Category: Copywriting

Just Listen Damn It!

Just Listen, Damn It, Why Acting Like a Doctor Wins Clients

If you want more clients, act like a doctor. I have said this many times, because it still works. Here is the simple reason, diagnosis comes before prescription. You cannot help anyone until you listen and get the problem in words.

Why the Doctor Model Works

We trust doctors. Most people would rather see a doctor than ask a neighbour for medical advice. Authority and calm curiosity build confidence.
Doctors are not seen as money driven. In the UK, they are paid, but they do not feel like they are selling. That removes pressure, which makes honesty easier.
Years of training and constant learning. Standards matter, and patients know it. Expertise, plus humility to keep learning, creates credibility.
Doctors listen. Even in short appointments, they ask focused questions. They collect facts before they decide what to do.

The Critical Bit, Listening First

They do not know what is wrong with you until you say it, in words. That is the job, to surface the real problem and its impact. In business, the same rule applies, no diagnosis, no prescription.

Diagnosis Before Prescription

Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice in medicine. It is the same in sales and consulting. Pitching first feels like pressure, while diagnosing first feels like help.

Diagnose: Understand goals, symptoms, root causes, constraints, and impact.
Prescribe: Recommend options, explain trade offs, set expectations, agree next steps.

How to Listen Like a Doctor

Set the frame. Start with permission and purpose. For example, “Would it be useful if I ask a few questions first so I can give you the best advice?”
Start broad. “What prompted this now?” “What would success look like three months from today?”
Probe and clarify. “Can you give me an example?” “How often does this happen?” “Who else is affected?”
Quantify impact. “What is this costing in time, revenue, or risk?” “What gets delayed when this flares up?”
Surface constraints. “What has been tried already?” “What could stop this working?” “What is your timeline and budget range?”
Summarize out loud. “Let me check I have this right,” then play back what you heard, and ask, “Did I miss anything?”
Only then, prescribe. Offer options, trade offs, and next steps, not a pushy pitch.

Quick Comparison, Doctor Style vs Pitch First

Approach	What They Do	How It Feels	Typical Result
Doctor style	Asks focused questions, listens, summarizes, then advises	Safe, respectful, expert	High trust, clear fit, easier close
Pitch first	Leads with features, resumes, and price	Pushy, generic, risky	Low trust, price haggling, slow or lost deals
Interrogation mode	Fires many questions with no context or empathy	Tiring, defensive	Shallow answers, stalled momentum

Example, What Listening Looks Like

Case, The Freelance Designer

Context: A prospect asked for a website redesign. The designer resisted pitching and asked questions first.

Discoveries: Leads were high, conversions were low, mobile load time was poor, and messaging was unclear.
Summary back: “You do not have a traffic problem. You have a conversion and clarity problem, worst on mobile.”
Prescription: Mobile performance, homepage messaging test, and a simple analytics dashboard with weekly review.
Outcome: Won the project at a higher fee, improved conversion by 31 percent in six weeks.

Questions You Can Use

Openers

What made you reach out now, not three months ago?
If this goes well, what changes for you or the team?

Problem and Impact

What is the specific situation that is most painful?
How often does it happen, and what does it cost when it does?

History and Constraints

What have you tried so far, and what happened?
What would stop this from working, if anything?

Decision and Logistics

Who else needs to be involved, and how do you decide?
What is the timeline and budget range that makes sense?

Close the Loop

Let me summarize, tell me what I missed.
Would you like me to outline one or two options with pros and cons?

Small Habits That Improve Listening

Silence is a tool. After a hard question, pause for three beats. People fill the silence with useful detail.
Mirror and label. Repeat the last few words, or name the emotion you hear. “Sounds frustrating.”
Take notes by hand. It shows you care, and it slows you down enough to listen.
Signpost. “I have two more questions, then I will give you options.” This avoids interrogation fatigue.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Pitching too early. You feel productive, they feel sold to.
Assuming the problem. Similar symptoms do not mean the same cause.
Fishing for budget first. Earn the right by understanding the problem first.
Not summarizing. If you cannot play it back, you did not hear it.

How to Wrap Up Like a Pro

Confirm the diagnosis. “We agree the core issue is X, which causes Y and costs Z.”
Offer options. Good, better, best, with trade offs and timelines.
Gain consent. “Which option fits best, and what do you need to say yes?”
Outline next step.</-li>

Measure Your Listening

Talk time. Aim for the client to speak 60 to 80 percent of the time in discovery.
Depth. Count at least three layers of why or how on the core issue.
Clarity. Can you write the problem in one sentence, in their words?
Follow up. Send a summary email within 24 hours, and check you got it right.

