GordonJ
May 5, 2022, 09:46 AM
OK, early morning drive when there wasn't traffic, covered about
80% of all businesses in my city. I passed a MARC'S. A store like a smaller Walmart, without the softgoods or big departments, mostly food and drug store items, sort of like a big Walgreens.
Anyhow, I never shop there. Once cashed a lottery ticket there, but even then the store is so claustophobic, I took my dough and ran.
I thought about it. And noted other stores and places of business I don't use or like. Most, of course, are places I have no business at.
I am NOT in their TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC.
In making my list, I see that convenience beats price. I'm just not going to go the Xtra mile to save a few pennies or dollars even, especially with gas prices being so high. Example, with my Amazon Prime I can get my TIDE delivered to my door in a day, and not spend too much more than I would if I ventured into Walmart, that thought almost makes me ill.
Even though it is only a couple of miles, for me, not wanting to drive, not wanting to go into the store, not wanting to DEAL with whatever is inside...ok, the people...
it is easier on me to just have Amazon deliver it. And more and more of those common items are showing up on my doorstep everyday.
I list shampoo, dish soap, laundry soap, floor cleaners, etc., etc as NEEDS, although more than likely some Baking Soda, Vinegar and Bleach or ammonia could replace a lot of the more expensive items.
Laundry soap is a need. TIDE or SA8 (Amway) is a WANT. WHY do I pick out the items I do, in other words,
WHY do I have brand loyalty? What is the motivation behind it?
For today, if you have DONE a list, observing what people buy and whether it is a need or a want...then,
You want to ask WHY?
And a lot of what is on the list will be bought out of ROUTINES and HABITS, I suggest maybe 90% of our spending goes to the same consumables, month after month after month.
Which makes OFFERING a consumable very attractive, right? Even a monthly newsletter (winks at Dien)...
OK. I'm driving around town in the wee morning hours, have the main streets almost all to myself. I was talking into my voice recorder, I find that if I don't do this, I get distracted.
And the next thing I know I'm NOT thinking on task. So talking keeps me focused on the reason I'm doing what I'm doing, make sense?
As I saw other drivers and some early morning EMPLOYEES OR even owners coming in to open their businesses, I asked:
WHAT are these people thinking?
And that brings us to today's point. PREOCCUPATION.
Good copywriting is TARGETED, it breaks a preoccpation, addresses a problem, fear, need or want for a SPECIFIC person or avatar.
It MUST get attention.
The methods, like curiosity, questions, bold statements come only after you know which preoccupation to address, or
HOW TO GET INSIDE OF YOUR AVATAR's MIND, and join the conversation they are already having in their brains.
This takes place at an INTERSECTION you create.
I keep wants and needs inside of a Maslow Pyramid, do a google image search, and also the five basic life needs.
I keep the main preoccupations under the Roy Garn FATAL FOUR, however, I know others who prefer more than these:
MONEY
SEX
EGO
SURVIVAL
And these get divided into any number of subsets, but you will find that most motivations and the methods used will target one of these four preoccupations (PO)
Let us continue the discussion.
Gordon
P.S. Maslow. Here is an etsy dealer: he sells the pdf, you print it and frame it. Maybe I'll do the SQ1 and actually print and frame them myself, add a lot of wall hanging value. See? Take a common thing and sell it.
https://etsy.me/3kHwM8P
And by the way, this etsy seller has 18,483 sales, mostly digital downloads around four bux. Just showin...
Here tis:
You need a notebook. Pen/pencil.
My Discount Drug Mart sells them for .99 cents.
Amazon: 2.09
https://amzn.to/3w31aQq
Day one and two. OBSERVATION. What do people buy?
As you go about your day, even if you don't leave the house, ask yourself and write down your observations of what people buy. On page one have two columns, NEEDS & WANTS.
When out and about, be in AWARENESS MODE, and write down what you see people buy, no matter where or what.
Now a look at a "typical" paycheck, someone at 20 an hour working 40 hours a week.
800 dollars.
210 TAXES, etc.
590 X 4.25 = 2500 rounded off, a month.
Groceries. Rent/Mortage. Utilities. Clothing. Gas.
What is left over, the so-called disposal income is the gold for most marketers...although, the RICH guys do sell food, oil/gas, LOANS, etc., etc.
As you spend the first 48 hours observing what people buy, you will create a list, and these will go on one of the 2 columns, NEED or WANT.
We'll get into the differences later.
We all need food. But some of us shop at Aldi's or Save a Lot and Walmart while others go to Whole Foods and boutique food stores.
These first 2 days are intended to raise your awareness of what people buy, where and how, and even some WHY?
Why Walmart instead of Whole Foods?
See, if you believe that Copywriting is salesmanship in print, as it has been often described...
And the job of the copy WRITER is to get the reader/viewer/listener TO BUY, (or to believe) don't you first have to know;
What people buy?
And
WHY?
Let me know if this makes too much sense and you'd rather be dazzled with some amazing inside secrets of the billion dollar companies...
WHY DO PEOPLE BUY.
