Categories
Marketing

Why Hemingway Beats Hype Marketing – The Mention Blog

This blog post is a good reminder hype marketing doesn’t work. You may hook someone once, but you lose their trust in the end. It is better to underpromise and overdeliver than to make outlandish claims.

Hype marketing doesn’t work anymore, so you can stop writing your clickbait headlines now. Instead, take inspiration from Hemingway’s style.

Source: Why Hemingway Beats Hype Marketing – The Mention Blog

Categories
morning people motivation

Keep getting back up

If there is one thing I’ve learned from searching for work in Arizona, and now Ohio, it’s this: Get up every day.

That may sound too simple, but I’ve seen so many people trip over this truth. When you don’t have a job to go to, and you aren’t freelancing, it can be tempting to sleep in or decide it’s too much work to leave the house. Push back on that temptation! Get up early and get out the door!

I am thankful I’ve had the chance to ride with my wife each morning. It has been so important for me to keep the morning ritual going. I get so much done when I start the day the same time each day.

This has allowed me to get some writing done, search for the next great opportunity and set up networking appointments. It has also allowed me to do volunteer work for the church she serves. So if you are in a transition, don’t let bad habits. Get up early, rise consistently, and let’s get some work done!

 

Categories
church cartoons webcomic

The great church seating controversy

cartoon of a big man talking to an intimidated, seated man. He says, "Welcome to First Church. Now get out of my seat!"

It has always fascinated me how good people can get caught up in petty things like saving their seat at church. In extreme cases, it can even lead to violence like this example.

At one of the churches I attended, there was a legend about an elderly lady that would hiss at people if they were in her seat. One Sunday, a friend’s family was about to sit nearby. The dear old sister looked up, then commented, “It’s okay if you sit there. It’s Brother So and So’s seat, but he passed away this week.”

It runs contradictory to what Jesus himself taught:

“But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.” Luke 14:10 NIV

So you can have my seat. But I can’t guarantee a dear old sister won’t hiss at you.

I created this cartoon for the September 2016 CHOGNews.

Categories
Attitude

Took a risk, no regrets

Last year, my wife and I took one of the biggest risks of our lives. We moved away from everything and everyone we knew to do what we were called to do. I resigned from a steady job where I had a recent promotion to join my wife in this new adventure. Like the legend of Hérnando Cortéz, we burned our ships didn’t look back and headed for Arizona.

It didn’t work out the way we had hoped. I thought I could immediately land a new job right away. It took eight months. My father-in-law was gravely ill and eventually passed away. This caused us to make many trips back to the Midwest. A five-year commitment was cut to one year.

Yet, we have no regrets. In fact, I am glad we took a risk. It taught me a few things I never expected. 

Categories
Social Media

Social media makes us all brand marketers

You see it each time you log into Facebook. Friends post their vacation photos. Parents brag on their kids. Grandparents express admiration about their grandkid’s accomplishments. It looks like everyone else is having a wonderful life while you’re stuck at home scooping out the litter box and trying to keep your toddler from tossing your iPhone in the potty.

You don’t think about it, but you do the same as everyone else. You post the best of your experiences and glow about the love you have for your teen. You don’t mention the fight the two of you have the other night because he refused to take his coat to school. Nor do you mention his atrocious calculus grade (at least you shouldn’t).