What’s The Hook?

I see a lot of sales letters that people have written. And I mean a LOT! Hey, if you want to see that number then jump onto some copywriting forums and check out the number of people looking for critiques. And not only that I get a heap across my desk every week to look at for people too.

And do you know what the biggest mistake I see is? Its the hook, or should I say the LACK of a hook. So what is a hook? Well, you might know it as the big idea or the ‘angle’. And its hard to put into words, but like love, you can’t describe it but you sure know it when you see it!

But the best way to describe it is that reason that’s going to get your prospect to whip out their credit card and give you their details. It could be a guarantee that nobody else offers. Perhaps your product or service helps your prospect in a way that no other product does. Maybe you run through your product in person, or your offer includes something that none of your competitors include.

Here are some famous hooks, and some ideas you can use:

- The secret of the one armed golfer

- The medical expert who blows the whistle on their industry

- The special ingredient in your product that has a story behind it

- An amazing secret revealed

- A mystery expert in your field who has revealed something never revealed before

- A rags to riches story.

I was talking to somebody today who’s sales letter was missing a hook. And so there was nothing to grab attention and make her product a ‘must have’. She had run an online survey to find out more about her prospects, but didn’t leave it up there long enough. If she runs her survey again I’m sure she’ll be able to get inside the mind of her prospects and pull out a really good hook that’ll get people buying.

So go back and think about your prospects again. Look at your product. What is unique about it? How will it help get exceptional results? What is that factor that makes it such a great product? Work hard on it. It’ll be worth it.

Next week I’ll tell you another common mistake I see, and how you can avoid this one too.

All the best,

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