Scientific Advertising Review

O.K., this is a "must read;"  because "Scientific Advertising" is
the original bible of marketing and advertising.  But don't assume
it's a boring read, just because it was written back in the 1923.
As a matter of fact, I think the style of writing back then had a
class and style all its own that you just have to read to
appreciate.  Claude Hopkins does a marvelous job of explaining
things, too. 

Check out these 3 killer paragraphs cut 'n pasted from "Scientific
Advertising," published in 1923:  (You can't be in a hurry to read it
in order to truly appreciate the clear logic and commone sense in it)...
============================================
"Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like
water from a duck. They leave no impression whatever. To say, "Best
in the world," "Lowest price in existence," etc. are at best simply
claiming the expected.  But superlatives of that sort are usually
damaging. They suggest looseness of expression, a tendency to
exaggerate, a careless truth. They lead readers to discount all the
statements that you make.

People recognize a certain license in selling talk as they do
poetry. A man may say, "Supreme in quality" without seeming a liar,
though one may know that the other brands are equally as good. One
expects a salesman to put his best foot forward and excuses some
exaggeration born of enthusiasm.  But just for that reason, general
statements count for little. And a man inclined to superlatives
must expect that his every statement will be taken with some
caution. But a man who makes a specific claim is either telling the
truth or a lie.

People do not expect an advertiser to lie. They know that he can't
lie in the best mediums. The growing respect in advertising has
largely come through a growing regard for its truth. So a definite
statement is usually accepted. Actual figures are not generally
discounted. Specific facts, when stated, have their full weight and
effect."
=======end of snippet from "Scientific Advertising"========
             
To this day, I'll find myself recalling some of the words of wisdom
from Scientific Advertising when a question pops up in my mind of
what I should be doing.  That's because, although the market has
changed, products have changed, and the way products are delivered
to consumers has changed, there is one critical component of the
whole marketing system that has NOT changed... 

Not changed one bit...

Can you guess what it is?  Of course you can:

Human psychology hasn't changed;  People haven't changed. 
The same emotions that motivated buyers back in 1923 are the same
emotions that motivate consumers today.

That's why Claude Hopkins' Scientific Advertising has just as much
power today as it did in 1923.  It was years ahead of its time.  It is
a quick read, only about 60 pages, and it's organized in a logical way. 

I guarantee if you read it, you will notice that the exact same
things are written about advertising and marketing by dozens of
other authors today.  Probably hundreds of other e-books and hard-
cover books have been written that charge you an arm and a leg for
the exact same information that you can get for free right here in
this short manuscript.

As a matter of fact, even though Scientific Advertising was written
in that 1920's lingo, it is still much clearer and to-the-point than lots
of other stuff written today that's full of fluff and filler.

Good job Claude Hopkins!

Amazon.com lists the book version as $37 new, but it can be
downloaded free as a PDF from a dozen different sources on the web,
including right here.