Posts (page 2)
I have to head out of town today, so I'll be brief.
You have perhaps heard it said that you should walk around with the belief that you have what rightfully belongs to the prospect, the prospect has your money, and the world won't be right until you've corrected the situation. Or, if you have a product that really will make your prospect's life better, you have a 'moral obligation' to make the sale. Also, that people want to buy, they are coming to you to help them make the right decision.
But when do you cross the line? How can you be sure you're not overstepping your ethical bounds? I believe you can put the information in front of your customer, and generally let the decision rest with them. On the other hand, if they want to buy something you know is not appropriate, won't serve them well, etc., you should say so. You can decide how far you want to take it (even to the point of refusing the sale). Remember, this can actually build trust and make for a stronger relationship, ultimately resulting in greater future sales.
But to keep the discussion focused on copywriting, yes, sometimes you need a bit of puffery to make the sale. It's an accepted part of the process, and as long as your product delivers on every claim, it shouldn't worry you. Since time is growing very short, I'm going to skip our analysis today, and tell a brief story to illustrate my point.
At another time in my life, I was interested in meditation, and things of a spiritual nature. And it so happened that I came across a buddhist retreat. There, one would meditate for 10 hours a day for 10 days. Talking was forbidden, except on the 7th day in the evening. I was not, nor have ever been Buddhist, but that description intrigued me, and I had a friend who had gone, so I signed up.
It lived up to it's promise as being a secular sort of meditation. No dogma. Just a process of observing oneself. And finally, that story I promised. It is supposed to be from the Buddha, handed down through Burmese Buddhist tradition.
There was once a great master, who, naturally lived in a great house. Elaborately furnished, gilt, with servants and all the finer things. The house had many, many rooms, and also many children. These children of the master, as you can imagine, had the most wondrous toys. Anything a child could want, and each having his own. But in an old house, with candles and fireplaces...
There came disaster. The house was on fire. The master's butler got the servants out, and the master went for the children. But they didn't want to go. They prefered to stay with their toys, thinking the toys were the grandest thing in the world. To perish in the flame? It was beyond their understanding. There was no time.
The master, realizing he could not carry so many children, and that there was no time to make a second trip. So he came up with this plan. A great promise. He told them that waiting for each of the children outside was a golden stage coach, crusted with jewels. Drawn by white horses, whose reins were studded with diamonds. Indeed, it was a grand vision he created for them. And the children, lacking the wisdom to understand the fire, began to greatly desire to see the spectacle.
But this was a very rich and very wise master. In fact, he was opening the children's eyes to a larger world, for, you see, the coaches and the horses and the diamonds, they were real. And even greater than the master had described.
Your customers, your clients, your friends – they have no way of knowing how valuable what you offer can be to them. In fact, good salesmanship itself can create value, by showing them how to use your product to improve their lives. And if it takes some good storytelling, even some hype, to overcome their inertia, well, as long as you can deliver – overdeliver – you may be doing a great service for your fellow man.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
After all this anaylisis, and still only halfway through.
If you're following along, drop down to the highlighted sub-head "How to Think, to Grow Rich". He makes the point that copywriting is not about writing, but rather about sales thinking. The sales letters I've come across for copywriting courses emphasize that you don't need to be an expert author. Kennedy said the same earlier in this letter. But this is really an elegant way out. Not only do you not need to write well, you really don't have to write at all.
The text in red harnesses the old Zeigarnik effect. He hints at the reason, actually "THE reason" you should buy – "no matter the price". He interrupts the explication of THE reason to begin discussion – or obfuscation – of price. Adjacent to the light bulb drawing, he gets back on track to relieve the tension. Know we know what the reason is.
Momentum could die here, as with any point where there is release of tension, or closure. See what you think. At some point, if you stick around, we'll look at some tactics to keep your reader involved through the letter. Personally, I would skip ahead at this point. But I might stick around when I noticed a picture of...
