November 25, 2019

Gigantic news at The Atlantic


When you’ve been in the publishing business since 1857, you can rightfully say that you’ve learned a thing or two about longevity and how to make a product continually appealing to ever-changing consumers. The key to maintaining that allure today, apparently, is to make things look simple without losing your sophistication. For The Atlantic, that means taking an A-to-Z approach, beginning – literally – with a capital “A” and ending with a close eye on Gen Z, your future readers.

To better compete for eyeballs in the increasingly digital world of journalism, the publication recently undertook a significant redesign of its magazine, website, and iOS app and rolled out a new digital subscription service. In my latest piece for Digital Content Next, I interviewed Adrienne LaFrance, executive editor of The Atlantic, to learn more about the revamping. Check it out here.

November 17, 2019

Live every day like you're on a vacation by owning a second home and renting it out

Here’s a fun thought: Why not own your own vacation property and make some money on it, too? This is possible if you purchase a vacation home in a good location and rent it out. Research shows that renting out a vacation home can help pay for most of the mortgage on it.

But to get cheap financing and potentially turn a profit on your getaway house, you’ll have to shop around carefully for the best vacation home mortgage rates.

In my latest article for The Mortgage Reports (available here), I explore the top markets for buying a vacation home, why second homes are becoming more popular, how to purchase an inexpensive one, and more.

November 11, 2019

That was then, this is noir

For Cineversary podcast episode #17, host Erik Martin welcomes guest Eddie Muller, host of Turner Classic Movies' Noir Alley, founder and president of the Film Noir Foundation, and author of several books including Dark City: The Lost World of Film Noir. Erik and Eddie commemorate the 75th anniversary of one of the all-time great noir films "Double Indemnity," and investigate why this masterwork is worth celebrating all these years later, its cultural impact and legacy, what we can learn from the picture today, how it has stood the test of time, and more.

Eddie Muller
To listen to this episode, click the "play button" on the embedded streaming player below. Or, you can stream, download or subscribe to the Cineversary podcast using Google PodcastsGoogle Play MusicApple PodcastsiTunesAnchorBreakerCastboxOvercastPocket CastsPodBeanRadioPublicSpotifyStitcher, and TuneIn.

Learn more about the Cineversary podcast at tinyurl.com/cineversarypodcast and email show comments or suggestions to cineversegroup@gmail.com.

November 3, 2019

Closing time

The ABCs of business—“always be closing”—aren’t easy to master. Turning a prospect into a paying client involves hard work and a lot of attention. In fact, three out of four companies indicate that converting leads into customers is their top priority; yet only around one in five businesses are satisfied with their conversion rates.

Of course, there is no single magic tactic for landing clients and closing deals. But attempting different approaches can increase your chances. In a recent piece I wrote for the US Chamber of Commerce's CO site, I reached out to a handful of experts for advice, and they suggested three key strategies, found here.