Use “stravinsky’s Secret” to Supercharge Your Marketing Copy

forces us to generate patterns from the music itself, and not from our preconceived notions of what the music should be like,” writes Lehrer. “By abandoning the conventions of the past, he leaves us with no pattern but that which we find inside his own music.”

“Stravinsky’s greatest fear was dying the slow death of predictability. He wanted every one of his notes to vibrate with surprise, to keep the audience on edge.”

So, how can you use “Stravinsky’s Secret” to make your writing as fresh and compelling as “The Rite of Spring”?

The best way to defy the brain’s Categorical Imperative is with indirection. Go back to your copy and mark any areas that are boring, obvious, or predictable. More likely than not, here’s what has happened: You’ve fallen prey to writing clichés.

Michael Masterson explains it:

“When a prospective customer reads your copy, you want to get him excited about your product or service. You want to say something fresh and tantalizing to engage him. But when you use clichés, something else happens to your prospect. A little switch inside turns him off. He says to himself, ‘I know this already… I don’t need to give it any more attention.'”

Just like I was thinking at the beginning of Crash . Just like Stravinsky’s audience was probably thinking when they heard the opening notes of ” Rite .”

In your writing, the solution to the Categorical Imperative is to drill down, examine what you really wanted to say, and then say it in a fresh, new way or from a new angle.

What you want to do is direct the prospect’s thought process in such a way that he’s uncertain where he’s being led.

1. Paint an image in your reader’s mind that shows him all the benefits he can enjoy.

Example: “You look out your window, past your gardener, who is busily pruning the lemon, cherry, and fig trees…” From Bill Bonner’s famous promotion for International Living. Bill is evoking certain thoughts and feelings in the reader in order to gain his attention. He doesn’t want to initially admit that he’s selling a newsletter.

2. Ask the reader a question or make a statement that challenges him on a subject related to your product or service.

Example: “This invitation isn’t for deadbeats, rip-off artists, or ‘gentlemen’ who hate to get their hands dirty.” From Popular Mechanics’ promotion of the Do-It-Yourself Encyclopedia. Here, the copywriter wants to align himself with the emotions of his target audience before he lets them know he’s selling an encyclopedia.

3. Raise a threat or warning that begs for a solution (provided by your product or service).

Example: “Your wealth is in imminent danger.” From a Swiss Money Strategies insert. This gets the reader’s attention by evoking a whole range of fears. He can’t quite know from the headline what it is the copywriter is selling. Something financial, but what?

4. Make a surprising or alarming prediction that leads to your big promise.

Example: “A bank run like no other will hit every major bank on earth in 1999. A worldwide panic is now inevitable…” This prediction of catastrophe forces the prospect to read on to learn what the solution might be.

5. Share a new piece of information, which will benefit the reader.

Example: “This may be the most startling health news you have ever heard…” In order to know if it is the “most startling” (a pretty bold claim), the prospect has to read on.

6. Debunk a myth with evidence that demands the reader’s attention.

Example: “Conventional wisdom: You can’t push an insurance company when it comes to collecting money. Wrong ! Here are two proven ways to get your check within days.”By contradicting what most people think is true, the copywriter forces the reader to listen to his “proof.”

“When you use indirection,” Michael explains, “your copy will be infused with life. Your words will be fresh and thought-provoking. And your reader will keep turning the pages.

“Remember, as a copywriter, you’ve always got to keep your reader from getting ahead of you. If he can anticipate what you’re going to say, he’ll assume he knows what’s coming – and you’ll lose him.”

So whatever you want to call it – indirection… the plot twist… or even “Stravinsky’s Secret” – approach your reader in a way he doesn’t expect. You’ll then start triggering that dopamine release Jonah Lehrer writes about – literally making reading your copy “a pleasure”!

Result? Your sales letter gets read throughout, response rates skyrocket, and so will your sales and royalties.

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