Comments on: Persuasive copywriting 1: Liking http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/2009/09/24/persuasive-copywriting-liking/ Advice and reflections from a freelance copywriter Sun, 5 Sep 2010 13:18:27 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tom Albrighton http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/2009/09/24/persuasive-copywriting-liking/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Tom Albrighton Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:28:31 +0000 http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/?p=209#comment-114 Kimmo - Thanks for commenting. The short answer is no, your home page doesn't make me dislike you! As I see it, your headline carries a positive message (one that clients will like), the overall balance of negative-to-positive thoughts is heavily in favour of positive and the 'bad news' you're bringing isn't really news, or bad - just a realistic assessment. In my post, I'm really talking about the kind of headline that brings a *new*, negative fact to the reader's attention, like 'Dying without making a will could give 50% of what you own to the taxman', or similar. I plan to blog about scaring the reader later in the month - on Hallowe'en, in fact. Kimmo – Thanks for commenting.

The short answer is no, your home page doesn’t make me dislike you! As I see it, your headline carries a positive message (one that clients will like), the overall balance of negative-to-positive thoughts is heavily in favour of positive and the ‘bad news’ you’re bringing isn’t really news, or bad – just a realistic assessment.

In my post, I’m really talking about the kind of headline that brings a *new*, negative fact to the reader’s attention, like ‘Dying without making a will could give 50% of what you own to the taxman’, or similar.

I plan to blog about scaring the reader later in the month – on Hallowe’en, in fact.

]]> By: Kimmo Linkama http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/2009/09/24/persuasive-copywriting-liking/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Kimmo Linkama Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:33:22 +0000 http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/?p=209#comment-113 I agree with most of whatyou say, but this caught my attention: "by bringing bad news to the reader’s door, you associate yourself with it – even if it establishes your knowledge of their situation and you then go on to offer friendly advice". Whether this qualifies as scare tactics is open to debate, but as far as I have understood, copy that first outlines the reader's problem shows that you know what you're talking about and produces the important first "yes". I often use this sequence: 1. Describe the reader's problem. (YES, my situation exactly.) 2. Describe the ideal situation. (YES, that's the way I'd like things to be.) 3. Provide a solution to transition from the problem to the ideal. (YES, that sounds good.) I'm using this approach, slightly modified, on my home page. Take a look and determine if it makes you dislike me. I agree with most of whatyou say, but this caught my attention: “by bringing bad news to the reader’s door, you associate yourself with it – even if it establishes your knowledge of their situation and you then go on to offer friendly advice”.

Whether this qualifies as scare tactics is open to debate, but as far as I have understood, copy that first outlines the reader’s problem shows that you know what you’re talking about and produces the important first “yes”.

I often use this sequence:

1. Describe the reader’s problem. (YES, my situation exactly.)
2. Describe the ideal situation. (YES, that’s the way I’d like things to be.)
3. Provide a solution to transition from the problem to the ideal. (YES, that sounds good.)

I’m using this approach, slightly modified, on my home page. Take a look and determine if it makes you dislike me.

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