This is another gem from my beloved 2022 LinkedIn files.
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What can an Italian from around 2,063 years ago teach you about modern marketing?
To sum it up in one word: Tradition.
Progressives think the old “T-word” is repugnant …
Unfortunately, it seems like a growing number of conservatives feel the same way, too, but they shouldn’t …
It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about religion, morality, or even business, it’s important that we learn from, respect, and embrace the good and the true that came before us.
One of the most prominent names from antiquity knew this quite well.
You’ve probably heard of Cicero before, right?
He was that Roman statesman/philosopher/lawyer/scholar-guy from ancient Rome who wasn’t exactly on friendly terms with Julius Caesar. (I wonder how he would have felt about the salad named after his bitter enemy … just sayin’.)
Anyway, I came across one of Cicero’s quotes the other day and I thought it was perfect to share with random strangers on the Internet:
“Not to know what has happened in former times is to be always a child. If no use is made of the labours of past ages, the world must remain always in the infancy of knowledge.”
How true is that?
Like I said: the lesson doesn’t just apply to brushing up on world history.
Entrepreneurs can benefit from that pearl of wisdom, too, especially when it comes to selling their goods or services.
So where do you start?
Well, you don’t have to go digging through a pile of ancient manuscripts, not when Amazon will do.
It’s not exactly the Library of Alexandria, but for our purposes, it’ll do.
Start by looking for books by marketing geniuses like David Ogilvy, Robert Collier, Claude Hopkins, Gary Halbert, and Dan Kennedy.
These men were all great advocates of direct marketing principles, and when you look at all the modern gurus out there today, they ALL reference these guys.
Collier and Hopkins go back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when mass-advertising was in its infancy. Men like Ogilvy, Halbert, and Kennedy are some of the bigger (more “modern”) names in the industry who followed in their footsteps.
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Caesar wouldn’t like to hear this, but Cicero was right – Honour the tradition …
Which sits well with a guy who has strong Trad-leanings, like yours truly. Plus, I’m a self-professed nerd when it comes to my passions, so I love reading and applying what I learn into practice.
If you’re interested in a suggested reading list to get you started down the path to improving your own email marketing, and your marketing in general, just send me a message at [email protected].
In the meantime, stay holy my friend, and God bless.