Everything comes back to marketing. Even the most mundane things.
Like this morning while I was driving. Passed two female cyclists who were riding on the far right side of the right lane.
They were where they should have been... except... they were riding side by side!
I know it's nice to talk while cycling (I'm a cyclist myself), but riding side by side on any road—and hanging your butt over the line for speeding SUVs—is pure lunacy. It's a quick way to get yourself killed.
Then I got to thinking. In a lot of ways, writing sales copy is the same way. There are certain inviolable rules that will "get you there" safely. Violate them, and you won't survive long.
Next time you write an advertisement or a sales letter and are tempted to "get creative"—to omit or violate fundamental advertising rules—remember this little story. It'll keep you alive and kicking.
Playing it safe in copywriting won't get you into too much trouble, and may even produce productive results. However sometimes you need to break the rules to break away from the rest of the pack. The best copy takes you to the very brink of where you lose consciousness, than pulls you back to safety at the last minute. Your so thankful, that you will then buy.
Posted by: George Sepich | July 14, 2006 at 05:09 PM
I agree with you George. Sometimes you need to break the rules. But would you ever write an ad in which you did not get attention or include a call to action?
Posted by: Ryan Healy | July 18, 2006 at 09:09 AM