Before Your Next Prospect Call, A Short Checklist

Purpose and agenda set, with permission to ask questions
Five starter questions ready, not a script
Notebook open, phone silent, camera on if remote
Plan to summarize and propose next steps at the end

The Bottom Line

If you want more clients, be the professional who listens, then advises. Think questions, not a pitch. Get the problem in words, then prescribe with confidence.

January 10, 2019

Two Days To Go Before…

It’s the 29th December.

And so it’s two days to go before… what?

We’ve all got ‘now’, and we all know what to do with it (more of what you like), and we’ve all got tomorrow – but few of us know what to do with that.

Most people have no idea what they want – other than to satisfy a need that needs satisfying.

Most people are brainwashed into thinking that they go to school, get a job, get married, work until they’re 60 ish, retire to somewhere nice and then, what?

It was a necessary part of the industrial revolution. But just like that revolution, it wasn’t planned, not by the people. Not even by the inventors of mechanisation.

They did it because they could.

With the exception of a very tiny group of people who had a dream and wanted to make it happen, the rest of us really don’t care.

These are the people we, as copywriters, are trying to convert. Can you see the scale of the problem?

Desire is one thing, but action is quite another.

Your task as a business owner is to figure that out. What really motivates someone to do something? How can you a) speed it up, b) point them to your product, and c) get them to pay you.

That’s the focus we should all have if we want to stay in business.

December 29, 2018
How To Create A USP Out Of Thin Air (and generate $9.1bn)

Searching for that elusive USP? It’s tough when your product doesn’t seem to hit the mark.

US brewer Anheuser Busch (and all brewers) are in the same boat. I mean, a beer is a beer right? WRONG.

Of course not. It’s a bird, it’s a horse, it’s a pinup girl…

Here’s some of the ways Anheuser overcame their ‘commodity’ problem:

1. Use your logo to tell a story. They added an Eagle to their logo implying it was the Eagle of beers (later one of their brands, Budweiser, was dubbed the King of Beers – there’s no limit to this).

2. Be first by creating a geographically unique market out of thin air: “First National Beer”. “Brewed Exclusively in Hell, Michigan” (I made that one up, but you get the idea).

3. Get sexist. The ‘Budweiser Girl’ poster campaign lasted 30 years.

4. Launch a campaign. Anheuser’s USP in 1914 was its year-long newspaper campaign against the threat to personal freedom from prohibition.

When prohibition began anyway, they created a new alcohol-free product called Bevo (first to market USP). Half the brewers went bust during prohibition.

5. In the 1930’s they used heavy horses to show their historical connection with brewing (“you may love your new car, but you can always rely on a traditional brew” – selling old as new).

6. In the 1950’s they used their 100th anniversary to differentiate. And they attached further differentiation using the association of famous historical characters with their “The Beer of Your Lifetime Too” campaign.

7. By 1960 they’d become number one by associating their brand with the mass market. The “people like us drink beer like this” concept, or as they put it “Where there’s life, there’s Bud” (“you’re alive, we’re alive, fancy a pint?”).

8. In 1965 they introduced ‘value’ as a USP with the simple slogan “It’s worth it” (can you see how easy it is to create USP’s? – just add a great copywriter).

They missed a trick though. They made it about the beer, not the drinker. L’Oreal stole the idea 7 years later and made it personal (“You’re worth it”).

9. Give it a nickname. Hey, why not use a nickname as your USP?

And let’s make it all warm and cozy “Fancy a Bud, bud?”.

10. You can even USP on sound, as in the famous fizzy “Buscssssshhhhh” sound of the cap popping off campaign in the 1970’s (also used by Schweppes in the UK).

Here’s a BONUS entry: “If Heineken created copywriters, they would probably be the best copywriters in the world”. But since they don’t, you can always join the ICA.

December 5, 2018
How To Turn A Commodity Into A Luxury And Make More Money – An Example From Science of Copywriting

Pricing has always been problematic for people. It’s the same whether we’re in business, at a car boot sale or selling to a friend.

We get stuck in our own mental model of the world. The trouble is, the world we’re stuck in is of our own making. It’s not the same world as the one we’re trying to sell into.

If that concept is new to you, then I’m delighted to be the one to introduce it. We truly are all different, and it’s why there’s no cookie cutter method for making money other than selling something for more than you paid for it (be it money or time).

When it comes to pricing, there’s only two models you need to be aware of:

1. Commodity and Luxury

2. Essential and non Essential

Commodities are essential. That’s why they’re commodities. Everyone knows what they are, and they also know their cost.

Luxuries are non essential. Everyone knows what they are, but they don’t know their cost.

The trick in pricing is to turn a commodity into a luxury, and then turn that into an essential. And the way to do that, which has never changed in the history of marketing, is to add value to the commodity you’re selling.

This is how Ford were able to turn Mondeos into Jaguars and double the price for less than the cost in the early 2000s.

If we take a recent example in the Science of Copywriting Facebook group, Lee Dickinson asked about proofreading fees. Now there’s a commodity in the writing world if ever there was one.

