Posted by: John Newtson
June 9, 2007
Issue #147

A Weird Lesson About Logic and Proof in Sales Copy

"Alcohol, the cause of and
solution to all of life's problems"
– Homer Simpson

• What’s more important than credibility? These days it’s heresy to suggest proof is secondary to anything in copy. But top writer Arthur Johnson (gaggles of massive controls, gaggles I say!) says THIS is even more important …
• Theory, Schmeory! Let’s apply copywriting techniques to something important, like – Why I should drink more beer…
• Drink More Beer, Succeed Faster: The Swedish study your bartender can’t wait for you to find out about…
• And much, MUCH MORE!

Dear Business Builder,

Let’s start with a profound fact of life:

A herd of zebras only moves as fast as the slowest zebra. And it’s the slowest, weakest zebras that predators catch and kill. This is good for the herd because it means they can move faster and have less disease.

It’s called survival of the fittest.

In the same way excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest, weakest brain cells first.

And that’s why the regular consumption of beer eliminates weaker brain cells, making the brain faster and more efficient.

You’re actually smarter after a few beers.

Okay, okay – so maybe that’s NOT true. But it illustrates a powerful point…

If I want to buy something
– I'l invent good reasons to buy it if I have to

But if you’re doing your job in your sales promotions you won’t force me to invent reasons – you’ll give me actual reasons.

Sales logic and proof are critical factors in making your promotions work. Even if people WANT to buy – they need to JUSTIFY their decision.

But hearing the theory isn’t nearly as powerful a learning tool as seeing these techniques in action.

So let’s see if we can come up with good reasons someone, such as myself, might want to drink more beer. And more importantly, good reasons I can tell my wife as to why I SHOULD have a beer.

Maybe I should be drinking more beer because it reduces my risks of:

• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Dementia
• Diabetes

A study conducted by Dr. Henk Hendricks, and his team of Dutch researchers at the TNO Food Research institute, found drinking four glasses of beer a day caused a 30% increase in vitamin B6 in men’s blood streams!

B6 prevents your body from building up high levels of homocysteine. And do you know what high levels of homocysteine are associated with? You betcha! Heart disease, stroke, dementia and diabetes!

The World Health Organization’s findings reveal why drinking more beer may be the most critical thing I do. Beer drinking actually has powerful benefits:

• Cuts Your Risk of Heart Attack in HALF! Dangerously high homocysteine levels increases your risk of a heart attack by 50%. B6 from beer keeps your levels down.
• Beer Could Save 500,000 Lives a Year! 32 million heart attacks and strokes occur globally each year with 12.5 million resulting in death. 40% of deaths due to stroke were associated with high homocysteine levels!
• Fends Off Alzheimer’s: 9.9 million folks suffer from Alzheimer’s disease worldwide – 5 million in the U.S. alone. And a homocysteine level above 14µmol/L plasma amplifies your risk of getting it by 150%!!

The benefits keep piling up…and who doesn’t like an MD to deliver the good news…

"Three Beers a Day Keeps
Coronary Heart Disease at Bay!"

"The majority of more recent large population-based studies have observed that moderate drinking in the range of one to three drinks daily is associated with a 30-40 percent lower rate of coronary heart disease compared to non-drinking,"

– Dr. Margo Denke, Associate professor of medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

Dr. Denke conducted clinical research on the health effects of beer in particular. The conclusion: moderate consumption of beer can lower heart disease and stroke.

Now sharing the MECHANISM of why something works is a powerful credibility element so here’s how beer fights heart disease and stroke:

• Increases HDL (good cholesterol) …
• Acts as a blood thinner so reduces the risk of coronary thrombosis (heart attack) …
• Lowers insulin levels which are great for non-diabetics because it reduces the chances of your arteries hardening …

Now, because I’m writing an article I don’t have to worry about 1) compliance, so I’m running fast and loose for health copy 2) I’m not spending a boatload of time researching these (every fact in this article is the result of 5 minutes of Googling).

But let’s keep moving.

Lack of Beer and Underachievement:
The link they've been HIDING from you!

Drinking beer isn’t normally associated with successful behavior but maybe it should be.

Because elevated homocysteine levels have another terrible side effect. A Swedish study of teenagers suggested high homocysteine levels had lower grades in their 10 core subjects in school.

My lack of beer has a direct impact on achievement and neuro-cognitive function!

Let's slow down and take a different route:
Maybe I should talk about other surprising benefits
of drinking beer – like, say, the spiritual benefits?

Do you know what the first miracle Jesus performed in the Bible? He turned water into wine at a wedding!

A great theologian once explained the significance:

"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!"

Alcohol even cures ‘Zen Sickness!’ Zen sickness is an extremely advanced phenomenon in meditation – hardly more than a handful of people in any generation are even QUALIFIED to get to the stage where the problem might occur.

