Finding a Sales Hook

When Everything’s Been Done Before

Every now and then, I hear from someone who can’t find a sales hook because “everything’s been” done in advertising. Which is a lot like saying everything’s been done in literature, music, or any other industry. Nonsense.

A sales hook doesn’t have to be new to work…it just needs a new face. There really aren’t all that many sales hooks to begin with. Looking at the two most common ones, I’d bet anyone can find a suitable sales hook for any industry.

The Benefits Sales Hook

Let’s start with the classic benefits sales hook. This alone offers countless opportunities. But they aren’t always obvious. You have to probe a little to find what your customers get out of your product or service. Sometimes asking your customers what they like about your product or service will give you countless ideas.

If your customers give you a general reply, like “I like your great service.”, then ask them WHAT they liked about your service. If they tell you that they liked having someone call and confirm their order, you have a sales hook. Use it.

“Every order will get a confirmation call…
just to make sure you get what you want!”

The benefit is the customer’s confidence in your ability to deliver what they wanted to order. In this day of ‘WalMart’ service, not everyone can offer it.

The ‘Brand New’ Sales Hook

So you don’t have a new product. You can’t find a new use for your product. You use a conventional way of ordering your product. You can still find a sales hook that uses the ‘brand new’ approach.

For example, someone selling refilled ink cartridges could offer a new refilling process as a sales hook. They don’t have to list WHAT the change is. It can be something as simple as placing a new ‘guarantee sticker’ on the cartridge box before shipping it out.

But using a new ‘process’ as a sales hook gives the prospect some vision. It introduces gadgetry to your product that wasn’t there before.

“Our New Refill Process Guarantee’s Perfect Prints!”

The process is new because you weren’t putting the sticker on the boxes before. It guarantees the prints because you’ll refund any problems. The fact that you would have done this before doesn’t matter. It’s a matter of presentation…which is all a sales hook really is.