Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Issue #7 — Wednesday, May23, 2018
Posted by Denny Hatch
Getting Your Prospects to Say "YES!"
Check out these small ads from HARRY’S that have been blitzing my iPad since the weeks before Christmas, 2017.
Each reads like the title of business article—either about Gillette or the razor industry.
Click on HARRY’S Read More >> in the Gillette ad above and you are buried in 833 words whining about Gillette, lawsuits, ownership, market cap and the mean things Gillette said about poor little HARRY’S. Here’s HARRY’S lede paragraph:
Since we launched HARRY’S in 2013, we have certainly attracted the attention of Big Razor. First, Gillette came after us immediately after we launched with a 'front pivot' patent lawsuit (later dismissed by Gillette). Then, more recently they created an entire advertising campaign claiming that most guys leave HARRY’S after trying us (false).
Yawn.
HARRY’S founders—Jeffrey Raider and Alex Katz-Mayfield—are not interested in telling you how they can make the daily nuisance of shaving blissfully easy, more convenient and save you a ton of money to boot.
Rather they seem to be saying… oh, maybe… gee, let’s start some kind of relationship so we can engage with you about the razor business.
“I don’t want a relationship with the guy who sells me aspirin. I just want my headache cured.."
—Emily Soell, CEO, Rapp & Collins
Denny Hatch’s Test Ad for HARRY’S
Years ago, Direct magazine (now defunct) had a fascinating column by master copywriter Tom Collins of Rapp & Collins. He would take a so-so ad currently running and turn it into a marketing jewel.
Competing agencies were, of course, pissed off mightily, but Tom was a lot of fun and very instructive.
With 55 years in direct marketing, I’m taking a page from Tom’s playbook. Here’s a test ad written and designed by me to run against HARRY’S sphincter-tight corporate efforts.
Takeaways to Consider• Old rules for print absolutely apply to digital.
• “You must appeal to emotions and self-interest.."
—Pat Farley, Freelancer
• Always make an offer.
• "The offer should be so attractive only a lunatic would
say no." —Claude Hopkins, legendary copywriter
• “Make it quick and easy to order.."
—Elsworth Howell, Howell Book House
• “The prospect doesn’t give a damn about you, your
product or your company. All the matters is: 'What’s
in it for me?'"
—Seattle Guru Bob Hacker
• Always listen to W-I-I FM.
• Is it a good idea to tell the prospect what dirt the competition is spreading about you?
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Word count: 400
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