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Writer's Block Corner

Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?
by Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.copywritingcourse.com

It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by asking
questions. Why? To evoke thoughts in your readers' minds, to
stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way you
want them to think. But have you ever thought about how you
phrase your questions? Are you doing it in a way that will have
the greatest impact on your readers or are you just throwing
questions on a page?

Behaviorally speaking, not everybody responds in the same way to
the same questions. Those with different communications styles
will relate in a variety of ways depending on how you phrase your
sentence.

Using the DISC Behavioral Profile, let me explain what I mean and
show you how you can start asking the right questions in the right way to suit your customers.

D = Dominance

Those who fall in the Dominance category of the DISC profile are
described as: in control, powerful, confident, visionaries, and
risk takers. These people can be managers, CEOs, high-ranking
military personnel, entrepreneurs, and the like.

Those who are considered high in Dominance want to stick to
business. They expect the facts to be presented logically. They
want presentations to be clear, specific, and to the point.

This group of people will respond better to specific "what"
questions. For example, let's say we're developing a headline for an ultra-fast printer. You wouldn't want to write a headline that asks, "How Do You Cure a Need for Speed?" That question is
vague; it's not specific, and it begins with the word "how."

CEOs, upper management, and others in this category aren't the
least bit interested in "how" you do anything. They are visionaries. They look at the big picture, not the little details. Details are somebody else's job!

Instead, try rewriting that headline to include the word "what"
and to be specific, like this: "What Cures a Need for Speed?"

You can see a similar relation in other behavioral styles (I, S,
and C) and the types of questions people in each prefer.

I = Influence

Those high in Influence are generally found in the sales field or
other fields that require a lot of people/social interaction. They move fast and want to focus on people-oriented tasks. They
love to give their opinions and to be asked for their thoughts on
a matter. They love to be the center of attention.

This group responds well to "feeling" questions. Not just about
themselves, but also about others. For example: "Remember the
excitement you felt when _____?" or "How would your child feel if
_____?"

S = Steadiness

Those in the Steadiness group want to be seen as people - not a
number. They appreciate logic, a touch of personal interaction,
and they are detail-oriented. They are generally slow decision-makers and are not wild about taking unqualified risks. Those who fall into the Steadiness category make up 40% of the general population and come from all walks of life.

People high in steadiness would be likely to respond better to
questions beginning with "how." Possibilities include "How many
times have you wished ____?" or "How often do you ____?" They
also respond well to questions that make them think, like "Is your copy getting results?" They'll likely want to know what you can do about it if the answer is "no."

C = Compliance

When describing someone who falls into the Compliance category,
these phrases come to mind: critical thinker, prepared,
quality-oriented, incredibly detailed, specific, and slow
decision-maker. You'll generally find these types working as
engineers, bankers, accountants, scientists, and the like.

Those high in Compliance will respond best to questions including
statistics and questions that force them to look at all sides of
an issue/problem. For example, "68% of All Drivers Pay Too Much
for Auto Insurance. Are You?" Another idea is "Widget or Thingee. Which Makes the Most Sense?"

Phrasing your questions in a way that allows your target customers to relate only makes sense. When you hit a nerve -people will respond. Asking the right questions. in the right
way. within your copy will get you one step closer to closing the
sale.

Copy not getting results? Learn to write SEO copy that impresses the engines and your visitors at
http://www.copywritingcourse.com. Be sure to check out Karon's latest e-report "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without Destroying the Flow of Your Copy)" at http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.

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