The other day I dropped into a local bookstore to research a new project for a client in the financial services industry.
As I’ve mentioned before, I find bookstores a wonderful source of information and inspiration for that matter.
Of course, I also research my copywriting projects online (and what a wonderful time saver that is)…
…but there’s something about being able to physically browse through books.
Anyway, having completed the task in hand, needless to say I had a browse through some other sections of the store…
I confess, I’m a completely hopeless bibliophile. I have stacks of books piled up on the floor of my office either being read, waiting to be read or just there because I want to know where they are.
(Yes, I have bookcases but they are never, ever enough…mysteriously the number of books expands to fill the available shelf space!)
In the personal development section I was intrigued to find a number of books by Wallace Wattles.
Wattles is perhaps best known for the classic “The Science Of Getting Rich”. Not as well known as “Think And Grow Rich” but in many ways I think it’s a better book.
Now, even though “The Science Of Getting Rich” is one of my favourite books I was completely unaware that Wattles had written a number of other books…
…as I discovered when I came across a collection of his work.
The titles of the other books in the collection?
“The Science Of Being Great” and “The Science Of Being Well”.
Interesting.
The book that has been remembered (and still read) is all about making money.
Copywriting great John Carlton once wrote in his (now sadly demised) print newsletter about the 7 primary buying motivations.
5 of them (and the top 3!) were what John called “Greed”.
Now, it’s not always about the money…
…but in many cases that’s going to be pretty close to the top of the list.
So, in your marketing and copywriting make sure you don’t overlook this powerful and enduring motivator.