Satoru Iwata’s three tips for building a company that endures.

Here are the guiding principles that the former president of this beloved game company used to bring Nintendo into the 21st century.

Nintendo started as a playing card manufacturer way back in 1889. Over a century later, they’ve stood the test of time and are now one of the leading makers of video games and consoles in the world.

Former President and CEO, Satoru Iwata, shines some light on what has made this much loved company so successful.

Focus on a core mission

“Even a small amount of power can have a great effect when concentrated on a certain area.” Satoru Iwata 73rd Annual Shareholder Meeting

Iwata has rejected diversification, arguing that the company’s mission has always been to create games that people love. That laser-focus has been the sole reason the company has survived for over a century.

Put people first

“I sincerely doubt employees who fear being laid off will be able to produce software titles that could impress people around the world.” Satoru Iwata 73rd Annual Shareholder Meeting

Nintendo has gone through good times and bad. With the failure of the Wii U software platform, the company was still cranking out video game titles that people loved. Iwata subscribes the endurance of the company to the fact that they continue to let creators create without fear of failure.

Technology as a tool

“I am not trying to say technology is unimportant, but if we are just focusing on technology we will not succeed.” Satoru Iwata 73rd Annual Shareholder Meeting

Iwata knew that technology was the medium by which people interacted with Nintendo’s true product — its games. Many businesses these days are technology companies despite their core product. It’s the companies, though, that use technology to serve that core offering that endure.

The three pillars of a successful business.

Technology, people, and product. Communicate how these work together to your customer base to find enduring success.

— Mike

Amy Porterfield’s evergreen webinar campaign is a masterclass on marketing funnels.

Here’s a peak behind the curtain on how this legend in market myth-making keeps her sales funnel full through the power of content automation.

I recently came across this campaign from inbound genius Amy Porterfield. Amy is one of those people that everyone in marketing loves to hate because she’s just so damn good at what she does.

Today, we’re going to put our jealousy aside and take a look at how she generates inbound leads through something we in the business call an evergreen sales funnel. Essentially, this is a way to generate an endless stream of leads and attempt to convert them to become a customer in a short amount of time.

Even if you’re unsuccessful at sales upfront, you can continue to market to these leads in the long-term to improve demand generation and word of mouth marketing for your business.

Alright, let’s take a look…

The Landing Page

Amy uses a very old copywriting formula to create a solid landing page. The formula is called AIDA and stands for “Attention - Interest - Desire - Action.”

Here’s how it works:

1. A call-to-action above the fold.

Amy begins with a clear headline and call to action.

If you want to grow your list, here are 3 ways to do it quickly. Reserve your seat to learn.

All this information is “above the fold” meaning you don’t have to scroll down if you’re ready to take action. It grabs your attention and qualifies leads up front.

2. Generating interest in the offer.

If you still need more information, this next section piques your interest even more.

Amy fleshes out the promise in the headline above. If you give her your time, here are all the things you’re going to learn.

It’s clear, data-driven, and action-oriented information.

3. Social proof and addressing objectives.

Okay, you’ve checked all the boxes and you want to learn, but you’re still not sure about giving this person your email.

Amy comes at you with some strong social proof and directly addresses any objections you might have. She’s playing directly to your desires now.

Look at what this person who joined the webinar was able to accomplish. Don’t you want results like these?

And, oh yeah, I get it. You feel stuck, you don’t know where to start, and you don’t want to waste time with things that don’t work. I’m with you and my solution covers all this!

4. Mission-driven call to action.

And to wrap up the landing page, Amy doesn’t just tell you what to do, she tells you why you should do it.

Just sign up for this webinar. It’ll take an hour and you’ll walk away with all the tools you need to successfully build an email list. Don’t wait any longer!

I love the way Amy taps into what is typically a fear-driven, manipulative tactic (scarcity), and yet positions it in a way that feels full of abundance, hope, and optimism. Instead of saying there’s “only a little time left — act now or forever miss out,” she says “now is the time and I believe in you.”

How to create something similar…

Amy hosts this landing page on Wordpress using a custom theme, but you can easily create something similar using a tool like Thrive Themes.

The Sign Up Process

Amy extends the sign up process and makes it feel like a fun and engaging activity. She doesn’t just grab your email address then leave you wondering what happens next.

She starts with a simple sign up form that gives you options for when you’re ready to attend, then follows up with a personalize question, and finally gives you a content-rich and clear set of steps on what’s going to happen next.

Check it out:

1. A simple registration form.

This form is so simple. It asks only your first name and email address. You don’t feel like your being data-mined.

You also have options for the event date and time. There are three options and the first one is only five minutes from now. Sweet!

