Creating the buying environment:
[Part 4 of a 15-part email series on the major points of successful advertising copy and content.]
Did you miss the previous lesson?
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My 7 year old son loves Lego.
Last year, our shopping mall opened its first official Lego store. We got the kids ready, and went to the grand opening. “I have to write about this”, I thought.
The store manager walked around with a big bucket of lego bricks.
“Remember, if your brick matches the one in my pocket, you’ll be walking away with one of two special prizes. Please raise your hand if you still need one.” We took out 4 bricks. One for each of us. And waited until the hour was up.
We didn’t win.
But my kids still walked away with a new Lego.
How to create a digital buying environment:
Let’s break down the 4th axiom from Joe Sugarman’s book, The Adweek Copywriting Handbook.
Axiom 4:
Your ad layout and the first few paragraphs of your ad must create the buying environment most conducive to the sale of your product or service. (page 38)
The same physical buying environment that Lego created can be replicated in digital content. And to illustrate, let’s write a piece of copy to advertise the grand opening using the AIDA framework:
- A - Attention
- I - Interest
- D - Desire
- A - Action
To grab attention, one might use a big curiosity headline and sub headline that filters in the ideal readers. If I were tasked with writing an ad for this event, I’d start like this:
[headline]
GRAND OPENING:
[sub headline]
Join fellow Lego lovers (big and small) this Saturday and win custom, limited edition sets EVERY hour.
____
We’ve now grabbed the attention of our ideal buyers. Lego builders (young and old). We’ve teased something they’re most definitely interested in.
Remember that these are our initial advertising elements designed to get you to read the first sentence of copy. And that’s where we start to look deeper at interest and desire.
The first few paragraphs:
It’s just silly bricks.
Scattered and alone, they mess up your space and pierce the soles of your feet. Ouch.
But assembled, they become the miniature Hogwarts that gave you and your son 3 uninterrupted, happy hours together.
Assembled, they become the Lewis Hamilton Ferrari that your boss brought up in that meeting about your promotion.
___
Now we’re starting to enter the buying environment.
We’re getting inside the mind of the prospect. Tapping into their hidden desires and interests.
- A full miniature replica of their favourite book castle
- Quality time with their children
- Seeing their children happy
- Being admired by colleagues and supervisors
- Getting promoted - and making more money
Now, on to the next step.
Ask for action:
When you join our opening celebration, you won’t just get ONE chance to win your very own Hogwarts and Ferrari sets.
Every hour - on the hour - you’ll have another chance.
But that’s not all…
3 lucky in-store visitors who activate their free Lego loyalty card will win a secret, limited edition set worth more than the Hogwarts and Ferrari sets combined.
So bring the whole family and come join us this Saturday!
Let’s assemble.
____
We're pulled into the buying environment.
The prospect has visualised their desires. They've seen a way that may help fulfil them. Plus, they're being teased with even more bonuses and pot sweeteners should they choose to act.
An important additional emotion we're unlocked is the fear of missing out.
We want don't want them thinking "should I stay or should I go?"
No.
We want them thinking, "if I don't go, I will lose."
And people hate losing...
Lesson summary:
- Prospects need a buying environment to spend money
- The first few paragraphs of your copy are meant to create this buying environment
- AIDA is an effective buying environment, copywriting framework
- Create FOMO
In the next lesson, we’ll look at what I call the ‘nodding head’ principle that almost triples your chances at a positive response.
See you soon.
