Page 161 - 100 Great Copywriting Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

74 CORRECT YOUR
PROSPECT’S
ASSUMPTIONS

We all tend to make assumptions about our customers. And
probably the most common is that “everybody knows what we do so
we don’t have to tell them.” It’s true, most of our customers do know
what we do. But they don’t necessarily know everything we do. For
example, I had been writing copy for corporate brochures for a good
client of mine for years and then, one day, she said, “Do you know
anyone who writes websites?”

I nearly choked. “I do,” I managed. “Oh, great,” she said. “I thought
you just wrote corporate brochures.” My mistake was in assuming
she’d read my website. But who has time to do that? You have
a supplier you’re happy with, they do what you want them to,
the end.

The idea

From Sportomotive, a sports car dealership
Just a half-mile or so from my house is a great little sports car dealer.
As well as selling cars they also service them. Now, Sportomotive
are Lotus specialists. (Do you know the playful-yet-painful owner’s
acronym? Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious.) When we ran Saabs
and, memorably, a classic Rover V8, I wandered in to ask them if
they only serviced Lotus cars. “Oh no,” said Cos, the owner. “We do
all makes.” “You should tell people,” I said. “I’m not sure how many
car owners around here know that.”

152 • 100 GREAT COPYWRITING IDEAS