Transcript of Episode 1 - The Susanna Hutcheson Power Marketing Show

SFX: Music Intro

Hi there. This is Susanna Hutcheson. Welcome to the power marketing show. How do you like my intro? Isn’t that cool? That beautiful male voice belongs to my long-time pal, Ron Knowles. Ron does the voice for many of the radio commercials --- and my clients love him. Visit my site, powerwriting dot com. I have information about ron on the site. You can hire him to do your voice work too.

Let that be my first bit of advice to you. Always hire the best. Don’t try and do things yourself.

Now, I’ll admit the intro is a bit of hyperbolae. Well, I am bold. I am somewhat brilliant. But beautiful --- well, that’s in the eye of the beholder. And as you age, your eyesight gets foggy. So, when I look in the mirror, I don’t see all the lines that other people might. Age can be kind. So, with that bit of philosophy out of the way --- on with the show.

This is my first podcast. I’m not sure how it will evolve. At the least, I’ll offer you a bit of marketing wisdom on a regular basis. And, as we progress, I hope to have some great guests come on the show and share their wisdom with you. So check back often and keep listening. Maybe we’ll say something that will be profitable to you.

Since I discussed my own hype that’s in my opening, I want to talk about using hype in your marketing. Every day I read these great Web sites. Many are really bad. Others, quite good. But I find one thing many have in common --- hype. Everyone claims to have become a millionaire in one or two years. They talk about their fancy cars and several homes and every great item they have.

Well, to begin with, it’s rather vulgar to discuss how much money you make. The money people make is like sex. People who get lots of sex don’t talk about it. And people who make lots of money don’t talk about it or even look like they have it. At least, not in most cases.

When I read these sites about a copywriter writing from his beach house and earning a million dollars a year, I have to laugh. I know it’s not true. He’s probably in a one bedroom apartment just barely getting by. Or, perhaps he’s living in his parent’s basement.

The sad part is, some people actually believe this crap. Especially vulnerable young people. I’ve read none of these people’s names in the Fortune 400 or 500 names of the richest people. I’ve not read their names on any list of rich Americans. If they’re so rich, why doesn’t the IRS know it?

That’s hype. And it’s bad. Experienced people don’t believe it and they’re turned off by it. It took me decades of hard work and years of being damn poor before I really started making decent money. And I consider myself as bright as any of these people claiming to be millionaires. The point is, they’re lying. And you shouldn’t do that in your marketing. You’ll be found out in the end. And it just looks stupid.

Now, I know that famous copywriters of the past have used hype to great success. For example, Eugene Schwartz used it and was one of the top copywriters of his day. He sold a lot of stuff for a lot of people.

But, that was then. This is now. People fell for all sorts of advertising schemes then. They fell in love with cigarette advertising --- only to get sick and die because of it.

People are smarter today. They have access to all sorts of information. Don’t insult their intelligence with hype.

Be real in your advertising and marketing. If you  can do something extremely well and can back it up --- say it. But you must prove it. If you own four homes and they’re all paid for, put a screen cap of the deeds online. If you’re a multi-millionaire and made it doing what you say your did --- prove it. Anyone can say anything.

The bottom line is --- tell the truth in your marketing and advertising. The truth is very effective.

This is Susanna Hutcheson and you’ve been listening to the Susanna Hutcheson Power Marketing Show. My main Web site is powerwriting dot com. Stop by anytime.

And remember --- if you know that an animal is being abused, call your local Humane Society. Animals, like people, deserve kind treatment and abusers should be punished. They’ll abuse people next.

I’ll see you soon.

SFX: Music out

 

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