Social Media and Your Smartphone Are Making You a Stranger to Yourself — This New Year, I am challenging you to eliminate scrolling from your life. I don’t mean the basic need to scroll, as you ironically must do while reading this article, I am talking about “doom scrolling,” “bored scrolling,” or “sitting on the toilet scrolling.” …

Showing unparalleled innovation, Google finally removes all the pesky inconvenience of discernment or self-awareness* — Following the successful launch of Google Nest Hub 2.0, where Google watches you while you sleep, Google has announced the upcoming Google Thought. Google Thought is a breakthrough in search that shows you ad recommendations while you think about what you are searching for. …

Advertising your business on Google or Bing can be a really great way to drive business, but often falls flat due to basic misunderstandings. — Search Advertising is a term that encompasses the practice of placing online ads through searching services like Google and Bing Ads. These placements are paired with other forms of advertising that target people based on the keywords they typically use to search online. Although search advertising can be one of…

If we adapt to change, our economy will recover faster. Going back to normal is not an option. — The tension between medical experts and economic pundits is growing rapidly. It seems like America is facing a choice between a long-term economic shut-down or massive death due to COVID-19 and an overwhelmed healthcare system. The reality is, while the economy will face an unavoidable downturn, and there will be…

Currency is more powerful than borders in defining nations, and Facebook wants to turn users into citizens. — It’s a common trope to characterize entrepreneurs and CEO’s as megalomaniacs, but Mark Zuckerberg is acting like a legit real-life Bond villain. As of writing this, Facebook is trying to get permission to launch its own form of cryptocurrency, Libra. …

Yes, you’re being manipulated… but you want to be. — After two decades in the marketing industry, I’ve learned one absolute truth: You can’t make people buy things they don’t want to. You can LIE to them, and tell them what you are selling is actually something they want, but that doesn’t last long… and usually ends in jail or…

An observation of isolated cultures reveals society’s most foolish behavior. — A fish can’t see the ocean, nor is it aware of the water it swims in. Likewise, as we struggle to understand ourselves, the largest and most pervasive influences on our behavior are often the most difficult to observe. “Cargo Cults” are a cultural phenomenon observed in isolated societies, but…

Often, the reason people hate their marketing is because of bad expectations. I was recently invited to speak at the Boone County Home and Business Expo in Lebanon, IN on Digital Marketing. The video and article is an excerpt of my opening talk on what marketing can and can’t…