Branding & Marketing
Copywriting craft, brand strategy, practical AI workflows, advertising strategy, and agency operations -- the broader marketing thinking behind everything else on this blog.
Why Your Best Clients Fire You Right After You Do Great Work
Great campaign results don't guarantee a client sticks around. Here's why the win itself is often the moment agencies lose the relationship, and what to do about it.
AI Won't Write Your Ads For You. Here's What It Actually Does.
Everyone's telling you AI will replace your marketing team. It won't. Here's the boring, useful truth about where AI actually saves you time in a real marketing workflow.
Your Headline Isn't Clever. It's a Bouncer, and It's Turning People Away.
Most headlines are auditioning for a poetry slam when their only job is to stop the scroll. Here's the framework that actually gets the second sentence read.
Nobody's Googling You Anymore. They're Asking a Robot What You're Like.
A new local SEO checklist wants you to audit what AI says about your business, and the scarier problem is that most owners have never even looked.
Google Built a Toll Booth Inside AI Mode. Stop Paying the Toll Expecting a Parade.
A new study says almost a third of searches now show ads inside Google's AI Mode, and the one thing everybody assumed those ads would buy you (a citation, an organic boost, a little AI halo) mostly i…
Breaking Free from the Reassurance Trap
You're on the brink of launching a revolutionary project.
Unlocking the Potential of Community: A Step-by-Step Guide to Boost Your Business
In the ever-evolving world of marketing, there's a trend that's more than just a buzzword: community. What started as the #community hashtag on social media has now become a powerful tool that's re...
Dent the Universe: How Your Small Agency Can Crush the Big Guys
Hey, you. Yeah, you - the small agency owner who's been watching the big shops feast on prime clients while you fight for scraps. It's time to flip the script. There's a revolution happening, and i...
Search Shakeup: How to Dominate in the AI-Powered Discovery Era
Welcome to the Fragmentation Station
The Art of Rebranding: From Vinyl to Vegan Leather - How Small Businesses Can Master the Name Game
The Snapchat Filter of the Business World
🧠 Embrace the Weird: How Small Businesses Can Supercharge Their Marketing 🧟♂️
Listen up, you marketing maniacs! While you've been busy trying to crack the code of the next viral TikTok dance, some of the most successful brands out there have been schooling you in the art of ...
Cultural Chaos: Unleash Your Heritage and Watch Your Small Biz Explode! 💥🚀
HOLY CULTURAL SMACKDOWN, BATMAN! 💥
How To Sell A Hole In The Ground... With Water in It
I sat in the conference room with no idea who the client was, what they did, or why it was necessary to pull me in on a first meeting with them.
How I Use AI To Speed Up Creative
Holy crap! Where was AI 40 years ago when I started in the advertising industry? Imagine the speed of creation if tools like the ones we have today were available back then. Fast forward to 2063; I...
I Don't Need To See Your Product In Ad Ad
Ah, the age-old myth in advertising: "Show the product and they will come." Sorry to burst your bubble, but just because you have a crystal clear image of your product, it doesn't mean you've hit t...
Over The Influence: Why We Need More Regular People in Ads
I'm so over it. The influencer world, that is. It's like they're all trying to be the same person. I mean, seriously, have you ever scrolled through your feed and thought, "Wow, that's the most ori...
How AI Copywriting Is Revolutionizing My Industry (With a Little Help from My Broken Brain)
As a copywriter with a brain that's a little... different, I've always been fascinated by the power of words to move people and drive business results. And in recent months, I've seen a major shift...
The Moment It CLiCK'd
I never intended to start a consulting business. Like Ad Zombies, it was an unintentional development.
Copywriting In The AI Age: Don't Fear Technology, Leverage It
When it comes to AI, it's like that one friend who always seems to know the answers to everything — they blurt out every Jeopardy question before you. Oh, wait… that's me. Sorry. AI is not out to s...
2023: The Year Your Small Business Can Thrive
As a small business owner, 2023 presents both challenges and opportunities. With the economy facing uncertainty, it's easy to fall into the trap of cutting costs and going into defense mode. But th...
I Used To Hate Mondays
As someone who used to work as a corporate creative director, I can certainly relate to the feeling of dreading, loathing, and hating Mondays. It was the day that I had to get through to start coun...
You Shouldn't Have A Favorite Kid, But...
Hey parents of multiple kids, dogs, cats… even though we know we're not SUPPOSED to have a favorite, we do.
