The Force That Makes Advertising Work
How To Channel and Direct Mass Desire
In what is widely considered the greatest copywriting and advertising book ever written, Gene Schwartz begins “Breakthrough Advertising” with a chapter on Mass Desire.
It is “the force that makes advertising work”.
As a marketer (and human) you know that everyone has desires.
But one distinction that we must make is when we are marketing our products we cannot create those desires. Desires are already there and it is our job to bring awareness to how our products can fulfill them.
“(Copy) 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 onto a particular product. This is the copy writer’s task: not to create this mass desire — but to channel and direct it”
Jay Abraham said, “What’s the easiest way to sell water? First, find someone who is dying of thirst.”
There are outliers but humans have three primary categories of desire:
- Desire for Better Health
- Desire for More Money (Wealth)
- Desire for Better Relationships
And within each of these desires is a Surface Level Desire. It is our job as marketers to dig past the surface.
For instance, when it comes to health, some surface-level desires could be:
- “I want to lose weight…”
- “I want to look ripped…”
- “I want to feel strong again…”
- “I want to improve my flexibility…”
On the “surface” this is what people might think or tell you but when it comes to marketing, people DO NOT buy what your product does…They buy who your product helps them become.
In other words, they buy the transformation.
Digging past the surface level can be challenging but I have picked up a fantastic technique from Brian Kurtz that I think will help you out.
Technique: Add the phrase “So I Can” to the start of every statement of desire until we arrive at the heart of the market’s desire…
For instance, when talking to your prospect that wants to lose weight, ask to add “So I can” before that desire.
Example:
Desire: I want to lose weight…
“So I can _________”
- So I can fit into the new clothes I bought
But don’t stop there, keep digging.
Why do you want to fit into the new clothes?
- So I can stop being embarrassed when I look in the mirror
Why do you want to stop being embarrassed?
- So I can feel confident when I walk out of my home
Why do you want to feel confident?
- So I can become someone who is secure and confident
Why do you want to become someone who is secure and confident
- So I can create a better, happier life for myself
Let’s try it with flexibility.
Desire: I want to improve my flexibility
“So I can _______.”
- So I can reduce the pain I feel in my lower back
Why do you want to reduce the pain?
- So I can bend down to pick up my kids without fear of pulling my back out
Why do you want to pick up your kids?
- So I can show affection to my kids whenever they need it
Why do you want to show affection?
- So I can be the kind of parent to them I want to be
Why do you want to be that kind of parent?
- So I can do a better job than my parents who were never there for me
Now you are 4–5 levels deep and are getting to the real transformation that they seek and can create marketing messaging that has your prospect raising their hand.
However, out of all their desires, there will be one dominant desire that you should focus on.
But, how do you find the dominant desire?
Every Mass Desire has three vital dimensions per Schwartz:
- Urgency: Intensity and the degree of demand to be satisfied
Ex: Constant arthritic pains compared to a minor headache
- Staying Power: A desire’s ability or inability to be satisfied; degree of repetition
Ex: Raw hunger vs a craving for gourmet foods
- Scope: The number of people who share this desire
Ex: The number of people willing to pay $10 for an automotive accessory that saves gas vs those willing to pay $10 for one that merely prevents future repair bills.
As you study your market’s desires ask these questions:
- How urgent is this desire?
- Does this desire have staying power? Does it repeat itself?
- How many people share this desire?
Dominant desires are urgent, have staying power, and are shared by many people.
As Schwartz says “Every product gives you dozens of keys but only one will fit the lock. Your job is to find that one dominant performance — squeeze every drop of power out of it in your presentation — and then convince your reader that that performance can come only from your product.”
You got this!
For more tips on marketing strategy and design follow me on Twitter @MentalWeapons
