Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

Jeff Sexton asks, Are Your Headlines Offensive?

I just received yet another email from a consultant with the line, “I know I’m being a pest” So, if you know you’re being pest, Ms. Poobah Consultant, why do you keep sending me emails? Pestering people offends them. (Well, Duh! Mary.)

And then there’s fear…does that work?

Jeff gives this example:

“Does a sexual offender live in your neighborhood?”

“Identify registered sex offenders living near you.”

Hmmm…do I really want to know the answer to that question? What am I going to do when I do know? There’s a huge difference between paranoia and awareness…or between scared and prepared. People don’t like to be frightened. And, frightened people may not do what you want (like buy your product) - they may simply stampede over you to the exits (or slam the door in your face.)

As Jeff explains,

As you can see, the first headline uses vivid Anglo-Saxon prose. Besides the emotionally intense “sexual offender” the only word with more than one syllable is “neighborhood,” conjuring up a disturbing clash of images where some disarming, Mr. Rogers-like freak lurks next door, looking to harm your kids. The question-based format grabs your attention for sure, but it’s a way-too-intense negative mental image that, coming at you as a question, knocks you back into a painfully defensive mindset.

Now compare that with the more objective sounding and Latinate “Identify registered sex offenders living near you.” It’s far less emotional for sure, but more importantly the line itself functions as a call to action that puts the reader on the offensive – you’re going to identify those perverted, child-harming freaks and get control of the situation! That leaves you with a much better feeling, doesn’t it? Is it any wonder it outperformed the other headline?

Related Post: Fear Is A Lousy Marketing Strategy

Tags: marketing, marketing troubleshooting, marketing strategy, advertising