Story: How to get noticed, without looking like a blithering idiot.

Leo Burnett was the founder of the Chicago ad agency that ultimately became Leo Burnett Worldwide, one of the world’s biggest and oldest ad agencies. Burnett was personally responsible for creating some of the most well-known consumer branding campaigns, like the Jolly Green Giant… the Marlboro Man… Charlie The Tuna… Morris the Cat… and Tony The Tiger.

Burnett was a genius, an outstanding ad man, and a pillar of ethics.

He once said, “If you don’t get noticed, you don’t have anything. You just have to be noticed, but the art is in getting noticed naturally, without screaming or without tricks.”

Now this isn’t so easy to do, and as a result, most people go far overboard in their efforts to get noticed (which you need to do), but… they go overboard in the wrong direction. They think, “Sensationalism” is directly related to getting noticed. And the thing is, sensationalism IS directly related to getting noticed, but it has nothing to do with “getting paid,” which, in the end… is what you REALLY want out of “getting noticed,” isn’t it?

So for example, in “real life,” you’ll have men and women going overboard in their personal appearance to “get noticed,” but does it really bring them closer to their goal? No doubt, the woman with a 38DD chest gets much more notice than the woman with the 34C cup size, but does it bring her what she wants?

For the very small minority, sometimes yes… but I believe it doesn’t for the majority.

And it’s the same thing with your sales copy.

Being wild and crazy isn’t how you want to get noticed, and saying things like “Incredible!”… “Unbelievable!”… and “Amazing!”… falls over your readers heads like water over a ducks back at this point.

(Unless your target market is “absolute idiots,” and unless you’re goal is to “make a sale,” and not to “build a business.” And in case you don’t know this, the savvy of your marketplace IS directly related to your ability to retain them as customers.)

Tapping into their hopes, fears and dreams with reassuring optimism, and giving them hope, is the way to get noticed. In fact, ultimately, hope… is really all we have to offer, no matter what you’re selling. Remember this.

If you want to see a cool video of Leo Burnett giving a speech, you can find it on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/63m9ez

Oh, one more thing and this is important: The people who handle my website, are frustrated because I don’t use the word “copywriting” often enough in these tips. However, I’ve always felt the quality of my messages far outweighs any “search terms” I’m trying to optimize for, with respect to getting traffic. And call me old school, but as a creative, the thought of compromising the integrity of the messages I’m delivering, to suit the media I’m delivering them over, just doesn’t sit right with me.

Who knows, maybe I’m the idiot?

In any case, here’s what I’d like you to do: I’d like your help here. If you get something out of being on this list… and if you feel the relationship you and I share, is one of the better online relationships you have, then do me a favor so I can shut my “web people” up: Please forward this message to as many people as you possibly can over the next 24 hours, and encourage them to sign up to these daily tips by going to my home page at http://www.kingofcopy.com or to my blog here at http://blog.kingofcopy.com

I believe I’ll be able to tell my “web people” they are dead-wrong, and that I’ll never have to “plot” or “pre-scheme” what I’m writing.

And in the off chance they’re right… let me say this: copywriting, copywriting, copywriting.

Peace.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Get TWO FREE copywriting critiques, SIX real-life examples! In this month’s Seductive Selling Newsletter, I’ve got six ad examples included, so you can see exactly how to get noticed… and maybe even more important — how NOT to! Test-drive it free and get 15 bonus gifts (watch the video about this) right here: http://www.kingofcopy.com/ssnl

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