Napoleon Hill. Well, it was foreshadowed with the previous subhead. When I first read this interpretation of Think and Grow Rich, I couldn't believe it. He even suggests that the greatest value of the book is to extract strategies and models for writing ads. I'm still bothered by his 'secret' tease. And if someone offered to share the true secret in Think and Grow Rich, I'd probably stop and check it out. Incidentally, if anyone knows more of Hill's work as a copywriter, I would be very interested.
Moving on to... more storytelling. How do you feel? Is it like meeting an old friend for a few drinks at the bar? A few good laughs and stories. Colorful imagery. Here, after the Napoleon Hill interlude (which ties in well to the self-help gurus mentioned earlier in the letter), Kennedy gets back into breaking down price resistance.
See how early he begins the process. Remember when he was throwing around those big numbers? In that story that really didn't prove his point (except through the spin he put on it)? Or you could argue he began in the headline itself.
You might also note how he has sharpened the desire. Primal urges – to know (secret) things, to work less, to have the (super) power that money brings – have by now been linked to copywriting. How rediculous. For most, copywriting is difficult, time consuming, and not especially well paid. Those are the lucky ones. But of course, that's not the point.
The point is how he moves from our vague desires to focus them on what he's selling. And the devices, the strategies and tactics that get us there.
Kennedy offers a couple of case studies, in lieu of testimonials, then bullets. We'll look at these briefly tomorrow, then on to the offer.
Sheridan Randolph
We left off yesterday in a section where Kennedy is hammering home the headline. Reiterating that it is the most valuable skill, and that if you possess it, which he proved you surely can, you will work less and less. Until your sole occupation is climbing in and out of your hammock. Stay on that yes train.
Below the next order link, there is a highlighted sub head. "How the Awesome Power..." I'm not going to analyze this in as much detail, but I can tell you, when I first encountered this letter, he had me hooked. I devoured this story. I don't have employees, but have dealt with them in my father's business. As a result, I'm pretty prejudiced against them. Good help really is hard to find.
Everyone knows numbers are incontrovertible, so a little simple arithmetic strengthens the story. He goes on to make some good points. But do they really prove the premise? It's a great story, but it seems rather to prove that a corporate reorganization and refined business model were the solution, ultimately ennabling more time for copywriting. Not the other way around.
Drop below the next order link.
Anyone who's seriously involved in chasing copywriting gurus will know the name Gary Halbert. In fact, he's legendary. But does he endorse this product? Not explicitly, but do you think having his name here ads to credibility? This trick is often done with celebrities as well. You have to be careful how you go about it, but it can be a response multiplier.
"With wisdom I lacked..." Don't often see the word wisdom in a sales letter. Followed by a little rule-breaking ("Screw the bankers..."). A wise rebel. There's a little bit of a hook in that. The box there draws your eye. A mathematical proof, and the eye easily finds what you're meant to read next. "Total: $270,000.00 cash," notice how he adds those extra zeros after the decimal point. Looks more substantial. The word 'total' recalls the phrase 'grand total', which I always stop to hear. "in less than ten days." Well, of course it happened fast. I've been saying 'yes, copywriting brings fast easy cash' for several pages now. Also, 'cash' is a selling word, especially the 'cold, hard' kind.
Next he shores up his promise, then launches into another emotional ride into economic insecurity.
John Carlton has a graph. The vertical axis is interest, the horizontal is magic. The more magical your solution becomes, the further out on the graph, the greater the interest, moving up on the graph. Dan Kennedy doesn't waste time. Note the cartoon of the wizard. Alchemy. Medieval. This is sheer fantasy. But see how well he ties it in.
Then the promise of a secret society. Finally I'll be special and understood. While my competitors struggle in their ignorance. A reference to a venerable success guru, Clement Stone, and why what he has to offer is now better. And if you know how many copywriters start out, the highlighted text is bound to hit home with that crowd.
Next, a confession. He goes off the deep end. It helps that it comes later in the letter, but see how he manages this without going 'huckster'. (You've seen those furniture store commercials, right?) It helps that he tells the story of one of his colleagues. For credibility, and to cut down on the use of 'I'.
