The rule of three.

A series of three produces a rhythm that causes a positive and pleasing sense of completion and fulfillment.

When you are looking for an effective way to write copy, design your next ad or plan an exciting promotion, consider The Rule Of Three.

There is a rhythm, a coming-together, a magical combination that seems to work more often than not when you plan, write and create in terms of threes. (We did it twice in just this sentence.)

A series of three produces a rhythm that causes a positive and pleasing sense of completion and fulfillment.

This works not only in marketing but in literature. Think of children's rhymes and you will remember the quantity of Old King Cole's fiddlers, how many men are in the tub, the number of blind mice and how much wool the black sheep had. The Three Bears is a three series of threes ("someone's been eating my pudding...someone's been sitting in my chair...someone's been sleeping in my bed...")

A young woman uses the rule in terms of potential dates (Tom, Dick & Harry) what she hopes they will look like (tall, dark and handsome) and the name of the auto supply business where they have their car repaired (Manny, Moe and Jack).

A young man soon discovers three is a crowd when he is only interested in wine, women and song.

We start school saluting the red white and blue flag, learn to color with the three primary colors, start our education with reading, writing and 'rithmetic. We learn history about Columbus arriving with the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

If your place of worship is a church, you know about the Three Wise Men, the Holy Trinity and the excommunication ceremony that began in the Eighth Century with bell, book and candle.

One reason this concept works is because people find it difficult to remember more than three points of information.

Run a 60-second radio commercial for your business and list the items you carry, the manufacturers, how much is left in your inventory by size, price and color - and by the time the commercial is half finished, the listeners (as well as the radio) are turned off.

What Does All This Have To Do With Your Marketing?

All your successful marketing must have a beginning, a middle and an end. What do you want to sell? What is your plan to sell it? What is your final argument to have it sold?