Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?
It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by asking questions. Why? To evoke thoughts in your readers' minds, to stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way you want them to think. But have you ever thought about how you phrase your questions? Are you doing it in a way that will have the greatest impact on your readers or are you just throwing questions on a page?
Behaviorally speaking, not everybody responds in the same way to the same questions. Those with different communications styles will relate in a variety of ways depending on how you phrase your sentence.
Using the DISC Behavioral Profile, let me explain what I mean and show you how you can start asking the right questions in the right way to suit your customers.
D = Dominance
Those who fall in the Dominance category of the DISC profile are described as: in control, powerful, confident, visionaries, and risk takers. These people can be managers, CEOs, high-ranking military personnel, entrepreneurs, and the like.
Those who are considered high in Dominance want to stick to business. They expect the facts to be presented logically. They want presentations to be clear, specific, and to the point.
This group of people will respond better to specific "what" questions. For example, let's say we're developing a headline for an ultra-fast printer. You wouldn't want to write a headline that asks, "How Do You Cure a Need for Speed?" That question is vague; it's not specific, and it begins with the word "how."
CEOs, upper management, and others in this category aren't the least bit interested in "how" you do anything. They are visionaries. They look at the big picture, not the little details. Details are somebody else's job!
Instead, try rewriting that headline to include the word "what" and to be specific, like this: "What Cures a Need for Speed?"
You can see a similar relation in other behavioral styles (I, S, and C) and the types of questions people in each prefer.
I = Influence
Those high in Influence are generally found in the sales field or other fields that require a lot of people/social interaction. They move fast and want to focus on people-oriented tasks. They love to give their opinions and to be asked for their thoughts on a matter. They love to be the center of attention.
This group responds well to "feeling" questions. Not just about themselves, but also about others. For example: "Remember the excitement you felt when _____?" or "How would your child feel if _____?"
S = Steadiness
Those in the Steadiness group want to be seen as people - not a number. They appreciate logic, a touch of personal interaction, and they are detail-oriented. They are generally slow decision-makers and are not wild about taking unqualified risks. Those who fall into the Steadiness category make up 40% of the general population and come from all walks of life.
People high in steadiness would be likely to respond better to questions beginning with "how." Possibilities include "How many times have you wished ____?" or "How often do you ____?" They also respond well to questions that make them think, like "Is your copy getting results?" They'll likely want to know what you can do about it if the answer is "no."
C = Compliance
When describing someone who falls into the Compliance category, these phrases come to mind: critical thinker, prepared, quality-oriented, incredibly detailed, specific, and slow decision-maker. You'll generally find these types working as engineers, bankers, accountants, scientists, and the like.
Those high in Compliance will respond best to questions including statistics and questions that force them to look at all sides of an issue/problem. For example, "68% of All Drivers Pay Too Much for Auto Insurance. Are You?" Another idea is "Widget or Thingee? Which Makes the Most Sense?"
Phrasing your questions in a way that allows your target customers to relate only makes sense. When you hit a nerve - people will respond. Asking the right questions? in the right way? within your copy will get you one step closer to closing the sale.
Karon Thackston © 2004
About The Author
Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.
 Google News Updated : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:55:22 GMT Obama "puzzled" by Iraq comment frenzy - Reuters
Reuters - By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he ... Obama struggles to thread needle on Iraq Obama Refines the Blame on Iraq Miscue Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:08:23 GMT McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter - New York Times
New York Times - Mary Altaffer/AP By MARK LEIBOVICH LAS VEGAS —Senator John McCain was performing relatively smoothly as he unveiled his energy plan. McCain Campaign, in Relaunch, Seeks Tighter Message Focus McCain Campaign on Obama and Iraq Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:31:52 GMT Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Eliana Raszewski July 5 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina's lower house of congress approved the government's plan to increase taxes on exports of grains and oilseeds, risking a resumption of three months of strikes by farmers. Export Tax That Angers Farmers Advances in Argentina Argentina lawmakers approve farm export tax hike Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:41:30 GMT Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year ... Rural voters lean to the GOP Neither Obama nor McCain meets Energy Party standard Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:40:55 GMT Hippie Arrests Draw ACLU’s Attention - New York Times
New York Times - By AP CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union said on Saturday that it would investigate the actions of federal officers who had arrested five members of the Rainbow Family in western Wyoming during the group’s annual gathering. ACLU plans to investigate Rainbow Family treatment ACLU to investigate Rainbow Family treatment Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:40:38 GMT Ore. man completes flight of fancy _ in lawn chair - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - CAMBRIDGE, Idaho (AP) - Using his trusty BB gun to help him return to Earth, a 48-year-old gas station owner flew a lawn chair rigged with helium-filled balloons more than 200 miles across the Oregon desert Saturday, landing in a field in Idaho. Video: Ore. Man Uses Balloons and a Lawn Chair to Fly Believe it or not, he's lounging on air Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:50:31 GMT Smallest planet shrinks in size - BBC News
BBC News - The smallest planet in the Solar System has become even smaller, studies by the Messenger spacecraft have shown. Data from a flyby of Mercury in January 2008 show the planet has contracted by more than one mile (1.5km) in diameter over its history. First Results From Messenger's Mercury Flyby Mercury is shrinking, NASA craft finds; a cool clue: 'lobate scarps' Publ.Date : Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:45:26 GMT Website Traffic Promotion |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Think you can take the Copywriting Challenge on your own?... Read More Most of us have seen a heckler at a baseball... Read More If you write copy you need a swipe file. A... Read More Did you know that jobs writing about food are available?... Read More I want to tell you how I go about writing... Read More I like to use power phrases when writing sales material.... Read More Quality is what you need. What you don't have is... Read More It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by... Read More One of the least talked-about areas in copywriting education is... Read More The difference between good copy and great copy is the... Read More You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how... Read More Hi everyone,Been ruminating on this one for a little while... Read More I imagine you are the type of person who really... Read More About 50 years ago, movie serials kept theater crowds coming... Read More l. Introduce yourself to the editor of your local newspaper.... Read More In order to maximize your sales efforts and fully seize... Read More Get a Good Start for Sales SuccessThe headline to a... Read More About once a month I fly off somewhere to give... Read More In order to get ahead in your copy writing business,... Read More Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their... Read More If you find that your progress is blocked by a... Read More When you're writing or evaluating copy for a B to... Read More Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the... Read More While traditional marketing can work for the book author or... Read More WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a... Read More
Adsense
websites
11 Reasons Not to Hire a Freelance Copywriter (and Why Theyre All Poor Excuses)
How to Get Instant Attention
Crank Out More Articles More Often With An Article Swipe File
How To Find Freelance Jobs - Writing About Food
How To Write Powerful Headlines
Power Words And Phrases
How To Find Editing Services Online
Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?