Sometimes I Take Knowledge For Granted
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and found yourself saying something like, "How could you not know that?" or "That's so basic, everyone knows that!" It's easy to take our own knowledge...
The Only Diet Your Business Needs
Congrats! If you're reading this, you've made it a few days into 2023. Though we are early in the new year, many of us entrepreneurs are in business decision-making mode already. OK, truth be told,...
Habit Muscles Over Resolutions
2023 arrived with the usual fanfare, partying, and resolutions… those dreaded resolutions.
Bowl Games Gone Wild (But Should They?)
Remember life years ago, you know, we refer to it as back in the day? (Enter dream sequence music in your head).
Let Me Get This Right… You Want To Put WHAT, WHERE?
I used to be terrified of having any kind of medical procedure done, especially ones involving the insertion of instruments into sensitive areas of my body. The thought of someone shoving a tube up...
How To Be A Relevant Brand After The Coming Apocalyptic Recession
Dear Advertiser,
Innovation Doesn't Always Mean Starting From Zero
Ever sit in a room and try to come up with new ideas?
I Made Warren Buffett 40-Million Dollars With A Single Email; I Can Make You Money Too.
There's nothing worse than getting a cold email, right? Agreed, if the email is shit, useless, feel spammy, or has zero value. But, if it delivers something… It's AMAZEBALLS! 🤩
Pillow Talk
When my head hits the pillow at the end of a long day, nothing is more frustrating for me than finding that sweet spot: the pillow area where my head sinks in effortlessly and my neck is cradled in...
Is Winter Coming?
The First Snowflake Of Summer Has Fallen
Is AI Better Than A Human Copywriter?
As the owner of the world's premier copywriting service, Ad Zombies, I've played around with AI over the last few years. When you read the online comments and testimonials, it appears AI copywritin...
We've Forgotten How To Market
Remember the good old days? You'd fire up an ad campaign on your preferred platform and soon you'd be tracking views, sequencing ads, and moving people into your sales pipeline.
3 FREE Tools That Make Writing WAY Easier
Let's face it—writing is hard. Sometimes even for professional copywriters like us! You know what makes it easier? Wine.🍷
To Blog or Not To Blog...
There Is No Question
What Job Did You Hire That Milkshake For?
What job do people hire you to do for them?
Dear Creatives... Be Like Elsa In Frozen And "Let It Go"
Where are all my creatives at?? 🙋
Zombie Round-Up: Featured Copy (Holiday Edition)
Outfits, decorations, presents, celebrations, oh my! 😱
I Like Offending People With My Ads
I really don't care what people think of my ads.
Marketers Are Whiny Bitches
Yes, I said it. Marketers are a bunch of whiny bitches.
Your Ad Sucks! 7 Reasons Your Ad Copy Is Not Performing (& Exactly How To Fix It!)
Sorry, we just came right out and said it.
I Lost A Year Of My Life
If you don't have bad days or have never had a negative thought, this blog is not for you.
How To Get Customers To Buy More In Q4
Cross-Sells, Upsells, and AOV, Oh My!
How To Get Champagne Results With a Beer Budget
You don't need a Hollywood budget to make a blockbuster ad.
The #1 MUST-USE Tool Every Small Business Needs
I Like Pretty Things
7 Fail-Safe Ways to Breathe Life Into Your Headlines (PLUS, 5 Templates & 37 Examples!)
Okay, okay, we KNOW that headlines are super important.
I Hate Sending Emails... Hate It!
I hate sending emails… hate it!
We Analyzed $1 Million In Sales. Here's What's Working.
Advertising can be such an emotional roller coaster.
Zombie Round-Up: Featured Copy (July 2021)
How many pet-related puns can we jam into one ad?? Guess you'll have to scroll to find out if we're fur real.
In My Noisy Head
You know that little voice in the back of your head, the one that tells you to do something or not do something, and this is a good idea or this is a bad idea…? Well, that voice can sometimes be ve...
Does Your Copy Go Weeeee?
We're peeling back the curtains to share an internal resource that our writers use when crafting creative copy.
Zombie Round-Up: Featured Copy (June 2021)
We wrote about a ball trimmer, (…yeah, for men's nuts 🥜) this month, so that's pretty much all you need to know. 😉
E-Comm & Digital Shopping Lingo: Explain It So A Kid Could Understand
First, there was a town crier, followed by posters, newspapers, and eventually Yellow Pages. Shopping has always been led by awareness and advertising. Today, thanks to companies like Amazon and e-...
Oreo Thins Uses Incognito Mode To Stop Kids From Stealing
OK, that's it. The next time I buy a pack of Oreos I'm hiding them from the kids.
