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It's Not Creative If It Doesn't Sell (And Why That Matters for Your Business)
The Business Builder Volume 3 Issue 18
Bill Brelsford
September 19, 2025
It's not creative if it doesn't sell." — David Ogilvy.
The struggle between what looks impressive and what actually works.
Early Ad Men struggled with it. We still struggle with it today.
Ogilvy's insight forces us to confront an uncomfortable truth: creativity without results isn't creativity. It's self-indulgence.
That beautifully designed brochure isn't creative if potential clients flip through it and still don't know why they should hire you.
And that website you spent weeks (months?) perfecting? If it doesn’t generate leads, what's the point?
Here's what Ogilvy understood that we often forget: prospects don't care about your creative process. They care about their problems.
The accountant looking for tax software doesn't want poetry. They want to know it'll save them time during busy season.
The restaurant owner, considering your consulting services, doesn't need flowery language. They need to believe you can help them increase profits.
The marketplace is the ultimate creative critic. It doesn't care about your artistic vision if that vision doesn't connect with real people facing real challenges.
But when creativity and effectiveness align, when brilliant ideas drive real results, that's when magic happens.
Next time you're working on any client-facing material, ask yourself Ogilvy's question: "Will this sell?" Not in a pushy, used-car-salesman way, but in a "does this genuinely help someone make a decision that's right for them" way.
Your bottom line will thank you for it.
Bill
913.962.9261
It's not creative if it doesn't sell.
Minding the Lead Nurture Gap
With longer sales cycles and larger buying committees, effective lead nurturing is more critical than ever. Don't give up on leads that aren't ready to buy today – nurture them indefinitely. Link →
The Power of Specialization
Discover how a consulting firm found success by focusing on a specific niche and becoming the go-to expert in their field. Link →
Boost your landing page’s conversion rate.
This article walks you through actionable steps to boost conversion rates for your local service business landing page. Link →
Do you trust your robot with your wallet?
Before you let AI agents do your shopping for you, you’d like to have some safeguards in place, right? Here’s how Google is addressing that Link →
And this…
The late Robert Redford didn’t just act in movies. He also starred in several commercials. You can watch his more memorable ones here. Link →
Featured Picks
📚️ Featured Book - Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You
This book offers a compelling story and practical advice on how to build a service business that is sellable Amazon Link →
🛠️ Featured Tool - Trello
An oldie but goodie. I’ve used Trello for project management, content calendars, simple to-do lists, and as a general CRM. Link →
📷️ Featured Image
Cassidy Arch in Capitol Reef National Park. Named after the infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy, who is rumored to have used the surrounding Grand Wash canyons as a hideout for his gang, the Wild Bunch.
Cassidy Arch - photo credit Bill Brelsford
Let me know. Just hit reply (I read every reply), I’d love to know what you think.
Thanks for reading.
Bill
913.962.9261
P.S. Whenever you are ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your business.
1) Connect with me on LinkedIn
I'm on LinkedIn primarily to grow and support my network. Connect with me and let me know who makes a good connection for you.
2) Try the Offer Scorecard
When you have a great offer, everything in marketing and sales becomes easier. Reply to this email with “Offer” and I’ll send you the guide so you can evaluate and improve your offer.
3) Work with me One-on-One
And get unlimited, sales-driven copywriting for a flat monthly fee.
Reply to this message and put “One-on-One” in the subject line. Tell me a little about your business and what you'd like to work on together, and I'll get you all the details!