Goldmine Marketing

Here’s what I’m up to…

  • The Three Interests An Advertisement Must Serve (My Life in Advertising: Chapter 16)

    I don’t know about you, but I’m wary of ads that push the status quo. “Everything’s OK,” they say. “We’re the brand you know and trust.” Those brands aren’t working to keep our business.

    Advertisements with selfish appeals don’t interest a reader. Advertising great Claude C. Hopkins stresses service in advertisement. It’s a theme throughout his book My Life in Advertising.

    Hopkins applied this service outlook in his advertisements and his career. Hopkins’ great success comes from service to others, not to himself.

    Chapter 16, “Reasons for Success,” focuses on the business of advertising.

    The influential advertising person, you, must serve three interests.

    Image "_MG_8515.jpg" by Tibor Kovacs, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    Image “_MG_8515.jpg” by Tibor Kovacs, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

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  • Persuasion Articles of the Week

    Image "Put your hands up in the air" by Thomas Leuthard, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    Image “Put your hands up in the air” by Thomas Leuthard, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

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  • Another Message from the Universe

    I’ve written before about my Message from the Universe. It might have been a coincidence. Maybe my brain is making things up, finding patterns where there aren’t any. Humans are great at that.

    I've stopped ignoring the messages from the universe. Photo "Brothers in a Dangerous Trade" by Joel Penner, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    I’ve stopped ignoring the messages from the universe. Photo “Brothers in a Dangerous Trade” by Joel Penner, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

    But this has happened more than once. Here’s another message I’ve received. (more…)

  • Be a Creator of Beauty (My Life in Advertising: Chapters 14 and 15)

    I really like buying things. Things I don’t need, things I do need, things I think I’ll need later. A delayed delivery doesn’t stop this — Kickstarter hasn’t been my wallet’s best friend.

    Mind the Gap. It's used to pique your interest and direct your behaviour. Image "Mind the Gap" by Larry Johnson, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    Mind the Gap. It’s used to pique your interest and direct your behaviour. Image “Mind the Gap” by Larry Johnson, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

    We’re all victims of this psychological hook that advertisers use: they create a “gap” in your life. The gap could be the beginning of a story, leaving us hanging. The gap could be a heightened interest in a limited offer. (more…)

  • Persuasion Articles of the Week

    Image by Jonathan Petit, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    Image by Jonathan Petit, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

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  • Food… Shot from Guns? (My Life in Advertising: Chapters 12 and 13)

    YOU can be 10% more knowledgeable about advertising giant Claude C Hopkins’ Secrets to Success with this one PRL post!

    This is the 11th post in a series covering the current PRL book selection, My Life in Advertising.

    Chapter twelve of My Life in Advertising, Hopkins works on the Palmolive soap account.

    Following Hopkins’ playbook, the ad agency offers to buy the beauty soap for whomever brings in a coupon. Palmolive uses this offer to force quick distribution in retail stores, because no business wants the customer going elsewhere. The customers become hooked because the rule of reciprocity says that something done for them, the free bar of soap, will increase their desire to give back.

    You must have an extraordinary claim to make a dent in a crowded market. Image by Nesster, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    You must have an extraordinary claim to make a dent in a crowded market. Image by Nesster, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

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  • Three Ways Steam-Powered Automobiles Changed Advertising (My Life in Advertising: Chapters 10 and 11)

    This is the 10th part in a series covering the current PRL book selection, My Life in Advertising.

    The more things change, the more they stay the same.

    Over 100 years ago, steam-powered automobiles were a novelty to many and a luxury to the few who could afford them. With time, the technology improved and the cost dropped.

    We’re in a similar situation with Tesla and other high-end vehicles. And their ad methods haven’t changed much in those 100+ years. (more…)

  • Persuasion Articles of the Week

    Image "/approve" by hobvias sudoneighm, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    Image “/approve” by hobvias sudoneighm, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

    (more…)

  • Universal Mind Control?

    Over the last few years, I’ve had the feeling that the Universe is Talking To Me.

    Not with words. The Universe is bigger than my language skills. And not in a tinfoil-hat kinda way.

    I've stopped ignoring the messages from the universe. Photo "Brothers in a Dangerous Trade" by Joel Penner, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    I’ve stopped ignoring the messages from the universe. Photo “Brothers in a Dangerous Trade” by Joel Penner, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

    These Messages From The Universe appear as coincidences in my life. We all have them.

    Some people would miss these. Some may see the coincidences but ignore them.

    I’ve started paying attention. (more…)

  • And Now, A Message from the Universe

    I’ve written other posts about the messages I’ve received from the Universe. Yeah I know it sounds crazy. Maybe they’re coincidences. Maybe it’s cognitive bias, lending make-believe support to my theory.

    But if the Universe’s Messages are helpful, why would I ignore them?

    With Persuasion techniques, you can be ahead of the game. Photo "Black & White" by Dean Strelau, Flickr, CC-By-2.0
    With Persuasion techniques, you can be ahead of the game. Photo “Black & White” by Dean Strelau, Flickr, CC-By-2.0

    Here’s a message that I am listening to. I think you are, too. (more…)