Selling to the 15.87%

by jokerthief

Posted: 11 years ago 7 replies

COPY WRITING

Seth Godin talks about how almost all marketing sells to people of average intelligence and below--to the 84.13% that are below one standard deviation from the mean on an IQ distribution. If you were marketing a product exclusively to the 15.87%, how would that change your copy? What techniques that most copywriters use would you abandon? What techniques do you think are most important to selling to that very smart market?

#1587% #selling

CharismaticMannequin 11 years ago

I'd use bigger words.
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Steve The Copywriter 11 years ago

...well Dan Kennedy would say it really makes no difference.

One of his stories was - the "intelligent" audience still reads the National Enquirer - they just put it inside a copy of the Wall Street Journal so nobody sees.

But if any of the copy sounds a touch condescending to a "higher intelligence" audience I would change it.

Also as we write copy colloquially - use the words your target audience use.

Steve
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- GiantRumblebuffin 11 years ago
  
  Most intelligent people will flee the moment they see words in bold or
  
  ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS!!
  
  And yes, they find over-familiar language annoying - isn't that right? Me old mate, me old pal.
  
  Recently, I did a high-end coporate job aimed at directors of fortune 500 companies. To get the best results I lead with a story about a director who lost it all and then got it all back again by using the service on offer. This worked along the same lines as traditional copywriting only it was much more subtle.
  
  You will get the results you need when you can subtly influence your audience while providing solid evidence of the success of the product, in the right order.
  
  Good luck with you project
  
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highlander11 11 years ago

I think its more about a customer's specific understanding of that product/industry and not necessarily their overall intelligence. For example, I know very intelligent computer programmers who fall for fitness fads. In contrast, i know dumb jock type guys that would never buy into those fads. Someone with a lot of industry knowledge is going to be the toughest to sell to.

And to sell to them, I would suggest stroking their egos and don't claim to solve all the problems.
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copyassassin 11 years ago
Originally Posted by jokerthief

What techniques do you think are most important to selling to that very smart market?

Hammer in the following:
- Points of difference
- Efficiency
- Ease of impliementation (or little down time)
- Have a "done for you" service element
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johnrone 11 years ago

I don't think it matters whether the target market belongs to the 84.13% or 15.87%.
What matters is how you write your copy to get the attention of these types of people.
Just don't hold back and tell more about what you sell. Make it as personal as possible to be able to establish rapport to your prospects.
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- Jeremey 11 years ago
  
  What do smart people buy that dumb people don't?
  
  In other words, if you are marketing a product exclusively to above average IQ prospects, the product itself will likely dictate what your copy is going to be...
  
  The problems such "smart people" are looking to solve...
  
  I think no matter what the product or service is that you are selling, you're still going to have to sell the benefits of the product, how it can make people's lives better...Why they can't live without it, etc.
  
  "Smart" people buy dumb things ..."dumb" people buy smart things...I don't see the difference, really...
  
  (short version, I agree with Steve, LOL)...
  
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  Is Your Copy Jumpin', Jack?
  
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