Writing Car Ads That Don’t Suck
The day Rick posted his 2003 Ford F 350 on Kijiji (a weird Canadian Craigslist), there were 66 other listings for the exact same truck. Rick’s rig sold in 23 minutes...to a Texan.
What is Your Price Tag Advertising?
It’s a mistake to presume that “all people want is the lowest price.” That painful myth has led many-a-business to nosedive into bankruptcy. The price tag is advertising quality.
Brand Distinctiveness and Key Words at Key Times
If people do business with you because of your ads, then they’re expecting the buying experience to match the one promised in the ads.
Sizzle is a Sound Effect
"Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak” — or so says Elmer Wheeler. And if you’re in marketing or sales, either you like that phrase, or rather strenuously object to it. Those who object say things like "If you sell sizzle without the steak you’re a con artist."
The Remarkable Taste Text
Roy H. Williams says, "Advertising is a tax we pay for not being remarkable." Dixon melons are sliced into juicy, axiom-proving-bites. Besides their remarkable taste, Dixon melons are available only for a limited time in small quantities.
How 2 Simple Tweaks Increased Sales By 350%
Before: Call conversion rate: 25%. Cancellations: 30%. After: Call conversion rate: 70%. Cancellations: 1%. Here’s what we did…
How Brandable Chunks Guarantee Brand Consistency | Wizard’s Roundtable
Without a consistent theme, you probably don't even have a campaign. And then at that point, what are you doing? You're not branding. You're not bonding.
Advertising Effectiveness: 50 Years of Research Distilled to Top 10 Most Important Elements
All the data including marketing spend, sales numbers, profit margins, etc.
Want To Be a Master Persuader?
In business, this is critical. How do you make someone say “Yes” to your request? Robert Cialdini's scientific approach to persuasion found that influence is based on six key principles.
Judging Ads: You’re (Probably) Doing It Wrong
I saw the following posted as a bit of humor online and thought it contained a powerful advertising lesson.
Story Appeal, Attitude, and Branding
Shared values and tribes are the life blood of bonding campaigns. And you can’t have attitude without a point of view.
McMann & Tate: Worst Ad Agency Ever
Howard McMann once said of his partner, “He’s slippery, he lies beautifully, and he has a great head of hair.” Legend has it, Tate once told a subordinate “If the client loves it, I love it! If the client hates it, I hate it!”
Creating Story Appeal On Demand (Part 2)
Attitude imbalances are the most useful for advertising — especially for branding — because they speak to and most directly reveal personality, character, and values.
Radio’s Missing Creative Revolution
Radio never teamed up copywriters with sound producers to create great ads that pushed Theatre of the Mind to full effect and that were more than the sum of their parts.
Why Delight Can Never Come Before Easy
Need Met + Easy = Delight I realize that you as a business owner are swarmed with issues on a daily basis that make you feel like it’s not this simple. But from a consumer standpoint, it is this simple.