For marketers who strive tirelessly, despite failure and ignorance of marketing history. Pay attention: This article is for you. One of the most famous questions, posed in an advertisement written nearly a century ago by copywriting legend Maxwell Sackheim – Do you make these mistakes in English?
It was the title of the advertisement, offering boring language courses.
It worked well – made a lot of money – and the company that owned it continued to be successful 40 years on.
To be sure countless other headlines were checked, all with similar content, before a winner was discovered.
Another title reads: Did you make a mistake in English? In your mind it was certainly close enough to Maxwell's title, but it failed miserably, and so did the others.
Only when the seemingly useless word “this” is inserted will it be successful, which is exactly what direct marketing in the past did – and this is a lesson for direct marketers.
Of course, it takes effort to learn it, but most never try it. They just copy its form without understanding why it gives such good results.
Now you can even see titles change in countless ways:
- Did you make seven basic mistakes on your first date?
- Have you made a mistake in fulfilling your tax obligations?
- Do you do silly things whenever you compose your own manuscripts?
Etc
Blindly imitated headlines will actually work…at least for a short while (especially for consumers who don't go out often).
But with copied articles, it will quickly be discovered as an old, cliché, used, and uncreative offer that screams: Hey, look, this is an advertisement. mine!"
However the question remains…
Can a question be asked in an advertisement?
Some will object vehemently that the use of a question is not a starting point that gives any prospect of success
Some would argue vehemently that the use of questions has no prospect of success, a foretold disaster in copywriting.
Craig Huey, founder and president of Creative Direct Marketing Group, a direct advertising agency, and whom I have written many articles about. (He also honestly rejected a series of manuscripts I submitted.)
However, the question is a tool, and as with any tool, any writing strategy or tactic, if the question is not formulated and applied with due care, it really can cause more harm than good.
Well, if you're a direct marketer, a tester, you can accurately measure how much damage a bad question will cause...or how much a good question will change the situation.
The secret to building a well-structured, well-functioning, money-making quiz.
For Max Sackheim, the secret spices in his writings are the intrigue-provoking subtexts, both of which are missing in the sentence “Are you making mistakes in English?”
That question fails because it's just a yes or no question – and yes or no questions like that are hardly asked in business writing.
Why? Because both yes and no answers effectively end the dialogue you're trying to build with the reader:
- If the answer to the question – especially your title question – is no, the reader will assume there is no further reason to continue reading your article. In other words, you asked, I answered, and now goodbye.
- Likewise, if the answer is yes, the reader will respond with seriousness: Yes, then what? (and again people go)
Why the word “this”?
By including the word “this” in his title, Sackheim prevents readers from answering yes or no.
And because the reader didn't know what "these errors" were, they had to keep reading to find out. And that is the key to the success of the ad.
Because the first goal of any business article from the title to the content is to urge readers to continue reading. Otherwise, how will you get another chance to prove your product's value – and get orders?
Never give the reader time to think about your answer
This is very dangerous – for you, the marketer
You want to do all the thinking and coming up with answers. You always want to control the conversation and draw conclusions!
For example, if you ask a question without hinting or overtly, the answer will only be revealed upon further reading, like these questions:
- How many times a day do you dream of becoming rich?
- When will you finally tell your boss to do the work and change it?
- How much money did you lose in stocks last year?
In effect you are asking the reader to temporarily forget your ad and look for the question elsewhere (perhaps in their own thoughts and reflections or in some document in the attic).
In any event, if they are confused, you will lose their attention, you will break the connection.
For an advertisement to be successful, it must never be set aside. It must be read in its entirety, attracting full attention, increasing interest and inspiring passion.
But there are exceptions to all the rules…
For once, the answer advances the conversation between you and the customer – and doesn't end it.
Now this is quite an advanced material (so don't try it at home, you might hurt yourself…)
However, if you can ask a question – in fact, many questions – in a way that you know and want, the answer is always “yes”…then you will lead the reader by making them happily accept it. Get your arguments and arguments – and ultimately your suggestions.
I will explain…
If your question is more or less rhetorical – that is, you and the reader know the answer is yes, like these questions…
- You also know Big Pharma has the FDA in its wallet, right?
- Are you unable to use more than $10,000 – tax free – in your bank account starting tomorrow?
- Would you like to be the boss and never have to answer to anyone twice – while doubling your income?
You're actually positioning yourself as your reader's good friend, their wisdom, generosity, and support.
In any situation, you agree with them and encourage them to agree with you. You are supporting them, confirming their deeply held beliefs or suspicions, and you will overthrow your opponents!
You're connected!
And the more answers there are from them to your “leading” questions and to your similarly curated content, the more inclined they will be to you with just a slight push of yours. habit if nothing else to say “yes” when you “ask” them to open their wallet and give you their payment card number.
Barry Densa
