Some time ago I went to see a client who asked me where I get the ideas for these effusions from.
All sorts of places is the answer, but the question stimulated me to write Where to get ideas.
I love history, so I’ll start with Vincenzo Lunardi, a Neapolitan who in 1784 was the first person in England to ascend in a balloon. They say 200,000 people watched him, including King George III through a telescope from St. James’s Palace.
Afterwards the intrepid balloonist wrote to the King describing it all. Besides a dog, a cat and a pigeon, which escaped – the pigeon, I mean – he took a leg of chicken and a bottle of wine, admirable chap. Here is a splendid picture.
The bottle of wine reminds me of an old film I saw of David Ogilvy talking about how to get ideas. He said a bottle – then corrected himself – half a bottle of good claret helped. Since I know a bottle was more about his mark, I suspect he edited the truth so as not to drive young writers and art directors to drink before their time.
I do not entirely recommend booze as the high road to inspiration, but it can be. I once drafted a mailing to get legacies for Save the Children when distinctly squiffy. It worked well for many years.
I was completely potted when I wrote perhaps my best mailing. Professor Derek Holder, founder of the Institute of Direct Marketing, had come to show me a letter inviting potential sponsors to the launch of his new venture at the Barbican.
With the refreshing candour a truckload of wine confers, I said it was lousy because it was too impersonal, but I would revise it. Gathering my addled wits, I dictated something which my then PA, Daphne, transcribed. I edited it, and off he went into the late afternoon sunshine. I didn’t hear from him until he asked if I was coming to the event. There was a full house. The letter got over 70% response. Derek never looked back.
I don’t know what happened to that letter – I wish I had kept it. But I always feel pleased to have contributed, despite my unsteady condition, to one of the most beneficial things direct marketing has seen.
One good source of ideas is called getting on with it. There is such a temptation to look at that accusing blank screen or sheet of paper and go and do something else. But the mere act of writing gets you going.
- Trollope used to get up every morning very early – I think at 5:30 – and write for 3 hours before going to his job at the Post Office.
- Richard Strauss used to be shown to his study by his domineering wife with the admonition. “Richard, go and compose.”
- Sheridan had not written the last act of “The Rivals” on the Friday before it was due to open. They locked him in a room with paper, ink and bottles of port until he did so.
But as I said, the demon drink is neither the ideal nor the only way to get ideas. Many people find exercise helps. I have had many of my better thoughts when riding my bike or walking my dog when I had one. Beethoven also enjoyed long walks. Mozart liked to play billiards.
Some years ago a French businessman lamented the growing practice in France of taking showers rather than baths, which he believed better for getting ideas. Victor Ross, former chairman of The Reader’s Digest, Europe, responsible for some of the most effective direct marketing innovations, has a theory about this.
He says these methods encourage the circulation of the blood to the brain. Another example he gives is shaving. Many people report having had good ideas when shaving.
In the film I mentioned, David Ogilvy, with one of his wonderfully frank and old-fashioned turns of phrase, said that things sometimes came to him when “at stool”. That’s a form of exercise, too. Come to think of it, it’s also where I was when I had the idea for this. I guess you could call it straining for ideas.
Best,
Drayton
P.S. This is number 42 of Drayton Bird’s 101 free helpful marketing ideas. You can sign up on the link below for the rest.
—————————————–
Website: www.draytonbird.com / www.eadim.com
Click here to get 101 free helpful marketing ideas. Marketers from all over the world think they’re a pot of gold.
The Drayton Bird Blog – please do not visit if you are easily offended.
Filed under Drayton Bird, business by on Mar 16th, 2010. Comment. 
Do you know of a more successful, admired entrepreneur than Richard Branson?
And did you know he started out in direct marketing, selling records?
Wouldn’t you like to know his secrets? What kind of mind he has? How he goes about things? Go here and see one of his former partners tell you. You’ll get an idea of what it takes to turn an idea into a big business… without spending a penny of your own money.
(And there’s a surprise bonus waiting for you if after watching it you’d like to know to know more).
The man in the clip is called Rowan Gormley, and I’m very pleased to say that I saw him last year. He helped Branson set up three successful businesses, and now has his own which is a huge success after less than a year.
When you watch the clip you’ll laugh – and realise that Branson’s key to success is a million miles away from business school theory. But hurry. The clip is only up for 4 days.
