What Parenting Has Taught Me about Copywriting
Parenting is a learning experience. Lately it’s dawned on me that parenting can teach us a lot about copywriting, especially in terms of persuasion and education. Here’s what I mean.
Repetition is required. If I had a nickel dime quarter for every time I thought, “Well, I guess you’re going to have to learn it the hard way,” I’d be able to retire, or at least coast. The positive effect of repetition is measured in years, perhaps decades. Likewise, sending out 6 or 12 e-newsletters won’t get it done. Think in terms of 24 or 36.
Don’t mince your words. Subtlety nuanced messaging is lost on all but the most precocious young ones. “Have you weighed the financial burden of driving to Los Angeles?” is not as compelling as, “You’ll run out of money before you hit Omaha.” Striving to be polite, we can be misunderstood or not understood at all. Same thing in business — say it straight out.
Appeal to emotion. When you say, “Don’t touch that pot of boiling water,” Junior’s response will depend entirely on how you say it. Cold, sterile language is neither persuasive nor informative unless you already have Junior’s full attention, which is doubtful. We should make the same assumption about our business audience, and convey our message with passion.
Appeals to logic work, but … . You can, should, and must reason with your children. But what’s taken me a long time to figure out is this. With an emotional message, you get an immediate response. With an intellectual message, you get a delayed response, yet one that may be more powerful and long lasting than any other. One day (I hope) your child will say to you, “I remember what you told me a long time ago … and that’s why I … .” You will be proud. In terms of copywriting, we have to support our emotional statements with facts and reasons and perspective. Otherwise we may get a short-term boost in orders or inquiries, but we don’t build relationships and loyalty and commitment.
Conversation is where communication begins. My wife knew this all along, and by repetition, clarity, and emotional appeal supported by rational argument, she got through to me after only about 10 or 12 years. Here it is. Great teaching opportunities occur when your child is ready to talk, not when you are. As children, we all hated the dreaded parental “lecture”. Was it fear? Partly. But more to the point, it was the irrelevance of a lecture we weren’t ready, willing, and able to hear. We must be ready to listen at any time, because when we least expect it, we may be confronted with the most important problems and challenges our children face. And wouldn’t you agree, the most enriching conversations you have with your children occur when they are primed to talk? This is exactly why business blogs and interactive media in general are so powerful. Customers speak to us on their timetable, when they have something to say. And they, like our children, hunger for a response. New technologies put us in a position to be there when we are needed. Customer conversations is where the real business communication begins.
How about you? What has parenting taught you about business communication?
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Not having been a parent, I may be handicapped in this department. However, I gotta say, that last point really triggered a deep response in me! So very true, Brad!
But as usual (and you had to know this was coming!), I’d add one more: Say only what’s necessary, and no more! There’s a talent that takes communication skills to develop. It requires knowing exactly where your listeners are in terms of need and desire.
They may be primed for only a teaser now, and more later. But, if you dump the whole load on ‘em at the first opportunity, you may alienate them for a time - or longer!
Very wise, Robert. Less is more!
I loved this post Brad and your question really got me thinking
Some other contributions:
Focus on what you want them to do, rather than what you want them to avoid (”if you work hard you’ll pass your exams” is better than “if you don’t work hard you’ll fail your exams” which forces them to create a mental image of failure, and associated negative feelings)
Listen: it’ll help you learn, and see things from their point of view, and realise what you’re doing well (and badly)
Use language that’ll work for them, rather than using your own (which doesn’t mean aping teenage / customer speak, it means plain English!)
Be authentic: don’t try and pretend to be something you’re not. Kids and customers can see right through it
Joanna
Joanna, Thank you for sharing your wisdom! We are developing enough great suggestions to do an entire book. I especially like your point about listening. Much more persuasive than speaking at times, don’t you think?
Joanna’s right: “Be authentic: don’t try and pretend to be something you’re not. Kids and customers can see right through it.”
All my attempts to be a suave, ultra-cool mom always fall flat. The kids see right through it.
Hi Karen P, you’re right, but it’s tempting to try and be a “friend” instead of a parent. Karemn S, gee, thank you!
[…] Shorr appreciates the parallels between parenting and business, as he shares “What Parenting Has Taught Me About Copywriting” over at Word Sell, […]
Like Robert, I feel handicapped in this department as I am not a parent. I am certainly not speaking from a position of any experience here!
You mentioned the importance of emotion and passion in dealing with anyone from children to customers. But this, I feel, raises a question - how do you generate passion and emotion?
There are probably many factors which contribute to emotion or passion. However, I feel that one of the key determinants of genuine passion or emotion is your level of belief.
If you truly believe that your product or service is more suitable for the needs of your customer than any other, then that belief will effect whole demeanor in your dealings with the customer concerned, and customer will sense that you feel that way. This will inevitably make your customer more receptive to your message.
Likewise, when talking with your children, your children will no doubt pick up on your level of belief in what you are saying, and I would imagine that this may have an impact upon their response.
Cheers
Andrew
Andrew, that is a very insightful comment (are you sure you’re not a parent?
) You could fill a book talking about it. Sincerity and conviction trump eloquence and style — usually. Even the most perceptive people can be taken in by a snake oil salesman from time to time.