Tweet

What to write

Written by: Seth Godin

Article Overview: ...when you don't know what to write.

What to write

...when you don't know what to write.

Ads are expensive. Full page color ads, especially so. So are landing pages, when you count the cost of the traffic.

So, here's one, an insert in my New York Times from Alyse Myers, SVP of the NY Times.

Dear New York Times Subscriber,

You've probably heard about our great new rewards program called TimesPoints. This free program gives you exciting new opportunities to ...

and on and on for five paragraphs.

Or, this one from Wilson Audio, which sells $50,000 stereo speakers. From the top:

of tweeters and truth

There isn't a marketer alive, who, when asked what they most desire, won't tell you: a simple message.

I'm not making this up. I would reprint the entire ad but you would have to flee in pain. Here's the last line:

To say that our new speaker is worthy of your attention because it boasts this or that tweeter would be, at the very least, a half truth. And that's the whole truth.

Oh.

If you don't know what to say, don't say anything.

If you don't have an ad worth reading and acting upon, don't run it.

Related Articles
  Dont Just Read Write
  Top Article Marketing Ideas That Produce Results! ~Part 2
  How to Develop the Writing Habit-Even if You Don’t Have Time to Write
  Write Your Strengths
  Stress-Free Selling® - How to Make it About Them

Article Tags: alyse, color ads, desire, marketer, new opportunities, new york times, ny times, paragraphs, rewards program, simple message, stereo speakers, subscriber, svp, traffic, tweeter, tweeters, whole truth, wilson audio



Related Forum Posts
How to Build a Community - Revealed - Evan you should write up something on your "strategy" to get to 5000 posts in your community. I'm sure people starting their own forums will find that information very valuable. If you don't have the time to write it just have a freelance writer interview you - and write up the report. I know someone on this forum who is experienced in this.
Re: What would you do if you knew you could not fail? - I would write a screenplay, and possibly be involved in making the movie. Creative writing is something that I love to do, but it is a bit of a leap from being an unpublished to a published author. If I knew I could not fail, I would write as often as I could.
Re: Online Article Marketing - Free & Done Correctly - I write articles myself and also outsource to guys at elance. They write good quality articles as well. To me three article in a week is too small
Re: Nov 9 Triple Crown Leaders - Hi GT - it is interesting that they are all three quite distinct groups - people who post in the forums don't write many articles, people who write articles don't refer and don't post in the forums and people who refer don't write and don't post in the forums. That's what makes the Triple Crown contest so challenging - it's hard to enough to win just one category, let alone all three. We'll see if anyone is up to the challenge!
Re: Online Article Marketing - Free & Done Correctly - hi, i write my articles myself and i submit them to Ezine aritcles.i think 3 articles a week is practical enough for beginners and if possible one article a day.As you get along you can increase the number of articles you write a day.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Using Social Media Marketing

Local Marketing: 3 Simple Low-Cost Strategies

Do You Pretend To Listen To People?

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.