Then the turn. Now the entreprenuer is the hero. Finally he – the wizard with secret knowledge – is granting us our superpowers. How I have waited for this day. See how he's given himself such authority. Life and death over the poor, helpless CEO. Delicious fantasy. This is followed by a transition which begins to set up price.
Have you noticed he's been anchoring big numbers? How he's sequencing stories? Some of which really have nothing to do with the selling situation at hand. This is why face to face sales is so important for copywriting. To get that sense of sales thinking, for what to include.
Next up, my favorite part of this letter. It's like in the Wizard of Oz, where we see technicolor for the first time. Stay tuned.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
Picking up where we left off. [Here's the link again.]
Mentioning Earl Nightingale, followed shortly by mention of a program, titled The X-Factor, which includes an audio by Zig Ziglar. How many of his clients do you suppose have experience with those authors? Ziglar was one of the first I read. Great for rapport. And he mentions both often enough that I associate the two with him. Aside from building a link from product to prospect, which is key, it sets up a theme for the letter.
Here he ties into the headline. See how smoothly he works in instant gratification. Of course he greatly benefited by those authors, there advice to be persistant, etc. But there was something, some secret knowledge, missing. Thank goodness it wasn't hard work. Red text to draw attention. He begins to deliver on the promise of the headline. Does "compel people to give me money" stoke your greed glands?
The next highlighted text supports the idea in the headline about doing less work. It also sets up "THE ONE THING", as promised in the headline. See how the paragraph in between reveals his obvious flaw. If you pay attention to his marketing, you can see how he leverages his lack of education.
This claim, that it is the most valuable skill, is backed up in the paragraph before the next order link. Look, we can "possess a power no one else... has". It must be true, there's a Superman logo complete with Smallville metaphor.
In red, he makes another claim. Do you think it would work earlier in the letter? He has established rapport, offered proof, given us a little back story to establish his credibility. After all that, a strong statement like this can pass the 'So What?' test.
A quick note on 'So What?' The cardinal sin of copywriting is to bore your prospect. One trick to deal with this is to put yourself in the mindset of your skeptical, lazy prospect. Then, reading through, keep asking 'So What?' If, with this attitude, the letter compels you to find out what happens next, you're on the right track.
Next, he uses the 'vault' metaphor to paint a pleasing picture of the life you will have if you learn this skill. Followed immediately by a dark picture of what happens if you don't. Enslaved. Unable to do any kind of marketing. (See how he undermines Guerilla Marketing. Subtle. Better save my money to buy this course before I buy any more of Levinson's books.) I'm going to swipe "ankle-chained". The picture of suffering is clear, no?
But wait, there's hope! And it's highlighted. And it proves what he told us earlier. It really is the most valuable skill! I am nodding my head yes. What an emotional roller coaster.
See how easy it is to instantly gratify your greed. None of the messy med school trauma. A bit of blood and guts thrown in for good measure. "Massive financial investment" is good to anchor a high price tag. What is a medical education these days? $150,000? More? Plus revenue lost in residency, where they make about $40,000, and finally specialize. Boy, a copywriting course that's even a fraction of that would be a real bargain. As long as it's under 10 grand, I'm on board. Let's see where it goes from here.
Wow, he's giving us 'every trick' he knows. The paragraph next to the ugly thinking cap cartoon makes a great point about sales thinking. This offers more of that x-factor, and transitions to the next section.
Zeigarnik warning! He interrupts this message to bring you... a damaging admission. Surprise, this product is not for everybody. Notice where this comes in the letter.
Moving on, he begins to make the reader the hero. In the fourth paragraph below the order link, he intimates that I could rival Bencivenga. Of course I would need what his product provides. Maybe this product is for me after all. Let's see if he shows how I can become that top copywriting hero.
Naturally, becoming the hero takes no talent. See the dual readership path he makes explicit. Of course, any indication that I need not read something arouses my curiosity, but the numbers do make it easy to skip ahead. Subheads function similarly. We'll address dual readership again in future posts. Note permission to break the rules. To steal.
