We Can’t All Be Einstein (Thank God)
We can’t all be geniuses, right? And in some ways, thank God. For instance, how about these little tidbits I recently found online about one of the most famous geniuses in history – Albert Einstein…
Which Promises Work Best?
“That’s right – it filets, it chops, it dices and slices. It never stops. It lasts a lifetime, mows your lawn, and it picks up the kids from school. It plays a mean rhythm. It makes excuses for lipstick on… Continue Reading
What Trump Gets Seriously Wrong…
Nope, I’m not gearing up for a political diatribe. That’s not our beat. But when it comes to productivity, there’s been another topic on my mind… What’s the one thing that Donald Trump… and Martha Stewart… and talented film and… Continue Reading
Short Words, Bigger Word Power
I grew up loving what the nuns used to call “25 cent words.” In high school, we called them “SAT Words.” These are the words, they told us, that make you sound smart. That win you respect, jobs, and the girl of your dreams. People who use these words, they said, can walk through walls. Boy, did they get that wrong… Continue Reading
How Curiosity Can Save a Copywriter
Somebody once asked David Ogilvy for a list of traits that matter most when hiring copywriters. Above all, he said, they have to have an unwavering, overpowering, enormous sense of curiosity. I can’t help but think that has to be right. Why? Continue Reading
The Simple Secret of… Complexity?
Says Kramer, “It appears that we are, in fact, set up to respond favorable to complexity. Decades of work in experimental psychology have revealed that when people are free to choose between a simple visual image and a more complex one, they gravitate to the complex…” But if that’s true, does the age-old mantra of “Keep It Simple, Stupid” fall apart? Continue Reading
Read this NOW, or the Puppy Gets It!
Years ago, I think it was National Lampoon sent out a mail campaign trying to get subscribers… or maybe it was renewals… with a picture of a man holding an adorable puppy draped over his left arm. In his right hand, he held what looked like Dirty Harry’s revolver. The headline read (I’m paraphrasing): “Subscribe now or the puppy gets it!” Depending on how you feel about puppies, that qualifies as an “urgency” pitch. Of course, there are other ways to create urgency. Continue Reading
Why Your Customers Lie
Every one of your customers is an untrustworthy, fraudulent, false-hearted, cheating, calculating, double-dealing… (deep breath)… crafty, duplicitous, disingenuous, untruthful, scheming… stinker. Well maybe not a stinker. But liars they are. It’s true. How so? Continue Reading
The Positioning Myth
In the classic marketing book, “Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind,” authors Trout and Ries made it clear. In any marketing challenge, you often get one shot at staking out your territory inside your customer’s cranium… Either you’ll get it right and have loyal customers lined up at your back door, ad infinitum… or you’ll blow it and spend a fortune trying to re-invent their perception of you, possibly for years to come…
Continue Reading
A Lucky Accident
I got a note awhile ago from consultant Bob Serling Bob writes: “Years ago, I was using a print broker for some of my mailings. She had been referred to me by a direct marketing legend whose identity I’ll protect… Continue Reading