“There is a saying that every nice piece of work needs the right person in the right place at the right time.” – Benoit Mandelbrot, Born Nov. 20, 1924. That’s what I like to make: a nice piece of work. The right person is you, the reader, the viewer, the receiver of my offer. As …
Good Copy Always Feels Like It’s Happening Right Now Read More »
“The only way to advertise is by not focusing on the product.” – Calvin Klein, Born Nov. 19, 1942. The art and skill and magic and OOMPH of writing promotions comes from the stuff you do that has NOTHING to do with the product itself. The product is just a token of value. It carries …
No One Wants To Buy Your Product – This Is What They’ll Pay For… Read More »
“Human vocabulary is still not capable, and probably never will be, of knowing, recognizing, and communicating everything that can be humanly experienced and felt.” – Jose Saramago, Born Nov. 16, 1922. Jose is talking about how even the best writers can find themselves incapable of expressing the full range of human emotion. And that’s arguably …
Explain To Others How They Feel When Their Own Words Cannot Express It Read More »
“Timing and arrogance are decisive factors in the successful use of talent.” – Marya Mannes, Born Nov. 14, 1904. Talent alone is no guarantee of success. There are plenty of broke ass nobodies with talent so abundant it’s oozing from their pores. You need to USE the talent you have in a way that lets …
Another “Bad” Character Trait That You MUST Have to Succeed… Read More »
“It is often wise to reveal that which cannot be concealed for long.” – Friedrich Schiller, Born today, Nov. 10, 1759 Ah yes. The “damaging admission”. Confess your sins before your audience rather than hiding them. Expose your own flaws. Uncover your shortcomings. This applies to you, your products, and your offers. But don’t stop …
Flaunt Your Flaws as Features for Authority and Authenticity Read More »
“Any fact is better established by two or three good testimonies than by a thousand arguments.” – Marie Dressler, Born Nov. 9, 1869. Let me tell you a secret that most copywriters won’t share. There is nothing you or I can create or cleverly state that will be as easily believed as a good testimonial …
When Your Buyers Testify, They Sell For You Easily Read More »
“As a writer, I’m more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.” – Kazuo Ishiguro, born today, Nov. 8, 1954 Just because something isn’t REAL doesn’t mean it isn’t TRUE. Emotion is not REAL – it isn’t physical. It isn’t detectable by anyone outside of the one experiencing it unless …
Something Doesn’t Have To BE True If It FEELS True Read More »
“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” – Tom …
Your Personal Brand Has Never Mattered More (Or Been Easier To Grow) Read More »
“A certain slightly cruel disregard for the feelings of living people is simply part of the package. I think a writer, if he’s any good, is not an entirely benign entity in the world.” – Michael Cunningham, Born today, Nov. 6, 1952. This is another uncomfortable truth. For one, we need to hurt people – …
“Propaganda requires a permanent network of communication so that it can systematically stifle reflection with emotive or utopian slogans. Its pace is usually fast.” – John Berger, Born Nov. 5, 1936. To me, this speaks to the necessity of frequent messages to to one’s audience. And also to the fact that a moment of quiet …
Propaganda Works Because It’s Consistent (Advertising, Too.) Read More »
