10 Timeless Marketing Tactics That Still Win Today

Marketing’s been around for thousands of years - long before social media or funnels.

 

And somewhere along the way, we got obsessed with newness.

 

The new hack. The new tool. The new “secret strategy” that promises overnight success.

 

But the most powerful marketing tactics ever created were invented decades ago. And they still work today.

 

So in this video, I’m breaking down 10 old-school marketing tricks that built billion-dollar brands and how you can use them right now to grab attention, build trust, and turn total strangers into customers for

life.

 

Marketing Trick #1

 

Let’s start with one of the oldest, most reliable marketing tactics ever invented.

 

Back in 1887, Coca-Cola was still a tiny regional drink trying to stand out in a crowded market filled with dozens of soda brands.

 

And instead of dumping money into ads — which were expensive, inefficient, and unlikely to convince anyone to try a brand-new soft drink — they did something totally different.

 

Coca Cola printed and mailed out more than eight million free drink coupons across the United States.

 

Eight million!

 

People would walk into their local pharmacy, hand over the coupon, take one sip of an ice cold Coca-Cola… and suddenly, it became their go-to drink.

 

What Coke understood over a hundred years ago is that people trust what they’ve already experienced.

 

It’s basic human psychology.

 

We’re far more willing to invest in something once we’ve already tasted the value.

 

Today in the online business world, your ‘free sample’ is the value you give upfront:

 

• A lead magnet
• A free trial
• A sneak peak into your program
• A complimentary 1-1 session
• Even giving someone a quick win in your content

 

If you give your audience a small, meaningful result before asking them to spend a dollar, you instantly build trust and the chances of them buying from you go way up.

 

Coca-Cola understood something that a lot of people lose touch with today and it’s this:

 

The fastest way to earn trust isn’t to tell people you’re valuable - it’s to show them.

 

And this is exactly how I run my own business.

 

Giving away a killer “free sample” is the first step to selling digital products and coaching while you sleep.

 

If you’re serious about turning your knowledge, skills, and expertise into a predictable income stream, I put together a free masterclass that shows you how to do it step-by-step.

 

You’ll learn how to create products people actually want, how to build a simple automated system that sells for you 24/7, and how to get consistent traffic without spending a dollar on ads.

 

You can watch it right now, totally free, at ProfitYourKnowledge.com/masterclass.

 

Marketing Trick #2

 

This next old-school marketing trick is one of the most powerful marketing strategies ever created.

 

Back in the late 1970s, Domino’s Pizza was getting crushed by bigger competitors.

 

They didn’t have the most locations, their ads weren’t winning any awards, and they didn’t have the best pizza (hot take… they still don’t)

 

So instead of trying to be everything to everyone… they made one bold promise that nobody else in the market was willing to make.

 

‘You’ll get your pizza in 30 minutes or it’s free.’

 

One simple, unforgettable promise that instantly made Domino’s the obvious choice for anyone who wanted fast pizza - which was a lot of college kids.

 

They didn’t win because they were the cheapest or the best - they won because they owned a single, clear outcome in the customer’s mind that nobody else did.

 

What Domino’s understood was that people make decisions quickly when the value is clear.

 

Insert, the Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

 

A strong USP removes confusion, cuts through the noise in your market, and gives your audience a reason to pick you instead of the thousands of other choices around them.

 

And this is just as important today as it was decades ago.

 

In the online business world, your USP is the specific transformation you’re known for getting people.

 

It’s the one line that tells people exactly why you’re the right coach, creator, or expert for them.

 

Maybe it’s ‘Build a 6-figure coaching business in under 20 hours a week,’ or ‘Lose 20 pounds eating foods you love with counting calories or a gym membership.’

 

Whatever it is, you repeat it everywhere until your audience associates that outcome with you.

 

When your USP is clear, people don’t just understand what you do… they understand why they should choose you over everyone else.

 

Confused people don’t buy. So the clearer and more specific your promise is, the faster they say yes.

 

Marketing Trick #3

 

Next up is one of the simplest (and most misunderstood) marketing principles of all time.

 

Back in the 1950s, Marlboro wasn’t the popular cigarette brand they are today.