When Han Shan, a Zen master of yore (yes, yore) achieved a profound state of concentration he glanced down at a book and it hit him.

It was like a dam bursting. Thoughts went wild, gushing from him and he wrote 30 poems in a matter of minutes – the torrent of words and thoughts wouldn’t stop. The only way to cure Zen sickness is to go to sleep – the problem is because of the onrushing thoughts, you can’t sleep.

Enter alcohol. The official ‘prescribed’ cure for getting to sleep even when your mind is running all over the place.

I know! So many things are starting to make sense to me now…

Using social proof from famous folks:

I’m a complicated man. And the roles I like to play in life include being classically suave, a tough-as-nails, no-nonsense kind of guy and just fun to be around.

So even though I might not admit it in public, when people who ooze one of those qualities behaves in a certain way – I want to adopt that behavior to further act out that role in my life.

So I might be subtly influence by testimonials like:

‘I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.‘ - Frank Sinatra

‘An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools’ – Ernest Hemingway

'Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.' -Dave Barry

What Other Great Men of History
Had to Say About Beer

Testimonials are important, right? Even better if they're from 3rd party authorities:

 ‘He was a wise man who invented beer.’
– Plato, Father of Western Philosophy, Beer Aficionado

‘Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.’
– Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the U.S., Diplomat, Scientist, National Hero, Really Cool Cat

‘We old folks have to find our cushions and pillows in our tankards. Strong beer is the milk of the old’
– Martin Luther, Theologian, Reformer

‘I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer.’
– Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America

Look at all the Proof, Credibility and 'Reason Why'
I've gathered without even getting to talking
about a specific product

Notice I’m not even talking about a specific beer yet (there are so many great ones, how would I choose!). But I’ve still managed to gather a ton of third-party endorsements facts and figures to strengthen my case.

In every market there is a mountain of proof and credibility you can bring to the table that has no direct link to your company or product.

And when you weave them into your copy you start to do more then just hard-sell your product – you start to tap into one of the most powerful sales techniques in the world…

… lean in close, this is a biggie…

You set up the CONDITIONS for the sale. By creating an environment in which it’s easier for your prospect to jump on your offer.

This is a deep subject we’ll address further another time. Now…

Is there anything more important
than credibility in Sales Copy?

Depends who you ask. But one copywriter who has mammoth controls in multiple markets right now thinks there is.

Arthur Johnson is doing phenomenal stuff for all kinds of major mailers. And he said in his interview with Clayton last year that if he had to choose between credibility and interest – he’d choose interest any day of the week.

So telling people something new and interesting is a powerful attention getting device. And just rehashing the same old information wears thin in any market over time.

And if you can make reading your promotion a little exciting and fun – even better! Because it makes people want to read it. And the more folks who read it – the higher your response will be.

The next time you’re tossing back a few brews
with your buddies, which of these points
will you bring up?

• Why drinking beer could save your life by protecting you from heart attack and stroke …
• Why drinking beer might just keep dementia at bay and you out of the nursing home …
• Why the shortest path to heaven may just be through an open keg …
• Why not drinking beer is an obstacle to your success …
• And why tough, suave funny guys are beer drinkers …
• And do you see how this little bulleted list is just a summary of primary benefits that you use to remind folks of everything they’re getting when you’re closing the sale?

In the financial newsletter markets one of the underlying benefits of subscribing is that hardcore investors like to ‘be in the know.’ They like to have insights and secrets they can share in conversation – they want to be the guru!

So putting ‘cocktail chatter’ worthy insights into your copy increases readership.

Now this is all tongue and cheek and alcohol is not a joking matter for lots of folks. So my apologies if I offended you.

But isn’t this a more fun way to think about copywriting?

In truth the bulleted list to sum-up this issue should be:

• Remember to give your prospects good, actual reasons to buy …
• Dig up the most unexpected reasons you can – don’t rehash the same ole’ stuff they see everywhere else …
• Spell out additional benefits you normally don’t associate with your product …
• Pay attention to how you can use 3rd party testimonials to advance your sales argument…Think about the roles your prospect wants to play in life and find ways to make buying your product a way for them to act out those roles.

And see, I didn’t even get into positioning your product, structuring your offer or closing the sale. Oh crap! I didn’t even talk about headlines, opening copy or getting your prospects emotionally involved.

Ah well, maybe I’ll have to do an issue on getting folks emotionally involved in going to the dentist.

Until then, have fun and don’t drink TOO much. Moderation is the key, and moderation translates into 1-3 beers a day for men, and HALF that for women.

To your faster success,

John Newtson
Editor, Life in the Fast Lane
THE TOTAL PACKAGE

Looking for resources related to this article? Try some of these.

Looking for more of John’s articles? Check these out.

Looking for past issues of The Total Package? Click here for our archives.

