What is 'hype?'

[Kyle Tully]

Originally Posted by John Rowe

No Kyle, he does not. The original book said $4,000 a day.

I should know. I bought it from full page ad in Small Business
Opportunities Magazine more than a Decade ago.

.

I was just quoting the other guy... but you're right.

I've got a copy of the ad here, from the April '08 issue of Australian Business & Money Making Opportunities mag...

"How You Can Make $4,000 A Day, Sitting At Your Kitchen Table, In Your Underwear!"

Wouldn't surprise me if the ad copy was exactly the same as a decade ago.

[OnlineMasterMind]

Originally Posted by Kyle Tully

Would Halbert have honored the refund if someone said "my friends didn't accuse me of having a facelift"? Yes... then it's not hype.



Would Kennedy have honored the refund if someone said "my friends didn't accuse me of having liposuction"? Yes... then it's not hype.



Does Jeff Paul make $3000 a day sitting in his underwear, and is he showing how you can do it too? Yes... then it's not hype.

Fair enough...

What's funny is I can't stand marketing in terms of "hype" the way YOU define it.

One very popular site for example, says "being overweight has nothing to do with your diet or lack of exercise..."

To me...this is NOT ok...even though they'll honor a refund (clickbank)

I actually heard an interview w/ halbert (I think it was w/ Fortin) where he said hype was fine...b.s is not.

And I've heard plenty of other marketers refer to it the same way (i.e people in this thread)

It just comes down to how u define it.

anyways this is getting silly...

[Radron]

Hype obviously can have mutltiple meanings, to me

verb - hype = promoting or plain bragging using calculated means to gain credibility, attention and/or trust

noun - hype = the end results of above

positive: successful marketers "hype" their products/services whos value is equal or exceeds the hype.

negative: hyper who's product/service falls so short of the hype (in this case inflated) that created attention, lead to false credibility or trust, in value, it could be considered fraud by the hypee.

[Kyle Tully]

Originally Posted by OnlineMasterMind

Fair enough...

What's funny is I can't stand marketing in terms of "hype" the way YOU define it.

I only define it that way because that's what the word means.

I know Paul asked for "our" definition... but just because I think a word means something that doesn't make it so. I'd prefer to refer to the dictionary and get the real meaning, rather than just make up my own meaning.

Originally Posted by OnlineMasterMind

One very popular site for example, says "being overweight has nothing to do with your diet or lack of exercise..."

To me...this is NOT ok...even though they'll honor a refund (clickbank)

That claim has nothing to do with a refund, so whether they honor the refund or not doesn't matter. Unless that claim is backed up by some proof (and it well could be) then it could very well be hype.

[drmani]

Noun: Unreality
Verb: Pushing Unreality

Dr.Mani

[OnlineMasterMind]

Originally Posted by Kyle Tully

I'd prefer to refer to the dictionary and get the real meaning, rather than just make up my own meaning.

Hype comes from the word "hyperbole." Here's the definition:

"A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton."

hyperbole - definition of hyperbole by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Originally Posted by Kyle Tully

So if eveything you say is backed up by proof, and hence not exaggerated, guess what... IT'S NOT HYPE.

[mmurtha]

Kyle,

That claim has nothing to do with a refund, so whether they honor the refund or not doesn't matter. Unless that claim is backed up by some proof (and it well could be) then it could very well be hype.

Thank you for saying something about the refund. I've been sitting here waiting for someone to point that out.

You are right, the refund has nothing at all to do with what was asked.

To me the refund is just someone falling prey to their own hype lol, which makes the "hype". But then again it may or may not make it so because there are other variables to consider such as someone simply wanting a refund because they over spent or are a serial refunder, etc ...


Mary

[GrantFreeman]

Edit:

When I read a sales letter with lots of unnecessary adjectives, and even more testimonials, it leads me to believe that it can't be that great. Otherwise, the writer would simply stick to telling me about what it means to me to have it, how I can use it, and how many "heads of cabbage" I can get for my hard earned money.

