I was sitting here doing a meditation this morning, wondering what I would write about today, when I saw a little book on my desk.
I took it last year. It was a Zoo Magazine post titled PUB AMMO: 1001 Guaranteed Useless Facts.
However, I’m not so sure that they are useless.
Let’s open the page and take a look inside some of the facts…
At weddings in parts of northern India, groups of women sing abusive songs directed at the groom’s family.
A Tupperware party starts somewhere in the world every 23 seconds.
7-Up soft drink got its name from the inventor, who had already rejected six other names for the product.
In a feeding frenzy, a shark can eat parts of its own body
It is a crime to drive in a dirty car in Russia
Polar bears are so perfectly insulated from the cold that they spend most of their time trying to cool down.
Nine out of 10 people believe that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Joseph Swan did it.
Ok, I’m sure you found these ideas interesting.
But how can you use them in your copy to increase sales?
Let me test some of them for some business…
A Conflict Management Seminar…
Did you know that at weddings in part of North India, groups of women sing abusive songs directed at the groom’s family?
Fortunately, this probably won’t happen at your wedding, but if you’re like many customer service people, I know you’ve certainly taken your fair share of abuse over the years.
And in this letter, I’m going to show you how to put an end to it.
This is what it’s all about…etc.
a clothing store
Did you know that polar bears are so perfectly insulated from the cold that they spend most of their time trying to cool down?
Unfortunately, you’re not going to have the same problem during the winter.
However, it doesn’t really matter, because with our special winter offer, the best thing you can do is become a polar bear for the next 6 months.
Here’s the deal…etc.
A car cleaning company.
Did you know that driving a dirty car in Russia is a criminal offense?
Fortunately, you are not going to get locked up for driving without cleaning your car in Australia. But surely you will commit a crime against yourself because when your car is dirty, you are exposed to germs that can cause illness in your family. What’s more, it doesn’t make you feel good to drive a dirty car now, does it?
Can you see how you can use so-called “useless facts” to get your readers’ attention in just about any industry?
The reality is that no matter how good your product is, you are grabbing people’s attention so you can get the message across and position your product well.
Think about it: Rightly or wrongly, Thomas Edison got credit for inventing the light bulb because it was better for promoting himself and getting public attention.
That made him famous and no doubt made him a fortune.
The message: You need to know how to market yourself to get the attention of your target market, or you’re dead in the water.