Let’s have some fun today, shall we?

A little dissection of words even the marketing ex-spurts fear:

1. Work

Many marketers are terrified of admitting there might be work involved in using their product. And yet, I bet few (if any) have ever tested, you know, telling the TRUTH about their super duper way of making money or whatever they sell.

If they did, they may be surprised by the response.

2. Hard

As much as I despise the gummint mafia testimonial rules, I’m digging the way some people can’t just slap testimonials up of their bought-and-paid-for buddies saying how easy and effortless making a gazillion buckeroos is with their product.

It’s kind of amusing.

3. Expensive

I sometimes admit products are expensive up front in ads.

Why?

Because (A) it’s usually true.

And (2), saying it EARLY in the ad removes the objection later.

In the end, it often gets buyers who are “doers” and lovers of quality, instead of price shoppers always looking for cheap.

4. Don’t

Someone once said you should not use “negatives.”

Such as not saying stuff like, “Don’t Do XYZ” in a headline.

Is that true?

Maybe in some cases — but definitely not all of them. There have been many responsive headlines that were pure negative statements. Guess the copywriters writing those successful negative statement headlines never got the “memo.”

5. Effort

Ditto #1

6. Need

Lots of people say never to sell “needs”, just wants.

I don’t know about that.

When my car engine imploded a couple years ago, I NEEDED another car — and fast. I did not “want” one. In fact, I’d have been quite happy to not have had to think about it.

Needs vs wants is just semantics.

OK, so there they are — the 6 “Lord Voldemort” words even the ex-spurts dare not speaketh.

See?

They’re not so scary after all, are they?

Ben Settle