Psychological Subtleties Of A

Master Wordsmith
(10 Unbelievably Simple Secrets To
Set Your Copy Ablaze!)
A Special Report by Jo Han Mok
http://www.MasterWordSmith.com

Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith is

a worldwide-protected publication of Midas Touch
Marketing and
Jo Han Mok and Ewen Chia.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever,
electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
informational storage or retrieval system without expressed written, dated and
signed permission from the authors.

DISCLAIMER AND/OR LEGAL NOTICES

The information presented herein represents the views of the authors as of the
date of publication. Because of the rate with which conditions change, the
authors reserve the rights to alter and update their opinions based on the new
conditions. This report is for informational purposes only and the authors does
not accept any responsibilities for any liabilities resulting from the use of this
information. While every attempt has been made to verify the information
provided here, the authors and their affiliates cannot assume any responsibility
for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. Any slights of people or organizations are
unintentional.

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

-------------------------------------Introduction
--------------------------------------------Dear friend,

The Report youre reading, contains 10 psychological subtleties that you must use in
order to write the most converting, response pulling copy possible.
It doesnt matter whether youre a newbie or a seasoned expert. You WILL get
something from this report, and more often than not, we all know it only takes that ONE
idea to make the critical difference.
A lot of these psychological subtleties have been taken for granted. People CLAIM they
know it, but their advertising displays an obvious lack of application of that knowledge.
As you read this report, youll realize that a lot of the ideas are basic but these ideas are
the meat and potatoes of killer salesmanship in print. You MUST have these building
blocks, without which, your writing is doomed to fail.
Read it, use it, and profit!
Enjoy!
Respectfully,

Jo Han Mok
Managing Director, Midas Touch Marketing
http://www.MasterwordSmith.com

Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind
of advertising.
- Mark Twain

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #1: The More They Read, The More
They Need. But They Gotta Read FIRST!
I have a confession to make.
When I write copy, I dont really hope that my readers read my copy. I literally hold a
gun to their heads and say READ!
I call it gun-to-the-head-copywriting. Most top notch copywriters are all practitioners
of this art.
While I cannot indulge in a criminal act as this, I can certainly create a similar effect by
harnessing the power of a compelling message.
Just what is a compelling message?
Its a message that COMPELS attention; makes people sit up and pay attention even
when they don't really want to. It cuts through all the noise and clutter and grabs them by
the throat like a trained assassin.
The only way you can do that, is through the headline, and the first sentence.
I think this beautiful quote by George Gribbin encapsulates exactly what I mean.
"Will the headline make you want to read the first sentence? And will the first sentence
of copy make you want to read the second sentence? It ought to be the very last word
when the reader wants to drop off."
Here are the 2 main things you need to bear in mind:
#1: It's hard to get anybody's attention
#2: It's hard to keep their attention
Therefore, you need 3 vital elements in your copy, to maximize readership. To quote Ted
Nicholas, Copy can never be too long, only too boring!
Element #1: Curiosity
Element #2: Controversy
Element #3: Dramatic Suspense
Did these 3 elements light up a bulb in your head?
Did you ever wonder: Why do people get hooked to watching dramas? Why do people
love the tabloids?
How can you harness the very same power and apply it to your copywriting
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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #2: Always Sell the Benefits
Have you heard the expression, Sell the Sizzle, Not the Steak? This is what it means to
sell benefits.
Product features are important, but in terms of the sales pitch, they are incredibly boring.
Features do not overcome objections. Imagine if someone told you that a new vacuum
cleaner you were looking at had a special kind of retractable power cord. You might think
Thats nice, but so what?
Now imagine, instead, if you were told that the vacuum cleaner was super easy to roll
from room to room without switching power outlets because the special retractable cord
pulls out when you need it, and manages slack no matter how near or far you are from the
outlet? Now, that is a benefit.
Notice something else about this benefit: it creates an image (and a need!) in the
prospects mind. Whenever you sit down to make the list of your products benefits, try to
visualize situations where the product will be used. Turn the product from an abstract,
intangible item into a tangible, product in action. Youve got to get your prospects
imagining for themselves how the product will feel, smell, taste, look and sound. Get
them to picture ownership!
Dont limit yourself to what you think the benefits are put yourself in the customers
shoes and imagine how the product will benefit them in their own eyes. Answer the
whats in it for me? questions.
How many benefits can you generate? If you put out a concerted effort, you can generate
a list of several dozen. Come up with as many as you can. Key types of benefits to look at
include anything which enhances the prospects quality of life and satisfies their desires
and not just their needs.
Examples:

Enhanced self-esteem
Attractiveness to opposite sex
Save time and money
Create excitement, adventure or entertainment
Raise social or financial status
Improve mood and health

Each of the above is a quality of life issue.

