You may know that I’m a lifelong bachelor, so it wouldn’t surprise you to learn that I’ve got a special appreciation for good opening lines. And I’m not just talking about pick-up lines with the ladies.
Books are one of my passions, too. I write them and read them. Soon, I’ll be launching the second edition of my 5 Cool Ideas book.
Recently, I was reading about famous first lines from books and wanted to share my favorites. Here you go! Tweet
Favorite opening lines
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” – Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina
Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show. – Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield
“It was a pleasure to burn.” – Ray Bradbury’sFahrenheit 451 “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” – Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities
“Good is the enemy of great.” – Jim Collins’ Good to Great
Quincy has had an amazing life. Most people know him as the producer of Michael Jackson’s, Thriller, but Q has worked with hundreds of famous people, including Frank Sinatra, Lesley Gore, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Miles Davis.
Originally a music arranger, Quincy met a lot of musicians before he turned 21-years-old. By most accounts, Quincy took care of his relationships and one friendship led to another and so on, resulting in a lifetime of fruitful collaborations.
You only have to meet someone once
The French have a delightful way of saying “goodbye.” They say, “à la prochaine,” which means, until the next time.
I like this way of signing off because it downplays “goodbye” and emphasizes the next hello.
With Alex Mandossian in Los Angeles
For years, I’ve said “goodbye” to friends, retail clerks, and even strangers I meet by saying, “See you next time.”
Call me crazy, but I feel that once I meet someone, I never have to meet them again.
Once I begin a relationship with you, for example, we never have to start over again; we can merely pick up where we left off.
My friend, Alex Mandossian, one of the smartest Internet marketers in the land, likes to sign off with the phrase, “I hope our paths cross again.” It’s the same concept.
People are your greatest resource
When asked to speak to students at commencements and other keynote events, I advise youngsters to meet people as fast as they can. That way they can begin relationships that will serve them for decades.
Do this online, as well. The average social media user has between 120 and 150 Facebook friends. Increase that number for better-than-average return from your online networking.
This same principle can be applied in business when it comes to communicating, marketing, and even blogging. Just try to connect in meaningful ways. Give continuous value to people.
My clever friend Charlie Wollborg recently reminded me that it’s okay if Plan A doesn’t work. There are 25 other letters in the alphabet.
Charley’s correct. When it comes to marketing plans or e-mail Subject lines or which video to post, it’s always better to have choices.
Dan Peek is on the left
And that’s what the pop band America figured out when one of its founding members left the band just when all their hard work was paying off.
Dan Peek left the America in 1977, when the band was on top of the world, thanks to mega hits such as Horse With No Name and Ventura Highway.
Remaining members, Dewey Bunell and Gerry Beckley decided to press on with something other than Plan A. They produced many more hits as America and have kept their enterprise alive for decades.
Anyway, Dan Peek died last week, at age 60, but the band plays on, thanks to Plan F.
Always have a plan or two
An old, grim military maxim states: No plan survives first contact with the enemy.
Sure, things can and will go wrong.
Make a plan anyway. Have a plan B. And a Plan F.
Michael Angelo Caruso speaking in Jamaica
- Michael Angelo Caruso, Business Strategy Consultant, Detroit, Michigan
Facebook is the biggest communication revolution since the invention of the telephone.
Initially known as “a good way to meet chicks,” Facebook is now a solid promotional tool that moves millions of dollars in products and services all over the world. And for the most part, it’s free.
You’d think people would be adding people to their FB network like crazy, yet the average FB user only has around 165 friends. Amazing.
Facebook tip: Connect with people who have more friends than you
If you’re too lazy to build your own network, there is another strategy you can use.
Hitch your wagon to people with bigger wagons, by friending folks with large networks. I’ve even started a Facebook sub-list I call 3K, which indicates which of my FB buddies has at least 3,000 friends.
By the way, I probably have a bigger wagon than you, which means that by connecting with me, you are increasing your marketing reach without even taking time to build your list.
As I’ve indicated, this shouldn’t be your “Plan A,” but it works. Plan A is to build your list by making more personal connections on your own.
You can get into my airspace by connecting with me here:
Watch a couple of my fun YouTube videos, then subscribe and join my growing network here, too!
Google Plus
Here’s where to find me on the newest of the “Big 4″ social media platforms, GooglePlus. Everyone should have a Google profile. Get yours by signing up for a free Gmail address.
Just do it!
Connecting with me via all of the above links will introduce you to thousands of my friends and allow me to easily tag you in the future.
Do this with your other friends who are well connected, as well. I hope all this new attention won’t go to your head. lol
Welcome to the social media revolution and remember, don’t drink and type.
A while back, I did something most business people never do.
I started giving away my products and services. And it’s the best thing I ever did for my consulting business.
Every Monday at 4:00 ET, I jump on a conference call to dispense advice on everything from Internet marketing to event planning. The call-in codes are below.
Many callers have booked me to speak at various conferences and fundraisers. I help them save time, increase attendance, promote their events, and get the most from their marketing efforts.
