Copywriting – The Secret Of Anticipation

By nature, humans are curious creatures. If something intrigues us, we want to find out all the details – to satisfy our curiosity.
Positive anticipation plays a crucial role in this. But, what is it and how can it help you write better sales copy? ‘Anticipation’ is when you expect something good to happen. It’s the payoff, the benefit, the perk!
Of course, the outcome might be different to your initial expectation. Nonetheless, you invest in something believing you’ll get a return on it.
This article explores key elements of sales copy such as benefits, headlines and slogans, focusing on how to create a sense of anticipation.
Features and benefits
To end the confusion:
A feature is a descriptive fact about a service or product.
A benefit is what someone gains – or avoids losing – as a result of the feature.
Think about this for a moment. When you choose a holiday, you have a tick list in mind, don’t you? ‘Features’ your holiday destination must have. Whether your list includes a nearby beach, family facilities or shops, each feature satisfies a personal need.
You might want a nearby beach, for example, so you don’t have far to travel. In your mind, a short stroll to the sea equates to less stress, total relaxation and minimal effort. These are the anticipated benefits. Other people might yearn for the hills, away from buzzing beach-life, for the same reasons.
The key point is: once you intrigue the reader with a benefit, your copy is more likely to be read. At the same time, you need to make those benefits explicit, so it’s clear what the payoff will be.
Curiosity doesn’t kill the copycat
Good copy entices readers – and then takes them on an emotional journey. Let’s explore this further using travel copy as an example.
Travel copy needs to tempt readers, by first helping them to visualise a place and second, encouraging an emotional response from them.
‘Experience the magic for yourself … unlock Greece’s best-kept secret. Framed by the warm Aegean Sea, with pine-clad mountains sweeping down to spotless sandy beaches, Thassos is every sun-worshippers dream. Explore further and you’ll discover…’
Emotive phrases such as ‘The magic’ or ‘Sun-worshippers dream’ seduce the reader into wanting a slice of this ‘perfect life.’ It’s all about the unconscious mind, tapping into deep needs and desires.
Copy, therefore, creates a mindset – persuades readers that the product or service is the solution to their problem. Because an answer to a problem is a positive, the human brain is more likely to be stimulated by benefits.
And as customers care about ‘what’s in it for them,’ they’ll look to satisfy their emotional needs first. The perceived gain such as success, efficiency or stress-reduction, is what customers really buy into.
Headlines are the main attraction
Words which lure readers into the copy, often contain promises. Consider headlines for a moment. To attract readers, a headline has to command attention. Since the headline has much of the selling power, it has to be appealing and satisfy customers’ needs.
Successful headlines create anticipation, often giving the impression you’ll access important information if you read on. All of these examples do exactly this:
Revolutionise your marketing strategies
How to find your perfect partner
Save 30% on energy bills by making the switch
Discover how to double your sales
The secret to successful marketing revealed
A headline with an irresistible offer is enough to hook any reader.
Seductive slogans sell
Slogans capture a brand’s image or key selling proposition. Look at these well-known examples:
‘The taste of paradise’ (Bounty)
‘The ultimate driving machine’ (BMW)
Why were they so successful? When you unpick memorable slogans, you’ll see common features.
Bounty’s slogan, for example, taps into the audience’s desire for exotic flavours and locations, as well as their need for comfort. The word ‘paradise’ also makes the reader think of palm trees, the Indian Ocean and sunshine. It’s an image of perfection.
While the slogan plays on the desire for escapism and exclusivity, it also elicits a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Even though the audience know they won’t literally be transported to ‘paradise’ when they eat the chocolate bar, the slogan creates a positive image, as well as a sense of anticipation. Job done!
So, the trick is to anticipate your readers’ needs, allowing you to connect with them on an emotional level … and then to create anticipation so you lead readers through your copy to a positive outcome: the product.