Feel free to respond in the thread, we can cover a lot of territory if you want.
Gordon
80% of all businesses in my city. I passed a MARC'S. A store like a smaller Walmart, without the softgoods or big departments, mostly food and drug store items, sort of like a big Walgreens.
Anyhow, I never shop there. Once cashed a lottery ticket there, but even then the store is so claustophobic, I took my dough and ran.
I thought about it. And noted other stores and places of business I don't use or like. Most, of course, are places I have no business at.
I am NOT in their TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC.
In making my list, I see that convenience beats price. I'm just not going to go the Xtra mile to save a few pennies or dollars even, especially with gas prices being so high. Example, with my Amazon Prime I can get my TIDE delivered to my door in a day, and not spend too much more than I would if I ventured into Walmart, that thought almost makes me ill.
Even though it is only a couple of miles, for me, not wanting to drive, not wanting to go into the store, not wanting to DEAL with whatever is inside...ok, the people...
it is easier on me to just have Amazon deliver it. And more and more of those common items are showing up on my doorstep everyday.
I list shampoo, dish soap, laundry soap, floor cleaners, etc., etc as NEEDS, although more than likely some Baking Soda, Vinegar and Bleach or ammonia could replace a lot of the more expensive items.
Laundry soap is a need. TIDE or SA8 (Amway) is a WANT. WHY do I pick out the items I do, in other words,
WHY do I have brand loyalty? What is the motivation behind it?
For today, if you have DONE a list, observing what people buy and whether it is a need or a want...then,
You want to ask WHY?
And a lot of what is on the list will be bought out of ROUTINES and HABITS, I suggest maybe 90% of our spending goes to the same consumables, month after month after month.
Which makes OFFERING a consumable very attractive, right? Even a monthly newsletter (winks at Dien)...
OK. I'm driving around town in the wee morning hours, have the main streets almost all to myself. I was talking into my voice recorder, I find that if I don't do this, I get distracted.
And the next thing I know I'm NOT thinking on task. So talking keeps me focused on the reason I'm doing what I'm doing, make sense?
As I saw other drivers and some early morning EMPLOYEES OR even owners coming in to open their businesses, I asked:
WHAT are these people thinking?
And that brings us to today's point. PREOCCUPATION.
Good copywriting is TARGETED, it breaks a preoccpation, addresses a problem, fear, need or want for a SPECIFIC person or avatar.
It MUST get attention.
The methods, like curiosity, questions, bold statements come only after you know which preoccupation to address, or
HOW TO GET INSIDE OF YOUR AVATAR's MIND, and join the conversation they are already having in their brains.
This takes place at an INTERSECTION you create.
I keep wants and needs inside of a Maslow Pyramid, do a google image search, and also the five basic life needs.
I keep the main preoccupations under the Roy Garn FATAL FOUR, however, I know others who prefer more than these:
MONEY
SEX
EGO
SURVIVAL
And these get divided into any number of subsets, but you will find that most motivations and the methods used will target one of these four preoccupations (PO)
Let us continue the discussion.
Gordon
P.S. Maslow. Here is an etsy dealer: he sells the pdf, you print it and frame it. Maybe I'll do the SQ1 and actually print and frame them myself, add a lot of wall hanging value. See? Take a common thing and sell it.
https://etsy.me/3kHwM8P
And by the way, this etsy seller has 18,483 sales, mostly digital downloads around four bux. Just showin...
Here tis:
You need a notebook. Pen/pencil.
My Discount Drug Mart sells them for .99 cents.
Amazon: 2.09
https://amzn.to/3w31aQq
Day one and two. OBSERVATION. What do people buy?
As you go about your day, even if you don't leave the house, ask yourself and write down your observations of what people buy. On page one have two columns, NEEDS & WANTS.
When out and about, be in AWARENESS MODE, and write down what you see people buy, no matter where or what.
Now a look at a "typical" paycheck, someone at 20 an hour working 40 hours a week.
800 dollars.
210 TAXES, etc.
590 X 4.25 = 2500 rounded off, a month.
Groceries. Rent/Mortage. Utilities. Clothing. Gas.
What is left over, the so-called disposal income is the gold for most marketers...although, the RICH guys do sell food, oil/gas, LOANS, etc., etc.
As you spend the first 48 hours observing what people buy, you will create a list, and these will go on one of the 2 columns, NEED or WANT.
We'll get into the differences later.
We all need food. But some of us shop at Aldi's or Save a Lot and Walmart while others go to Whole Foods and boutique food stores.
These first 2 days are intended to raise your awareness of what people buy, where and how, and even some WHY?
Why Walmart instead of Whole Foods?
See, if you believe that Copywriting is salesmanship in print, as it has been often described...
And the job of the copy WRITER is to get the reader/viewer/listener TO BUY, (or to believe) don't you first have to know;
What people buy?
And
WHY?
Let me know if this makes too much sense and you'd rather be dazzled with some amazing inside secrets of the billion dollar companies...
WHY DO PEOPLE BUY.
Feel free to respond in the thread, we can cover a lot of territory if you want.
Gordon