2. A quick survey.

Once you sign up, Amy asks you what you’re struggling most with. Oh, and your name is right in the headline.

Simple and personalized. It makes me feel like Amy is going to address my problems directly. Nice!

3. A content rich thank-you page.

This is the part that most marketers fail miserably on. Amy does it right.

The thank-you page after completing the survey tells you exactly what to do next and delivers value right away.

It clearly states to check your email for the webinar invite and gives you a few other content options to explore after the session.

The Evergreen Webinar

Here’s where it gets interesting. Amy uses a combination of a marketing automation software called Keap (formerly InfusionSoft) and EasyWebinar to deliver an automated email sequence and real-time webinar replay.

You can accomplish the same thing for much less using whatever email marketing software you’re already on and a gated webpage with an embedded video.

Let’s take a look at her sequence:

1. The Invite Email

This is the most important part of the sales process. Amy wants to deliver value to her subscribers immediately. She wants people to know that when they see an email from her in their inbox, that email is worth opening and the content inside is worth clicking. She accomplishes this with strong, strategic copy.

The Lede

Copywriting lore says you don’t want to “bury the lede.” That is you want to say the most important thing right up front because it’s what entices readers to keep going.

Amy is a master at capturing your attention with a lede. This email begins by reiterating the title of the landing page and webinar, and the reason why you want to attend: it’s designed to get your business up and running asap.

Getting Buy-In

Amy then uses some good old-fashioned psychology — the same principles your third grade teacher used to get you to pay attention in class and your mother used to get you to clean your damn room.

She says, let’s create a pact. You finish this training and I promise I’m going to bring my all and deliver you something good in return. Do this for me and reap the rewards.

The Conversion Point

Then she hits you with the facts.

Class is in session. Webinar’s about to start. Click to join.

2. The Webinar

When you click the link, there’s a little queue to begin. Hey, let me explore those resources Amy sent me on the thank-you page, you might think.

Then the session starts and it feels like a live webinar, even if you know it’s not. There’s a list of live attendees, a form for comments, and Amy flipping back and forth from her video feed and presentation slides.

The content is fantastic and exactly what she promised. Win - win - win.

Amy’s got your contacts to keep marketing to you, and you’ve got solid information for growing your email list.

Sales On Demand & Ongoing Marketing

At the end of the webinar, Amy attempts to upsell you additional content offerings about email list building. The webinar is so damn good, that I bet her conversion rate is relatively high.

If you got value from the free webinar, there’s a strong chance you’re going to want to dig deeper.

Even if you skip out, you’ll probably want more content like this to help you continue growing your business. Amy knows this. After the session she sends weekly emails with marketing tips, tricks, and resources that keep you engaged. Every now and then she throws in another offer.

There’s an old metric that it takes 7-10 touch points over at least 3 different channels to close a sale. Amy has maximized her potential to reach customers multiple times over a variety of channels. This is the secret to her success.

Want to build an evergreen sales funnel like this?

Well, you’ve got the link to Amy’s program now. Or you could hire someone  like me to take care of the full setup for you.

‘Till next time!

— Mike

This 1,020 year old business is a lesson in endurance.

Ichiwa has been in business for over a thousand years — here’s what modern companies can learn from this symbol of endurance.

Some of the oldest companies in the world are based in Japan. A little shop that makes grilled rice cakes called mochi is among them.

Ichiwa was established in the year 1000 and has endured ever since. While it is not particularly a profit machine, the company has sustained its owners for over a millennia. Today we explore what companies like Ichiwa do to outlast the ebbs and flows of markets and endure in a world of comers and goers.

Do one thing, and do it well

Throughout its history, Ichiwa has had opportunities to expand its offerings, to merchandise its brand, and to explore new sales channels. They’ve turned them all down.

They make delicious mochi and until that’s no longer viable, it’s the one thing they’ll do better than everyone else.

High profits, low debt

My grandfather used to tell me that I was getting too big for my britches. He wasn’t talking about my pants.

A lot of large companies grow with unfound confidence by leveraging debt. When unforeseen market events pop up, they’re left begging for bailouts or suffering from busts.

Ichiwa endures the ups and downs of markets by owning its property, keeping debt low, and keeping cash reserves greater than operating expenses.

Grow with intent

I’ve talked about mission-driven companies before.

In Japan, there’s a word for this. “Kakun” describes the values exhibited by business owners who look after their employees, support the community, and strive to make a product that inspires pride.

Ichiwa took up shop to serve pilgrims to a local shrine. That mission still drives them today, and foundation stories like these lead to a long and healthy future for businesses.

A company that endures markets itself

The headline above is a double entendre. Not only has Ichiwa endured the ups and downs of modern markets, their mere endurance serves as a way of marketing themselves.

