Dear subscriber, Every product or service has at least one flaw or drawback. Well, any salesperson worth their weight in cocaine, I mean salt, has learned to spin negatives into selling benefits. That’s right. Every negative has its positive. If you think long and hard enough (most people don’t), you can create a laundry list of positives for every product flaw or downside. Then you simply (okay, perhaps it’s not simple) tell your prospect why the negative is actually a good thing. And if you do it well enough… … It Can Be The Reason Why a Prospect Buys! A half-baked example: Let’s say ..read more

  Dear subscriber, Once upon a time… there was an old ranch owner named Hank. Hank owned a small ranch in Montana. The Montana Wage and Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his workers and sent an agent out to interview him. “I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,” demanded the agent. “Well,” replied old Hank, “There’s my ranch hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $600 a week plus free room and board. The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $500 a week plus free room and board. Then there’s the half-wit who works about 18 hour ..read more

  Dear subscriber,   Question: What do you call a 50-year-old nerd? Answer: Boss. Yup, little did the school bullies in the ’80s and ’90s know, the nerds and geeks were going to pretty much rule the world in the 2000s and beyond. The truth is, if you’re a wiz with numbers and technology, you have a huge advantage. Just look at how the modern business world works. It’s technology and finance combined. Thus, the richest people in the world either control the technology or the money. Or both! Now listen: Today, I’m gonna do something different. I’m going to cater my writing style to the ..read more

  Dear subscriber, It’s said that “time is money” And nowhere is that more true than at a luxury watch store. I’ve never been a much of watch guy, but I did hear a very wealthy man say the new Rolex Daytona is very good. Apparently, it’s very accurate. He said every time you look at it, it tells you exactly how rich you are. Well anyhow, the fact is this: when it comes to luxury watches, Rolex is at the tippy top of the luxury watch mountain. They’ve been the top dog in the market longer than most of us have been able to tell time. But are Rolex watches actually any better than Patek Phil ..read more

  Dear subscriber, Ever seen a hack copywriter try to use rhetorical questions in their promotional emails? Often, they’ll shoehorn them into their email intro like they’re going out of style. Listen, a good rule of thumb is to use the rhetorical question sparingly so it doesn’t lose its impact. Now, if you’re under the impression that Papa Maverick would toss aside this rule of thumb, considering himself too adept, too brilliant, and too skillful to be constrained by such norms, well, then, you’re absolutely right! Now, brace yourself as Papa Maverick unleashes a tsunami of rhetorical ..read more

  Dear subscriber, So I’m wining and dining this beautiful Italian laydee. We’re inside a swanky whiskey bar in the city. The ambiance is perfect, and the conversation crackles with energy, humor, and flirtation. Everything’s peachy until… we order our drinks. Here’s how that went down: Our waiter saunters over to our table to take our drink order. My date scans through the drink menu and starts frowning like a disapproving parent reading their child’s dismal school report card. She looks up at the waiter and asks, “Do you guys have so-and-so Vodka?” (I can’t remember what brand) “I’m so ..read more

  Dear subscriber, Below is a highly contested debate within the writing community. Pizza or burgers? Yep, it’s no secret that most writers have poor diets. Heck, a cop working night-shift eats healthier than the average writer. Well, this is a tough one, but I’m going with pizza. Now, if I cared, this would be the perfect place to ask what you’d pick. (Notice that key word there: IF) Another common debate among writers: Marlboro or Newport? Which tastes best? But when it comes to topics that get writers debating, pontificating, and yapping endlessly, there’s one that stands above all the ..read more

  “I can’t teach you how to write, and anybody who says they can is full of shit.”  ~ Hank Moody -Californication   The above quote is taken from my new favorite TV show, Californication. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to watch this cracking good show. Well anyway, the above quote is what I call “a good TV line.” Meaning, it’s written for entertainment purposes. But, unlike TV screenwriters, Papa Maverick writes for entertainment AND enlightenment. Yup, I will entertain you AND drop knowledge on you! Now, before I dislocate my arm from patting myself on the back, l ..read more

  “My favorite animal is steak.” ~ Fran Lebowitz     That above quote has nothing to do with today’s email. I just like it. I apologize for wasting 2 seconds of your time. OK. Let’s get into the real meat and potatoes of today’s message, shall we? Listen, recently I attempted to delve into some research papers penned by social scientists and esteemed psychologists regarding fame, and why people chase it. Well, when I say “delve,” I mean I skimmed through a few pages. It was a test of patience, tolerance, and endurance, let me tell you – as per usual, I failed that test. Did I le ..read more

Dear subscriber, For a brief (very brief) period of my life, I was a professional drummer. I was not a naturally talented drummer. I had to work harder than an ugly stripper to get to the level I achieved. And even that level was not enough to cut it in the unforgivable and fickle playground that is the music industry. Ultimately, I got chewed up, spat out, kicked to the curb, and washed down the drain. I refused to believe it at the time, but I was not supposed to have a drumming career any more than Conor McGregor was supposed to have an acting career. Too bad too sad for me, huh? Oh well… a ..read more