Selling Magic
Looking to close more sales? Try magic… Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. Like all great magicians, the power of your sales presentation is in the setup. Let’s take a peek behind the curtain.
The Social Engineering Brilliance of “L’eggo My Eggo”
To understand the brilliance of what Leo Burnett did, you have to consider what they didn’t do — what a lesser advertising title might have done.
Why Character-Driven Ads are the Key to Higher Margins
Facts presented as facts — as standard “reason why” advertising — cause people to buy from a Consumer Reports mindset. They want bang for the buck.
Reverse Psychology and Advertising Strategy
It’s called “reactance.” When someone tries to tell you what to think or do — that automatic resistance you feel is called reactance by psychologists. And for advertisers, there are plenty of work-arounds for reactance.
Good Spiderwebs
Too often, a company uses their marketing to push their features and benefits - ‘Best location, Best Product, Best Service, Best Employees’ - but these are not clingy and sticky. Features and benefits are slippery and rarely remembered.
The Bard, the Beatles, and Beyond
McCartney rocks and Shakespeare roles and both showmen move their audiences with antithesis. Steal a gift from Paul and Will. Use antithesis in your writing.
Earworms and Advertising
If you’ve ever had a song or a jingle stuck in your head, that’s an earworm. And advertisers can and should use this phenomenon to their advantage. Seinfeld even built an episode around this phenomenon.
The Magic of Portals
The goal is to move shoppers from an objective, consumer-reports mindset to an enthusiast’s mindset. Put plainly: if you’re selling premium products or experiences, you need to understand the power of portals.
The 7 Most Common Ways to Fail When Making Your Ads “Creative”
Creativity is the second most important factor in advertising effectiveness, according to over 50 years of quantitative data.
Why The Road Runner’s Style Guide Kicks Your Style Guide’s A$$
When done right, THIS is the stuff that creates a distinct voice and personality. I’ve seen a few scores of them over the years, and 95% have been utterly worthless.
“Can You Hear Me Now” — How Verizon Grabbed Greater Market Share As Premium-Priced Provider
Verizon couldn’t afford to lower rates or compete on price. Instead, they had better advertising.
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.
Long Ads, Short Ads, and Creating Viral Videos | Wizard’s Roundtable
Is it better to have a bunch of little 15 second ads or a full 60 second ad? Is a quick postcard better than a long letter? And how can we leverage entertainment?
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."
They Hate My Ad! (Now what?)
Now, I don’t subscribe to the notion that “hey, they remembered you…and that’s all that matters.” It’s very easy to be outrageous and “get remembered.” The job of your ad is to “get remembered” and sell some stuff.