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How much "hype" do you use in your copy?

by zesquian
18 replies
I could understand not trying to trigger the customer's BS detector but at the same time you're trying to make a sale. So in my opinion some hype is important and necessary. I would rather err on the side of over hyping an offer than writing a bland copy that doesn't generate any interest and doesn't make any sales.
#copy #hype
  • Profile picture of the author MontelloMarketing
    Hype - Making statements you do not or can not prove.

    I use none... or almost none.
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    • Profile picture of the author zesquian
      Ok, so you have to have substance behind your offer but at the same time I think that you can use colorful words that make the offer attractive.

      I just think that good copy should try to be persuasive and attractive to the customer. Even if it gets overdone a little bit.

      I understand that good copy can be effective by just telling a good story but somewhere there has to be some "attractive" quality to it that makes the customer excited and at least be willing to search for more information.

      I think that this is where the "art" of copywriting comes into effect.
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      • Profile picture of the author MontelloMarketing
        Originally Posted by zesquian View Post

        Ok, so you have to have substance behind your offer but at the same time I think that you can use colorful words that make the offer attractive.
        Absolutely! It's called copywriting... not hype.

        I just think that good copy should try to be persuasive and attractive to the customer. Even if it gets overdone a little bit.
        Of course. (See the answer above.)

        I understand that good copy can be effective by just telling a good story but somewhere there has to be some "attractive" quality to it that makes the customer excited and at least be willing to search for more information.

        I think that this is where the "art" of copywriting comes into effect.
        I agree... I just disagree that this "art" is called hype. I think it's called persuasion...
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      • Profile picture of the author dorothydot
        To me, hype is not a good thing. It's false, misleading and not nice - if not downright insulting.

        For me, selling is all about benefits - and why the benefits are the answer to your readers' deepest need.

        For example, selling a harp. You could say, it has 36 strings, sharping levers on all strings, a full replacement set and tuner. The wood is specially designed to provide maximum tone and resonance.

        Or you could say, The harp has been considered magical for centuries. There's something about the purity of tone that just sort of goes deep into your soul and lives there. If you want to buy a harp, be sure to try out a number of them - you need to find the precise one that sounds the purest to you since it's going to be your soul partner for years to come. Even the birds start singing when they hear you play.

        Which is more compelling to you? No hype there; any harp-player will tell you that all I've written is true. The magic of a harp even can penetrate a coma to bring peace to the dying.

        So hype? NO! Sell the magic of a dream? Every time.

        Dot
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        • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
          Originally Posted by dorothydot View Post

          Or you could say, The harp has been considered magical for centuries. There's something about the purity of tone that just sort of goes deep into your soul and lives there. If you want to buy a harp, be sure to try out a number of them - you need to find the precise one that sounds the purest to you since it's going to be your soul partner for years to come. Even the birds start singing when they hear you play.

          Which is more compelling to you? No hype there; any harp-player will tell you that all I've written is true. The magic of a harp even can penetrate a coma to bring peace to the dying.
          That's beautiful as well as compelling, Dot. Like sincerely. While I don't know anything about playing a harp, I know brilliance when I see it. And you want to make me go out and buy one.

          - Rick Duris
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          • Profile picture of the author dorothydot
            Originally Posted by RickDuris View Post

            That's beautiful as well as compelling, Dot. Like sincerely. While I don't know anything about playing a harp, I know brilliance when I see it. And you want to make me go out and buy one.

            - Rick Duris
            OMG, thank you! Praise from you is more precious than gold!

            This is actually how I got into sales from being a Tree Lady - by selling harps for local harpbuilders at Celtic Festivals. If someone came into the builder's tent, I sold them a harp. 100% of the time.

            Being able to enhance someone's life so much is why I turned my writing abilities to copywriting.

            Thanks again!
            Dot

            PS - Could I use your words for a testimonial? Please? Okay - PRETTY please, with a Mockingbird singing in the moonlight on top?
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            • Profile picture of the author John S. Rhodes
              If you need to hype your sales letter
              in order to make a sale, it probably
              means that you have done a bad job
              in priming your prospect.

              If you go with the product launch formula
              you have time to build a relationship with
              your list and offer then a lot of value during
              pre-launch.

              You should have triggered their emotional
              buttons and they should be WANTING to
              buy. The sales page in many ways is just
              a means for them to get their product...

