Marketing Lessons From The Apocalypse

By: Ray L. Edwards

In the last book of the Bible called Revelation or the Apocalypse, the writer John is given seven letters to be delivered to seven different churches. They all contain commendations, rebuke and a promise to those who take action based on the advice given.

The last of these letters addressed to the Laodicean congregation is quite harsh and contain no commendations. This lack of compliments sets it apart from all the other letters. What’s so different about this group of people? Why is God being so hard on them? What has brought on this scalding rebuke?

Well, they are neither good nor bad. Neither “hot nor cold”. They are just lukewarm—ordinary.

The situation appears so hopeless that the Messenger says He feels like spitting them out of his mouth. A nice way of saying, “You make me feel like throwing up!” Yet, these people were unaware of their condition. In fact, they thought that they were doing just fine and “had need of nothing.”

There are a lot Laodicean marketing taking place right now. I see this whenever I open the yellow pages or read sales letters online. I read advertisement and sales copy that lack any kind of personality. They all read the same and make no attempt to be “hot” or “cold”. So they touch your skin but you don’t even realize that they are there. You leave unaffected.

One thing I’ve learned about marketing is that, the safer you try to be the quicker you’ll fail. If you try to please everybody, you’ll end up pleasing nobody. You have to take risks and this means offending some people while being other people’s heroes. If you try to take the middle road, then you’ll always get run over.

It seems that even God hates lukewarm marketing!

“Hot” may involve going outside of your comfort level, but have you ever seen a famous person who didn’t? So, for heavens sake (pun intended), be provocative and pull me into your message. Get under my skin and ruffle my feathers. Make me upset, but still want to read more because your ideas are so big and I fear if I don’t continue reading I’ll miss THE idea of the century.

Forget the predictable, lukewarm fuzziness and be audacious. Don’t bore me to death. Please, I have my wife to do that. (Did that last statement offend you as a woman, or thrill you as a husband? That’s the whole point of the statement.)

I can still recall just a few years ago when I landed on one of my competitors’ website who was selling a huge ebook package for $47 that contained an item I was selling for same $47. Needless to say, I was outraged! Now I knew why my sales had fallen. What if my customers found out about this website? I was sure they’ll request a refund.

So guess what I finally did after all the fussing and fuming. I bought his package and became one of his affiliates. What? Could you imagine that he upset me so much that I became his affiliate? If he was selling the same item as I was for the same price I would have just breezed along. But he rubbed me the wrong way and got my attention.

And I’ve always said that attention is the most coveted and expensive commodity for the online marketer. If you can get people noticing your marketing message then you are just one step away from the sale.

And you don’t want your prospects vomiting you out. Just thinking about it makes me afraid of tackling my dinner. Plus, my wife loves to talk over dinner.

Ray L. Edwards’ copywriting has been responsible for more than $3M in sales for his clients this year alone. He is an online marketing strategist, a copywriter's coach and published author. You may find out more about his services at copywriter

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