let’s see.
What you ordered, not what you wanted
Have you ever demanded a particular restaurant meal?
The waiter advised against it, but you pushed on [...]
Cause and Effect
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I’m a mercenary bastard.
I support charities, but chiefly to avert unpleasant dentist experiences.
I’ve supported everyone from The Big Issue to Greenpeace, but only fleetingly, haltingly and superficially.
I’ve read a hundred times that true happiness comes from serving others.
It can also be rather good for business and branding.
So why [...]
A Fool & His Money (Part 3)
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Parts 1 and 2 have brought us to this stage of my better-bank-deal quest.
Thank you so much for reading and responding!
Today the plot finally crystallises.
Bert
As Sheryl the Specialised Case Manager presaged, Bert the Bank Manager and I had ‘fruitful conversations’ (via email).
Alas, the fruit was small, hard and [...]
A Fool & His Money (Part 2)
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Thank you for reading Part 1. (If you haven’t, here it is.)
So there I was, clutching my mouse mat with anticipation of my bank’s direct message (DM).
Sure enough, it came through, requesting my contact number.
I replied that, since all prior phone conversations had failed, I’d rather communicate by [...]
A Fool & His Money (Part 1)
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I’ve been reading with increasing frequency that it’s a fabulous time to negotiate a better interest rate with your lender.
In a world first, Choice has gone one step further by grouping borrowers for a better deal.
Their target was 1000 people prepared to look at switching loans.
In the first [...]
Pet Pals
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We’ve spoken about children at work, and the effects of family illness.
How about critters?
What role (if any) do pets have in business?
Free Range
I figure there are three schools of thought:
Corporate environments in which the prospect of pets is laughable.
Home / small offices that consider critters de rigueur.
Places in [...]
Paper Bag Bandits
Did you hear about the rather lucrative printer cartridge deal?
The highlight for me was the public servant who:
‘… bought enough black toner cartridges to supply the government department for 40 years — despite toner cartridges expiring after two years.’
As my taxes paid this person’s salary, I felt encouraged by her initiative and commitment.
Then I wondered [...]
Paper Runs
I must get a proper NO JUNK MAIL sign.
Each time my home-made one falls off, I have a Brazil moment.
Someone, somewhere, must benefit from this bumf.
But who?!
Client companies?
Ad agencies?
Graphic designers?
Printers?
Paper mills?
Plantation foresters?
Walkers?
Dogs?
Customers?
Australia Post?
Certainly not me. How about you?
Do you like receiving unsolicited print advertising?
Is (or was) it part of your business marketing mix?
Captive Audience
Keep Australia [...]
Making Stuff Up
We’ve seen how business strap lines can become part of mainstream culture.
How about words?
Hoover, Xerox and Google all went from brand names to generic English terms.
Can we give our brands a similar boost?
Word Up
In almost every book he writes, Seth Godin either invents or takes control of another term, from permission marketing to purple cow [...]
