Let’s talk about hooks in your sales letters.
Should you use a hook or not?
If you look at the old sales letters from Gary Halbert, David Ogilvy, and the other big-name copywriters,
You’ll notice that they always use a hook at the beginning of their sales letters… just after the headline.
If you’re not sure of what I’m talking about, here’s an example of a hook:
“If you’re looking to lose weight without dieting, this will be the most important letter you’ll read this year! Here’s why:”
But if you study the sales letters of recent copywriters like Frank Kern and Todd Brown,
You’ll notice that they don’t use a hook like this in some of their sales letters.
So, should you use a hook or not?
Here’s my two cents about this question.
Every single sales letter MUST have a hook.
What are hooks?
Hooks are statements or ideas that get people interested in what you have to say.
This means that you must have a hook.
The only problem I see here is that people have beaten Ogilvy and Halbert’s type of hook to death so much so that they are beginning to lose their power.
Therefore, if someone like Todd Brown uses a hook like, “It’s crazy“, the average reader will want to know what it is that is crazy.
This hook has an element of curiosity in it and curiosity is a major element of a successful sales letter.
Therefore,
Should you use a hook in your sales letters or not?
Yes, you should.
But be different, be unique, and add an element of curiosity.
This will make the difference between a winning sales letter and a massive failure.