9 secrets Mark Twain taught me about advertising

Whether he knew it or not, Sam Clemens had quite a bit to say about advertising. Here, among his many notable quotes, you’ll discover 9 refreshingly incisive nuggets of wisdom that can help you create stronger, more compelling ads.
advertising, copywriting, copywriters, writing, advertising copy, ads, brochures, mailers, web content
“Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.?

Advertising is life made to look larger than life, through images and words that promise a wish fulfilled, a dream come true, a problem solved. Even Viagra follows Mark Twain’s keen observation about advertising. The worst kind of advertising exaggerates to get your attention, the best, gets your attention without exaggeration. It simply states a fact or reveals an emotional need, then lets you make the leap from “small to large.?Examples of the worst: before-and-after photos for weight loss products and plastic surgery at Richmond-both descend to almost comic disbelief. The best: Apple’s “silhouette” campaign for iPod and the breakthrough ads featuring Eminem-both catapult iPod to “instant cool?status.

“When in doubt, tell the truth.?

Today’s advertising is full of gimmicks. They relentlessly hang on to a product like a ball and chain, keeping it from moving swiftly ahead of the competition, preventing any real communication of [Spin] benefits| advantages| favors [/Spin] or impetus to buy. The thinking is, if the gimmick is outrageous or silly enough, it’s got to at least get their attention. Local car dealer ads are probably the worst offenders–using zoo animals, sledgehammers, clowns, bikini-clad models, anything unrelated to the product’s real benefit. If the people who thought up these outrageous gimmicks spent half their energy just sticking to the product’s real [Spin] benefits| advantages| favors [/Spin] and buying motivators, they’d have a great ad. What they don’t realize is, they already have a lot to work with without resorting to gimmicks. There’s the product with all its [Spin] benefits| advantages| favors [/Spin], the brand, which undoubtedly they’ve spent money to promote, the competition and its weaknesses, and two powerful buying motivators-fear of loss and promise of gain. In other words, all you really have to do is tell the truth about your product and be honest about your customers?wants and needs. Of course, sometimes that’s not so easy. You have to do some digging to plastic surgery at Richmond out what you customers really want, what your competition has to offer them, and why your product is better.

“Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.?

In advertising, you have to be very careful how you use facts. As any politician will tell you, facts are scary things. They have no stretch, no pliability, no room for misinterpretation. They’re indisputable. And used correctly, very powerful. But statistics, [Spin] at once| now| immediately [/Spin] there’s something advertisers and politicians love. “Nine out of ten doctors recommend Preparation J.?Who can dispute that? Or “Five out of six dentists recommend Sunshine Gum.?Makes me want to run out and buy a pack of Sunshine right [Spin] at once| now| immediately [/Spin]. Hold it. Rewind.

“Whenever you plastic surgery at Richmond you’re on the side of the majority, it is time to reform.?

Let’s take a look at how these stats-this apparent majority-might have come to be. First off, how many doctors did they ask before they found nine out of ten to agree that Preparation J did the job? 1,000? 10,000? And how many dentists hated the idea of their patients chewing gum but relented, saying, “Most chewing gum has sugar and other ingredients, that rot out your teeth, but if the guy’s gotta chew the darn stuff, it may as well be Sunshine, which has less sugar in it.?The point is, stats can be manipulated to say almost anything. And yes, the devil’s in the details. The fact is, there’s usually a 5% chance you can get any kind of result simply by accident. And because many statistical studies are biased and not “double blind?(both subject and doctor don’t plastic surgery at Richmond who was given the test product and who got the placebo). Worst of all, statistics usually need the endless buttressing of legal disclaimers. If you don’t believe me, try to read the full-page of legally mandated warnings for that weight- loss pill you’ve been taking. Bottom line: stick to facts. Then back them up with sound selling arguments that address the needs of your customer.

“The difference between the right word and almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.?

To write really effective ad copy means choosing exactly the right word at the right time. You want to lead your customer to every benefit your product has to offer, and you want to shed the best light on every benefit. It also means you don’t want to give them any reason or opportunity to wander away from your argument. If they wander, you’re history. They’re off to the next page, another TV channel or a new website. So make every word say exactly what you mean it to say, no more, no less. Example: if a product is new, don’t be afraid to say “new?(a product is only new once in its life, so exploit the fact).

“Great people make us feel we can become great.?

