Why Are Dolly Parton’s Boobs Killing Her?
I have a confession to make – yes, I’m a secret Dolly Parton fan! But it’s not what you think! I really enjoy her music and think she’s a great person (yes, honestly)!
Actually, it’s my wife who’s the real fan – but I’ll leave that for another day!
Anyway, the reason for this blog is the headline that caught my eye in the ‘National Enquirer’ – “Dolly’s Boobs Are Killing Her”.
OK, OK – now I’ve done it! But before you sign off, thinking I’m a perv who likes to read the tittle-tattle in mags like the NE, I’d like to give you some food for thought!
Well, there are very good marketing reasons for reading the popular press:
• To keep ‘abreast’ of popular trends that you can make money from (yes, pun intended!)
• To see who gets the publicity and why
• To pick up ideas for great headlines or copy to use in your own marketing materials
• To get product ideas
• And so on…
Oh – and there is occasionally some news, although most is pretty depressing and unreliable, even if it is hilarious and whiles away a train journey!
But back to my points about Dolly (yes, pun intended!).
The headline triggered a number of ideas in my head (yes, yes – apart from the obvious ones!). And just to keep this looking professional, I’ll use numbered bullet points to illustrate:
1. It’s a great catchy headline – well you’re reading this as a result, aren’t you? Can I use something similar in my own copy? Yes I can – I just did!
2. Dolly Parton is always news! Fame or notoriety both sell like mad (is there a day we don’t hear about Britney Spears, even if it’s for all the wrong reasons?). So use them to leverage your own marketing in whatever ways you can. You can use fame in a ‘hands off’ way – like I’m doing here. Or you can get a testimonial of your product from someone well known. Or you can offer books, DVDs, CDs or whatever by people who are currently in the public spotlight… and so on.
3. “Nobody can support the weight of that chest on such an itty-bitty frame” said a ‘friend’. Now (again, apart from the obvious), that made me think that there’s also a lesson there for any business! You can’t support a huge (and perhaps ‘glamorous’) shop-front or marketing campaign – or overheads and lifestyle – on the basis of an ‘itty-bitty’ business. You’ll need to develop a strong support system (the younger Dolly) and a worthwhile product that’s in great demand (Dolly’s voice and artistry). No service => no custom => no revenue => no business!
And so on… Yes I could go on, but I think you’ve got the point (and yes I’ve saved you from the worst puns!)
So, please have a little think about some of the points (!) above – and think how they are relevant to your own business!
Oh – and by the way, I’ll save you having to buy a copy of the National Enquirer – Dolly’s reputedly got back problems as a result of her front!
And the guy who put me on to the National Enquirer was none other than Greg Cesar – the ‘Adwords Czar’ and ‘Web Designer To The Stars’. And yes, his wife told me that she wonders why the heck he reads it, too!
If you’ve got some great headlines that made you read on… please share them with us by leaving a comment on the blog.
Bye for now!
John Thornely
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