5 Reasons Why Barack Obama is Better at Persuasive Selling than John McCain
October 8th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.com
First off, let me just obliterate the notion that I might be an Obama supporter. I’m not. Frankly, I don’t have great faith in either of the candidates, and am seriously considering “throwing away” my vote on Bob Barr. But that’s beside the point, really.
Last night, like many Americans, I tuned in to the debate. And, all personal opinions and bias aside, one thing I could NOT help noticing was that Obama clearly has a really, really good speech writer and/or communication coach.
Not to mention his totally smooth and unruffled communication style… from his open body language to his “sympathetic” facial expressions to his even vocal tone to his effective use of pauses and emphasis in all the right places.
Before I begin my list of reasons why Obama is a master of persuasion, let me just clarify the meaning of persuasion as defined by Wikipedia.org:
Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means. It is strategy of problem-solving relying on “appeals” rather than strength.
Manipulation is taking persuasion to an extreme, where the one person or group benefits at the cost of the other.
That said, persuasive argument is of course the driving force behind sales copywriting, which is why it’s something I’m tuned in to. As a copywriter, I help business owners persuade individuals to buy/believe in their products, services, ideas and ideals. Because of the work I do, you might even say I’m especially JADED and immune to persuasion because I know where it comes from.
It should go without saying that each party is trying to sell something here - the idea of himself as our best candidate for U.S. President.
Okay: that out of the way, here’s why Obama is better at PERSUADING than McCain is:
(Again, persuasion being “the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means.“).
1. Obama begins his answer to every debate question by addressing a very personal problem that “hits home” for the audience.
As he’s presenting the “issue,” whether it’s concerns over healthcare affordability, tax cuts for the middle class, lack of jobs, the war in Iraq, or social security, he ALWAYS opens his case by touching the emotions of “the average American.” I do believe that in the very first question he answered, he opened with something rousing like, “You’re scared. You’re concerned about the future.” (Don’t quote me on the man’s exact words but it was essentially an acknowledgement of the emotional state of the audience.)
This is HIGHLY persuasive - he used what is essentially the “ATTENTION” portion of the sales pitch formula - which is abbreviated as A.I.D.A. and stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. By immediately touching upon the audience’s biggest fears, he grabbed their ATTENTION and got them listening to what he had to say.
2. Obama’s answers always focus on “the other person” - you, not him.
Obama consistently takes the second person perspective when he answers questions. The second person perspective uses the words “you,” “your family,” “your concerns,” and “your future” (as opposed to “me,” “my,” “I.”
Every good copywriter knows that if you want to endear your audience to your side of the fence, you spin the copy toward the “you” or the “what’s in it for you” perspective.
(While McCain may have made some equally good points, they were weakened by his repeated use of the words “I” and “me” - “What I will do.“)
Furthermore, when Obama gets to the “meat” of his question, or essentially his “answer,” he shifts his perspective to “we” and “us.” This creates the image of him being on the “us team” or “on the level” with the average American. Any good sales copywriter worth his salt knows that you open your arguments by being audience-focused. (I wish that a few more of my clients would recognize how powerful of a tactic this is — but alas, it’s hard for people to think clearly when their egos are making such a godawful racket!)
3. Obama covers his points in outline form, and then repeats them so that everybody understands.
(Side note: when people ask politicians to explain their plans, very rarely if ever do these plans actually go into deep detail. The truth is, we can’t possibly ever know whether such plans will work until all the funding, people, processes and systems are put into place to get the plans going. At that point, the plans will likely change. The plans will then likely change again and again, ending up nothing like what said politician originally promised. However, admitting this truth won’t likely provide that emotional security blanket that people are so desperately craving in trying times as these. So, instead, the presidential candidates get up there and try to sound like they know what they’re talking about.)
When Obama lays down his outlines as Point 1, Point 2, Point 3, etc., it comes across as very organized and this appeals to most people. Why is this persuasive? Because it’s easy to mentally grasp and recall an argument that’s presented in a logical format.
As I said, this doesn’t change the fact that said plan might be just a bunch of idealistic smoke blowing up your you-know-what. But it SOUNDS good, and it PERSUADES, and that is what, sadly, wins favor and gets the vote in the end.
