Say what IS, not what ISN'T

I have always believed in the fact that it is better to compete with ourself than with others. The same goes for marketing our product as well. If we manage to satisfy our demands, then we'll surely have good chances of attracting others.

Personally, I don't believe in "convincing".

To me, it's more about demonstrate to the customer that I have exactly what they've been looking for.

And if I think he has some preconceptions, then I will deal with them by showing him what my product isn't.

Really? I think too many people bought themselves hook, line and sinker. They love themselves, their product, and come off sounding like they were raised by none other than Gary Halbert.

America especially, has no particular problem with self esteem. The "A for effort" crowd has it that attitude is just as good as skill, accomplishment, product value, or earned ...anything.

They have overdosed on gold stars.

Entrepreneur now means clueless but convinced of their own worth. No marketing. No copy skill. No accounting. No mechanical apptitude. No programming skill. No business acumen. No track record of accomplishment. Just unbridled optimism.

You can read that in all the "I had the idea, now I just need for somebody to do it. ...for nothing" posts here and across the 'net. That is pure audacity of positive thinking ...backed by nothing.

All these people have long since convinced themselves that self-worth produces value, produces money, magnetically attracts the good life. So much so, they budled it as "The Secret," and peddled it on Oprah.

That is not the solution. It is more like the big fat problem. Because, you see, if you're made up of the very stuff of success, you can't fail. Or, at least you can't admit to failure in order to start learning from it.

Hey Phil,

English classes notwithstanding, one of the truths of copywriting
is that you must meet your prospect where they ARE.

In many cases, that's a mental space scarred by cynicism and skepticism.

One of the reasons why "Here's What This Is NOT" is so common
is that it meets the prospect head-on at their early points of objection...

Prospect: "I already know what this about..."

"Ah, this is probably _____" - No, it's not.
"Then I'll bet it's _______" - No, it's not.
"It's got to be ______ then" - No, it's not.

Prospect: "Huh? Well, what the hell IS this then?"

Bingo.... ATTENTION.

When you're asking someone to pull out their wallet and buy something
from you, RIGHT NOW, the least you can do is not force them to THINK.

By isolating and eliminating those objections in the copy, you prevent
the reader from having to do that analysis (thinking) for him/herself.

If all you've told them is that it IS X, Y and Z... that leaves a prospect
to wonder if that means that it's A, B, or C.

When you tell that it's NOT A, B OR C... but it IS X, Y, Z - you've eliminated
a potential objection while also providing compelling reasons to say yes.

Doubly useful.

Make sense?

Best,

Brian

I agree that you should be definite in what you are selling but saying
what something is not builds mystery--"it's not what you think".

Mystery can help you sell more.

-Ray Edwards