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Archives for July 2008

“Scientific Advertising In The 21st Century” – Part 6 “Psychology”

Chapter 6 in “Scientific Advertising” by copywriting legend Claude Hopkins is all about “Psychology”…

“The competent advertising man must understand psychology.  The more he knows about it the better.  He must learn that certain effects lead to certain reactions, and use that knowledge to increase results and avoid mistakes.

Human nature is perpetual.  In most respects it is the same today as in the time of Caesar.  So the principles of psychology are fixed and enduring.  You will never need to unlearn what you learn about them.”

The first point to make is that because human psychology is essentially unchanging, the lessons that Hopkins learnt in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are still relevant today.

In the rest of the chapter Hopkins discusses a number of aspects of human psychology that he noticed during the course of his work.

These are a collection of loosely linked cases, rather than any comprehensive study of human psychology.  But they are extremely valuable, nonetheless.

Some of the points Hopkins makes…

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Marketing And How The Mega-Rich Get “Satisfaction”

Noticed this in the local paper today…“Rolling Stones’ $7.2m Gig”.

“The Rolling Stones have been named the world’s highest-paid private performers.

The band, fronted by Sir Mick Jagger, command a staggering GBP 3.5 million (A$7.2million) per private performance a new book has revealed.”

The book in question is “Pop Babylon” by Imogen Edward-Jones.

Wonder if they do requests for that price?

Artists like Elton John and Rod Stewart go for a very reasonable GBP 1million in comparison. Pretty much any act is available for the right price.

What’s interesting to me about this is the glimpse into the world of the Mega-Rich and the market segment that’s loosely termed the “Affluent” (strictly, this relates to the “Ultra-Affluent” – personally I think “Mega-Rich” sounds better).

It’s a market segment that Dan Kennedy has been talking about for a number of years now. And my good mate copywriter Pete Godfrey has quietly been doing some work on this market in Australia.

The point is that there are a lot of very rich people out there (and a lot more simply rich people).  They have money to spend and they are not reluctant about doing so.  There is a big opportunity for smart marketers who can give them what they want.

Of course, what the Affluent want is not the same as the mass market.  Status and exclusivity is a big part of what appeals to them.  Dan Kennedy has an excellent book on the topic “No B.S. Marketing To The Affluent”.

Now, you may be thinking “What about the looming tough times and all the talk of recession (if not actually depression)?” Well, the point to keep in mind is that in tough times the Affluent are the least affected.  The people who have to cut back on spending are those who weren’t really rich in the first place.  Granted, a lot of those would have been buying “Affluent” products and services in the good times.  But the truly Affluent are not going to be hit too badly.

Marketing to the Affluent is a huge topic.  I’ll simply leave one copywriting tip and that’s the magic appeal of “Membership” and exclusivity when addressing this market.  It works in many markets, of course, but this one in particular.

Back to where we came in.  What better way to stand out from the crowd than by having your own private party with “The Greatest Rock And Roll Band In The World”?  Sure beats having to slum it with the masses in some ghastly stadium or arena!  It’s one way to get some “Satisfaction” – albeit at a hefty price.

I Guess These Guys Never Read “Scientific Advertising”…

Had to pop into the city today. At one of the main line stations (and presumably elsewhere) representatives of the local branch of Coca Cola were enthusiastically handing out free samples of “Coke Zero” (nicely chilled, I noticed, which showed some attention to detail) to every passer-by.

Let’s leave aside the issue that today was one of the coldest days of the year in Sydney (it’s mid-winter down here folks!) and that I for one was more inclined to opt for a Signature Hot Chocolate from Starbucks.

No, what struck me was that someone at Coca Cola Amatil clearly hadn’t read “Scientific Advertising” by the great Claude Hopkins (or if they had, they decided they know better).

Now, I’m writing a separate series of posts discussing the book (“Scientific Advertising In The 21st Century”) so I won’t go into too much detail here.

But chapter 13 deals with “Use Of Samples” and here’s just one of the points Hopkins makes…

“But we do not advocate samples given out promiscuously…The product is cheapened.  It is not introduced in a favorable way.

Give samples to interested people only.  Give them only to people who exhibit that interest by some effort.  Give them only to people to whom you have told your story.  First create an atmosphere of respect, a desire, an expectation.”

Look, Coca Cola can get away with this kind of stuff.  But regular businesses can’t afford to throw money away for no return.

And I know this kind of advice goes against the idea that if you can get people to try your product then they are more likely to purchase.  Well, that’s true provided you meet the conditions Hopkins sets out.

So yes, samples can be effective but use them wisely.

Great Research Resources For Copywriters

All the hoopla about the recent launch of “The Ultimate Desktop Copy Coach” prompted me to pull out my copy of “Two Hours To More Profitable Sales Copy” by Clayton Makepeace.

I have to confess that since buying this when it was launched at the end of 2007, the book has languished unread and gathering dust (along with a number of other books).

I could kick myself.

Because this book is an absolute gem.

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