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<\/p>\nNormally, I spend my days knee deep into \u201cwhat\u2019s working now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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But occasionally <\/span>reviewing the classics<\/strong> has always been rewarding for me. It never fails that I get an idea or two or three I can use on a project.<\/p>\n Today, I want to share the Cliff notes for Claude Hopkins\u2019 My Life in Advertising.<\/span><\/p>\n I know several world class marketers who re-read the book every year. (At least they say they do!)<\/span><\/p>\n Enjoy…<\/span><\/p>\n 1. All advertising proves that <\/span>people will do little to prevent troubles.<\/strong><\/p>\n They do not cross bridges in advance. However, they will do anything to cure troubles which exist.<\/span><\/p>\n 2. <\/span>Superlative claims do not make a difference.<\/strong> To say that something is \u201cThe best in the world\u201d makes no impression whatever.<\/p>\n Offer specifics–figures, facts, data.<\/span><\/p>\n 3. <\/span>Saying that a halogen lamp gives more light than other lamps is weak copy.<\/strong> Saying that it gives 3.5X the light of incandescent lamps is far superior.<\/p>\n 4. <\/span>Every ad should tell a complete story.<\/strong> It should include every fact and argument found to be valuable. Why? Most people read a story just once, as they do the news. There is no reason why they should read it again. So we need to get in that one reading every convincing fact.<\/p>\n 5. Every effort to sell creates corresponding resistance. (It\u2019s our job as copywriters and marketers to overcome this resistance. How? <\/span>Quality content.<\/strong>)<\/p>\n 6. The only way to sell is in some way to <\/span>seem to offer superior service.<\/strong><\/p>\n 7. People follow the crowds. It is hard for them in most things to analyze reasons and worth, <\/span>so they accept the verdict of the majority.<\/u><\/p>\n 8.<\/span> Boasting is the last thing people want to hear.<\/strong><\/p>\n 9. The \u201cfree\u201d offer <\/span>cheapens a product.<\/u><\/p>\n 10. There is a certain resistance when we ask people to afterward pay for a product which came to them first as a gift.<\/span><\/p>\n 11. It doesn\u2019t pay to give either a sample or a full-size package to people who do not request it.<\/span><\/p>\n 12. <\/span>Products handed out without asking lose respect. (Take note U2)<\/strong><\/p>\n 13.<\/span> We all of us love to study people<\/u> and their accomplishments.<\/p>\n 14. Stop offering samples to prospects who are uninterested.<\/span><\/p>\n 15. Offer samples only to prospects <\/span>who take some action<\/strong> to acquire them.<\/p>\n 16. Remember that you are the seller. You are trying to win customers. Then make a trial easy to the people whom you interest. <\/span>Don’t ask them to pay for your efforts to sell them<\/u>. (Although I love a self-liquidating offer.)<\/p>\n 17. Remove all restrictions and say, \u201cWe trust you,\u201d and human nature likes to <\/span>justify that trust.<\/strong><\/p>\n 18. Serve better than others, offer more than others, and <\/span>you are pretty much sure to win.<\/strong><\/p>\n 19. Ask a person to take a chance on you, and you have a fight. Offer to take a chance on him, <\/span>and the way is easy.<\/u><\/p>\n 20. Analyze your offer until you\u2019ve made sure that your customer had the best end of the bargain.<\/span><\/p>\n 21. Argue anything for your own advantage, and people will resist. Seem to unselfishly consider your customers\u2019 desires, and <\/strong><\/span>they will naturally flock to your offer.<\/strong><\/p>\n 22.<\/span> Curiosity is a strong factor in human nature<\/strong>, and especially with women. Describe a gift, and some will decide that they want it, more will decide that they don’t.<\/p>\n 23. <\/span>People are crying out for new ways to make money.<\/strong> Discover those ways, find out how to promote them, and you will have offered ten times the work one man can ever do.<\/p>\n 24. People like to deal with men whose names are connected with certain accomplishments.<\/span><\/p>\n 25. <\/span>Platitudes and generalities make no more of an impression than water on a duck\u2019s back.<\/strong><\/p>\n 26. We rarely decide for ourselves, because we don’t know the facts. But when <\/span>we see the crowds<\/strong> taking any certain direction, we are much inclined to go with them.<\/p>\n 27. When we make an offer one cannot reasonably refuse, <\/span>it is pretty sure to gain acceptance.<\/u><\/p>\n 28. No other activating factor compares with curiosity. (Can you say \u201cclickbait?\u201d Claude knew this decades ago.)<\/span><\/p>\n 29. We are influenced <\/span>by our surroundings.<\/p>\n 30. The road to success lies <\/span>through ordinary people.<\/p>\n 31. <\/span>We do best what we like best.<\/strong><\/p>\n 32. A good product is its own best salesman.<\/span><\/p>\n 33. Selling without samples is many times as hard as with them.<\/span><\/p>\n 34. <\/span>Get the leading men first. <\/strong>They will bring in the others. (I call this the big dog strategy.)<\/p>\n 35. <\/span>The man who works twice as long<\/strong> as his fellows is bound to go twice as far, especially in advertising.<\/p>\n 36.<\/span> My words will be simple, my sentences short. <\/strong>Scholars may ridicule my style.<\/p>\n