Because I like to 1) flout convention and 2) live in the past, I thought it’d be appropriate to do my Halloween bit here now, nearly a week late.
This year, while trick-or-treating with my kids and noticing the many older kids trying to cash in, I started to wonder at what age trick-or-treating becomes unacceptable and creepy. Can you still do it at 18? Maybe, if you don’t have a beard. But how about 34? It all reminds me of a Mitch Hedberg joke about how adults aren’t supposed to go down slides, so if you find yourself at the top of one, you have to act like you got there accidentally. How’d I get up here, dammit? Oh well, I guess I have to go down. Whee!
I ended up deciding that if you went around as a creepy older dude, most houses would feel they could get rid of you faster by simply giving you the candy than arguing with you. So the sky’s the limit!
Anyway, here’s what happened post-Halloween on Copyblogger:
Monday:
The Mad Men Guide to Changing the World with Words
I’d like to invite impassioned and indignant pestering in the comments by mentioning that I’ve never seen Mad Men. That said, I DID enjoy seeing how Jon Morrow, in his typical fashion, riled everyone up by offering a tip that amounted to (as perceived by the riled-up) “stop trying to write about what you love.” Jon is like the Jerry Springer of Copyblogger, inviting controversy and rednecks. (Oh, and there’s other stuff in this post, too.)
Tuesday:
Fanning the Social Media Flame for Viral Exposure
This was a really interesting post, and I’m not even being sarcastic because it’s not like I’m ever sarcastic. It’s about how to help your stuff go viral rather than hoping it’ll do so on its own, and it’s stuff I’ve never considered but that makes perfect sense. In fact, today, as an experiment in Copyblogger efficacy, I’m going to try the same thing with my daughter’s pink eye to see if the approach works.
Wednesday:
Introducing Internet Marketing for Smart People Radio
Oh hell no! A Copyblogger podcast? As Copyblogger ramps up its Orwellian domination of all mankind, we’ll now get weekly updates in which Robert Bruce talks to Sonia and Brian about relevant Copybloggerish stuff like content marketing, SEO, and pancakes. This is getting crazy. What’s next, Copyblogger t-shirts?
Thursday:
How to Keep Your Email Marketing List from Hating Your Guts
For some reason, the frequent use of the term “nudnik” in this post made me think of Moe, Larry, and Curly going “Nyuk nyuk nyuk,” and you can imagine the chaotic and hilarious confusion that resulted for the duration of my reading. So, how do you stop being a nudnik and get your list to not hate you? Well, don’t be a numbskull. Then hit them with hammers and poke them in the eyes and run in circles going “Woowoowoowoo!” Or you could just read this post to find advice on your best email marketing strategy, but I’m pretty sure the aforementioned would work too.
Thursday, the Hell Freezes Over Comeback Tour:
How About a Copyblogger T-Shirt?
Finally, a t-shirt that will get bullies to stop harassing your nerdy teenager! Today’s post gave a handful of proposed slogans for the upcoming, highly anticipated Copyblogger t-shirts. In my opinion they’re not as funny as the one I proposed for Naomi Dunford last year (giant fork with a halo, bearing the legend “Holy forking shirt!”), but they’re definitely pretty awesome for all of your day-to-day wear, and also great for gaining cred when hanging out with union steelworkers. Be sure to click through and see which designs won.
Friday:
The Secret Weapon that Makes Your Content Successful
The headline of this post made me think of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones song “Our Only Weapon.” So I was reading about how to make my content really sizzle, and I was looking for that secret weapon, and then suddenly I had this urge to dress in plaid, and I was like, If we read this post, I might never win the war, but I’ll have fun and that’s for sure. So read this post and use the weapon, because you’ll both learn something AND have fun. (Stay tuned for next week’s post: “Sales Lessons Learned from ‘Last Dead Mouse.’ ”
This week’s cool links:
- Are you using the wrong business model?: Are you on a treadmill, or are you on an “evolutionary ramp to success and superbness” (my phrasing)? Side note: I was sad to see that @WorkinOnARamp vanished from Twitter, because she was my one-stop-shop for discussing all ramp-related topics.
