The Power Of Names (Easy Toolbox Trick)
One of the greatest returns on investment you’ll have in your copywriting is mastery of naming things.
I say mastery, but it’s really quite straightforward.
If you give something a name, then it becomes more memorable and more effective.
Should you have a great product, you can use a simple USP, give it a name and build a worldwide luxury brand.
When you have a generic product, then you’ll probably get the best bang-for-your-buck by using this technique.
The Power Of Names: The Theory
Most cultures have some myth or fable that deals with names and the naming of things.
Whether it’s a hero shouting some variation of “Who goes there?” into the dark, or a book that’ll summon extra-terrestrial gods, most cultures have some moral device or code of conduct as regards naming things.
Without getting into strange academic or philosophical writing, the power to name things is the power to define reality.
If there’s a terrible monster under your bed, call it “Jigglypuff” and see how scary it is.
When you have a political foe, call them a liar and see how they crumble.
(If I were Robert Greene, that would have taken approximately eighty pages. Fun aside and true story: I once got banned from an entrepreneurship forum for calling Robert Greene a keyboard jockey.)
Basically, if you can name something, you are in some way defining it.
How Does That Fit Into The Subject Of Copywriting?
Have you ever seen a sales letter where the sales copy refers to “The 3 Principles of X” or “The Megaman Guarantee” or something similar?
If you have, then you have come across the power of a name.
For instance, if I released an ebook, I could create:
The Jamie McSloy Adamantium Guarantee
If you’re in any way unsatisfied with the product, we’ll ALWAYS give you a refund within 14 days of you buying it.
No questions asked. No doubts or lengthy process. Your money, back in your account.
That’s the Jamie McSloy Adamantium Guarantee.
If you don’t feel better, look better – hell, if you don’t like the cover of the book – you can have it back.
That’s what makes the Adamantium guarantee.
(Alright, I know that was terrible… it’s been a long day.)
The fact is my “Adamantium Guarantee” is just like any other guarantee. If you sell a product online, you’re legally obliged to offer said guarantee. All I’ve done there is waffled a bit, re-iterated it and given it a name.
If you read copy a lot, you’ll see this done in hundreds of different ways.
A modern version of this is the list article:
“Jamie’s Five Laws Of The Apex Man For Living A Healthier Life.”
- Eat good food.
- Exercise regularly.
- Use some great supplements (Check out my affiliate links)
- Get enough sleep
- Don’t let your cat or anyone else bully you around.
This list article is as generic as they come. Yet versions of this get shared around all the time because they have a name.
Whole Cultural Movements Come From Little Names
In a wider context, these shifts in terminology are going on all the time.
Trump uses this strategy in his politics. We had “Lyin’ Ted” and now we’ve got “Crooked Hillary.”
Companies use this simple branding strategy all the time. There isn’t a single British person of my age that doesn’t hear “That’s Asda Price” and imagine the clicking of change in someone’s back pocket afterwards.
In fact, supermarkets are in a bit of hot bother right now because they’ve been using fake farm names to sell their value products.
Again, it’s all in a name. Not that I’m saying you should border on fraudulent behaviour, but simply by giving something entirely generic a name, you make it more memorable and more powerful.
Also, by being aware of this trick, you become wiser to it.
Is something really better because it’s got a particular name?
Think about cars, luxury watches and other luxury items.
Some are unique, sure. But a lot of them are built using the same materials and in the same factories that non-luxury items are made, and you’re paying for the name.
Once again, no judgement. It’s just an awareness issue.
Final Thoughts
This has been a relatively short article, because the point is simple.
If you want to add a tool to your copywriting arsenal, give everything a name.
Your guarantee isn’t just a guarantee, it’s “Your SPECIAL X Guarantee.”
What’s in your product isn’t just a contents list, it’s “The Full Disclosure Of Exclusive Material.”
The premise of your service isn’t just your service, it’s “Your unique Process.”
You get the idea. It’s not sophisticated, but it’s incredibly powerful.