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Want to know a secret I’ve rarely revealed?

The “hook” or the “Big Idea” is one of the ways we get people to read our ads.

And since the more our prospects read… the more often they buy… you need to KEEP them reading. One way is using “micro-hooks”.

People are by and large curious. And I like to use that fact to my advantage when writing salescopy.

In fact, when things are left incomplete, people feel downright uncomfortable at least until the loop is completed and closure is brought about.

This is basic human psychology and in marketing, you use this psychology to your advantage.

My pal Mark Joyner is a master of this. He calls it the Zeigarnik Effect.

In the ad I wrote for Marks 7 Day business turnaround, there were hooks galore in the body copy.

Here’s a few examples of these “micro hooks’ from that letter:

In a section of the copy, I was explaining the exact steps involved in a business turnaround. I explained the 4 step process that made any turnaround work.

Then I said

“That’s it. Pretty simple… at least on the outside. With that strategy alone, you could engineer a turnaround. If you know the tactics to accomplish each step, my work is done here. Go forth and execute. If you don’t… keep reading to uncover your answer. Okay, seems pretty simple doesn’t it?”

But I didn’t give them all the details… but enough to give some real information.

So I told them to continue reading the letter if they wanted more info.

How many people were hot to find out the answer?

You bet it did, because if they were in need of a business turnaround, they HAD TO KNOW THE ANSWER.

Let me give you one more example from that salesletter.

Later, I showed the mechanism that made turnarounds work.

So I wrote:

“That’s the process for your 7 Day Turnaround. It’s the same thing a Fortune 500 would do, just made so bloody simple a 2nd grade teacher could do it (more about that in a minute)”

How about that?

Who in that target market could resist a process so bloody simple a 2nd grade teacher could do it?

And the words “more on that in a minute” literally hooked them into reading until they found out!

That leter is a clinic on “micro-hooks”.

It’s a fantastic lesson on keeping people engaged in your advertising.

One more thing….

If you’re utilizing this tactic, you need to make certain you CLOSE THE LOOP.

If you don’t give them what you said you would… they won’t trust you. And that kills your sales.

If the loop remains open, not only will they view you as a liar… you’ve ruined the buying climate.

But don’t give readers ALL the answers in your copy… or they won’t buy your product.

Last 5 posts by Million Dollar Mike Morgan

• Killer Copywriting - Part 1- The Magic of Your Lead - June 5th, 2008
• Copywriting With Personality - May 25th, 2008

Tags: Copywriting