My seminar fundraiser program has so far raised over $150, 000 for Rotary, Chambers of Commerce, and other non-for profit organizations.
Some callers have yet to do business with me. They are prospects who often convert after being on the call.
You should consider giving away your products and services. If you cannot afford to give away any of your current products, think about developing a product that you can make available.
“Set the hook” by sample selling
Fisherman know that you have to “set the hook” when the fish nibbles at the bait. Setting the hook is that small jerky motion that pulls the hook through the fish gill. The hook is a reversed-barbed piece of metal that makes it difficult for the fish to escape once he takes the bait.
That’s what free information and free products do. I call it “sample selling” because its like giving folks a free sample of what you do so they become interested in spending money with you.
It’s an easy marketing strategy to implement and everyone wins.
Free call and great marketing advice
Michael Angelo Caruso
You can hear how I do this and get yourself some terrific marketing advice by being on the call this Monday, from 4 to 4:30 PM ET. And did I tell you that the call is free?
Use call-in number: 218-339-3600, access code: 686134#
What does your company give away to promote business?
Another fabulous Fourth of July weekend is upon us. Happy Fourth!
This year, we’ll blow up scads of fireworks and consume countless burgers and hot dogs–all commodity items that defy much serious expectations.
So when is a hot dog, not just a hot dog?
When it’s an event.
This is because of something called product differentiation.
Product–or service–differentiation can help consumers tell you apart from the competition. When people appreciate the difference they become interested in doing business with you.
George and Rich Shea
Yet, differentiation can be a challenge, especially when it comes to mundane products such as hot dogs. Brothers George and Rich Shea have brilliantly differentiated the Nathan’s brand of hot dogs by holding an annual hot dog eating contest.
The contest, started in 1961, is now televised on ESPN. Every year, publications such as the New York Times run articles that provided thousands of dollars in free advertising.
When is a hot dog not a hot dog? When it’s the featured product of a televised hot dog eating contest–every July 4. Brilliant!
Have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend!
Oh, and tell me, how do you differentiate your hot dog? With mustard? Catsup? Onions? Chili?
Many people complain that they don’t get any juice from their blogging activity.
The problem is usually related to one of two issues.
1) Not enough people are seeing the blog.
2) The blog topic isn’t interesting enough.
By “interesting,” I mean relevant and by “relevant,” I mean something that is in the news. Extra points, if the blog topic is related to what you’re marketing.
Never forget that the Internet works on keywords, so your blog has a better chance of being read if it contains the most popular keywords of that particular day. A good place to get your daily keywords is from news sites, such as www.CNN.com.
Here’s how this formula worked to a tee for me this week.
Peter Falk, TV’s Lt. Columbo, died late last week. I posted a blog about how Columbo’s famous “just one more thing” line became an effective selling tactic and pushed it out to my social media platforms.
Radio show morning host, Michael Patrick Shiels, a connection in my vast social media network, read the blog and had his producer contact me for an interview.
(By the way, another author/speaker in my city also had the idea to post about Columbo, but he incorrectly spelled the name “Colombo,” which no doubt reduced his number of original views. Spelling counts, people.)
You can hear the interview tomorrow morning, Tuesday, June 28 at 6:45 AM ET at MichiganTalkNetwork.com.
Of course, once the interview was booked, I reposted the same topic along with the new development to squeeze extra juice out of the topic. I might even create an “epilogue post” after the interview is completed.
Good luck with blogging and all your marketing efforts!
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Anyone can blog. Listen to Michael Angelo Caruso interview with Paula Parisot, a soccer mom and paid blogger. The 60-minute audio CD is titled, Blogging for Profit.
Peter Falk, who played one of television’s greatest characters, passed away last week, but not before giving salespeople one of the greatest closing techniques of all time. Tweet
Falk played Lt. Columbo, a bumbling police detective so unusual, he didn’t need a first name. Columbo was a true original, a slow-moving, hunched over man wearing a rumpled raincoat and carrying a stogie.
Columbo never seemed to know which way was up—until he solved the crime, usually by tricking the perpetrator into talking too much.
The TV detective used what we now refer to as “Doorknob Close.” His patented “close” was to turn around as he headed out the door and say something disarming like, “Just one more thing.” [Watch the 5:02 mark in the above video.]
The Doorknob Close, also known as the “Reverse Close,” works best when the detective/seller has given up and is literally saying “goodbye” to the perpetrator/prospect.
No seller ever plans to use the Doorknob Close, but it can be very useful because it contains the element of surprise. Here’s how it works.
Let’s say a sales presentation does not go well and the prospect has not been forthcoming regarding his reasons for not buying. Perhaps the prospect has ended the presentation by saying something such as, “I need more time to think about it.”
The salesperson thanks the prospect for his time and slowly walks to the door. The seller places her hand on the doorknob and then suddenly turns around and says, “Now that the presentation is over, may I just ask . . . why didn’t buy from me today?”