It’s a commodity because we can all read. But it still has a certain amount of value because we cannot all spell. And that value increases further because not all of us are good at grammar (though both these values are being commoditized through apps).

This moves the proofreader closer towards the professional end of the market, but no one’s going to get rich.

So how can you add more value?

First you need to do the obvious – position yourself as different from the average proofreader.

One way to do that is show evidence you always deliver 100% error free work (even the most popular books contain typos – you can use that as a differentiator once you have a few jobs under your belt).

Another way is to treat each job as a project rather than at an hourly or wordcount rate. That is, you talk with the publisher about expected sales (they’ll know how large the first print run will be – so they’ll have some idea about this).

This adds a higher degree of responsibility to the task, and so increases the value.

For example, J K Rowling’s publishers would have paid a considerably higher price for getting her last book proofread than her first book (and no doubt at J K Rowling’s insistence too).

When you explain that you treat every project with the same 100% degree of accuracy, people who care will be happy to pay a premium for it (who wants badly proofread books?).

Another way is to become a specialist proofreader. Pick an industry you know a lot about, and only pitch to publishers who sell to that sector. This will give you far higher status and allow you to become the player in that sector.

November 23, 2018
Copywriters: Choosing The Right Voice

You can manufacture a writing voice or use your own. It’s the same for actors. Some use their own voice throughout their career (Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson), the rest choose method acting and pick the appropriate accent, style etc.

(Meryl Streep, Christian Waltz).

The dilemma for all new copywriters is which to choose. My recommendation would be to develop your own voice (which takes time – so be patient). Your voice becomes your USP (you want people to say “no one writes copy as good as [insert your name]”).

However, if you develop the ability to write in many voices, then you can use that to divide and conquer markets (getting copywriting jobs is the same as any marketing exercise – it’s all about positioning you as Unique, Necessary and Irresistible).

If you do choose a multi-voice approach, please please please never use the “corporate voice” unless you’re offered a lot of money (this is just a plea to save the rest of us from more boring and useless copy – thank you 🙂

November 17, 2018
Copywriters: How To Get Attention, Delight Your Clients, And Win More Business

The next most valuable thing after time is attention. No attention = no sale. No attention means every word you wrote fails (not necessarily because of the words, just that no one read them).

So it has nothing to do with the copy, and everything to do with the wrong audience. They weren’t ready to buy. They were quite happy with what they’d already got.

They weren’t interested in what you had. They failed to notice you have anything anyway.

It’s the biggest mistake any copywriter (or person hiring a copywriter can make) – audience identification.

So you can make the most outlandish claim on the planet and it will still fail because no one who saw it was bothered.

Which brings us to the problem of marketing vs copywriting. If you’ve been hired by a firm with a marketing department, their brief should be stacked full of demographic audience stats.

But unfortunately, it happens all the time. And you’re going to get the blame for it when your sales copy fails.

So you owe it to yourself (and your clients) to spell out the expectations of any copy. And that in a nutshell is to let them know that ALL copy is an experiment. That until you get data back from trials, no is going to be any the wiser.

That if it fails the first time, that’s good, because it rules out at least one set of things that were wrong before you came on the scene.

And it also means that you’re going to need an agreement in place that it’s going to take time to get the pitch right for the audience, and then to tweak it into making a decent return on their investment.

And finally, that if they don’t agree to that, then there’s no way you’ll be working for them.

Do that, and I guarantee you’ll be taken seriously (or thrown out, which, if that happens, will be a good thing).

This is part of what positioning means. Unless you’re willing to position yourself as the Master and Expert you know you are, you will be taken advantage of, blamed, and dumped (and who can blame them?).

November 13, 2018

How To Handle Objections Before They Happen

The Importance of Handling Objections Proactively

Objections are often seen as obstacles in sales and business interactions, but they are truly valuable opportunities for connection and growth. Addressing objections before they arise can transform potential barriers into trust-building moments. Understanding the best ways to respond sets you apart in both one-on-one and written communications.

Three Common Approaches to Handling Objections

When faced with objections, businesses typically respond in one of three ways. Each approach impacts the outcome and relationship differently:

Ignore and Carry On Talking (Option A): Many professionals brush past objections or hope they will just disappear. This often leads to frustration for the potential customer and missed opportunities for meaningful engagement.
Defend Aggressively (Option B): Some respond by immediately justifying or defending their product or service. While this can show confidence, it often results in a combative exchange, making the client feel unheard.
Listen and Discover (Option C): The most effective approach is to listen carefully, ask clarifying questions, and aim to understand the real concern behind the objection. This not only fosters trust but also provides a chance to address root issues.

