The Old Man and The Pen

By Robert Bruce

"You can outlast the other guys if you try." – Seth Godin

This is a simple story about the life of a particular writer, and how he ignored the one thing about his craft that would have given him everything he truly wanted …

A young man in his late twenties decided to become a writer.

At the beginning of the pursuit of his craft, he sought out all the writing advice he could find. He attended writing workshops, went to many parties of a literary nature, drove far into the woods seeking the wisdom of writing retreats, and read countless books on writing by countless other writers.

After several years of this, he began …read more      

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How to Create a Killer SEO Plan for 2017

By Neil Patel

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2017 is here! I get excited with the changing of each year because it always presents new opportunities and new ways to improve both in marketing and in life in general.

It also gives me motivation to make any adjustments I need to be a better marketer.

Of all the forms of online marketing, I think SEO is the most dynamic.

That’s simply because the state of SEO is ultimately in the hands of Google that’s perpetually tweaking and improving its algorithm for optimal user experience.

This means plenty of potential for those who stay on top of things and continually rethink their game …read more      

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How to Know Exactly What Content to Deliver to Convert More Prospects

By Brian Clark

“Whether you're consciously telling a story or not, prospects are telling themselves a story about you.” – Brian Clark

Back in the 1940s, psychologists Fritz Heider and Marianne Simmel conducted an experiment. They showed study participants an animated film consisting of a rectangle with an opening, plus a circle and two triangles in motion.

The participants were then asked to simply describe what they saw in the film. Before you keep reading, take a look at it yourself. I’ll be here when you come back.

So, what did you see? Out of all the study participants, only one responded with “a rectangle with an opening, plus a circle and two triangles in motion.” The rest developed elaborate stories about …read more      

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How to Make Your Content Marketing Impossible for Competitors to Copy

By Neil Patel

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The more advancements in digital marketing we make and the more information on how to spy on competitors we share, the more those things are being adopted in various industries around the world.

That means you’re more likely to be the target of a spying competitor.

It’s all fun and games until they start using the same tactics to replicate the work you’ve been doing.

Sometimes, competitors will piggyback on your hard work to steal market share and customers.

When you’ve got a direct competitor shadowing your content marketing strategy, social engagement, and audience outreach, it’s enough to inspire vengeance and make you lose …read more      

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Put *Them* First to Win Big

By Sonia Simone

Put Them First to Win Big

Last week, we talked about how to really understand who is in your audience.

This week, we’re shifting into what kind of message they want and need from you. Brian kicked off on Monday with a piece of classic marketing advice (exemplified by a classic American comic film):

It’s not enough to just know your audience. You also need to put their interests and desires ahead of your own.

That might sound impossibly idealistic — but in fact, it’s pure pragmatism.

On Tuesday, Beth Hayden gave some specific thoughts on how to do it, by creating extraordinarily generous content …read more      

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