Ichiwa doesn’t have to take out advertising or expand into new territories. People travel thousands of miles just to get their hands on its quality products simply because it exists.

It’s an example of a business that has truly stood the test of time.

— Mike

Jay Conrad Levinson defined a new form of marketing for the digital age back in 2007 — the concepts are still relevant today.

Here are the 3 most important concepts in creating a successful guerrilla marketing strategy.

Back in 2007, author Jay Conrad Levinson launched a book that would become a brand new way of marketing. This book was called Guerrilla Marketing.

The idea is that traditional advertising channels — radio, TV, even the internet — had become bloated. Any message that tries to reach a mass audience is inevitably lost to static and noise. It takes a lot of money to cut through, money that most businesses simply don’t have.

So, the concept of guerrilla marketing, a way to subvert this traditional advertising and reach customers directly and personally, was born. What follows is some of Levinson’s best advice from this groundbreaking book.

One person at a time

Guerrilla marketing is different because it is a grassroots effort. It seeks to get one person interested in what’s being advertised, and works to motivate them to share it with others.

“Guerrilla marketing aims its message at individuals or, if it must be a group, the smaller the group, the better.” Jay Conrad LevinsonGuerrilla Marketing

Creativity is key

Traditional marketing is expensive. Guerrilla marketing leverages the ingenuity of a small, scrappy team to create campaigns that do a lot with a little. Rockstar Games leaning into controversy and State Street Capital Advisors taking on Wall Street are both great examples.

“Guerrilla marketers do not rely on the brute force of an outsized marketing budget. Instead, they rely on the brute force of a vivid imagination.” Jay Conrad LevinsonGuerrilla Marketing

Win - win - win

Guerrilla marketing isn’t about gaining sales at all costs. Instead, it looks to surprise and delight customers, give them an incredible experience, and deliver some product or service that fills a void in their lives. Companies following the tactic don’t win by conquering their competition or customers, they do it by winning market share with new and innovative ideas that people want.

“The guerrilla is obsessed with benefits. Whenever offering a product or service, she focuses on how it will benefit the consumer and builds everything - the product, the delivery, the marketing - around that benefit.” Jay Conrad LevinsonGuerrilla Marketing

How can you apply guerrilla marketing?

What untapped channels are available to you? Where is your audience spending time that competitors don't tap into? Find the answers to these questions and you'll be able to position your advertising in a way that surprises and delights customers, and gets your more sales for less.

—Mike

Rockstar Games used negative user reviews as an advertising strategy for the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5.

Every GTA launch is rife with controversy — so the marketing team at Rockstar Games decided to lean in and make the controversy and selling point.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is the second best-selling game of all time and sales of this controversial game aren’t letting up. It’s been launched on three generations of consoles and has a 7+ year sales streak.

How did the controversy surrounding the game lead to more sales? Let’s take a look…

No publicity is bad publicity

The game series has been cited by politicians, moralists, and parents as a sample of everything wrong in our society. It’s been blamed for everything from violence in schools to increases in drug and alcohol usage.

Instead of defending the game series and their motivations behind creating it, the team at Rockstar Games decided to generate more outcry for the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5.

Rockstar’s PR guy, Max Clifford, basically took the modern PR playbook and kept the controversy as high-profile as possible. The more politicians and advocacy groups involved, the better. They even went as far as paying reviewers to bad-mouth the game and express their outrage at its content.

Same old story, different day

You may think advertising strategies like this are something new.

Back in the ‘90s, SEGA went head-to-head with Nintendo by introducing an edgier video game brand made for teens. They also planted brand reps at colleges to talk up new games.

Rebellion sells and controversy is an extension of that. If you figure out an angle that can create controversy around your product but still upholds your brand’s values, don’t be afraid to lean in.

— Mike

Chuck E. Cheese was actually a distribution channel for Atari’s flagship arcade games.

How Nolan Bushnell, the creator of legendary video games like Pong, turned family dining into an arcade experience.

In the ‘90s cheap pizza, arcade games, and animatronic variety shows were all the rage. I’m talking about Chuck E. Cheese.

It’s where I spent a big chunk of my youth at birthday parties and family pizza nights.

But did you know that the original Chuck E. Cheese was the brainchild of Atari legend, Nolan Bushnell? That’s right, the guy who launched Pong and gave Steve Jobs his start in Silicon Valley is the same guy who brought pizza and video games together for Friday night pizza parties.

Why did a video game tycoon launch a family restaurant?

Bushnell had a desire to do two things: distribute Atari’s catalogue of arcade games and bring robotics into the world. This is what drove him to create Chuck E. Cheese. He wasn’t in the restaurant business.