"Someone" said in one of his reports that often times when people use lots of those adjectives, it usually means that they don't really know a lot about what they are trying to sell.

At that time, you get a feeling this is true because the more I read, the more unbelievable the message becomes.

Grant

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Every day or so, someone here starts a thread about 'hype' in one context or another. Tons of people, some clued-in and some clueless, talk about the impact of 'hype' and their choices on how to respond to it.

These threads almost never contain even one useful sentence on the original topic.

The problem is, almost every poster has a different definition of the word. Most of the time, you have no idea what they mean by it.

So... Let's have some fun.

Define the word 'hype,' both as a noun and a verb.

No dictionary definitions. I want to know what you mean by the word.

Everyone who reads this thread will get multiple prizes. Clearer thinking, a better understanding of how words take on different meanings for different people, more knowledge of why forum communication can be so confused, and one very special bonus, valued at many thousands of dollars:

A better understanding of why and how sales copy works, and what can kill it.

I have my own working definitions, but I'll save those for later.


Paul

I have not read a single response to this thread as I wanted to give my personal definition.

First, I think people have different definitions of what 'hype' is. Some people think ANY sales message is hype, but I disagree. However, if I am selling something, it doesn't matter what I think, but rather what the majority of potential customers think.

Anyway, here is the definition that popped into my head.

hype (n.) - The over-amplification of a positive aspect of a product or service to create a better, though false, impression of its benefits.

hype (v.) - To engage in the overt repetition of sales messages using hyperbole, empty praise, or to purposefully amplify positive aspects to create a false impression.

Now...to read the other responses.

~Michael

-Hype is control that can produce positive and negative actions.

-It's why Dr. Pepper tastes better than Mr. Pibb.

-hype can add value to anything.

-It's why Britney Spears is the most photographed celebrity ever

-Hype, is why people would feel they were receiving a discount if gas prices where lowered by $1.00, and totally ignore the fact that gas would still be overpriced.

-Thanks to hype, porn exists. Thank goodness!

-hype is why we pay taxes

-hype is the reason racism exists

O.k. so I got a little carried away...

Some hype is good... some is bad. And if you can keep it ethical, It will make you money.

[milan]

To me hype equals lie (as a noun and a verb). As simple as that. You could say it different. You could water it down, say it's over amplification, using unrealistic claims etc. but the essence is still the same. I think people know and feel that, but they often don't say it like that because - the word hype brings in many emotions. You instantly remember some recent buying experience and the logic goes down the drain. That's evident if you look at the threads about hype on the Warrior Forum.

So, a title:

Instant Traffic Pill

is not hype if you deliver what's promised, really instant traffic. It is hype if you serve some widely known techniques to getting traffic because non of them are instant.

There are cases when people perceive something as hype because it doesn't sound believable. The "$3000 a day sitting in his underwear.." is going to sound like hype to a lot of people, although it's probably true. It just doesn't sound believable to a lot of people.

Making it sound believable is as important as making it true. Late Gary Halbert said:

There are 3 reasons people don't buy from you (I'm paraphrasing here):

1. They're not interested in what you have to offer
2. They're interested, but they don't like your offer
3. They don't believe you

[John Taylor]

To me hype is a much maligned and misused word.

Many people will use the word hype in a negative context.
They'll say a product is "nothing but hype" even though they
don't own it or have any direct knowledge of it. By definition
you can't know if a product description is exaggerated until
you can compare the description with the reality.

I've always considered hype as a good thing, it's an indicator
of the writers enthusiasm for, and belief in, their product.

Of course, like any strength, when you over do it, it becomes
a weakness. So, if you over-hype something, you can damage
its credibility and, potentially, your own credibility too.

John

[Paul Myers]

Lots of personal definitions here, covering the range from "It's great" to "It's a guaranteed way to make sure I don't buy."

Here's the fun thing: There's absolutely nothing you can do with those in a functional way.

