Look, not bashing logical folks, I have a background in engineering, math tutoring, IT… etc
So my mind is pretty logical in its reasoning.
However, when It comes to writing copy, logic takes the backseat.
Why?
Because people buy on emotions and justify with logic.
So, we always have to hook the prospect emotionally before trying to justify why it makes sense.
In this article ll share with you, a real-life example of a project I’ve worked on recently.
It validates the principle of always appealing to emotions, first.
Let’s dive in!
“What’s wrong with my ads”?
A client reached to me complaining that her current ads weren’t performing as good as she wished (to say the least).
So she wanted me to take a look at those ads’ copy and fix what’s broken.
To give you some context, this client is in the travel niche and was trying to promote a getaway package.
The ad was putting upfront all the logical elements of why it was a great deal.
Saying stuff like “$100 per couple, yeah you read the right, not per person, and you’ll get…” and it went on to talk about the other perks that are included in the package.
Now, nothing wrong with this approach.
The only problem is it’ll get you only the lowest hanging fruits.
Let me explain.
Imagine you and your soulmate have decided to go on a trip, you started looking for destinations that might interest you. You looked at some hotels, flights, car rentals..etc
Yet, you haven’t decided where you want to go…
Then you stumble upon this ad making you this incredible offer right upfront with all the logical arguments that’ll knock you off the fence, chances are, you’ll at least click what it’s about.
Well, people who are in this situation are very few. And thať’s why we call them the lowest-hanging fruits.
The reason why the logical approach performed badly
When you think about it, there is nothing logical about traveling.
Seriously!
Imagine I came up to you saying “hey for $1,500 you can spend 3 weeks in a beautiful hotel in Thailand blablabla “
Basically, I’m asking you to give me $1,500 of your hard-earned money, so you can go on an exhausting flight to the other part of the world. To a place where you know nobody, and nobody knows you.
You can get sick, you can get hit by a car, maybe you’ll get drunk (very likely), someone will steal your belongings, now you’re left with no money, no passport in a country where English isn’t the primary language. I’ll stop here, after all, I don’t want you hating traveling!
As you see a lot of stuff can go south when you travel.
Therefore, there is nothing logical about traveling.
It’s risky, fiked with uncertainty, and causes anxiety.
Here is what I did instead
Back to my client.
The underperforming ad was targeting couples, 35+ years old.
Can you take a wild guess on what’s the main frustration of these people is?
Making more money?
Losing weight?
Buying a new car?
Well, all of the above might be valid answers.
But there is only one frustration almost all long-time couples share in common: their sex life is quite boring!
I heard horror stories of couples having intercourse only once a month, once in two months, didn’t have sex in two years, cheating, divorcing, destroyed families… etc
As you’d guess, that’s the nail I hit on the head.
So instead of talking about why the package we’re offering is logically a no-brainer, I sold the outcome.
Which is a great intimate time with your spouse/GF, resulting in a happy, long and lasting relationship
The headline of that FB ad opened up like this “Ignite your intimate life”.
Obviously, I would’ve loved to be more direct and say “Ignite your sex life” or something more outrageous but FB wouldn’t let me run with it…
Anyways, selling the outcome instead of the package was the single reason why the performance of this ad has improved by a long shot. Same creatives, same targeting.
Conclusion
The lesson here is this, no matter what you’re trying to sell, keep in mind that people buy “stuff” to solve a particular problem they have. Or to avoid pain (in our case, seeing a long term relationship fall apart)
That’s why, instead of telling your prospects how great your product is, you should always focus on selling the outcome and drawing an appealing image of it. Because at the end of the day, selling the product will only get you the lowest hanging fruits.