"I want to give this to those who are searching for me, before it's too late". Sounds like this may be the Messiah of Marketing. (We jumped down just below the next order link.) "You can do just about anything you want with it." Superman hero, satiating greed and satisfying that altruistic impulse at the same time.
We'll leave off here for today.
To you Copywriting Mastery,
Rosser Reeves was known for ugly advertising. He believed that the USP, a term he invented, was in the product itself, and not created by the advertising. Once he had the USP, he repeated it ad nauseum. Some might argue that his 'in your face' style wouldn't work today. People have become too adept at tuning out ads. But the ever combative Reeves would counter that, given a failing company with fruitless advertising, everything depending on it, which would you prefer? Fancy writing, or bottom line results?
Speaking of ugly advertising, today we'll look at a bit of Dan Kennedy's work. One piece of his mailed in a mini trash can, with bag of peanuts inside. The letter was from a squirrel, who thought the prospect was nuts for not taking up the offer. His copy often looks like it was hastily thrown together at the last minute. Before we get into today's study, let's make this work for you.
If you have a group of people in a room, you'll be able to see this work in real time. Make two fliers. One polished, on nice paper, etc. The second on some awful fluorescent stuff. On the second, crowd everything in, with hand written notes. Perhaps make it look like an article somebody copied, cutting off the first column, as if you couldn't get it quite right at the copy machine.
Stack these side by side, and see how many you have left.
Onward.
To see the letter we'll analyze, click here.
Notice the headline is in fact below the fold. In fact, everything above the blue order text is standard for his product pages. Including, I would guess, his 5.0 out of 5 'average' user rating. This goes against prevailing wisdom, not to mention tests, but Dan Kennedy is such a strong brand, and this is unlikely the first contact, that it may make less difference in this application than it would for an unknown. Since it's a rather expensive purchase, it makes sense to have an order bar above the fold. Likely prospects return to reread before buying. Your analytics will tell you if this is the case for your product as well.
[It's also number three in google for keywords "copywriting mastery", beating this blog handily by five slots.]
Moving on, to the letter itself, we have the pre-head. It's an announcing type, but leaves off the tired word 'announcing'. And it seems to be another of Dan's retirements. Which fits well into his 'more money, less work' brand. Then a pic of the product, which supports the order link above, and keeps the headline below the fold. Generally, eye tracking tests have found that people read the pre-head after the headline. In this case, that seems unlikely.
And at last, the headline itself. From the looks of it, DK is going to be selling money at a discount. We'll discover that later. A classic how to, plus benefit. Notice "THE". As in THE Bible. Strengthens an otherwise blah construct. Try it. "The Most Valuable And Profitable Skill". Not as effective. This is the big promise, that you will learn this skill. The benefits, derived from lower level benefits like writing faster, etc., fit well with his brand.
A headline like this, on the weak side and less specific, will work to draw in people who perhaps don't really know what 'copywriting' is, or who don't consider it valuable. Who wouldn't want to earn more while doing less? How instantly gratifying.
Then an ugly cartoon invoking the pen is mightier than the sword. This kind of 'proof' brilliantly supports the claim the letter makes, and we're starting to clue in to what's for sale here. How much statistical and expert proof would it take to equal the credibility of this old saw, ingrained since our youth?
Doesn't that cartoon make it easy to scan down to the next sentence? I may have to swipe that tactic. So then we have a statement that fires up greed glands and jealousy. He then dissociates himself. He's not so great, his product is. Next: 'And if I can do it, anyone can do it'. This sets us up nicely for
The X-Factor. Wow. Secret knowledge. I can't believe he's 'revealing' this. I'm about to 'discover'... See how he does some work to build rapport. It's his story, but who couldn't relate to believing that they think differently (i.e. are 'special'). He's also develping personality in copy.
Notice the first highlighted text. Nothing to disagree with there. So begins the 'Yes Train'. Mark how he keeps you nodding your head. Apples to oranges, circular logic, etc.
