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Some people like hype copy,
while others prefer cold copy. Some people like short copy,
while others prefer long. Some people drama, stories and
testimonials. Others data, statistics and facts.
Does it all matter?
Absolutely.
What makes one style of copy
more favorable than another? Why does one person buy from one
type of copy and not from another?
The style you choose will not
appeal to everyone. It never will. Even some of the
best ads miss the mark with at least half of their target
audience.
You may have heard me say
this before. Trying to be all things to all people is a
death knell for most businesses. By trying to be all things to
all people, you must paint your copy with broad brushstrokes
in order to appeal to everyone.
Similarly, ads crafted so as
not to offend anyone will be counterproductive. It may even
backfire. Why? Because the more you try not to offend anyone,
the more generic you become with your copy. And the more
generic you are, the the more your copy will be disconnected
from your audience.
In other words, to your
prospect, you appear as if you DON'T understand
them, and that your copy DOESN'T cater to their
specific, individual needs, goals, concerns, budget and unique
set of circumstances.
Thus, you alienate most of
your market that way.
Sure, you may avoid offending
a minority. But now you inadvertently offend the majority --
perhaps in a subtle, indirect or unconscious way -- because
you appear as if you simply don't care.
You see, ads are distinctive.
They're alive. They like pieces of art.
Each one has a certain
personality. And no matter what you do, that personality may
attract some people and repulse others at the same time.
Instead, appeal to the
majority, even to the detriment of the minority. It's not just
because they're conducive to the greatest results but also
because they offer more than just information. They
also present that information in a way that is favored by the
majority of your target audience.
Instead, it's best to cater
to one predominant market, i.e., one predominant buyer
personality. That way, your information is presented in a way
that the market feels the copy is centered on them. And them
alone.
Different People Prefer Different Things.
Over the years, many
psychologists and behavioral scientists have categorized
personality styles. They may have labeled them differently,
but the methodology is essentially the same.
A personality style is
defined by a person's assertiveness and responsiveness level.
One of the more popular models -- and perhaps the best one for
copywriting purposes -- lists 4 such styles:
- High assertive, low
responsive
- High assertive, high
responsive
- Low assertive, low
responsive
- Low assertive, high
responsive
Is this some kind of new
science? Not at all.
Around 400 BC, Hippocrates,
in his book "Air, Water And Places," dubbed these 4
personality types Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Choleric and
Melancholic. In more recent years, behavioral scientist and
sales psychologist Dr. Tony Alessandra labels them Directors,
Socializers, Relaters and Thinkers.
But the most common labels
given to them are: Driver, Expressive, Analytical and Amiable.
Here's a chart of how this looks like in the form of a
quadrant:
(Screenshot from a DVD video at
http://CopyOnFire.com/.)
Your Market Will
Predominantly Fall Into 1 Or 2 Personality Styles.
Of course, with all things
being equal.
Your audience may not
necessarily and precisely fit into a single, neat personality
category, and your entire market may not fit one specific
style. Keep in mind that the keyword here is "predominant."
But depending on your
product, your industry, and both demographics and
psychographics of your target audience, it is safe to say that
the majority of them will likely demonstrate one particular
style more than any other.
To give you an idea, here's a
brief look at them:
Drivers are concerned with
RESULTS.
They are practical, impatient
and time-sensitive. A Driver is a person who usually is more
concerned with the bottom-line. For example, they want to know
how long will it take to get your product, what kind of
results they can expect and, of course, how much does it cost.
Bankers, sales managers,
purchasing agents, businesspeople, corporate executives and so
on are typically Drivers. They don't care how to get from
point "A" to point "B." They just want to know if you can get
to point "B."
Everything else is
irrelevant. So give them the bottom line.
Analyticals are
preoccupied with DETAILS.
They don't care much about
results. They're far more interested in the facts of your
product. They might want to know what is its exact size, where
and of what is it made, what are the ingredients, what are the
features, what kind of guarantees do you offer with it, and
what, precisely, makes it work.
