John Cooke, Biz Xsell

13/05/2026

When Your Brand Says “Trust Us”… But Your Sales Team Doesn’t Get The Memo

Ever watched a brand spend millions polishing its halo… only for one sales call to knock it clean off? Turns out the real plot twist in business isn’t in the marketing department — it’s at the moment a human being opens their mouth.

If your sales team is rewriting your brand story into a comedy tragedy, you might have a trust problem brewing.

Here’s the tale (and the lesson) every business should hear: https://bit.ly/BizXsell_TrustUs

Once upon a time (because all good business lessons should start like a bedtime story) there was a company with a brand so shiny it practically glowed in the dark.Billboards beamed. Celebrities smiled. Ads whispered sweet nothings like “innovation,” “excellence,” and “we care deeply about ...

28/04/2026

Is it concentrated brewery waste or a national treasure?

If you want to start a civil war between a Brit and an Australian, just put a jar of the "black stuff" on the table. While the 2019 Ashes were being fought on the cricket pitch, a "Mitey Battle" was erupting in the ad pages, with Vegemite mocking the Brits and Marmite retaliating with stinging jabs about "ingredient tampering".

But why does this rivalry run so deep?

• Australia’s Second National Anthem: A staggering 99% of Australians consider Vegemite an "iconic" product, viewing it as a core part of their national identity.

• The British Polarisation: In the UK, the Marmite brand leans into the divide; they are the most polarised population, famously split by the "Love it or Hate it" slogan.

• The American Rejection: Why do our friends in the U.S. find it "repulsive"? It usually comes down to the "rookie mistake" of spreading it like peanut butter. Their sugar-accustomed taste buds simply aren't ready for the intense, salty punch of concentrated yeast.

Whether you prefer the syrupy, tangy monologue of Marmite or the thick, bitter statement of Vegemite, one thing is certain: it's more than just a spread—it's a matter of national security.

Read the full story of the Ye**ty Civil War here: https://bit.ly/BizXsell_Mitey

If you ever find yourself in a kitchen with a Brit and an Australian, whatever you do, don't mention the "black stuff". You might think you’re just talking about a savory spread for your toast, but you're actually stepping into a century-old theatre of war. On one side, you have the British contin...

22/04/2026

The Forgotten Truth Behind Australia’s Darkest Year of the War: Why Australia Was Not “Saved by America” in WW2

We’re often told America “saved” Australia in 1942. But the first land defeats of the Japanese weren’t won by Hollywood heroes — they were won by exhausted Australian Militia boys on the Kokoda Track of New Guinea and the AIF soldiers who followed them.

Behind the scenes, egos clashed, propaganda flowed, and Brisbane itself became a battleground. The Battle of Brisbane wasn’t just a riot — it was the breaking point of a strained alliance.

As ANZAC Day approaches, it’s worth revisiting what really happened.
Full story here → https://bit.ly/BizXsell_ANZACday

In the early hours of 7 December 1941, the world changed with the roar of Japanese aircraft over Pearl Harbour. Australia watched from afar as the American Pacific Fleet burned, but the shockwaves travelled across the ocean faster than any aircraft. Within weeks, the Japanese were rampaging through....

13/04/2026

Every empire falls for a reason.
MySpace didn’t collapse because Facebook was smarter — it collapsed because Facebook stayed hungry.
In my latest post, I break down the moment the king forgot the kingdom… and the five lessons modern business owners can’t afford to ignore. Learn more: https://bit.ly/BizXsell_FaceSpace

08/04/2026

What if the biggest threat to your business isn’t your competitors…but the way you think about price?

If your pricing is based on your costs or your fear of losing customers, you’re not pricing strategically—you’re pricing defensively.

If you’re still pricing like everyone else in your industry, you might be copying people who’re just as lost as you.

Most entrepreneurs unknowingly cap their own earning potential by using outdated, mechanical pricing habits. But value doesn’t live in your spreadsheet — it lives in your customer’s mind.

This blog uncovers five unexpected pricing secrets that can transform how clients perceive you, how much they trust you, and how much they’re willing to pay.
https://bit.ly/BizXsell_Price

Many entrepreneurs operate under an "invisible ceiling" of business growth. They spend years perfecting their craft, only to stall when it comes to the one lever that dictates their survival: pricing.Instead of making strategic decisions, most business owners resort to "mechanical thinking," ballpar...

30/03/2026

A single question on a dusty farm track once turned my whole Solahart sales approach upside down. I walked in ready to talk electricity bills and savings—just like every other salesperson in the industry—and walked out realising I’d been completely wrong about why some customers wanted solar hot water in the first place.
One elderly farmer gave me an answer so unexpected, so beautifully simple, that it reshaped how I thought about customers, motivations, and the hidden segments we often overlook.
The full story is a reminder that the best marketing insights don’t always come from data… sometimes they come from a weatherboard cottage in the bush.

Read the story → https://bit.ly/BizXsell_Sola

25/03/2026

“Your personal vision wants long lunches. Your business vision wants world domination. Sound familiar?”
Terry discovered what happens when those two finally shake hands instead of fighting over the same toy.
👉 Read Terry’s story on my website: https://bit.ly/BizXsell_Vision

03/02/2026

The Curious Case of the Magical Mark‑Up: A Cautionary Tale for Business Owners

If you’ve ever priced something based purely on cost, this muffin‑fuelled tale might feel uncomfortably familiar. The twist comes when value walks into the room. I’ve kept the full story on my blog because Facebook prefers shorter posts — and this one needed a little more room to rise, just like a good muffin. Grab the full read here. https://bit.ly/BizXsell_Muffins

20/01/2026

🧠 Ever shared a story because it felt true — only to wonder later if it actually was?

In a world where truth competes with drama, we’re all part of the reason misinformation spreads. Not because we’re careless, but because we’re wired to trust stories that flatter our beliefs.

This blog isn’t a lecture. It’s a curious, playful look at how disinformation and misinformation perform a dangerous little dance — one lights the match, the other fans the flames.

From miracle cures to windmills supposedly upsetting whales, vivid claims travel faster than any fact sheet. And once a story feels true, we stop asking whether it is true.

This post explores how falsehoods shape public health, business, and belief — and why the most tempting stories are often the trickiest.

If you’ve ever wondered why some stories settle in so comfortably — even when they probably shouldn’t — this might be of interest to you.
👉 Read the blog: Truth, Lies, and the Stories That Wink at Us:

I’ve been amused lately by how easily a story can sweep through society like a rumour in a Chinese Whisper factory. Not because people are silly — far from it — but because humans are basically walking story‑magnets. If a tale has just the right emotional charge, we stick to it like Velcro.A...

12/01/2026

🧠 Jumping to Conclusions Is Becoming a Global Sport

Have you noticed how fast people leap to conclusions these days?

A controversial incident happens anywhere in the world and within minutes the comment sections are overflowing with instant judgments — no context, no facts, just outrage on demand.

It’s the perfect storm: fast media, emotional headlines, and algorithms that reward the quickest, loudest reactions. But speed isn’t wisdom. And certainty isn’t truth.

A little Socratic thinking can change everything.

Pause. Ask what’s actually known. Question assumptions. Consider alternatives. Let evidence catch up before opinions harden.

So I wrote a blog post about it. You can read it at this link if you’re interested: https://bit.ly/BizXsell_Think