The Wizard Chronicle
How to Attract, Convert, and Delight CustomersBy: Wizard of Ads Partners Editor: Craig Arthur
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Entries from February 10, 2008 - February 16, 2008
How Do I Find a Creative Expert?
By Mark Fox, Wizard Aacdemy Adjunct Professor
There’s a place and a time for experts, but they’re not likely to be the best people to come up with new ideas. Why? Because we are creatures of habit and very repetitious in the things we do. Experts are likely to use “tried and true” solutions rather than look for the most innovative, creative ideas.
The best way to find someone to help you with new and creative ideas is to look for someone who knows nothing about the business or subject. These people have no way of knowing “the way we do it” and will likely come up with something new and creative. Ideas will be based on their background and experience – which may be very different from yours, or other experts. They will typically propose creative solutions that you have never thought of before.
So how can you put this in practice?
You Can’t Lead by Following
By Craig Arthur
Once you are consciously aware, universal principles (or truths) seem to pop up everywhere. Currently in Australia, BT Financial Group is running a great series of ads in major newspapers. Each ad is brief and makes one point with regards to investing. Each ad forms part of an ongoing campaign. Each ad uses a simple story which they then relate to an investing philosophy. I am not sure if these ads are currently being run on TV or Radio but they should be.
Below is one ad in the series.
Investing Truths:
Avoid chasing quick returns.
You can’t lead by following.
Advertising, Strategy Saving Money
"Why will we drive seven miles to save $10 on a $30 shirt, but we won't drive seven miles to save $10 on a $300 television set?"
- Jonathan Clements
Soccer Mom Myth Web Site Announced
By Dave Young, Wizard Partner
Michele Miller and Holly Buchanan have unveiled a new web site in support of their book, The Soccer Mom Myth.
My favorite line in the site is a warning:
WARNING: This is not your typical dry business book. It includes politically incorrect views, some unladylike language, and tequila stories. We're pulling back the curtains for a realistic look at what women really want.
I'm about half-way through my pre-release review copy and I'm loving it! You can download free chapters, read about the authors and even watch videos of the authors talking about the book.
PS. from the Editor: Michele and Holly are 2 of my most favourite women in the world, next to the two princesses in Australia of course... also known as my wife and daughter. :-)
Where Did You Hear About Us? A Dangerous Question.
"Trying to measure what people think they know is not always easy. People don't even know what they know. Measuring their actions is always better." - Dave Young, Wizard of Ads Partner
How Well Do You Tell the Story of Your Business?
I was freshly married to Pennie and barely old enough to see over the dash of a car but I wanted to show her the magical places of my childhood, so we saved up enough money for 3 tanks of gas and made the 200-mile drive from Broken Arrow to Ardmore, Oklahoma.I never knew my father’s father. A couple of photographs and a pocket watch are all that remain of the original Roy H. Williams. But my mother’s dad I knew. Roy Pylant (PIE-lant) was the iceman in Ardmore for more than half a century.
My career as an iceman began one afternoon when I was five. A restaurant called for 100 pounds of crushed ice and I went with Daddy Py to deliver it. I watched him dump the ice into the restaurant’s icemaker and then I carried the empty canvas bag back to the truck. I wasn’t big enough to do much else.
As I walked away I heard, “Looks like you got you a new helper.”
“That’s my grans-ton Little Roy. He saves me a lotta steps.”
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