Any copywriter could have told you that...

5 replies
Research published in the American Journal of Health Promotion showed that advertisements telling smokers why to quit are more effective than ads telling them how to quit.

In fact, even briefly seeing ads telling you why to quit can get some smokers to quit within a single month.

(You can read about it here.)

Of course, any copywriter could have told you that people need to understand the "why" of any decision before they'll act.

Prospects don't care how your offer works, until they understand why they need it.
#copywriter #told
  • Profile picture of the author Ross Bowring
    I get your point, but some markets are looking for a "mechanism" (how) first and foremost, and then you remind them why they need it!

    --- Ross
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    • Profile picture of the author Benjamin Farthing
      Pretty sure I see what you mean, but you could give me an example of when you'd focus on the "how" instead of the "why"?
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      • Profile picture of the author Mario Castelli
        Sophisticated markets require unique solutions.

        Ex: weight loss.

        Most people buying diets are already aware they need to lose weight.

        Chances are, they've already been trying to lose the weight and failed. So they're looking for that unique solution that's going to finally work for them.

        So you have to come up with a believable mechanism.

        There's still a WHY component to it. But instead of answering WHY they should lose weight (which they already know)...

        You have to answer WHY what you're offering is going to finally work for them (when everything else they've tried has let them down.)
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  • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
    Originally Posted by Benjamin Farthing View Post

    Research published in the American Journal of Health Promotion showed that advertisements telling smokers why to quit are more effective than ads telling them how to quit.

    In fact, even briefly seeing ads telling you why to quit can get some smokers to quit within a single month.
    This fly's in the face of neuroscientists who did brain wave tests on smokers.

    They showed graphic images of people who were in a real mess as a result of smoking.

    The part of the brain which controls the urge to smoke responded with
    a craving for another cig.

    It seemed to remind smokers of their built in craving/addiction.

    Best,
    Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author misterme
    To bolster the copy, instead of why vs how, how about writing why they need your how?
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