The Copywriting Secrets Of A Lending Club Direct

MailPsychology, Persuasion & Influence Triggers Used...

And How You Can Use Them For Your Own Campaigns

Psychology, Persuasion And Influence Triggers

Used... And How You Can Use Them For Your Own

Campaigns

The Copywriting Secrets Of A Lending Club Direct Mail

When I was first introduced to the world of direct-response marketing the idea of swipe files

were very foreign to me. But after a while I start to start to get the hang of it.

It reminds me of how we used to create (conceptualize and illustrate) ads back in university (I

studied Fine Arts major in Advertising under the tutelage of the most persuasive institution

in the world, The Pontifical University of Santo Tomas). We would look at advertisements in

magazines. And recreate them in-line with the current theme of our plates (no, not that plate

you use for eating, it's the plate that leaves artist-students lacking of sleep and social life).

Sometimes the taks would be to create type-driven ads, sometimes big images, then one time

with the use of the rectangular composition popularized by Piet Mondrian.

The Copywriting Secrets Of A Lending Club Direct Mail

Swiping in the direct response world is different but the same. Different that instead of

looking for visuals we look mostly at psychology, strategy and persuasion tactics used behind

the swipe. And the same that we "model" the original and see how it can work for our

current aim.

Over the next few days I will start breaking down of financial copywriting in regards to how

they use direct-response principles, what psychology they are using behind them and what

persuasion triggers are they activating. I will then jot down ideas on how you and me can

possibly make use of these learnings in our current and future projects.

The Copywriting Secrets Of A Lending Club Direct Mail

To start of this series, we're breaking down this amazing direct mail piece by the Lending Club. The swipe

can be found here: http://swiped.co/file/lending-club-direct-mail/

I also encourage you to follow the work

Mike Schauer on swiped.co as the work he's doing there is amazing. It's helping many marketer, copywriter

and business owners like you and me craft more effective copy. And sell more of our good wares.

Let's start!

Sidenote: It would be best to read the have the letter beside as you read this article. Either in a new tab or

window. Here is the link again: http://swiped.co/file/lending-club-direct-mail/

I. Benefit Driven headline

In the headline Lending Club introduces themselves,

the name of their program and what it can do for you.

Swipe This:

Introduce yourself, your program and the benefit.

I. Benefit Driven headline

Examples:

Mortgage Experts

Best Decision

If You're Looking To Purchase A Property Then Our Experts Will Help You Make The Perfect Buy

Detective Discovers The 5 Ways Fraudsters Victimized Pension Holders... And How To Catch Them

By Great Life Insurance' Pension Protection Program

Great Life Insurance

The Educational Fund Guide

So You Can Decide For Yourself Confidently

II. You Are SpecialYou've already been pre-approved...

Blair Warren talked about this in his book, Forbidden Persuasion Keys. How

Cults make new recruits feel unique, special and gifted. And it's very powerful.

You might notice this used on you when you got inside a new club in university.

Or when you got inside your fraternity.

Other effective sales letter makes use of this persuasion tactic too. Making you feel

special by starting off the letter with something like, "You are one of the 10 select

business person we have selected to be qualified for this special offer wer're about

to make..."

II. You Are SpecialSwipe This:

Say that they are pre-selected

Examples:

We have been looking for the right Progressive Small Business Owners to offer this special Financial

Program we have and you are one of the 23 qualified business owners based from our extensive research....

We have reviewed your investment portfolio and this is our special gift to you....

As one of the best patrons of our business we are giving you this rare opportunity to...

III. LabellingIn relation to the "You Are Special" change mechanism Labelling is also another

aspect of that influence trigger. Tribes by Seth Godin also talks about something

on this line. Notice how clubs call members. Toastmasters, networking groups, bni

members. And nowadays facebook groups: cult of copy- cult members, screw 9 to

5 - scroupies, 7 day startup - starters, side hustle nation - sidehustlers. Pop culture

also make use of this: fans of Justin Bieber - Beliebier, One Direction -

Directioners, Lady Gaga - Little Monsters, Major Lazer - Major Lazer Squad.

Then for copywriters: Makepeace address his readers Business Builders. For fans

and members of the Fastlane forums we label people fastlaners, sidewalkers and

slowlaners. Then for the warrior forum it's warriors.

III. LabellingThere's a scientific study on this where they saw a significant increase in attendance during the election by simply calling people as "politically active."

