Lookin for Lucan
This is a US election-free zone, you’ll be glad to hear. But I do have another mystery I’d like to look at.
Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of Lord Lucan’s disappearance - what fascinates me is why this age-old tale endures.
To recap, the 7th Earl of Lucan, an Eton educated gambler, vanished on the night of 7 November 1974 after nanny Sandra Rivett was bludgeoned to death in his family’s Belgravia basement. His body has ever been found.
Lucan’s name quickly entered folk law alongside Elvis and Princess Diana. I like to think of them all living on a luxury island together (Richard Branson’s Necker for example) or perhaps running a pub somewhere in the Outer Hebrides.
Why has this mystery endured? The combination of unanswered questions, conflicting theories and the posh element. Grubby crimes like this didn’t really happen to the aristocracy.
But it’s the unanswered questions and conflicting theories part that’s relevant to us.
Last week I mentioned that you can never have too much information
But it's also important to order the information so you don’t give everything away at once. For example, sending an email with a 10-page fund sheet. This is a turn off. Not just because it’s dull, but because it doesn’t give the reader anything to do. There’s no’ gap’. You want to create a gap so people step into it.
That’s 'engagement'.
What we have with the Lucan is enough of a story to feel meaty, but with gaps in information that lead to intrigue.
If you drip feed your information in this way, you can keep the conversation going. May be not for 50 years, but long enough to generate action.
Another anniversary
Microsoft Excel celebrates its 40th birthday this year, as development of the program began in 1984 and it was released in 1985. It's now the go-to spreadsheet for an estimated 1.1 billion people.
White out
Move over glühwein, there’s a new hot new drink in town. This year M&S are hoping that a white wine version of mulled wine will be a big hit with shoppers.
Nose off
A prosthetic nose worn by Lord Laurence Olivier has been put on sale by his widow Dame Joan Plowright, along with other items from the late actor.
Sign up to my newsletter.
Thanks for signing up!
