Attention! This Book Will Make You Money: How to Use Attention-Getting Online Marketing to Increase Your Revenue

Chapter 55. Crazy = Success Question

It's interesting. When you speak to successful people who have done something outrageous you often are told the same story. It always starts out with something such as this:

"Everyone told me I was crazy to do this."

What can you do that's crazy that just might work? Think about it.

Stupid Ways to Get Attention (Don't Try This at Home)

James Frey is the author of a 2003 memoir of addiction entitled A Million Little Pieces. He went on Oprah to promote his book after the queen of daytime talk named it to her Book Club, making it a best seller. Hold on a minute! There's a big problem here. Most of what he wrote he made up. Career over. You don't mess with Oprah.

Obviously, making things up and pretending they really happened is a bad way to go about getting attention for yourself. As children, we're taught not to cry wolf in fear that we will lose credibility, and get a spanking. We don't run into crowded spaces and yell Fire! for the same reason—not to mention we just know better. Okay, some of us do at least. The point is that getting attention isn't usually a good thing to get if you're getting it the wrong way.

In 2009, the story of the "Balloon Boy" captivated millions of people around the world. The story was that a young boy had jumped into his father's balloon and was carried away into the clouds, floating hundreds of feet above the ground, and in serious danger. Hundreds of volunteers raced to ensure the boy's safety and news crews from around ...