 

In fact, they originally marketed to women.

 

But when sales flatlined, they made one strategic shift that completely changed the trajectory of their business.

 

They introduced the Marlboro Man - a rugged cowboy smoking a cigarette on a horse.

… Doesn’t get more manly than that.

 

And they put that image everywhere.

 

Billboards. Magazines. TV commercials. Store displays.

 

The same cowboy. The same setting. The same feeling. Over and over and over again.

 

Eventually, that repetition turned Marlboro into the best-selling cigarette brand in the world.

 

Repetition builds familiarity, familiarity builds trust, and trust builds customers.

 

Most content creators and coaches think they need new messages, new angles, new talking points every day…

 

But the best in the business repeat the same core idea until the market finally hears it.

 

And this couldn’t be more important in the online business world today.

 

Your audience needs to hear your message dozens of times before it sticks.

 

As a creator, this gets kinda boring. But it’s the one thing that’s going to build a sustainable brand.

 

So pick your core idea, which is the outcome you help people get, and seed it in everything you put out:

 

Your content, your emails, your stories, your podcasts, your sales pages. Everything.

 

When you repeat the same message consistently, you don’t become annoying… you become unforgettable.

 

Repetition with your message builds your reputation and THAT is how brands are made.

 

Marketing Trick #4

 

Next is one of the greatest old-school marketing insights ever discovered.

 

Back in 1926, legendary copywriter John Caples wrote an ad with the headline, ‘They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano… But When I Started to Play!’

 

That one line obliterated every other ad running at the time.

 

And it wasn’t because the product was any better than others, but because the headline grabbed attention instantly and pulled people into the story.

 

You see, Caples learned something every modern creator needs to tattoo on their brain:

 

If the headline doesn’t stop someone in their tracks and feel something, nothing else matters.

 

People don’t read ads, they read what interests them.

 

When you win the headline, you win the click, the view, and the sale.

 

And this is even more true today than it was in 1926.

 

In the online business world, your ‘headline’ shows up everywhere:

 

Your YouTube title

 

Your thumbnail text

 

Your email subject line

 

Your video hook

 

The first sentence of your sales page.

 

These are the moments that determine whether someone gives you their pracious time and attention or scrolls right past you.

 

So instead of spending hours polishing your content and only two minutes on the title, flip it.

 

Spend more time crafting the hook, the angle, the curiosity, and the promise because that’s what gets people to actually consume the value you worked so hard to create.

 

When your headline lands, everything else becomes 10 times easier.

 

Marketing Trick #5

 

Next is a classic principle that every great marketer needs to learn.

 

In the early 1900’s, Listerine was trying to sell what they called an ‘antiseptic liquid’ — which sounded scientific and honestly very boring.

 

Because of that, sales were flat. But then Listerine did something brilliant.

 

They stopped talking about the product and its features and started talking about the problems their product solves.

 

Instead of talking about how “cutting-edge” they’re product was, they talked more about getting rid of bad breath so you felt more confident, more attractive, and healthier.

 

And overnight, sales exploded because they weren’t selling antiseptic liquid anymore…

 

They were selling confidence, social acceptance, and the relief of solving an embarrassing problem.

 

People don’t care about the mechanics as much as they care about the outcome.

 

They want a transformation and a result that makes them feel smarter, stronger, and more attractive — not the just tool that gets them there.

 

And this is exactly how you need to market in the online business world today.

 

When you’re talking about your program, your digital product, or your coaching, don’t lead with modules, worksheets, or video hours.

 

Lead with the result your audience actually wants and make them feel it.

 

More clients, more income, more clarity, more confidence, more freedom — whatever the transformation is in your niche.

 

When you speak to the benefit, people lean in.

 

When you only speak to the features, they tune out.

 

So, always lead with the outcome your product creates… not the ingredients inside it.

 

Marketing Trick #6

 

This next old-school marketing trick is still one of the most powerful strategies on the planet.

 

Long before social media existed, Pepsi launched something called the Pepsi Challenge.

 

It was a series of blind taste tests where regular, everyday people tried Coke and Pepsi, side-by-side, without knowing which was which.

