What are Patterns?

Pattern is simply a good common solution to a common problem in a common situation. They come from engineering disciplines - originally architecture, with extensive use in computer science. They are a sort of cheat sheets to help practitioners with ready common solutions for common problems. They are especially popular in disciplines where the complexity of the subject approaches the limits of human mind.

Like in Computer Science.

Like in marketing.

Often they are not the whole solution, but rather parts of it. If you follow them, you'll need other patterns, but if you don't follow them, you'll be in trouble. It's the recombination of patterns that makes a viable full-fledged solution. Fortunately, there are patterns for how to combine patterns. They are called integration patterns.

Here are a few examples of marketing patterns:

• Google sends you one-time visitors and you need repeat customers? Start a mailing list.
• Visitors don't want to subscribe to your mailing list? Use a namesqueeze page.
• Need a good sales copy? Decide on intent first. (ask me at home)
• Want to increase the payout of every sale? Upsell.
• Want to increase it even more? Use the upsell tree.

For every pattern I am trying to provide:

• Name - a short memorable name to refer to the pattern. Sometimes there is no standard name or I am not aware of one, then I may name it myself.
• Problem the pattern solves.
• Applicability, when to use the pattern.
• Source if known, otherwise where I heard about it with a guesstimate when it was invented.
• Comments with additional data, like the pattern’s efficiency or references to case studies.

Anyway, just browse the site and read them. That will explain patterns better than a thousand words.