Want to be a highly-paid A-list copywriter?
Learn how to write hooks
Great hooks is what separates:
• The CWs charging 15-25k+royalties...
• And those charging 3-5k for a project.
Not all hooks are created equal tho
🧵 Let's talk hooks ⤵️
Learn how to write hooks
Great hooks is what separates:
• The CWs charging 15-25k+royalties...
• And those charging 3-5k for a project.
Not all hooks are created equal tho
🧵 Let's talk hooks ⤵️
1/ What exactly is a hook?
It's that first line that grabs attention...
where the reader makes a snap judgment:
Keep reading or...
Scroll away?
It's that first line that grabs attention...
where the reader makes a snap judgment:
Keep reading or...
Scroll away?
2/ A hook usually has three elements:
• Benefit
• Emotion
• Curiosity
• Benefit
• Emotion
• Curiosity
3/ Benefit is the PROMISE.
Everybody on the planet is asking:
WIIFM?
(What's in it for me?)
Your audience has problems.
What are you promising to solve?
Everybody on the planet is asking:
WIIFM?
(What's in it for me?)
Your audience has problems.
What are you promising to solve?
4/ Emotion triggers your market.
It pushes their buttons.
Which buttons tho?
Depends on your market.
(Make sure you use the right ones)!
It pushes their buttons.
Which buttons tho?
Depends on your market.
(Make sure you use the right ones)!
5/ Finally, curiosity.
Curiosity is that element of surprise.
You can inspire, amaze, shock, or confuse
The point is to create a "gap in knowledge"
It's a "tease"
Curiosity is that element of surprise.
You can inspire, amaze, shock, or confuse
The point is to create a "gap in knowledge"
It's a "tease"
6/ So again:
• Benefit
• Emotion
• Curiosity
Let's break down a few
• Benefit
• Emotion
• Curiosity
Let's break down a few
7/ NUMBER HOOKS
• 7 ways to ___
• The #1 mistake beginner ____ make
• 3 ____ every ____ needs to ____
• Top 10 ____ you need to see now
• The 5-Step system I use to _____
These are basic, reliable hooks
The number creates the curiosity
• 7 ways to ___
• The #1 mistake beginner ____ make
• 3 ____ every ____ needs to ____
• Top 10 ____ you need to see now
• The 5-Step system I use to _____
These are basic, reliable hooks
The number creates the curiosity
8/ WITHOUT HOOKS
How to get [BENEFIT] without [OBJECTION(s)]
e.g. How to lose weight w/o dieting or exercising
e.g. How to make money w/o working or investing
e.g. How to find true love w/o apps, dates, or drama
Make sure you nail the objections
The w/o creates the curiosity
How to get [BENEFIT] without [OBJECTION(s)]
e.g. How to lose weight w/o dieting or exercising
e.g. How to make money w/o working or investing
e.g. How to find true love w/o apps, dates, or drama
Make sure you nail the objections
The w/o creates the curiosity
9/ NAMING HOOKS
[COOL NAME] method to [BENEFIT]
e.g. The P90X system for getting buff
e.g. The "Infinite Stack" trick for traffic
e.g. The S.T.A.R. formula for investing
The "cool name" creates the curiosity
[COOL NAME] method to [BENEFIT]
e.g. The P90X system for getting buff
e.g. The "Infinite Stack" trick for traffic
e.g. The S.T.A.R. formula for investing
The "cool name" creates the curiosity
10/ GIMMICK HOOKS
[WEIRD OBJECT] creates [BENEFIT]
e.g. Why drinking beer can build muscle
e.g. How salt can help heart health
e.g. Eat ice cream to lose weight
The "weird thing" creates curiosity here
Even better if they defy convention
Which brings us to...
[WEIRD OBJECT] creates [BENEFIT]
e.g. Why drinking beer can build muscle
e.g. How salt can help heart health
e.g. Eat ice cream to lose weight
The "weird thing" creates curiosity here
Even better if they defy convention
Which brings us to...
