Claude C. Hopkins quotes

Claude C. Hopkins was a legendary advertising pioneer, born in 1866. With his groundbreaking strategies, he revolutionized the marketing landscape. Hopkins strongly believed in the power of scientific advertising, which he implemented throughout his career. He is best known for his influential book, "Scientific Advertising," published in 1923. His insights on consumer psychology and persuasive copywriting remain relevant today. Hopkins was a master at creating compelling messages that resonated with consumers, leading to unparalleled success for client campaigns. His approach focused on meticulous research, testing, and data analysis, making him the father of direct response advertising. Claude C. Hopkins' contributions to the advertising industry continue to inspire marketers worldwide.

The best ads ask no one to buy. That is useless. Often they do not quote a price. They do not say that dealers handle the product. The ads are based entirely on service. They offer wanted information.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Scientific advertising has altered many old plans and conceptions. It has proved many long-established methods to be folly.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Remember the people you address are selfish, as we all are. They care nothing about your interests or profit. They seek service for themselves. Ignoring this fact is a common mistake and a costly mistake in advertising.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Platitudes and generalities roll of the human understanding like water from a duck.

- Claude C. Hopkins

People will not be bored. They may listen politely at a dinner table to boasts and personalities, life history, etc. But in print, they choose their own companions, their own subjects. They were to be amused or benefitted.

- Claude C. Hopkins

People don’t buy from clowns.

- Claude C. Hopkins

People are like sheep. They cannot judge values, nor can you and I. We judge things largely by others’ impressions, by popular favour. We go with the crowd. So the most effective thing I have ever found in advertising is the trend of the crowd. That is a factor not to be overlooked.

- Claude C. Hopkins

No generality has any weight whatever. It is like saying how do you do? When you have no intention of inquiring about one’s health. But specific claims when made in print are taken at their value.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Literary qualifications have no more to do with it than oratory has with salesmanship. One must be able to express himself briefly, clearly, and convincingly, just as a salesman must.

- Claude C. Hopkins

In the same way it is found that an offer limited to a certain class of people is far more effective than a general offer.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Impressive claims are made far more impressive by making them exact.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Genius is the art of taking pains.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Fine writing is a distinct disadvantage. So is unique literary style. They take attention from the subject.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Every reader of your ad is interested, else he would not be a reader. You are dealing with someone willing to listen. Then do your level best. That reader, if you lose him now, May never again be a reader.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Don't think of people in the mass. This gives you a blurred view.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Do nothing to merely interest, assume or attract. This is not your province. Do only that wins the people you are after in the cheapest possible way.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Changing people’s habits is very expensive.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Advertising pictures should not be eccentric. Don’t treat your subject lightly. Don’t lessen respect for your self or your article by any attempt at frivolity. People do not patronize a clown. There are two things about which men should not joke. One is business, one is home. An eccentric picture may do you serious damage. One may gain attention by wearing a fools cap. But he would ruin his selling prospects.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Address the people you seek, and them only.

- Claude C. Hopkins

A man coined to superlative must expect that his every statement will be taken with some caution.

- Claude C. Hopkins

When I find what seems to be the right course I always wish to keep it. There may be another way to success, even to greater success. But the chances are against it. The ways to great success in any line are not numerous. When a certain method has proved itself profitable I hesitate to drop it, until I have found and proved a better method by some local tests. The best way found to sell a product to thousands is probably the best way to sell other thousands.

- Claude C. Hopkins

We cannot go after thousands of men until we learn how to win one.

- Claude C. Hopkins

The advertising man who spares the midnight oil will not get very far.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Picture what others wish to be, not what they may be now.

- Claude C. Hopkins

None but those who regard advertising as some magic dreamland will ever try to sell without sampling.

- Claude C. Hopkins

If a thing is useful they call it work, if useless they call it play. One is as hard as the other. One can be just as much a game as the other. In both there is rivalry. There’s a struggle to excel the rest. All the difference I see lies in attitude of mind.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Advertising is much like war, minus the venom.

- Claude C. Hopkins

A man who has made a success desires to see others make a success. A man who has worked wants to see others work. I am that way. Countless young people now flock to my home, but the welcome ones are those who work, whether young men or young women. A boy having a good time on his father's money has always been offensive to me. So, to a degree, a young woman.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Never be led in new paths by the blind.

- Claude C. Hopkins

Almost any questions can be answered, cheaply, quickly and finally, by a test campaign. And that’s the way to answer them – not by arguments around a table.

- Claude C. Hopkins