Often we speak and write in a passive voice. There is nothing wrong with this grammatically or for use in regular conversation. However, for compelling, selling copy we need to get a little more visceral and use more dynamic and assumptive copy.
This doesn’t mean switching over to hyperbole-loaded salestalk! Hyperbole — or “hype” — involves using adjectives and expressions that are often overused, exaggerated and over the top. Words like:
Breakthrough
Unbelievable
Significant
Substantial
Meaningful
Unique
Absolutely
Best Ever
Strongest
Cutting-Edge
Most
You get the idea. Again, there is nothing wrong with hype, especially when used sparingly for dramatic attention. However, if you load your copy with hype you end up like the boy who cried “Wolf!” By the time the real deal emerges, you’ve so dulled the senses of your audience they’re hardly paying attention — they literally become blind and deaf to your yelling. The same thing happens with parents of small children. After awhile they can carry on a conversation, drive, or watch TV while all hell’s breaking loose in the playroom or backseat.
On the other end of the copywriting spectrum is extremely boring, conventional image-focused copy. Towards the middle is the passive copy, sometimes lukewarm and at other times just appearing as sales copy but loaded with caveats.
We’ll cover these more in upcoming posts. You already know them when you read them, because of how they feel!