              On the other hand if you are not doing a
              launch but sending your traffic directly to
              your sales page. You want to bring out the
              VALUE they get rather than the HYPE factor.

              It ain't about the hype...

              ~ John
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            • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
              Originally Posted by dorothydot View Post

              OMG, thank you! Praise from you is more precious than gold!

              This is actually how I got into sales from being a Tree Lady - by selling harps for local harpbuilders at Celtic Festivals. If someone came into the builder's tent, I sold them a harp. 100% of the time.

              Being able to enhance someone's life so much is why I turned my writing abilities to copywriting.

              Thanks again!
              Dot

              PS - Could I use your words for a testimonial? Please? Okay - PRETTY please, with a Mockingbird singing in the moonlight on top?
              Absolutely! Go for it. - Rick Duris
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        • Profile picture of the author MarkAndrews IMCopywriting
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      • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
        Originally Posted by zesquian View Post

        Ok, so you have to have substance behind your offer but at the same time I think that you can use colorful words that make the offer attractive.

        I just think that good copy should try to be persuasive and attractive to the customer. Even if it gets overdone a little bit.

        I understand that good copy can be effective by just telling a good story but somewhere there has to be some "attractive" quality to it that makes the customer excited and at least be willing to search for more information.

        I think that this is where the "art" of copywriting comes into effect.
        Zesquian,

        To elaborate on what Vin said... you're not talking about "hype".

        You're talking about emotional writing that makes your customers salivate over your product...

        ...which is often CALLED hype by many.

        The words you use... the way you paint the mental pictures your copy creates in the prospect's mind... this is all very, very important.

        And it's what good copy does.

        Having said that... different markets require different uses of it.

        Take the "work from home" market for total greenhorns. The most profitable pages in that market have an insane amount of excitement and "what could be".

        Whereas something like curing herpes would probably be a little more subdued.

        But the fact that you're thinking about it is a great sign.

        -Dan
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        Always looking for badass direct-response copywriters. PM me if we don't know each other and you're looking for work.

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  • Profile picture of the author maximus242
    Sometimes understating sells more than overstating. Especially in a marketplace where everybody overstates.
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  • Profile picture of the author bimawarrior
    Same here. I don't use hype in my sales copy.
    What I do is provide the real fact, the bad and the goods.
    All truth about my products.

    Many times, I even write several reasons why people should consider before buying the products. So if they do buy, they buy something they really need.

    Effective? In my case it is.
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  • Profile picture of the author John_S
    Hype is the risk you run for not developing an adequate product or service.

    If you feel you need to boost the product beyond believability, chances are the product or service needs a redesign.

    What people forget is marketing should build the thing so the copywriter doesn't feel the need to use hype. A gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen.

    If it ain't in the product it won't be in the copy.
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    • Profile picture of the author maximus242
      Originally Posted by John_S View Post

      Hype is the risk you run for not developing an adequate product or service.

      If you feel you need to boost the product beyond believability, chances are the product or service needs a redesign.

      What people forget is marketing should build the thing so the copywriter doesn't feel the need to use hype. A gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen.

      If it ain't in the product it won't be in the copy.
      Not to mention boasting the product beyond believability will cause your conversion rate to drop like a rock
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando Veloso
    I use none. Just stat facts.

    Testimonials can the used to build a stronger positioning and many people call them "hype" but if you have a good product, no need to hype things up, just show the real deal.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Disclaimer: I am not a sales page copywriter.

    Fernando
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    People make good money selling to the rich. But the rich got rich selling to the masses.
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    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
      Originally Posted by Fernando Veloso View Post

      I use none. Just stat facts.
      Then in most markets... your copy will bomb.

      People BUY based on EMOTION...

      ...they back up that purchase with logic.

      Painting the "what ifs" is one of the most important aspects of persuasion.

      If you're not using it... you're leaving a lot of money on the table.

      -Dan
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      Always looking for badass direct-response copywriters. PM me if we don't know each other and you're looking for work.

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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Like a good college paper you have to define your terms
    before you go into the discussion. And for the many
    times I've seen this same discussion every poster had
    a different definition of what "hype" really means.

    For the common meaning of hype, a lover's language
    is filled with it---superlatives--crossing the deepest
    oceans, climbing the highest mountains just to be
    with the one you love. But the words don't express
    facts but ambition.

    If you're in love with your product some of this type
    of language will slip in, but is it meant to be taken
    literally? Maybe not.

    -Ray Edwards
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