- The best piece of advice nobody ever wants to hear: I thought, “Meh, I’m sure I’d want to hear it.” But I didn’t. Nobody wants to hear this piece of advice, but you need it. (I’m being mysterious on purpose about the topic of this post to entice you. Is it working?)
- Destroying the 7 Myths of B2B Social Media: Seven myths. One man to debunk them. The greatest struggle in mankind’s history. (Now I’m trying “suspenseful.”)
- Social Media Marketing Checklist: I’m not going to lie, that “sizzler” headline didn’t exactly grab me… but don’t let the lack of pizzaz dissuade you because you should check this stuff out. That’s why it’s a CHECKlist, you know.
About the Author: Johnny B. Truant specializes in selling through stories and would like very much to set you up with a cheap blog or website. (That’s “cheap” as in “inexpensive,” not as in “tawdry.”)
Reader Comments (16)
Flaunt convention? Or flout? 🙂
It is indeed supposed to be “flout,” not flaunt.
Truant, you’re fired again. What is this, your 6th time? (sigh).
There you guys go, trying to pervert my meaning. Clearly, I meant FLAUNT. I often like to dress up in a suit, and then head into hippie areas and follow ALL of the rules, arrange things in an orderly manner, and erect white picket fences.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get ready for the conformity pride parade.
During trick or treating, a family came to our house. I gave the three kids a handful of candy and was getting ready to close the door when the mother says, “What about the baby?”
I looked at this 4-5 month old baby freezing in the stroller. Now even if the kid is a developmental prodogy–he/she doesn’t have any teeth and is not going to be eating any candy.
I started to laugh, but then since it was bitter cold and almost quitting time–I dumped the rest of the bowl into the “baby’s bag” and said, “Hope the baby enjoys it.”
Maybe next year I get some copies of the “Greed” CD. That might be more appropriate.
and PS to Jon: I still think you need to write about your passion.
I have been working on crafting and mastering headlines for over a year and I believe that I have found the perfect strategy for making headlines go viral.
Do Tell Donny Do Sell.
I spent my Halloween painting, then we had to leave just after begging time was over. We still had two groups of older kids looking for a handout as we were leaving. Had to tell them that we were out, but I was thinking how they might have given us a trick instead… glad they didn’t. Our house was just fine when we got home.
It does seem like time for begging gets earlier every year…
Thanks for the wrap, helps me a lot
The Copyblogger T-Shirt was probably the best I could find here in the past week. 🙂
Thanks for the laugh, I really needed it. I think we have more older people come trick or treating than little kids. I have cheap candy for the adults and good stuff for the kids.
Finally made it to make a comment on this post. After reading the short summary about each daily post I went and read the article which led to others that kept me going through this site reading, studying and learning.
I was so convinced that it would help me I signed up for the ezine. Also, I signed to received the “Internet Marketing For Smart People” I think 20 week series. And thinking about joining there paid program.
This has been an enjoyable weekend that turned out to be different than I originally planned. Now, I need to go and catch up on my ezine.com 100 Articles in 100 days Challenge.
Go CopyBlogger keep up the great work and keep the excellent content coming filling our brains with useful and reliable content.
My kids are only allowed to go to the houses where we know the people, mo mass trick or treating. All the other kids in the neighborhood knows that we have a loud dog and dont bother us.
Thanks for all the great content this week!
Before checking out “The best piece of advice nobody wants to hear” I thought it might have something to do with “abstinence”. Well it wasn’t.
A good article however making the point that there is an audience for all of us. That has to do mostly with our marketing style and we all need to trust our individuality. Good post!
I too have some teens (not really dressed up) were trick or treating around my neighbor-hood. I thought they were bit old and not dressed but hey in spirit of holiday and help dentists of tomorrow, I gave out candies.
Whenever I read the wrap up, I always think man did I read these many articles, and answer is yes! No wonder my blog is not updated, I am busy reading 🙂
Hey I’ve seen grown ups trick or treating. Mind you they had been drinking quite heavily. So maybe we should all have a couple of drinks next year get dressed up and go trick or treating.
We could even make creepy Halloween songs up and sing Halloween Carroll’s. Reply if you have a song, it better be good.
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