If youd like to get psychologically savvy on this process, and know exactly which of
your prospects buttons to push, then familiarize yourself with Maslows Hierarchy of
Needs.

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs

Self
Actualization

Esteem

Love

Safety

Physiological

The Maslow Hierarchy describes a theoretical model of why people think, feel and
behave the way they do. Core needs like food, air and water are at the very bottom. Once
the survival needs are met, the more ambiguous needs take over. This is the point
where true consumer desire kicks into action. All consumption is, in its own way, goal
directed towards the fulfillment of one of the rungs on this ladder.
Examine your product and find out which of these rungs it satisfies. You will find the
benefits lurking there.

The faults of advertising are only those common to all

human institutions. If advertising speaks to a thousand in
order to influence one, so does the church. And if it
encourages people to live beyond their means, so does
matrimony. Good times, bad times, there will always be
advertising. In good times, people want to advertise; in bad
times they have to.
- Bruce Barton

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #3: Make Your First Impression
Quickly, and Make It Count
In face-to-face sales, you have 10 seconds to make a first impression. When you write
sales copy for the web, you have roughly the same amount of time. Essentially, you have
a 10 to 15 word headline at your disposal to achieve maximum first impression impact.
The headline is so important, it cannot be emphasized enough. A bad headline (and
subsequent bad first impression) will send the prospect clicking away in a matter of
seconds at worst, and remaining biased against the remainder of the rest of your sales
copy at least.
The ideal headline takes one step: it pulls out the most important product benefit and
sticks it right in the prospects face. Cute and clever headlines might get you an A in
English class, but they will not get you the sale. Youve got to work your primary benefit
into the headline to capture attention.
Lets look at an example of how you might do this, and use the vacuum cleaner as a
product example.
What do you think the primary feature would be on a vacuum? Thats right, suction
power. The benefit in this case: The increased ability to remove dirt and truly deep clean
the carpet. Is deep cleaning the only benefit, though? Is it the primary benefit? No. We
are looking for the value of deep cleaning here, and also looking for a way to create a
desire for deep cleaning in the prospects mind.
Good Headline: How much DIRT is really hiding out in your carpets? Do you know?
What if you could SUPER SUCTION out all of it, leaving your carpet so deep cleaned
you could eat off of it??
Notice the power points in this headline: emphasis on key words and creation of a visual
image of slurping out so much dirt that the customer could dine on their own carpet. This
benefit speaks directly to the customers sense of pride in their living environment. We
could also speak to their health concerns, like so:
Another Good Headline: How much DIRT is really hiding in your carpet? Do you
know? Your body knows! What if you could SUPER SUCTION out all of it, including
the dander, pollens and pet hair that get ground into the fibers AND clear the air in your
home so well you could bottle it and sell it?!
Each of these headline are powerful and effective. They grab attention and create
immediate images of product use and ownership. Your prospect will then go on to read
the rest of your sales copy with this great first impression in mind the entire time. Its up
to you to keep the momentum going and close the sale. Youve got them hooked!

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #4: Back Up Your Claims
Did you ever wonder why so many marketers place images of their Clickbank sales
statistics on their sales pages? They are, quite simply, attempting to back up their claims
with visible proof.
You need to provide verifiable and honest proof for the core claims you make in your
copy. This is an issue of credibility and trust. It is also matter of proving you are qualified
to offer whatever youre offering.
What types of proof qualify as verifiable and honest? Well, it depends on what youre
selling.
If you are in a health related niche, for example, you can offer reprints of articles from
established medical journals, get your web site accredited by the Health On the Net
Foundation, or even have an M.D. peer review and recommend your material. In other
words, if you arent the expert, seek out an experts stamp of approval!
Another way to back up your claims is to provide samples. If youre selling an e-book,
consider offering a free download of the first one to two chapters of the book.
You can usually find a source of proof for any claim if its an honest claim. Dont be
afraid to add graphics, charts, demo software or any other piece of testable information in
your copy (or linked within it) to your prospects.
Also, keep in mind that your options for demonstration are somewhat limited in a way
they wouldnt normally be offline. You have no face-to-face contact with the customer
and cant demo the product in front of them, or place a hardbound e-book in their hands
to review. This is a good reason to add an image of yourself, an audio introduction and
also some clear contact information on your site as well. Do whatever you can to make
the claim verification process interactive and quick.