Method	Typical Outcome	Client Perception
Ignore	Objections persist or escalate	Feels dismissed or undervalued
Defend	Creates tension, may cause withdrawal	Feels challenged or unappreciated
Listen & Discover	Objections clarified and addressed	Feels understood and respected

Why Most Businesses Fall Short

Despite knowing the importance of addressing objections, many businesses, even at the highest levels, default to ignoring or defensively tackling challenges. From participating in leading trade shows to networking events, it becomes clear that true listening is rare.

This gap presents a major opportunity. Companies that actively listen to clients gain valuable insights that can fuel better marketing, sales, and customer support.

Proactive Objection Handling in Written Content

Written communication, like website copy or emails, offers a unique chance to handle objections before they even arise. When you truly understand your audience, you can anticipate and address the main concerns directly within your content.

Know Your Audience: Research your audience’s common hesitations around your product or service.
Lead with Answers: If your audience is sensitive to price, address value and cost upfront.
Build Credibility: Use testimonials, case studies, and data to support your answers.

Example: Tackling Price Objections in Sales Copy

For instance, suppose your potential clients often object to price. Instead of waiting for the question, you can highlight how your product saves time and money, or compare value to competitors right at the beginning. Consider using a table to illustrate cost savings:

Service	Annual Cost	Features Included
Your Solution	£800	Priority Support, Free Updates
Competitor A	£1,200	Standard Support, Paid Updates

Using such comparisons helps make your offer irresistible by preemptively resolving the cost objection.

Knowledge is a Powerful Commodity

In today’s market, having deep knowledge of your customer’s objections is a major advantage. Yet, many businesses overlook this. By consistently gathering feedback and tracking objections, you arm yourself with the insights needed to refine your products and communication.

Whether in-person or through your website, handling objections before they happen ensures your message resonates, builds trust, and sets you apart from competitors who are still playing catch-up.

July 6, 2018

The Strongest Copywriting Anchor On The Planet

When it comes to copywriting, fairness is a type of anchor that just happens to be the most emotional trigger on the planet. Think about kids, the most common line between siblings is, it is not fair. They shout it at each other, and to anyone in earshot, because fairness hits a nerve fast.

It makes sense to study fairness and see how it can be woven into sales copy. Is it fair that someone else is making all that money, owning that brand new car, enjoying a wonderful relationship, or having a peaceful retirement, when your reader is not? When you write for people who feel left out, fairness gives them a reason to act now.

When combined with a story of injustice, fairness moves people straight into the zone. They pick sides quickly. That means trust. Positioning a business on the right side of any injustice situation does more than win friends, it influences them too. That is how some of the best copy in the world works. When you win people over by fighting injustice, everyone wins.

Why Fairness Works So Fast

It is universal, everyone understands what feels fair or unfair, without a long explanation.
It creates instant contrast, a clear before and after that makes the offer feel like relief.
It builds identity, readers join the side that restores balance, which increases trust and action.

The Psychology Behind It

Loss aversion, people work harder to avoid being treated unfairly than to gain a small benefit.
Social proof, when a community agrees something is unfair, agreement spreads quickly.
Moral foundation, fairness ties to our built in sense of justice, reciprocity, and equality.

How To Weave Fairness Into Your Copy

Step by Step

Spot the injustice, name the practice, fee, gatekeeper, or status quo that disadvantages your reader.
State the stakes, show what your reader loses each day the unfair situation continues.
Draw the line, make it clear which side you are on, and why your brand refuses the old way.
Present the fair alternative, price, terms, access, or support that restores balance.
Prove it, add receipts, comparisons, policies, testimonials, and guarantees that back the promise.
Invite action, give a simple next step that lets the reader correct the unfairness today.

Use These Copy Prompts

It is not fair that [audience] has to [pain], so here is how we fix it.
You should not pay for [wasteful thing] you do not use, pay only for what you need.
Why do [big players] get [benefit] while you get [scraps]? Not anymore.
The rules were written for them, our plan helps you win on your terms.

Real World Examples

Direct to Consumer Pricing

Claim: Eyeglasses cost a fortune because of middlemen. Solution, buy direct at a fair price. This fairness narrative helped brands like Warby Parker change an entire category by highlighting the old game, then offering a clear fix.

Everyday Essentials

Claim: Razor blades are overpriced and locked behind cabinets. Solution, affordable subscriptions delivered to your door. Dollar Shave Club used humor plus fairness to paint the old system as silly and unfair, then made the switch easy.

Finance Access

Claim: Wall Street gets the tools, Main Street gets the leftovers. Solution, open access and zero commission trading. Fairness framed the mission, which pulled in a large crowd of first time investors who felt locked out.

Service Terms

Claim: Gyms trap you with long contracts and hidden fees. Solution, cancel any time, no hidden fees, no surprises. The fairness angle makes the policy the product, not just a fine print detail.

