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Finding the hook - What are your methods?

by Mike Hill
6 replies
What are your methods for finding a good hook within a product, service or market? Do you even have a method for doing this or do you just wing it?

I remember reading about John Carlton who interviews his clients and finds the hook from that. At least that's how he found the hook for the One-Legged Golfer.
#finding #hook #methods
  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    The one-legged golfer is sort of a curiosity-driven thing,
    which is appropriate for a hobby market. It's an interesting
    story and a grand headline and story, but it's also sort of
    a lightening-in-the-bottle copywriting situation.

    Sure, try to learn all about the product and write as many
    "fascinations" as you can come up with about it. One of
    these fascinations may emerge as the basis for a strong
    headline appeal.

    Also, Carlton and Robert Collier used the term "hook" differently,
    at least to my reading.

    Generally, I search for the "dominant resident emotion" - the
    strongest emotional problem that prospects have on the issue
    the product promises to fix. In the case of sucking at golf,
    it may be frustration and maybe feelings of inferiority to peers.

    In financial and health matters frustration and fear of decline
    are common ones.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Hill
      Originally Posted by Loren Woirhaye View Post

      The one-legged golfer is sort of a curiosity-driven thing,
      which is appropriate for a hobby market. It's an interesting
      story and a grand headline and story, but it's also sort of
      a lightening-in-the-bottle copywriting situation.

      Sure, try to learn all about the product and write as many
      "fascinations" as you can come up with about it. One of
      these fascinations may emerge as the basis for a strong
      headline appeal.

      Also, Carlton and Robert Collier used the term "hook" differently,
      at least to my reading.

      Generally, I search for the "dominant resident emotion" - the
      strongest emotional problem that prospects have on the issue
      the product promises to fix. In the case of sucking at golf,
      it may be frustration and maybe feelings of inferiority to peers.

      In financial and health matters frustration and fear of decline
      are common ones.
      Loren,

      Thanks for contributing your insight to my question. The "Dominant resident emotion" is a good way of looking at it and now I can relate to what the "hook" is meant to be.

      Would you agree that the "hook" is really an emotional attachment to a reader that will stand up and say "me too"? Or in the way of the one-legged golfer headline where people reading that would think "If a one-legged golfer can do that then surely even my game could be improved".
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      • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
        Originally Posted by Mike Hill View Post

        Loren,

        Thanks for contributing your insight to my question. The "Dominant resident emotion" is a good way of looking at it and now I can relate to what the "hook" is meant to be.

        Would you agree that the "hook" is really an emotional attachment to a reader that will stand up and say "me too"? Or in the way of the one-legged golfer headline where people reading that would think "If a one-legged golfer can do that then surely even my game could be improved".
        Well, my reading of the golfer letter is that the man had extraordinary
        skill and balance from having one leg. I think the appeal of the
        headline is curiosity about the golf-related story, not the idea that
        a one-legged golfer should suck at golf but this guy didn't because
        he knew something special.

        Another similar example is the Claude Hopkins story about the bar
        under the grand pianos that starts doing its job after after about
        50 years.

        This way of looking at the "hook" was that it gets the reader involved
        in the story of the sales letter.

        To Collier, the "hook" was the element at the close of the letter which
        clinches the sale and gets the order on the spot - some element
        of urgency added to the interest and general desire elicited in
        the prior sections of the letter.

        The Carlton-style storytelling "hook" is great if you can find it,
        but if you can't it doesn't mean the letter can't sell.
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        • Profile picture of the author fasteasysuccess
          The hook can have the emotion in it, but mostly it's the big idea or story that leads people in so they just got to read it...like the one legged golfer. That was his angle for that story.

          Captures attention and attracts them into your copy with an amazing story or something they are so curious about and need to read to know what this is all about or what unknown thing is the person revealing, and so on.

          Basically, the angle or big idea or amazing thing of the product or service your creating copy around or for.

          Research and questions will get you the unique hook. Just like you said with John Carlton interviewing clients. If you get a great hook, people will remember it for a long time like the one- legged golfer ad.

          And travlinguy... I already wrote that Charlie Sheen report in my newsletter-lol
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          • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
            Originally Posted by fasteasysuccess View Post

            The hook can have the emotion in it, but mostly it's the big idea or story that leads people in so they just got to read it...like the one legged golfer. That was his angle for that story.
            You're right. My post was a bit underdeveloped. I think the strongest emotion relevant to the audience and the product itself is the starting point in locating the hook.

            Greed, or the desire for wealth along with vanity was it for Rich Jerk. The obnoxious approach was the hook.

            A headline or concept written as paradox can make a good angle for a letter too. I'm using one now with this: Overcome Procrastination Without Really Trying. People say, hmmm... how can that be?

            Another one that stands and has been around for a while is, find the typos in this letter and get... I forget what they got but it was a discount or coupon towards the purchase of the upsell.

            Maybe 101 classic hooks would make a good special report for the copywriter's market.
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Fear, greed, envy, pride, vanity, laziness, lust, security...

    All basic emotions. Figure out which one is likely to be dominant with your audience and you've probably got your hook. It always comes back to knowing who you're writing for.

    Once you identify your hook, then visualize someone like that either from personal experience or maybe a celebrity. Charlie Sheen might be one who fits them all except for maybe laziness and security. (I know, his real issue is likely to be insecurity but he's not accepting that at the moment) So in a case like his you'll want to speak to the most dominant one.

    Maybe someone could write a copywriting report on "The Many Hooks Of coocoo Charlie" Good luck.
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