Lets get right down to the heart of the matter. The power,
the force, the overwhelming urge to own that makes
advertising work, comes from the market itself, and not
from the copy. Copy cannot create desire for a product. It
can only take the hopes, dreams, fears and desires that
already exist in the hearts of millions of people, and focus
those already existing desires on to a particular product.
This is the copywriters task: Not to create this mass desire
but to channel and direct it.
- Eugene Schwartz
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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #5: Add Emphasis and Vary Your
Tone
You already know its important to vary the tone, rhythm and emphasis in your voice
when speaking. You should also vary these same elements in your copy.
How do you accomplish this with the written word?
Tone
Your tone is your focus. Are you writing from a place of serious concern? A business-like
focus on the facts? A bit of whimsical humor?
You vary your tone by varying your focus in other words, the type of focus you
transmit to the prospect. Examine how you are speaking to him, and change things up
when necessary.
Rhythm
The way to convey rhythm in the written word is by mixing up the length of your
sentences and paragraphs.
Just like this.
Use longer paragraphs when you are relating stories to the prospect. Use bulleted lists to
break up the copy rhythm and present features and benefits in a highlighted setting.
Emphasis
Variations in emphasis are probably the most recognizable to you from your past
exposure to direct marketing style web sites. We used emphasis in secret #2 with this
sentence: How much DIRT is really hiding out in your carpets?
Types of emphasis:

Bold
ALL CAPS
Italics
Underline
Strikethrough
Color

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Use emphasis on trigger words, benefits and any other elements of copy which require
the prospects attention. Keep in mind that you dont want to use emphasis haphazardly.
If there is no obvious reason to add emphasis to an element, then dont do it. Even some
of the most powerful phrases in your copy will not require emphasis. Focus only on the
element that key triggers short words and phrases which aim for the prospects
psychological jugular.

Advertising is, actually, a simple phenomenon in terms of

economics. It is merely a substitute for a personal sales
force - an extension, if you will, of the merchant who cries
aloud his wares.
- Rosser Reeves

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #6: Follow the Law of Averages

The Law of Averages is whats known as a Wheelerpoint maxim formulated by
famed salesman Elmer Wheeler, who studied the impact of language on conversion
response in the early part of the 20th century. Wheelerspoints have been lost for quite
some time, and if youd like to lay your hands on them, you can get a copy of Tested
Sentences That Sell by Clicking HERE.
Quite simply, the Law of Averages states: you can never foretell how any one person
will react to a given selling sentence, but you can say with scientific accuracy what the
average will do.
This is powerful information and very useful if youve ever struggled with writing copy
to appeal to the broadest possible market. What sells one person will usually sell others.
Our common humanity assures us that we all react to the same benefits when taken as a
whole, so you need not worry about that subset of customers who do not care for the
primary benefits of your product. They are a unique case and disqualify themselves as
target prospects.
Wheeler suggests formulating these law of averages benefits into power packed, short
sentences.
Here are a few examples:
Hair so healthy it shines!
It makes your bank balance sing!
Get more bang for your buck
Love is only a click away

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

BONUS Copywriting Subtlety: The X, Y, Z Formula

Here we return to Maslows Hierarchy and a second Wheelerpoint. The X, Y, Z
Formula describes the three basic buying motives you must target before all others. They
are:
1. The motive of self-preservation
2. The motive of romance
3. The motive of money
These are out basic instincts, and the first things we gravitate towards as consumers. They
must be satisfied first. The power of this formula is that it allows you to keep your copy
simple. You dont need to complicate things with out-of-the-ordinary benefits. Stick to
the basic human drives, and your copy will write itself.

Writing copy is like playing the stockmarket, or being an

atomic physicist. All three deal with immense natural forces
gargantuan forces thousands of times more powerful
than the people who use them. In science, they are the
fundamental energies of the universe. In speculation, they
are the billion-dollar tides and currents of the marketplace.
In copywriting, they are the HOPES and FEARS and
DESIRES of millions upon millions of men and women, all
over the world.
- Eugene Schwartz

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #7: Writing to Fear and Desire

Both fear and desire are great motivators. We see these emotions played upon each day in
advertising whether it is the latest food or drug commercial telling us to get more
calcium to avoid osteoporosis, or the latest shampoo commercial teasing us with sexual
innuendo, fear and desire sell.
What are some common desires? Sex, love, money, power, fame, status, security, health
and freedom. Our common fears include: disease/death, scarcity, abandonment,
engulfment, loss, poverty and limitation.
If you subscribe to any internet marketing newsletters, youve not doubt seen the scarcity
tactic in play: You can get this money making solution at 50% off the regular price, but
youd better hurry the price will go up soon and, I might even decide to stop offering
this information because it is simply too powerful.
Youve also seen appeals to desire in action: How would you like to live in a huge house
like this one? the sales page presents you with a picture of a mansion and a smiling
marketer standing in front of it next to his BMW My business paid for all of this, and
Im here to tell you that you can make this kind of money on the internet just like I did.
Im here to show you how.
How obvious you are in your appeals is up to you. It depends on the rest of your copy.
There are times where it pays to be blatantly obvious and use statements like this: Do
you want more money?. Other times you might want to cloak your appeal in subtlety
and keep the trigger under the radar from the prospect. Get them feeling a bit unnerved
without knowing why so that they will act on instinct.

