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Pressure Copy: How Far Is Too Far?

by trafficwave
10 replies
Hi, Folks.

Let's talk about some of the tactics used by copywriters to create a fear of loss, a sense of urgency, perceived scarcity, etc... all those tactics used to apply a little pressure.

This is just my perspective and I'm sharing it to get the ball rolling as I would like to hear from some other marketers and copy writers on this topic.

I understand the need to create a sense of urgency for the reader. We want them to take action. But where is the line for you?

From my perspective, it's one thing to remind the reader of the possibility of ongoing pain, fear, etc... that would or could continue if they don't buy your product, information, or service.

IRS Resolution services are great at it. They really push that fear button. The IRS/Taxes are still in the top 5 for "most feared" by humans.

Debt Resolution companies are great at it, too. They are good at reminding you of the pain caused by over extended debt, collection calls, etc...

Investment Planning services are a good example. They tap in to that fear or "I may not have enough to retire".

Acne lotions and potions are great at reminding teenagers that they don't want to be made fun of or embarrassed.

The Hair Club for Men is another good example.

These are what I would call examples of creating (or emphasizing) a fear of loss or pain without crossing over into a lack of integrity. The fear or pain is very real to the folks that are being marketed to.

But ... when I see copy that says things like, "I don't know how much longer I can keep this offer available. Once 'they' find out what I'm doing, I may have to pull this site down!"

Or ... "I may have to raise the price! I'm crazy to sell it this cheap!"

Or ... "If you don't forward this to at least 10 friends, you'll get sick or your house will burn down or your wife will leave you or your dog will eat your cat (Hey... that might not be so bad!)"

I just roll my eyes and ask, "Do people really fall for this stuff?" Then I hit "Delete".

And for the record:

I'm a very healthy guy.
My house didn't burn down.
My wife hasn't left me.
And my dog hasn't eaten my cat (yet ... but I'm hopeful).

So where do you come in on the scale? How far is too far? Is there such a thing as "too far"? Does it matter as long as you get the sale?
#copy #pressure
  • Profile picture of the author Kyle Tully
    For me it comes down to the truth.

    If I really am thinking of raising the price, I'll mention it.

    If the price is definitely going to be raised, I'll hammer the point -- and then, shock horror... actually raise it!

    "Perceived scarcity" is no where near as powerful as actual scarcity. Rather than carefully wording things to make it sound like the product is scarce, why not actually add a scarcity element to the product. e.g. A limited bonus. Or definite product limits, with numbered products reminding you that you got number 325/500.

    But if there really is a "they" -- like a business partner, girlfriend, or other group of people -- and there really is a chance I'll pull an offer because of "them", then assuming it fits with the story/angle of the letter I wouldn't hesitate to mention "them."
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    • Profile picture of the author zapseo
      Would second Kyle's point.

      I don't think urgency creates the difference in people's desire to buy, only in their desire to buy NOW.

      But there are lots of ways to create urgency that are quite legitimate. The failure of people writing copy to come up with legitimate scarcity is somewhat surprising to me.

      People say that you can make 1000s of copies of a digital product.

      This is true.

      But every sale has a certain overhead. It may be slight, but there's still an overhead. If I have 10,000 sales and I need to find one particular sale for some customer support reason, it's still not as easy to track down as if I had only one.

      Live Joyfully!

      Judy Kettenhofen, Profit Strategist/Copywriter
      NextDay Copy
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      • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
        You've hit on a key to writing truly persuasive copy...being believable.

        Just like you most people have pretty good BS detectors and ridiculous limited offers are usually perceived as crap.

        There is a simple way to be believable that may not be in fashion....it's called telling the truth.

        The key to really good copywriting is to dig out the facts about a product and service and why your prospect needs to buy it now...how he will gain...what he will lose.

        And tell him that in the copy.

        Truth and credibility are becoming many times more important online as internet marketing matures and the ability of people to share information with each other effectively explodes.

        Kindest regards,
        Andrew Cavanagh
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        • Profile picture of the author zapseo
          It has made me cringe to read people who say that ALL copy is overhyped and lies.

          That you can't be a copywriter unless you write hype.

          That if you are a copywriter, you are a liar and dishonest.

          I certainly understand why some people make those statements.

          But it certainly saddens me.

          And it is definitely NOT the sort of copy I'm interested in writing.

          OTOH -- it gives me a great thrill to write for a product that I believe really can make a difference in people's lives.

          And those products defniitely exist.

          And it's harder to get them into people's hands, the people who could really benefit from them.

          People who promote and sell shoddy products are not simply robbing the buyers of the money for the product, but also robbing them of trust and imposing an opportunity cost on them.

          They make me angry. Stealing trust.

          Is is REALLY that hard to find quality products to sell? Seriously?
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          • Profile picture of the author Dean Dhuli
            I totally agree with what Kyle has said.