While the idea wasn’t ultimately a success, it was a great avenue to launch and distribute new video games while it lasted.

An old concept made new

When Bushnell thought up Chuck E. Cheese, he was basically channeling what Walt Disney had done with his theme parks. He wanted to bring that experience of fun and excitement at every turn to the family restaurant.

By 2005 there were over 500 company-owned Chuck E. Cheese locations and countless franchises. The company is still treading water and trying to get through one of its history’s many busts today, but its legacy is undeniable.

An enduring legacy…

What made Bushnell successful in the long-run was his willingness to try new things and innovate. Chuck E. Cheese as a concept was a way to distribute Atari’s arcade games in a world that was being dominated by consoles, and transform family dining while he was at it.

—Mike

John McPhee on applying structure to any piece of writing.

This technical advice is perfect for anyone looking to up their writing game.

When I sat down to read Draft No. 4 by creative nonfiction legend John McPhee, I expected a lot of fluffy advice on writing, habits, and creativity. What I got was more than I bargained for (in a good way).

John has written for Time, The New Yorker, and is a multiple best-selling author and winner of many prizes including the Pulitzer and the National Book Award. This guy is both a powerhouse and a legend, and he’s done it writing in genres that are often considered long-winded and boring.

Draft No. 4 is both a memoir and technical manual on writing good stories. Here are three quotes from the legend himself on how structure is essential to good writing…

Decide on your story’s structure early

Before John ever sat down to write an article or book, he organized and compiled all his notes (similar to Ryan Holiday’s process). He decided on the story’s structure very early in the process.

“It painted me into a corner, yes, but in doing so it freed me to write.” John McPheeDraft No. 4

Structure unlocks creativity

The McPhee Paradox states that locking yourself into a rigid storytelling structure is actually the key to creative freedom. In describing his process for taking his mosaic of notes and applying them to a structure, John says:

“If this sounds mechanical, its effect was absolutely the reverse.” John McPheeDraft No. 4

Don’t show your readers the structure

The most important part of using structure to define your narrative is retaining the appeal of narrative. It shouldn’t feel rigid and it shouldn’t be noticeable. Structure is there to help the writer, not the reader.

“Readers are not supposed to notice the structure. It is meant to be about as visible as someone’s bones.” John McPheeDraft No. 4

One more for good measure…

John also says that structure in modern writing is not “cookie cutter.” It’s not a template or something like a sonnet or haiku, which has a specified way of existing. In fact, he says that structure should not be imposed upon the material. Rather, the material should dictate the structure.

“A piece of writing has to start somewhere, go somewhere, and sit down when it gets there. You do that by building what you hope is an unarguable structure.” John McPheeDraft No. 4

If you build the structure, the writing, John suggests, comes easy.

— Mike

TOMS used a 4-stage marketing funnel to collect leads and increase direct-response sales.

Here’s how they did it — and how you can too.

Direct response gets a bad rap.

People associate it with pushy salesmen and spammy ads. Limited time offers and fear-tactics. Cheap products and scammy order forms.

But, as I’ve said before, marketing is a tool. We can use it to build houses or tear them down.

You've probably seen TOMS casual canvas slip-on shoes around. The company recently ran a campaign that used direct response to build people up and sell more shoes while they’re at it.

What the heck is direct response?

First off, let’s talk about the difference between the two main types of advertising.

We have demand generation on one side. These are often creative, catchy, and memorable ads that put the brand front and center but do little to capture direct sales.

Most of the ads I review every week are in this category.

On the other hand, there’s direct response. These ads don’t really care about uplifting a brand — instead they appeal directly to customers’ buying motivations to either generate sales or capture lead data.

TOMS UK actually used a combination of these techniques in the marketing funnel below, but their ultimate goal was sales, which is why we’re categorizing this as a direct response campaign.

TOMS 4-stage direct response sales funnel

Okay, let’s jump in and take a look…

Stage 1: Great Content Marketing

TOMS began this campaign with good content that consumers would connect with. This is reminiscent of Yeti Cooler’s customer stories we talked about a few months ago.

This video on Facebook, for example, shares the tale of one man who set out to offer homeless individuals free haircuts (all while featuring their shoes):

To take it one step further, TOMS targeted multiple channels. Here’s what the same ad looks like on Instagram:

These stories are perfect because TOMS is all about charity. For every pair of shoes consumers buy, they give a pair away to those in need.

Stage 2: Remarketing & Giveaways

TOMS assumed that those who engaged with their video content were good Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs).

So they served up another ad that connected these stories to their product:

Here’s where we move away from demand generation and move into direct response.

TOMS also retargeted these buyers with a giveaway:

To enter, you had to go to a specific landing page and choose your favorite pair of TOMS (great way to collect customer intent data).