Some of the comments, like those saying that proof moves things from hype to acceptable, are useful. But how do you prove the proof? Isn't acceptance of digital proof just as dependent on whether someone is inclined to believe you as the tendency to judge something as 'hype' or not?

Keeping in mind that there will always be some fraction of your readers who react badly to some things, regardless of context, here's the second part of the challenge:

Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline.

Or, tell us what specific things you ALWAYS see as 'hype.'


Paul

[Terry M.]

Is the Jeff Paul here being mentioned, the same Jeff Paul being mentioned
by Ricky in Trailer Park Boys?

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Lots of personal definitions here, covering the range from "It's great" to "It's a guaranteed way to make sure I don't buy."

Here's the fun thing: There's absolutely nothing you can do with those in a functional way.

Some of the comments, like those saying that proof moves things from hype to acceptable, are useful. But how do you prove the proof? Isn't acceptance of digital proof just as dependent on whether someone is inclined to believe you as the tendency to judge something as 'hype' or not?

Keeping in mind that there will always be some fraction of your readers who react badly to some things, regardless of context, here's the second part of the challenge:

Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline.

Or, tell us what specific things you ALWAYS see as 'hype.'


Paul

Hi Paul,

I thought I offered a useful definition. I may have worded it a bit funny to sound more 'dictionary-like'. Allow me to offer it as advice.

"Don't over-amplify a positive aspect of your product or service to the point that it becomes misleading."

As far as 'hype' being a positive thing, as others mentioned, it all comes back to the perception of your audience.

Also, there is nothing wrong whatsoever with letting your enthusiasm show, but don't let it turn into hype.

That's just my opinion, but hype just has that negative connotation, like it or not - that connotation is out there.

Finally, it doesn't really matter if you want to call the positive variety 'hyoe' or 'enthusiasm', because your visitors will judge your offer based on what they see, and not your personal definition of marketing terms. (There would be some exceptions).

~Michael

p.s. I find this to be a very interesting discussion of semantics. Bravo! to all.

[Angela V. Edwards]

Originally Posted by OnlineMasterMind

Hype comes from the word "hyperbole." Here's the definition:

"A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton."

hyperbole - definition of hyperbole by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Yeah, that's how I would define it; exaggeration. It may not be untrue, exactly, but to me, "hype" is exaggerating something greatly.

[summer07]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

...here's the second part of the challenge:

Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline.

Or, tell us what specific things you ALWAYS see as 'hype.'


Paul

ok, here goes...

There's selling the "steak", and there's selling the "sizzle".

Then there's "hype"...which is selling the "sizzle" PLUS the brand new gas grill, the patio its sitting on, and the 10,000 sq ft house in the gated beach-front community that the patio is attached to...BUT delivering a luke-warm block of burnt charcoal!

Hype is always a function of what's promised relative to what's actually delivered.

So for a copywriter, it becomes a matter of choosing which products to write promotonal copy for.

It's like the difference between being a salesman thinking you can (or should be able to) "sell anything", and being a successful salesman because you choose to sell quality products.

audre

[TimGross]

Hype: Related to sales letters/selling, my definition:

"A blatant attempt to increase emotion and excitement higher than reality dictates."

The problem nailing it down is that big claims and enthusiasm aren't automatically hype. It's hype when it's not backed up appropriately by apparent evidence the seller has presented.

In sitcoms, laugh tracks aren't automatically irritating... When a show is funny and the laugh tracks occur after a good joke, you don't notice it. When you're watching a bad sitcom, boy does the laugh track seem inappropriate.

Much like comedy, sales hype is subjective based on how the reader/listener filters the message through their expectations and past experiences.

ANY strong sales letter will be accused of being hypey by some people. (Just like some people will insist that a hilarious sitcom isn't funny.) So it's important to establish a basis for comparison in gauging people's reactions.

[Steven Wagenheim]

I think a lot of people confuse hype, getting excited about something, with
a statement that is just downright near impossible to believe.

For example, I pulled this off of a top selling Clickbank sales page.