 

And keep in mind, this was happening right at the peak of the Coke-Pepsi rivalry, when both companies were fighting tooth-and-nail for market dominance.

 

The crazy part is that most people chose Pepsi… I have no idea why.

 

These weren’t paid celebrities or actors. They were just normal people giving their honest reaction.

 

But Pepsi had this genius idea of airing those reactions everywhere.

 

This made Pepsi’s sales skyrocket because of one simple psychological truth:

 

People trust people more than they trust brands.

 

When we see someone like us getting a result we want, our skepticism drops and our belief grows.

 

It makes the promise feel real, because it’s coming from someone who doesn’t benefit from saying it.

 

And this is MORE IMPORTANT today than it was back then.

 

In the online business world, your best marketing isn’t what you say about your program… it’s what your clients say about it.

 

If you want to stand out in your market, show the results and the transformations you get people.

 

Show the testimonials, screenshots, voice notes, before-and-afters, and real stories of what happened when someone actually applied your work.

 

Because when people see proof that someone just like them succeeded, they stop wondering if it’s possible… and they start believing it can work for them too.

 

Marketing Trick #7

 

Now let’s talk about one of the simplest (and most underused) marketing principles.

 

If you look back at vintage mail-order ads from the early 1900s, they all ended the same way: with bold, clear commands like ‘Mail this coup on today.’

 

Not ‘Learn more.’ or ‘If you’re interested…’

 

Just a clear and direct instruction.

 

Those simple commands consistently boosted response rates because people like to be led.

 

And one of the easiest ways to do that is by being highly intentional with your Calls to Action (or CTA).

 

And there’s real psychology behind this:

 

When someone is already interested, a clear CTA removes friction.

 

It eliminates hesitation and tells their brain, ‘This is the next step.’

 

And when the next step is obvious, people take action.

 

This is just as true today as it was back then, especially in the busy online world.

 

Your audience isn’t sitting there trying to figure out what you want them to do… and they shouldn’t have to.

 

Add simple, direct commands throughout your content:

 

• ‘Download this.’
• ‘Book the call.’
• ‘Watch this next.’
• ‘Join today.’

 

The clearer the instruction, the higher the conversion.

 

Because people don’t respond to hints, they respond to direction.

 

Go through your sales pages, landing pages, and content and ask yourself: Are my CTAs clear, direct, and confident? Or am I hoping people will just “figure it out”?

 

Marketing Trick #8

 

Next up is one of the most powerful psychological triggers in all of marketing.

 

Back in 1981, McDonald’s introduced the McRib.

 

And what made the McRib so profitable and popular is that they didn’t keep it on the menu year-round.

 

Instead, they made it a limited-time-only item.

 

Every time the McRib came back, it turned into a cultural phenomenon.

 

People lined up, bought multiple at once, and rushed to get it before it disappeared again.

 

Let’s be real, it’s not the greatest sandwich ever made - fight me in the comments.

 

But because people knew it wouldn’t be there forever, they had to have it now.

 

That’s the psychology of urgency and scarcity.

 

People delay decisions when there’s no reason to act now.

 

A deadline forces a choice and makes people finally decide whether they want the result or not.

 

And this still works beautifully today - even in evergreen funnels, which are always open.

 

You don’t need fake countdown timers or to lie about quantity to create urgency.

 

You just need a genuine reason for someone to act now instead of someday.

 

For example, in my evergreen funnel, I offer new subscribers a $200 discount off my flagship program, Effortless Income, when they first join my email list.

 

It’s not fake scarcity because I’m upfront that this is the last time I’m going to mention it. After that, they’ll only see the full-priced page.

 

It’s a real incentive for people who are ready to take action and it works because it’s honest, specific, and time-bound.

 

You can do the same thing with things like:

 

• Limited-time bonuses
• Enrollment windows
• Early-bird pricing
• Or even spots that genuinely fill up

 

Because when everything’s available all the time, people wait.

 

But when there’s a clear reason to act now, they move.

So, look at your offers and ask: Wha t’s one real reason someone should join today?

 

You don’t have to lie but you do need to be creative. Give them a clear, genuine incentive that rewards action-takers.

