“Show me the money…”
What a good little phrase. If you’re the script writer for Jerry Maguire, you couldn’t have come up with a more quotable phrase — executed to perfection in the movie…
But if that’s what you think this essay is about — well, you’ve been misled.
Rather, I’m going to make it a quick essay. Because I just turned in copy to a client, and hit a deadline — and I want to talk about what I’ve been working on in these final edits.
Visual demonstrations of the selling message…
In other words — charts.
Lots and lots of charts.
And especially, the markup. The arrows and words ADDED to the charts to give them instant impact.
Here’s the thing. As much as we work to make our words the most powerful selling tool (and yes, ample marketing testing has proven that they ARE the most powerful selling too)… You’ve gotta get the graphics right, too.
Graphics stop scanners and make them read the copy. Graphics give readers a visual context for what they’re reading. Graphics keep the wall-of-text selling message visually dynamic.
Graphics underline and give support to your message.
Graphics are worth your time to get right.
The right picture is worth a thousand words…
A picture alone isn’t. If I’m talking about the stock market and I put a picture of a bikini-clad woman in my ad, I may attract attention, but it’s irrelevant to the message and thus the wrong kind of attention.
But if I can show in a chart what I’m saying in words, it can give clarity to my message. Plus it can help me keep it concise. Both of which help comprehension and persuasion.
So I just spent a ton of time marking up charts, with a few words to get the main point across — and grab attention and interest of prospects who haven’t fully committed to my selling message, yet.
How can YOU visually support your selling message?
For weight loss and fitness, it’s often before and after.
For stocks, it’s almost always charts.
Almost any category can use lifestyle shots.
Showing your product in action is yet another way to show, as well as tell — just imagine what Ginsu Knife commercials would be if they didn’t show the knives cutting through everything…
Visuals add proof and believability…
We’re conditioned to believe what we see.
Missouri is called “The Show Me State,” presumably because the residents all agree with, “I’ll believe it when I see it with my own eyes.”
But really, most of us are like that. We’ll believe it when we see it.
And so you’re a smart marketer when you dedicate yourself to not only creating a compelling sales message with your words… But also with relevant supporting visuals.
The secret of the world’s best copywriters?
You may or may not know this, but often the world’s best copywriters get their edge for things that are NOT copywriting.
Marketing strategy is one. Knowing how to visually support a selling message is another.
It’s all part of a bigger mindset that will lead you to becoming a better marketer — regardless of whether your official title is copywriter, marketer, business owner, or whatever.
To go deeper on the topics of proof, credibility, and believability — covering all 26 elements including at least 15 that can be presented visually — check out Proof, Credibility, and Believability, included with the BTMSinsiders All-Access Pass.
Yours for bigger breakthroughs,
Roy Furr
