Want Your Clients to Say YES? (Try This Trick!)

“Do you like Abraham Lincoln? Do you like graves?”

So began a paper* by an elementary student of a certain teacher I know.

You’re hooked, right?

This student needs to come work for Quotable Copy. 

Not only is his introduction interesting as hell, he instinctively uses a copy hack that’s proven to make your writing more engaging: ask questions to which you know the answer is “yes.”

This technique works because…

• Questions have the power to draw in your audience.
• Questions make you seem more likable.
• Yes-or-no questions are easy for people to identify with.

…Yet my favorite reason this trick works is because it primes your audience to say “yes.”

This is actually an old sales technique: keep getting your customer to say “yes” to small things, so when you ask for the big thing, they’re more inclined to agree.

But you can’t just ask questions to which you want a “yes” answer. 

You Must Ask Questions to which Your Reader Would Actually Nod Their Head

For example…

❌ “Are you ready to book a 14-day Caribbean cruise?” 
✅ “Do you want to have the honeymoon of your dreams?”

❌ “Would you like to speak to a salesperson?”
✅ “Interested in seeing how our software can save you 10 hours a week?”

❌ “Curious about our annual report?”
✅ “Want to see how many lives we’ve saved this year?”

No one is ready to book an expensive cruise after reading one sales page.

No one wants to talk to sales.

No one is curious about your company report.

But they might be interested in the emotional benefit of whatever you offer.

By shifting the focus from your business to your audience, you not only pique their interest, you keep their interest.

Just don’t overdo the questions, or you’ll start to sound like a late-night infomercial.

Bottom line: Get your reader to say “yes” to your question, so they eventually say “yes” to your business.

*In case you’re curious, the paper was titled “Illuminating Illinois.” Alliteration, too… this kid better have gotten an A.

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