Last night, I slept through the night. I don’t remember the last time I slept through the night.
But yesterday I was exhausted. It was day 1 of a copywriting and marketing conference I’m attending.
It’s been a strange experience. The talks are interesting. The people are nice and smart and many are very successful.
But yesterday afternoon, when it was time for the second coffee break — the fourth networking opportunity of the day to that point — I had to leave and just go out for a walk and get away. So much listening and talking in such a short space.
All in all, I counted 12 hours of strenuous ear or mouth work yesterday. That’s why I managed to sleep through the night.
In another half hour, it will be time to start the second day.
I still have to shower. I have to get dressed. And I have to rouse whatever socializing energy is left in me for the morning coffee. It’s not the coffee that will require an effort but the inevitable socializing.
Since there isn’t much time, let me quickly tell you the best thing I heard during yesterday’s talks.
Well, really the best thing was listening to Drayton Bird, who is 87, but who was so full of energy and charm and stories — “…and then Gene Schwartz asked me to show him my headline. He showed me his. They were identical…”
Those kinds of stories were really the highlight.
But the best takeaway I heard came from business owner Barry Randall. Barry is apparently renowned for getting things done. So much so that A-list copywriter John Carlton has apparently invented a “Barry Quotient,” which I guess is defined as the fraction of good ideas you implement over the good ideas you hear about.
How does Barry maintain a super high Barry Quotient? One thing he said, which stuck with me, is:
“Simple ALWAYS gets done”
Maybe you shrug. Maybe you say that’s obvious and nothing new. It sounded profound to me. But maybe that’s because I heard it live. And maybe that’s really the advantage of a live event over an email or paper newsletter, even if they share the exact same ideas or strategies.
In any case, this simple email must end here. But if you want to read more simple advice, read my 10 Commandments book.
I’ve worked hard to make the simple advice in that book sound profound and impactful, even though it’s just a book, and not a live person talking to you.
Will any of the 10 pieces of advice in this book sound profound or impactful to you? Only one way to find out: