Want more readers?
Last week, we were talking about hooks in your writing.
There may have been a mention of hookers in that post, as well.
This week, continuing our inspired and totally impromptu series on “copywriting techniques that keep readers reading,” we’re talking about the hook’s kissing cousin: the “pull question.”
Pull questions are a fabulous little sneaky way of pulling your readers into the “body” of your copy. (I’m putting vocab words in quotes, for those of you at home who are making a list of words that you need to know to be a better and more lucrative wrier of “copy.”)
Some examples:
- Want more readers?
- Will I see you at Be The Change?
- Hate eating healthy?
Pull questions can stand alone in their own short paragraph (like in this blog post), or they can kick off a paragraph. In the later, I like to think of it as a kind of “call and response” – you ask a punchy, short, energetic question, and then you ANTICPATE the response with a “call to action” – the one next action you want them to take. Or the one big idea you are sharing. (“Hate eating healthy? You don’t have to bore yourself slim on iceberg lettuce and cottage cheese… eating right can be so much more sassy, colorful and mouth-wateringly delish!”)
I pulled example #2 from an email I received– it was a P.S. + the pull question + “Everyone who’s anyone will be there!” Notice how it’s a call to action in a really lovely way. The link to the ticket page is embedded in the pull question itself. Classy! Simple! Love it! Use this in your copy, too.
Great places to deploy pull questions include:
- the beginning of a blog post or personal note in your newsletter
- the hook in a promo email
- a short, snappy email subject line
- social media!
- The beginning of your sales page or opt-in page
- The bottom of your web pages. (“Ready to get started?Click here to schedule your complimentary 30-minute [branded initial session title] here.”)
See how this works? Can you dig why I totally “geek out” on this stuff? (Yes, add “geek out” to your vocab list. You need to know what YOU geek out on to write irresistible copy that gets ‘em taking action and falling all over themselves to work with you.)
Try adding a pull question to something you’re writing this week. Stink at it. Say “oh well, points for trying something new.” Then write another one. Before you know it, you’ll be writing more engaging copy that gets bigger response… and laughing all the way to the bank.
Mighty thanks to lovedon’tlivehere Flickr photostream for the rope.
