SSWT Internet Marketing Forum

I suspect one of the things that draws people to copywriting and marketing is the raw power of persuasion.

The ability to persuade someone to do what we want is just a few steps away from mind control in some ways.

Unfortunately, many of the methods we learn even in the "copywriting 101" books can be (and many times are) used for truly evil purposes -- like selling people things they don't really want or that can even harm them in some way.

Ken McCarthy once explained to me how misusing copywriting is, "like walking up to someone and sticking a gun to their back." And that much of what we learn are the exact same techniques cults use to recruit and keep members.

Strange as it sounds, there isn't really that much difference between how a heroin dealer sells his "wares" on the corner of crack and 8-ball and how the typical Internet marketer sells an eBook on the Internet.

My question is...

Do you ever feel uncomfortable using certain manipulation techniques and tactics in your ads?

I will say I have had times where I needed to "check" myself, to make sure I was doing the right things for the right reasons (and even once walked away from an assignment because of it).

But I am REALLY curious how other marketers and copywriters feel about wielding the "double edged sword" of persuasion.

Ben

Ben,

Well, with the power of persuasion that we are gifted with as copywriters...it's kinda like Star Wars...

There is a dark side of the force...

And, there are the Jedi.

Greed and deception lead you down the dark side.

For some reason I now have this picture in my head of Darth Vader doing that force choke thing he does in the movies on a client, saying -- "I find your lack of faith in my copywriting disturbing..."

Ben