One of the first things was these little tape measures. Advertising tape measures that I picked up at a garage sale for a quarter apiece, ... and they brought $22. And that hooked me right there.

I worked at Military Media, an advertising agency for military-base newspapers. Don't ask, I won't tell.

The best ads are about the customer and how the product will change his life.

Rescuing people from the results of their own foolishness is really what customers service is all about. Customers rarely obey the rules. They expect you to rescue them whenever they do something stupid. Will you be a “rescuer,” known far and wide for customer service, or will you steadfastly insist that your customers follow the proper procedures?

Five minutes in an old book quickly reveals that most of what is being sold today as new insights into human behavior is merely the rediscovery of knowledge we have had for centuries.

Referring to an event in an untold story is a powerful technique rarely used.