Tag: Copywriting

Learnings

Where economy is a necessity most people like to defy it.

Chris Labs

When silk shirts cost $15 they became so common among laboring men that other classes went to broadcloth. My experience on cosmetics prove that a low price on perfumes, etc., does not appeal to the girl who should economize. She demands what the “best people” use. Many people around me, working at small wages, consider cost far less than I do. Suggest a thingto them because it is economical and you arouse opposition. You hurt their pride. But direct your appeal to those who do not consider cost and they like to be included. -My life in advertising, p.111 Continue reading Where economy is a necessity most people like to defy it.

Copywriting

No advertising campaign can educate readers into a new habit profitably, none.

Chris Labs

No one can profitably change habits in paid prints. Instead, the advertiser comes in when those habits are changed. He says “Here is the right method”. Converting new users was a very expensive proposal. No new user would pay us in his lifetime the cost of his conversion. -My life in advertising, p.95 Continue reading No advertising campaign can educate readers into a new habit profitably, none.

Learnings

It is just as hard to sell at a half price as at a full price to people not converted.

Chris Labs

Instead, offer a free sample to those interested. Ask them to fill a request for a free sample. Ex: Inquiries for free samples may cost 25 cent each. Ask 10 cents for the samples, and the inquiries may cost you $1.25 or more. To gain that 10 cents you may be losing one dollar. -My life in advertising, p.94 Continue reading It is just as hard to sell at a half price as at a full price to people not converted.

Copywriting

“We Will Buy” is a much better headline than “10-Cent Cake Free”

Chris Labs

This plan has many advantages over a “free” offer. It is much more impressive, for one thing. There is a considerable difference in the psychological effect when you offer to buy an article for a woman to try, and pay the dealer his price for it,as compared with offering that article free to all. The “free” offer cheapens a product. There is a certain resistance when we ask people to afterward pay for a product which came to them first as a gift. -My life in advertising, p.85 Continue reading “We Will Buy” is a much better headline than “10-Cent Cake Free”

Copywriting

Show the trend, show what the crowds are doing.

Chris Labs

People are like sheep. They cannot judge values, nor can you and I. We judge things largely by others’ impressions. People follow styles and preferences. We rarely decide for ourselves, because we don’t know the facts. But when we see the crowds taking nay certain direction, we are much inclined to go with them. “I showed in my advertising how the crowds were going to Overland automobiles. I told how the demand had forced a bankrupt concern into solvency.” -My life in advertising, p.75 Continue reading Show the trend, show what the crowds are doing.

Copywriting

The advantage of making specific claims.

Chris Labs

Generalities make no more impression than water on a duck. To say. “Best in the world”, “cheapest in the long run”, etc. does not create conviction. But when we make specific and definite claims, when we state actual figures or facts, we indicate weighted and measure expressions. We are either telling the truth or a lie, people don’t expect you to lie. -My life in advertising, p.72 Continue reading The advantage of making specific claims.

Copywriting

Describe a gift, and some will decide that they want it, more will decide that they don’t. But everybody wants a secret gift.

Chris Labs

There are things to considerin such an offer. The gift must not be disappointing. It should be somewhat better than customers are led to expect. -My life in advertising, p.69 Continue reading Describe a gift, and some will decide that they want it, more will decide that they don’t. But everybody wants a secret gift.

Copywriting

Tell the same story that any rival could have told, but all others thought the story was too commonplace.

Chris Labs

In advertising Van Camp’s pork and beans, Claude told of their steam ovens where beans are baked for hours at 245 degrees. That is regular practice. They told how they boiled beans in soft water to eliminate the lime which make skins tough. -My life in advertising, p.66 Continue reading Tell the same story that any rival could have told, but all others thought the story was too commonplace.