This campaign had 5600 total participants, a very good number of leads.

Stage 3: Shop Now Ads

TOMS made another assumption that these folks who entered the giveaway could be considered Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs) and served up another round of remarking ads:

This time the call to action was “Shop Now,” which is much more to-the-point than the previous two.

Stage 4: Ongoing Marketing

This campaign got TOMS UK a 10% traffic boost on their website, a 19% video completion rate (lots of people actually watching!), and engaged over 35 million people.

The 5600 leads generated during the giveaway were also retargeted with more dynamic product ads (based on the shoes they expressed interest in) as well as additional direct-response emails and newsletters.

How you can build a similar funnel

Follow TOMS example and create these assets to build a similar funnel:

• A Giveaway Landing Page — Create a giveaway around your product or service (if you have multiple, have visitors pick one they like best and tag them with Facebook Pixel).
• Customer Story Ads — Feature a customer story related to each product or service you offer to generate demand.
• Remarketing Product Ads — Retarget engaged users with product ads that connect your stories to your products and giveaways.
• Email Campaign — Build out a few automated emails that highlight more customer stories and connect these to your products and services to improve response rates in the long-run.

Need a hand setting up a campaign like this? Send me a message and we’ll get some time on our calendars to discuss your direct response campaigns.

— Mike

Sears was the Amazon.com of the 20th century — here’s how they advertised products and collected orders direct from consumers for nearly a century.

The history of direct response, Sears’ defining role in modern direct marketing, and how you can apply lessons from this powerhouse of 20th century business to your own products or services.

I recently got a letter in my mailbox asking if the recent wind had damaged my roof. It was signed by a real person from a contracting company and listed that person’s phone number. It promised to help me navigate insurance and make repairs easy.

The letter hit at the right time because — as a matter of fact — some flashing had been blown off and I was considering making an insurance claim.

I dialed the number and set up an appointment.

In essence, that’s direct response. You put out an ad, you hope it hits at the right time, and then you wait for the responses to come in. The leads you get are highly qualified because what you’re offering is directly related to the buyers’ need.

But what if you could get buyers to request these ads every single month? What if they anxiously awaited the next one?

That’s exactly what a guy named Richard W. Sears did when he started a now-famous catalog in 1887.

Direct response began with book sales

Even though the terms “direct response” and “direct marketing” weren’t coined until 1967, direct-to-consumer sales is nothing new.

Back in 1498 a Venetian publisher named Aldus Manutius printed a catalog advertising all the books his press was printing. The catalog would draw buyers directly to his press, ready to order.

A couple centuries later, an enterprising American took the concept one step further.

Benjamin Franklin, first Postmaster General, used the postal system to collect orders and payment for a collection of books he was selling.

By 1896, the Post Office was offering free rural delivery, and in 1913 they introduced parcel post, which made it possible to ship larger items at a low cost.

Sears saw this as a perfect opportunity.

A perfect blend of product, content, and direct response

For nearly a century, Sears shipped the makings of a middle-class life to households across the U.S. It wasn’t until a series of bad business moves and a failure to pivot online that Sears began its slow decline into history.

The Sears catalog was its main channel for sales.

The catalog brought together three essential types of marketing: product, content, and direct response.

It was a perfect place for Sears to bring together all its offerings, run sales and discount campaigns, and advertise to consumers. It was also something buyers wanted to receive to see all the latest and greatest products available, plus tips and advice on how to use them. Most importantly, it was an easy way for customers to make purchases from the comfort of home.

Simply cut out an order form and send it in. In just a few short weeks, your purchase shows up on your doorstep.

Advertising that consumers want

Direct response gets a bad rap.

People associate it with pushy salesmen and spammy ads. Limited time offers and fear-tactics. Cheap products and scammy order forms.

But, as I’ve said before, marketing is a tool. We can use it to build houses or tear them down.

The Sears Catalog is a perfect example of beneficial direct response.

It was a win-win for buyers and sellers. It provided an easy and convenient way for consumers to purchase good-quality and inexpensive goods that raised their standards of living. For Sears, it was a sales channel that catapulted them into the spotlight as one of the 20th century’s most important businesses and paved the way for companies like Amazon.

How to use Sears as an example for modern marketing?

It’s simple really:

1. Figure out what problem your product solves for customers — for Sears it was getting modern products to rural locations.
2. Build offers around your products or services — the letter I received about my roof was promising help navigating insurance and Sears' catalog showed consumers how they could upfrade their household.
3. Deliver high-quality content direct to consumers — it’s as easy as putting good information in the form of a personalized letter or product catalog, either through the post or online via email or social.

Need someone to brainstorm with? Send me a message and we’ll get some time on our calendars to discuss your direct response campaigns.

