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THE LEVISON LETTER
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Action Ideas For Better Direct Mail,
E-mail, Web Sites & Advertising
Published by
Ivan Levison, Direct Response Copywriting
March, 2001
Volume: 16 Number: 3
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Copywriters should avoid clichés
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Did you see the latest TV commercial for Sizzler?
The chef stands behind some great-looking steaks and
tells
us that they're all "grilled to perfection."
In my opinion, the advertising copywriter who wrote
that
spot stopped thinking and went on autopilot. You see,
"grilled to perfection" is a cliche we've heard a thousand
times and it should never have found a way into the
commercial. The copywriter was paid to come up with
something fresh - not a banal retread.
Or what about the other food-related cliche that's
recycled in just about every other food ad: " It's a
delicate blend of herbs and spices." (How come it's never
a delicate blend of spices and herbs?)
The reason that cliches are used so frequently is that
they make the copywriter's life a whole lot easier. You
don't have to think. You just plug in the familiar module,
punch the time clock, and go home.
Of course, flabby writing turns readers off and ultimately
cuts response rates. That's why you should make sure all
your marketing copy is fresh, tight, and brimming with
personality.
This is particularly important in high tech where it's
incredibly easy to use jargon and omit the real benefits.
For instance, how many times have you seen:
We'll help you increase productivity.
Or:
We offer a scalable solution.
Or:
Our product is easy to use.
Or:
Our interface is intuitive.
Been there. Done that.
It would be a lot better to really dig in and explain
the
benefits, rather than rely on cliches that we've all seen
countless times. In fact, you should always be on the
lookout for ways to say things in a new or better way.
Let me give you an example. Some time ago I was writing
a
direct mail package for Hewlett-Packard. On the Response
Card, HP wanted to ask a bunch of qualifying questions.
The little line they had been using to set up the question
module was, logically enough:
"Answer the following questions."
To me, that had a pushy quality about it. Abrupt.
Unpolished. Instead, I substituted the following lines:
"We'd like to get to know you better.
Please take just a moment and answer the following
questions. It would really help us meet your needs better
in the future. Thank you!"
No big deal. We're talking about a few words on the
Response Card. What I'm trying to illustrate is that you
can try to give things a little personality, avoid
cliches, and connect with your reader. It takes some work
and a little thought, but it's well worth the effort!
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How To Get In Touch
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Ivan Levison
Direct Response Copywriting
14 Los Cerros Drive
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 461-0672
Fax: (415) 461-7738
E-mail: ivan@levison.com
Web Site: http://www.levison.com
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Copyright 2000, by Ivan Levison, All Rights Reserved.
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