Word's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets

World’s Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets

Presented by

Robert W. Bly

for Cincom – 11/06/08

04/12/23

Here’s What NOT To Do

From: SOMER STEPHENSON To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2005 11:28 AMSubject: controversy & success, pay-per-placement PR, experts avail.

Hi Robert, Would you be interested in how a professional services firm reinvented itself to great success and

controversy? After the economy turned in 2000, Stephenson Group’s ‘banner clients’ like Oracle and Cisco took

their PR business in-house. After struggling for a few years Stephenson Group, a 13-year old public relations firm, conducted a 2-month formal and disciplined assessment of the company, its competition and the marketplace.

The process was grueling, the results dramatic: through the years Stephenson Group had added a

number of services (trade show promotion, speakers bureau, industry relations, research, etc.) that they enjoyed and were very good at, but where the company excelled and what clients most valued was generating publicity. With many former journalists on staff, the

2 World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets

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What We Will Cover Today:

The secret of the Big Promise. The USP: your product’s "reason for being.“ The Secondary Promise. The secret of the 4 U’s. Understanding the buyer’s Core Complex with "BDF." Reaching prospects on a deeper level (intellectual, emotional,

personal). The FAB pyramid of features and benefits. The 4 legs of the stool. The Motivating sequence. Is long copy always best? The secret of Abundant Proof. Creating a copy platform.


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The Secret of the Big Promise

“Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement.”

-- Samuel Johnson

“The basis of every great advertisement is a credible promise.”

-- Kurt Vonnegut, Timequake (G.P. Putnam, 1997), p. 155


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Make a BIG

Promise.“Promise, large promise, is the

soul of an advertisement.”

– Samuel Johnson


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That’s Right – a REALLY

BIG Promise!


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The USP(Unique Selling Proposition)

1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Each advertisement must say to the reader: “Buy this product, and you will get this specific benefit.”

2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique -- either a uniqueness of brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field.

3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions, i.e., pull over new customers to your product. --Rosser Reeves,

Reality in Advertising (Alfred A. Knopf, 1961)7 World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets

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What’s the USP?


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Your Product’s“Reason for Being”

My product is the only onethat___________________________________________

(Does what?)

for___________________________________________(For whom?)

by___________________________________________(How?)


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Which pulled best?

A

B

ATTENTION


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Have a Secondary Promise

The danger of a Big Promise is that it may sound so fantastic that the reader does not believe it.

In that case, use a “Secondary Promise.”

The Secondary Promise is a lesser benefit that the product also delivers.

Although not as large as the Big Promise, the Secondary Promise should be big enough so that, by itself, it is reason enough to order the product … yet small enough so that it is easily believed.

This way, even if the reader is totally skeptical about the Big Promise, he can believe the Secondary Promise and order on that basis alone.


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The Secondary Promise


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The 4 U’s

1. Urgent

2. Unique

3. Ultra-Specific

4. Useful


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Rate Each Headline(1=weakest; 4=strongest)

Help where you need it, when you need it from people you can trust.

That’s a Cincom promise.

Urgent ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

Unique …………………… [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

Ultra-Specific …………... [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

Useful ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4


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Rate Each Headline(1=weakest; 4=strongest)

Urgent ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

Unique …………………… [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

Ultra-Specific …………... [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

Useful ……………………. [ ] 1 [ ] 2 [ ] 3 [ ] 4

“Why Japanese Women Have Beautiful Skin”


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The Rule of 3 Benefits


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Beliefs, Feelings, and Desires(BFD)

ProductProduct ProspectProspect


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Does this copywriter know his audience?


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Beliefs, Feelings, and Desires

Audience/Market:

Beliefs:

1.

2.

3.


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Audience/Market:

Feelings:

1.

2.

3.


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Audience/Market:

Desires:

1.

2.

3.


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Addressing the core complex

generated a huge

response.22 World's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets

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Deeper…

Intellectual Emotional Personal


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This is personal.


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Features & Benefits Pyramid

Appeal to OEMs, VARs, distributors, dealers, agents, engineers, designers, reps, technical evaluators, and other technical buyers.

Appeal to sophisticated and experienced users, middle managers, hobbyists, enthusiasts, experts, comparison shoppers, past buyers, professionals, frequent buyers, knowledgeable buyers.

Appeal to consumers, top-level executives, entrepreneurs, first-time buyers, end users, novices, current customers, prospects.

ULTIM

ATE

BENEF

ITS

BENEFITS

ADVANTAGESFEATURES

Appeal to consumers, unsophisticated buyers, casual users, "dreamers," opportunity seekers

What the Product is or has

A Feature Other Products Lack

What the Product Does

The "Benefit of the Benefit"


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Features & Benefits of a No.2 Pencil

Features BenefitsPencil is a wooden cylinder surrounding a graphite core.

Can be re-sharpened as often as you like to ensure clean, crisp writing.

One end is capped by a rubber eraser.

Convenient eraser lets you correct writing errors cleanly and quickly.

Eraser attached with metal band.Tight fitting band holds eraser snugly in place – no pencils ruined by eraser coming loose.

Pencil is 7½ inches long. 7½ inch graphite core ensures long writing life.Pencil is ¼ inch in diameter. Slender shape makes it easy to hold and comfortable to write with.

Pencil is No. 2. Graphite core is blended for just the right hardness – writes smoothly yet crisply.

Yellow exterior. Bright, attractive exterior – stands out in a pencil holder or drawer.

Sold by the dozen.Sold in convenient 12-pack so one stop to the store gives you enough pencils to last for months.

Also available in a box containing a gross.