A week later, I had made my first $4,000 online. I had made four grand with one page of borrowed text and about 15 minutes.

Now, if you read what came before, that a week prior, this guy was living
on one hot dog a day, this statement is so hard to swallow, not so much
the amount, but the amount of time he put in to make it, that I just can't
believe it. I won't believe it.

To me, this isn't hype. This is just a flat out lie, as far as I am concerned.

But why?

Why is this a lie to me?

If I was a newbie, I'd maybe be skeptical but I might also think, well,
maybe it's true. How do I know? I've never made a dime in my life.

But I'm not a newb. I have made $4,000 in a week and let me tell you,
it takes more than fricken 15 minutes. And nobody, I don't care WHO you
are, is going to convince me that this is possible.

But the statement itself is not hype. There are no words like amazing and
fantastic and incredible and massive and all that other bull sh*t. It's a
simple statement.

I made $4,000 with 15 minutes of work.

To me, this is worse than hype. This is flat out taking advantage of people
who are gullible enough to believe it.

So let's not confuse hype with flat out bold statements that you'd have to
be a total idiot to believe.

And again, this is just my opinion. There may be people out there,
successful ones at that, who will come back here and say that they
absolutely believe that somebody can be living on one hot dog a day one
week prior to making $4,000 with 15 minutes of work.

But they'll never make me believe it.

Hype and lies...they are two different things.

[steve995]

Here goes....

Hype - the innate ability to over promise and under deliver.

Thought I'd keep it pithy and ti the point....,

Next time, maybe I'll manage it,

Steve

[Martin Luxton]

Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline.

Would your mum believe what you wrote? If not, it's hype.

Do you struggle to find justification for your promises? If so, it's hype (or a really crap product).
For example, "You can make $20,000 a week" (if you work 24/7 and you already have a million dollars in the bank getting interest).

Or, tell us what specific things you ALWAYS see as 'hype.'

1. Lots of red ink, lots of exclamation marks, lots of yellow highlighting (in the same sales letter).

2. More than 20 testimonials.

3. Bonuses 'worth' 10 times more than the product.

4. Reds under the bed/international conspiracy/the corporations are all out to get the little guy.


Martin

[Steven Fullman]

Bollocks...to no-one in particular.

Nothing wrong with a bit of hype.

Hype is NECESSARY. Have you MISSED the last few launches?

Steve

[gjabiz]

Two well groomed people, a man and a matching woman, stand smiling on my porch. I open the door and say "Hi".

They respond:

Woman: Hi. Sir we are with the Midnight Coven of Jehova's Latter Day Demons and Quxtar for Better Living Products. We are here on a mission to save the world and steal your soul.

Man: Sir, here is our current catalog of green Earth friendly products along with a FREE newsletter that tells you how you can not only save the Earth, but also allows us keep your immortal soul in a perpetual flame while doing it.

ME: Um, NO Thanks. (Closes door while smiling, firmly but politely while peeking through curtains to make sure they leave all the while clicking the TV remote control).

That was advertising as most of us experience it.

I sit back on the couch. Potato chips and double cheesburger in hand.

A few moments later, a big brick comes flying through my picture window... I, startled, jump from my couch and look out to see an old bearded man in a long grungy grey robe standing on the grass with a burning cross blazing in his hand.

He Yells.

"You're going to hell unless you buy my anti-hell pill NOW. Today only, CASH."

The brick was the hype.

The long bearded dirty robed guy was the hypster.

Went back to watching football, knowing the Earth is a crazy place, full of kooks and nut jobs.

I knew I wasn't going to make the Earth any better that day by using "green" products sold by loonies, no matter how nice they looked...but, I did take some comfort that at least until my next credit card bill, ...

I'd be safe from going to hell at least for the next 30 days.

I tossed in a pill and washed it down with a Coke.

Then I listened as the brash defensive cornerback guaranteed the Browns would win the superbowl...

and that was possibly the biggest HYPE I heard all day.

gjabiz

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

Bollocks...to no-one in particular.

