Seth Godin is one of the most influential marketers of all time. However, he is also a master at producing sales copy.
Many people know Seth Godin as the author of bestsellers like Linchpin and Tribes.
He is recognized worldwide for his ability to write on hot topics that resonate with readers, especially those who are incredibly hungry–hungry enough to buy and consume everything he writes.
He’s also known for his long blog posts and shareable quotes, as well as his ability to write sales copy that has made marketing fun again.
In this post you’ll discover 7 tactics Seth uses in almost every piece of copy he creates.
Seth’s solutions to sales copy problems
Can you write sales copy to sell something to someone who doesn’t even know they need it?
It’s hard enough to write compelling sales copy or a product description but to write something for someone who doesn’t even know they need it? That’s like a whole new level of copywriting.
I was quite surprised to see this post on Seth Godin’s blog talking about his new venture where he is trying to do just that. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first.
See Seth has a reputation for his marketing wizardry. His insightful and paradigm shifting books, presentations and profound blog posts are all things that come to mind when I think of Seth. Product reviews and sales copy are not things that come to my mind when I think of him.
HugDug (site has now been taken offline) is his new venture and I have been following it for a while. As Seth says it is a site based on reviews of Amazon products for people to discover things they didn’t know they were looking for. A place to tell the world what products you care about.
Seth has put up quite a few product reviews, sharing his passion for them. I have been going through them and to be honest while I have been eating a lot of humble pie as far as my initial skepticism goes, it has been quite a treat.
Seth has written reviews which quite literally is sales copy for a number of products including a pressure cooker, a dog treat, Ziploc bags, books, headsets and objects like jump ropes and duct tape. Yes that’s right duct tape and that’s what first got my attention.
Having caught my attention completely with duct tape I studied the copywriting tactics used in his reviews.
I am sharing what I picked up here as I figure we’ll all learn something in the process. (While the site has been taken offline, the lessons/tactics in copywriting are still relevant today.)
1. He leverages the power of imagination
If you are anything like me, you would not look twice at something like duct tape. I mean how often do you use it, unless perhaps if you are a technician or mechanic?
But look at how Seth leverages a person’s imagination
Example 1: Just a little bit of miracle
Stretch this tape out to about twice its length. Wrap it around something, overlapping as you go.
Within seconds, the tape fuses to itself. There’s no adhesive involved (in fact, it ships with a layer of paper under each round of tape, to keep it from activating in the box.)
The tape doesn’t stick to itself as much as it melds.
So?
So you know have a tube of perfect silicon wrapped around whatever you hope to wrap it around. A simple example: if you have a tool (a hammer, say), you could wrap the handle with this and get a slip-free grip that will last as long as the hammer will.
I don’t know about you but with a 3 year old in the house that’s constantly testing the physical limits of everything from kites to paint brushes – guess what my new fix it all solution is when she comes crying to me with the latest thing she has managed to break? Don’t ask me how she does it.
By the way my 3 year old loves the great slip-free grip.
Notice that the description reads like a story, it’s easy to imagine.
Example 2: The Tesla of jump rope
Here’s how I would describe the perfect piece of exercise equipment:
• Fits in a briefcase
• Never breaks
• Works in a hotel stairway
• Is exciting enough that you look forward to using it
• Involves speed and skill
• Is the best that there can be, not just the best on the market, but the Platonic ideal of what is possibleThis might be that piece of equipment. As a bonus, it costs less than twenty-five dollars.
I was intrigued at Tesla and heck, who wouldn’t want that kind of exercise equipment. Its like a workout to go.
Even if you don’t travel you should get one for those days when going to the gym is just too difficult.
2. He brings a conversational tone
What’s easier to read a page full of sales talk and technical details or a simple description?
Example 1: What do cartoonists know?
What do cartoonists know?
They know how to start with nothing but a pen and a little piece of paper
They know how to touch us, deeply
They know how to create something memorable
They know how to show up, every single day
And, in Hugh’s case, they know the thing that’s been holding us back, that we fear, that cripples us.
Thank you, Hugh, for making a dent in the universe.
Seth understands the power of starting a conversation with readers by asking a question. I notice he uses it quite a lot starting with headlines.
Asking a question and presenting an answer is more persuasive than just stating this is a great book that you can draw personal lessons from. Seth doesn’t worry about writing whole sentences or about repeatedly starting sentences with “They”. He enjoys using casual, conversational language.
Example 2: Would you read this?
Here’s the simple reason that focus groups and beta tests rarely work. Here’s the reason most people are bad at being venture capitalists, and why entrepreneurs and artists should almost never ask for advice:
There’s a huge difference between asking:
“Would you use this?”
and
“Why do you use that?”
With a headline – “Would you read this?” Seth has already created intrigue.
Who wouldn’t click to read more with a title like that?
In the review, he gets right to the reasons in a conversational tone. He doesn’t point out ways or methods in which usability issues can be uncovered and addressed, but points out that the value of the book lies in understanding psychology and peoples thinking processes in terms of getting results w