Curiouser and curiouser

[Confab]

In all my years of writing advertising copy, there is one psychological “hook” (or “magnet” if you are a Dan Kennedy fan) that has really done a better job at pulling and keeping readers than any other, and that’s curiosity.


Headlines that make people curious and want to read followed by sub heads that pull reader in and make them more curious have ALWAYS outpulled some of the more “common” headlines you may see.


One of the most successful headlines I’ve ever written was:
“Chocolate, Clay Ducks, and Sex?”



Over the years I've used variations of that theme to amazing effect. Lets face it, I don't care if you're a man or a woman, that headline makes you wonder what in the world is being talked about.


It invokes a seriously strong level of curiosity, and THAT gets people to keep reading.


The readership for that ad (and the subsequent sales it garnered) was HUGE.



Now, what can you do with it?

 

[kimboslice]

 

[johnmatrix]

boobs work too

 

[Confab]

boobs work too

:love-smiley-085:

Yeah ... sometimes they do.

 

[glowleaf]

Yes, curiosity works. I also like the approach Rich jerk has, you should study it. Its the "dont buy from us, buy all else, and when you see they all suck, come here to get the quality shit". I also love the end of his sales pitch for the ebook "If you cant afford 7$ to get access to real money making secrets, fuck off you douchebag. I dont want you to buy my ebook."

Disclaimer for idiots: I am not saying anything positive about Rich Jerk, I am discussing his marketing concept.

 

[Confab]

I also like the approach Rich jerk has, you should study it.

Often called the "take away" sale. It works well if it is really kind of "you". The tactic would be excellent I suspect for Jon by reading his posts. I can pull it off as well though it's a bit of a stretch. Some people don't like purposely alienating others so the technique doesn't work so well.

For those, I'll just go straight to "controversy" which is often a little easier for people to handle and generally works better anyway.

 

[glowleaf]

Well, it is kind of "me" that is why I like it. You seem to be well into marketing, do you have any reading material to suggest on the "take away" sale? Books/blogs etc?

I agree that it alienates many people, but honestly, I am a love-or-hate person, so it suits my aggressiveness perfectly.

 

[Confab]

Well, it is kind of "me" that is why I like it. You seem to be well into marketing, do you have any reading material to suggest on the "take away" sale? Books/blogs etc?

Not on that one thing exactly, no. Almost any decent copywriting book will cover the topic in some detail or another.

As far as general book on copywriting go, Triggers by Joe Sugarman is probably the top on my list followed close behind with Influence by Robert Cialdini

The second one doesn't cover this AT ALL, but it is still a killer book on writing good copy.