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How to Break Out of a Creative Rut

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Think you need to be some kind of genius to be exceptionally creative? Think again.

In fact, it’s a common misconception that only highly intelligent people are creative. Research shows that once you get beyond an I.Q. of about 120, which is just a little above average, intelligence and creativity are not related.

The truth is, we’re all inherently creative, but to varying degrees we allow that natural gift to be blocked. You’re already capable of creative thinking at all times, but to get out of a rut, you have to strip away the imaginary mental boxes that you’ve picked up along the way to wherever you are today.

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Are You Someone’s User-Generated Content?

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Over the past few years, as a few longtime content producers announced that independent websites were taking a backseat to Facebook and Twitter, I just shook my head.

There’s a fundamental difference in the way people who build web properties for a living think when compared to those who publish online for other reasons.

For me, there’s really no appeal in spending a lot of time creating “user-generated” content via a social networking application.

That’s like remodeling the kitchen in a house you rent.

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WordPress Hosting That Means Business

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Did you know Copyblogger Media has a WordPress hosting division? Many people don’t, because it’s been a bit under-the-radar.

The whole thing started with our frustration with web hosting in general. Specifically, the fact that a lot of “WordPress hosting” amounts to generic one-click installation of the CMS on a standardly-configured box — which simply doesn’t cut it for optimal performance and security.

So, last year we decided to manage our high-traffic network of content and product sites ourselves.

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If It Doesn’t Sell …

Advertising legend David Ogilvy hated the word “creative” in the context of the work his firm did for clients. In Confessions of an Advertising Man he wrote, “I tell new recruits that I will not allow them to use the word creative to describe the functions they are to perform in the agency.”

The job of advertising, Ogilvy rightly maintained, was to sell the product or service. If it didn’t do that, the advertisement was a failure, no matter how “creative” any of its other attributes.

Madison Avenue has continually failed to heed Ogilvy’s advice. Will you?

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7 Timeless Business Lessons You Can Learn from Hollywood Screenplays

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I love movies. In fact, movies are what led me into copywriting and eventually to building a successful software company.

Better explain that one, huh?

Back in 1997 when I bolted from the big law firm and moved down to Austin, my plan was to become a screenwriter. Feast or famine, damn the consequences, starving artist type stuff.

Well, instead of writing screenplays, I got caught up in the Web 1.0 boom, and read a lot of books about the film industry in my downtime.

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How to Discover Your Hidden
Remarkable Benefit

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What if you’ve got something going for you so remarkable that it virtually guarantees your success?

What if you’re just not seeing it?

Every business needs a remarkable benefit (or USP) in order to stand out from the competition.

Identify that unique element, and you’ll know exactly what the theme of your content marketing should be, because that will be the big story of your business.

The fact is, often that extraordinary element is something you take for granted.

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