Reader Mail: "What's a Good Marketing MBA Dissertation Topic?"

Dear Harry,

I find your website helpful and would like to ask you a question.  Currently I am an MBA student in the dissertation phase of my study.  My field of expertise is marketing and I have not yet chosen a topic for my research.

What topics are of concern for marketing consultants at this time?  I would like my research efforts to be applied in an area that is a concern for employers and would prove helpful in finding employment.

Many thanks,
Mary
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Hi Mary,

Thanks for writing.  Unless you land a job with a consulting firm like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain, it is doubtful that your dissertation will help you get a job.  Just my opinion.  I would instead research an area that will make you a significantly better marketer, and let the chips fall where they may.

Given it to do all over again, I'd spend my time studying the methods of the copywriting masters.  I don't care what your marketing medium (space ads, print catalogs, brochures, websites, emails, call centers, in-store retail, Direct TV, you name it), nothing will make you a better marketer than learning how to write great copy.  Nothing.  Specifically, these nine resources will change your life:

1. Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins
2. The Robert Collier Letter Book by Robert Collier
3. Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples
4. How To Write A Good Advertisement by Vic Schwab
5. The Lazy Man's Way to Riches by Joe Karbo
6. Advertising Secrets of the Written Word by Joe Sugarman
7. Break-Through Advertising by Eugene M. Schwartz
8. Seven Steps To Freedom by Ben Suarez
9. The stunningly great April 1, 1987 newsletter by Gary Halbert

I'd read the Halbert newsletter first.  It's free, and it has been widely hailed by real marketing gurus (such as Dan Kennedy, Ted Nicholas, John Carlton, and Jay Abraham) as the definitive resource on how to write great copy --- and how to gain that expertise in just 30 days.

To apply any of these works (especially # 1 or # 6) to a dissertation, I would buy Robert Cialdini's classic book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and explore the impact of one of Dr. Cialdini's methods of persuasion (such as "scarcity" or "social proof") on what it takes to write money-making copy.  Not only will this get you some excellent exposure to Dr. Cialdini's seminal work -- but it will give you an opportunity to test one of his methods against major copywriting dilemmas, such as Web 2.0's impact on the salesletter.

Don't forget that you can learn killer copywriting skills through an online MBA program.

Let me know if this helps.
Harry

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