Nothing wrong with a bit of hype.

Hype is NECESSARY. Have you MISSED the last few launches?

Steve

Hi Steve,

I get that point, and that's why I tried to differentiate between hype and enthusiasm. Howver, there are sime subtle shades of meaning here, and I think I sort of get what you are saying.

Everyone has a slightly different definition, and there is no right answer. Yes, we may be going right past semantics and into the philosophy of what words mean.

Very lively discussion, IMHO, and I'd like to see what others have yet to add.

~Michael

[Steven Fullman]

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

Hi Steve,

I get that point, and that's why I tried to differentiate between hype and enthusiasm. Howver, there are sime subtle shades of meaning here, and I think I sort of get what you are saying.

Everyone has a slightly different definition, and there is no right answer. Yes, we may be going right past semantics and into the philosophy of what words mean.

Very lively discussion, IMHO, and I'd like to see what others have yet to add.

~Michael

Agreed, Michael.

I answered on instinct...and without a logical deconstruction.

Sadly...my instinctive answer to most debatable points is, "...Bollocks!"

...Sorry! No hard feelings, I hope?

Cheers,
Steve

[MikeAmbrosio]

Originally Posted by Martin Luxton

Would your mum believe what you wrote? If not, it's hype.

Do you struggle to find justification for your promises? If so, it's hype (or a really crap product).
For example, "You can make $20,000 a week" (if you work 24/7 and you already have a million dollars in the bank getting interest).




1. Lots of red ink, lots of exclamation marks, lots of yellow highlighting (in the same sales letter).

2. More than 20 testimonials.

3. Bonuses 'worth' 10 times more than the product.

4. Reds under the bed/international conspiracy/the corporations are all out to get the little guy.


Martin

Hmm, well this is a perfect example of things having different meanings to different people. Let me go through your statements if I may... (not picking on you - these just grabbed my attention)

Your first point - I think my mother would most likely see things differently than yours. Or from anyone's. She was the type to give everyone the benefit of the doubt unless PROVEN otherwise.

My ex-wife, on the other hand, was polar opposite. She gave NO ONE the benefit of the doubt. Ever.

So a statement like: "You can make $10,000 per month..." would be looked upon quite differently by them both.

Your second point - well, not everyone can eloquantly put in to words ANY sort of justification, while others can justifty everything (or seemingly so). So this one is also subjective.

And your list of the last 4 - these are things (in the IM market) that get taught by the "pros", so many people do these very things.

What would you say if I told you that I was involved in a project that went from concept to $350,000 in gross sales in about 30 days? And I stated that in my copy? Would you believe me? Or call it hype?

I suspect most would call it hype. But I can tell you that it's 100% true

Hype, and it's "definitions" mean many things to many people. All you can do is decide if what you are reading, or writing, is hype to YOU.

I tend to agree with Jason - I think it's a way for people to express their excitement about their product. I found this out from experience as well. On a product I did, I had the copy written "hype-free" because I thought (mostly from opinions on this very forum) that hype would surely kill my sales.

In fact, quite the opposite happened. Only 4 sales on launch day (which included a couple of "heavy hitters").

I had my copy guy make some changes and add some hype (not lies, or half-truths. Just colorful adjectives) and my conversion jumped to 3.5%.

As much as people here complain about hype, I am of the belief that we are of the minority in that opinion...

Or, we're all just so much more jaded, experienced, smarter...or whatever word you want to put here.

That's my thought on this subject...

Mike

[Michael Oksa]

Originally Posted by Steven Fullman

Agreed, Michael.

I answered on instinct...and without a logical deconstruction.

Sadly...my instinctive answer to most debatable points is, "...Bollocks!"

...Sorry! No hard feelings, I hope?

Cheers,
Steve

Hi Steve,

No need to aplogize at all. I'm not even the tiniest bit upset. I was just commenting on the different shades of meaning and the whole idea of words themselves. I love words, and any discussion about them fascinates me.