When executing advertising, its best to think of yourself as

an uninvited guest in the living room of a prospect who has
the magical power to make you disappear instantly.
- John OToole

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #8: The A-B Rule for Formulating
Statements
The A-B rule works like this: A is the benefit, B is the proof. When you make a claim to
a benefit, never leave it hanging there. Back the claim up with a supporting statement.
This is similar to secret #3, except our emphasis here is on timing. Youll no doubt have
dozens of claims in your sales copy, but your most formidable claims need to be backed
up in short order, not further down the page.
In other words, when you say, This system generated $2,250 for in 2 weeks, you need
to offer something the prospect can see right away. This can be a payment statement, for
example or a more in depth story of how each step of the system brought you this
income.
The point here is to be very vigilant when you make your core claims in your sales copy.
Always follow up with supporting evidence, and stick to the A-B rule in formulating your
statements:
This pill helped me lose 10 pounds, and here is the proof
This package is amazing and includes over 100 bonuses click here now to view them
yourself, and so on.
A=Benefit. B=Proof. Keep it simple!

There are certain prime human emotions with which the

thoughts of all of us are occupied a goodly part of the time.
Tune in on them, and you have your readers attention. Tie
it up to the thing you have to offer and you are sure of his
interest.
- Robert Collier

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #9: The Question Mark Approach

Are you ever at a loss for words? Maybe you arent sure what to say next in your copy?
Its time to use the question mark approach!
Make no mistake about it this approach isnt just an easy out. It is also a very
powerful tactic to use in gaining the trust and attention of the prospect. Questions give
your copy a share of interactivity. Questions are welcoming. You can even use
questions to pique your prospects ego by briefly acting as if you are not the expert, he is!
Lets take a look at the question mark approach in action:
What are your financial goals for 2005? Could you benefit from my system? I bet that
you could. When I first developed this system I really didnt know what I was doing. I just
took everything Id learned on a hope and a prayer and tied it into something which
wound up working and blowing my mind. I know youve got experience under your belt
already if youre visiting this page, so just imagine what you could do. You could take
this system and work it a lot more quickly and effectively than I did, couldnt you?
Notice what just happened here. Youre appealing to the prospects desire for money.
You have something they want. You are the expert holding the golden key just out of
reach until: wait a minute! Did he just say he cobbled all this together in desperation?
Gosh, I could do better than that. The systems already complete and Ive got more
resources available than he did..hmmm.
Now youve got the prospects wheels turning. His confidence has automatically risen
and he is already imagining the benefits of ownership! Use the question mark approach
when you want to slip in some very clever strokes while appearing totally innocent of the
hard sales push!

You cant expect them to read your story unless its more
important than whatever it is they are doing or thinking
about at the moment.
- Maxwell Sackheim

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

Psychological Copywriting Subtlety #10: Closing the Sale

There is a saying: Even the prettiest dotted lines wont sign themselves. You know
what this means! You must ask for the sale! However, there is a multitude of ways to do
this other than click here to buy now.
Perhaps youre afraid of asking outright for a sale. You dont want to mention any of the
key words simply because they sound so pitchy. This is a wise observation because,
oftentimes, if a prospect is still skittish, it is much better to ask them for something else.
This something else is still the sale, but couched in terms which are soothing and give
the prospect his power back:
Ask For:

His approval.
His O.K.
His Initials
His Autograph
His Agreement
His Wealthy Future

See the difference? Here is a more specific, niche-related example. Lets say that you are
selling a weight loss e-book. Instead of asking for the sale outright, ask the prospect to,
Make the commitment to yourself today to look great and feel fantastic! Or, if youre
selling, say, web site templates, you could approach the sale like this: Dont lose visitors
to bad web design any longer! Grab these slick templates and make your web site a
magnet for repeat visitors.
This approach is not only less threatening; it also creates better sounding copy. Any of
the above statements motivates your prospect volumes more than Buy Now.

Click Here To Find Out What More You MUST Know About
Human Nature In Order To Transform Your Ordinary Copy...Into
Sizzling World Class Copy That SELLS Like Crazy!

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Psychological Subtleties Of A Master Wordsmith

The End

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