As
a former Microsoft employee, I’d
say that it was:
-
by
hiring smart people
-
by
building a marketing juggernaut
Microsoft doesn’t necessarily
offer the best products (just
ask any Apple enthusiast!), but
they are unbeatable in
marketing.
The good news is that although
not everyone is "BillG",
fortunately anyone can
emulate BillG's formula for
success.
So, what’s the secret of
success?
Experts agree that people
don’t just buy products or
services, they buy "feeling" and
"ideas". The buying decision
may be justified using
reasoning, but it’s made based
on emotions. Some marketing
gurus even claim that you can
use subconscious
"psychological triggers" to
get people to buy your product.
So, ultimately, words sell
your product.
But which words?
You want to plant mental
images in your readers' minds
that make them react positively
to your proposition.
How do you do this? A good way
is through hypnotic writing*:
"Hypnotic writing is
intentionally using words to
guide people into a focused
mental state where they are
inclined to buy your product
or service.”
Hypnotic selling is a form of
waking hypnosis. It is a trance
state where you are wide awake
but focused on something you are
reading.
Hypnotic Writing achieves this
state by the right use of
words to create mental
experiences. In other words, you
get people fully focused on your
website, brochure or sales
letter, and your Hypnotic
Writing leads them to take
action.
Are you ready to see some
hypnotic selling in action?
Below is a picture of a massage pen.
It’s a regular pen – it writes –
and the tip of it also has a
massaging head on it. Press it
against your skin and you get a
massage. I know that isn’t much
to go on, but how would you
write a paragraph to sell this
pen?
Try jotting down a few ideas
yourself, if you like…
Now, here is how one website
describes the massage pen:
Product Description:
The unique metal ball-point pen
with built in massage.
-
Rugged metal construction
-
Attractive design
-
Patented massage function
-
Replaceable ink refills
-
Batteries included
Well, is that Hypnotic
Writing?
I
don’t think so.
It’s got the facts, but it
doesn’t have any reason, or
benefit, for you to care about
the facts. Result: Boredom.
Now, here is how the lively
copywriters over at
Stupid.com describe the
exact same massage pen:
IMAGINE you had a
teensy-weensy masseuse to
carry around in your shirt
pocket. Any time you
desired, you could order
your mini-masseuse to soothe
your tired muscles and rub
away your tensions. Now
imagine this tiny masseuse
had a pen sticking out of
his head and ran on
batteries.
Well, you’re not likely
to come across a miniature,
pen-headed masseuse -- but
here’s the next best thing.
Introducing the world’s
first MASSAGING PEN!
Is that Hypnotic Writing?
You bet!
Would using Hypnotic sales copy
like that improve your results?
Why do you think the “stupid”
sales copy was hypnotic?
Here are some reasons:
-
Use of the word “Imagine”
(proven to improve results).
-
It
talks about benefits rather than
just features (people want a
hole in the wall, not a drill).
-
It
uses a powerful metaphor, your
own “mini-masseuse”, to create
an attractive mental image.
-
Sets up expectations (the
mini-masseuse) and then shows
how they can be met (the “next
best thing” – the massaging
pen).
-
Shows that it’s unique (“you’re
not likely to come across…”)
-
It
lets the user be in-control
(“anytime you desired, you could
order…”)
-
Describes the benefits in a
non-technical way
Hypnotic Writing and Software
“But is Hypnotic Writing
relevant to technical products
such as software?” you may ask.
Absolutely!
The buyers of software are still
people. They experience the same
emotions as everyone else on the
planet. And even technical
buyers buy based on emotions.
The only difference between
selling technical products and
selling non-technical products
is that it’s more difficult to
make the leap from technology
and features to benefits and
convincing copy. Why is it so
difficult?
Because you need to understand
both sides of the "great
divide": the
product/technology AND the
market/users. In my career, I’ve
met very few people who
understand both of these, even
fewer who can translate features
into compelling benefits, and
still fewer who can write
hypnotic copy.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if you
could find someone who could do
all this and help you increase
your sales?
Well, I don’t know whether
you’ll be quite as successful as
BillG, but you can certainly
emulate his success. Contact me
today for a free,
no-obligation consultation.
Here’s to your success!
Yours sincerely,
Paul Arinaga
