Monday we talked about using quizzes. There are a few ways I’ve used quizzes in my copy.

One is, to introduce the quiz early on. This sets the authoritative tone early in your message, and it peaks your prospect’s curiosity.

But what kinds of questions should you be asking?

Good question, and it’s one I’m going to answer.

You want to ask those questions you know your prospects don’t know the answers to, but would love to know the answers to.

But critical to this is that your questions, in and of themselves, should also provoke curiosity, regardless of whatever the answers are. So for instance, if I were designing a health questionnaire for people with high blood pressure, maybe my questions would be something like this. (And by-the-way, these questions are completely made up and have NO medical or factual basis at all. They are for illustration ONLY.):

* What is the ONE physical activity you can do, that lowers your blood pressure faster than anything else, and you can do this whether you’re 7 years old or 75 years old, just as easily?

* Describe the 3 most common foods (you’ll find them on almost any American dinner table) responsible for the lion’s share of high blood pressure, here in the United States, in 2008.

* Japan has the lowest incidence of blood pressure in the world. What are the three things the Japanese routinely do, that are responsible for this incredible statistic?

See how the questions in and of themselves, provoke curiosity?

So if you were selling, for instance, information on how to lower your blood pressure, you can give out the answers in your sales letter, and then close with “This is just a small sampling of the information you’ll find in my newest product called…” blah blah blah. Or, you can save your answers for the people who order your product… Or, you can give out one or two of the answers and save the last one for later.

Me personally, I’d rather give out all the answers up-front. I believe in giving away as much information as possible, and then building credibility on your offers from there. In other words, “if the free information is this good, God only knows how valuable the paid information is.”

Make sense?

Good.

Next time, I’ll show you another way I use quizzes — and this one’s kind of sneaky.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber

P.S. Everything I learned about writing copy, and developing direct-response strategy, is based, in part, on an old book published in the early 1900’s called Scientific Advertising. Grab it now — along with two bonus Special Report gifts from me. It’s the best $10 bucks you’ve spent this year, at http://www.kingofcopy.com/hopkins

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