One of the monsters of film was a portly and very dry-witted Englishman by the name of Alfred Hitchcock.

With a career that produced such awesome titles as “Vertigo,” “Rear Window,” “North by Northwest,” and “The Birds,” Hitchcock was known for his total dedication to craft and a wry sense of humor. It’s said that he carefully planned and storyboarded the entire film in minute detail before even starting to shoot.

He once told a friend that he considered the film already done by the time the cameras started to roll.

But one aspect of Hitchcock’s career many aren’t aware of was his astute marketing skills. With the release of the thriller “Psycho,” Hitchcock actually changed the way people went to movies.

Up to Psycho, it wasn’t uncommon at all for people to show up at films practically mid-way through the movie. Given that most plots were almost always predictable, you could figure out what was going on without too much trouble.

Psycho, however, was a different story. The star of the film, Janet Leigh, was murdered just 30 minutes in… a huge plot twist that stunned audiences! And the twists kept coming.

Naturally Hitchcock wanted to keep these details as quiet as possible for as long as possible… to maximize the effect on the audiences.  So to build word of mouth and increase publicity, he worked with theaters to have them stop selling tickets after the film had started. People were actually turned away at the box office if they showed up late.

This, plus his other campaign elements asking people to NOT reveal the shocking surprises of the film to others, helped create a huge buzz for the film that took it to phenomenal box office success!

Now, while shocks and scary surprises are fun when watching a film, you really don’t want them taking place when it comes to your financial portfolio.

Our goal here at Matson & Cuprill is to lay out a plan that delivers the kind of results you want, without “edge of your seat” worries. And we’ll do this in a friendly, customized one-on-one environment where the most terrifying decision you’ll face is whether to have cream with your coffee.  Give us a call at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or book online to set up your free analysis.

Regards,

Dan Cuprill, CFP®