“He who wants to persuade should put his trust not in the right argument, but in the right word. The power of sound has always been greater than the power of sense.” – Joseph Conrad, Born Dec. 3, 1857. This is why your work needs to read the way people speak. Because the mind’s ear… Read More →
The Illusion of Choice is Beneficial Oppression
“Language is legislation, speech is its code. We do not see the power which is in speech because we forget that all speech is a classification, and that all classifications are oppressive.” – Roland Barthes, born Nov. 12, 1915 Something vital to keep in mind when you are a persuasive writer is this: You are… Read More →
Make Them Get Their Hands Dirty if You Want to Sell Them More Dirt
“Within one hour of touching the brush to canvas for the first time, my students have a total, complete painting.” – Bob Ross, Born Oct. 29, 1942. This was Ross’s pitch. He empowered people who were intimidated to create art, and gave them the tools and shortcuts to get over that fear. Were the students’… Read More →
The Secret of Making Sales Without Selling (Is To Distract People From Realizing You’ve Sold Them)
“I always aspire to that, where it feels like the film was made by the characters as opposed to the filmmakers. I try to be invisible.” – Spike Jonze, Born Oct. 22, 1969. When you create marketing messages for clients, it should be this way, too. You’re creating a message from the client to their… Read More →
This One Word Describes The Only Thing Worth “Selling” (No Matter What Your Product Is…)
“In the factory we make cosmetics; in the drugstore we sell hope.” – Charles Revson, Born Oct. 11, 1906. This is something to remember for all you would-be copywriters out there. The product is the product. It has features and aspects and components. Even a digital product has a page count or a domain name… Read More →
Every Snowflake In the Blizzard Feels Unique and Special
“Everybody’s like everybody else, and everybody’s different from everybody else.” – Harvey Pekar, Born Oct. 8, 1939. As a professional person expert, I can tell you that the second part of that quote is what people believe is true about themselves. “I am unique. I am special. I am different. I stand apart.” And note,… Read More →
Say it. Then say it again differently. And yet again, but not the same, and Etc…
“The average voter has to hear a point seven times before it registers.” – Paul Weyrich, Born Oct. 7, 1942. Repetition is key. Repetition is key. If you want your message to be received… Repetition. Is. Key. Here is the rub. The trick to making this work is that you can’t just say the same… Read More →
Why We Buy: To Forget We Will Die
“We’re living in primate heaven. We’re warm, dry, we’re not hungry, we don’t have fleas and ticks and infections. So why are we so miserable?” – Steven Pinker, Born Sep. 18, 1954. Why not, Steve? Because we are all damned with the inescapable knowledge of our own eventual demise. It’s a pants-shitting fear that constantly… Read More →
No Message Stands Alone – All Communication is CONVERSATION
“An artist carries on throughout his life a mysterious, uninterrupted conversation with his public.” – Maurice Chevalier, Born Sep. 12, 1888. A business has a conversation with the market, and with its prospects, and with its customers. That’s what marketing and advertising and selling IS: a conversation. Social media and Internet-based marketing in general has… Read More →
How To Talk to People So They Feel Like You’re Instantly Friends (And Then Sell Them Stuff)
“Candor is a compliment; it implies equality. It’s how true friends talk.” – Peggy Noonan, Born Sep. 7, 1950. In times past, social interaction required a facade of formality. Especially in a business context. Gentlemen wore suits of clothes, and exchanged handshakes and cards and engaged in small talk, followed by queries and responses about… Read More →
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