Scientists, developers,
mathematicians, engineers, computer programmers, doctors and
so on are mainly Analyticals. They want specifications. They
want facts. They want statistics. They want data. The more,
the merrier.
They prefer cold, hard
information rather than hyperbole and stories.
Expressives care most
about PERCEPTIONS.
Status and approval are
important to Expressives. How they perceive things and how
other people perceive them take precedence. They are mostly
impulsive, colorful, ego-centric, undisciplined and
spontaneous.
Actors, teachers, musicians,
artists, art lovers, graphic designers, directors, comedians,
etc fall in the Expressive category. As an example, they're
the ones who buy mostly for the sake of prestige of
ownership, or to boost their standing in their
communities, their organizations or their peer groups.
(For instance, Expressives
are the types who intentionally park their brand new luxury
car on the street so that the neighbors can see them.)
Ultimately, tell them how
your product will make them look good.
Amiables are interested in
FEELINGS.
They are emotional, caring
and humanistic. They are normally those who deal with the
public and care deeply about the relationships they hold. How
your product will help others and strengthen the relationships
they maintain with them will be of utmost importance to
Amiables.
It's not uncommon for
Amiables to hold careers as salespeople, home-based business
owners, entrepreneurs, social workers, human resource
personnel and so on. If your product can solve a problem,
that's good. But if it can help your prospect to solve a
problem they have with others, that's even better.
With Amiables, use
testimonials, stories and analogies. A lot.
How Do You Appeal to Your Buyer's
Personality?
For instance, avoid lacing
your copy with feelings and emotions when your audience,
comprised mostly of Analyticals, wants specifics. Be objective
and factual, and refrain from hyperbole or drama.
While an Analytical will
never have enough information, don't drown your visitors with
needless details when they consist of Drivers. Be quick, pithy
and straight to the point when dealing with these practical
buyers.
However, be sensitive and
friendly when pitching to Amiables. Use stories, case studies
and testimonials. Use hyperbole and focus on feelings. Take
your time with them. Be warm and interactive.
For Expressives, talk about
how the product will get others to compliment them. Or focus
on how the product will make others around them cringe in
horror, turn green with envy or even be humiliated.
Here's a real-life scenario.
A patient visits a dentist
for an initial consultation.
During the meeting, the
Analytical will be preoccupied mostly with the details of
dental work. Knowing precisely how much freezing will be
applied, which specific teeth (and parts thereof) will be
repaired and what kind of filling will be used are of enormous
interest to him.
On the other hand, a Driver
will want to know how long the procedure takes, how fast can
he return to work after the procedure and how much it costs.
But for the Amiable, they are
mostly concerned with pain that such a procedure might incur,
their happiness with their new look, and their ability to
please their spouse, friends or boss with their improved
appearance.
The Expressive, however, will
be mostly interested with how good do their new teeth look,
how their teeth changes their appearance, how natural are they
going to be and how attractive the procedure is going to make
them.
But What If My Market Consists Of
More Than One?
Your market will fit into one
predominant category, and one more than any other. And
depending on your type of industry and product, the style of
your message should chiefly appeal to that one specific style.
But what if your market
consists of strong, identifiably different groups? In other
words, what if you have more than one predominant personality
type in your target audience? If so, I submit that you can
have a different ad or salesletter directed at each different
market.
It's market segmentation,
pure and simple. Even if it’s the same product.
For instance, a clever
entrepreneur can take a product, package it, price it and sell
it in 2 different ways to 2 different audiences on 2 different
websites — and thus maximize sales from all potential market
segments. Oftentimes, even creating their own competition.
(Take, for instance,
AudioGenerator.com
versus
InstantAudio.com.)
About the Author
Michel Fortin is a
direct response copywriter, author, speaker and consultant.
His specialty are long copy sales letters and websites. Watch
him rewrite copy on video each month, and get tips and tested
conversion strategies proven to boost response in his
membership site at
http://TheCopyDoctor.com/
today.
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