 

Marketing Trick #9

 

Now let’s talk about one of the smartest pricing techniques old-school marketers used long before online business even existed.

 

If you flip through old Sears catalogs from the early 1900s, you’ll notice something really interesting.

 

Almost every one listed the most expensive version of a product first, whether it was a sewing machine, a suit, or even a bicycle.

 

And they did that intentionally.

 

Once you saw the high price, the lower-priced option suddenly felt like a deal. Because your brain can’t help but compare the numbers.

 

This is something called Price Anchoring and it’s still one of the most effective marketing strategies used to this day.

 

That first number becomes the anchor, and everything after it feels cheap, expensive, or fair based on that reference point.

 

That’s the psychology behind it:

 

People compare prices to whatever number they saw first.

 

You can use price anchoring by:

 

Showing your premium package or higher priced payment plan first

  

Or by stacking the value before you reveal the cost

 

This is super common in infomercials and on most sales pages.

 

They’ll list everything you get with a Value price next to it, stacking the value so the price of everything seems super high.

 

Then they reveal the real price that you’ll pay which is significantly less than the “value price” you saw leading up to it.

 

When people fully understand what’s included like the transformation, the bonuses, the support, the access, etc.

 

Your price doesn’t just seem fair… it feels like a steal.

 

You’re not changing the price, you’re just changing the context around the price.

 

So, here’s something you can do today to start selling more of anything you’re offering.

 

Show your highest-priced option first, even if nobody buys it.

 

Before revealing your core offer price, add a premium version at the top of your pricing stack.

 

This could be:

 

• 1:1 support 
• A private call
• Extra templates
• Or anything that legitimately increases the value

 

The goal isn’t to get people to choose the premium option (though some will).

But instead, to set a higher anchor, so when they see the main price, it feels more accessible and reasonable.

Even something as simple as adding a “VIP” tier that’s 2–3x the price of your core offer will completely change how affordable the main option feels.

When the context is right, the price sells itself.

 

Marketing Trick #10

 

And finally, let’s talk about one of the most timeless marketing strategies there is.

 

If you’re not implementing this in your business, you will struggle to make sales no matter how hard you try.

 

In 1984, Apple released one of the most iconic commercials ever made called Macintosh.

 

It was aired during the Super Bowl and directed by Ridley Scott who famously directed the Alien franchise.

 

In Apple's commercial, they didn’t show any products, list any features, and didn’t walk you through technical specs of the Macintosh computer.

 

Instead, they told a dramatic, cinematic story about breaking free from conformity.

 

It was a story that instantly positioned Apple as the rebellious, innovative alternative to everything else on the market.

 

This commercial didn’t just sell Apple, it made people feel something, and that feeling is what made the ad unforgettable.

 

It’s true that people make decisions emotionally first, and logically second.

 

We don’t remember feature lists of products as much as we remember characters, conflicts, metaphors, and moments.

 

A good story bypasses skepticism, disarms resistance, and creates connection in a way pure logic never could.

 

And storytelling is just as important today - maybe even more so.

 

In the online business world, storytelling is one of the fastest ways to stand out and build trust in any market, but especially as a coach, content creator, or thought-leader.

 

If you truly want to build a loyal audience, make sales while you sleep, and build a brand that lasts for decades, share the moments that shaped you.

 

Use metaphors that make complex ideas simple. Tell client transformation stories. Paint the picture of who your audience can become.

 

Help them rewrite the story in their mind from “Can I do this?” to “I can do this”.

 

Because when people feel understood, they listen. When they relate to the story, they believe.

 

And when they believe… they buy.

 

The truth is, none of these “old-school” strategies are really old at all. They’re timeless because people haven’t changed.

 

We still trust what we’ve experienced, we still buy based on emotion, and we still choose the person who communicates the clearest value.

 

If you want to stand out, sell more, and build a business that lasts, don’t chase trends—master the fundamentals.

 

Put these principles into practice and your audience will feel the difference immediately.

 

And if you’re serious about turning your expertise into a predictable, freedom-focused online business, I put together a free masterclass that walks you through exactly how to do it step-by-step.

 

Your next move is simple: go watch it. Let me show you how to build something that works while you’re living your life.