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Tell your readers what to do

…or they might end up doing nothing

I went to see an exhibition in London last weekend at the Mall Galleries – the Photographer of the Year, run by Digital Camera Magazine.

There were some wonderful images of people, architecture and animals. Beatifully framed and expertly lit – just the sort of thing my friend S would like.

Unfortunately, the [...]

Will the real you please stand up

When trust is everything online, why hide your identity?

Some months back, an author friend of mine was asked by his publisher to contribute to their blog.

It was the perfect opportunity, they said, to reach a wider audience, show a different side of himself and open up a debate. The exposure would be invaluable.

He said no.

It’s [...]

It's advertising, Jim – but not as we know it

Why product placement is big business

Here’s a question for you. What do these brands have in common?

Apple, Aquafina, BlackBerry, Borders, Cadillac, Cisco, Converse, Ferrari, Ford, Fuller’s London Pride, HP, Land Rover, Mayflower, Mercedes, Motorola, MSN, Red Bull, Rolex, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Tracker Boats, Volvo, ZTV.

Answer? They all starred in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, last Christmas’s [...]

You’ve got to read this!

Why word-of-mouth marketing is priceless

I was at a friend’s book launch the other day.

Over cocktails and canapés, I found myself talking to the marketing director of a publishing house.

How much of a role, I asked her, does marketing play in the success a book? Can it make a book?

“Putting £100k behind a bad book won’t [...]

Don't know what your clients want? Ask them.

You’ll be surprised – and so will they

Just the other day, this leaflet dropped through the letter box. The local council is thinking about installing these gizmos at bus stops around the county.

So while you’re waiting in the rain with a dozen other bedraggled people, you can see that the number 52 is still 15 [...]