Category: Promotion
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Be the first
If you really want to make a difference in somebody’s life, be the first person to make a contribution. This could mean being their first customer, their first donor, or the first person to leave a comment or share the work. It will make a powerful impression, give them energy, and help them start a…
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Friends pay full price
Several months ago, I met a new friend and gave them a copy of Creative Doing as a gift. They responded that they would buy another copy, saying, “Friends pay full price.” It was refreshing, the complete flip of the usual friends and family discount. (Or in my case, giving gift copies.) When you reciprocate…
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Find more ways to win
If you play a game of chess well, with the right position, there is more than one way for you to win. If you play a game poorly, your options are few—there is only one way, perhaps even a miracle, for you to win. For any goal you have, it’s worth considering how many paths…
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A genuine reaction
When you do good work, you need to believe in the work. Put it out there, find a place to publish and promote it (definitely more than once!), and let the people respond. You don’t need to ask them for a five star review, or for applause, or anything like that. If the work is…
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Discipline and interest
Jonnie Park has recorded over 300 episodes of his podcast, Fun with Dumb. Even though it’s one of the most consistent, disciplined, parts of his practice, he still wonders if it’s worth the effort. He knows his podcast isn’t the most viral thing he could be doing; it doesn’t get the most reach. While the…
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Long & McQuade
Over a decade ago, my friends and I released the first episode of Prologue with a recording artist named Ryan Lewis. We drove from Toronto to Montreal, went backstage to Osheaga, recorded the interview, slept, and left early the next morning. That kicked off a series of other interviews with artists like Ty Dolla $ign,…
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Your city’s culture needs you
One of Toronto’s few magazine shops, Presse Internationale, is shutting down after nearly two decades of operation. A new landlord bought the building and is increasing rent for that storefront from $7,000 to $11,000. It’s difficult news, and there are a lot of things to feel upset about. What I think is missing from the…
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A podcast’s marketing foundation
Some websites estimate that there are six million different podcasts on Spotify. If you’re making one of these podcasts, one of the key challenges is to find people who will like your podcast, and make sure they can easily access your podcast’s latest episode. When Hamza and I first started working on our podcast, New…
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Giving new life to a dead publication
Publications are difficult to keep up. Unlike a book—which you can write and publish once—a publication regularly is preparing to work on a new issue. Publications bear much resemblance to warm-blooded animals. They require constant attention, energy, and love. Every publication comes to an end at some point. I understand that. A few mornings ago,…
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Free coffee
The other day, I ordered a coffee at a restaurant. I sipped it slowly for 15–20 minutes, and then I asked for the bill. I waited a few minutes, and caught the manager’s eye. He said, “Sorry for the delay—don’t worry about it, it’s on the house.” The saying goes, “There is no such thing…