Hi. I’m Katie Weedman, Content Strategist for THAT Agency, and I’m here to tell you a story about how a 92-year-old ad for piano lessons can help you make a profound impact on your business’ bottom line. 

The ad in question was written by John Caples in 1926 for the U.S. School of Music. The headline read, “They laughed when I sat down at the piano – but when I started to play!”

Believe it or not, I credit that ad – or rather the strategy behind it – for having taught me how to create content that sells.

It might seem silly, but here’s the crux of what I learned…

It’s Not About Selling

Sure, Caples’ ad sold piano lessons like hotcakes. In fact, it is considered one of the most successful ads in history. But the ad isn’t a sales pitch in the traditional sense. It’s a story about conquering adversity – about achieving greatness when no one else believes it possible.

The piano-playing story triggers a complex emotional response in the reader. It evokes feelings of pride in the narrator’s accomplishment, of envy in wanting to achieve the same success for oneself, and of curiosity in needing to find out how the narrator pulled off such a feat.

Therefore, tapping into raw human emotion – into feelings like pride, envy, and even curiosity – is the key to creating content that sells.

How then does one produce the kind of marketing content that triggers an emotional response? Through storytelling!

To Make a Long Story Short

When you want to make an impact on your target audience (and on your bottom line), use storytelling in your marketing. It can give your prospects all the feels and sell your product or service like hotcakes. Read more here.

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