Where Fairness Shows Up In Offers

Pricing, transparent breakdowns, no add ons, price match or lifetime pricing.
Access, no waitlists for insiders, equal features on all plans, or fair limits.
Support, real humans, honest SLAs, proactive refunds if things go wrong.
Policies, easy cancellations, straightforward returns, clear warranties.
Outcomes, pay for results, milestone based fees, or try before you commit.

Fairness vs Other Common Anchors

Anchor	Core trigger	When it shines	Risk to watch	Sample line
Fairness	Justice, reciprocity	Broken markets, hidden fees, uneven access	Can turn preachy if not specific	It is not fair that you pay for seats you do not use
Scarcity	FOMO, urgency	Limited runs, seasonal offers	Overuse erodes trust	Only 9 spots left for early adopters
Authority	Credibility, expertise	Technical products, regulated fields	Can feel elitist	Trusted by 3,000 clinics nationwide
Belonging	Identity, community	Tribes, movements, memberships	Can exclude outsiders	Join 10,000 makers building in public

Mini Case Sketches

SaaS seats, A project tool stopped charging per user and moved to usage based tiers. Their headline, Stop paying for empty seats. Trials and conversions rose, and churn fell as customers felt the pricing was finally fair.
Education, A course introduced a pay what you can scholarship pool funded by full price buyers. The copy framed it as fair access for motivated learners. Applications increased and community referrals improved.
Ecommerce, A coffee brand revealed farm gate prices and profit splits. The page said, Farmers first, profits second. AOV grew as customers chose higher priced, clearly fair options.

Ethical Guardrails

Be specific, attack practices, not people. Name the policy, not a competitor by name.
Substantiate, keep screenshots, receipts, and third party sources for claims.
Offer balance, acknowledge trade offs, then show how your approach stays fair.
Stay truthful, fairness is powerful, misuse backfires and damages trust fast.

Simple Fairness Story Template

Three Act Structure

Injustice, Explain the old world, who loses, and how it feels on a daily basis.
Turning point, Reveal the moment you said enough, and the principle you stand on.
Resolution, Show the policy, product, or plan that restores fairness, then invite action.

Fill In Example

For years, [audience] had to put up with [unfair practice], which cost them [time, money, control]. We built [solution] because paying for [waste] is not fair. Now you get [benefit] with [fair policy], and you only pay for [what you use].

What To Measure When You Use Fairness

Message pull, scroll depth and time on page for fairness sections.
Action lift, add to cart, demo requests, replies to fairness claims in emails.
Trust signals, refund requests, NPS comments, mentions of fairness in reviews.
Comparative tests, A versus B where only the fairness frame changes.

Quick Checklist

Did you name a clear unfair practice your reader recognizes instantly?
Did you take a side without attacking a person or company directly?
Did you show proof, not just passion?
Did you translate fairness into a concrete policy or term?
Did you give a simple step that lets the reader restore fairness today?

Bring It Home

Fairness is not a gimmick, it is a lens. Use it to frame your pricing, policies, and promises, then write the story of how you put your customer back on level ground. Do that, and the copy almost writes itself.

Learn more about sales copywriting through the ICA.

July 4, 2018

How To Use ‘Anchors’ To Entice People Into Your Offers

What Is Anchoring, And Why It Works

Anchoring is one of the biggest concepts in psychology and sales. The best persuaders use it to set a reference point that shapes how people judge value, then they guide decisions from there. Do it right, and you can make your offer feel like the obvious choice.

Imagine being able to promise the world to your prospect. That is over the top, sure, but a strong grasp of anchoring lets you promise, and get, practically anything. Notice how you are now thinking about anchoring as a key to getting what you want, that is anchoring in action, anchored to anchoring.

A Quick Mental Model

Think of the first number or claim as a handle the mind grabs. Once it is set, people rarely adjust enough from that starting point, so the range of acceptable choices shifts in your favor. The first £2,000 laptop you see makes a £1,299 laptop feel inexpensive, even if £1,299 is still a lot.

You see anchors all day, airfare with crossed out prices, grocery shelves with sale tags, streaming services with recommended plans, and sales emails with compare at numbers. Your job is to set the right first impression, then make the decision feel safe and smart.

Why Anchoring Works

Our brains latch onto the first number or idea we see, then adjust around it.
Losses loom larger than gains, so a bargain feels like avoiding a loss.
Contrast creates clarity, the right comparison makes your real offer feel like a steal.
Insufficient adjustment, even when we know an anchor might be off, we still do not adjust enough.
Fluency and clarity, simple anchors are easier to remember, which makes them feel more true.

The Classic Price Anchor

The most common anchor in sales is the price point. Mention a larger price first, then reveal the lower real price, and the offer instantly feels like a bargain. Price comparison is another name for it, we see it every day, we know what is happening, yet it still works or marketers would stop using it.

Do the maths out loud. When you say, that is £320 back in your pocket, or keep £27 per week, people mentally bank the savings, which strengthens the sense of value and momentum.