There's much more to see, but this post is going long. We'll pick it up. In the meantime, feel free to look ahead. There's quite a surprise turn up ahead.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
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,
In my last post, I mentioned Rosser Reeves, inventor of the USP (unique selling proposition). This is one of the most important and influential concepts in all of advertising. I also suggested we look at another sales letter. Perhaps one that illustrates Rosser Reeves' innovations. And so we shall.
But today I want to share with you a video I found on Lawrence Bernstein's infomarketingblog.com. (His blog is a fabulous resource for any looking to enrich his swipe file.) Before I relate this to our work, I wanted to get your opinion. Here's the video:
Anyone remember the first time we met the 'GoDaddy Girl'? She made quite a splash back in '05. Created a lot of buzz, garnered a fair amount of praise.
But was it effective?
As much fun as it is for me to sit down and rattle off old tales of copywriting lore, we should never forget the point. The reason we're here. The reason we practice copywriting.
To make money!
Here's a little secret about those ads. After the first one ran, everybody seemed to know about GoDaddy. Now, I have to take Dan Kennedy's word for it, but subsequent surveys revealed that despite the commercial's notoriety, it had failed to communicate what GoDaddy did.
The GoDaddy Girl was... a Video Vampire!
Here's another copywriting Blast from the Past: Rosser Reeves. This is the man who coined the phrase 'Unique Selling Proposition', or USP. (Also the author of "melts in your mouth, not in your hands", but that's a story for another time.)
The GoDaddy Girl, instead of anchoring the GoDaddy product, only drew attention to herself. This phenomenon was documented by Rosser Reeves, who noted this occurrence in early television commercials. So he contemptuously coined the term 'Video Vampire', and would surely have applied it to these GoDaddy commercials of today. Similarly, consider the Energizer Bunny. Again, Dan Kennedy reports that less than half (I believe it was 47%) correctly associated the Bunny with Energizer. So much for 'Branding'.
The point, that is. the point where we make you some money, is this: the product should be front and center in your ad. Which means, as we savvy copywriters know, that your sales letter strategically conveys your big promise, your underlying message. Tactically, you may want to make the prospect the hero, the star of your ad. But if she can't remember what she's supposed to buy... forget it. Your ad, no matter how popular, how many awards it's won, is a failure.
Before I sign off, I should add that I don't mean to throw rocks at GoDaddy's marketing, which is done in house. Their brand, as near as I can guess, is something along the lines of 'racy'. So in that sense, the GoDaddy girl, along with Danica Patrick, the Indy racer, is good for the brand. But unless you have a multi-million dollar advertising budget, stick with advertising you can measure.
Concentrate on that one great promise your product can offer. That powerful claim that satiates a mass desire. Your tactics, branding efforts, everything in your tool belt, all should aim to one point. To make the sale.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
P.S. Would it be helpful to look at another sales letter? A little analysis to sharpen your swipe skills?
Today's post, following on the heels of yesterday's, traces its origin to the Gilded Age of capitalism. Robber Barons and railroads. Americans were moving into the cities, finding work in factories. In 1902, a telegraph cable crossed the Pacific Ocean, effectively encircling the globe.
And there was patent medicine.
Snake oil, long known to be supremely effective to "cure what ails ya", was sold by a variety of characters. In those days the monopoly of such a boon to society as medicine was considered unethical. [Incidently, the oil of Chinese watersnake, in a sample from San Francisco Chinatown in 1989, is 20% EPA omega 3. Courtesy of Wikipedia, so please check your references. American snakes have a very different profile of fats. And the Snake Oil medicines usually had none at all!]
It is with these characters, these mountebanks and hawkers of medicine, that we look for inspiration. Stay with me here. Early copywriting grew directly out of this industry. Claude Hopkins himself did some of his early work for Dr. Shoop's patent medicine. So, in fact, their techniques live on. And you've been studying them.
Ever been talking with someone, only to have him ask you the very question you just answered? As if you're playing some kind of Jeopardy. If so, you have some idea how difficult it is to get someone's attention. And to keep it long enough to influence them to a sale. This is where that old snake oil salesman stuff comes in handy.
