Never repeat. A salesman who wastes his time might cost 1$ per hour. But an ad which does like things is wasting $10 per word. That can make the difference between profit and loss. Most success comes through efficiency. Most failures are due to waste. -My life in advertising, p.115 Continue reading In national advertising, every word is worth 10$. Every word that is worth less should be cut.
Your reader is perusing (browsing) a magazine or newspaper. She has paused because your subject or your headline attracts her. But in a moment she will be interested in her reading and will usually forget you. In some way in your climax inspire immediate action in those interested. -My life in advertising, p.114 Continue reading Aim to get action
Use every word to talk about the service. That is what you selling, that is all your prospect wants. There is no place to boast the brand. -My life in advertising, p.113 Continue reading Do not waste a sentence or a word on anything else than what you’re selling.
When silk shirts cost $15 they became so common among laboring men that other classes went to broadcloth. My experience on cosmetics prove that a low price on perfumes, etc., does not appeal to the girl who should economize. She demands what the “best people” use. Many people around me, working at small wages, consider cost far less than I do. Suggest a thingto them because it is economical and you arouse opposition. You hurt their pride. But direct your appeal to those who do not consider cost and they like to be included. -My life in advertising, p.111 Continue reading Where economy is a necessity most people like to defy it.
No one can profitably change habits in paid prints. Instead, the advertiser comes in when those habits are changed. He says “Here is the right method”. Converting new users was a very expensive proposal. No new user would pay us in his lifetime the cost of his conversion. -My life in advertising, p.95 Continue reading No advertising campaign can educate readers into a new habit profitably, none.
Instead, offer a free sample to those interested. Ask them to fill a request for a free sample. Ex: Inquiries for free samples may cost 25 cent each. Ask 10 cents for the samples, and the inquiries may cost you $1.25 or more. To gain that 10 cents you may be losing one dollar. -My life in advertising, p.94 Continue reading It is just as hard to sell at a half price as at a full price to people not converted.
Personalities appeal, while soulless corporations do not. All of us love to study men and their accomplishments. -My life in advertising, p.93 Continue reading Establish a personality in your ads.
This plan has many advantages over a “free” offer. It is much more impressive, for one thing. There is a considerable difference in the psychological effect when you offer to buy an article for a woman to try, and pay the dealer his price for it,as compared with offering that article free to all. The “free” offer cheapens a product. There is a certain resistance when we ask people to afterward pay for a product which came to them first as a gift. -My life in advertising, p.85 Continue reading “We Will Buy” is a much better headline than “10-Cent Cake Free”
Make it a complete story. People have no reason to read it again. So I wish them to get in that one reading every convincing fact. Of course, any story grows monotonous and boring to the man who reads them all. But this is not the case of your customers. -My life in advertising, p.76 Continue reading People read your story once, they might never read it again…
People are like sheep. They cannot judge values, nor can you and I. We judge things largely by others’ impressions. People follow styles and preferences. We rarely decide for ourselves, because we don’t know the facts. But when we see the crowds taking nay certain direction, we are much inclined to go with them. “I showed in my advertising how the crowds were going to Overland automobiles. I told how the demand had forced a bankrupt concern into solvency.” -My life in advertising, p.75 Continue reading Show the trend, show what the crowds are doing.
Roadmap to Billions 