Benefits in Non How To

Nathan,

Re: "War history":
There are niche markets out there for battlefield tours ("historical holidays") who are really into well-researched info on their chosen campaigns, generals, uniforms etc.

For many years I was crazy about the WW2 Normandy landings and bought books, visited museums, played board wargames etc on that topic (pre-Internet, I might add.)

Culminating in a 2 week cycling holiday going past all the beaches from Cherbourg to Bayeux.
Cold Calvados cider after a hot afternoon's cycling...great times.

Find folks with interests like mine and see what they're buying or want to buy... I even watched "The Longest Day" about three times before we left the UK and forced my bemused cycling companions to do likewise as part of the "trip training" :-)

Your target market for a history book is mainly people already interested in the material. With that in mind your approach to identifying benefits would be the same as with any other product, though it will be a challenge to make these benefits sound as sexy as those associated with a diet or beauty product.

You might try something like, "be the envy of your peers when you're able to quickly and easily recall even the most obscure historical tidbits about the invasion of..."

Again, not very appealing to anyone outside the genre but perhaps enough to get an aficionado to bite. I like the example you use in your question about better understanding of where you come from.

You could also write a few for people with a mild interest (newbie types you'd be trying to draw in) in what you have and emphasize the fact that your material isn't some bloated classroom textbook but a streamlined collection of nothing but pertinent facts that matter, written in an easy-to-grasp, no-nonsense style.

The bottom line is to actually create a great book. Then it should be fairly simple (not necessarily easy though) to write some appealing benefits. Good Luck!

Ok, this is an absolutely fascinating challenge and here's how I would solve it:


Instead of first trying to reinvent the process, I would see who was already successful and model their style and languaging.

So go to Amazon.com and find the top book on the subjects in history (not just your particular area of focus.)

With each book, I would immerse myself in the book cover, the table of contents, the back cover, the forward and the first chapter of all the top sellers. These are usually available.

I would consider rewriting those parts of the book if I saw flaws in my client's work. Those are the most important from a marketing perspective.



The next thing I would do is head over and spend a day or two or three at Barnes and Noble or B. Dalton and see which history books they are stocking. Their inventory selection is a key clue as to what's really working (i.e. selling) or new. I would again focus on the cover page, the table of contents, the back page, and the first chapter.


The goal is to immerse your brain in how they are able to position and promote their books.


A pattern of success or two or three will become obvious and then you can test and adjust accordingly.


Last thing: From a copywriting perspective, you get ONE MORE BIG BENEFIT from Amazon which may be exactly what you are looking for:

You get to read the REVIEWS of those books. THIS IS HUGE. The reviews contain the languaging of the benefits of the reader IN THEIR OWN WORDS. It's like looking at their brain heatmap, seeing what hot buttons to focus on. In your copy, be sure to USE THOSE WORDS, in addition to focusing on those benefits.

- Rick Duris


PS: I LOVE what this guy Kenneth Davis is doing regarding history. I heard him on the radio regarding the history of Christmas and was absolutely mesmerized.


This is his website: Don't Know Much About - Kenneth C. Davis

One more thing: I may be dead wrong, but I believe what may drive most history folks is a strong sense of CURIOSITY. Like, they need to know.

It may be something worth testing. - Rick Duris

If it was me (with a mild interest and a want to sound more knowledgable around educated company) I'd like to hear something like this,