Are You Processing or Procrastinating?
I'm an inbox-zero girl at heart. I know there are a LOT of interpretations of what that really means, but for me it's this: if it's in my inbox, it needs some kind of action.
Pinterest Bans All Weight Loss Ads, The Only Major Social Platform To Do So
And you thought advertising on Facebook was hard…
A Very Cynical Opinion of Affiliate Marketing
A disclaimer here: you're about to read a bit of a rant. I'm sure that somewhere, out there in the world, there's a company exclusively using affiliate marketing that isn't taking advantage of peop...
5 Proven Ways to Tap into the Power of Storytelling In Your Writing
If you've been here for a while, you know that the S word is our favorite.
Zombie Round-Up: Featured Copy (May 2021)
We're more than just ad copywriters . . . we write emails, landing pages, scripts, product descriptions, web copy, and more! Our team of undead writers loves to flex their fingers and type the word...
Why I Tested 7 Thumbnails
We've all heard of A/B testing, right? What about A/B/C/D/E/F/G testing?
Social Media Freelancers & The Art of Landing Clients with The Two Lauras
From all the way across the pond (well, virtually anyway!), The Two Lauras joined our CEO's podcast to share their tips on freelance social media management, how to land 5-star clients, and the rea...
About My Love Hate Relationship With Sales Funnels... [FREE Cheat Sheet!]
Every business needs sales, I am not disputing that fact. What I am disputing is the path many take to get those sales.
War Hero, Entrepreneur, Grandfather
Allow Me To Introduce You
Why Encouraging Failure Is The Way to Go
Mom Meaghan: It's totally normal to try and fail a bunch of times before you succeed or get good at something. And sometimes, it just doesn't work.
Zombie Round-Up: Featured Ads (April 2021)
We kid a LOT, but one thing we don't joke about is that we truly write words for ANYTHING!
Stop Writing Like A Robot
Please do us all a favor and stop trying to write for Search Engine Optimization — write for the person you want to reach. Write like people, people!
No, You Should NOT Outsource Your Copy... Maybe?
Yep, you read that right.
How To Make Magic Ads With Daniel Harmon
Poo~Pourri, Squatty Potty, Murphy Ladders, Camp Chef, Purple... the list of advertising successes to come out of the demented minds of Harmon Brothers may lead you to think they have the Midas touc...
Sausage... And A Big, Painful Gap
Here at Ad Zombies HQ, we've often joked about why we don't have any ads that show people writing. After all, copywriting is our bread and butter.
4 Ways To Write More Engaging Copy
So you want to write better copy . . . ?
The (Zombie) Hero's Journey
You've seen it in superhero movies. You may remember it from high school English class. Google it and you'll find about 18 different ways to understand it.
Who's On First?
Everyone thinks I've got all the stuff in my business dialed in, figured out, and running smoothly at all times. HELL NO! Clearly, you must live in some fantasy world.
Zombie Round-Up: Featured Ads (March 2021)
Copywriting is more than just sitting down, cranking out 500 words, hitting spellcheck, and calling it a day.
Marketing, iOS 14 and Facebook: Are We Really Screwed?
Did you get the email? What about the pop-up in Facebook's Business Manager?
What Do You Value?
You know the line from that movie, or song… Put me in coach, I'm ready to play.
5 Mistakes Marketers Make
You're making mistakes in your marketing and don't even know it. BTW, I make mistakes too. Here are a few of them that are killing you.
Special Ad Categories: Why You SHOULD Be Using Them
Some version of this question has been asked of the Ad Zombies team a LOT lately: can you write me an ad for X type of business that Facebook will accept?
Practical Growth Advice ANY Business Can Use
I cannot stress this enough. You should be documenting EVERYTHING in your business, not just SOPs or internal how-to's.
Succession
I've been thinking a lot lately about transition and succession in my business.
I F**d Up!
Yes, the title says it all. But the truth is I REALLY f**d up!
Black Friday Sales? That's So 2019
If the rest of the year hasn't tipped you off yet, last year's holiday sales strategies probably aren't suitable for a "rinse and repeat" application this year. Black Friday sales are so 2019.
Get Off The Roller Coaster
Sitting in the therapist's office I could hear her words, but the thoughts I had didn't align with what she said, "Get off the roller coaster."
Guts Over Gurus
Trust your gut, not your guru.
Help, My Business Is Dying!
