I failed. Big fat F. But I’m giving myself a redo. I’m the teacher. I get to make that call. Actually, for growing my business as a content marketing consultant, I’ll give myself a passing grade. It’s going well, but new (and tough) tests keep coming. I don’t ace ‘em all. I have a…
Let’s talk about you. You’re a brand. Do you know how to develop your personal brand? As an online marketing consultant and writer, I found myself answering a ton of questions about building and developing a personal brand. So I did a lot of reading on the subject as well as reflecting on many…
I believe the most common content marketing question I field is: Barry, how do I make exciting content about (insert dull product category here)? On one hand, it’s a good question in that the marketer asking it knows dull content is deadly. But it’s a bad question too. Why? Because it’s the wrong question. The…
I must have been in my mid to late 30s when one Thanksgiving afternoon my sister-in-law, Teresa, asked “Where is the cranberry sauce?” I explained cranberry sauce is a weird and unnecessary thing to put on turkey. Teresa, who somehow got the nickname “Bird,” wasn’t having any of that. She insisted we bike around…
Stabbing Mediocrity to Death from Barry Feldman It’s easy to make a pledge to cut through the clutter. To be bold. Provocative. Memorable. It’s another thing to actually do it. Many writers have the chops. Many clients claim to need these writers and go looking for those with war paint on their faces. With fire…
Earlier this year, Google announced it’d be pulling the plug on Google Reader, their RSS app, and then did. Feed fanatics the world over were pissed. Not me. I said, “Nice to know you.” Yes, I used the thing. When I found a blog I dug, I subscribed to the feed. Then I found it…
“Gonna’ tell you a story that you won’t believe, but I fell in love last Friday evenin’ with a girl I saw on a barroom T.V. screen” ~ Jim Croce, “Roller Derby Queen” I suspect you’ve heard this before: people seldom remember what you said, but will remember how you made them feel. Enter the…
Combine “web” with “log” and you get “blog.” It’s a funny word, but serious business. Of course, there are millions of blogs that aren’t about business. Music, fashion, travel, food and beauty top the long list (according to this research). This post isn’t about them. This post is about blogging for business—with a purpose. We…
Damn man. That’s kind of a sweet headline. It’s on topic, spells out a benefit, and has potentially two keyword phrases that might just rock the search Gods. Damn ma’am. That headline bites. This is supposed to be an article about the joy of funny headlines and this one’s 100% yuck-free. Ain’t life ironic? I…
Shame on me. Why am I so hell-bent on writing about the mistakes marketers make? Good question. Why do teachers mark-up essays with red pens? Why do they give exams? Why do athletes review the “film” of their performances? Why do speakers practice their delivery by videotaping themselves? Why do the best of the best…