the rookie mistake no one talks about...

I think so too.

Jason,

One option you can explore is split-testing a "tired phrase" against a new one.

But ultimately, the only opinions that matter are the buyers in that target market. They're voting with their wallets. Everyone who isn't part of the target market doesn't have a vote that counts.

Case in point, I personally don't care for "Who Else" headlines... but one of my non-IM control pieces has a double-digit converting headline that is a "Who Else" headline. We've tested it more than once and each time the "Who Else" headline has beaten the challengers.

For that particular niche and target market, it really hits their dominant emotional hot button.

Unfortunately, I cannot share the headline or a link to the salesletter because of a client non-disclosure agreement. So hopefully my professional word is good enough that "tired" headlines and phrases still can work very well.

Take care,

Mike

Ever notice that a lot of the phrases that become cliche use strong visual imagery and/or metaphor?

"They laughed when I..."

"Cash-spitting ATM"

"Laser targeted"

"In the trenches"

"Into the stratosphere"

That's the secret to why they were originally successful.

Imagery and metaphor are our most powerful tools in controlling the prospect's thoughts. But the prospect's repeated exposure to the same metaphor or imagery dulls it to the point of ineffectiveness. That's why we should stay away from cliche.

Cliche is the partyboy grandson of Success (Imitation is the boy's mama). And like so many grandchildren of the successful, he's a waste of space. He's ignored or mocked, not taken seriously.

Bill Bernbach summed up the argument against cliche perfectly:

"The truth isn't the truth until people believe you, and they can't believe you if they don't know what your saying, and they can't know what you've saying if they don't listen to you, and they won't listen to you if you're not interesting, and you won't be interesting until you say things imaginatively, originally, freshly."

To add up: "If you don't take action, you'll hate yourself later"

Can't even find the sense in this phrase...

Here's a challenge for you then Jason...

What words or phrases would you specifically change out and to what exactly would you change them out to?

Do you want to provide examples below?

Only if the phrase fits, sometimes, not all the time but sometimes you've got to use them. What other choice/s have you got / are there?

Fair enough you can pick new phrases up out of thin air but will the target market resonate emotionally with these new words or word strings?

Will they understand and emotionally 'get' your new phrase which replaces the old 'tired out' phrases?

If they're unfamiliar with the new phrase and it shoots off straight over the top of your readers forehead, then obviously your new turn of phrase isn't accomplishing it's purpose, whereas...

If they're familiar with a turn of phrase, even though it might not register as strongly as in days gone by, still the subconscious will associate strong emotional meaning to the phrase used even if said reader is merely glossing over them.

So, what new turns of phrase would you recommend marketers start using?

Smoking hot,


Mark Andrews