Does "Copywriting" need a makeover?

[Dan Williams]

Should probably preface by saving that I'm working a very small target market and my tests are only run on an average of 4-5K households

The last three pieces I've used were very well written. Tried long copy, short copy. Paid what I thought was a fair price and all three were written by forum members in the textbook ADIA fashion...looked great to me. Unfortunately, I am not the target market.

Feedback from clients and tested households has been that they were just too flashy, salesy, etc. and the hype did little to motivate them. I actually had the best success with a short one page letter I wrote myself. It was very blunt, honest and to the point...no salesy, pschological triggers or fancy metaphors.

So...are consumers becoming too resistant to the old school copywriting methods?

FYI: These were not the $497 entry level letter writers

[Alex Cohen]

Originally Posted by Dan Williams

So...are consumers becoming too resistant to the old school copywriting methods?

Yes. Methods have a tendency to fatigue over time.

We're seeing that online with text sales letters... response rates are declining.

Alex

[arfasaira]

Originally Posted by Dan Williams

Should probably preface by saving that I'm working a very small target market and my tests are only run on an average of 4-5K households

The last three pieces I've used were very well written. Tried long copy, short copy. Paid what I thought was a fair price and all three were written by forum members in the textbook ADIA fashion...looked great to me. Unfortunately, I am not the target market.

Feedback from clients and tested households has been that they were just too flashy, salesy, etc. and the hype did little to motivate them. I actually had the best success with a short one page letter I wrote myself. It was very blunt, honest and to the point...no salesy, pschological triggers or fancy metaphors.

So...are consumers becoming too resistant to the old school copywriting methods?

FYI: These were not the $497 entry level letter writers

It depends on what it was that was being sold to them and what the audience want/what solutions they are after.

Certain products need no hype, and as was discussed a while ago, hype doesn't always work because consumers are becoming savvier and more wary. Usually, if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is - and the same holds true for some products.

If your blunt and honest sales letter did the trick, ask yourself this - what do you think your letter addressed that the others missed? What was it about your letter that could have resonated with the audience?

And more importantly, if you were the target audience, would you prefer a hyped up letter or an honest one - which would be more credible to you?

I find that a lot of American sales letters (correct me if I'm wrong guys) don't work too well for the UK audience because we Brits are more reserved (supposedly!!) and not really into the hyped style that is often found across the pond.

Part of the job of a good copywriter is understanding what the target audience needs and then adjusting the writing style accordingly. It's NOT that the old methods don't work. They DO work, they just need tweaking to the style the audience would prefer.

[Mark Pescetti]

Hey Dan,

My initial response is that you're investment dollars are probably better spent on someone like Alex Cohen...

Why?

Well, if your one page sales letter received a better response than the ones you paid for; what you're really exposing is how unsuccessful the copywriters were in capturing the right approach and tone for your work.

Sometimes it's better to write the copy yourself and collaborate with someone (like Alex) who can help you extract your knowledge and help you effectively craft the letter. If you can do it yourself, and have the patience to perfect the copy, do it.

Paying a copywriter who lacks the skills and awareness to craft killer copy sucks...

Not paying a copywriter enough money to conduct the necessary research and marketing testing is sabotaging your objectives.

Fine line...

[JakeDaly]

That has always been what's separated the average copywriters from the great ones - the ability to draw attention, spark interest, invoke desire and provoke action without it even coming across as a sales pitch, and certainly not adhering to the standard AIDA model.


P.S. I'm only an average copywriter that just happens to know this.

[Ken_Caudill]

Originally Posted by Dan Williams

Should probably preface by saving that I'm working a very small target market and my tests are only run on an average of 4-5K households

The last three pieces I've used were very well written. Tried long copy, short copy. Paid what I thought was a fair price and all three were written by forum members in the textbook ADIA fashion...looked great to me. Unfortunately, I am not the target market.

Feedback from clients and tested households has been that they were just too flashy, salesy, etc. and the hype did little to motivate them. I actually had the best success with a short one page letter I wrote myself. It was very blunt, honest and to the point...no salesy, pschological triggers or fancy metaphors.

So...are consumers becoming too resistant to the old school copywriting methods?

FYI: These were not the $497 entry level letter writers

Interesting. The only legitimate feedback on a sales page is how many sales it pulls.

[Matt Johnson]

Maybe it is the offer, not the copy.

If you're not the target market, how do you know what the market actually wants?

Just something to consider...

[Neil AM]

A good copywriter should write what the niche best responds to - and actually put some effort into finding out what that is, rather than just making assumptions.

Sometimes the no-BS 'you give me money, I give you shiny thing' style is the best one, sometimes hype is better.

I'd also be a bit wary about taking the individual feedback you get at face value. Everyone says they're turned off by hypey, salesy letters. Doesn't mean they actually buy from them less often.

[RobCopywriter]

Originally Posted by arfasaira

I find that a lot of American sales letters (correct me if I'm wrong guys) don't work too well for the UK audience because we Brits are more reserved (supposedly!!) and not really into the hyped style that is often found across the pond.

I've heard this one as well. Hyped style does work with some people, but Brits have come up with their own way of designing sales letters and writing them to suit their market.

[Cam Connor]

This isn't anything new... The problem is that people all just wanna do the same copywriting techniques and play it "safe" rather than come up with something new and improved. So, people start to see sales letters and such that look the exact same as all the other sales-letters they've read, and it just starts to scream "ad", come buy me. And no one wants to see another ad.