— Mike

5 ways to grab buyers’ attention, keep them engaged, and persuade them to buy.

This article pulls together the best advice on copywriting, storytelling, and psychology to help you create incredible marketing campaigns that convert.

I’ve spent a lot of time studying history’s best marketing campaigns and the world’s most profitable ads. You start to realize that they all have a few things in common.

Say it with me folks…

The greatest campaigns of all time:

1. Capture attention

Great advertising starts with a strong mission statement.

Grab attention with a good tagline, then follow up with a strong headline.

9 Headline Formulas to Get Readers’ Eyes Falling Down the Page

Writing copy for headlines and titles is a science as much as it is an art. These nine formulas cover the science of the craft.

Mike DoaneAbove the Fold by Writing Inbound

2. Tell a story

Our brains are wired for story.

Stories help us process and store information better than a list of features.

Wired for story.

Lisa Cron on why storytelling is such a powerful way to convey information.

Mike DoaneAbove the Fold by Writing Inbound

3. Keep buyers engaged

Once you’ve got their attention, keep the party going with great copywriting.

Be clear, concise, and to the point. Here’s how:

How to write incredible copy.

A couple years ago, Amazon sent out a template email that contained the secret formula that every copywriter follows.

Mike DoaneAbove the Fold by Writing Inbound

4. Take customers on a journey

Present yourself as a guide on a grand adventure.

Make your customer the hero of the story and show them what life could be like on the other side.

The hero with a thousand faces.

How marketers can use Joseph Campbell’s idea of the hero’s journey to make their customers feel larger than life.

Mike DoaneAbove the Fold by Writing Inbound

5. Persuade buyers

If your campaign isn’t converting, then why’d you run it at all?

Here are some tips on persuading people to use in your marketing:

The 3 modes of persuasion.

This two-thousand year old document perfectly describes the principles of good marketing.

Mike DoaneAbove the Fold by Writing Inbound

Need a hand?

Get the guide on inbound marketing to learn more about creating incredible campaigns that convert by using the power of copywriting, storytelling, and psychology. It’s 10,000 words on why buyers buy and what you can do to sell more products and services without feeling salesy.

Volvo’s mission to save a million more lives hits home in all the right places.

This campaign is a great example of advertising that tells a powerful story, uses words that play on all the right emotions, and does good while moving product.

I was scrolling my feed the other day…

Scrolling at 68mph and like a smash dummy hitting a wall, this ad stopped me in my tracks:

The headline reads:

“More than a million lives saved. And counting.”

Those are powerful words.

A quick flash of a few vintage images we all know so well. Crash dummies, a seatbelt clicking, mangled steel.

“The ‘terrible idea’ that has saved more than a million lives.”

Okay, now we’ve got some controversy and a bit of a history lesson. I’m intrigued.

So I click the link and I’m brought to this landing page:

More powerful words and a call to action to watch another video.

So I watch it. I’m in tears. Must be the damn onions I’m cutting…

And then Volvo telling me they’re ready to save more lives.

This isn’t about seat belts, this isn’t about the past, this is about the future. Volvo’s adding speed caps and cameras that monitor driver focus and competency.

Not sure I like that, but it’s bold and they’ve got me considering the implications.

Next up: more stories

Volvo saves lives. Here are testimonials from our customers.

Volvo is innovative. Here is a timeline of the safety innovations we’ve made that have helped us save lives.

I click “Learn More” and I get a history lesson of all the controversial safety features Volvo has added to their cars. The latest features are nestled comfortably at the bottom of the list.

Now, explore our products

Okay, maybe I’m thinking of my wife. Or my family. I’m thinking of protecting them. And I’m ready to buy a new car on top of it.

Here are the beautiful, sleek, and innovative vehicles we have that have saved a million lives and counting.

Take your pick.

Amazing…

Volvo, in just a few clicks, moved me through the entire marketing funnel:

• Made me aware of its history of safety innovation (and the controversy that goes along with it)
• Shared customer experiences that gave me a glimpse into the millions of lives their products have helped save
• Presented new product features that fall in line with their mission as a company
• Had me explore their latest line of vehicles, and primed me to shop their products when I'm ready to buy

That's one powerful campaign.

Sherwin-Williams made a big blunder when it fired Tony Piloseno, a college senior with 1.5 million TikTok followers.

Tony stirred the pot too much for this corporate’s liking — good thing small business had his back.

There’s a psychological principle that describes why consumers motivated to buy. It goes by the trendy name FOMO — or, “fear of missing out.”

The theory is that when consumers see their peers with something they don’t have — they’re going to want it too.

It’s the modern day keeping up with the Joneses.

