Copywriting
When talking about the power of words, there is a well-known story that is usually attributed to Rosser Reeves. Reeves became known in the advertising world for two reasons:
1- He is the author of the expression “unique selling proposition”. Reeves argued that any product or service on the market had to explain why it was different from the competition;
2-He was one of the first advertisers to produce televising spots for presidential campaigns in the USA.
The story takes place in the spring of 1952 when Reeves went to lunch with a colleague in Central Park and saw a beggar with a sign:
“I am blind.”
The man had a glass for the coins at his side, but unfortunately for him, he just had a few coins in it. Witnessing that, Reeves told his colleague:
“He’s using the wrong message. I bet I can increase the amount of money that guy is getting by just adding 4 words to the poster."
Skeptical, the colleague accepted. Rosser spoke to the beggar, who decided he had nothing to lose and agreed to Rosser rewriting the poster.
Almost immediately, some people put some coins in the glass. Some stopped, spoke to the beggar, and took out $1 bills from their wallet. Soon, the glass was full. The beggar that a few minutes before was holding his head down, was now holding the poster with a smile.
But what did Reeves write on the poster?
Reeves knew he had to make people empathize with the beggar’s plight, so he wrote:
"It's springtime and I am blind."
These simple words added power and clarity to the message, making people compare their reality to the beggars' reality.
How and when you use the words makes all the difference in your business.
By hiring an expert, you make sure you have the right words for your business.
