The Anatomy of Hype

On a copywriting board I frequent, someone expressed bafflement that several respected marketers criticized the tone of a sales page he wrote. "Why did they apologize to their subscribers while linking to my pitch? This approach sells," he said.

Hype was the problem. If you use the following tactics, many educated shoppers cringe and go elsewhere:

Overblown claims. "If You Can Write Your Name, You Can Write a Book in 30 Days - Guaranteed!"

Overexcited tone. Lots of exclamation points, phrases in bold capital letters with underlining and a drumbeat of emphasis. "Programmers poured out their TOP-SECRET strategies that you, too, can use to earn a GATES-LIKE FORTUNE in the software business!!" "Take out your credit card and order RIGHT NOW!"

Unsupported and extreme superlatives. "The most important new product launch, ever."

Adjectives and adverbs you would not encounter from Exxon or IBM. "Mind-blowing" "Exclusive" "Huge" "Incredible" "Wildly" "Literally" (necessary to distinguish truth from hoopla).

Exaggerations. "They've made millions under the radar." (When most haven't made that sum and the "secrecy" is just not having been asked.)

Sounds impressive but untrue. Calling someone a best selling author who has not appeared on a recognized best seller list.

Lack of qualifiers. Statements that should include a bit of backpedaling but don't. It's really not "all," "only," "never," "sure-fire" or "will."

Marketers who favor a style full of hype argue that the numbers prove these techniques succeed, whatever the audience. When they tone down the pitch, sales drop. When they toss decorum to the winds and reinsert that hammering excitement and the fervid embellishments, sales return to previous levels. Case closed, they say.

Assuming their numbers are valid, this argument does have a point, but one of limited relevance to many situations. Hype may sell, but it may also undercut other business goals, in these ways:

Reputation. In whose eyes do you want credibility? Use this tone and you can expect snickering rather than respect from established journalists, academics, Fortune 500 companies, most people with postgraduate degrees and colleagues who use any of those groups as their benchmark of respectability.

Partnerships and opportunities. If you're aiming at joint ventures with banks, universities, community organizations, trade associations and the like, hype counts very heavily against you. You may also endanger your chances of getting a contract from a major publisher if that's among your goals.

Trust. Are you aiming at a one-time sale or a long-term customer? Hype works better in the former situation, especially where a buyer believes they can obtain a refund if the purchase doesn't live up to the promises.

Staying out of legal trouble. Some of the techniques listed above either flirt with deception or cross the line to lies. The other day I read through a Federal Trade Commission judgment against an Internet marketer for deceptive marketing and believe me, this is wrath you do not want to bring down upon yourself! Make sure you have a nitpicky lawyer to vet your copy if you favor a hyped style.

Please note that it's possible to use a hard-hitting, dramatic direct marketing style with descriptive bullet points, calls to action and so on in connection with entirely truthful and completely respectable copy.

Hype does sell. But that's far from settling the issue of whether or not you should use it.

Marcia Yudkin (marcia@yudkin.com) is the author of 6 Steps to Free Publicity, Persuading on Paper, Web Site Marketing Makeover and other books on business communication. She mentors business owners through http://www.MarketingForMore.com and mentors organizational marketing managers through http://www.MentorForMarketing.com. Sign up for her free weekly newsletter on creative marketing at http://www.yudkin.com/marksynd.htm .

---

Non Products Exist in this World

"Both the market and the distributive channel are often more... Read More

How You Can Make Money From Competitors Easy

Are you market products and services using PPCs? PPC Advertising... Read More

How Would You Handle This?

We have been talking about choosing groups to participate in... Read More

Free Publicity for Restaurants

One of the best ways to get a restaurant free... Read More

Six Essential Principles for Marketing to Women Business Owners

Marketing to women entrepreneurs is not difficult. You just have... Read More

Cook Up Something Special: How To Create A WOW Experience For Your Clients

My niece recently graduated from high school, and my family... Read More

Using a Contact List Profitably- Part Two

Besides a survey, your contact list can be used to... Read More

Keeping Pace with Business Marketing

Today's business marketing rules are different than they were in... Read More

5 Steps To Help Fail-Proof Your Growing Service Business

Business startup and failure rates are scary...In The USA...- Every... Read More

Marketing With Business Cards

Many businesses today overlook the importance of business cards as... Read More

Marketing Mimics Life

Clichés. We've all heard them...and hear some of them so... Read More

Online Mentorship Programs: Cash in on Your Expertise

Whether you're a former retail store owner known for your... Read More

Making the Intangible Real

How do you make the intangible real? How do you... Read More

Two Steps to Improving Your Marketing Success

Since the human brain seems to be able to focus... Read More

Keeping Marketing Simple / Ten Simple Steps

1. Business CardsIt is very important to market yourself via... Read More

The Greatest Business Tips are FREE

The best way for someone to hang on to a... Read More

High Response Marketing With Low-Cost Postcards

Postcards can drive a huge amount of traffic to your... Read More

30-Minute Marketing

Marketing your small business takes tons of time, years of... Read More

Overview on Qualitative Data Collection Techniques in International Marketing Research

This article is meant to be a brief review and... Read More

The REAL Key To Successfully Marketing Any Product!

The REAL key to successful marketing of any product is... Read More

The Advantage and Consequences of New Economy Marketing

Some of the research that has been done today gives... Read More

11 Powerful Marketing Tips

Each of these 11 marketing tips is based on a... Read More

Hold Onto What Youve Got

You probably spend a great deal of your time looking... Read More

Incentives For Customers? Whats New?

Lost & Found for the 21st CenturyHere in the 21st... Read More

For Market Breakthroughs, Put Timing on Your Side

In today' s marketplace, the pressure for immediate bottom-line results... Read More

Universal Principals That Guide Business Growth

Universal principals are those "self-evident" truths that have guided brilliant... Read More

Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business

Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny... Read More

Marketing Tips- Who Are You Competing With?

Before you can market, you need to know who you... Read More

10 Tips to Grow Your Business Plain & Simple

"Try not to become a man of success but rather... Read More

Money-Makers Secrets to Renting Profitable Mailing Lists

As an entrepreneur involved in selling and/or promotion... Read More

10 Steps To Getting Paid For Your Marketing Materials

How many times have you heard the same sound bites... Read More

The Top Ten Ways to Get Beyond Networking And Generate Cash-Building Exposure

Gain the exposure you need to succeed with these ten... Read More

The Real Marketing Genius

I spend a lot of my time reading books and... Read More