People will do anything for those who encourage their dreams, calm their fears, confirm their suspicions,
justify their failures, help them throw rocks at enemies.
DREAMS
Introduce the Product (IP)
The product is introduced and
named, usually not right away when
using a story method. Example:
“In fact, virtually any athlete who
switches over to this new Bulgarian
Training System - which I’ve titled
Serious Growth can expect dramatic
improvements in their own results in
a matter of weeks.” Notice how the
product name has the Key Desire
(KD) embedded.
-- Feature (F)
Physically describe what your
product or service entails. Facts
or information about your prod-
ucts or services.
-- Benefit (B)
Show how a product or service
is helping by meeting an explicit
need expressed by the customer.
Benefits are the crucial “what’s­
in ­it ­for ­them” that must form the
core of your marketing message.
-- Differentiation (D)
This product is not like all the
other products and not what you
think it is.
-- Hyperbole or Superlative (H)
Overstated emphasis or exagger-
ation to give enhanced definition
or importance. Example: “The
Bulgarian system can improve
your results and success faster
than any other alternative avail-
able. It’s results endure longer
too.”
Key Desire/Hot Button (KD)
A piece of copy that pushes the
readers emotional hot buttons,
something they cannot ignore
because it hits on what they truly
desire.
Promise (P)
A promise made to the reader by
the writer. One of the most famous
promises: “Your Pizza in 30 Minutes
or It’s Free.”
Instant Gratification (IG)
Promising the reader what they
want in the shortest amount of time.
Examples: “5 minutes or less,” “get
instant access,” and “immediate
shipping.”
Credo Technique (CT)
Latin for ‘I believe’. Expresses the
core values the author believes in to
gather like-minded faithful follow-
ers. Example: “We believe profitable
ideas come from Finding The Pain in
markets. We believe in not being ‘the
expert’, but being an expert at find-
ing the pain, defining the pain clearly,
and then putting experts in place to
solve that pain.”
Painting a Picture (PAP)
Visual description of an intended
outcome through metaphor, simile,
and analogies. Writing that shows
the reader what the future would be
like for them if they take the desired
action.
FEARS
Build Rapport (BR)
Show that you are like the reader
(even if you are now a few steps
ahead). Example: “Dear Fellow Train-
ing Enthusiast.”
Why I’m Qualified (WIQ)
The author’s story of why the reader
should listen to them. Often com-
bined with Jargon (J).
Jargon (J)
Using terminology to shows that
you know the industry and you are
an insider ‘in the know’. Example:
“This works even if you feel you have
already ‘maxed out’.” ‘Maxed out’ is
jargon.
Addressing Objections (AO)
Throughout the sales letter the read-
er may start to have objections to
buying the product or taking action,
so the objections must be addressed
throughout the sales letter. Common
objections are overcome by calling
them out directly and addressing
them. Social proof and guarantees
are also ways to address objections.
Risk Reversal (RR)
Remove all risk of purchasing the
product or service often in the form
of a guarantee.
-- Money Back Guarantee
(MBG)
Offering the customer 100% or
more of their money back remove
almost all risk from the buying
decision and addresses their
objection of “What if I’m unsat-
isfied?”
Social Proof (SP)
Showing that other people who have
purchased the product or worked
with the seller enjoyed their experi-
ence or found the product helpful.
This is done through:
-- Testimonials and reviews (T)
Endorsements
-- Scientific Proof (Sc)
Professors or universities have
studied the product and its
results.
-- Professional Proof (Pr)
Showing that professionals in the
field have examined and tested
the product.
-- Celebrity Association (Ce)
Association to celebrities, well-
known products or associations.
Accountability Figures (AF)
Figures that prove this product
works. Example: “Micheal now
bench presses 205 pounds (up from
85 – that’s more than double) and
front-squats 215 pounds (up from
125). He weighs in at 130 pounds
(up from 99) and his body fat has
increased by only 1.5%.”
Scarcity (S)
Creating higher value for a product
or service by making the product or
service scarce or seemingly scarce.
Examples are limited time offers,
limited supply, or a feature that com-
peting products do not have.
Exclusivity (Ex)
Only been sold here and nowhere
else! Example: “This is not being sold
anywhere for any price.”, “The pro-
gram contains confidential company
information that was never intended
for civilian use.” or “Right now the
only way you can get this program is
to either be a Navy SEAL, or on the
‘OTS Privileged List’.”
Raising The Stakes (RTS)
Bring a situation to its furthest con-
clusion. Examples would be bringing
to light your customers greatest
fears: “you run the risk every day of
being in the same situation… cor-
nered by punks who want to do you
serious harm!” Or adding up the cost
of the alternative: “But get ready for
months and months and months of
frustrating mind numbing crazy­ness
of trying to “join the dots”.
Playing Hard To Get (HTG)
Let the reader know that you are not
desperate for them to buy. Example:
“Look, if this is a good fit for you, try
it. If not, don’t - I’ll eat steak tonight
either way and I only want you to get
this if you know it’s a perfect fit for
you.”
SUSPICIONS
What’s the Catch Addressed
(WTC)
When something feels like a great
deal there is often a catch. Just like
addressing objections, the copywrit-
er must also address the questions,
“What’s the catch?”
Intrigue (I)
People love a mystery, secret, or
contradiction to well-known meth-
ods. Example: “The Bulgarians
have developed a much higher-level
training approach that produces re-
sults I had a hard time believing were
possible.”
