Copywriting Tips – Wants And Needs
One thing that beginning copywriters have a lot of trouble with is really understanding the difference between wants and needs and how to get this across in their copy. This article is going to explain the difference and give an example of how you would differentiate the two when writing your sales letter.
Okay, let’s start off with a need since I think that’s something we can all relate to. Eating would be a need. We all need to eat in order to survive. If we don’t eat, we starve to death. That’s a need and it’s pretty simple to understand.
Now, let’s take the subject of eating and bring it down to the level of a want. Okay, we NEED to eat, BUT, we don’t have to eat any particular food to stay alive. There are plenty of foods that I won’t go near because I can’t stand the way they taste. The foods that I enjoy are my wants. I want to eat oatmeal cookies because I love the way they taste. Conversely, I would NOT eat prune danish because I hate prunes.
So what’s the point? Well, let’s say that you’re selling some kind of diet food that’s going to make people well. If you focus on the needs (losing weight, etc.) people are not going to be overly excited by your copy. However, if you focus on what they want (tastes great, etc.) THEN they are going to be more excited by your product because it’s hitting them in the area that really matters people want.
Like it or not, and I don’t care what niche it is, people do NOT buy things because they need them. They buy things because they WANT them. Even items that you would think are needs aren’t really. Food is a perfect example. Yes, we have to eat. But we sure as heck don’t have to eat that slop that somebody threw down in front of us if it’s NOT appealing. As long as we have choices, all needs still come down to what we ultimately want.
I need to drink water everyday to stay healthy. But I sure as heck don’t have to drink some bottled water if I don’t want to. I can easily just get it from the tap. You have to give me a compelling reason why I should want YOUR water. Do that and you’ve understood the basic philosophy behind writing salescopy.
To YOUR Success,
Steven Wagenheim
