Category: Daily Thoughts

Lessons Learned from TV Preachers

I remember as a kid watching faith healers and church pastors reach out toward the TV screen and ask my parents for money.

Which my parents did give.

And I think a lot of those TV preacher guys from the 80’s and 90’s have since been exposed as crooks, but one thing I liked about them was that they were always super positive, always talking about “expanding” and growth and all of that.

Turns out, a lot of those guys and gals were just looking to fatten their own pockets.

But I still think they had a good premise, they were still saying good stuff: that God loves you, wants you to succeed, and all of that.

And I don’t think every Christian broadcaster is evil (I don’t know any, to be honest), but even assuming evil intent, I don’t think wise words spoken with evil intent lose their truth or their magic.

In fact, the non-crook, non-crazies who believe that God loves them and has a plan for their life, actually turn out doing pretty well in life.

Take it a step further, and I don’t think you even have to believe in God per se, as long as you keep some humility and openness about you so you don’t stunt your own growth.

Remember that your life is like its own little universe, always aging, changing, always expanding outward…

Don’t forget the power you have when you harness your natural energy, and the power you have when you strategically align with business partners who understand your work and your vision.

Which leads me to my next point: don’t forget to reach out to me when you need help getting more leads for your business.

There are multiple ways we can partner up on sales pages, emails, campaigns, and projects.

Just shoot me an email at [email protected]

Last night I watched Mad Max: Fury Road for probably the 3rd or 4th time.

I’m a sucker for sci-fi and post-apocalyptic movies in general, but George Miller’s Mad Max movies really stand out because Miller builds worlds in his films that are distinctly unique.

Many of his characters have physical deformities, ailments, or other eccentricities.

His bald-headed, pale-skinned “war boys” have their own language (a dialect that refers to guns as “boomsticks” and flares as “sky blood”), and even cohesive religious beliefs and rituals about death and the afterlife (what they call “Valhalla”).

All very weird, yet all very “human” and relatable at the same time.

Which brings me to my next point: I”m a pretty weird dude, yet, here you are reading my email.

Presumably because we have enough common interests, similarities, worldview, etc.–the same kind of weird.

(If you want to get all “kamakrazee” on me and spray paint your mouth silver and shout “witness me!!!” as you sacrifice your life in battle a la war boy ritual, I will have to part ways with you, however.)

But branding and world-building is a powerful tool for connecting you more deeply with your audience.

When you use your weird to find other similar weirdos, it can create a bond over the long haul, which means repeated sales for your business. 

Understanding the proper language, dress, culture, mannerisms, backgrounds, likes and dislikes of your audience is not just helpful, but necessary if you want to develop a killer brand and returning clients and customers.

Sound interesting? Let me know your thoughts: [email protected]

In matters of love, I hold myself in pretty high esteem and confidence…

In marriage, sure I did ok, both times.

But the marriages did not last.

One might even say “failed.”

And the temptation–when hopes and efforts are abandoned–is to feel like a failure.

But I know I’m good at love, and that I’m a good man, and that I was a good husband…

So, what gives?

In studying copywriting and marketing, it’s easy to draw analogies between marriage and business because both are grounded in relationships and are made of the same elements of human emotion and psychology.

And the lesson in love is the same as in your business: people who love you or love your business are enamored, moved, and sold, by the way you benefit them.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a “good husband” or if you manufacture a new kind of dental floss that uses proprietary ionizing technology for a smoother glide. 

You have to be of good use!

The “good” husband must pay the rent or do something other than just carry the title; the new kind of floss must save me from painful cavities seeking to torment me for my sins of peanut butter cup gluttony…

What is your benefit to your consumer?

This is a common mistake many businesses and professionals make: they focus on the “features” of the product instead of how your products or skills benefit the customer.

This is the bird’s eye view of copywriting that every project needs to start with.

Just this simple perspective shift can really impact how well you turn website visitors into paying customers.

Need help sprucing up a sales page, website, or other marketing materials?

Just email me: [email protected]

In the same way artists fear taking the drugs away will mess with their craft, I fear being a Christian may do the same to my writing.

Like I won’t be able to jerk off anymore or have real life experiences or say the word “fuhhk.”

WWJD?

Well I went back to church last month, and then again the next Sunday, and then again the Sunday after that…(not sure what demon possessed me to do that).

And in church when the band plays and the pretty girls sing I just stand there and cry and think about playing the drums and then think about my kids and cry some more, then settle down by the time the house lights come on, then go get Carl’s Jr.

And so far, “being a Christian” has stopped me from writing altogether, thank god! But for other reasons, like ADHD and, blame my parents, etc.

But here you are, reading these words, and let’s up hope it is a work of the lord–some way some how–as opposed to that of Satan, or of hostile AI, or of miscreant aliens.  

