Category: Relationship Marketing

The 80% Solution

I ran into Dave last Friday morning at our local greasy spoon (literally called, “The Spoon”). That’s unusual since I don’t eat breakfast out very much. I don’t know Dave well, just enough to say hello. But I see him often – nearly every Tuesday night when I go to our town’s local dive bar. (I know what you’re thinking, but sadly, it’s not called, “The Dive Bar.”) It occurred to me, though, that if I wanted to maximize my chances of running into as many people as possible that I know […] Click to read more…

Simply *Not* the Best

Have you ever heard of a man named Braxton Key? Let me give you a hint: He’s a professional basketball player. Still not ringing a bell? Don’t feel bad. I had never heard of him either until I did some Googling (who says I don’t do research?). That’s because, among those who play in the National Basketball Association, Braxton Key stands out, skill-wise, for just one reason: He is arguably the worst player in the league. He plays for the Detroit Pistons – the team with the worst record this past season – and […] Click to read more…

I Hear You Knocking

Guess what I haven’t done in 35 years. If you said, “comb your hair,” I am going to give you partial credit. But no, the correct answer is, “go on a date.” That’s because this past Monday was the 35th anniversary of the day I met my wife, Linda, effectively ending my unremarkable career as a single man. Did we meet in college? No. Did we meet at a bar? No. Did we meet on MatchDotBumbleTinderHinge? Please. It was 1988. Ronald Reagan was president. LeBron James was just four years old and had […] Click to read more…

Reverse Healing

Alert readers may recall that I had shoulder surgery recently. In fact, as I write this, it has been exactly six weeks to the day since I went under the knife (not that you bothered to call). How has the recovery been? Well, as the old saying goes, there’s not a lot about it that reminds you of opening presents on Christmas morning. It’s a slow and painful process. And yet, despite all that, I have to say that the human body’s ability to heal is pretty remarkable. Think about it. Somebody […] Click to read more…

The Bigness of Smallness

(Listen to this post, here.) According to extensive research that I have been conducting for nearly five minutes, celebrated author Stephen King has a net worth of 500 million dollars. Just to give you a sense of how big a number that is, it’s more than the combined net worth of Taylor Swift ($400 Million) and me. All in all, not bad for a guy who’s earned a living by making things up. Not only that, but it’s a terrific business model since his costs consist of nothing more than a desk, […] Click to read more…