Last week I told you that I just got a “B” in Gary Halbert’s copywriting quiz and had you take it also.

Below I have listed each question again along with the correct answer and a reason for that answer, if one was given.

I have also given my answer and my analysis of the answer.

Answers

Here are the answers and the winners…

1. A) Push Button shave cream
B) Moisturized Shave Cream

Answer: A.
Reason: It converted better than 2 to 1 because it focused on instant gratification.

My answer: A.
My analysis: It is almost always better to focus on quick benefits than more ambiguous ones that many won’t really care about. Who doesn’t want a quick solution but “moisturizing” means different things to different and some won’t even want it at all so it is weaker.

Answer: A.
Reason: It gave a specific promise of benefit.

My answer: A.
My analysis: Always go for the emotional response in the prospect not the intellectual one.

Answer: B.
Reason: The word that attracted people is “you”.

My answer: B.
My analysis: I was just stupid looking for the “it’s okay many people suffer like you do” but that doesn’t usually trump “solution for YOU”; should have read and thought better.

Answer: A.
Reason: Specificity and clarity attract better than not; this shows the exact price and, by default, savings.

My answer: A.
My analysis: Notice that being specific is used where advantageous and isn’t where it is not. I wouldn’t be surprised if this converted better than saying “Would you buy a $29.99 shirt on sale for $14,99″ – although testing it would be in order. In fact, I’d be interested in seeing how either of those did against a less specific amount that was actually a better deal.

Answer: A.
Reason: None given.

My answer: A.
My analysis: There is implied scarcity as well as the suggestion of it being a designer jacket, even if you don’t know Manana. Being “handmade” implies quality to some but too many, particularly those interested in designer labels it is a negative. Also, in the U.S. the “made in Mexico” is, rightly or wrongly, thought of as being of cheap or poor quality.

Answer: B.
Reason: It converted 20% better because it spoke to a specific audience.

My answer: B.
My analysis: Whenever you can throw in a phrase that is more specific to a targeted person it will, somewhat subconsciously, attract them. Think of how many times you’ve found that a new thing you learned or liked seemed to be all around you AFTER it became important to you. That isn’t coincidence, it was probably there all the time but was filtered out by your brain because it wasn’t important enough to you.

Answer: B.
Reason: It caused a 27% increase in requests because of added promise of benefit

My answer: B.
My analysis: Always go for a solution, never forget the importance of the emotional connection.

Answer: A.
Reason: None given but this pulled 3 times better.

My answer: A.
My analysis: Potential scarcity and social proof win out over the “leather” and the specific price. Even though the second one added the “sold out in 48 hours”, it wasn’t greater than the implied faster sell out by using the word “cancel”

A) If the headline is above the picture?
B) If the headline is below the picture?

Answer: B.
Reason: Pictures are usually better eye-catchers than words

My answer: B.
My analysis: There is a good possibility of losing the headline if it is above a dominant picture. This wouldn’t be true with a small picture, like of yourself.

Answer: B.
Reason: None given

My answer: B.
My analysis: The second one again hit deep into the emotional subconscious by invoking thoughts of a big, fancy, expensive hotel in Paris, further utilizing additional triggers; it wouldn’t have done so well if it has said “We first saw these in the Carillon Hotel on the Place de la Concorde in Cleveland.”

Answer: B.
Reason: It has both curiosity (”would you”) and benefit (big savings”in one headline.

My answer: B.
My analysis: The words “below wholesale” has some positive impact but it loses completely to the specific savings by having the exact prices, since the price difference is great (it would have had the impact of “Would you buy a woman’s $25 sweater for $19.99″, there the “below wholesale” probably would have won). Also, having a question in a headline makes people stop and read and, if only subconsciously, answer the question.

Answer: B.
Reason: None given

My answer: B.
My analysis: B seems Boring (with a capital B). But don’t lose sight of the little triggers like implied lots of sales and invoking questions like “how many did you sell?” and “who is Milton Gordon?” A has few triggers, the best they can hope for is the implication that they go all out for their customers.

Answer: A.
Reason: This converted 2 times better, because message B has been repeated so often the audience was bored and few read it.

My answer: B.
My analysis: This one just fooled me completely. If it wasn’t from someone like Gary Halbert I’d doubt it and even then I’d like to test it (hmm, maybe I still need to work on my humble

Answer: B.
Reason: The reason the headline made sense because it tied with the fact that most volvos are driven for 11 years in Sweden and by then it’s paid for.

