Copywriting Formulas -- "If all you have is a hammer..."

Great thread, Rick. My thanks to you.

The QUEST formula is devised by Michel Fortin.

To expand on the formula...

Qualify:
How will you qualify who the copy is for?
How will you disqualify those the copy is NOT for?

Understand:
How do you show empathy?
Allow the readers to identify with your copy/story

Use stories and examples to highlight the problem
Make the problem bigger and more intense

Educate
Introduce the solution
Build up your credibility
Go deep into benefits
Make the readers feel that help is at hand

Stimulate
Can you show that your solution is different, unique and more compelling than others?
How will your offer change their lives?
What will they stand to lose if they don't get your offer? Highlight the pain and fear if they lose out.

Transition
Make a powerful call-to-action
Explain to them they have to act now, not later (e.g. scarcity)
Summarize your offer
Requalify your readers and reiterate the "Big Promise"


Since copywriting is a lot about creating an emotional
impact on your readers, understand what motivates
them is extremely important.

Here are some compelling "mind motivators"
you can tap upon and exploit:

• Most people want to feel intelligent and important
• Most people like things that are new
• Most people like to stay in a clean environment
• Most people like to eat good food
• Most people want new information
• Most people will do anything to avoid feeling the pain
• Most people want to gain pleasure (e.g. sex)
• Most people want to get one up over others. Win!
• Most people want to be healthy and live longer
• Most people want to belong in an exclusive group
• Most people want to make more money
• Most people want their live to be easier
• Most people want to feel secure and safe
• Most people love to receive compliments
• Most people want to have their problems solved
• Most people want to make the people around them happy
• Most people want to learn how to overcome obstacles
• Most people hate to miss out on an opportunity
• Most pepole want to associate with others with similar interest

You will do well to bear these "weapon of influence" principles (Robert Ciadini's Psychology of Influence) in mind:

• Principle of Scarcity (people value things more if they are fewer in quantity. People hate losing out)

• Principle of Consensus (power of the crowd/social proof)

• Principle of liking (people are much more likely to buy if they can identify with you...and like you)

• Principle of Authority (People respect authority and listen to them. So show proof of your credibility and expertise)

• Principle of Consistency (People don't like to be seen as inconsistent. You can use this to your advantage by subtly guiding your prospect along to agree with your hooks/pointers that you place throughout your copy right up to the offer and call-to-action)

• Principle of Reciprocity (Give and you shall receive)

Remember:

Fear of loss is a much more stronger than the benefit of gain.

Frank Kern's Favorite Storyline Hook:

• Home town boy come good (from chump to champ)
• Reluctant Hero (Unwittingly become a hero despite inner desire to remain low profile)
• Us vs Them (A battle against others)

Does "Rocky" ring a bell?

The original Rocky got 3 Oscar nominations including "Best Picture".
And it has all 3 of the above mentioned elements in it.


Here's a checklist by John Forde I found immensely useful.

1) Package Description:

CARRIER ENVELOPE

[ * ] *Excellent
[ * ] *Good
[ * ] *Needs some improvement, but can be salvaged
[ * ] *Needs to be rewritten
[ * ] *Needs to be redesigned


Is there a strong teaser that effectively does these two things?:

(1) *The copy identifies and qualifies the prospect immediately.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No
[ * ] MAYBE

(2) *Gets him inside the envelope?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No
[ * ] MAYBE


THE LETTER

[ * ] Excellent
[ * ] Good
[ * ] Needs some improvement, but can be salvaged
[ * ] Needs to be rewritten
[ * ] Needs to be redesigned


Content:

The letter must contain the following in this general sequence--all done
strongly and effectively according to proven direct response methods:

A. * * *Does the superscript, or headline, compel the reader to go on?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No


B. * * *Does the headline give exciting news, make a promise, or offer a benefit?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. Should a superscript be used in this letter?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

D. Is there a strong lead sentence that picks up from the teaser or the
superscript? *Must start reader on the route to a sale.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

E. Opening paragraphs: *do they begin immediate development of the benefits
promised in the teaser? *Do they develop desire for the product/service? *Do
they show the reader how he will benefit specifically? *Or else do they compel
the prospect to read on?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

F. * * *Is the opening section mostly "flattering" and not critical?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

G. * * *Proof: *are all claims backed up by success stories, charts, figures, or a
track record or by testimonials, endorsements, etc., from satisfied customers
or acknowledged authorities?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

H. Are the "credentials" of the writer defined strongly enough that the letter
has authority and credibility?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

I. * * *Are all benefits brought out strongly? *(Product characteristics are
features. *What those features do for the customer are called benefits.)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

J. Is the prospect told he'll lose something if he doesn't act?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

K. If the product is new or unique, does the letter say so and state how it's
better?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

L. Is there reason given for an immediate response?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

M. Is the price justified? *Or are there equivalent tangibles listed to dramatize
the amount requested?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

N. * * *If a publication, is there a choice of subscriptions and terms?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

O. * * *Is there a money-back guarantee?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

P. * * *Is there a free premium or some incentive to bring quick action or a bigger
purchase?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

