Damn that Ben Settle.
Every time I take a shower I end up thinking of him.
And no, it’s not what you think.
You see, about two years ago I discovered Ben Settle’s blog. At the time, he and I had never met or spoken with each other. But I loved his style and became one of his regular readers.
And so one day Ben wrote a post about showers. More specifically, he suggested taking showers anytime you needed a headline breakthrough… even if that meant taking multiple showers a day!
After I read that post, I started paying attention to my thoughts whenever I took a shower. Sure enough, I discovered I do some pretty serious thinking while relaxing under the hot water.
(Is it the hot water? The solitary space? The lack of interruptions from young kids? Probably all three.)
Anyway, ever since Ben made me aware of a hot shower’s unique “thought-enhancing” qualities, it seems he’s popping into my head every time I turn on the shower faucet.
There’s a Copywriting Lesson Here…
If you can take something completely ordinary (like taking a shower) — and put a totally unique spin on it — then you can reel in your readers, engage them, and practically force them to take action.
The reason why this works is because a good hook causes prospects to lower their natural sales resistance.
And when your prospect’s sales resistance is down AND he is genuinely interested in what you’re talking about, it’s that much easier to make the sale.
With that in mind, I encourage you to go hop over to Ben’s blog and check out this post:
==> Why You Should Write Your Headlines Underwater
Caution: If you read this post, you may have trouble taking showers without thinking of Ben Settle. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. ;-)
-Ryan M. Healy
{ 16 comments }
I know what you mean Ryan. My morning showers are usually very long. I do a lot of my work in my head before I do it for real and I find that often times in the shower I get a job 90% done, then I just go to my computer and knock it out…just like I pictured it in my head and worked it out while I was in the shower that morning. It’s an absolute terrific place to think.
But…
I’ve never thought about taking a shower JUST to get some work done. ;-D
Wherever y’all go… there I am ;-)
Ben
Great stuff Ryan lol. Ben is the man and I agree…in the shower is where a lot of ideas pop up. I need a water proof recorder or something….so I can jot down the ideas lol.
thanks
Ooph! This hits close to home. And not just for headlines, either. Entire pieces of salesletters and marketing strategies have been born in the shower.
Sometimes it comes to you so fast, you end up forgetting bits and pieces before you get out. That can be a little frustrating.
John
@Ken – “I do a lot of my work in my head before I do it for real.” I can totally relate. Driving time is good for this too.
@Ben – Are you stalking me?
@Joe – I’ve heard of guys with water-proof writing tablets in the shower. I haven’t taken it to that level yet.
@John – I guess you’d call that a “water birth.” ;-)
I actually set up my shower so that I could live in it and never leave… I even installed a disposal in the drain so I can make salads in there…
… oh wait… that was Kramer.
… ahem… Well at least inspiring uses of ellipses comes to me in the shower…
Best headline… ever
I’ve always been a big fan of a cleansing shower anytime of the day.
Not only does it ease aches & weariness, it also washes away the past & creates a baptismal experience that I can start afresh!
Ideas flow whether I’m in the shower or out on a run, where the creative mind can be freed & the ideas flow.
Well, at least the headline wasn’t the other way round – “Every time I hink of Ben Settle, I need a shower”.
Seriously, it is a fairly well established pattern in creativity that after concentrating intensely on something you need to clear your mind and take a break to get a breakthrough. It’s no coincidence that Archimedes discovered his principle while in the bath. I’d never heard anyone suggest multiple showers before Ben though, and of course, it makes absolute sense if that’s when ideas pop into your head.
Ian
I just got done sending an email to my contract manager, joking that I’d make up some lost time by thinking about work while taking a shower — when I saw your email announcing this post.
Hmmm…
And for the rest of the world, soap makes a nice gift for your copywriter!
–Tom
That headline definitely grabbed my attention! Enough said.
Ryan,
I’ll echo the effectiveness of your headline.
Even though I knew what you were getting at,
I just can’t resist clicking and reading through.
Drayton Bird also mentioned that the same
idea brainstorm can be achieved when you’re
exercising or shaving!
I reckoned that after we copywriters work on
an intense project, we’ll get an outstanding grade
for personal hygiene, become macho musclemen,
and look cleanly shaven (if not bald)!
Be Well,
- Tian Yan
Ryan,
Out of all the Copywriting blogs out there…
There’s two that I keep coming back to. Your blog and Ben’s. But, the last thing I want to do is think about Ben or you in the shower… so thanks for that image. :(
Still. It’s a great point Ryan. I remember listening to an interview with Ben at Michael Senoff’s hardtofindseminars.com. I think he talks about that there too.
I don’t know if Michael still has the interview up or not.
Very cool.
Thanks for all the great content Ryan.
You inspire me to keep it up! (Writing I mean.)
I definitely get some great marketing ideas in the shower. I think it’s the lack of any interruptions that does it for me.
Although I’ve never thought of Ben Settle while taking a shower, and hope to never do :)
Great… now I’m going to think of Ben AND you now. Haha
I’m more likely to go for a long, aimless drive to spark my ideas. I take a voice recorder along so I don’t have to juggle a notepad.
Great hooks usually have a story element woven into them.
Stories are provocative. Especially when they promise to expose an un-discovered truth about someone we know.
Aside from the mis-direction magic Ryan used here there was another key element he deployed.
He inserted the name of someone our audience wants to know about.
Same thing that makes it possible for National Enquirer to outsell all of the most famous weekly mags.
It might be hard to find a way to adapt “JEN CHEATS ON JOHN! With male model” to our copy.
But we can revamp this one…
“Kelly Ripa’s
WEIGHT
PLUNGES
TO 96 LBS
What’s
Wrong”
To…
“Ben Settle’s Open Rate On
His Emails Plunges
From 99.7% to 1.5%
What’s Wrong”
The crushing blow that sells the sensational statements made on the cover of National Enquirer are the pictures next to headlines. They always hammer home the point beautifully.
Imagine this…
A picture of the top quarter of Ryan in the shower… water rinsing the shampoo off his head… eyes closed with slack jaw seemingly lost in a dream would’ve added a whole deeper level of intrigue to the headline Ryan used.
Great job of weaving a beautiful hook here Ryan. Next time you use showering in your posts make sure you tease the ladies here with the gift of seeing your hulking frame glisten in the midst of steam and water.
I guarantee your response will skyrocket.
Talk to you again soon,
Note Taking Nerd #2
http://www.mynotetakingnerd.wordpress.com
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