            If you say you're going to increase price or remove a bonus tomorrow, then do it!

            That way if any of your prospects is having second thoughts about getting the product,
            he will see that you're not lying and buy it immediately.

            On the other hand, if the "tomorrow" never comes and the prospect sees the same message day after day, you'll lose not just an order but also your credibility.

            I see this all the time on sales pages with those automated countdown timers.
            When you visit the site the first time, it says '13 hrs 12 min remaining'.

            If you close the site and open it again in a new page after an hour, you see the same
            '13 hrs 12 min remaining' message again.
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            • Profile picture of the author trafficwave
              Originally Posted by Dean Dhuli View Post

              I see this all the time on sales pages with those automated countdown timers.
              When you visit the site the first time, it says '13 hrs 12 min remaining'.

              If you close the site and open it again in a new page after an hour, you see the same
              '13 hrs 12 min remaining' message again.
              Yes ... and that is where the problem is for me, as well. If you're going to tell us the offer expires at a certain time... YANK IT!

              From my perspective, the guy that pushed the limit and then missed the offer is probably going to pay more attention next time and be more motivated.

              But these guys that threaten with bogus pressure just destroy their credibility. They can only draw from that well so many times before it dries up.
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          • Profile picture of the author Yogagirl
            Originally Posted by zapseo View Post

            It has made me cringe to read people who say that ALL copy is overhyped and lies.

            That you can't be a copywriter unless you write hype.

            That if you are a copywriter, you are a liar and dishonest.

            I certainly understand why some people make those statements.

            But it certainly saddens me.

            And it is definitely NOT the sort of copy I'm interested in writing.

            OTOH -- it gives me a great thrill to write for a product that I believe really can make a difference in people's lives.

            And those products defniitely exist.

            And it's harder to get them into people's hands, the people who could really benefit from them.

            People who promote and sell shoddy products are not simply robbing the buyers of the money for the product, but also robbing them of trust and imposing an opportunity cost on them.

            They make me angry. Stealing trust.

            Is is REALLY that hard to find quality products to sell? Seriously?
            I absolutely agree. There are a lot of shoddy products out there, and a lot of shysters who are selling these products for a fast buck.

            It's one thing to agitate the problem and offer a solution to the problem, but I have issues with these crazed scare tactics and the "if you don't buy this now, you're going to have 20 years of bad luck" type emails, etc.

            I think it comes down to your ethics and your own limits. If you're willing to sell your soul, then that's your decision. I'm with Zapseo--I'm not going to sell out and write copy for an unethical business/company, person or shoddy product.

            Ethics are huge for me. I was ripped off by this shady PR woman who skipped town and owed me $1,000 for contract work I did for one of her clients. This was years ago but it always sticks in my mind as a hard lesson learned. Not everyone out there works with a strong business ethic (or any ethics at ALL!)
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            • Profile picture of the author Joseph Ratliff
              Remember also...at this particular moment, we are glancing at a hypothetical sales letter with objective eyes, from the outside.

              If the marketer has done their job and targeted you, with an offer (offer being the most important part in my opinion) that hits you at the right time in your life...

              Then the copywriter only has to write copy that reaches you, at that moment...and the letter won't seem like "hype", but rather seems like a perfectly timed offer, and a little "push" to buy now.

              Your feeling of that letter is much different, than if you are simply being objective "from the outside."
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      • Profile picture of the author trafficwave
        Originally Posted by zapseo View Post

        Would second Kyle's point.
        But there are lots of ways to create urgency that are quite legitimate. The failure of people writing copy to come up with legitimate scarcity is somewhat surprising to me.
        I couldn't agree more. If your offer helps to solve a problem, alleviate a fear, etc... you can create urgency and/or apply a little pressure by simply pointing out and reinforcing those legitimate issues.
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        TrafficWave.net Email Marketing AutoResponders
        Email Marketing Blog

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  • Profile picture of the author CopyMonster
    Originally Posted by trafficwave View Post


    So where do you come in on the scale? How far is too far? Is there such a thing as "too far"? Does it matter as long as you get the sale?
    Not sure why this matters...

    Isn't it about the prospect/customer?

    I would go as far as saying your feelings don't really count in the sales situation. The only feelings that should matter are those of the target reader. Assuming your goal is to get a valid benefit into a customer's hands sometimes that extra push is what it takes.

    Then again, if that tactic (or any tactic for that matter) results in lower conversions and profit and you're delivering real value, then the potential customer has lost as much as you have, likely more.

    Ethics question ultimately lies in the value of the product/offer and benefits promised. No real value, then no matter how 'non-pressured' the sales communications is, it lies near the low end of the ethics scale (at least from my perspective).

    Just 2 cents
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    Scary good...
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