In this case, businesses might be able to learn a thing or two from consumers. You see, businesses take more than they give, and this creates a very dangerous set of habits for the people that run businesses. It makes them frugal, risk-adverse, and a bit like the dragon hoarding gold beneath the mountain.

These aren’t inherently bad traits.

But they do prevent good businesses from taking advantage of new opportunities. To make it simple — businesses don’t fear missing out enough.

Sherwin-Williams recently missed out.

Take this example…

Sherwin-Williams, the multi-million dollar behemoth of a paint company, recently fired a college kid named Tony Piloseno, for “gross misconduct.” They claimed that Tony was wasting the company’s time, money, and resources, while seriously embarrassing the company and its products.

Tony’s big crime?

He was mixing paint (his job). The problem was that he was also live streaming the process to his 1.5 million followers on TikTok. And poor Tony didn’t have permission from the big wigs at corporate.

You don’t have to understand it to know its good.

I don’t claim to understand TikTok. My expertise is in conversion copywriting, SEO content, and inbound marketing. I know my way around Instagram and Twitter, but — at this point — who doesn’t?

Some things are just best left to the experts…

Sherwin-Williams had a huge opportunity to work with an expert on new media experiences for its customers. TikTok is growing in popularity and the principles of content creation on the platform can be applied to story formats on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and even LinkedIn.

Tony’s videos tap into the “oddly satisfying” trend and reach new consumers in fun and interesting ways. Instead of firing him, Sherwin-Williams could have given the guy a promotion or worked with him on a partnership basis.

“Look Tony, you can’t use our products for your videos UNLESS its a Sherwin-Williams branded experience.”

But, dragons are going to do what they do best — hoard gold.

David, meet Goliath.

Lucky for Tony, a small business out of Florida saw the potential.

Florida Paints has taken Tony on and agreed to invest in his personal influencer brand and help him create his own line of products or paint. Goliath — watch out — here comes David!

In a few years we might all be seeing less of Sherwin-Williams and more of Piloseno Paints.

What are you missing out on?

My question to you is — what opportunities are you missing out on?

Don’t get stuck in the old way of doing things. Look for new opportunities and fear missing out, even if only a bit. You never know, you might just have a Tony of your own.

— Mike

These 4 types of conflict, first defined by Ancient Greek playwrights, are the secret to great marketing.

How this common storytelling tactic can help us speak to our customers' biggest problems.

Kurt Vonnegut, a very apt storyteller, said that every story is about a character who gets in trouble and then tries to get out of it.

This is as true in marketing as it is in novels.

Like Odysseus, potential customers are often are woken from that comfortable life they were living when a crew mate drunkenly stumbles off the roof and breaks his neck. It’s a rude awakening from the slumber of a comfortable life.

Maybe they miss a deadline or that band-aided process finally grinds everything to a halt. Doesn’t matter. The call is there and they must defeat the evil villain that has got them in a bind.

ATTN:

This article is a snippet from Inbound Marketing for Myth-Makers and Tellers of Tall Tales — a 10,000 word guide on understanding your customers, crafting great copy, and writing stories that convert.

Get a copy.

The 4 types of conflict

The Greeks defined four types of conflict in tragedy.

These have been adapted and used to describe narrative in general throughout history. They’re as useful for telling tall tales and mythic legends in marketing as they are for novelists and playwrights.

Here they are:

1. Man against man — This is when two characters are at each other’s throats. Romance and family sagas feature this type of conflict.
2. Man against nature — This is when a character is fighting the elements. Good ol’ Tom Hanks and his little friend Wilson know all about this.
3. Man against self — This is an internal struggle between the character and her own thoughts and feelings. Zero to hero stories are all about this.
4. Man against society — This is when a character stands up against an established institution. Dystopian fiction and those that feature fights against injustice focus on this.

Now let’s see how they fit into the customer’s journey…

1. They just won’t do what they’re asked…

Managers often struggle with getting people to do what they want.

Their employees are the villain of their particular story.

"If it weren’t for these damn developers doing x when I ask for y, my life would be perfect."

Maybe you have a solution? Well, tell them about it already.

2. What an uncontrollable inconvenience!

Look to raincoats or camping gear for great examples of the customer against nature.

Food is another one. Quench your thirst, fill your hunger.

Nature is inconvenient and comes up when we least expect it. Better be prepared.

3. If only I were a little bit better…

If only I could be more like…

People are always looking to better themselves. It's why self-help and career development are multi-billion dollar industries.

Speak directly to that desire, and show customers the way forward.

4. Time for a revolution!

This last type of conflict — the customer against society — is what Apple banked on when they ran their Think Different campaigns.

It recognizes the problems with the status quo, and shows the customer how they can rebel against it through your product or service.

