Simple ideas on Marketing and Sales - a 17th Century take

Seth Godin points us to this 17th Century monk, who apparently understands modern marketing.. Or rather, do we understand 17th century marketing properly? The point is: Ideas endure.. they get repackaged with nice acronyms or brandable words, but they're just the same over and over. But if the new version gets you to think or better still ACT... WOW.. Here's 17th Century marketing as seen by Baltasar Gracián y Morales:

"Know how to sell your wares, Intrinsic quality isn't enough. Not everyone bites at substance or looks for inner value. People like to follow the crowd; they go someplace because they see other people do so. It takes much skill to explain something's value. You can use praise, for praise arouses desire. At other times you can give things a good name (but be sure to flee from affectation). Another trick is to offer something only to those in the know, for everyone believes himself an expert, and the person who isn't will want to be one. Never praise things for being easy or common: you'll make them seem vulgar and facile. Everybody goes for something unique. Uniqueness appeals both to the taste and to the intellect."