What Mr. Rogers can teach you about Copywriting

Have you ever sat before the blank page?  Not sure where to begin, what to say, how to talk to your reader?  You begin to write, and the tone is all wrong.  You sound like a huckster, or, worse, you're not selling anything at all.  Or, yet again, you turn out a good piece of copy, you think you've got it.  Then you turn it over to a colleague or mentor, and realized that in fact, it's all wrong, and you have to start over from scratch. 

Of course, it's no great tragedy when this happens, just part of the game.  It happens less and less (especially sounding like a huckster) as you write more and more.  You gain control.  This problem tapered dramatically for me, once I found my voice.  Though I am not immune.

There is, happily, an antidote. 

It's called authenticity.

Watch Mr. Rogers.  Here is a man that utterly believes in his work.  He knows absolutely his material, and he is master of his domain.  Some may consider him weak.  I consider him responsible for moving civility forward over several generations.  What a difference from mainstream media programming!  Either way, his passion and commitment shone through in the hearing, and his testimony became a turning point in the process. 

Let's go deeper. 

There were many people involved.  CPB was working very hard to get the money that President Johnson had proposed, and which was now at risk of being reduced by over half, to $9 million.  Do you suppose with over $10 million on the line, they might prepare?  And yet, to this jaded crowd of politicians, could any number of lawyers tipped the balance?  Mr. Rogers, one man army of a low budget children's program, totally unknown to the committee chair, persuaded someone that he should appear.  And through his passionate, authentic story telling, he persuaded the committee to his side. 

This could make all the difference for you.  He begins his story with, of all things, a bit of intimidation.  I believe he was serious about reading that report, and if it were me, I certainly would have read it.  And he invoked a reference to childhood, which can be hypnotic.  You can similarly use nursery rhyme references in your copy.  He goes on to tell his story, which includes facts they didn't know about cartoon budgets, vs. his.  So he's an expert with secret knowledge, so to speak.  Great way to get attention and lower defenses in a sales situation.

He also includes social proof.  Starting with a $30 budget, he now has the support of stations around the country who believe in him (we find out later that he writes script and song, does the puppetry and hosts the show himself) enough to send money.  With measured words, for emphasis, "Each station pays to show our program."  His voice is much stronger here. 

By the time he delivers his brand, I am emotionally involved in his story.  I mean, it's about children.  Who wouldn't be involved?  "...'we've [the stations that supported his program when other funding ran out] got to have this neighborhood expression of care'...I give an expression of care every day to each child....."

Yes, there are technical aspects of his speech that translate very well to copywriting.  But the greatest lesson here is sincerety.  Genuineness.  Authenticity.  This sort of emotional content can't be manufactured, it has to be real.  All the copywriting courses in the world won't make up for its absence in your copy.  Is it coincidence that Gary Bencivenga, oft referred to as "Worlds Greatest Living Copywriter", and my copywriting idol, is also a genuinely nice person?  Driven, yes.  But a gentleman.

Hope you enjoyed that trip outside the copywriting box.  Stay tuned.  We'll be back tomorrow with another sales letter analysis.

Best,

Sheridan