So, Little Caesar Lady Liberty and a Gorilla were standing on the corner...

A gorilla, Little Caesar and Lady Liberty are standing on a street corner. And, that's it, there is no punch line, and it isn't even a joke. I actually saw three people in these costumes in front of a local strip mall advertising their products. I thought to myself, "Really? This is the best these three companies can come up with?" But, as soon as I thought it, I recognized that these three goofy costumes were putting these three ahead of the other businesses surrounding them, when it came to attracting walk-in business, because people know that they are there.

Many times in life it is not the guy with the most talent, skill, or knowledge that ends up on top. We have all heard business owners lament their lack of sales. Saying something like, "If people knew how good my work was, how much deeper I understood the product or service, how much education I have...", the list goes on, that they would have more business than they could shake a stick at. They say it and walk away shaking their heads and do the same thing they have always done, expecting different results. (Einstein's definition of insanity)

As writer's we are no different. I read online writing forums and hear people slam the companies they write for, bemoaning low rates and bad titles, but I bet not one of them keeps business cards and hands them out. I know this, because I go to networking meetings all the time, and the response I get is, "You're the first writer that we have ever had in this group." Yet, every business, bar none, either uses writers, or could benefit from using one.

So, if you are one of the writer's that gripes about the low wages he is earning, or the bad titles available from the "content factory" she works for. Hear some advice I read the other day on a writer's blog (I wish I could remember who, if it is you, send me a message and I will give you credit) "The writer's who think that people writing books talking about $100+ an hour being their rates are liars, still think that Google searches and Craigslist ads are going to net them big contracts. This kind of work comes from a friend of a friend who knows you're a writer." So, what about you, what ridiculous promotions have you seen, or been part of? Tell us what worked, and what didn't!