The next time you turn on your word processor, keep in mind the three immutable laws of human behavior when it comes to reading copy:
People never read.
People never believe.
People never do.
But don’t worry, there are solutions for these laws: pull them in, prove your case and push them to act.
First, you need to pull them in – a bang-up headline on a print ad, an audio and video clip on your Web site’s landing page, pop-ups on the Web, or even just pens stuck to your direct mail pieces – with whatever you’ve got in your arsenal.
After you’ve grabbed their attention, it’s now time to prove your case with ample proof. You can do this by telling a detailed story, providing an amazing anecdote or by including an image, such as someone perched on their new Mercedes Benz.
Now you’ve set the stage and it’s time to push them to act. Now is not the time to wimp out and fail to ask for the order.
For instance, “I don’t have the time” is one of the most common objections you’ll hear, so make sure your call to action is dire – get them to act immediately. Don’t think that asking them to bookmark your page and visit later will suffice. It’s the same as with closing sales face to face, always ask for the order immediately after your presentation.
Your information will never be more vivid and poignant in their mind than right then. Without repetition, our short-term memory cache loses information at exponential rates, so immediate action is always best in the sales world!
Next in this series: Captain Hook.
This post is the fifth in a series of excerpts from OneCoach CEO John Assaraf’s interview with direct response copywriter Michel Fortin. See his Web site here: http://www.michelfortin.com/. Members of the OneCoach Business Growth Network have unlimited access to this and hundreds of other interviews with world-class thought leaders.