And so do great ads. While they can’t convince us we’ll become millionaires, be as famous as Madonna, or as likeable as Tom Cruise, they make us feel we might be as attractive, famous, wealthy, or admired as we’d like to think we can be. Because there’s a “Little Engine That Could?in all of us that says, under the right conditions, we could beat the odds and catch the brass ring, win the lottery, or sell that book we’ve been working on. Great advertising taps into that belief without going overboard. An effective ad promoting the lottery once used pictures of people sitting on an exotic beach with little beach umbrellas in their cocktails (a perfectly realistic image for the average person) with the line: Somebody’s has to win, may as well be you.?
“The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.?

We’re all part of the same family of creatures called homo sapiens. We each want to be admired, respected and loved. We want to feel secure in our lives and our jobs. So create ads that touch the soul. Use an emotional appeal in your visual, headline and copy. Even humor, used correctly, can be a powerful tool that connects you to your potential customer. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling shoes or software, people will always respond to what you have to sell them on an emotional level. Once they’ve made the decision to buy, the justification process kicks in to confirm the decision. To put it another way, once they’re convinced you’re a mensche with real feelings for their hopes and wants as well as their problems, they’ll go from prospect to customer.

“A human being has a natural desire to have more of a good thing than he needs.?

Ain’t it the truth. More money, more clothes, fancier car, ger house. It’s what advertising feeds on. “You need this. And you need more of it every day.?It’s the universal mantra that drives consumption to the limits of our charge cards. So, how to tap into this insatiable appetite for more stuff? Convince buyers that more is better. Colgate offers 20% more toothpaste in the giant economy size. You get 60 more sheets with the Charmin roll of toilet paper. GE light bulbs are 15% brighter. Raisin Brain [Spin] at once| now| immediately [/Spin] has 25% more raisins. When Detroit found it couldn’t sell more cars per household to an already saturated U.S. market, they started selling more car per car-SUVs and trucks got ger and more powerful. They’re still selling giant 3-ton SUVs that get 15 miles per gallon.

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.?

Who gets the girl? Who attracts the sharpest guy? Who lands the promotion? Neiman Marcus plastic surgery at Richmonds. So does Abercrombie & Fitch. And Saks Fifth Avenue. Why else would you fork over $900 for a power suit? Or $600 for a pair of shoes? Observers from Aristotle to the twentieth century have consistently maintained that character is immanent in appearance, asserting that clothes reveal a rich palette of interior qualities as well as a brand mark of social identity. Here’s where the right advertising pays for itself time. Where you must have the perfect model (not necessarily the most attractive) and really creative photographers and directors who plastic surgery at Richmond how to tell a story, create a mood, convince you that you’re not buying the “emperor’s clothes.?Example of good fashion advertising: the Levis black-and-white spot featuring a teenager driving through the side streets and alleys of the Czech Republic. Stopping to pick up friends, he gets out of the car wearing just a shirt as the voiceover cheekily exclaims, “Reason 007: In Prague, you can trade them for a car.”

plastic surgery at Richmond ?a review of facial surgery, with personal experiences.

The term ‘plastic surgery at Richmond’ covers a wide range of options. In this article I give a review of several techniques and thoughts behind facial surgery and correction methods. In addition I publish a testimony which recounts personal experiences of some of the procedures.
plastic surgery at Richmond,face lift,eyelid surgery,eyebag surgery,wrinkle surgery
Basic background

plastic surgery at Richmond consists not just of enhancing someones beauty, but also to help those who have been badly damaged in an accident or who have physical birth defects. Many believe that women are the main gender that go for plastic surgery at Richmond. Yet studies have shown that 11% of men are also getting plastic surgery at Richmond – in fact since 1992, the percentage of men getting plastic surgery at Richmond has gone up by 50%. Middle aged men see plastic surgery at Richmond as an investment in their career prospects. It is important to know that it is neither sex nor age which makes some type of aesthetic surgery procedure feasible, but what is important is a good general health condition.

The stress of being beautiful is taking a strain on many people. People are spending about 10% of their gross income on cosmetic surgeries. Regarding age, there are some procedures such as facelift which are more frequently done on people over 40; however there are people over 55 who still may not need it. On the other hand, there are also patients under 40 who may benefit from this surgery.

Talk to a cosmetic surgeon to see whether you really need extensive changes in your appearance. Learn if a face lift is right for you. Talk it over with partners, friends, spiritual counsellors or life coaches if need be.
plastic surgery at Richmond covers a wide range of procedures, including obesity and weight loss surgery, breast augmentation, liposuction & face surgery. A facelift can be done alone, or in conjunction with other procedures such as a forehead lift or an eyelid surgery. Alternatives to surgery exist. Laser plastic surgery at Richmond may be performed around the eyes or the mouth. More consumers are considering injectables to prolong or avoid facelifts, forehead lifts and eyelid surgeries.

