12 replies
So the client has an excellent product.

It might not have been - but we've made sure it is (or there’s no point in writing about it).

Then we normally bang on about the big benefits and sell, sell and sell.

Of course we’re avoiding any “hype”

But often as not it’ll still come across as a “pitch”

One way around it is – be negative.

I know you’re shocked, stunned and horrified.

But look at this example.


Lets say you’re trying to flog a copywriting course to a hungry market.

The usual way is - “Work 3 Hours A Day. Anywhere In The World. Writing Amazing Ads. Making You And The Clients Stacks Of Money”

More or less – like the copy for every other course on the planet.

But…

If you try something like - “The Case Against Copywriting”

You’ll grab so much more attention.

You’ll go on to say – Bad copywriting costs everyone lots of money. Copywriting must work or everyone loses. Make sure you get the right copywriting course – then prove beyond a doubt that yours is the best.


You can do this "negativity" with any product or service.

You’ll definitely stand head and shoulders above the clutter of all the other Ads.

And you might just find that the response is rather good.

Steve
#negative
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
    Banned
    I was trying to touch on this point with my Hot Potatoes thread, was just leading upto the point Steve. When...

    Some bloomin' mod came along and in his infinite wisdom (trust me for thinking too far outside of the box lol) and moved the bloomin' thing over to the Off Topic forum. The pain in the bloomin' neck. Mark grins.

    It went something like this...

    Thread title... Hot Potatoes

    Ooh ah ee ow bloody hell that's one hot potatoe.

    I drop it quickly...









    ...splat! Add butter.

    If you don't want to reply to this thread please tell me why below...

    *****

    Reverse psychology of course. Simply to put the reader off kilter. Catch them on the hop. Intrigued. Curious. Trying to fathom where the line of reasoning is/was going.

    A hot potatoe (British spelling) makes a prospect feel obligated to take some kind of action in response to a (in this case a direct response ad contained in a mail shot) pitch.

    Admittedly, 'add butter' had nothing to do with anything. Well, not much anyway. This was was simply a switch to flick off the conscious mind ready for the next line which intentionally was a contradiction in terms speaking directly to the unconscious mind.

    Purely to see who would answer and in what way and from such supplied answers construct the lesson to answer the questions in their replies they were inadvertently asking from the subconscious mind.

    Sometimes talking in opposites has this effect. Although moving the thread was for even for me a bit of a surprise, not entirely the response I was looking for. I was unprepared for such dramatic results. And kind of left high and dry, scuppered even, left flailing around out my depth trying to explain the point to the wrong intended audience to the guys in the Off Topic forum.

    I don't think they got it lol.

    Mind you, I've now so lost myself, I'm not too sure I understand it either anymore lol.

    The great fun about writing / copywriting in English is that you can write something which on the surface does seem to make perfect sense but reading between the lines... a whole different written communication language is going on.

    You can write on the surface one thing to effect your target audience emotionally one way whilst at exactly the same time... use the hidden language and psychology within your words to say something else altogether to another audience. Exclude the surface dwellers and drill down to the meat and the real substance below.

    Great fun to be had.

    Read between the lines above, grab a mirror, hold it up to the type and see if you can find the mirror image wording / command which reads perfectly well backwards as it does forwards.

    See?

    It's easy.

    Best,


    Mark Andrews
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  • Profile picture of the author The Marketeer
    Yes good point.

    People are so used to the same old "Me Too" type language being used. (As Alan Sugar would put it)

    A new well thought of angle would stand out above the rest.
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      There's an example of a "negative" or polarizing post in the mobile forum with
      this headline...

      "If Mobile Sites Are So Hot, Why Is It That Nobody Wants One?"

      Naturally, putting a cat amongst the pidgeons like that,
      it's going to get a lot of attention, which it has.

      Best,
      Ewen
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    • Profile picture of the author Grain
      I agree on most points raised. Negativity
      is great, but let us look at it more
      retrospectively and practically.

      This stems from the stimulus of contrast.
      The more something stands out, the
      more it will attract attention from the
      crowd. With the sea of "positivity" in
      markets in the form of sales pitches,
      this form normally works... Eg,

      Vitamin hoaxes,
      Politics,
      Cigarette ads in the 80s,
      Taxes,
      Bonds...

      So I agree, it's a good attention attractor.
      Signature

      Kind Regards,
      Grain.

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  • Profile picture of the author dennis09
    Ive been using this type of approach on my affiliate sites the past few months and sales have definitely increased. I love this approach because you come off as different and fresh.
    Signature
    There is no elevator to success, you have to take the stairs
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  • Profile picture of the author icegin
    Interesting approach. I can see why this would draw in more attention -- people are always searching for reasons why a product/service/strategy/whatever doesn't work.
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    • Profile picture of the author Grain
      If you dip your hand in cold water
      after hot water, everyone knows
      that you'll feel especially cold...

      ... And probably yank your arm
      out of that bucket. But think
      about it this way...

      If you leave your hand in the cold
      water too long, you turn it numb.

      It's the same with sales pitches.

      If everyone turns negative, it isn't
      effective for the repetitively
      pitched prospects.

      For instance, the google panda and
      slap has been repeated like a holy
      mantra.. To the point that almost
      anyone recognizes it as the
      "enemy."

      Depending on the market, you
      either choose the side of the
      sith or jedi. It's just like
      schwartz expressed..

      Expand on the working
      mechanism until the market is
      sick and tired of it.

      Otherwise, use a new mechanism to
      bring back the old promise.

      It really depends on the climate
      before you drop the 'negative'
      bomb.

      Sometimes, positive works.
      Signature

      Kind Regards,
      Grain.

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  • Profile picture of the author Themelis Cuiper
    Thanks Steve, I like it NEGATIVE is the new positive :-)
    wrote 2 pieces today on a product review for a customer
    a positive +
    a what could go negative but is "A OK with us" piece
    starting with sentences putting in presumptions and then set the product as the
    saving solution to the problem we all agree to be pesky.

    most people expect...
    normally You would...
    everybody knows...
    What has always been a regular...
    In today's economy it could happen...
    You know it can not be...

    the negative was unexpected refreshing from the expected positive.


    10
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    Originally Posted by Steve Copywriter View Post

    You'll go on to say - Bad copywriting costs everyone lots of money. Copywriting must work or everyone loses. Make sure you get the right copywriting course - then prove beyond a doubt that yours is the best.
    Great example of taking prospects through a gauntlet of emotions.

    You're not belaboring the issue...

    ...just acknowledging it,

    then establishing you're the authority and have the solution.
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  • Profile picture of the author markpocock
    Now you're talking about the Stages of Awareness and Sophistication
    of your prospect a la Gene Schwartz
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    Get a FREE 20 minute consultation on your sales letter. Contact me today
    And have the secrets A-List Copywriters - David Garfinkel & Parris Lampropoulos
    use in their multimillion dollar promotions
    www.markpocock.com

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