By the way, 'bollocks' has no real meaning in the US (except when it comes to the title of a classic punk rock album), so no offense taken there.

Also, answering on intinct is cool. It'd be a less fun world if instinctive replies suddenly disappeared.

~Michael

[Steven Fullman]

Originally Posted by Michael Oksa

By the way, 'bollocks' has no real meaning in the US (except when it comes to the title of a classic punk rock album)


~Michael

Michael...So we're on the same side of the musical street. Cool!

Steve

[Martin Luxton]

Mike

The comment about one's mother was along the lines that people's mums usually know when they are exaggerating or telling porkies.

Your second point - well, not everyone can eloquantly put in to words ANY sort of justification, while others can justifty everything (or seemingly so). So this one is also subjective.

Paul asked for a guide for copywriters.

I mentioned earlier in the thread that I would like the views of some British newbies because I think a lot of Brits see hype very differently from their American cousins. There was a thread recently where people commented that a lot of Brits are turned off by the seminar circuit.

Of course how people perceive hype is very subjective, which I'm sure is why Paul chose this topic (and is waiting in the wings to deliver his one sentence definition which he spent 6 months honing).

I never said hype didn't sell. The question is how much hype is effective and how much is a turnoff?

What would you say if I told you that I was involved in a project that went from concept to $350,000 in gross sales in about 30 days? And I stated that in my copy? Would you believe me? Or call it hype?

If you told me it was possible because of your skills, experience, contacts and the fact you are a full-time marketer I would probably believe you, but if you said a newbie could replicate your success that would be hype.

Martin

[GrantFreeman]

It's to hard a question for me to put to a simple answer. Even a complicated one that makes sense. Really, how do you define a word that has so many meanings to so many people? I can't.

I'm not that good of a writer yet to do what you suggested. And if I did attempt an answer, by the time I was finished, it would be too late to post it.

After reading the other post and thinking about this for the last 2 hours, to me it sounds like a made up word to fill a dictionary. There to only give a different meaning to each person who really tries to come up with an accurate definition.

Edit:

Paul Said:

"Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline."

Someone who prepares ads or ad copy is a copywriter. So in order to define this effectively, you'd have to be a damn good one. Otherwise, people like Paul, Allen Says, Michael F, the Late Gary H., would laugh their collective asses off at you.

I'm not qualified...yet

Grant

[MikeAmbrosio]

Points taken.

This has been an enlightening thread...

Originally Posted by Martin Luxton

If you told me it was possible because of your skills, experience, contacts and the fact you are a full-time marketer I would probably believe you, but if you said a newbie could replicate your success that would be hype.

Martin

Yeah, I would tend to agree, although I know one marketer (who is no LONGER a newbie) who did make a splash almost immediately on line, and made a killing (hype word?) with his first product.

However, he was ONLY a newbie to on line marketing. He had a ton of off line marketing experience and he also already had funding to hire people to put his ideas into action...

Me? It took me over 2 years to make my first dollar, and about five to make consistent dollars (I'm either a slow-poke or a perfectionist...). My first products contained no hype though...maybe if they did, I would have made more money faster...LOL!

Mike

[Kyle Tully]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline.

Or, tell us what specific things you ALWAYS see as 'hype.'

Frankly I don't think there is a one size fits all definition.

Your message depends on your market.

What's outrageous "hype" in one market is normal language in another.

Even going by the dictionary definition isn't all that useful from a practical point of view... just because you can prove something doesn't mean people won't see it as hype. Just look at the definitions people have given in this thread.

Part of the skill of a good copywriter is understanding the market and how they will respond to various claims.

Sometimes putting your biggest benefit in your headline is a response killer, simply because the market won't believe it. (Even if you prove it right below -- it's too late you've already lost them.)

That's where copy is like comedy... you've got to build to the punch line.

I can say "You'll Make A Million Dollars With This System" -- will that be seen as hype? Depends... if it's in the headline, maybe... if it's in the body copy half way down the page after building the proof and credibility, maybe not.

