Say word "emotion" to a man, and he'll immediately jump out of his seat and run from room! Utter word "emotion" to a woman, and she begins to conjure up thoughts of romantic, long talks centered around feelings. However, speak word "emotion" to a copywriter and s/he should see dollar signs. Why? Because a good command of subtle emotion is key to copy that works.

The Difference Between Subtle and Obvious Emotion

Confusing obvious and subtle emotion is a common mistake among copywriters. Let's say your copywriting client tells you his product should make end user feel classy and sophisticated. He wants copy you write to convey that message. What happens when writing with obvious emotion is this:

---------------------------------

Our silverware patterns will make you feel classy and sophisticated. They will decorate your table in an upscale manner so you and your guests will think you're in a fine-dining restaurant.

---------------------------------

Obvious emotion tells readers what they will think, see or feel. This approach is clumsy and awkward and rarely has result client is looking for. On other hand, subtle emotion has a much greater appeal. Why? Because it deals with imagery. When you show people, rather than tell them, how they'll feel or what will happen after they buy your product or service, you evoke core emotions rather than shallow feelings. Here are several examples of subtle emotion at work:

---------------------------------

1. You could decrease or increase length of your ad copy. There is no rule on how long your ad copy should be unless space is a consideration. The ad should be long enough to sell your product.

2. You could add some sub headlines on your ad copy. Sub headlines act just like headlines; they grab readers attention. They'll keep readers interested as they continue to read your ad.

3. You could ask your reader questions through out ad copy. They will answer questions in their own head as they read your ad copy. The questions you ask should persuade reader into buying.

4. You could highlight keywords through out your ad copy. The keywords should be attractive to your target audience. You could highlight them with color, underlines, italics, etc.