| You've written an arm-grabbing headline making a | | | | so much do the selling. The buyer does. The |
| big claim. You've qualified your claim in a | | | | copywriter doesn't so much sell to copy-readers. |
| sub-headline making it more specific and promising | | | | They sell to themselves. |
| great benefits. Now you've got your reader's | | | | Take another example of how people don't so |
| attention and interest, the next job is to reinforce | | | | much sell things to us as we sell things to |
| their interest, identify their need with your offer | | | | ourselves. When we buy clothes, an emotional as |
| and keep them reading on until they grab for the | | | | much as a practical decision, have you noticed |
| solution and you make the sale. What you don't | | | | when we try things on the sales assistant doesn't |
| want to do is try to make the sale right away | | | | say much? The assistant doesn't gush with praise |
| because the buyer isn't ready. So at this stage | | | | for our good taste, our good sense in finding a |
| you don't need the testimonials, guarantee and call | | | | bargain, what our colleagues, friends and family will |
| to action. What you need is blind bullets. | | | | say. Not at all. The good sales assistant keeps |
| A blind bullet looks like this: A proven strategy to | | | | quiet. Meanwhile we fill the silence with our talk |
| double your sales in two months. Why you should | | | | about the blouse, the scarf, the trousers. The |
| never take stock tips from newspapers. (The | | | | assistant nods and smiles as we persuade |
| formatting has been omitted). They're called "blind" | | | | ourselves to buy. Maybe the assistant briefly |
| because they don't go into specifics. They | | | | answers our questions about the material, other |
| announce the secret you're going to reveal, but | | | | colors available, payment terms and so forth. In |
| they don't tell what it is. That's what you're going | | | | fact the assistant waits until we sell the clothes to |
| to sell! | | | | ourselves. This can be observed even in cultures |
| My expert analysis of the blind bullets we use in | | | | where it's customary to haggle over the price. |
| copywriting groups them in seven categories by | | | | The haggling doesn't begin until the seller thinks |
| function. 1. Blind bullets create curiosity. 2. They | | | | we've made the decision to buy. |
| align the reader's need with the results we | | | | Because buyers sell things to themselves more |
| promise. 3. They reassure the reader that our | | | | than we sell things to them, we need to lead |
| solution is easy to apply, oftentimes by following a | | | | them through the process of self-persuasion. We |
| structure. 4. They offer a How to solution. 5. | | | | need to build up to the climax of the story. This |
| They arouse fear by suggesting the risk of not | | | | comes when, after a largely internal struggle with |
| buying our product. 6. They quantify the benefits | | | | doubt and indecision, the struggle is resolved in the |
| our service provides. 7. Blind bullets give | | | | mind of the buyer and the decision to buy is |
| authoritative expert advice. You won't maybe use | | | | made. |
| all the types of blind bullets in one piece, but you | | | | What we need to do is to supply the buyer with |
| must use several, especially the first two. | | | | talking points that they can use in their |
| After the sub-headline the reader's hoping that | | | | conversation with themselves. That's when we |
| what you've got to sell really will meet their need, | | | | reach the third stage in the structure of copy and |
| their specific, painful need, which is particular to | | | | use blind bullets. Blind bullets create more curiosity |
| people in their situation. They're also wondering | | | | and lead on seamlessly to the next stage of our |
| how you're going to do it. After all, if their need | | | | copy, the features of our product or service. We |
| was so easy to satisfy, their problem so easy to | | | | offer the benefits first so that the buyer can tell |
| solve, they'd have fixed it themselves and | | | | themselves that the features supply them. The |
| wouldn't be reading your copy. What you have to | | | | blind bullets suggest to the buyer what they |
| tune into and align with (to change the metaphor) | | | | should be looking for. The better the knowledge |
| is the pain, anxiety, fear, hope and desire your | | | | of our market niche, the better-focused our blind |
| reader has. Forget about your own desire, the | | | | bullets will be. They'll truly reflect what the buyer |
| straightforward desire to sell your product or | | | | wants. Once the logical connection is made in the |
| service. Focus on their desire. Align with them and | | | | buyer's mind, the stage is set for beginning to |
| they'll align with you. In fact, I'll go further. When | | | | move towards closing the sale. |
| you write a successful piece of copy, you don't | | | | |