Simple Price Anchoring Flow

Introduce a high reference price, MSRP, market average, or initial quote.
Stack value, features, bonuses, or outcomes that justify the reference price.
Reveal your price, which is meaningfully lower.
Quantify the difference, savings, or added value in plain language.
Add a risk reducer, guarantee or trial, to remove friction.

Variations You Can Use

Tiered pricing, show three options, the middle one becomes the default anchor.
Decoy pricing, include a less attractive option that makes your target plan look superior.
Value stacking, list bonuses and services with individual values, then reveal a bundled price.
Per day framing, frame a monthly price as a per day cost to lower the perceived hurdle.
Percent vs pounds, use the format that creates the bigger feeling, 35 percent off feels bigger than save £7, while save £200 beats 5 percent off on high prices.
Installment framing, just 6 payments of £79 feels lighter than £474 upfront, especially for consumer offers.
Alternative cost, compare your price to the cost of doing nothing, or to a common substitute, two canceled orders cover your annual fee.

Design And Placement Tips For Price Anchors

Place the high reference near the actual price, proximity strengthens the link.
Use visual hierarchy, larger real price, smaller crossed out reference, and a clear savings line.
Keep decimals simple, round numbers are easier to process unless charm pricing, £49 vs £50, fits your brand.
One primary anchor per section, extra numbers crowd the decision and weaken the effect.

Anchors Beyond Price

Anchoring is not only about numbers. You can anchor with time, outcomes, social proof, and even language.

Time, say Done in 7 days instead of in under two weeks, to set speed expectations.
Outcome, start with the big result, like double your qualified leads, then show the plan that makes it feel achievable.
Social proof, lead with the number of customers, reviews, or recognizable logos to anchor credibility.
Scarcity, limited seats or closing on Friday, suggests value and raises urgency, use ethically.
Guarantees, bold guarantees anchor safety and reduce perceived risk.
Defaults, preselected plans, recommended badges, or bestseller tags anchor attention to a choice.
Process, a named method or framework anchors perceived rigor, our 5 step Launch Map keeps projects on track.
Quality, materials, certifications, or compliance anchors premium positioning, ISO certified, medical grade steel.

Anchor Types At A Glance

Anchor Type	What It Does	Example Copy	Best Used When
High Price Anchor	Sets a higher reference cost	Normally £499, today £179	Commoditized markets with clear comparisons
Value Stack	Quantifies components to justify cost	Course £299, templates £149, coaching £499, all for £249	Info products, services, bundles
Decoy Option	Makes a target plan look superior	Basic £19, Pro £39, Pro Plus £59 with tiny extra, Pro looks best	SaaS, subscriptions, memberships
Time Anchor	Frames speed and responsiveness	Launch in 7 days, not 2 to 3 weeks	Agencies, services, shipping
Outcome Anchor	Leads with the result, not the steps	Double your demos in 30 days	Lead gen, performance offers
Social Proof Anchor	Signals safety through others	Trusted by 12,947 marketers	New categories or low trust niches
Guarantee Anchor	Reduces perceived risk	90 day money back, no questions asked	Higher priced or unfamiliar products
Default Choice	Guides selection with a preselect	Recommended, best value tag on mid tier	Pricing pages with three to four tiers
Process Anchor	Signals a proven method	Our 4 step Audit, Align, Build, Launch process	Professional services, consulting
Quality Anchor	Justifies premium through standards	FDA listed, ISO 9001 certified components	Regulated, medical, industrial, premium goods
Payment Anchor	Makes price feel manageable	From £39 per seat, billed annually	SaaS, financing, consumer subscriptions

Real World Examples

Retail And Ecom

MSRP vs Your Price, show a strikethrough at £129 with Your price £89 and You save £40.
Bundle value, three items worth £210 for £147, plus free shipping, now the free shipping is part of the perceived value stack.
Buy more, save more, 1 for £39, 2 for £70, 3 for £ ninety nine, the higher pack becomes the anchor and the default.
Compare to recurring spend, replace a £4 daily coffee with our £49 monthly beans, save £71 per month.

SaaS And Subscriptions

Annual anchor, pay monthly £29, or pay yearly £290, get 2 months free. The yearly plan becomes the value anchor.
Decoy example, Basic lacks a key feature, Pro has it, Premium adds minor extras. Most choose Pro because the decoy makes it obvious.
Seat vs team pricing, from £29 per seat or £299 per team, the team anchor nudges larger accounts to jump tiers.
Adoption anchor, on average teams are fully onboarded in 14 days, anchors speed and reduces switching anxiety.