4. Obama draws positive associations between himself and the American people.
Obama talks about his family’s struggle with money growing up, the fact that scholarships brought him to where he is today, etc.. He does this because he knows it creates an emotional connection between himself and his audience - the “we’re in this together” feeling.
McCain, on the other hand, uses the tactic of painting a NEGATIVE picture of his opponent, discussing pork barrel spending and lack of military experience. While such points may be valid, the problem is that negative communication produces NEGATIVE feelings. McCain is effectively alienating his audience with such tactics.
Most advertising experts will tell you that if you’re trying to build a trustworthy reputation for your brand (cause, etc.), IT PAYS to stay focused on the positive and avoid speaking negatively about anyone or anything.
Our country is at the critical point where the LAST thing people want to hear is more gloom and doom. With Obama playing the savior card, desperate Americans are lapping up everything he has to say. And that, unfortunately, is just the persuasive tactic that’s required to “sell” yourself as he is doing.
5. Obama paints a mental picture of himself in the president’s seat.
At the close of each answer, Obama used words such as “When I am president,” which gives a positive visualization of himself as our country’s future leader. This is highly persuasive and hypnotic, even!
Notice he doesn’t say “If I’m elected…” he says WHEN. Or, perhaps he might have said something like, “As president of the United States, I will…” (Note: I’m not using his exact words here because I don’t have a transcript of the debate in front of me, but if you do view it again, come by and tell me what his exact phrasing is. I’m pretty sure this is his tactic.)
The truth is that the world’s greatest and most influential leaders were/are also strong communicators. Clearly, when you can back your words with actions that support the greater good, then that makes all the difference. But it starts with being an effective, and persuasive, orator. Why? Because if you can’t persuade the masses from the start that your ideas are good and sound, then you’ll likely never live the day to see those ideas become reality.
The challenge, once that’s accomplished, is to give substance and credibility to your remarks by staying true to your word. And that, of course, is what remains to be seen from the presidential candidates on EITHER side.
I leave you with the definition of persuasion once more:
From Wikipedia.org:
Persuasion is a form of social influence. It is the process of guiding people toward the adoption of an idea, attitude, or action by rational and symbolic (though not always logical) means. It is strategy of problem-solving relying on “appeals” rather than strength.
For more information about the fine art of writing persuasively to position yourself as an authority in your field, download the FREE report: The Dangerous Truth About Copywriting That Sells - from Dina Giolitto at Wordfeeder.com Copywriting and Marketing.
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Posted in Commercial Writing, Copywriting Weapon, Dangerous Truth, Marketing Communications, Persuasive Copywriting, Target Audience, Writing Voice | No Comments »Copywriting to the Rescue: How to Connect Deeply With Your Readers to Get More Sales
September 25th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comIf you want to write copy that persuades people to buy, then you MUST connect with your reader on a deep emotional level. To do this, master the fine art of painting pictures with words.
I’ve worked with countless clients, who, for whatever reason, prefer to keep their copy generic and vague. They know great copy when they read it, and they want it for their own websites and marketing collateral. And yet, when it comes down to it, these same people are too busy trying to sound like everybody else than to embrace a bold attitude in their writing and grab their audience by the teeth.
Perhaps my gun-shy clients think that vagueness appeals to a wider audience and will therefore bring the most sales? Maybe they worry that if their copy is too specific, it will exclude certain groups of people. In their minds, being everything to everyone is their perceived M.O. for attracting new business.
This is wrong. Why? The only thing that generic copy does is bore people to tears, and chase people away with tired messages that everybody on the block has already used a thousand times before.
Continue reading “Copywriting to the Rescue: How to Connect Deeply With Your Readers to Get More Sales“
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Posted in Brochure Copywriting, Commercial Writing, Copy Right, Copywriting Services, Copywriting Techniques, Copywriting for the Web, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Newsletter Copywriting, Persuasive Copywriting, Small Business Marketing, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »Copywriting Tip: How to Tell if Your Sales Letter is Too Long
September 23rd, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comSeems like nobody can agree on the proper length of an online sales letter. Some copywriters preach that longer is stronger… but perhaps they get paid by the word or the hour? (I get paid by the hour, but I’d rather take the high road on this one).
Others use the argument, “Your sales letter should be as long as it needs to get the message across.” While this is certainly true, it still doesn’t actually provide the confused marketer with an answer, does it?
