Have you ever noticed that some very successful direct marketers go out of their way to be cantankerous and even make it a point to get on your last nerve? Have you ever wondered why? Today we’re going to discover their secret? It makes many of them millions!
Studies have shown that people buy on emotion and then justify it with logic. Let’s face it, we only buy two things because we needthem: gas and groceries. Everything else is bought because we want them. To be even more specific, we buy mostly out of greed, sex, and envy. We buy new BMW convertibles because we know we’ll look good in them. Then we rationalize that “BMW makes a very good car that will prove to be a great long-term investment.” The truth is, we perceive BMW’s to raise our status, or our significance. That’s the oldest primary emotional driverthere is in the world. (F.Y.I. the second primary emotional driver is “contribution to others.)
Those direct marketers that come across as cantankerous, or even total jerks, are deliberately tapping into the emotional side of their market. They’re doing something called polarization.
Polarization is the art, or science, of getting members of your market to take an emotional stance. You want to get them to either really like you – or dislike you. Those who are neutral rarely buy your products. Remember, people buy on emotion, even though they’re often not conscious of it. Getting people emotionally charged INCREASES your chances of making a sale!
For instance, you’ve heard of Sarah Palin, right? Do you know why she was chosen to be the Vice Presidential candidate in the first place? Was it polarization?
One marketer that understands this concept and uses it brilliantly is copywriter Dan Kennedy. Dan will tell you that he is the greatest copywriter alive, and he charges for his services accordingly. If you visit Dan’s site here you’ll see that he is very politically INCORRECT. Dan’s No B.S. newsletter goes out of its way to insult his audience, delivering smack after smack as he educates you on what good copywriting is. I believe it’s one of the most valuable newsletters for online business today and I read everything he sends out like the Bible. I suggest you do the same. http://dankennedy.com/
Dan understands that not everyone is his market. So he creates strong feelings, and this drives away those who would never buy from him… and really endears him to those who appreciate his work. This tactic is very effective, and Dan has no shortage of customers making him rich. He is launching a coaching program this year that costs over $100,000 per year to join!
Have you ever heard of Frank Kern’s Mass Control? Not only is Frank Kern one of the best Internet Marketers alive, but Frank is numero uno when it comes to purchasing Dan’s coaching. How’s that for a resume name dropper?
Another marketers who understands this concept very well is Jay Abraham. I watched Jay Abraham, Stephen Pierce, and Rich Schefren orchestrate a teleseminar in 2004. Leading up to this teleseminar, they sent out a barrage of emotionally charged, very informative emails.
Their numerous joint venture partners also sent out a tightly orchestrated barrage of emails to their lists.
Those who saw the tremendous value in the free information provided in all those emails were charged up. They were so charged up that many could hardly wait for a simple teleseminar to take place that costs almost $500 to listen to! Think what you will of creating polarization, and using primary emotional driversin your copywriting language…but how would 2000 people paying $500 each just to listen to you talk on the phone increase your results? Think about that the next time you produce something you want to sell.
A final example of a marketer brilliantly employing polarization is a guy who calls himself “The Rich Jerk.” I won’t reveal his identity, but will tell you that coming across as a jerk is making him millions on the Internet. He is a very good marketer in his own right (he recently sold a website on Ebay for $379,000).
This “Rich Jerk” uses emotionally charged copy on his websites and it’s very effective. Part of what makes his copy so effective is that he also incorporates proof of what he says. We call this Real Social Proof. It’s also a powerful way to incorporate third-party testimonials of others (which by the way, is one of the 4 things taught in our Conversion Rate Optimization program). Reading this copy, you get emotionally charged up, and at the same time, you realize that you’ve encountered someone who can really help you succeed. When The Rich Jerk wants you to buy his product, he’s not being pushyabout selling it. He’s pullingyou into buying it because of the primary emotional drivers he’s using.
By studying the examples above, you see that using polarization, or even coming across as a jerk, can be a very powerful marketing tactic. It can touch your reader at a deeper psychological and emotional level than many other marketing techniques. However, don’t forget that another reason this works in the examples above is that these marketers also deliver tremendous value to their customers. They also PROVE their points. So yes, there is still a right way and a wrong way to do this. And once you understand how to do this, you should by no means use your powers unethically.
Without also incorporating proof into their copy, this tactic probably wouldn’t work. Without proof they would just turn prospects off. So now you know… jerks win at direct marketing because they employ polarization, primary emotional drivers, and social proof.
For a more thorough study of direct-response copy writing that sells, visit OBE Pro’s websiteand subscribe to claim your free copy writing course. It’s a $127 value, and it’s your free.
