What’s in your prospect’s anxiety closet?

Today I get to make a reference to my favorite 1980s comic strip, Bloom County.

But first a little marketing lesson…

When I write copy for a client I often ask them what their prospect’s dominant emotion is while considering their product.

Sometimes it’s a fear of something.

I’ve learned, however, that when we use the word fear in that context we usually mean anxiety.

Fear is actually useful, because it helps save us when facing an imminent threat, such as a mugger. Fear is a rare thing.

Anxieties, however, are the “what-if” type of thoughts that can creep into our life almost every day. It prevents us from doing great things.

It’s not unusual to have a closet full of anxieties, to borrow an analogy from Bloom County.

One of my favorite running gags in Bloom County was Binkley’s closet full of anxieties.

Click here to see some of these comic strips.

Notice how each anxiety is a character. There’s Norma the Nuke and a spotted snorklewacker. Even a beautiful woman is one of his anxieties.

The best way to address at least some of your prospect’s anxieties is through email because you’re not going to be able to cover them all in a sales page.

Let’s say you think your prospect’s dominant emotion is fear of job loss.

What that really means is a closet full of anxieties about finances – anxieties that take many forms.

Help your prospects clean out their closet full of anxieties by addressing them one by one in email.

While you’re at it, might as well tackle your own as well. After all, the best marketing lessons are the ones that apply to your personal life too.

Filed under: Email Copywriting

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