Hype is context dependent.

[Bob Monie]

To me Hype = The creation of excitement and intrigue.

In IM terms i would say Hype = Exaggerated Truth

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

I'm probably going to be blasted, but what the hell. The original request was not for a dictionary definition, and, anyway, I'm feeling ornery.

To me,

Hype (noun) is a sales skill. It can be learned and perfected.

To hype (verb) is to perform an act using that skill.

High quality hype results in high sales volume. It's a good skill to learn.



Michael

[jhongren]

Originally Posted by Michael Stuart Kelly

I'm probably going to be blasted, but what the hell. The original request was not for a dictionary definition, and, anyway, I'm feeling ornery.

To me,

Hype (noun) is a sales skill. It can be learned and perfected.

To hype (verb) is to perform an act using that skill.

High quality hype results in high sales volume. It's a good skill to learn.



Michael

Iphone was just released in Singapore a week ago and people camp overnight just to be first in the queue.

Is this considered hype which brings in high sales volume?

Cheers,
John

[Peter Bestel]

Hype - IM definition

A verb which is used to describe believable or unbelievable exaggeration
which purpose is to make a statement more attractive to the reader.

A subjective term, which, depending on context, author, subject matter
and readership, can have positive or negative connotations.

Use with caution!

• To be used only to the extent that your skills allow (requires testing and/or experience)

• To be used only to the extent that your readers will accept (requires testing and/or experience)

• To be used only to the extent which is appropriate to your product (requires testing and/or experience)

Peter

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Originally Posted by jhongren

Iphone was just released in Singapore a week ago and people camp overnight just to be first in the queue.

Is this considered hype which brings in high sales volume?

John,

In my conception, in this case it would be hype wedded to a great product that resulted in the overnight camping. Many great products are launched that flounder and this is usually due to not using any hype.

I don't know of any cases where people camped out overnight because of hype alone to buy a product that was pure garbage (but I bet there might be some). If such ever existed, I bet the run was short-lived.

I see hype as neither good nor bad. It can be used for either. Sort of like atomic energy. You can use atomic energy to light up a city or blow it up.

You can use hype to make a great product sell well or you and use it to rip people off. The moral decision is not in whether to use hype, but in what you want to use it for.

Can anyone honestly say they don't see hype when they turn on normal broadcast TV and watch the commercials? How about four strong handsome virile-looking dudes sitting in a recording studio singing out some serious heart-felt joy at discovering Viagra? The list goes on and on...



Michael

[JohnMcCabe]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Lots of personal definitions here, covering the range from "It's great" to "It's a guaranteed way to make sure I don't buy."

Here's the fun thing: There's absolutely nothing you can do with those in a functional way.

Some of the comments, like those saying that proof moves things from hype to acceptable, are useful. But how do you prove the proof? Isn't acceptance of digital proof just as dependent on whether someone is inclined to believe you as the tendency to judge something as 'hype' or not?

Keeping in mind that there will always be some fraction of your readers who react badly to some things, regardless of context, here's the second part of the challenge:

Define 'hype' in a way that's useful for someone preparing ads or ad copy. This has to be a working definition that provides some sort of guideline.

Or, tell us what specific things you ALWAYS see as 'hype.'


Paul

Not sure how workable it is, but here goes...

BS is making the product sound too good to be true.

Hype is making it sound too good to be doubted.

Like a great movie, you're perfectly willing to suspend judgment and submerge yourself in the story. You no longer care that it's just flickering light on a silver surface and some people reciting lines from a script.

Use it wrong, and no one will believe. Use it right, and no one will care.

[Paul Myers]

A working definition to consider:

Hype: Anything that tends to detract from the credibility of your message when presented to your target audience.


Paul

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

A working definition to consider:

Hype: Anything that tends to detract from the credibility of your message when presented to your target audience.


Paul

I like it...short, simple, to the point, and in my opinion, quite accurate.

Sure as hell beats mine.

