You’ve probably heard that the most important part of your copy is the headline. That’s true: the headline is what gets attention and motivates the reader to dig into the content.
But once you’ve won attention with the headline, the reader turns to your opening. Will they be motivated? At this point, you might introduce a story.
But sometimes you’re writing a short piece of copy, such as a landing page. You just don’t have time for a story.
Or you want to get the reader focused right away You want to call attention to their problems. When you stuck for an opening for your home page or sales letter, it’s tempting to turn to “pull questions.”
Pull questions are questions or bullets that resonate so strongly with your audience, they pull readers into your world.
For example, you’ve probably seen many versions of these questions:
Do you feel that you keep working hard but just don’t see the results you hoped for?
Do you love what you do but hate marketing because it feels SO inauthentic?
These pull questions won’t strike a chord in the heart of most readers. They’re abstract, so they don’t appeal to emotions. And they’re cookie-cutter.: they sound like everybody, which means nobody.
How To Write Attention-Grabbing Pull Questions
Base your pull questions on your clients’ backstories.
For instance:
“You’ve worked with 5 mentors and 4 home study courses and you are still struggling to get past $20K a year.”
“You promise yourself you’ll order fruit slices for dessert, but for the third time this week there’s a fudge sundae on your plate.”
Draw on the reader’s emotions.
Your opening is supposed to draw people into your world. Abstractions might reach them on an intellectual level; “This is what I should be concerned about.”
For example:
“Are you frustrated with dozens of get-acquainted calls that never turn into new clients?”
“Are you tired of pulling all-nighters to finish your sales letter copy – and wondering why nobody else seems to be working this hard?”
Write pull questions that will make your audience say, “Yes – that’s me!”
For instance,
A professional organizer:
Did you know that many people pay late fees simply because they can’t find their bills?
Have you bought three pairs of gloves because you thought you lost them (and they turn up in your own closet, under a pile of old sweaters)
A fitness trainer :
“Do you tell yourself it’s time to hit the gym, but somehow you’re too tired to leave the couch?”
“Do you find yourself puffing up a flight of stairs when you see others flying by?”
Headlines and openings start the same way: with your client’s back story.
When you begin with your client’s back story, you’ll know instinctively how to write copy. You’ll support your brand, differentiate your services, and deliver more value
What are your thoughts about pull questions?
Reply in the comments below.
If you’d like to work with me to get higher conversions from your content, answer the “what’s your story” question or nail your small business brand? The best way to begin: sign up for a consultation at http://mycopy.info/storyconsult
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