IBM and the mainstream PCs were the villain of Apple’s story. Their product was for the dreamers, the doers, the creators.

It was a rebellion against the old ways of stuffy business suits.

Who is the main villain of your customers' story?

Which of the four conflicts best describes your customers' main pain point? Find that, and you've got a great story to tell in your marketing.

'Till next time...

– Mike

Tofurkey delivers with incredible product copy.

This incredible packaging packs so much information in four little sentences, it’s mind-boggling.

My wife and I have been vegetarians for over ten years but have never given alternative meat a fighting chance. This year my parents bought us a Tofurkey’s Plant-Based Holiday Feast and, man, were we blown away.

Not only is the meat tasty, which gave us both a full-blast of holiday nostalgia, the copywriting on the packaging is surprisingly effective. Take a look…

Great, right?

Here’s why it works:

The copy is about the consumer

Thanksgiving, the holidays, whatever — it’s ultimately about tradition. But it’s not the 1950s anymore.

There are plenty of folks like us that simply don’t eat meat.

That doesn’t mean we don’t like the tradition. Tofurkey invites vegetarians like us to participate, and to create something new from the old.

The call to action is easy

New traditions start when you’ve done something at least twice. If you enjoy Tofurkey on Thanksgiving this year, why not do it again next year?

It’s no pressure really, but the company is playing the long game.

They know if you like this new tradition, you’ll invite others to it too. You might even expand it to Christmas. Eventually you’ll be adding Tofurkey products into your everyday life.

But this box says none of that. Just do it again next year if you like.

The copy lists the benefits

Everybody loves tasty leftovers after the holidays. Tofurkey is great on your plate, but also perfect on a sandwich.

Beyond that, you’re helping the planet and saving animals.

Who doesn’t want to be a hero?

Start a new tradition

Not everyone can write copy this good. But a great place to start is by creating a swipe file.

Every week I research a new ad, throw them in the file, and do a little analysis (just like this) on why the piece works so well. Oh, and I’ll do your homework for you if you’d rather not write yourself.

‘Till next time…

— Mike

How Swanson turned a 260 ton blunder into a multi-billion dollar industry.

The story of how a little creative thinking turned a Thanksgiving into the discovery of an untapped frozen food market.

What do you know about the 1950s? It was a time when flying on an airplane was an event to dress in your Sunday’s best, the American household was seen as a bastion of progress, and women were entering the workforce in huge numbers.

This last bit caused a bit of a psychological shift. For decades, husbands had been catered to — the expectation of a hot meal when they arrived home was only the beginning of it. The jobs wives worked on a daily basis was a demanding, physically grueling, and mentally exhausting affair.

That didn’t change when women began working a nine-to-five (and the residuals of those expectations are still felt today).

Thank goodness for Gerry Thomas

Maybe it was a lack of time or energy — you know with all the working and everything — but in 1953, Thanksgiving turkey wasn’t as popular as a frozen food company out of New Jersey anticipated. C. A. Swanson & Sons, a company that’s still around today, had a surplus of 260 tons of frozen meat because of this little miscalculation.

That’s a huge loss in sales for the company, and an atrocious waste of perfectly good birds. Lucky for Swanson, they had a salesman on their staff named Gerry Thomas.

The story goes that Gerry was flying Pan Am at the time. Customer service was incredible. Think that bag of pretzels Southwest gives you is great? Pan Am gave you a whole damn meal when you flew. They served it up in a little aluminum tray, heated up just before the plane took off.

This gave Gerry an idea:

“We can package our surplus birds in trays as frozen goods,” he thought, “then sell them to working mothers and wives.”

MREs made chic

While Gerry thought it was a win-win for Swanson and working moms everywhere, not everyone agreed.

Gerry got lots of hate mail from men who thought these new TV dinners were a little too much like the meals ready to eat (MRE) rations they were given in WWII. They claimed the product was destroying their home life and causing problems in their marriage. I suspect the real issue was that these husbands were just mad that their wives no longer have to tie up their time catering to them.

Despite these detractors, TV dinners were marketed at an upscale and convenient alternative to cooking from scratch. And the campaign worked. In their first year alone, Swanson sold over ten million turkey dinners.

Creative solutions to failure

I come from the fast-paced world of rapid growth startups. There’s a mantra we live by that companies either pivot or perish.

Change is the only constant in business and life and Swanson could have let their oversight be a death knell for the company. But a little creative thinking turned their massive failure into a success that created a $53 billion dollar industry.

This lesson is relevant now more than ever. The world is rapidly changing and if you aren’t pivoting, you’re probably falling behind. In that case, let’s have a chat and come up with some creative solutions together.

Until next time…

— Mike