One of the Biggest Lies in Advertising

 

There is a huge area in advertising that makes me angry.

 

It’s about a common lie used by marketers and copywriters.

 

One of the most prevalent examples of this lie can be found in weight-loss ads. You see a photo of someone before and after dieting. Maybe they lost 20lbs in 8 weeks.

 

Here comes the lie...

 

“If she can do it, so can you.”

 

That’s not true.

 

Here’s another example, found on the sales pages of hundreds of information products being sold online.

 

The copy goes something like this...

 

“Bob was a plumber before reading this e-book. And now he’s making $30,000 a month from his own web site.”

 

And here comes that same lie again...

 

“If Bob can do it, anyone can.”

 

Not true.

 

The false premise...

 

This same lie is used over and over in advertising...for weight loss products, beauty products, get-rich-quick products, investment services and so on.

And every time the pitch is based on a false premise.

 

If Bob started making $30,000 a month with his web site, it is not because the system is foolproof and guaranteed to work for ANY plumber. It’s because, during all those years plumbing, Bob was unaware that he had an enormous but latent marketing talent that would fit perfectly with the online system he purchased.

 

And no, not every plumber has those same marketing skills.

 

It’s not because he was a plumber that Bob succeeded. It’s because he was Bob.

 

Why this lie is so prevalent

 

Marketers and copywriters love using this lie because it is so powerful.

 

Almost every wealth and health related infomercial and web site uses examples of what others have achieved. It’s a powerful way to sell. The prospect sits there and thinks, “Wow, these people are no different from me.

 

If they can do it, maybe I can too.”

 

And, of course, some of those prospects will be able to do it too. But they’ll be able to do it because of their own skills and attitudes...not just because someone else did it before them.

 

To be fair, there is a very broad range of companies that take this approach.

 

Some are sneaky, but some are genuinely sincere in their desire to help.

 

Regardless, when you imply that someone can succeed with your product or service just because Bob the plumber did it, that’s a lie.

 

Why am I picking on this particular sales approach?

 

The big lie upsets me because it is designed to take advantage of people in two of the most vulnerable areas in their lives...personal appearance and finances.

 

When it comes to how we look and how much money we have, we are at our most vulnerable. Tens of millions of people desperately want to look good, and desperately want to be financially secure.

 

This means we are very susceptible to persuasive advertising in these areas.

 

We truly want to believe those ads that say we can lose that amount of weight, or we can make that amount of money each month.

 

It’s like the kid who goes up to a panhandler and offers him five dollars if he’ll jump up and down on one leg for two minutes. The kid has identified the panhandler’s greatest area of vulnerability.

 

Companies do the same and target women who feel they are over-weight, and men and women who lie awake at night worrying about their finances.

 

Concluding thoughts...

 

As I said, some companies selling products and services in these areas are genuinely sincere. But many are not and, like the kid with the panhandler, they have found and are taking advantage of an area of deep vulnerability.

 

There’s nothing wrong with selling products and services to help people lose weight or make more money.

 

It’s how you do it that separates those who are sincere from those who are just looking to make quick money, and are happy to lie in the process.

 

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Resource Reviews:

 

Secrets of Writing for the Business to Business Market

 

There are 8 million business-to-business companies out there. And they all need good sales copy. The opportunity in B2B copywriting is huge, and this 350+ page course tells you everything you need to know about getting your own slice of the market. Read my review and find out how...

 

 

Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

 

This is the course I always recommend for anyone who wants to learn how to write copy that generates results. Perfect for direct marketers, and also excellent for online copywriters who want to increase conversion rates. Read my review of Michael Masterson's copywriting course...

 

 

Selling Yourself as a Copywriter: How to Earn $100,000 a Year

 

This is course is for ambitious freelance copywriters who recognize they could make a lot more money if they worked harder at promoting their business and finding better-paying clients. Read my review of 'Selling Yourself'...

 

 

 

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