So who wins????

[Paul Myers]

Steven,

So who wins????

Re-read the first post.

Next question: How would you go about applying that in a real world setting?


Paul

[TimGross]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Hype: Anything that tends to detract from the credibility of your message when presented to your target audience.

Nice... the "When presented to your target audience" is the crucial point there.
.

[Steven Wagenheim]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

Steven,Re-read the first post.

Next question: How would you go about applying that in a real world setting?


Paul

Paul, the key to applying it, in my opinion, is first understanding your target
audience.

For example, let's take the make money niche itself.

Let's say you have 2 lists. One is targeting brand new folks and the other is
targeting individuals who have a bit of experience and maybe even a
significant amount of success.

The newbie list is probably going to be more apt to "buy into" wild claims
because they don't know any better while the more seasoned list will
be quite skeptical of wild claims.

On the other hand, a seasoned list that IS having success may see
something like, "Make $4,000 in a week" and realize that it is quite possible
because they have already done this or at least close to it. But you
would probably have to show some concrete evidence that your "method"
does work.

Point is, you have to have some idea of who your target market is and
how you intend to approach them. It's okay to take guesses as long as
they're educated guesses and you track your results.

This is why testing is so critical. You put two versions of your sales letter
out there. One with the "hype" and another without or with less of it. See
which one performs better. Because in the final analysis, hype or not, the
only thing that matters is performance.

If you have the goods to back up the claims, you'll have fewer refunds and
happier customers.

[woah316]

hype is simply the feeling of anticipation!

[GrantFreeman]

"Next question: How would you go about applying that in a real world setting?

Paul"

1. TM research. Find out what the majority of your target market considers hype. I'd find that out by doing a search in forums where they go; doing keyword searches in those forums for words I think they might use to describe their feelings about the type of product I was selling.

2. Asking your target market questions in those forums to find their dislikes, likes, and other concerns. Then, apply those things as solutions to give them what they want, and show them how the product doesn't give them what they don't want.

Addition..

3. When it comes time to build your sales page, you'd only want to include images that support the web copy, and colors in those images that support it also (color psycology). The copy itself should speak in the language of your target market, as to best associate the feelings that match theirs.

Any claims should be backed up with proof. If it's money, show VIDEOS instead of images. Just make it real, and there really is no need to try and convince anyone of anything, unless there have been previous products that haven't lived up to promises that you've found from doing research.

In that case, I think a little more proof is needed. Maybe even backing it up with a more generous guarantee.

G

[Paul Myers]

Okay. NOW we're getting there. These are a good start.


Paul

PS: Grant... Nice 'swipe' on the title.

[Frank Donovan]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

A working definition to consider:

Hype: Anything that tends to detract from the credibility of your message when presented to your target audience.


Paul

Paul, this definition's too broad.

If I were to include language that my target group didn't identify with, or, for instance, if I used bad grammar in a sales letter promoting a writing course, my credibility would be shot - but not due to any hype on my part.

So just focusing on a loss of credibility isn't quite enough. We may have to consider the difference (if any) between credibility and believability.

Frank

[GrantFreeman]

Sorry Paul, I don't follow. Which title? Oh! Doh!

My brain's half-baked, and will feel extra crispy the rest of the week after reading your threads...


G

[Frank Donovan]

OK

HYPE: Any statement or claim that crosses the "believability line" of your target audience.

Frank

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Originally Posted by Paul Myers

A working definition to consider:

Hype: Anything that tends to detract from the credibility of your message when presented to your target audience.

Paul,

I'll consider it. What do you mean by "credibility of your message"?

Do you mean something someone can disagree with or something that does not sell?

I can go along with the first case. In the second case, there is a big fact honking at me that anyone can hear, too. Why does using hype almost always increase sales?

From your statement (if the second case was your meaning), I would expect the contrary. Lower credibility obviously means lower sales, but does using hype cause such decrease in credibility? I don't see it. I see the opposite result.

Maybe defining terms will help.

Michael