My answer: B.
My analysis: My thought was that people looking for a Volvo are concerned with quality and, particularly, safety so they added the words “we didn’t forget you’d be sitting in it for 11 years”. I would have tested “we didn’t forget who’d be sitting in it for 11 years” also because they are very popular with families and the “protect my child” impulse is usually stronger than the “protect myself” one.

Answer: A.
Reason: A converted twice as well.

My answer: A.
My analysis: This one is simple. A has benefits, B has features. Always go for benefits the more to the customers emotional core the better.

Answer: A.
Reason: This converted 50% better because of the offer of free information.

My answer: B.
My analysis: This one surprised me completely. I would have thought the benefits of relieving pain would have beat the question and the implied free info.

Answer: A.
Reason: None given

My answer: A.
My analysis: Answer A is really a fear question with the implication of removing that fear while B is just and intellectual question. Fear pretty much smashes curiosity every time.

Answer: B.
Reason: This headline was the result of asking buyers of the product WHY they bought the product, and they replied, “it feels good when my eyes are tired.”

My answer: B.
My analysis: How-to’s are always good, plus there is a “quick” solution to a problem.

1. How to talk to a horse
2. Free way to start horsing around
3. How to adopt a horse
4. Free gift if you love horses
5. Free lessons in horse training

Answer: 5-4-3-2-1.
Reason: Research revealed the word “free” used its customary magic as well as the words “how to”

My answer: 4-5-3-1-2.
My analysis: Expected to free to be better than how-to. Thought 4 was better than 5 but that was because I didn’t completely read the question and look at who the target audience is. Still don’t understand why #2 wasn’t the worst one though

Answer: Sort of a trick question since the both converted the same, at least you couldn’t get it wrong!
Reason: None given

My answer: B.
My analysis: I am surprised, I would have thought the pull of being “like a champions” would have helped.

How Did You Score?

In summary, the answers were: 1 – A; 2 – A; 3 – B; 4 – A; 5 – A; 6 – B; 7 – B; 8 – A; 9 – B; 10 – B; 11 – B; 12 – B; 13 – A; 14 – B; 15 – A; 16 – A; 17 – A; 18 – B; 19 – 5,4,3,2,1; 20 – Both

I, not Gary Halbert, have come up with a rating system so you can see how well you did; note this is slightly playful tongue-in-cheek.

20 Correct, A+. You are a Copywriting god and should quick your day job and start charging $50,000 to write a sales letter.

18-19 Correct, A. You definitely know what you are doing and should “turn pro” if you aren’t already.

16-17 Correct, B. Not bad at all, you have some talent, keep it up and who knows some day you might make it out of the minor league s and make it to the “Show”

14-15 Correct, C. Some skill and knowledge, keep working on it but consider hiring out your copywriting work!

12-13 Correct, D. Don’t give up your day job.

10-11 Correct, F. Definitely don’t give up your day job.

Under 10 Correct, what is below F. Give it up (or buy all my copywriting products

Seriously though, remember that no matter how experienced or good you are you can always learn more and you should always remember, no feel, the emotions of your target audience and then test, Test and TEST again.

So Who Won?

Unfortunately, and disappointingly, only two people took the quiz.

I thank you for that and will be giving you both gifts.

I decided to take the best score from each person, here is the scoring:

Gladys Choo – Gut: 13/20, Copywriter: 14/20
WY – Gut: 10/20, Copywriter: 14/20

So here are the winners:

Gladys and WY tied. If I would have thought about it I would have had a tiebreaker using the second score but, since I didn’t, I declare you both winners.

Congratulations.

Now the Prizes

You will each get a 1 free year membership to my new membership site coming soon (I can’t divulge the value of that but I think you’ll be happy, I can say you’re saving more than $100).

You will also each get a coupon for a free copy of the Copywriting e-book I will releasing soon (this way you’ll get all the bonuses also).

Finally, you each will get a coupon for the free 8-8-8 Sale product of your choice.

I hope you found this as fun and instructive as I did!

Talk soon,

David

O.Y. If you want to really increase your conversions and sales, and want to learn more about being a great copywriter then check out the soon to be released book, Be a Copywriting Pro.

O.O.Y. By the way, I got this quiz from Jason Fladien’s blog, it has some good copywriting info also.