It is probably little known that my father launched Spirograph without any paid advertising whatsoever.
He relied entirely on word of mouth.
This was not due to a lack of resources, but rather his deeply held view that companies should concentrate instead on making their products so fantastic that people recommend them to each other.
“If your customers start taking it upon themselves to do your advertising for you, then you can be pretty sure you’re on to a good thing” He explained to me once.
And dad was right, I think – there is no advertising strategy half as powerful as personal recommendation.
So that is how my father began with Spirograph, and his approach eventually produced stunning results.
I find that dad’s attitude to promotion colours my own in regard to the memoir I have written about him. I hope and believe that I have recounted the life of this fascinating man well – and that readers will think so, too. Far better the book gets promoted because people genuinely feel it is worthwhile, interesting and has something good to offer – than have me constantly bang on about it!
Having said that, though, I feel it is important that I at least let people know of the book’s existence, so to that extent I will try to spread the word where I can.
The wider question of whether my book is actually worth reading – well, I feel I should leave that to others. If you were to ask my opinion, then of course I would say that it is – but then I wrote it, so I am a little biased!
It would give me great joy, though, if others did feel my book was worth recommending. That would be the greatest endorsement of all, and it would make me feel that I have been successful in capturing with words the life story of this fascinating man.
denysfisher.com 
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