Copywriting Friday: It’s what you don’t know that hurts you

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Printed: January 2024

This text is drawn from our inside Copywriting Friday recordsdata, the place we spotlight the ability of nice copywriters. We’ve executed this for years—utilizing our huge vault of extremely changing adverts—as a result of copywriting is each a timeless ability AND crucial for conversion charge optimization. Take pleasure in.

Right here’s the again of an envelope from the mid-Nineteen Nineties. It contained a promotion for the third version of a guide referred to as The Reality About Cash.

However overlook the guide; the envelope alone is a tiny masterclass in copywriting.

The envelope reminds us of the recommendation that copywriting legend Gary Halbert gave Dan Kennedy (as featured in The Final Gross sales Letter).

“Image the particular person you’ve despatched your gross sales letter to with a stack of mail of their fingers, sorting by way of that stack, standing subsequent to a wastebasket.”

Occasions could change, however people and advertising and marketing ideas not often do. Though we would now think about stuffed e-mail inboxes or scrolling by way of social media, the primary job of copywriting is similar as ever. Be seen.

How does this envelope seize and hold, and leverage consideration?

Evaluation

It begins with a one-word headline that everybody cares about:

Cash.

How might you learn this on an envelope addressed to you and never proceed to the following line? Not possible, particularly given what’s coming subsequent:

It’s what you DON’T KNOW that hurts you…

In eight phrases, the copywriter conjures concern, curiosity, and expectation—particularly for extra mature folks scuffling with their funds (the goal market). It’s cautious framing for the bullets that comply with:

YOU KNOW bank cards are a significant explanation for debt—however have you learnt the TWO EASY TRICKS that aid you repay your bank cards every month?

YOU KNOW Social Safety advantages will be yours at 62—however have you learnt when it is smart TO WAIT LONGER?

YOU KNOW that payments should be paid—however have you learnt WHO YOU SHOULD PAY FIRST BEFORE you pay a single invoice?

YOU KNOW curiosity earned on cash is nice—however have you learnt THE KIND OF INTEREST that multiplies your cash and results in monetary independence?

YOU KNOW individuals who say investing is simply too dangerous—however have you learnt THE “D” WORD THAT REDUCES RISK to absolutely the minimal?

YOU KNOW that insurance coverage is a should—however have you learnt the type of insurance coverage it’s best to NEVER, EVER BUY?

Writing “fascinating” copy

Copywriters name these “fascinations”—bullets that mix advantages and curiosity into a robust cocktail. On this case, every bullet hints at issues we don’t learn about cash (curiosity) and what we’d get if we did know (profit).

Even in case you aren’t the target market… can you’re feeling the strain of not understanding? It’s the identical stress that entrepreneurs use every single day to get you to scroll down their webpages. Look once more—every bullet can be a headline.

The fascinations are additionally written parallel. Each has:

An identical size.
The phrases “YOU KNOW” at the start.
A “—” on the heart.
The phrases “however have you learnt” firstly of the second clause.
A bolded part of 3-6 phrases.
A query mark on the finish.

Fascinations will be written in numerous methods, however the copywriter is creating a particular impact right here. In addition to the curiosity and advantages, they’re constructing a rhythm, a drumbeat that results in the ultimate line on the envelope:

OPEN NOW… as a result of it’s about time you knew THE TRUTH ABOUT MONEY!

That is the decision to motion.

The whole lot above is in service of this aim—getting the prospect to open the envelope.

Take into consideration what’s occurred right here. The copywriter has engineered enormous stress inside the goal market, solely to provide a straightforward (if short-term) launch to that stress.

Open the envelope!

Then, after all, the dance begins once more.

Be careful for our subsequent Copywriting Friday article, the place we’ll enterprise contained in the envelope.

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