Comments on: The Astonishing Power of Fear

By: Today's Popular News In copywriter Community: Mr Huddle

Today's Popular News In copywriter Community: Mr Huddle — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:18 +0000

Best topics in copywriter for 2009-11-13…

Best topics in copywriter for 2009-11-13…

By: Allan

Allan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:13:08 +0000

I’m just to Afraid to leave a comment now

By: Jeremy Reeves

Jeremy Reeves — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:31:39 +0000

Great post Clayton, and something that definitely hits home with me!

I was actually writing something for my business the other day, got done with it and re-read what I just wrote.

Then I thought…wait…I’m selling them on the fact that they shouldn’t even BUY this service at all - let alone from me!

And I promptly got to re-writing it

Jeremy Reeves
http://www.ControlBeatingCopy.com

By: Walter Daniels

Walter Daniels — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:47:58 +0000

I believe that the answer to using the fear/benefit model is to be honest with the writing. Use honesty to establish trust, then tell them about the danger. Being honest about the dangers (don’t hype it more than necessary, or you lose trust). Having given the reader the scare, use the established trust to tell them about solution and why/where/how to solve the fear.
Use honesty at every step, and you can’t go wrong. Be fake, or partly honest at any time, and lose everything.

By: Kerry Atma

Kerry Atma — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:38:59 +0000

As someone who is setting out to put a positive, fun angle on our response to global warming your article put the spot light on why environmental websites are full of factual - and dire - information, but evoke the “too far away” or frozen with fear (except for my mouse finger - get me outa here) response.

I admit that as the lights apparently go out on 15-30% of the earth’s species I don’t feel even a shiver of fear - it doesn’t appear to be striking in my back yard - yet. Still I do feel motivated to do something.

Clayton, your Give 90 Days and I’ll Help You… copy for the Health & Healing brilliantly used fear - amongst other emotions - to move millions to get off their arses and do something positive for their health. If distance prevents the use of fear for the health of our planet copy - what are the buttons to push?

By: Yoav

Yoav — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:26:49 +0000

Eloquent and insightful as ever

I wish I had the writing muscles to implement this in my copy

By: Christopher Colvin

Christopher Colvin — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:49:10 +0000

I appreciate this article. I just purchased Quick-Start and am devouring it. I’ll be printing this article, punching it and placing it in the binder too.

Now my biggest fear -> 2012. I wonder how the Mayans knew Obama would be up for re-election?

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:21:31 +0000

Well I guess you’ve scared us all about using fear in our copy!

And I had to run to the Wiki to find out a couple of your slang words - always good to expand my vocabulary!

(lam and keesters)

All The Best Clayton

Alex

By: ken ca|houn

ken ca|houn — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:53:56 +0000

Clayton, excellent points on the various types of fear copy blunders to avoid; I hadn’t thought about it with that degree of specificity, your points all make a lot of sense; thanks. I’ll be sure to use that as a mental checklist when using fear-avoidance type bullets and body copy, to avoid paralyzing/distant/new fears; and reposition so the hero/product solves current fears, while amplifying and providing alternatives/solution w/the product benefits. Thanks for a super article as always.

-Ken

By: john payne

john payne — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:41:51 +0000

Wow. I was just thinking about this topic and I checked my email and there it was, a beautiful solution to my questions about how to use fear in my copy. what I find really interesting is the relationship of fear to gain, Thanks clayton