The
line that every marketer should remember:
"I've got what you want." —
by Ivan Levison
A while ago, my wife mentioned
that we needed some distilled water for our steam iron.
Next
time I went to the supermarket I searched for this item and
finally came to the right shelf. Sitting there were some big
plastic jugs with labels that read:
"Distilled
Water Perfect for Steam Irons, Humidifiers, Wet-Cell Batteries,
and more!"
Bingo!
This was exactly what I needed for our iron and I grabbed a
gallon.
The
writer of the little label on the distilled water plastic jug
will never win a prize for creativity or be profiled in Ad Age
magazine. But they sure knew what they were doing!
By
explicitly stating "Perfect for Steam Irons, Humidifiers,
Wet-Cell Batteries, and more!" the writer was reassuring
people that they were buying the right product - the one that
would meet their specific needs.
Sure.
If the label had simply read "Distilled Water" I probably
would have bought it anyway. But the four little words "Perfect
for Steam Irons" made me feel 100% certain that I was getting
exactly the right thing. It closed the deal.
In
essence, the label was saying "We've got just what you
want," which are words that many marketers and copywriters
all too frequently forget.
Let's
get back to basics and think about this for a second . . .
If
you are trying to sell a product or a service to prospects,
you are instantly up against a tough challenge: You are asking
prospects to pay you money.
How do you get them to give it
to you?
By
convincing them that you can provide something they need or
want. Something that has real value.
As
a direct response copywriter, it's my view that the clear benefit
should appear right in the headline.
Here
are just a few examples of ways to say "I've got what you
want" right up front:
WRONG: Through the air, silently
it connects your world.
RIGHT:
At last! An affordable way to get Wi-Fi convenience for your
home!
WRONG: You can hold the future of profitability in your hands.
RIGHT:
Get your FREE Forrester Report now: "Enterprise Handheld
Apps Emerge"
WRONG: Are you as secure as you think you are?
RIGHT:
FREE guide for Senior Management: "How To Create A Security
Action Plan."
WRONG: If only Alexander Graham Bell could see this offer.
RIGHT: You could win a Nextel i2000
phone worth $399!
WRONG: Rx for security
RIGHT: How physicians can avoid
malpractice lawsuits -
The takeaway message this month?
Don't
make prospects wonder if your product or service is the right
one for them. Put your benefit where it really belongs.
Right
up front!