Q. * * *Strong summary: *Are the major benefits restated? *Have you answered all
questions and objectives?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

R. * * *Is there a reference to the order form or procedure that tells exactly what
you want the reader to do?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

S. * * *Credit card purchases and toll-free "800" number purchases increase
response up to 30%. *Are they offered?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

T. * * *Action: *Is the order/donation/action/asked for strongly and clearly?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

U. * * *Is there a P.S.? *Does it add a note of urgency, incentive, etc.?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

V. * * *Overall, has the entire presentation been directed to the toughest, hardest-
to-sell prospect, and NO STONE LEFT UNTURNED in order to get the job
done?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

II. * * TECHNIQUE

A. * * *Use the "you" attitude all the way through. *Talk about the reader, not you-
-his needs and problems from his perspective.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

B. * * *Is the "bucket brigade" used? *Use connectors that subtly lead from one
paragraph to the next: *"And, But, So you see, Of course, Better yet, As I
mentioned, Now here's the important part, And don't forget that, But that's not
all..."

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. * * *Does copy read smoothly? *Does it keep moving?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

D. * * *Is it in a sincere, first person singular, conversational idiom?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

E. * * *Is it in the reader's vernacular--the jargon of his field, sex, age, or other
psychographic limit?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

F. * * *Does the copy breathe enthusiasm? *Excitement? *Conviction? Like you
truly believe in what you're writing about?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

G. * * *Has the reader been recognized as a unique individual, and are his needs
and problems identified and solved by the end of the letter?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

H. * * *Does copy hold the reader's interest all the way through?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

III. Writing Style

A. * * *Punctuation--forget the rules! You're writing the "spoken" language for the
most direct effect. *Do you use punctuation for impact and clarity and not for
the sake of "grammatical correctness"?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No


B. Words

1. *Are there too may long words? *(About 65%-75% should be five letters or
fewer.)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

2. *Are they familiar, common words most used in ordinary conversation--
NOT pedantic, pretentious, or "business letter" English?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

3. *Do you use the active tense, not the passive?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

4. *Are there "word pictures"--metaphors, similes and analogies that make
concrete, emotionally stimulating images?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

5. *Is the verb-adjective ratio good--about three verbs to every adjective?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

6. *Is the writing fresh? *Does it avoid clichés?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. * * *Sentences:

1. Are most sentences under 20 words? *Fewer than 150 syllables long?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

2. Are they varied in length to lend rhythm and pace?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

3. Do the sentences flow logically--from subject to predicate to object? *Do
they read right the first time through--give the meaning you intended?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

Paragraphs

1. Are they six to seven lines maximum, but varied for visual appeal?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

First line indented?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No


3. Are whole paragraphs double-indented occasionally for emphasis and visual
appeal?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

IV. Appearance:

A. Placement on page: Ample borders all around?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

B. Subheads used for visual and strategic purposes? *(The ideal is to have your
subheads form a synopsis, in sequence, of your basic proposition or story.)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

C. * * *Underscoring: *Effective for emphasis, but use sparingly. *Overuse kills
the effect. Has underscoring been used effectively?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

D. * * *ALL CAPS: *Effective for emphasis, but unsparingly. Overuse is more
likely than with underscoring. Has ALL CAPS been used effectively?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

E. * * *Is there a second color and is it used well? *It increases response
substantially when used sparingly but wisely.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

F. Type: Use typewriter -- Don't typeset unless you use a type font that looks
very much like a typewriter. *Prestige, pica 72, ten point?, is preferred by the
many of the world's top direct mail letter writers.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

(JF Note: This was true when Kevin first made the list. Does it still apply?
You be the judge. If you were rewriting the question for online marketing, you
might substitute Verdana as the typeface.)

G. Are ragged right lines used (lines not justified at right end?)

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

H. * * *Bottom line of page--break sentence at a "leading" word when possible so
reader must turn page to get the meaning.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

I. * * *Is there a continuation note in the bottom-right corner (such as "please
turn...")?

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

V. * * *Specific Comments:

OVERALL EVALUATION OF INSERT

I. * * *Overall rating of your strategy, writing, design, pricing, and terms:

[ * ] 10 - Rare. *A landmark achievement.
[ * ] *9 - Outstanding. *Deserves a prize.
[ * ] *8 - Unusually good, top 5% of all copy.
[ * ] *7 - Good. *Reaches ordinary standards.
[ * ] *6 - Passable, with luck.
[ * ] *5 - Marginal value, may even lose money.
[ * ] *4 - Weak. *An almost certain money-loser.
[ * ] *3 - Very weak and unprofessional
[ * ] *2 - Awful.
[ * ] *1 - Offensive or illegal.

II. Your offer is clear as presented.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

III. *The pieces in your package complement each other in the right way.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

IV. You have separated yourself from the competition adequately.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

V. * * *Your product/service/publication/ministry is marketable through direct
mail.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

VI. You should also look into other direct response media like magazine ads,
radio, television, posters, fulfillment house stuffers, etc.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No

VII. *Your strategy, product, service or publication can and should be
improved before you continue marketing.

[ * ] Yes
[ * ] No


Jag