Educate (EDU)
Educate the reader about what the
latest techniques/paradigms are, so
they are up-to-date, and can also
see why your product/service works
better.
-- Reference Practical Wisdom
(RPW)
Reference what the reader
‘thinks’ your product is. Often
used to set up to be countered
in next step Contradict Popular
Wisdom (CPW).
-- Contradict Popular Wisdom
(CPW)
This often goes along with Ref-
erence Practical Wisdom (RPW)
because the reader thinks they
already know what your product
is or how it works, so then you
contradict that thinking to set
up a differentiator in their mind.
Example: “Periodization is old
news!”
The Alternatives (ALT)
Details the other options available
and usually mentions how they are
not as ideal as the one being offered.
-- Price if Done Alone (PIDA)
Reveal how the reader can do
this alone, although the price and
resources required will usual-
ly be far beyond their limits or
motivation. Example: “Of course,
you can take the ‘DIY’ route and
bootstrap your education… But
get ready for months and months
and months of frustrating mind
numbing crazy­ness of trying to
‘join the dots’.”
Crazy High Demand (HD)
Everybody wants it: there is so much
demand for this product I barely
can handle it. An example could be:
“Word is getting around, and now I
have more clients than I can handle.
I’ve had to expand my training facil-
ities and hire new trainers, and I still
can’t meet the demand!
Counterintuive Rationale (CR)
Instead of answering a question right
away, you tell the reader what the
answer is not. This subtly address-
ines objections, creates a huge curi-
osity gap and the writer is perceived
as an authority.
FAILURES
If > Then Opener (ITO)
A common opener used to qual-
ify the reader and build rapport.
Example: If you’ve ever tried to learn
copywriting, then you know how
daunting it can be.
Problem or Pain (PP)
Identifies the problem or pain the
reader is experiencing that the prod-
uct solves.
New or Recent (NR)
Justifies why the reader hasn’t found
a good solution until now. Examples:
“only recently we discovered...”,
“This just released book” or “This hot
new product”.
ENEMIES
The Common Enemy (CE)
Creating an enemy for you and the
reader to fight together. Now you
are a hero fighting on the side of the
reader. Example: “I’ve never used a
steroid in my life, and I don’t allow
my clients to, either.”
ATTENTION
The Hook (Hook)
The hook is a compelling benefit,
feature, or story that makes the
reader want to read the whole sales
letter. It can be a feature no one has
ever seen before or a crazy story the
reader just has to know more about.
Curiosity Gap (CG)
Often used in headlines. Tantalizing
enough to get the reader’s attention,
but does not give away the whole
story. Also, it cannot be too vague
or the reader will not pay attention. It
must be just right.
Open Loop (OL)
An open loop is created when the
reader is told the first part of a story
or piece of information and then left
in anticipation for the conclusion
which is revealed much later. This
holds the reader’s attention and
keeps them reading until the loop is
closed. To keep them reading to the
end often multiple open loops are
created.
Call to Action (CTA)
Giving the reader a clear set of in-
structions on how to take a particular
action. This could be to buy, request
more information, or to fill out a form.
Triad (Triad)
Triples used for reinforcement and
a sense of completeness. Example:
“The astonishing sex secrets of the
Most Satisfied... Most Knowledgea-
ble... and Most Respected lovers in
the world.”
EMOTIONAL
TRIGGERS
Reciprocity (R)
People aim to return favors, pay
back debts, and treat others as
they are treated. For example, you
can ask for a referral: “If my Serious
Growth Training method produces
incredible results for you, I want you
to not only write and tell me about it
– but tell two friends too!”
Emotional Trigger (ET)
When you use emotional triggers
in your web copy, you succeed in
evoking feelings which helps you to
move your audience to the desired
action. You can use them to trigger
both dreams and fears:
-- Belonging (Be)
Makes the reader feel that they’re
part of a group. Example: “You’re
part of the family.”
-- Competition (Co)
Many consumers are affected by
a competitive desire to feel equal
to or better than their peers. Ex-
ample: “Make them drool.”
-- Doubt (Do)
Directly appeal to people’s inner-
most fears by questioning them.
Example: “Are you sure your fam-
ily is adequately insured against
... ?” or “How sure are you that
your car is completely safe?”
-- Fear (Fe)
With fear as trigger, people are
ready to take action. Suggests
which action to take. Example:
“Don’t get caught with too little
insurance.”
-- Greed (Gr)
Appeals to a desire for more.
Example: “Here’s how you can
make millions with no invest-
ment”.
-- Guilt (Gu)
Consumers are easily affected by
messages that trigger emotions
of guilt. Example: “Don’t let them
suffer anymore”.
-- Hope (Ho)
Drives the human spirit to look
for solutions and push forward
even when things look bleak.
Effective when offering solu-
tions that will help improve lives,
health, relationships or careers.
-- Instant Gratification (IG)
People want quick solutions or
results. Example: “in 2 hours or
less”, “within 24 hours”.
-- Love (Lo)
People constantly seek admira-
tion/love from others. Example:
“Why better-dressed people are
more successful in getting dates
than others”.
-- Leadership (Le)
A lot of consumers want to lead
the way in trying new products.
Make them feel like they’re first
or in control. Example: “Be the
first on your block.”
-- Trendiness (Tr)
Many consumers want to feel
cool or trendy. Commonly uses
celebrity references. Example:
“All the cool kids are doing it” or
“Be like Mike.”