Don't you wish you could weave some words and have people fall under your spell?

In the Principles section, David explains how author, Blair Warren, has compiled a list of 27 words that will achieve this end.

Is this hocus pocus or does it have substance?

You're about to discover it's the latter!

Meanwhile, following our remininiscing about the infamous "ants" TV commercial recently, we're returning to the topic like ants to a sugar spill.

Steve argues that the behaviour of forrager ants, well, 10-15 per cent of them, gives us some clues about what to do in the eternal battle of working out whether to say yes or no to new opportunities.

In the Problems section,

And for a dose of perspicacity (the sharpening of our minds), David and Steve reflect on a refreshingly different road safety ad, honey buns!

We hope you find this helpful.

Talking About Marketing podcast episode notes with timecodes

02:33 Person This segment focusses on you, the person, because we believe business is personal.

Be Like The Ants

Author and retired poker champion, Annie Duke, has written a book called, Quit.

She thinks the concept gets a bad rap because our society has bought into its opposition disposition of grit; sticking at something all the way through, all the time.

In her interview with Russ Roberts on the EconTalk podcast, Annie's description of supposedly wayward forrager ants who are not part of the long column of other ants, provides a great example of when it is okay to say yes to an opportunity that you're not sure about.

As an aside, her book says our flawed mental accounting is what makes us confuse wins for losses; physical ledgers start from the start and tabulate what's been achieved, mental ledgers start at the end and count back.

She also revisits the intriguing thought experiment of monkeys on pedastals. Steve explains that in the episode.

14:26 Principles This segment focusses principles you can apply in your business today.

Words To Make The World Do Your Bidding

People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, justify their failures, allay their fears, confirm their suspicions, and help them throw rocks at their enemies.

Our job, as marketers and communicators is to try to validate and fascinate people, rather than trying to correct and convince people.

These insights are expanded upon by David, after his reflection Blair Warren's 2022 book, The One Sentence Persuasion Course: 27 Words to Make the World Do Your Bidding.

24:03 Problems This segment answers questions we've received from clients or listeners.

Velcro on your website

Steve reflects on a recurring theme coming up in mentoring.

Many websites cut to the chase, assuming visitors have a certain degree of knowledge and understanding.

However, what's really needed is some velcro; some content at the top of pages that allows people to see themselves and have a sense of safety that they are known and understood.

Every site always has room for improvement and testing.

28:02 Perspicacity This segment is designed to sharpen our thinking by reflecting on a case stude from the past.

Accessible Adelaide Fringe?

Just how accessible is the Adelaide Fringe?

This week, we're looking at the Adelaide Fringe TVC from 2016.

Surprisingly, it is all imagery and music.

And that does seem to be a constant theme of all Fringe ads this century.

For David, these ads mean nothing, because he cannot see the content.

Does this mean the Adelaide Fringe is paying lip service to accessibility?

What would David and Steve do differently?

PS Steve has a Fringe show of his own in the 2023 Adelaide Fringe. It's called 100% MBA Success: Whisky And Trivia With Professor Longsword. It will be a lot of fun and you can follow that link for more information and tickets.