Subscribe by email:

Have you noticed the "George Washington verse St. David's Day"
hosting advertisement a few days back.  That was an example of a
copy writing method called "pairing", and part of an important
lesson for today.

"Pairing" is where you take two subjects and put them together for
a single story.  That story usually builds a related comparison for
sake of demonstration.  In the case of my advertisement, the
pairing was two characters considered "saints" by two seperate
groups of people.

In my case it was to use two holidays as end-marks for my campaign.
 You really don't need much, but what makes this kind of campaign
work is the story.  The story that delivers an offer.

A second point of using pairing is to create a conversation.  My
target audience is UK and US businesses, both characters represent
either side of the pond.  In this, the story could go into "us
verse them", "two sides of the same coin", "simularity in
difference", or in this case, "what they stand for."

If more time was available for this campaign I could continue with
stories about George Washington and St. David both standing for
Indepedence -- and the hosting offer gives you that Indepedence.  

    The method of pairing lets you connect your product with
something else rather than a straight offer.  You are adopting the
meaning of your subjects, or using the individual parts of the
pairing for demonstration.

Write if you have questions about this, it's not as awkward as it
may seem.

The bottom line is instead of a straight offer, pairing is just one
way of supplying subjects to a story.  Some of the most powerful
words are delivered in story, use stories in your sales copy to get
readers attention (and action.)

Here are more types of pairing:

 -- Connecting opposites.  For example, using night and day
comparisons between two objects to demonstrate a point.  The Wall
Street Journal did this with the "Two men" letter.

 -- Same spelling, different meaning.  Showing that just because
two things look the same doesn't mean what they stand for is the
same.  Useful in highlighting differences in commodity objects.

 -- Good enough for the other guy.  Show your reader that while a
common solutions is good enough for someone else, that they have
more distiquished tastes and deserve much better.  Pair up
contrasts in expectations.

 -- Apples and oranges.  Using a story compare with you offer with
another more expensive service to show what a value you bring. 
Commonly used to sell done-for-you services, by showing how hard it
is for you to do, but easy if done for you.

In the coming weeks, look at how you can pair two objects, people,
activities, or even things to create a story for your reader. 
Write your sales letter about the story with your offer only
included as the catch and call to action.

Do you have questions?  Try your story on me, write in reply a
quick paragraph setting up your comparison along with a link to
your website (or the product you are offering) ... and I'll share
some feedback to help you get started with this method.

Sincerely,

Justin Hitt
B2B Copywriter / Consultant
Editor, AdBriefing Copywriting Tips
http://www.AdBriefing.co.uk/

Copyright 2010 AdBriefing Copywriting Tips, All rights reserved.

Justin Hitt helps sell complex technical services and solutions
with simple easy to follow language.  Connect with real buyers, get
them involved, and get more sales quickly.  His agency is 
http://HittPublishingDirect.com/