More Is Not Always Better

Right now, I’m judging
a book that is well over 500 pages.
This story could easily
be told
in less than half that number of pages.
The book is filled with filler,
filler I mostly skimmed through.

This author has mixed up
the value calculation.

He thinks that,
for the average reader,
value is the number of pages divided
by the cost of the book.

The actual calculation is
the amount of entertainment divided
by the cost of the book.

A small but significant difference.
An error that frustrates
the customer (reader)
because she has to wade through
what she doesn’t value
to get at what she does.

Don’t add more
unless that more increases value.
Know your product’s value equation.

Elvis IS The King

One of the top Delebs
is Elvis.

According to 60 Minutes,
Elvis’ estate earns $50 million a year
making Elvis one of the all time
top money makers.
Graceland is the 2nd most visited
private residence in the U.S.

But most interestingly,
the IRS says that
in 2002
84,000 people listed
Elvis Impersonator as their main occupation.
These impersonators add a live face
to the Elvis brand.

32 years after his death,
Elvis is loved and remembered
and BOUGHT by fans.
Every marketer’s dream.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Delebs

One of the risks that
come with celebrity endorsements
is having that celebrity
do or say something
that, by connection,
damages your brand.
Wardrobe malfunctions,
verbal diarrhea,
movie bombs,
all could negatively affect your brand.

That risk is zero
with Delebs.

Delebs,
a term used by Green Light Talent Agency
(reported by 60 Minutes),
are dead celebrities.
Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Albert Einstein
are some of the big name delebs.

Their frozen-in-time branding
is an option for cautious advertisers,
resulting in
an eight hundred million dollar a year business.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Ripples In The Pond

A mentor of mine has passed away.
He was a private man in life
so I will respect his wishes in death
and not mention his name.

But just because you’ll never find his name
written anywhere
doesn’t mean he didn’t make a difference.
Much of my knowledge base in product formulation,
my belief in quality products and quality ingredients,
comes from his teachings.
I’ve shared that with thousands of people
(including you and other clientk readers).

I’m only one of the many people he reached.

You have an opportunity right now
to make as big a difference in the world.
Someone in your business, customer base,
community, or home,
needs your guidance.
Offer it, make a difference, change the world.
It IS that simple.

Jennifer’s Body

It is clear from the trailers
that the movie
Jennifer’s Body
deals with the paranormal.

It has this paranormal element
because with movies like Twilight
and shows like The Vampire Diaries,
paranormal is hot
with the teen target group.

Unfortunately,
the marketing talks down
to this target group.
The paranormal element is a succubus
but there’s no mention of that
anywhere.

The only reason I can think of
for the oversight
is the assumption
that teens
won’t know or care
what a succubus is.

That’s a big assumption
with this very intelligent group.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Believability

When Microsoft came out with
their first Kylie commercial,
I was enchanted.
Here was a cute little toddler
showing the world
how easy it was
to take digital photos
and email them.

Kylie was believable.
I know toddlers who do that.
I have a very young niece sending me
emails consisting of photos
(and that’s it)
all the time.

The second Kylie commercial
is just that…
a commercial.
Is it believable that a toddler
would care or even know about
Windows 7?
No.
Would she make a slide show
with the ‘happy, happy’ words?
No.
The commercial is an insult to my intelligence.

And I feel like a fool
for believing her in the first commercial.

Just because a spokesperson
is successful in one campaign
doesn’t mean you should use her
in a different campaign.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Introvert Vs Extrovert

The majority of writers are introverts.
Writers tend to be solitary animals.
We spend time with our imaginary characters.
So I hear the
‘I’m an introvert’ excuse
for not promoting at least once a day.

And that’s exactly what it is…
an excuse.

I’m also an introvert
but I figured out long ago
that introverts don’t get a lot of opportunities.
I wanted those opportunities
more than I wanted to be ‘comfortable’
so I trained myself
to act like an extrovert.
I’m so good at it,
many people think I’m an extrovert.

If you can’t change that personality trait
holding you back
from achieving your dreams,
fake it.
Fake it well enough
and
no one will ever notice.

Teenager Discount

Belz Outlets have a Monday Club.
On Mondays, shoppers over the age of 50
receive 15% off on all purchases.

That isn’t unusual.
Many stores have senior discounts.

What IS unusual
is that Belz also has a Friday Club.
On Fridays, shoppers under the age of 50
receive 15% off on all purchases.

Be creative with your discounts.
Use them to bring groups of people together
and create the client base
you wish to serve.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

73 Interruptions A Day

Marc Heshon and Jonathan Littman,
Authors of I Hate People!,
share,
in Spirit Magazine,
“The average worker
faces at least 73 interruptions a day.”

Stay-at-home writers have
the same issues.
During the summer,
I simply don’t answer phone calls
or emails
during my writing time.

Now that I’m looking
to return to business gigs,
I don’t have that luxury
(because I like those last minute assignments).
Yes, a call from a telemarketer
may take a minute to answer
but it takes a good half hour
to find my creative flow again.
Productivity has plummeted.

If you can,
set aside dedicated uninterrupted time.
You’ll get more done
than you imagine.

Age Is Relative

My mother is about to turn 63.
I know better than to call her old.
If I have to refer to her age,
I call her ‘older’.
That she can’t argue with.

According to a study
by the Pew Research Center,
people aged 18-29
believe
old age begins at 60.
Respondents over the age of 65
believe old age begins at 74.

Age is relative
and no one truly feels
he/she is the old category.

Never use old
when referring to the group
you’re marketing to.

Published
Categorized as Marketing