Have we really come to this?

Mike Gravel is running for president… for real. And he’d really like you to vote for him. Since we’re in the midst of some dangerous and trying times for our country (we have military personnel in harm’s way, we have people who are devising new ways of killing us, we have people in droves crossing our borders illegally, stuff like that…), Mike wants you to know he’s a serious guy. So he’s taken the advice of a couple of teachers (who teach art and technology, I think) and posted some videos to help you better understand who he is, where he stands, and why he thinks he should be the next President of the United States.

The two videos could be titled “Rock” and “Fire.” I don’t know if they are, but they could be. They could also be titled “I’m” and “Friggin’ Nuts.”

[Watch Mike Gravel in “Rock”]
[Watch Mike Gravel in “Fire”]

Immigration Issue "Fixed"?

Kris W. Kobach, D.Phil., J.D. and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.have written an article about the current immigration bill that is making it’s way through the Senate. Though it certainly uses some inflammatory language, it’s well worth the read. Personally, this seems like a deeply flawed attempt to fix the immigration problem, but you can decide for yourself. Regardless, it’s always important to know what’s inside these bills.

Be informed, get involved. This is your country, and these are your representatives. Make sure they know what you think!

[Read the Heritage Foundation article, “Rewarding Illegal Aliens: Senate Bill Undermines The Rule of Law”]
[Read the legislation]

"If you're a trust-fund baby, why get a job?"

Ah, one of the great pondered questions. Goes hand-in-hand with, “Who the hell are all these people?” Many are the day we’ve been on the way to lunch or a meeting and encountered the huddled masses at cafes, parks, malls… nearly any spot worth loitering. Who are these people, indeed? And how do they pay the bills? And how can I become one of them?

Writer Chris Colin recently pondered similar questions, except he actually walked up and asked. Turns out there was a pretty decent article hiding in their answers.

[Read “The mystery of the daytime idle: Why aren’t you working?”]

This makes me think of all the people doing the same thing, except they’re doing it online instead of a park. If you’re a daytime idle and doing it from the comfort of a couch or chair somewhere, post a comment and let me know how you’re managing it.

Marketers Note: Longer is Better

Seth Godin makes an interesting point in this post about longer video being better than shorter commercial spots. His point, in a nutshell, is that airtime (provided by the ‘Net) is cheap (or free), so why not use it and the longer format to make your point?

Not a bad thought. It reminds me of many conversations I’ve had recently where I’ve been essentially arguing on behalf of longer copy in a whole variety of situations: direct mail, email, online, etc.

“Nobody reads!” you shout. “Hogwash,” I reply. People read all the time. The key is to write something worth reading (which, in reality, is also the tough part.) Tough, but not impossible. Here are a couple of things to remember:

First, write directly to the reader. I could write all day about “we” and “all of our customers”, but I really want to talk to you; about you. I’m reminded of a story about young copywriter who was trying to get hired by Maxwell Sackheim. Sackheim wasn’t all that impressed with the man until the writer bet him $10 he could write a full-page newspaper ad, solid type, that would be compelling enough to get him to read every word. To convince him, he showed him the headline:

This Page Is All About Maxwell Sackheim

He won the bet and the job.

Next, use enough space to tell the story and fully explain your product, service, concept. Don’t be held to someone else’s idea about what is long or short enough. Use the space necessary, but edit relentlessly.

Finally, lest you think it’s not important, Marketing Sherpa regularly reports that the single most effective way to raise response and conversion is not with graphics or frequency or a better offer. It’s by writing better copy.