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March 04, 2005

"Most Copywriters Don't Really Know What A Bullet Is, And What It Does. Do You?" by David Garfinkel

A bullet (bullet point in copy) is a short phrase, sometimes as long as two or three lines, that in a very concentrated, power-packed, and dynamic way sums up what’s really powerful or exciting, usually about one aspect of what you’re writing your copy about. It stokes desire while, at the same time, it builds confidence and comfort with what you're offering.

And the interesting thing is, the bullet doesn’t just lie there on the floor like a glob of goo. A bullet is something in action.

Let me give you a very easy way to understand this. This is important because a lot of people have good headlines, or decent headlines, and their copy is okay.

But, when it comes to the bullets, the whole thing just falls apart. You can really do well with your bullets once you understand this:

Think of a hot summer day.

Now on this summer day, I want you to forget for a moment about air conditioning here and instead think about a simple table fan.

OK. The blade of the fan – that’s not a bullet. That’s a piece of the fan – it’s a feature, a component.

You plug the fan in, push the switch, the blade starts spinning. A breeze starts going through your house, and now there’s this cool breeze blowing on you.

You are all hot and sweaty, and the breeze starting to cool you off now. That breeze is the bullet. It’s the air in motion. It’s the satisfying, relieving result that the fan provides for you.

If you ever get stuck on bullets, think of your prospect as someone who’s hot and sweaty, and uncomfortable. And your product, your service, or your information product is the fan that’s going to cool them off and make them feel comfortable again. You have to get them to imagine that comforting, soft breeze that’s calming them down. That’s what a bullet is.