I’ve been re-reading Stan Lee’s (the guy who created Spiderman, The Hulk, Avengers, etc) book:
“Excelsior!”
You can learn a lot about marketing, branding, positioning, copywriting, messing with your competition’s heads (like he did to DC Comics for years), and creativity reading this book.
Example?
He talks about how he saved soldiers from syphilis when he was in the army.
Here’s how:
“I must have sketched countless complex, meaningful, persuasive, intellectual ideas for an anti-VD poster, but nothing seemed right. Then, when I least expected it, inspiration hit me. The simplest idea of all. I merely drew a little cartoon version of a happy-looking GI walking into a pro station, with the little green light above the door, wearing a proud expression on his face and a dialogue balloon over his head that read, “VD? Not me!” Well, they must have printed a zillion of those posters and displayed the all over Europe.”
So much copywriting wisdom in that.
Especially if you get bogged down with overwhelm for ideas, copy, etc.
Speaking of simple:
One of the things I teach in my monthly “Email Players” newsletter is simplicity. Everything I do revolves around the concept. I don’t do complicated because it doesn’t work nearly as well as simple.
This goes for email, sales copy, content, video, podcasts, and anything else.
More info here:
Ben Settle