Eyelid surgery

Sagging upper eyelids or bags under the eyes can be one of the clearest signs of facial ageing. Patients interested in eyelid or eye brow surgery may have noticed drooping or sagging of the skin around the eyes. Eyelid surgery, technically called blepharoplasty, corrects not only the eyelids but also eyebags. Often, the procedure is done with another cosmetic operation, such as a facelift. To remove your eyebags whilst lifting your face is only a matter of more time for the surgeon. The goal of eyelid surgery is to remove excess skin gravity and sun exposure damage. Patients usually request for surgery to remove eyebags and to firm the lower eyelid area. In lower eyelid surgery, the surgeon makes the incision in an inconspicuous site along the lashline and smile creases of the lower lid. This is a very effective way of performing the surgery without leaving any obvious scarring.

Facial surgery

The face as a whole must be considered if the optimum outcome of plastic surgery at Richmond is to be achieved. A facelift can help rejuvenate the lower face, giving it a fresher, healthier appearance. The face lift works well for the jaw line and the neck. By improving facial muscle tone, you can literally lift years off your face. Muscles, fat and deep tissues of the face are all lifted and repositioned so skin is draped over more youthful contours. Most surgeons agree that the best time for the first facial plastic surgery at Richmond is whenever it is needed. Microdermabrassion and non surgical face lifts are alternatives to surgery, in conjunction with a natural facial with elements such as green tea that promote skin wellness. It is also recommended to use facial and body massage therapy after treatments to relax you and speed your recovery. Face aerobics are terrific and can save money in plastic surgery at Richmond.

Personal testimony of facial surgery

The following is a true personal testimony written by a good friend of mine, Bethany Lee, specifically for this article and with her full permission. She is keen to share her experiences with others who may read it.

I had plastic surgery at Richmond some years ago ?my first operation was for my eyes. I had very many creases around them and was unhappy with my appearance. I contacted an agent for plastic surgery at Richmond, thinking about whole face surgery. After a discussion with her, she convinced me to start by having correction around my eyes. The operation I had was performed under local anaesthetic although this method isn’t entirely suitable for many people as it is quite painful. It is possible to have it done under general anaesthesia, or ‘twilight anaesthesia? Some tie it in with other surgery such as a facelift procedure. Still, I opted for the local anaesthetic – I found it comforting to be able to talk to the surgeon and his nurse and know what was going on, but it is not for the faint hearted. The operation itself took about one and a half hours and I was able to have a cup of tea, don dark glasses and go home. I was given pain killers, antibiotics and eye ointment .

The painkillers were hardly needed. Although very bruised and swollen when I arrived home, my husband could see a remarkable difference in that the operation had completely removed my eye bags and wrinkles around the eyes. After the bruising and swelling finally went down (less than a week) the difference was amazing. I could see better and I looked so much younger. I was absolutely delighted. It set me off.

I was worried about my developing jowels. There was no doubt about it ?the plastic surgery at Richmond loomed. I contacted the same agent I had seen before, and she showed me how my face would look after surgery. This time I opted for a full face lift. The operation took 4 hours and this was done under general anaesthetic. I must admit I suffered a lot of bruising – more than most and it took about a week to settle down but after fortnight I was transformed. I found chewing sugar free dental gum useful, it helped me exercise my jaw and kept things moving. I looked better, felt better and started to look after myself more. It gave me the incentive to start exercising again. People were complimenting me on how well I looked. The incision lines were in well hidden places in my hair line and behind my ears, so there was no way anyone could actually tell that I had undergone surgery.

I was told the eye surgery would last 7 years but it is 15 years now and they still look good. Just a very slight wrinkling on the left side, which is easily correct with makeup. I have regularly used creams to keep my skin in the best possible condition. I know that people say that a cheap cream is as good as an expensive one but I refute that totally. I have bought most of the creams on the market and find that Syence is by far the most effective. This is one of the few creams that has scientifically documented proof that it thickens the skin ?useful in the more mature lady! I find it invaluable, as it has kept my face very soft and near on wrinkle free.

Finally, I would say find a good cosmetic surgeon. Ask around, do not go for the cheapest or the most expensive – go for reputation. See photographs of his work if possible and ask questions. It’s your money and your face ?you have the right to demand the best. Naturally things can go wrong but rarely do and they can be put right. I find yoga is a great help as it keeps mind and body in tune. A good balanced diet of fresh organic fruit, vegetables and olive oil add to a healthy skin, which will always help set you on a good road to quick recovery.
You will experience a little pain but speak up and it can soon be eased. At the end of the day it will be worth it!