When selling, a sure-fire formula is: “ Problem- Agitate-Solution”. Here’s how it works:
Problem:
Find the prospect’s pain and identify it as clearly as possible. “It hurts right here, yes?”
Agitation:
This is the equivalent of finding the pain and then poking it with a sharp stick, pouring vinegar on the wound until the prospect is yelling “stop! I can’t take it anymore, anything to make it go away!”
Solution:
Now that your prospective customer is writhing in pain, practically begging for relief from the real problem they have which you have now created a monster out of, it’s time to offer a solution.
Of course this was your primary objective all along…
That’s what this piece of Charles Atlas’ marketing does. Scrawny wimp on the beach. Jock kicks sand in his face. Girlfriend practically calls him a coward. He buys Atlas’ book and bulks up. Back on the beach, he catches up with the Jock and socks him one. His girlfriend swoons while other women gawk at his biceps.
Gotta love it 
Methuselah that I am, I remember when this ad first came out.
It went into print EVERYWHERE. You couldn’t avoid it.
Great example of ad “copy” at it’s best.
Surprised a snotty-nosed-kid like you, would know about it.
Ray
Hey Ray,
You must be kidding. I love these oldies from the days when advertising was done to make sales rather than win awards.
Thanks for commenting, it’s always a pleasure to find net savvy seniors
I read the title of this blog post in my blog reader a couple of days ago, and had no idea what you were talking about.
The, last night, I continued reading “The Great Formula” by Mark Joyner, and he showed Atlas’ business as a model of “the great formula”.
It’s an interesting story and it seems like it really happened to Charles Atlas when he was younger.
Hi Justin,
Sounds like a good book you’re reading. I have no doubt something similar must have happened to Atlast and that’s often the case of the most well-founded marketing propositions. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
[...] The Insult that Made a Man out of Mac This is a spectacular headline used by Charles Atlas, muscle man of yore, to make an insane fortune selling his how-to products to effeminate wimps around the world. When selling, a sure-fire formula is: Problem- Agitate-Solution . Here s how it works: Problem: Find the prospect’s pain and identify it as clearly as possible. It hurts right […] [...]