And what would I say if I was a preacher?

I would say: live your life! 

And let God do the editing.

I think God probably has ways and methods for working with raw materials like you and me, or at least knows people who do.

I sometimes imagine God sneers at me from above his horn-rimmed glasses, legs crossed, arms folded tightly against his chest (which they say in marriage counseling not to do when you talk to your spouse because “You want your non-verbal communication to be, open!!”)…

But then I realize, he can’t really blame me, if I’m pursuing my calling and trying to use it for human echolocation, right?

In fact, maybe for that, he gives me a warm hug and says “Welcome home son!”

-Paul

One of my favorite lines from the movie Anchorman is when Ron Burgandy (Will Ferrell) is depressed and drinking in the bar because a woman was appointed as his co-anchor, and the bartender (Danny Trejo) tells him: “You know, times are changing. Ladies can do stuff now!”  Although I am a little sad that ladies can do stuff now and that I missed that golden age of the 1950’s when women still let men rule the roost (at least, that’s what it seems like from what I’ve seen on TV), with the changing times also comes changes for men. For instance, these days I’m seeing more dads out on the playground from all walks of life, hanging with their kids. To me, it’s always just felt natural and normal to want to spend time with my children, and I don’t think that’s a new sentiment shared by men per se, but I think many changes–from social to technological–have resulted in more business getting done on the playground. I have met 4 cool dads on the playground in the past few months alone, whose contact info is now in my phone for potential future business collaborations. Just yesterday in fact, I met a stay-at-home dad who side hustles as an entertainment photographer. Point is, times are changing, so don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for opportunities popping up in “unconventional” places–seems like it may just be the new norm. That’s all for now. -Paul Denni P.S. If you’re feeling generous…

Couple days ago, I came across a nice little saying that gave me a little tingly feeling in my chest that must be what Christians call “hope” and it goes a little somethin’ like this:

“Everything I lose creates space for everything I need.” 

It doesn’t really make logical sense, when you think about it, because presumably people all over the world are losing shee-yit they need all the time. 

But when you feel you’ve lost something that was really important to you, like a job or a friend or a deal or an opportunity that you were certain you couldn’t live without, this mantra can re-orient you to the fact that, hey, you’re still here, you’re still alive, and in some sense of the word, that is all you “need.” 

And now, like it or not, you have more time and space and resources to put toward your primary goal, focus, or calling. 

Which is what I needed to hear this November, toward the end of the year, when things get reflective and emo and I start taking inventory of what the hell just happened these past dozen or so months (or, usually what didn’t happen). 

And this year, there has been a lot of loss for me, including a marriage and all of its consequent subset of losses. 

Things like: cancelled plans. Dreams I shared, and looked forward to with my wife, that began to fade, like Marty’s hand when he’s playing guitar at the school dance in Back to the Future and his parents almost don’t get back together. 

Getting robbed of time with my young daughters, who look to me to explain to them what’s what in life. 

Things like this. 

But, thank jeezus, there also happen to be sideswipe blessings of “losing” so much. 

Blessings like sharpened focus, refined integrity, heightened senses, hunger, and loneliness. I realized loneliness was a gift about ten years ago, after my first divorce, which brought along all of its subset oflosses: precious time with my (firstborn) daughter; a shattered identity; the drifting hopes and dreams anchored in that relationship, that inevitably stretched and melted and floated away like clouds. 

With loneliness comes quietness, stillness, and more empty space than you really care to have–at first, anyway. That is, until you realize your standing atop a huge blank sheet of paper with bare feet and puddles of ink to start tramping around in. 

-Paul 

P.S. If you’re feeling generous…

Friends, countrymen, and latinas…. 

It’s been a while, but I am emerging from the shadows after a year from hell. 

Needless to say, I am all in one piece, and am getting my work back to the standards one would expect of a professional attorney and writer. 

As I continue wrapping up loose ends for clients and start to re-build my business, I am beginning my daily emails again. 

If you like a little fuel for your engine, a tiny bit of inspiration to rise from the doldrums of life that seek to throw us off kilter, and maybe a laugh or two along our mutual paths to better ourselves–then by all means, please stick around! 

There will be deals, discounts, insights, tips, tricks, hacks, laughs, and smacks (smacks straight to your face, not on your butt), to help you along on your merry little path of life. 

It all comes from my humble experiences, thoughts, perceptions, and resources I have to share with you. 

I hope you stick with me on this journey, so together, we can deepen our sense of purpose and meaning and effectiveness on this topsy-turvy-kick-you-in-your-nuts ride of life. 

After all, at the end of the day, all we have is each other.  

My Best, 

-Paul

P.S. If you’re feeling generous…