The Clean and Green Club

All printed editions of my marketing books are on sale this month, and they make great holiday gifts at a bargain price). Scroll down for the details.

One big copywriting nugget I got from Jeffrey was searching out the Ultimate Benefit: drilling down until you find the deep motivation. For instance, taking off 10 pounds or 5 kilos is not the true goal. People reduce wait to attract a new romantic partner or enjoy better health.

Even money is not an Ultimate Benefit. Money by itself is either a bunch of digital 1 and 0 marks in an electronic account or a pile of paper in your wallet. The Ultimate Benefit is what you achieve by using that money to buy something or give it away to someone/some organization. If you use that money to buy a car—or a yearly transit pass—you’re really buying the ability to go where you want to go. If you buy a new stove, you’re buying better meals and lower energy costs.

Lant’s analysis is based on selfish human desires. That’s crucial in marketing—but for most of you, so is altruism. I believe the urge to do good is just as powerful, and combining the selfish and altruistic is an unstoppable marketing combination.

My latest book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, explores this across several chapters. Here are a five examples, taken from a list of 13 in a section on marketing to “Lazy Greens”:

• “The warmest and softest slippers you’ll ever own, thanks to our special blend of all-natural ?bers.”
• “Enjoy fresh veggies from our organic greenhouse all winter. Need a scrumptious, juicy tomato for your dinner? Just pick one o? the vine.”
• “Let oil prices triple! You’re protected, because you heat and cool directly from the earth.”
• “You’ll never worry about waste disposal again. With our fully compostable packaging, you’re adding nutrients to the earth instead of paying to clog up your land?ll.”
• “You and your kids will both make new friends in the organic community garden and certi?ed nontoxic natural playground.”

Send in your own favorite examples of marketing that hits both personal and social/environmental benefits. If I get good responses, I’ll feature them next issue.

Discover why Chicken Soup’s Jack Canfield, futurist Seth Godin, and many others recommend Shel’s 10th book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World (and download a free sampler). Autographed and inscribed copies available.

As it happens, last week I mentioned to my friend Rita Joyan (a marketing and speaking consultant in Australia who had me on as a podcast guest a few years ago) a frustration I’ve had recently in my own marketing. She sent me a link to a remarkable Facebook Live she did. In half an hour, clearly and concisely, she does an excellent recap on core marketing principles. To have it all in one place, without having to wade through hundreds of pages in multiple books, is a huge favor to the marketing world. Go and watch it. She’s not selling anything and I don’t get commissions for recommending it. Do yourself a good turn and listen without distractions. I generally multitask when I’m listening to a marketing video but I listened pretty carefully to this one.