Page 177 - 100 Great Copywriting Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

82 GET THEM NODDING

One of the oldest tricks in the sales book is to get your prospect
to agree with you. Not on any earth-shattering subject like “do you
want to buy this fridge?” but on an altogether less controversial
plane. Classically, you suggest, on meeting your prospect, that
it’s a “nice day, huh?” Provided it isn’t raining, you should get a
noncommittal “Sure is.”

But that “Sure is” is anything but noncommittal, because your
prospect just agreed with you. Once they agree with you on a small
point they’re much more likely to agree with you on a big one. The
trick is timing. You work through a few more easy questions and
before they know it, your new best friend finds everything you say
pretty uncontroversial. Then you ask for the order.

The idea

From a business-to-business mailshot
For the opening to a direct mail letter aimed at corporate managers,
I adopted just such an old-school approach:

Would you agree with me that running a business in Eastern
Europe calls for a unique mix of skills? Skills observed in
successful executives like you?

Kinda hard to disagree with that, wouldn’t you say? Combined with
some fairly obvious flattery, it almost forces the reader to say “yes.”
Which is all I wanted at this stage.

If you’ve figured out or researched what makes your reader tick, you
have all the ammunition you need for this type of opening. It works

168 • 100 GREAT COPYWRITING IDEAS