As a comic book geek, my “fanboy” hairs stood up with this news:
Zack Snyder — who directed the brilliant “300” and upcoming “Watchmen” movies — wants to direct the movie version of “The Dark Knight Returns”.
This story is about an older, out-of-shape Batman who comes out of retirement due to rising crime and violence.
It’s psychologically dark, “gritty” and unlike anything at the time.
In fact, it changed the entire comic book industry forever…
… and even saved “Batman” from cancellation.
(Bats wasn’t always as popular as he is today.)
What does this have to do with your copywriting?
This:
In one “scene”, Batman lugs an unconscious gang-banger to a building top — and holds him there face down, looking at the street.
And when the sociopathic killer regains consciousness, all he sees is blackness — as Batman’s hand covers his eyes.
After asking this killer a few questions (and getting nothing back but mindless drivel about his “rights”)…
… Batman removes one finger from the guy’s eyes at a time — until he sees where he’s at (hanging by a thread by Batman’s “weak arm”) and starts telling Batman what he wants to hear.
As Batman says:
“It was tough work carrying 220 pounds of sociopath to the top of Gotham Towers — the highest spot in the city. The scream alone is worth it.”
Anyway, what’s the point?
How in the world can this help you write better ads?
The answer is simple:
Ol’ Bats made the gang-banger an “offer he couldn’t refuse.”
In other words:
Batman would not drop sociopath from 300 feet in the air, if sociopath told Batman what he wanted to hear.
And guess what?
In a way, that’s EXACTLY what great ads do, too.
No… not with threat of violence, you silly.
But by making your offers so “in harmony” with what your customer wants… whether it be to eliminate a pain or gain something they desperately desire (or both)… he almost can’t HELP buying from you.
Even if he didn’t originally want the product you’re selling.
And even if your ad is poorly “written.”
Frankly, if you get your offer right, your customer has no choice but buy.
Which is why more sales are made NOT with brilliant writing…
… but with brilliant OFFERS.
What’s the moral of the story?
Put time — LOTS of time — into your offers.
In fact, if you’re going to swipe something, swipe the kind of dramatic, “ballsy” offers your loudmouth competition is scared to match.
It’s like having a 40 meter head-start in a 100 meter race.
And let’s you “win” without needing to be the best “copywriter.”
Ben Settle
P.S. You can learn 3 powerful ways of creating “can’t refuse” offers (that go WAY beyond lame-o 30 or 90 day guarantees) in chapter 32 of “The Copywriting Grab Bag”:
One of them in particular is especially good, that I learned while while writing ads for a martial arts guru a few years back.
You can get it at a special discount if you’re on the “VIP” notification list at the above link.
