“Mama, I want grapes,” announces Eli.
Once he’s placed his ‘order’, he promptly toddles off into the front room to continue playing with his cars.
“You can have some grapes,” says Hayley. “I’ll get you some.”
“Uh … we don’t have any,” I say. “They’re not in season. He could have a mandarin? We have those.”
Eli pipes up as he walks past, holding some cars. “I don’t want a mandarin.”
Hmmmm …
I have an idea.
“Hey Hayley,” I say with an evil grin. “Want to give Eli a big orange peely-grape?”
Hayley looks at me with a bewildered look … for half a second.
Then it clicks, and she tries not to burst out laughing.
“Uh … okay … Eli, do you want a big orange peely-grape?”
He nods solemnly.
Hayley pulls out a mandarin from the fridge and holds it out.
“Just to be sure. This is what you’re going to get. You want this?”
“Yes!” says Eli.
And he sits himself down at the table … and happily eats his mandarin — er, big orange peely-grape.
Success!
That’s the power of good copywriting:
The way you name and frame a product has a huge impact on how badly people want it.
And using a name that has a bold promise baked in (“The Four-Hour Work Week”) — or that ties to an idea people are already fond of (“big orange peely-grape” for grapes) — is a powerful way to sell something without saying another word.
Just remember to be ethical about it … unlike me (this time).
Otherwise, you’ll have to face the consequences — and they’ll be worse than just having to explain why mandarins aren’t grapes.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a clever copywriter who can sell (or even name) your big orange peely-product?
Well, I’ve got a sweet, juicy waitlist you can get on right here …
Daniel