The Bigger Issues
The Big Issue is a fabulous way for homeless and marginalised people to improve their health, well-being, social connection and self-worth.
This sterling initiative also offers valuable sales lessons to business people.
Two Cities
I live in a schizophrenic area.
Hip Street teems with bright, well-heeled young things in groovy restaurants.
Just a few blocks away, Mean Street is haunted [...]
eBay Learnings
A man dug up these trees and took them away in his truck.
He saved me 4 hours, 2 vertebrae and $140.
And he paid me!
I used to think eBay was just about car parts, beanie babies and signed Gilligan’s Island photos.
Lately, however, I’ve found business uses for this medium.
Some of these may help [...]
Carried Away
So I ditched the market and trekked to a well-known grocer in a well-heeled suburb.
The produce looked better and I was allowed to touch it.
Alas, the prices were very high.
Would I get over them?
Local Hero
The locals certainly seemed comfortable.
They thronged the aisles, pushing mini trolleys and chatting about school plays. Uniformed staff wove among them, [...]
Saddle Sore
On Tuesday, Seth posited that a local pizza parlour may not actually want my custom.
Later that day, I got the same signal from a push bike shop.
I’ve also sensed it lately in restaurants and bars.
Are vendors getting picky, or am I maturing into customer non grata?
The former seems crazy in a tight economy.
The latter almost [...]
Dishing Dirt
As with large wooden beads, most business owners can string a sentence.
Due to this, many don’t feel they need a professional writer to optimise their communications.
Now and then I get a reminder of my redundancy, like this striking missive from Dirt Cheap Pfoofer Valves* (DCPV):
Error Legend: [ ] Minor. [ ] Major. [ ] Fatal.
Hello Dear Customer
We [...]
Best Headline I’ve Seen
Remember how I unintentionally ‘mozzed’ my neighbour’s auction by invoking a thunderstorm? Well, I just got a letter with the best headline I’ve seen:
This isn’t the best headline you’ve seen, but it wasn’t written for you. It was written for me, by Andrew Crotty from Biggin Scott, who wants to sell my home. I am [...]
The Punter’s Ton
EXCITING NEWS FLASH!
A version of this post has just been published in Seth Godin’s Purple Cow New Edition (hardback). Check it out here.
I drove up in my hatchback and ordered 100 kg of wood. Tim* asked if I wanted a pre-weighed stack or… the Punter’s Ton. Of course I inquired what the Punter’s Ton was. [...]
