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He figures he gets the final laugh because he’s the only plumber in town that everybody knows and remembers.

However, I am told his wife and kids refuse to drive his tuck, even in total darkness. (even greater relief, groan)

I guess you could almost guarantee nobody’s ever going to steal it.

Let’s face it, for the same cost of sign writing as a normal vehicle, this guy gets a whole of laughs and an enormous amount of FREE PUBLICITY.

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 Seth Godin Live: This 18 minute VIDEO features Godin at his best explaining why many old Advertising and marketing techniques no longer work.

Godin is one of this centuries most influential speakers on Advertising. Whether you love hate or him, you can not ignore his influence and his advice which, now drives many of the most successful Advertising and marketing trends.

Every generation needs one iconic figure to stand up and smack us all on the side of the head with a healthy degree of assumption reassessment.

So here your dose of “smack on the side of your head” for today.

On the off chance that you have been holidaying on some outer galactic planet and have no idea who Godin is: Google him, he’s no shy retiring violet, and you will find his name in every corner of the internet with references to his excellent books, which are an absolute must read if your business sells anything!!!.

Coming to a urinal near you… I guess this one is all about aim, a sort of new twist on target marketing, I guess.

This is a whole new way to get your potential customer interacting with your message and I think it’s a great piece of fun Advertising.

It’s obviously not going to suit every type of product, but for a “macho type” sports event it’s going to get its message across in a very memorable way.

However, I wouldn’t suggest you put it in a busy location, because challenge games could go on for a while. (though I guess most are playing with limited resources) But you know what boys and there toys can be like, it’s all about ego, and no ones going to want to quit on this one. and don’t even think about calling for VIDEO replays.

Sorry girls, I have a distinct feeling this one is for us guys only… Oh c’mon we havn’t got much that we can call our own these days so at least give us this one. But, if, the guys go missing in the bathroom for long periods of time, you will at least know they are harmlessly amusing themselves.

Here’s a fun way to generate some low cost “Word of Mouth” publicity for your Hair Salon.

The day you launch it, don’t forget to hire a local celebrity to model your new concept for the local media, how could they resist the photo opportunity. to maximize the publicity and customer follow up, take a photo of each customer, get their email address and send them a copy of the photo. in one slightly sneaky step you have promoted your business and compiled a “Permission Based” mailing list.

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Here’s a very dramatic way to drive home your message.

It is a perfect example of how to dramatize the problem or solution your product or service provides.

Just think, the sign by itself would have been as interesting as a freshly mowed lawn. But, simply by adding the 3 dimensional slingshot, the whole thing comes alive and does a brilliant job of creating humor and tension. You get its message in a glance.

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This is one of those ideas that just makes you smile and appreciate the thought that went into it.

This type of promotion is every bit as powerful as the “smack em in the eyes” stuff,  because the viewer is forced to participate.

In this case, the cast shadow is seen, and you can’t help but look to see how it was created.

This act of participation, involves the viewer in an extended experience and a respect for the technique, and that is a very powerful way to get your message noticed and remembered.

This is an idea that can be adapted to promote your business around the city and at public Events.

All you have to do is sign write your message boldly on the outside of the barrel, tube, thingy, and give the operator a whole bunch of hand bills with a generous offers printed on them… and you have a good fun, high impact, attention grabbing, promotion tool.

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Every new business owner has to spend some time convincing others they are on a winner, and most blow it!

It’s not easy to convince bank managers, life partners, friends and investors that the brilliant idea you have deserves their support.

The problem is: the budding entrepreneur, YOU, seldom talk the same language as the potential stakeholders, all the enthusiasm in the world simply won’t convince them, you need to stop, SHUT UP, maybe take a Valium, but stop all the unnecessary chatter and concentrate on precisely what it is THEY WANT, NOT WHAT YOU WANT. (please re read that several times)

Many entrepreneurs talk themselves OUT of the support they so passionately go pitching for.

Apart from preparing the essential “business plan” you need to prepare an “Elevator Pitch”, a brief explanation that will tell the other person this all this stuff you are so excited about, is based on sound business, marketing and investment principles, you have to provide them with some very quick information grabs that say: you have thought about this beyond your personal “Eureka Moment” and this idea is worth exploring in more detail.

This short VIDEO describes the essential information that is required to develop an “elevator pitch”

(sorry about the voice sync)

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This is one way of making your message jump off the wall and grab attention. 

The modern suburban landscape is littered with promotions, all competing for our attention so when someone devises a new and creative approach it really supercharges the message.

However, it was not until just now, that I realized this is for an insurance company, I had wrongly assumed it was for the paint company.

This is a GREAT example of a photo that quickly and memorably illustrates a solution to a problem and the service being offered.

Most photography used in Advertising, unfortunately does neither, instead, it harnesses obvious tricks of composition, studio lighting and computer trickery to present products to potential customers in a manner they neither believe nor care about.

These same unimaginative “product polishers” are the ones you will hear trotting out the hackneyed, and usually “dead wrong”, cliche, “One photo is worth a thousand words”

The simple fact is, in the vast majority of cases, long copy advertisements will “OUT PULL” (make more sales), photo intensive layouts.

The problem is, long copy advertisements don’t win Advertising association awards, the pretty stuff does.

The point is: You need to ask yourself, if the photo that is included in your Advertising, is helping you make sales, if not, Well written copy will. 

It reminds me of a rather interesting meeting I attended recently, where the Advertising agency of a major public company was being asked to provide a report on their years activities.

After half an hour of flowery talk about “increased brand awareness” and “shifting demographic profiles”(of course, supported by colored graphs, “independent” research and an expensive Armani suit) , the CEO of the company grew a tad  impatient and finally interrupted with a curt: “All this is fantastic news!, However, after spending 42 million dollars in Advertising, you will excuse me for being just a little disappointed that sales have actually decreased… Maybe next year, we should reallocate the budget to bonuses for the sales teams”

The long silence that followed was one of the most interesting and uncomfortable several minutes I have experienced at a board table.

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