We've been talking about camouflage. Flying below the radar. But there are times when nothing will do but to hit your prospect square between the eyes with a claim so astonishing that they can't help but want to know more. Now.
Knowing when to use what technique comes from measuring, studying the work of others, and a dose of intuition. On top of that, most top copywriters actually have a losing record. Think of it in terms of baseball. Batting .350 ain't bad.
Here's where we tie it all in.
It is extremely difficult to make the sale on first contact. At least in most industries. So hedge your bets. Use a sequence to multiply your results. An advertorial type ad, or a plain white envelope delivered hand addressed with a first class stamp; these have the best chance of being at least scanned. But if your prospect knows your company, who you are, consider the outside of that envelope real estate, and put an ad on it. 'Teaser copy'. And if you know your list is reasonably up to date, for business to consumer sales, send it third class. Sometimes it's better for your prospect to know there's a great offer from the company they trust coming in. Online, this principle means making a sales page a sales page. Strong, compelling, even obvious sales copy.
And that brings us to our last point today.
Just because a few charlatans developed and exploited classic sales techniques – not to mention the spammers and scammers of today – doesn't mean they are evil. Using powerful 'white hat' sales strategies will help you build a loyal clientele that will support the life you dream of.
To your Copywriting Mastery,
It so happened once, not too long ago, that I needed new tires for my car. So I headed down to Goodyear, owned by a longtime friend of the family. This guy does a pretty good job of keeping his customers entertained while we wait to get our cars back.
'Customers', here in east Tennessee, refers to 'good old boys'. So I went in to the waiting area, set up like a den of sorts. Cheap wood paneling. *Genuine* leather sofas and chairs. Television. And something to interest me.
Along one wall there is a bookshelf with stacks of old magazines. Real red-neck stuff. Cars, guns, fishing. Sports illustrated for the pretentious.
For me, this is a gold mine. I could pick up any magazine, sniff out the back issues, and start comparing ads. We did this several weeks ago together. If I find an ad placed in multiple issues, I know I've found a winner. If it's not especially well written, I can consider getting into that market and running a competing ad. One category stood out.
The best ads, by far, were for – this is where I exploit the headline – Male Enhancement. (You were waiting for that, weren't you.) Two of the three were personality driven, in the style and format of the host magazine. The third was more conventional, of the type you might see for those 'commemorative clocks' that run occasionally in USA Weekend.
In this case, the strongest ad appeared first, followed by a knock-off. Let's talk copywriting strategy for a moment. When you consider your positioning, you notice that there are other positions you must reject. The luxury line cannot also be the low cost leader. If you want to dominate your industry, especially if you're in a newly developing field, etc., go ahead and take both positions. But do it... with different companies. It's another way to test your market, and to raise the cost of entry for would-be competitors. Plus, you'll have a blast competing with yourself.
So what made the ads so great? Aside from adopting the advertorial strategy we discussed yesterday, these ads were told through a personality. Going from memory, I believe one ad used the doctor as the personality – he used doctor's credibility with his own, um, empirical evidence. The other used a doctor's endorsement, but the featured personality was everyday Joe-blow.
You'll have to take my word for it, the pathos of these stories was something else! Some master wordsmith was behind each, carefully keeping the language pg, while relating the humiliation. Laying on the pain, while staying within the format of the magazine. Hilarious... for some.
I have used 'advertorials' to create awareness, for publicity and the like. These ads sold. Hard.
Anyone who's been around copywriting knows that some of these guys pull in hundreds of thousands per week in revenue. While dodging various government agencies, moving offices, etc. But it's a testament to the power of copywriting. Tapping into real human pain (talk about 'mass desire'), and offering a solution. And proof, "There's a customer born every minute".
To your Copywriting Mastery,
Sheridan
P.S. Having a personality sets you up for the narrative copywriting we discussed a few posts back.
P.P.S. Consider how this old strategy of knocking off your own copywriting/product/company could work for you, online.