I’m going to tell you approximately “how long” your sales letter should be - but really, it will depend on how much relevant information you have available to share. Let’s tackle this one section at a time.
(Continue reading “How to Tell if Your Sales Letter is Too Long“)
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Posted in Business Writing, Commercial Writing, Copywriting Services, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Persuasive Copywriting, Sales Letters, Small Business Marketing, Wordfeeder Copywriting | 2 Comments »Copywriting Tip: How to Keep All Eyes Riveted on Your Sales Letter
September 21st, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.com1. Make use of large (but not too large), bolded headlines. Your sales page will be split up into sections. This may not be obvious to the dazed and confused reader, but you will realize it as you go about crafting the copy. Add an enticing headline to the top of each section. This gives the reader a focal point to pause on as they’re skimming down the page.
2. Bold the important parts. (But try to avoid the OVERUSE of bold. If you bold everything, then nothing will stand out and your sales letter will be painful to view.) Bold the words that stir strong emotion in your reader. Bold the phrases that convey all benefits and advantages to using the product. Bold the calls to action that you want the reader to take. Bold any words that paint a picture of the reader taking the action you desire - even if they are not actual “commands.” Finally, bold the best lines and phrases in your testimonials! And as a PS - bold the product name so it pops off the page and burns into the brain more easily.
Continue reading “Copywriting Tip: How to Keep All Eyes Riveted on Your Sales Letter”
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Posted in Commercial Writing, Copywriting for the Web, Persuasive Copywriting, Sales Letters | No Comments »The Formula for Writing a Sales Letter
September 19th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comDo you feel confused, pressured or overwhelmed at the thought of writing a sales letter for your product? You’re not alone. The sight of that treacherously long page with the neverending streams of words, words, words confounds many.
The good news is, writing a sales letter needn’t be approached with the same dread one might take at having to bang out a college term paper on the night before it’s due. All you really need to do is break it down into manageable parts.
Part 1: Create the “Hooker” Headline and Intro. The “hooker” part of your sales letter includes a headline, subhead, and first paragraph or two. They call it the hooker because it’s meant to hook interest and capture attention. This is frequently done with a series of 3, attention-grabbing questions, but it doesn’t have to. One such question might be: “Are you sick of enduring fad diet after fad diet, only to gain all the weight back as soon as you fall off the wagon?”
Continue reading “The Formula for Writing a Sales Letter“
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Posted in Commercial Writing, Copywriting Services, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Persuasive Copywriting, Sales Letters, Target Audience, The Creative, Writing Voice | No Comments »How to be Colloquial in Your Copywriting
September 18th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.com
by Dina Giolitto
Colloquial writing “warms up” standard business communication and keeps things friendly between you and your reader. Basically, that means that in ad copywriting, you’re permitted to bend the grammar rules a bit, so long as the meaning isn’t lost.
The reason is because in natural conversation, nobody speaks in formal language. Not only do we ease up on the use of grammatical correctness, but we employ jargon and cliche as well as make use of contractions - or the abbreviated form of certain word combinations. Some examples follow…
Bending the grammar rules…
(Continue reading “How to be Colloquial in Your Copywriting“)
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Posted in Brochure Copywriting, Business Writing, Commercial Writing, Copywriting Services, Copywriting for the Web, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Persuasive Copywriting, Wordfeeder Copywriting, Writing Voice | No Comments »Copywriters: Think You Don’t Need One? Think Again.
September 9th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comSome people who “can write” don’t think it’s necessary to hire a copywriter. They figure that having a web designer to build pages, and a VA to set up their online shopping cart, is enough.
What they’ve maybe overlooked is that sheer volume of writing that MUST happen if they plan to make a significant impact within their field of expertise.
When you’re managing a team of professionals, whether for your department at work or for your own business, you force yourself into the role of team motivator, project initiator, executive decision-maker, and primary planner. That’s an awful lot to heap on one plate. Add to that being responsible for every piece of communication that goes out the door of your business, and you’re buried under one avalanche of work.
Let’s face it: communication is the key to every good relationship - especially one that you establish with customers and associates. Such a relationship begins with how you BRAND your company from Day 1, and continues throughout the life of your business. You need to ask the questions: what type of message are you sending? Are you sending it often enough to make a favorable impression? Is what you’re saying today consistent with what you said last month?