Sold by the gross to accommodate the needs of business offices/schools at a substantial savings over retail.

Made in the U.S.A. A quality product. (Also, buying American-made strengthens U.S. economy.)


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Four-Legged Stool

Big

Idea

Futu

re B

enefit T

rack R

eco

rd

Cre

dib

ility


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Big Idea & Future Benefit

Future Benefit

Big Idea


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Track Record

Track Record


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Credibility


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Which leg is this?


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And this?


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Motivating Sequence

1. Attention

2. Problem

3. Solution

4. Proof

5. Action


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How to Save Time and Money WhenTroubleshooting and Designing Piping Systems.

Dear Engineer:

When the Harris Group, an engineering firm, had to model a piping system with300 nodes and a dozen pumps, they turned to PIPE-FLO software to help them do the jobbetter and faster.

“PIPE-FLO gave us a tool to simulate and troubleshoot the entire system,” saysTerry Gatlin, a mechanical engineer with Harris.

“We were able to find bottlenecks in the system we would never have found usingspreadsheets. I estimate we saved 150 hours on this project alone, enabling us to pay backthe cost of PIPE-FLO many times over in just the first application.”

Since 1982, more than 15,000 engineers have designed piping systems better andfaster using our proven software. And our new PIPE-FLO Version 7, with features likeautomatic import of data from manufacturers’ electronic pump catalogs, and expandedfluid tables, makes piping system design quicker and easier than ever.

You’ll like the familiar interface that looks like the PID diagrams you’re used toworking with. And you’ll love how PIPE-FLOW helps you optimize system design,eliminate bottlenecks, extend system life, improve reliability, and reduce pump size andenergy costs (see the enclosed brochure for details).

To download the PIPE-FLO demo version, go to www.eng-software.com/demonow. And if you decide to buy the software within the next 30 days, you’ll get 30 daysFREE Technical Support -- including free user training and problem-solving consultationon your current piping design project.

Once you experience the speed, power, and ease of use of PIPE-FLOW software,you’ll never go back to spreadsheets for piping system design and troubleshooting again.So click on www.eng-software.com/demo before your next piping job lands on yourdesk. You’ll be glad you did.

Sincerely,

Ray Hardy, Vice President of Engineering

P.S. Don’t want to download PIPE-FLO over the Internet? Ask for a free PIPE-FLO demo CD-ROM. Simply call toll-free 800-786-8545. Or complete and mail theenclosed reply card. Be sure to ask for our FREE PIPE-FLO video, white paper, and casestudy portfolio while you’re at it.

Solution

AttentionProblem

Proof

Call to action

Motivating Sequencein Action


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Without a Special Offer, Direct Mail Will Not Work.

ACTION


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Response = ƒ(Offer)•High Perceived

Value

•Unique

•Relevant

•Desired

OFFERS


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Position part of your product as a premium.


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Quick-Response Bonus

Have a“Premium Page”


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Determining Copy Length

Long Copy Medium Copy

Medium Copy Short Copy

High

Low

Involvement

Audience: ___________________

Product: _____________________

High LowEmotion


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Copy Intensity Grid(Degree of Hyperbole vs. Clarity)

Need I.USP Advantage vs.

Competition

II. Clear and StraightforwardWhat it isBenefits

Want III. Ultra CreativeCore EmotionDelayed product mention

IV. Moderately CreativeEmotionSell benefit

Motivation

Availability

LimitedPlentiful


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II. Needed Product, Limited Availability

•Clear•Straightforward•What it is•Benefit


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III. Want/Plentiful

•Ultra-Creative (hype)•Core emotion•Delayed product mention


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(But Not This Hypey!)


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Abundant Proof

Doubt

Proof

Doubt

Proof


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Proof

Testimonials Case Studies Years in Business Number of Customers Customer List Customer Names FAQs Demos/Free Trials Transubstantiation Bio’s

Number of Units Sold Benchmark Test Performance Method of Operation Features Publicity Reviews Documentation Facsimiles Awards Advisory Boards


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Use a “Positioning Metaphor”

Metaphor: “It’s the Rolls-Royce of __________.”

Simile: “It’s like the Rolls-Royce of ___________.”


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Transubstantiation


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An Image…

Or a Statistic

SPIN Reality With . . .


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“Specifcs Sell.” -- Claude Hopkins


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What’s in a name?

• Pre-owned vehicles

•Who wants a fruit cake?


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Spin: Interpreting the Facts to Prove Your Sales Argument


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Spin Reality With . . . .Negative Selling


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The “I’m a Dummy” Technique


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Be Specific


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Use a Gimmick


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Offer a Money-Back Guarantee


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Go Beyond Money-Back


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Give Scientific Proof(“False Logic”)


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The Big Idea • What is the promise?• How is this product different/better than competition?• What is its reason for being?

USP (Unique Selling Proposition)1

Copy Platform


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• Who is the audience? • What is their “unvoiced fear” or “under-

represented desire”?• What lists will be used?

2 Market

Copy Platform


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• Beliefs (attitudes and principles)• Desires (wants and needs)• Feelings (emotions)

Core Complex of the Audience3

Copy Platform


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• Intellectual• Personal• Emotional

Research Prospects on Three Levels4

Copy Platform


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• System (the Big Idea)• Promise (future benefit)• Credibility• Track record

Four LEGS of the Stool5

Copy Platform


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• Format• Length• Point of view• Voice and tone

The Package6

Copy Platform


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• Price• Terms• Premiums• Guarantee

Offer7

Copy Platform


Thank you.

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Word's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets

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Transcript of Word's Best-Kept Copywriting Secrets