Do you ever make statements in your copy that prospects don’t believe?
There is nothing that sticks out more like a sore thumb to the reader than an outrageous claim that is not backed by one single iota of proof.
For instance, I was writing a salesletter to sell subscriptions to a magazine covering the defense industry.
When I asked the subscription manager what made their product different, she said, “We aren’t usually the first to report on a story…TV, newspapers, and the Internet all beat us to the punch, since we are a monthly…but we analyze and interpret the news so our readers can make better decisions based on what the facts really mean.”
“That’s fascinating,” I replied, scribbling eagerly. “Can you give me an example?”
Her reply: dead silence.
Imagine: the USP (unique selling proposition) was that this publication analyzed military events more accurately and in depth so military people could make better strategic decisions based on this analysis.
And no one at the publication could give me a single example to prove it!
Finally, we did get a story…just one story…and it was a beauty.
One of their editors analyzed a photo from a battle that had been published in the newspapers, and was able to correctly identify the model of tank in the picture—something the newspapers had gotten wrong.
Why did this matter? Turns out, it was an inferior model of tank. The editor explained, “By knowing that a ‘cheap’ tank had been deployed, we knew the enemy did not consider this a strategically important area…or else he would have deployed premium tanks there. The enemy’s strategy was revealed, and our readers could plan accordingly.”
Can you imagine claiming that you could help a general plan victory in battle…or help people get better jobs…or help companies reduce their insurance costs…without producing even one good story or example to prove it?
Sounds absurd, but dozens of promotions I see do just that.
Often, these promotions have no proof for their major claim because the marketer has never bothered to collect it.
And if you’re going to aggressively market your product through the mail or online, collecting such proof from satisfied customers should be your #1 priority.
It’s easy to do: First, figure out the claim you want to prove or demonstrate, e.g. “XYZ is the only product that does [Benefit] for [Audience] by [Method].”
Then, send a simple letter or form to your customers. Ask them: “Has our product [XYZ] ever helped you achieve [Benefit] by [Method]? We are looking for success stories from customers like you. If you have a success story to share with us, please summarize it below and send this form back to us. If we use your story in our marketing, you will receive a free [NAME OF GIFT].”
Offer a nice gift in the $50 to $100 price range to anyone whose story you use. This will be sufficient to motivate people to take the time to think about your product and relay the story of how it helped them.
Do this until you have, ideally, 12 really good stories you can use. Then use them as follows:
1. In an ad, lead-generating letter, or e-mail, you can build your copy around a single compelling story.
2. In a traditional direct mail package with a multi-page letter, pack your letter with proof. Tell three of the stories in detail, and 3 to 6 more in summary.
4. Reprint them as a group of testimonials on a single printed sheet you mail in your sales literature or post on your website.
The bottom line: the more thoroughly you demonstrate how your product delivers a particular benefit in a unique fashion, and prove it has done, the more effective your marketing will be.
Bob Bly is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets” and has written copy for more than 100 companies including IBM, Boardroom, Medical Economics and AT&T. He is the author of more than 75 books and a columnist for Target Marketing, Early To Rise and The Writer. McGraw-Hill calls him “America’s top copywriter”.