Continue reading “Copywriters: Think You Don’t Need One? Think Again.”
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Posted in Commercial Writing, Copyediting, Copywriting for the Web, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Newsletter Copywriting, Persuasive Copywriting, Target Audience, The Creative, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »Is there a formula for writing copy that sells?
June 4th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comI did some work for a new client this week who asked me the following question via email:
What makes an ad work? What in an ad gets someone to contact me, or better yet what is the formula to writing ads since I will have to continually be changing them to stay fresh?
Yes, there’s a formula, although those who have been writing copy for a long time don’t necessarily have to run through this checklist. They just end up writing “standard ad copy” automatically. It’s not unlike riding a bike or doing the dishes - after you get good at it, you just don’t need to think about the steps anymore.
Okay, so here’s my response to the question.
In ad copywriting, many follow what’s known as the AIDA formula - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. This is the short explanation of how it goes.
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Posted in AIDA Method, Call to Action, Copywriting Big Guns, Copywriting Techniques, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Persuasive Copywriting, Sales Letters, Wordfeeder Copywriting | 2 Comments »We Versus You in Your Copywriting…
June 3rd, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comIs it Better To Talk To Your Customer Or Talk About Yourself?
Many marketing, copywriting and sales experts will tell you that your marketing copy should talk to your customer as opposed to talking about yourself. They insist that the copy you employ be directed at the customer by using the word “you” throughout. (They call this the second person perspective.)
However, many people feel that using the you approach is too salesman like, and unprofessional. They prefer to talk about their company, their accomplishments and themselves. Copy written in this manner uses the word “we” (or I) over and again (the first person perspective).
So which way is right?
Here’s an argument for using you in your copy. Suppose you’re on a date and the person you’re with won’t stop talking about himself or herself. All night it’s, “I did this and I do that.”
It’s great to hear entertaining stories - but the person on the listening end is bound to feel excluded after a while.
The same idea applies to marketing copy. People want to feel like they’re part of a conversation as opposed to being talked AT. Not to mention - “you” puts the focus on the reader and engages him in the discussion.
But what about the idea that using “you” makes your copy sound too much like a sales pitch?
It’s true that “you” is one of the most powerful words you can use in sales copy, which is why it’s so effective, and used so often. So it’s no wonder that people who want to avoid sounding like a salesperson take the high road, so to speak, and avoid using “you” in their marketing copy.
However, when you think about it, using an exclusive “we” approach comes with its own negative stigma. It can be seen as arrogance - or worse - inadequacy. “I can’t offer anything to you, and I’m not interested in you - so I’ll just talk about myself.”
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Posted in Copywriting Techniques, Direct Mail Copywriting, Direct Response Copywriting, Marketing Communications, Persuasive Copywriting, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »Copywriting Tricks: Mastering the Voice
May 7th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comSeeing as I feel pressured to start my work day at 4 a.m. this week, I thought I’d go easy on myself and not try to come up with new content for the copywriting blog. What I’m going to do instead is turn your attention to quite a decent piece on how to nab the “voice” in your copywriting. I wrote this in 2006 and likely published it in Word Food, the Copywriting Newsletter. But even so - I’m pretty happy with the way it sounds and think the old mare has still got some life left in ‘er. And by ‘old mare’ I am in no way referring to myself. ;0
Copywriting Tricks: Mastering the Voice
Professional copywriters are well-familiar with what’s commonly referred to as “the voice.” What is this exactly, and why do you need to master it in your writing?
If writing is icecream, then “the voice” is the flavor in your scoop. You may be slurping on mellow vanilla, while I’m over here crunching Rocky Road. Sure, we’re bothing having a cold and creamy treat, but our waffle cones are packing two entirely different tastes. So it is with the “voice” that carries your message in writing.
Another way to say this: the voice is the personality that comes across by way of your written message. When you set pen to paper or get those keys clicking, what comes out is your own voice or chosen style of expression.
The words and intonation you choose may be very different than what I’d use. That’s the variance in the voice. You must nab this for your copywriting clientele if you want to impress people!
Continue reading “Copywriting Tricks: Mastering the Voice”
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