Reflections on The Year Of The Pig, The Conceits of Western Science, and Your Opportunity To Bring Home The Bacon

In San Francisco's Tenderloin District, the high priests and stern wizards of Western Science are whining about their worries.

"A panel of researchers expressed concern that people are giving increasing credence to pseudoscience... [including] horoscopes," reports Randolph E. Schmidt of the Associated Press, live from the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The meeting takes place at the San Francisco Hilton, plumb in the heart of the city's Tenderloin District.

Meanwhile, one-fifth of the world's population is getting ready to take a week off because of a horoscope-based holiday, including most of the residents of the neighborhood six blocks to the north of the Hilton.

That neighborhood, of course, is Chinatown. San Francisco has the largest Chinatown in the world outside of Asia.

OK. Quiz. What's wrong with this picture?

It's the Year of the Pig for 1.3 billion people... and the Scientists are worried that Western minds are not uniformly marching to their tune.

Who's right?

Who's wrong?

And what in the world does this have to do with you?

An interesting fact:

Economist Robert Kuttner writes in Saturday's Boston Globe:

"And China's immense stash of dollars happens to be a prime source of funding America's national debt."

So... let me see if I've got this straight... the Scientists (most of whom are funded directly or indirectly by U.S. Government) are worried that ordinary Americans believe in the same kind of things as the people who, by and large, are making sure the Scientists' paychecks clear?

It doesn't even boggle the mind.  It just makes you want to sigh.

Now, as a marketer, as a copywriter, as a business owner or CEO, what do you do with all of this?

We could put together a series of books or a week-long seminar to explore the full answer in the detail it deserves.  So I'll just give you the bottom line:

• Forget about what you know.
• Forget about what you believe.
• Find out what people want.
• Then find out what's top-of-mind for them.
• And start with what's top-of-mind for them -- whatever it is.
• From there, move to show them how you can get them what they want.

Does this mean be a hypocrite?  Or a panderer?

Yes and no.

Yes -- if you totally abandon your principles and refuse to engage your brain.  And take the quick shortcut to get-rich-quick, complete with the risk of bankruptcy-through-refunds.

Then there's the other route, where the answer to the hypocrite/panderer questions is:

No -- if you artfully weave what you have to say and what you know is true from your perspective, into this format so your prospects can get emotionally engaged and buy what you're selling. 

A well thought through headline, hook, rationale and offer can launch a fortune that lasts.

And... finally... thanks to the Chinese for keeping the U.S. from going belly up!

Gung hay fat choy!*

David Garfinkel
Publisher, World Copywriting Newsletter

* Happy New Year in Chinese (Cantonese)

Comments

[Jim Van Wyck]

Gung hey fat choy to all of U2.

I suspect the year of the Boar
will be a singgular year of success
for many who read this.

Jim

[Norman Hallett]

Know your market or you risk the Year of the Bore.

(sorry David)

Good to "see" you in the above comment, Jim. I've taken a suggestion or two from you to the bank over the last few years and I thank you!

Norman

[Bruce]

If 40% is offer and 40% is list, and everything else is 20%(this includes the copy), why oh why isn't offer and list never talked about. Every expert wants to teach how to write copy, but that is the least important part of deal. I'm not a copy writer, and I would love to be one, but all of my research points to the 40 40 20 rule of direct marketing.

[David Garfinkel]

Great question, Bruce.

I think the answer is because most good copywriters include making a good offer inside their way of writing good copy... but... don't have the ability to stand back and look at themselves enough to separate out the difference between copy and offer.

However...

I do see the difference.

And...

Pay close attention to this blog and your email, because I'm starting a new educational series this week and class number one hits your concern in the bull's-eye.

[Andrew Cavanagh]

It's just plain common sense to meet your prospects where they're at.

Most good information marketing is devising a marketing message that appeals to prospect who needs an education quite different to what he thinks he needs.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh