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Content Strategy | Michael Boezi, Control Mouse Media, LLC

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Counterintuitive Lessons from Mentors and Mistakes

This series is about how the principles of content strategy can be applied to the functional aspects of running a business.A 16-part series about counterintuitive business lessons that I’ve learned from my mentors and the mistakes I’ve made. It turns out that the same nuances that work in running a good content strategy also work in running a business as well. Start from the bottom to begin the series. 

The Customer Is Always Free to Go

The New Customer Relationship: Counterintuitive strategies for what to do after you earn a customer.

You can’t force me to be loyal – that’s something you have to earn. Yet you see companies use a variety of methods to lock us in or make it difficult to leave. These cheap, short-term tactics may guarantee today’s revenue, but they will never add up to tomorrow’s loyalty.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Contracts, Rants, The New Customer Relationship

Contracts Are Not a Trap

The New Customer Relationship: Counterintuitive strategies for what to do after you earn a customer.

Signing a contract is often a big commitment for a client, and I want them to feel like the investment is low-risk. Here’s my counterintuitive approach to writing a contract that is clear and simple, fair to both sides, and starts from a point of mutual trust.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Contracts, Intellectual Property, The New Customer Relationship

Hourly Rate vs. Project Rate: Which Is Most Fair for Both Sides?

The New Customer Relationship: Counterintuitive strategies for what to do after you earn a customer.

Everyone advises to bill by the project (not by the hour) when you run a consulting business. In the 4 years that I’ve been doing it, I’ve found that the opposite is true. But it requires a few important principles to make sure that the exchange of value works – for both sides.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Small Business, The New Customer Relationship

When to Ask for the Sale: Not Early and Often

The New Customer Relationship: Counterintuitive strategies for what to do after you earn a customer.

Conventional wisdom is to ask for the sale early and often. With today’s consumers, it turns out that the opposite is true. Exhibiting a little patience and providing a lot of upfront value gets you away from the icky parts of self-promotion – and it’s more effective too.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Building Trust, Content Marketing, The New Customer Relationship

Non-Disclosure Agreements: Mistrust Is Not a Good Starting Point

The New Customer Relationship: Counterintuitive strategies for what to do after you earn a customer.

It may seem counterintuitive, but the NDA request is always a red flag to me. Mistrust is not a good starting point for any relationship – plus it betrays a lack of self-confidence in your ability to execute. Is this really the message you wish to convey? Let’s take a deeper look at Non-Disclosure Agreements: Pros and Cons.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, NDAs, Small Business, The New Customer Relationship

Social Media Cannot Exist in a Vacuum

The New Marketing and Sales: A fresh look at how to attract customers and earn their business.

If your plan is just to start “getting the word out there” by posting to Facebook or Twitter – stop now. The outcomes will never be worth the time you put into it. You need a complete content strategy in order to make social media worthwhile. Here’s a simple way to adjust your approach – and the three advantages to doing so.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Content Strategy, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Starting Point, The New Marketing and Sales

Marketing and the Experimental Mindset

The New Marketing and Sales: A fresh look at how to attract customers and earn their business.

One of my favorite quotes is, “If you’re not measuring, you’re not marketing.” This has never been more true than it is today. What worked yesterday is not guaranteed to work tomorrow. Learn, measure, and iterate so that you can continue to optimize your marketing efforts.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Content Strategy, Marketing Optimization, The New Marketing and Sales

Soft-Touch Marketing Is More Respectful – and More Effective

The New Marketing and Sales: A fresh look at how to attract customers and earn their business.

Marketing often feels “icky” to small business owners, solo entrepreneurs, authors, and other creatives. When you ARE your brand, you don’t want to be a self-promoter. Soft-touch marketing is the answer – not only does it feel better, but in light of today’s consumer behavior, it’s also more effective too.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Featured Episodes, Soft-Touch Marketing, The New Marketing and Sales

Stop Looking for Shortcuts

The New Marketing and Sales: A fresh look at how to attract customers and earn their business.

Forging real connections with real customers take real effort. Every business owner knows this. So why do we behave differently when we get online? Why do we take social connections less seriously, and look for the SEO tricks and other quick fixes?

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Content Marketing, Optimization, Small Business, The New Marketing and Sales

Marketing Is an Investment, Not a Cost

The New Marketing and Sales: A fresh look at how to attract customers and earn their business.

Marketing should not be a one-time spend to get a one-time result. If you think of it as an investment instead, today’s “spend” can continue to pay off years from now. Here’s how to focus on the two most important investments you can make in your business.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Content Strategy, Featured Episodes, The New Marketing and Sales

Consistency in Content Strategy

The New Business Mindset: Going against the grain to find success in building your business.

Consistency is one of the best ways to earn trust. So in your content strategy, a “toe in the water” approach isn’t going to cut it. You simply have to commit to being consistent. That means that you’re going to have to love the process – not just the results. Are you up for that?

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Consumer Behavior, Content Strategy, Small Business, The New Business Mindset

Be In It for the Long Game

The New Business Mindset: Going against the grain to find success in building your business.

If your business depends on having an audience, you have to stand back a little and let it evolve naturally. You have fight your own impatience, get comfortable with not having control, learn to relish the indirect benefits, and ultimately, play the long game.

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Tagged with: 21st Century Business Principles, Content Strategy, Small Business, The New Business Mindset

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