How To Really Connect With Your Customer In Your Copywriting
Three Tips For Magnetizing Your Copy
Writing Benefit-Driven Web Copy ? 4 Steps to More Sales
Copywriting Secrets Of Indias Mystics
Sell Anything To Anyone On The Internet With Hypnotic Writing
How Cliffhanger Paragraphs Capture Readers
How to Write for a Paper or Magazine
Power Keys To Writing Power-Packed Marketing Copy
Sales Headline Copywriting ? Two Quick Steps to Success
Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less
Knowing Copywriting Basics - How To Get Ahead In Your Copy Writing Business
Why Copywriting Is The Secret To Your Online Success
Freelancers Can Jump-Start Your Publicity Initiative
Boost Your B to B Marketing Copy: 3 Major Copywriting Blunders and How to Correct Them
How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting
Online Promotion Beats Traditional Ten-One
Finding Your Clients Business Problem Leads to Better Copy
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Calls-To-Action: Making Them Fit Makes All the Difference
It was going so well, so what happened? Many copywriters... Read More
Why You Should Write To Inform And Not To Sell
Advertising is key! Unfortunately most people waste their money on... Read More
How To Write Direct Mail That Really, Really Works!
So, you have something you want to sell. It may... Read More
Knowing Copywriting Basics - How To Get Ahead In Your Copy Writing Business
In order to get ahead in your copy writing business,... Read More
5 Rules for Effective Written Sales Communications
Most salespeople have great ideas, but when it comes to... Read More
Copywriting Secrets Of Indias Mystics
Hi everyone,Been ruminating on this one for a little while... Read More
The Second Most Important Element of Your Ad... after the Headline
Hi {FIRSTNAME Friend},Next time you're flicking through your local newspaper,... Read More
How To Write Headlines That Get Attention
No doubt, the headline is the most important part of... Read More
Subtle Emotion - The Key To Copy That Works
Say the word "emotion" to a man, and he'll immediately... Read More
Prevent Procrastination With Positive Pressure
My wife and I recently bought a house.It's currently being... Read More
Ghostwriting: Your Questions Answered
Many people feel they have a story to tell or... Read More
How to Write a Sizzling Sales Letter, Part 1
When you sit down to write a sales letter to... Read More
The Lead: Sinking The Hook Into Your Prospect
You only have an instant to capture your prospect's attention.... Read More
What Is Persuasive Copywriting And How Can It Help Your Business?
Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers.... Read More
Top 3 Rules for Writing Effective Copy
One thing all successful Internet marketers have in common is... Read More
Headlines That Pull, Persuade and Propel!
When writing direct response copy, there are a few things... Read More
How to Start and Sustain a Career as a Freelance Writer
Have you wondered how you can make a career writing... Read More
Grammatical Mistakes DONT Sell
When you receive a sales letter with typos or grammar... Read More
A Writers Secrets
Every person has secrets that only he or she knows,... Read More
11 Reasons Not to Hire a Freelance Copywriter (and Why Theyre All Poor Excuses)
Think you can take the Copywriting Challenge on your own?... Read More
How to Build Benefits from Features Fast and Easy with the Solution Approach
Every salesperson and fledgling copywriter hears the harangue: DON'T SELL... Read More
Website Promotion: 10 Secret Motivational Triggers That Make People Buy
Unless you know the secret motivational secrets that make people... Read More
Copywriting Businesses - How You Can Get Started
Do you have the training and skills needed for copywriting?Are... Read More
On Copying and Stealing Designs
The notion on the great artist, Pablo Picasso's quote, "Bad... Read More
Top 8 Techniques - Secrets - Create Ad Copy For Your Business To Sky Rocket
Perhaps the most important benefit in the material that follows... Read More
Copywriting |