Peter Falk
The timing of this question makes it much more effective than if it’s asked earlier in the presentation because the prospect, thinking the presentation is over, begins to relax.
The Doorknob Close is powerful because it catches the prospect in an unguarded moment. The question, when posed from the doorway, almost always results in new information, which the seller can then use as an opportunity to reopen the discussion.
Caveat: Do not reward an honest answer by re-entering the room, taking your coat off and asking for another cup of coffee. The Doorknob close is an extra opportunity to close, but don’t try to force the prospect into immediately reversing his decision.
The Doorknob Close in Action
As with all the closes, there are many variations. One of my clients, a national retailer of automobile tires, uses what they refer to as a “second effort” to convert the sale as the prospect is walking out the door.
A person who is leaving the store without making a purchase may not return, so the employee tries to re-engage the prospect before he leaves the premises. This technique can be used on the telephone, too.
Thanks, Lt. Columbo!
The Doorknob Close has rescued countless sales through the years. Never give up on asking one more question and keeping dialog open. Sometimes that “one more thing” is the sale. RIP, Peter Falk and Lt. Columbo.
Every seller should know about 22 ways to close
Want to close more sales and make more money? Learn more sales closes from 22 Sales Closes That Work, a one-hour audio program and 30-page e-book that will help you improve your sales numbers almost overnight.
As with all of Michael Angelo Caruso’s offerings, this product comes with an unconditional money-back guarantee.
The first type likes to mosey through a do-it-yourself program. It’s a comfortable pace and they have a lot of fun.
The second type is always thirsty for ways to get practical tips that save time and produce revenue. This group also has a lot of fun, but they also find ways to build brands and make money.
The latter group likes to “Facebook with purpose” and these are the folks who tend to seek me out for help.
Here’s a partial list of what I teach in my social media sessions, which will help you improve your business almost immediately. This program includes dozens of proven strategies for securing a stronger Internet presence using Facebook (FB), Linkedin (LI), Twitter (TW), and YouTube (YT). Tweet
This is non-technical content:
Facebook is the New White Pages
- Learn how social media will help your biz when you use it as a system
- Appreciate how FB, LI and TW are alike and different
- Grow your friend list without getting slapped by the “Facebook police”
- Use Michael’s “3K Klub” trick to get FB friends to help you sell
- Protect your name online; learn valuable image marketing tips
- Discover the single best way to engage Facebook friends
- Add 100 additional connections in a flash
- Arrange for your FB posts to go to Twitter at the same time
- Use the “Notes” tab to provide more content
- Get Michael’s proven strategies for micro-blogging
- Improve dialog 0n FB, so you’re getting more biz and less small talk
Linkedin is the New Yellow Pages
- Get the most from cyber-introductions
- Learn LI’s best (hidden) feature
- Build a highly qualified list of prospects on Linkedin within 30 days
- Get a secret way to direct message groups of Linkedin contacts
- Arrange five more key Recommendations on Linkedin
- Learn clever ways to re-purpose those testimonials
- Leverage the power of LI groups
- Use LI polls to test-market ideas
- Market targeted messages to Linkedin sub-lists
- Why you should post .pdfs, even though Google can’t read’em
- Use Linkedin to push your competition off the first page search results
Twitter, Video Marketing and How They Work Together
- Use Twitter as early warning system for customer service issues
- Connect your social media platforms
- Harness the awesome power of video marketing
- Learn why Twitter is more important than FB and LI combined
- Establish a Twitter presence by making 100 your firs day
- Improve your Twitter page background and readability
- Integrate your social media marketing with your regular distribution list
- Schedule your Tweets to occur 24×7
- Learn Video production secrets to save you tons of time and money
- Keep YT from recommending your competition in “related” vids
- Use video marketing to get happy customers to sell for you
Let’s talk!
Your first consultation is free! Just give my office a call at 248-224-9667. Let’s get the word out.
I’ve given over 2,000 paid presentations on leadership, team building, and give lots of sales training. Have delivered a ton of keynote speeches at conventions and dinners, too.
Humor is an important part of what I do. Funny jokes and stories keep audiences engaged and relaxed. Relaxed audiences learn more.
Here’s a funny bit about a guy that gets pulled over by a cop. Tweet it
A driver gets stopped by a cop who asks him to take a breathalyzer test.
“I can’t,” says the driver. “I have terminal asthma and can’t risk having an attack.”
The cop says, “Well, then I’ll need you to come down to the station so we can draw your blood.”
“No, that won’t work,” says the driver. “I’m a hemophiliac.”
“Okay,” says the cop, “I’ll need you to give me a urine sample then.”
“Sorry,” the man says. “I’m a diabetic.”
Now the cop grows impatient. “Sir, I’ll need you to get out of the car and walk a straight line.”
Books are one of my passions, too. I write them and read them. Soon, I’ll be launching the second edition of my 5 Cool Ideas book.
Many people complain that they don’t get any juice from their blogging activity.
There are two types of people using social media.
I’ve given over 2,000 paid presentations on 