11/ INCONGRUOUS JUXTAPOSITIONS
Coined by my mentor @johncarlton007...
Dissected by me...
These are hooks that are "woven" in with the actual product's solution or mechanism.
These aren't gimmicky attention-grabbers.
Coined by my mentor @johncarlton007...
Dissected by me...
These are hooks that are "woven" in with the actual product's solution or mechanism.
These aren't gimmicky attention-grabbers.
12/ Incongruous juxtapositions are hooks that...
have a "reveal" later that makes you go
"You magnificent bastard. You clever motherfucker."
I'll share Carlton's most famous ad here:
"The One Legged Golfer"
have a "reveal" later that makes you go
"You magnificent bastard. You clever motherfucker."
I'll share Carlton's most famous ad here:
"The One Legged Golfer"
13/ Here's the original headline:
Amazing Secret Discovered By
One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards
To Your Drives Eliminates Hooks
and Slices… And Can Slash Up To
10 Strokes From You’re Game
Almost Overnight!
Amazing Secret Discovered By
One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards
To Your Drives Eliminates Hooks
and Slices… And Can Slash Up To
10 Strokes From You’re Game
Almost Overnight!
14/ Right away, you think:
What!? But how?
How can a one-legged man pull off such an amazing feat?
There's confusion, amazement, admiration,
And a strong desire to get those results.
That's cool. But y'know what's really cool?
What!? But how?
How can a one-legged man pull off such an amazing feat?
There's confusion, amazement, admiration,
And a strong desire to get those results.
That's cool. But y'know what's really cool?
15/ Later in the ad, the "reveal" is that...
This guy golfs better than most people
because..... he understands "balance"
in a way that only a one-legged man would
Did you get that?
Do you see the cleverness?
The hook is baked into the core mechanism of the product!
This guy golfs better than most people
because..... he understands "balance"
in a way that only a one-legged man would
Did you get that?
Do you see the cleverness?
The hook is baked into the core mechanism of the product!
16/ Obviously, if you're a freelance copywriter...
Looking for that hook that ties into the product is the greatest challenge.
Sometimes, clients have generic products.
That's when you have to use lower level hooks, like naming, without, or numbers hooks.
That sucks.
Looking for that hook that ties into the product is the greatest challenge.
Sometimes, clients have generic products.
That's when you have to use lower level hooks, like naming, without, or numbers hooks.
That sucks.
17/ Because a lot of times...
You're "making stuff up".
What is a naming hook if not a rebrand?
What is a numbers hook if not a deke?
What is a without hook if not clever wordplay?
You're "making stuff up".
What is a naming hook if not a rebrand?
What is a numbers hook if not a deke?
What is a without hook if not clever wordplay?
18/ What's more...
Copywriters who rely on those hooks never get the 25k+royalties jobs.
Those hooks are useful for "easier" markets.
But if you want to play in the most competitive, difficult, but highest paid markets?
You need to write GREAT hooks.
Copywriters who rely on those hooks never get the 25k+royalties jobs.
Those hooks are useful for "easier" markets.
But if you want to play in the most competitive, difficult, but highest paid markets?
You need to write GREAT hooks.
19/ Great hooks take time.
Days, weeks, even months of digging through the material until you find it.
It's finding that perfect "lock" between:
customer, product, and trends.
Days, weeks, even months of digging through the material until you find it.
It's finding that perfect "lock" between:
customer, product, and trends.
I'm putting together a crash course in copywriting.
It's called "Crash Copy". (haha, get it)?
If you found this thread useful, do me 3 favors:
1. Follow me @colinyjchung
2. Sign up at crashcopy.com
3. Retweet the first tweet
It's called "Crash Copy". (haha, get it)?
If you found this thread useful, do me 3 favors:
1. Follow me @colinyjchung
2. Sign up at crashcopy.com
3. Retweet the first tweet
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