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copywriting :: Internet Marketing :: Copywriting
Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?
When you think about ranking and seo,
what do you think of first? Which aspects of ranking and seo are
important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave?
You be the judge.
It’s a common approach to writing copy. You
begin by asking questions. Why? To evoke thoughts in your readers'
minds, to stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way
you want them to think. But have you ever thought about how you phrase
your questions? Are you doing it in a way that will have the greatest
impact on your readers or are you just throwing questions on a page?
Behaviorally speaking, not everybody responds in the same way to
the same questions. Those with different communications styles will
relate in a variety of ways depending on how you phrase your sentence.
Using the DISC Behavioral Profile, let me explain what I mean and
show you how you can start asking the right questions in the right way
to suit your customers.
D = Dominance
Those who fall in the Dominance category of the DISC profile are
described as: in control, powerful, confident, visionaries, and risk
takers. These people can be managers, CEOs, high-ranking military personnel, entrepreneurs, and the like.
Those who are considered high in Dominance want to stick to
business. They expect the facts to be presented logically. They want
presentations to be clear, specific, and to the point.
This group of people will respond better to specific “what”
questions. For example, let’s say we’re developing a headline for an
ultra-fast printer. You wouldn’t want to write a headline that asks,
“How Do You Cure a Need for Speed?” That question is vague; it’s not
specific, and it begins with the word “how.”
CEOs, upper management, and others in this category aren’t the
least bit interested in “how” you do anything. They are visionaries.
They look at the big picture, not the little details. Details are
somebody else’s job!
Instead, try rewriting that headline to include the word “what” and to be specific, like this: “What Cures a Need for Speed?”
You can see a similar relation in other behavioral styles (I, S, and C) and the types of questions people in each prefer.
I = Influence
Those high in Influence are generally found in the sales field or
other fields that require a lot of people/social interaction. They move
fast and want to focus on people-oriented tasks. They love to give
their opinions and to be asked for their thoughts on a matter. They
love to be the center of attention.
This group responds well to “feeling” questions. Not just about
themselves, but also about others. For example: “Remember the
excitement you felt when _____?” or “How would your child feel if
_____?”
S = Steadiness
Those in the Steadiness group want to be seen as people - not a
number. They appreciate logic, a touch of personal interaction, and
they are detail-oriented. They are generally slow decision-makers and
are not wild about taking unqualified risks. Those who fall into the
Steadiness category make up 40% of the general population and come from
all walks of life.
People high in steadiness would be likely to respond better to
questions beginning with “how.” Possibilities include “How many times
have you wished ____?” or “How often do you ____?” They also respond
well to questions that make them think, like “Is your copy getting
results?” They’ll likely want to know what you can do about it if the
answer is “no.”
C = Compliance
When describing someone who falls into the Compliance category,
these phrases come to mind: critical thinker, prepared,
quality-oriented, incredibly detailed, specific, and slow
decision-maker. You’ll generally find these types working as engineers,
bankers, accountants, scientists, and the like.
Those high in Compliance will respond best to questions including
statistics and questions that force them to look at all sides of an
issue/problem. For example, “68% of All Drivers Pay Too Much for Auto
Insurance. Are You?” Another idea is “Widget or Thingee… Which Makes
the Most Sense?”
Phrasing your questions in a way that allows your target customers
to relate only makes sense. When you hit a nerve - people will respond.
Asking the right questions… in the right way… within your copy will get
you one step closer to closing the sale.
by Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.copywritingcourse.com
About The Author
Copy not getting results? Learn to write seo copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at http://www.copywritingcourse.com.
Be sure to check out Karon’s latest e-report “How To Increase Keyword
Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)” at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.
You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial
information about ranking and seo. But don't be surprised if you find
yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few
days. It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on
ranking and seo. Compare what you've learned here to future articles so
that you can stay alert to changes in the area of ranking and seo.
We hope you found the information on this page useful and will return often to browse
the many articles throughout our site. We will be adding new material on an ongoing
basis in order to keep our visitors up to date on the latest promotion and marketing
information and tools that allow so many marketers to earn a full time living on the
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