On Friday I sent you this picture, and asked if you had the vaguest idea what was going on… I haven’t revealed the truth till now as yesterday was devoted to celebrating my 85th birthday. Here are just a few …
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Is he pimping himself out? Or what?
>> Hit me with your best guess. It took me three days to work it out. You’ve noticed, I’m sure that estate agents (or realtors in the US) have a really cushy number. They just sit in the middle and …
Read MoreThe mystery of verbal soup
>> Can I interest you in a pivoted avatar? The masochistic lengths to which some heroes will go in pursuit of knowledge are praiseworthy, if incomprehensible. Tom Rayfield, a talented, witty creative director of J. Walter Thompson Direct once spent …
Read MoreTwo restaurants and a nursery
>> What guarantees you get more business? Very often you don’t profit much from your first job. You’re investing in learning about a new client’s business. You need repeat business to make money. For that you need to be memorably good. But you …
Read More“Blog or letter? What can they do for you?”
->-> And how long should you keep hammering away? Lara Blythe sent this question. My answer may surprise you: Dear Drayton, Please forgive what you might think is a silly question. I am still learning my craft and as you might realise, …
Read MoreWas Einstein right? You decide.
“Example is not only a way to teach; it is the only way to teach.” Do you ever wonder if Einstein really said all the things attributed to him? I certainly do. But for years I have quoted the one …
Read MoreTwo different camps – where do you pitch your tent?
>> Is this any way to sell a bank? You tell me. About 34 years ago David Ogilvy sent me a draft of a speech he planned to make in Paris. In it he suggested that the advertising industry was …
Read MoreIntroducing Old Grandpa Bird’s agony column
>> Do any of these ever puzzle you? Have you ever worked out the meaning of life? Nor me. But I often answer less important questions because people keep asking them. Here are three I received the other day. Perhaps …
Read MoreDoes this sloth drive you mad, too?
->-> Everything starts with the “nod factor” Do you ever get into pointless exchanges like this? THURSDAY P**** U**** 5:16 PM Hi Drayton, Thanks for accepting my connection request, it’s great to have you in my network. I hope you’re having …
Read MoreHave you tried the Chicken Little sales pitch?
>> Which works better; hope or fear? You can seize attention in two ways. Promise something wonderful – or threaten something ghastly. When you want to threaten Chicken Little – or Chicken Licken, if you prefer – is hard to beat. You …
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