Beyond Cliched Openings

by 15 replies
19
I've noticed this trend recently.

Actually it's been going on for some time.

It reminds me of those moments.

When you're out shopping minding your own business and then suddenly...

Out of nowhere...

A salesman jumps out and surprises you!.

But you just know what's coming next.

You're dreading the pitch he's got ready for you.

Of course you've seen it all before too often.

But this is the type of approach still being used in various pieces of sales copy these days.

So the big question is:

How can we change this approach and be a bit more original and appear a bit more genuine and believable to the poor prospects that have to read some of this stuff?
#copywriting #cliched #openings
  • Dear Frustrated Copywriter,

    Nothing "new" is happening.

    Shitty pitches, delivered by hacks, suck now, sucked before, and will always suck.

    That's all you're railing against.

    "Meet the new boss - same as the old boss".

    Brian
    • [ 3 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Tell me about it.

      I just thought I'd let "the market" know the kind of stuff they're putting out there.

      You know when I see good copy I really appreciate it.

      I actually enjoy reading it.

      I'll take the time out and often think, "Wow" this is good.

      Sometimes I might just buy the product because the copy did a good job.

      I think to myself, "I wish I could write like this".

      But maybe I'm asking for too much.
  • The reading/listening brain is a prediction engine, constantly anticipating what will come next. If it guesses correctly too often, the result is boredom.

    The solution: as soon as the prospect thinks he knows where you're going, do something unexpected.

    This can be as simple as saying the expected thing in an unexpected way.
    • [ 2 ] Thanks
    • [1] reply
    • Good point.

      This is where creativity comes into play, right?
      • [1] reply
  • I've got no bones with "tested, tried and true, classic, proven copy"

    Because once a piece of copy has passed its initiation ceremony it moves into the big boys league.

    Which is quite a challenge for cliched copy to match up to.
    • [1] reply
    • Cliche wasn't always cliche. At one time it was tested, tried and true. There's an arc to these things.
      • [2] replies
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