It’s a little foretaste of a unique new Commonsense Marketing programme, featuring some of the world’s most talented business people – created by one of the world’s most influential marketers.
I can say this with a straight face because I have all his books on my shelves, I’ve spent a fair amount of time (and money) with him and learned a lot. But I am not alone.
When the Chartered Institute of Marketing wanted to decide which 50 living individuals, worldwide, have shaped modern marketing his name was on the list.
Sir Martin Sorrell, whose WPP business turns over £7.5 billion, was once his boss. He said people all over the world were “lucky enough to learn from” this man.
Ken McCarthy, the “Godfather” of internet marketing (another man I’ve studied with) called him,
“a genius. Really”
and
“the most accomplished living direct marketer”
I actually saw Ken tell how his own success was sparked by this man.
And the legendary David Ogilvy said he,
“knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world”
You can look at almost every leading marketer today and find they had something in common. Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace, Yanik Silver – even Joe Sugarman. They all learned from this man – as did David Magliano, the only man ever named Marketing Director of the Year twice – and Ad Age’s Global Marketing Director of the Year for his work on the London Olympics.
His name probably won’t come as any surprise to you: Drayton Bird. By a strange numerical coincidence he’s worked in 50 countries in 50 year career with some of the world’s most famous brands – and many tiny businesses you’ve never heard of.
Every time I see him I pick up business gems worth goodness knows how much. I sat through most of a week last year with him and his faculty of great marketers just taking notes. (Yes, I really do know him, personally. He happensto be my marketing teacher and I can prove it.)
Now he’s done it again. It’s taken him three solid years – and as I say, this little clip is just a taster. Check it out here, while it’s up.
It gives a unique insight into the minds of two entrepreneurs – Branson and Gormley. It’s also very funny … and if you register you’ll discover that the drinks are on Drayton.
And did you know he started out in direct marketing, selling records?
Wouldn’t you like to know his secrets? What kind of mind he has? How he goes about things? Go here and see one of his former partners tell you. You’ll get an idea of what it takes to turn an idea into a big business … without spending a penny of your own money
(And there’s a surprise bonus waiting for you if after watching it you’d like to know to know more).
The man in the clip is called Rowan Gormley, and I’m very pleased to say that I saw him last year. He helped Branson set up three successful businesses, and now has his own which is a huge success after less than a year.
When you watch the clip you’ll laugh – and realise that Branson’s key to success is a million miles away from business school theory. But hurry. The clip is only up for 4 days.
It’s a little foretaste of a unique new Commonsense Marketing programme, featuring some of the world’s most talented business people – created by one of the world’s most influential marketers.
I can say this with a straight face because I have all his books on my shelves, I’ve spent a fair amount of time (and money) with him and learned a lot. But I am not alone.
When the Chartered Institute of Marketing wanted to decide which 50 living individuals, worldwide, have shaped modern marketing his name was on the list.
Sir Martin Sorrell, whose WPP business turns over £7.5 billion, was once his boss. He said people all over the world were “lucky enough to learn from” this man.
Ken McCarthy, the “Godfather” of internet marketing (another man I’ve studied with) called him “a genius. Really” and “the most accomplished living direct marketer.” I actually saw Ken tell how his own success was sparked by this man.
And the legendary David Ogilvy said he “knows more about direct marketing than anyone in the world.”
You can look at almost every leading marketer today and find they had something in common. Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace, Yanik Silver – even Joe Sugarman. They all learned from this man – as did David Magliano, the only man ever named Marketing Director of the Year twice – and Ad Age’s Global Marketing Director of the Year for his work on the London Olympics.
His name probably won’t come as any surprise to you: Drayton Bird. By a strange numerical coincidence he’s worked in 50 countries in 50 year career with some of the world’s most famous brands – and many tiny businesses you’ve never heard of.
Every time I see him I pick up business gems worth goodness knows how much. I sat through most of a week last year with him and his faculty of great marketers just taking notes
Now he’s done it again. It’s taken him three solid years – and as I say, this little clip is just a taster. I’m furious to be honest. What I’ve paid tens of thousands for over the years you can get for peanuts.
Check the clip out here, while it’s up. It gives a unique insight into the minds of two entrepreneurs – Branson and Gormley. It’s also very funny … and if you register you’ll discover that the drinks are on Drayton.
Filed under Drayton Bird, copywriting, marketing by on Feb 3rd, 2010. Comment.
