The Stupidly Simple, Yet Ingenious Product That Made the Creator a Millionaire

If you've ever owned a pet, or know someone that does, you probably know how tiring it can be to take care of one, depending on what pet it is. You gotta feed them, bathe them, clean up their poop, shower them with your attention, maybe take them for a walk too.

Fun fact: I recently learned it’s possible to take cats out for a walk.

Who knew?

Anyways, what I’m trying to say is, pets take up a lot of your time.

In the 1970s, a copywriter named Gary Dahl was at a bar with his friends and they were talking about this exact same thing. And Gary joked about how he had a pet that he doesn't have to pay attention to or take care of because....his pet was a rock.

Turns out that wasn't just a joke, that was a ridiculous idea he wanted to turn into a reality. And I mean he REALLY wanted it to become a reality. He went all out on the idea. He made beautiful packaging, he wrote a detailed manual teaching the owners how to properly take care of their pet rock, the whole nine yards.

Six months later, this ingenious idea made Dahl a millionaire!

But what was it about this product that made it so popular? It definitely wasn't the rock. You can get one just like it in your own backyard. In my opinion, it was the entertainment that came along with it. I mean just read the manual, it's pretty funny.

Entertainment is an invaluable tool for your email marketing. It helps you hook your readers' attention, you bond with them, and you leave them wanting more.

That's one of the keys to successful email marketing.