If you've read my first two posts on The Big Idea, then you'd know that a Big Idea can come from identifying The Next Big Thing and from gleaning a great idea from Testimonials.
But it can also come by focusing in on something Controversial. Writing about something Controverial can 1) get the reader's attention and 2) be great lead-in to a product.
For example, over the years I've written a number of successful promotions for a remarkable health product from Japan called Sun Chlorella. Derived from a water-based plant, chlorella is may well be nature's most powerful detoxifier, energizer and immune booster--and tens of thousands of customers and numbers clinical studies and medical test prove its benefits.
When I was asked to create a new promotion for Sun Chlorella, I needed a Big Idea that would be fresh, exciting and effective--I knew it would be mailed to many people who've seen the other promotions I created.
This one had to stand out.
The Big Idea came from an interview I did with one of the doctors who recommend Sun Chlorella, Dr. David Nelson.
As I was talking to him, he said something that jumped out at me. It was something like this: "I've been practicing nutritional medicine for over 20 years, and I thought I could get all the extra nutrients I needed from vitamins and supplements. But was I ever wrong!"
Then, Dr. Nelson went on to tell me how there was a whole new world of nutrients to be found in whole foods--and chlolrella was one of the most exciting whole food breakthroughs he discovered. He took Sun Chlorella himself and recommended it to his patients--and the results have been amazing.
From this interview, I came up with the Big Idea: A DOCTOR'S SHOCK!
The copy read: "I was shocked to learn my trusted vitamins and minerals had been shortchanging my body and my health for years! Then I discovered what I really needed..."
Of course, the payoff was what he really needed was whole foods which give the body nutrients in the way nature intended--and the best whole food: Sun Chlorella!
Here's the cover I created for this piece.
The results? This Big Idea became a Big Winner, a new control, and a piece that mailed successfully for years generating a huge number of new customers.
A Big Idea can be worth a million dollars--or more.
Finding them is like mining for gold. It's a lot of hard work, but when you find a Big Idea, it's Eureka!!!!!!!
But it can also come by focusing in on something Controversial. Writing about something Controverial can 1) get the reader's attention and 2) be great lead-in to a product.
For example, over the years I've written a number of successful promotions for a remarkable health product from Japan called Sun Chlorella. Derived from a water-based plant, chlorella is may well be nature's most powerful detoxifier, energizer and immune booster--and tens of thousands of customers and numbers clinical studies and medical test prove its benefits.
When I was asked to create a new promotion for Sun Chlorella, I needed a Big Idea that would be fresh, exciting and effective--I knew it would be mailed to many people who've seen the other promotions I created.
This one had to stand out.
The Big Idea came from an interview I did with one of the doctors who recommend Sun Chlorella, Dr. David Nelson.
As I was talking to him, he said something that jumped out at me. It was something like this: "I've been practicing nutritional medicine for over 20 years, and I thought I could get all the extra nutrients I needed from vitamins and supplements. But was I ever wrong!"
Then, Dr. Nelson went on to tell me how there was a whole new world of nutrients to be found in whole foods--and chlolrella was one of the most exciting whole food breakthroughs he discovered. He took Sun Chlorella himself and recommended it to his patients--and the results have been amazing.
From this interview, I came up with the Big Idea: A DOCTOR'S SHOCK!
The copy read: "I was shocked to learn my trusted vitamins and minerals had been shortchanging my body and my health for years! Then I discovered what I really needed..."
Of course, the payoff was what he really needed was whole foods which give the body nutrients in the way nature intended--and the best whole food: Sun Chlorella!
Here's the cover I created for this piece.
The results? This Big Idea became a Big Winner, a new control, and a piece that mailed successfully for years generating a huge number of new customers.
A Big Idea can be worth a million dollars--or more.
Finding them is like mining for gold. It's a lot of hard work, but when you find a Big Idea, it's Eureka!!!!!!!
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