At Death's Door
Life In The Fast Lane
I've started enough businesses now that I've noticed a pattern emerging. My businesses follow my pace. This means, if I want my business to be moving quickly I have to be at my best. Not stuck in t...
Protect The Door To Your Mind
We are living in, and through, some incredibly challenging times. Today there's fear and uncertainty unlike any other time in history. Think about this: when 9-11 happened, social media wasn't arou...
Mindset & Opportunities
The world may feel like it's in a tailspin, but every good pilot knows that when the plane feels out of control it's time to focus on solutions, not dwell on the problem.
OMG! WTF! Why All The !!!!!! Points?
I know what you're thinking…OMFG! Finally, a post that has NOTHING to do with the global pandemic? Au contraire my friends, this pandemic started years ago, no, decades back, and has reached GLOBAL...
Positivity In The Time Of Coronavirus
Can you really look on the bright side of a global pandemic with a side of economic panic? I think you can...and you should.
Coronavirus, Cruises & Creative: Our #SMMW20 Wrap-Up
Ken is back from speaking at #SMMW20 (that's Social Media Marketing World 2020) and I've got questions for him. Our accidentally pun-filled chat was punctuated with plenty of side commentary about ...
Luke's Last Day On Earth
Luke had no idea that was his last drive to school. Life is precious, short, and full of unknowns.
I Regret The Free Magazines
Recently I got a letter in the mail. I had airline miles that were going to expire…on an airline I had NO reason to fly on anytime soon. (Thanks old work trips!) But there was good news: I could us...
Don't Be So One Dimensional
When I waltz in through the front door of Aloha Kitchen, a go to place near my office, I like that they know my order. NO…I love it!
Bye Now! The Button That Kills Your Business
Yup, I started this article with every marketers FAVORITE button, Bye Now. No, it's not a typo, here's why.
Clients Tell You What They Need: Are You Listening?
"I Feel Your Pain…"
Google Just Made The Ad Of The Decade
This year, there have been dramatic, last-minute changes to Super Bowl advertising. One notable example of an ad that was pulled is the Planters ad where Mr. Peanut dies. Because, obviously, no one...
A Fatal Nut Allergy Kills A Brand
Planters, perhaps the most well known nut company in America, maybe the world, is 100% NUTS! No, I am not talking about the snack that millions eat daily, I am referring to their crazy idea of chan...
The Danger Of Building A Personal Brand
Over the past few years my business has grown and so has this thing called my personal brand. Today I am being asked to coach and mentor business owners around the world, speak on larger stages, an...
The Weight of Perceived Expectations
Expectations carry weight. Perceived expectations surmount to a weight that is unquantifiable and therefore, burdensome and undoubtedly heavy. What happens when you fall victim to perceived vs actu...
Operation Disneyland: How Disney Helped Me Grow and Scale
When you wish upon a star... NOTHING HAPPENS!
What Jeff Bezos Taught Me In 15 Minutes
When a guy like Jeff Bezos gives you a peek into his business operations, his mindset, you should really pay attention. I spend my time paying attention to people WAY smarter than me, and it wasn't...
Take My Money, Please... They Kept Saying NO!
That's right, I wanted to GIVE more money to a company and was repeatedly told NO, you can't, that's not possible. Wait, what?! I know, confusing, right?
Lead With Gratitude
You could feel the chill of the fall air, yet no one was cold. The stands were filled to capacity and the crowd…it was the final regular season game and the crowd was electric.
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 9: A Successful Entrepreneur
There's one quality that I believe determines whether someone will be successful, or whether they'll fail in whatever endeavor it is they're pursuing. It's tenacity. I have a relentless tenacity th...
An Open Letter To Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook
Dear Mr. Zuckerberg,
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 8: The Unintentional Pilot
I started this book with a question: Have you ever flown an airplane? About that question...
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 7: Mistakes
As you grow your business, you'll make mistakes. Forgive yourself. Then, read and re-read this chapter to avoid making more!
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 6: All About that Jab
It would be impossible for me to say too much about jabbing. So, let's do a whole chapter on it, shall we?
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 5: Setbacks
Don't expect miracles when you start your business. There are going to be early setbacks. In fact, there are going to be setbacks throughout your business life, and I'm not talking about setbacks o...
This Secret Has Weighed Me Down For 34 Years
That's right. For 34 years, I've had a secret. Something I kept hidden from the world, from my family, even my wife.
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 4: Mentorship
I've already talked a lot about what a big difference Gary Vaynerchuk has made in my life and my business, but I wanted to devote a whole chapter to mentorship because it's just that important.