Services And Consulting

Project quote framing, market rate for this scope is £18k, our package is £12k with a 30 day delivery guarantee.
Outcome lead, our clients see first page rankings in 60 days, the timeline anchors speed and confidence.
Day rate vs package, typical day rate is £2,000, our fixed fee is £7,500 for the full sprint, package feels safer.
Comparative cost, one failed hire costs £20k, our recruiter fee is £6k, anchor the cost of inaction.

Donations And Nonprofits

Preset amounts, £250, £100, £50, £25, placing £100 as preselected anchors average gifts upward.
Impact anchor, £50 feeds a family for a week, the specific outcome anchors meaning to the number.
Monthly giving anchor, £25 monthly equals three textbooks per semester, steady impact feels tangible.
Social proof, join 3,842 neighbors who give monthly, anchors belonging and normalizes action.

B2B vs B2C Nuances

Context	Effective Anchors	Notes
B2B	ROI, time saved, risk reduction, compliance	Use totals over a year, tie to KPIs like CAC or churn
B2C	Immediate savings, convenience, social proof	Use per day framing, highlight ease and joy

What The Research Shows

Classic studies show that irrelevant numbers can sway judgments, for example, a random wheel spin influenced people’s estimates on unrelated questions.
Loss aversion is powerful, people work harder to avoid losing a deal than to gain a small extra benefit, which is why bargains feel urgent.
Decoy pricing effects are well documented, a dominated option can steer choices toward the intended plan.

Named Findings, Plain English

Anchoring and adjustment, people start from an initial value and do not adjust enough, even when told the anchor is arbitrary.
Decoy effect, adding a worse, similar option can shift preferences toward your target plan, this was shown famously with subscription bundles.
Menu and wine list studies, higher priced items on top increase average spend, the list itself acts as a price landscape.

Ethical Anchoring

Anchors should be honest and supportable. Do not invent reference prices, fake scarcity, or use bait and switch tactics. Long term trust beats short term bumps.

Use real market comparisons and document sources if asked.
If you say limited, make it truly limited, seats, time, or inventory.
Ensure the value stack is deliverable, and the guarantee terms are clear.
Align prices across channels, big discrepancies erode trust quickly.
Know your local guidelines, some regions restrict fake discounts and list price claims.

How To Craft Your Anchor, Step By Step

Define your goal, higher conversions, higher average order value, or faster decisions.
Choose the primary anchor, price, time, outcome, or social proof, based on what matters most to your audience.
Build contrast, show the higher reference point or alternative, then reveal your offer.
Quantify the difference, pounds saved, hours saved, results delivered, in concrete terms.
Layer proof, testimonials, case snippets, screenshots, certifications.
Reduce risk, guarantees, trials, easy cancellation, and friendly support.
Add ethical urgency, deadlines, limited bonuses, or capacity limits.
Make action obvious, a single primary call to action with supporting copy.

Quick Worksheet Prompts

Reference point, what is the believable high anchor your buyer already accepts.
Value math, list each component and its standalone price or impact.
Proof points, which quotes, logos, or data points will calm doubts.
Risk reducer, what promise can you make and keep that feels bold.

Mini Case Walkthrough

Example, Website Design Package

Anchor, typical custom site costs £8,000 to £12,000 and takes 8 to 12 weeks.
Offer, our Launch Fast package is £4,800, done in 21 days, includes copy templates and 3 months of updates.
Contrast, you save at least £3,200 and 5 to 9 weeks, with a dedicated project manager.
Risk reducer, 30 day satisfaction guarantee, we fix anything that misses the brief.

Example, SaaS Analytics Tool

Anchor, similar tools run £499 per month and take 45 days to implement.
Offer, our Growth plan is £249 per month, onboarded in 10 days with concierge setup.
Contrast, save £250 monthly and 35 days to value, plus anomaly alerts included at no extra cost.
Risk reducer, 30 day free trial, cancel anytime in two clicks.

Copy Snippets You Can Adapt

Normally X, today Y, lock it in before Z.
Market average is X, our clients pay Y and get A, B, and C included.
Most teams choose Pro for the added D and E, best value for growing companies.
Just £1.63 per day, billed yearly, cancel anytime in two clicks.
Trusted by 7,000 teams, with 4.8 out of 5 average ratings across 1,200 reviews.

By Anchor Type

Price, was £X, now £Y, save £Z when you join today.
Time, live in 7 days, not 2 to 3 weeks, your timeline matters.
Outcome, double your qualified demos in 30 days, or you do not pay the next month.
Social proof, chosen by 62 of the Fortune 500, and 12,000 small teams just like yours.
Guarantee, try it for 60 days, love it or get every penny back.
Scarcity, 12 seats left, enrollment closes Friday at 5 p.m.

Testing Your Anchors

If you are not using anchors in your copy, you are missing out. Test them and let the data decide.

What to test, order of prices, number of tiers, presence of a decoy, value stack placement, guarantee terms, and deadlines.
Metrics, conversion rate, average order value, plan mix, refund rate, trial to paid rate, and time on page.
Method, A or B tests with clean traffic splits, at least one full buying cycle of data.

