If you want to generate more sales you need to increase your readership.
And you can do that by making your Advertisements more compelling.
I have discussed a lot on this topic but I don’t think I have covered the whole subject yet.
So, here it is….
Seeds of curiosity.
A really great way to increase readership is what one of the greatest copywriters in the world, Joseph Sugerman, calls “the seeds of curiosity”.
It goes like this. At the end of a paragraph,you should put a very short sentence that offers some reason for the reader to read the next paragraph.
Here are some examples of these sentences;
- But there is more…
- So read on…
- But I didn’t stop there…
- Let me explain…
- Now here comes the good part…
There might be a point where the copy kind of slows down.
But these seeds of curiosity cause you to continue reading.
This concept is used a lot on TV before the show host goes to a commercial. She may say, “When we come back, we’ll see something that you’ve never seen on TV before. Stay tuned.” Well, it should be done in print, too.
And here’s why. (I just used it, haha)
In print, the ideal situation is to create such interesting and compelling copy that you don’t need the seeds of curiosity, but often that is very difficult.
And using these seeds of curiosity enhances most copy.
But don’t overdo it.
It’s not like you always have to use these seeds of curiosity at the end of each paragraph.
You can use them at the beginning of an AD where you mention some benefit or payoff that you are going to reveal somewhere in your copy.
So the reader has to finish the ad until the end to find out.
Example:
Headline: HOT
Subheadline: A new consumer concept lets you buy stolen merchandise if you’re willing to take a risk.
Highlighted Copy Block:
Impossible-to-trace Guarantee—We guarantee that our stolen products will look like brand-new merchandise without any trace of previous brand identification or ownership.
(if you are like most readers you would start to read the body copy)
Copy: We developed an exciting new consumer marketing concept.
It’s called “stealing.” That’s right, stealing!
Now if that sounds bad, look at the facts.
Consumers are being robbed. Inflation is stealing our purchasing power. Our dollars are shrinking in value.
The poor average consumer is plundered, robbed and stepped on.
So the poor consumer tries to strike back.
First, he forms consumer groups. He lobbies in Washington. He fights price increases.
He looks for value. So we developed our new concept around value.
Our idea was to steal from the rich companies and give to the poor consumer, save our environment and maybe, if we’re lucky, make a buck.
So that’s our concept.
We recycle “lousy rotten” garbage into super new products with five-year warranties.
We steal from the rich manufacturers and give to the poor consumer. We work hard and make a glorious profit.”
And that’s it. Thank you for reading.
Hope this helps!