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 3: Scaling
Yes, our CEO decided to give away his best-selling book for free. Crazy, right? You can also listen in to the audiobook by subscribing to the EntreGrow podcast!
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 2: Don't Prepare, Just Do
People spend a lot of time preparing to do something, telling themselves "I'm getting ready." Preparing to write a book, preparing to start a new hobby. They spend a lot of time getting ready to ge...
Jab Till It Hurts - Chapter 1: 50 is the New 25
I don't think there's a right time or a wrong time to start a new business. There's just the time. Right now. Today. The opportunity to do something that you've always dreamed about doing is here. ...
Why I Decided To Give Away My Best Stuff For Free
If you haven't figured it out by now, I really pay attention to what my mentors do. One of them, Gary Vaynerchuk, regularly reiterates "watch what I do". And I do.
Reefer Madness...Or, Everything We Currently Know About Advertising CBD Products on Facebook
Update: September 17, 2019
How Flying Cheeseburgers Inspire Me
How many ads do you see in a single day? Would you believe 300? No? OK, 900? Well, what about 1,500 ads per day?
How To Crush It With A Single Video
So this morning, I was on my weekly mastermind call from different parts of the world. We get together and we coach -- we push one another, we challenge each other, and we constantly question our b...
How I Knew My Wife WOULDN'T Go Into Labor
The Delusion of Low Expectations
What Hair Stylists Taught Me About Creative Strategy
From Great Creative Strategy Springs Great Haircuts
Why I'm Selling My Company To Facebook... Someday
Building a business to the point of acquisition is incredible. It takes hard work, dedication, and tenacity to build the team and the infrastructure necessary to grow a business to the point of bei...
About My Dinner with Gary Vaynerchuk...
When you're invited to dinner with Gary Vaynerchuk do you start rehearsing the things you're going to say? Do you worry about what to wear? Do you think to yourself, what if he thinks my business i...
It Could Always Be Worse
I was out front sipping my coffee as the sun rose over Gilbert, Arizona, the city I've called home for 25 years. Oblivious to the chaos going on inside my house, I was busy taking early morning pic...
How To Write Facebook Ads That Sell
I love doing podcast interviews. They are some of the best days for me in the office. My energy is always high, my brain engaged, and I get to employ my superpower: Storytelling.
Inspired
Has anyone inspired you?
Get To $1 Million In Sales This Year
As I was about to take the stage in Las Vegas this past Saturday, something remarkable hit me and I thought I would take a moment to share with YOU what I shared with that audience...
Are You A CEO Or A Firefighter?
The office is empty, your team has left for the day, and there you are… alone.
5 Things You Should NEVER Do In Your Facebook and Instagram Ads
Normally, I'd tell you that "every Ad's different" or "that might work for your audience, so go for it!" Normally, when it comes to advertising and creative marketing, I'm far more open minded… and...
How To Grow Your Business By 33% This Year
Part I: Here's Your GPS For Getting Results
Just The Tip
Hey, if you missed my other blog post about headlines, you won't appreciate the headline of this blog post, if you did, awesome.
OMG! This Is The World's Best Burger!
The world's BEST burger? Really? I know what you're thinking...
The Business... Of Marriage
I Do. It Means More Than You Think.
Fido's Dead 🐶😢
What All Advertising Gets Wrong
Confessions Of A Master Clickbaiter
Wait, did you read that headline the right way? Yes, I wrote it to get you to click on it, but the content of this post is definitely not clickbait, although I am a master at that.
31 Flavors Are Better Than 1
The other day I walked into an ice cream shop. I was excited to try a few different flavors: new stuff, stuff that I'd never tried before. One of the joys of walking into an ice cream shop is that ...
3 INSANE Things Tony Robbins Taught Me
Truth: 3 Doesn't EVEN Scratch The Surface.
State of the State of Advertising 2019
My fellow advertisers... Today, the state of advertising is on the decline. Dark, bumpy days lie ahead of us.
ATTACK!
A horde of zombies is headed your way. You're completely outnumbered. You have 3 options:
BUY NOW! Did We Get Your Attention? Of Course NOT.
Before you write and run a "LIMITED TIME OFFER! 50% OFF! BUY NOW!" Ad, think to yourself, "Would I purchase this if it were a product I was interested in while scrolling through my social page?"
Sell LOVE, not Valentine's Day
It's no secret; great copywriting is now reserved for novels, TV Shows, and Movies. Ads get put on the backburner and relegated to things like "Take Advantage of Our 40% OFF Valentine's Day Special...