Simple Test Plan

Document your hypothesis, for example, adding a decoy will increase Pro plan selection by 15 percent.
Create clean variants, change one major anchor at a time to isolate impact.
Run for a full cycle, include weekends, pay periods, and one billing cycle if applicable.
Decide with pre set rules, avoid peeking early, then ship the winner.

Hypothesis	Primary Metric	Expected Outcome
Adding crossed out MSRP increases add to cart	Product page conversion rate	+5 to +10 percent
Per day framing improves annual plan uptake	Annual plan mix	+8 to +15 percent
Recommended tag on mid tier shifts selection	Mid tier selection rate	+10 to +20 percent

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Unbelievable anchors, a £5,000 anchor for a £49 product without proof erodes trust.
Too many numbers, over anchoring creates confusion and stalls decisions.
Hidden conditions, small print that negates the anchor triggers refunds and bad reviews.
Inconsistent anchors, different prices across channels undermine credibility.
Moving anchors too often, constant discounts train buyers to wait, which kills margins.
Weak contrast, if the anchor is too close to your price, it will not move perception.

Bringing It All Together

Anchoring is simple to understand and powerful to apply. Use it to frame price, time, outcomes, and risk in your favor. Academic studies have shown its effect again and again, and buyers feel bargains strongly because losing out on a deal hurts more than a small gain.

I will be back with more examples later, do not miss out now. Start by adding one clear anchor to your next offer, then test and refine it for your audience.

Your 30 Day Anchor Plan

Week 1, pick one primary anchor and rewrite the hero section.
Week 2, build a pricing table with a clear default choice.
Week 3, add proof and a bold, fair guarantee, then launch an A or B test.
Week 4, review data, ship the winner, and plan your next anchor test.

July 2, 2018

Psychology of Name Calling in Story Telling

Understanding Name Calling in Storytelling Psychology

In psychology, name calling is widely recognized as a tactic that reveals more about the person using it than about their target. For example, public figures like Donald Trump often use derogatory nicknames for their opponents. This behavior is typically seen as a reflection of the caller’s own psychological state or strategy, rather than a true measure of the other person’s character.

The Narrative Power of Name Calling in Storytelling

Although name calling is recognized as a negative social strategy, it can also be a powerful storytelling tool. When crafting a controversial or compelling story, writers often use name calling to achieve several narrative goals:

Emphasizing the hero’s humanity by showing how they respond gracefully or thoughtfully to insults or attacks.
Deepening the villain’s negative portrayal, making them seem more ruthless, cruel, or petty.
Increasing reader engagement by introducing emotional intensity to the conflict.

Example: Superhero Stories

In many classic superhero tales, villains use derogatory terms to belittle the hero. For example, Lex Luthor’s frequent verbal jabs at Superman serve to highlight Luthor’s insecurity while simultaneously making Superman’s stoic reactions more admirable.

Distracting and Aligning the Reader

Name calling acts as a distraction, pulling readers out of their inner thoughts and focusing their attention directly on the conflict. This shift in focus can serve multiple psychological functions in storytelling:

Capturing attention: The drama caused by name calling shocks or entertains, ensuring readers remain invested.
Building alignment: By observing the hero defend shared values against the villain’s attacks, readers are more likely to emotionally align with the protagonist.

Case Study: Name Calling in Political Speeches

Consider political campaigns, where candidates sometimes use dismissive nicknames for their opponents. This tactic rallies their supporters by simplifying complex issues into a good vs. bad narrative, creating an in-group versus out-group dynamic that influences public perception.

The Magic Formula: From Conflict to Resolution

In storytelling, the culmination often arrives when the hero overcomes the villain’s verbal attacks and hostility. This moment satisfies readers both narratively and emotionally, as it:

Demonstrates the triumph of positive values over negativity and cruelty.
Offers catharsis, letting readers feel that justice and goodness prevail.
Enhances the “feel good” factor that can drive real-world results, such as increased sales, stronger audience loyalty, or social engagement.

Comparative Table: Effects of Name Calling in Storytelling

Aspect	Hero	Villain
Motive Behind Name Calling	Usually avoids or responds with integrity, showcasing strength	Often uses it to belittle, showing insecurity or malice
Impact on Reader	Builds trust and alignment with the hero	Deepens reader’s dislike or suspicion of the villain
Narrative Outcome	Hero emerges stronger and more relatable	Villain is isolated, credibility weakened

Conclusion

Effective use of name calling in storytelling is more than just a reflection of real-world psychology. It serves as a strategic narrative device, advancing plotlines, building character arcs, and shaping the emotional journey of the reader. When deployed thoughtfully, it can drive audience engagement and reinforce the underlying message or values of a story.

July 1, 2018