Copywriting and the $41 Hamburger

Would you ever spend $41 for a hamburger?

Most people wouldn’t dream of paying that much for something so mundane. But people frequenting an innovative New York Steakhouse are doing just that. In the first four days after management added a $41 hamburger called “The World’s Most Decadent Hamburger” to the menu, 203 people have ordered it. At $41 it is by far the most expensive hamburger in New York City.

How did they do it?

This 135-year-old steakhouse took the ordinary hamburger and turned it into a unique gourmet meal that customers are clamoring for. First, it’s made with 20 ounces of premium ultra-tender Kobe beef. Kobe beef, imported from Japan, comes from cattle raised on beer and massaged daily to make the meat soft and succulent.

As if that’s not enough, cooks made the burger even more appetizing by putting a piece of basil, parsley and honey herb butter right smack in the middle of the beef patty. When customers bite into this burger the melted butter gives them a surprising shot of mouthwatering goodness un-heard-of in any other burger. On patron exclaimed, “This is the tastiest burger on earth.”

On top of that cooks add exotic Portobello and shitake mushrooms and shredded baby micro greens. The place this delicious medley of tasty treats between two halves of a special freshly baked hamburger roll.

And forget the Heinz and French’s. This burger is fit to be spiced by only the best in homemade ketchup, mustard or horseradish sauce. And that’s not all. It comes with classic garlic shoestring fries.

Maybe now it’s not surprising that Old Homestead Steakhouse has hit the mark with customers and sold 203 $41 hamburgers in just four days. They created a hamburger that’s unlike any other. It’s unique and noteworthy. There’s a story around it. And it’s irresistible. As Restaurant owner, Marc Sherry said, “This (hamburger) is an event.”

This story offers two important lessons for copywriters:

1. The unique and interesting story about this burger has gotten a lot of attention
2. The compelling benefits backed by plausible and specific details got people to buy

It’s up to the copywriter to find the interesting story that attracts people’s attention and the unique specific benefits that get people to buy. Diligent and detailed research is the key. The best copywriters spend half their time on research and the other half writing. Without adequate research, even the best-written promotion will get mediocre results. The more research you do the more precise and persuasive your copy will be. That’s because being specific dramatically improves your credibility.

A sales letter filled with vague generalities is invisible to readers. They just won’t take the time to read such obvious puffery. Don’t use unsubstantiated superlatives like: “Best restaurant in New York”, “Lowest price available anywhere,” or “The coolest site on the web.” No one will believe you and no one will care. These kind phrases are perceived as insincere hyperbole, and are immediately discounted. Statements like these count for little and damage your sales effort. Whatever you say from then on will be read with a healthy dose of skepticism.

By instead making specific statements your sales letters will be more interesting and much more likely to be believed and read. If you say, “Our prices have been reduced”, it has little effect. But if you say “We have reduced our prices by 25% for the next tens days only, to clear inventory”, people will believe it because it is specific and verifiable.

A retailer saying “Lowest prices in Chicago” would do much better saying “We’ll beat any price” or “We sell at 3% over dealer’s cost”, and then standing by it. The specific statement is very impressive and believable. The statement that “34,890 people have bought our training manuals” is stronger that “Nearly 35,000 of these manuals have been sold.” The first sentence tells readers that you are reporting the results of a strict and accurate count. The second phrase sounds like it could have easily been plucked out of thin air.

How to Use Knowledge to Turn Your Words into Money

In advertising, words, literally, are money.

In any sales effort, words account for 80% of the sale. The wrong words will wash your money down the drain. The right words will deposit a huge amounts of money into your bank account. Knowledge is the key to writing persuasively. The best copywriters in the world do the most research before writing.

Here are the basics of using your knowledge to make your words sell:

1. Know What You Want

First you must decide what response you want. What exactly do you want your reader to do?

Do you want them to send you money for your product? Do you want them to request more informaton about your product, so that you can contact them later? Do you want to give them a sample or a free trial of your product? Do want them to receive a free newsletter or free report in order to establish a business relationship with them? Do you want to alert them to some important event that could change their life or their livelihood, so that they will talk about you and create a buzz of excitment about your company?

All of these are valid reasons for contacting someone. But you must be clear that whichever reason you choose is the focus of your promotion, and nothing else. This adds power to your message. Without a focused message, your words will be lost in the clutter of rival messges clamoring for the reader's attention.

2. Know Your Product

First try to understand everything about it. If it's a newsletter or a book, read it, and then read it again. I have read some books 4-5 times before I ever consider writing about them. Make sure you understand your product thoroughly. Because it takes an expert to explain a product to other people who are interested. You must become that expert.

Research every term or topic that you don't understand. I recently wrote a promotion for a investment newsletter on gold mines. In the beginning I didn't understand anythng about gold mining. So I dug deep and studied everything I could find on the subject. I learned about drills, surface mines and deep mines, and problems that industry is having finding gold. I contacted gold mining companies and asked them questions so that I was absolutely sure I understood what what going on currently in this industry. Why? Because I wanted to serve the reader with accurate and valuable insights that they would never find out about on their own. In the process my words would have authority and credibility.

Be sure to ask questions that usually don't get asked. If something doesn't make sense, it usually means there is important information that is missing. Find out what that information is.
You must absorb a lot of information. I call this the "deep analysis" method. And I use it to stimulate my creative juices.

After you have exhausted the linear mode of thinking then allow the non-linear to take over. Relax, take a walk, a run or a bike ride. Then sit down and open your mind to what you have just learned. Out of nowhere comes a flow of insights, new concepts and a fresh way of looking at things. It is not logical. It is not linear. It is a holistic understanding or gestalt that leads to terrific new ideas. Write down every idea and insight that you get. Later yu can organized and expand on these insights to come up with a fresh approach for your promotion.

3. Know What Your Customer Wants


After that, turn your attention on the customer. Define as clearly as possible, who you ae writng to. Are they male or female? What is the age range, the educational level, and the economic level. That's a good start. But go deeper.

Find out their beliefs, their needs, and the core emotions that drive them. Before I start writing copy, I am like an actor taking on a new role. I go deeply into the character of my customer, attuning to his or her needs, desires and motivations. It is as if I become the customer. I sell to that part of me that is just like the customer that I am serving.

Ask yourself, "If I was John or Mary Customer, what would I respond to? What would I believe and what would make me excited?" Once you understand who you are writing to, the words just flow. Pick out someone you know personally, and write your sales message as if you were writing to this person.

These three things will go a long way to making your sales messages more successful and more profitable. They will help you communicate with your potential customers in a way that will touch them deeply. By writing knowlegeably you will let them know without a doubt, how your product or service will make their life better. You'll get more sales and a higher response rate.