[Previous entry: "The Curtain is Going up on a New Play --- The Age of the Woman is Dawning."] [Next entry: "Does a Name Matter Anymore? And Can Perky People Really Be in Journalism?"]

04/05/2006: "Hard Sell or Soft Sell --- Which is Best? Remember, People Don't Want to Be Sold, They Want to Buy."

Copywriter Bob Bly is having an interesting discussion on his blog about the hard sell? The question? Does hard sell still work on the web?

I've used both hard sell and soft sell. And I've discovered that in today's market what works best is simple honesty. Now honesty is not always pleasant. It doesn't always sound nice. But it does sound honest because it is. And today's consumer seems to like honesty in just about any flavor.

I've also found as I've gotten older that it's easier for me to be honest. I don't really have to impress anyone anymore. Not that I ever tried all that hard. But what I try to do in my own marketing is simply to tell the truth in a reasonable way. I know sales psychology and I understand what makes people buy.

But I also know that today's consumer is jaded. They're sick of all the crap in advertising. They may fall for something one time. But they won't be back for seconds. The truth is the best way to market your product or service.

Forget the loud headlines. When you go to most of the highest paid copywriter's Web sites you'll notice they either don't have a headline or they have a very modest one. Visit Bob Bly's site or Michael Fortin's site. Visit the sites of Ivan Levison and Gary Hennerberg. You won't see any loud headlines. You won't see any boasts really. Oh Gary does say, "Our Direct Marketing Campaigns Have Outperformed Controls by Over 60%." That could be considered a boast. I'd rather see a "you" headline than a "me" headline. But it's a good headline. And Gary knows what he's doing. He's a fine copywriter.

Perhaps the most famous headline ever written was written by famous advertising man John Caples who was elected into the Copywriters Hall of Fame in 1973. Caples wrote this now famous head:

This was a "me" headline but very soft sell. People love stories and Caples was introducing a story. This type of head still works today and probably always will.

While we're on the subject of headlines --- if you'd like to have a swipe file of business-getting published headlines check this headline swipe file out. Get your own copy.

So what's the bottom line? Marketers are free to sell any way they choose. And you should use the type of copy that works best for you. But a word of warning --- loud headlines that boast and promise the moon may cost you lots of sales. Use them with caution.

People want to buy. They don't want to be sold.