Marketing podcast with Jay Heinrichs (Click to play or right-click and “Save As” to download – Subscribe now via iTunes or subscribe via other RSS device (Google Listen)

My guest for this week’s episode of the Duct Tape Marketing podcast is Jay Heinrichs. Some of you might recognize that name as his byline appears monthly in Southwest Airline’s Spirit magazine. He is also the curator of a wickedly funny web site called Figarospeech and author of Word Hero: A Fiendishly Clever Guide to Crafting the Lines that Get Laughs, Go Viral, and Live Forever

Words are such an important aspect of branding a small business that the right one or two words can completely define what a business stands for.

The choice of words Duct Tape Marketing as the name of my business immediately created a phrase that was both memorable and evocative, but also tapped a positive association people have with all things duct tape. That’s the power behind what Heinrich preaches in Word Hero.

Carefully choosing memorable words allows you to simply brand a product or frame an issue. Word Hero is a tremendous guide for anyone preparing a speech, creating a product, starting a company or trying to get an idea across.

In the book we meet a language device called a trope. Metaphors and similes are the most well-known members of the trope family. Business owners can use what Heinrich calls a belonging trope to create memorable symbols that can help them label or brand projects. He uses the term “shovel ready” as an example of term that is both evocative and memorable while not being necessarily poetic.

Strong words are filed away with three memory keepers – pictures, sounds and associations.

Don’t Mess With Texas slogan is a great example of a pun that turned into a powerful symbol of Texas independence and associated “don’t litter” with a macho kind way of life.

The book is filled with techniques, tools and devices that can help you craft memorable words.

You can listen to the show by subscribing the feed in iTunes or a variety of other free services such as Google Listen (Use this RSS feed) or you can buy the Duct Tape Marketing iPhone app. (iTunes link – Cost is $2.99) or