Swipe This:

Business Builders

Examples:

Investing newsletter - Smart InvestorsMoney lenders - Supporters of EntrepreneurshipFamily Insurance and Education Fund Holders - Responsible Parents

IV. Good ReputationDale Carnegie on his classic book "How To Win Friends And Influence People" have a story inline with this too. He calls it give a "Dog a Good Name." Basically it recommends that if you give people a good reputation they will do their best to live up to that.

I remember when I was practicing Judo back in the University, I was one of the skimpiest and weakest player in our team. But when my seniors graduated and became to busy to attend practice our coach called me began addressing me with a "Sir" and putting new recruits under my training. So I really did try to live up to the reputation. And when he put me into Randori (sparring) matches with the juniors, I worked damn hard and played more seriously to live up to that reputation.

I also sometimes call this good peer pressure.

IV. Good ReputationSwipe This:

You are one of the few good business owners.

Examples:

You are one of the smartest investors we have ever encountered. I know how much you value and profit from expert advice. So ....

For people like you who look at the long-term plan and are in this investing venture for the long-haul. Experience, stability and history are top priority in your list when considering a bank to entrust your....

Dream-Realizers, Time is of value and time will never come back again. And money can help you make the most of that time. And when money takes time to acquire, Moral Lenders is your friend.....

V. So EasyYou could pay as little as this for your loan...

By making things seems so wonderfully easy for them. You make them

hard to not read on, even though they might be thinking twice. Saying to

themselves, "This is too good to be true. There must be a catch here

somewhere. Let me see more into this."

V. So EasySwipe This:

As little as

Examples:

For the minimum investment ofSo easy even a 3-year old canYou can easily get this special offerFor only $5.00 you can Fun and easy ways toGreat stuff for under $5.00The easiestThe easy way to

VI. Options3 ways to get your free quote

Some copywriting teachers have taught

That it's best not to give readers much

Options on how to reply as this might

Lead to analysis paralysis. Yup some people can be so lazy to choose that they don't choose at all. They would say they would choose later, but never really get to it.

I saw some letters addressed this issue while maintaining several options by labelling the different ways to reply somethins like this.

VI. OptionsSwipe This:

Talk to a person - by phone

Comfort of your home - online

Classic old school - by mail

Examples:

Fastest - by phone

Most convenient - online

James Dean Style - by mail

VII. Reason WhyOnly available to you here's why...

People with psychology background call this influence mechanism, "Justification."

Dr. Robert Cialdini did a study on this when they tested someone cutting over the long line to the xerox machine by simply adding the word because. Some of the reasons that follow that word were not even good reasons. Like can I cut in line because I'm rushing.

VII. Reason WhySwipe This:

Here's why

Examples:

BecauseThe reason isSo that

VIII. Curiosity GapYou may also call it an open loop. Basically it's a cliffhanger. You know that tricky tricky thing that happens in your mind that you can't stop binging on your favorite tv series. Or can't stop reading your favorite book. That's the culprit here. And he's very irresistible.

And in this letter it maximizes it further by delaying your gratification and intensifying your thirst by telling you the benefits, then comparing the offer to other options, then mentioning it's free, then telling two relevant stories... Then finally closing the gap.

VIII. Curiosity GapSwipe:

Delay gratification and intensify thirst.

Examples:

Fill it up with benefitsComparison to other optionsProblem aggravation about the challenge They're facingSolution aggravation about how Wonderful it would be to solve itReason why we qualifyWhy it's so easyStory with the conclusion as the curiosity gap closer

Address the basic objections1. I don’t have enough time2. I don’t have enough money.3. It won’t work for me.4. I don’t believe you.5. I don’t need it.

The Copywriting Secrets Of A Lending Club Direct Mail

So there you are. Psychology, persuasion and influence triggers

used in the Lending Club’s direct mailer. Make use of them in

your own marketing campaigns. And if you have questions,

suggestions, ideas to add into this. Do let me know, I would love

to hear your thoughts. Finally, expect to see more posts like this

from me in the coming days and weeks.

The Copywriting Secrets Of A Lending Club Direct Mail

Gerome Soriano

Financial Copywriter

P.S. If you ever need assistance with financial

copywriting you can contact me on LinkedIn here:

https://ph.linkedin.com/in/geromesoriano