Want to share or reprint this article? Feel free. Just give us full attribution and a link to our Home Page when you do.

Attribution Statement: This article was first published in The Total Package. To sign-up to receive your own FREE subscription to The Total Package and claim four FREE money making e-books go to www.makepeacetotalpackage.com.

Related posts

• Web Bums, Beggars and Deadbeats
• You Ask I Answer Part One
• The Simple Secret That Turns Good Copy Into GREAT Copy
• How to Choose the Most Powerful Format For Your Next Direct Mail Promotion
• Making An Impression: How to Train Your Customer to Memorize Messages that Make the Sale

---

8 Comments »

1. Comment by John C. A. Manley — June 9, 2007 @ 10:47 am

   Interest Over Credibility: That got me interested.

   Of course, you\’re not denying one should supplant the other. Though it sounds like interest should come first.

   I get far too many DM pieces that put crediblity first, and it really does nothing to get my interest.

   When my interest first, then prove to me your deserve it.

   Thanks for the great article (from a non-drinking, yet unoffended, Canadian).

   John

2. Comment by Beverly Reany — June 9, 2007 @ 2:13 pm

   :grin I loved the stuff about
   the beer. Can Clayton convince
   his wife that all of this scientific info is true. What about the testimonials.
   Bev

3. Comment by David Wilding — June 9, 2007 @ 3:59 pm

   Instinctively I tell a story to create interest. I just often have so much fun with the story I don\’t spend enough time on the \”cred\”.

   Great article…
   read while stone sober

4. Comment by Caleb Osborne — June 9, 2007 @ 6:11 pm

   Maybe it\’s because I\’ve just finished half a bottle of wine…

   Maybe it\’s because I\’m about to start on a handle of Jim Beam…

   And Maybe it\’s because I\’ve already publicly proclaimed my interest in marrying you and having all your babies…

   BUT – I think it\’s because you\’re a damned genius when it comes to writing Sales Copy that I find this one of the most convincing AND interesting/entertaining articles about copywriting I\’ve read in my whole life!

   Later!
   Caleb

5. Comment by David Foley — June 10, 2007 @ 4:46 am

   A fabulous lesson, masterfully tought PLUS

   A hilarious read.

6. Comment by Marc R. (MAHRKEAU) Williams — June 10, 2007 @ 7:26 am

   HMMM! Perhaps the customer should drink beer….then they want to buy more product….then I drink more beer and create more product….sounds like a win-win….If you will excuse me I must go get a \\\’Twelver\\\’ Thanks , John

7. Comment by Martin Robinson — June 10, 2007 @ 4:53 pm

   John,

   Outstanding piece! You entered breakthrough territory here…we \”gotta\” hear more.

   I\’d love to see a follow up interview with Arthur on just this subject.

   I\’m smellin\’ a joint venture project between you & the \”T-Man\” in an upcoming Screaming Eagle issue on this subject… replete with swipe file examples in the Ride Along.

   Makepeace Nation waits with baited breath…

   Martin Robinson

8. Comment by Andrew Cavanagh — June 13, 2007 @ 9:00 am

   Hilarious post John but one thing I really have to say about health copy…

   You have a responsibility to do your research BEFORE you take on a client.

   Most natural health products are NOT helpful despite the fact that you can use these kinds of \”half truths\” to make it seem like they are.

   For example…

   Beer is high in B6.

   What crap.

   If you want B6 and your concerned about your health take a B6 capsule…or better still take a B complex vitamin every day.

   And that\’s the end of the whole beer being good for you argument.

   Also beer is high in carbohydrates which…

   1. Increases levels of insulin (this is an unfortunate medical fact that runs contrary to your claim)…

   2. Increases levels of type 2 eicosanoids linked to nearly every chronic disease including heart disease, sudden death from heart attacks (electrical choas in the heart causes nearly 50% of heart attack deaths), alzheimers, M.S., dementia, stroke,

   3. Those elevated levels of insulin from drinking beer will also lead to increased production of \”bad\” cholesterol (again a medical fact) and especially the dangerous triglycerides implicated in many rapid deaths from heart disease.

   And in case your wondering increased levels of insulin and type 2 eicosanoids will increase blood clumping…in layman\’s terms it makes your blood thicker.

   It\’s nice to have fun with the facts but keep in mind that the copy you write will have a profound effect on the wellbeing of real people in the real world.

   I suggest you go to a hospital and have a chat to a few diabetes patients whose feet are filled with ulcers…whose limbs face amputation.

   Go to a nursing home and see what dementia means in real terms.

   Then you may get a deeper understanding of how important integrity is in the health field.

   Your integrity and the genuine good you do in the world is far more important than the royalties you might make from the latest natural health \”cure\”.

   Kindest regards,
   Andrew Cavanagh