In copywriting, length implies strength

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The email was short: “Nice fucking reviews, bro.”

(I have 230+ unique testimonials on VeryGoodCopy.com. Some are from clients. Others are from my amazing newsletter subscribers.)

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This short email was clearly mocking. And I get it. It’s a lot of social proof. Probably seems excessive to some people, obnoxious. 

Guess those folks don’t know about Heuristics. 

Heuristics is the process of learning through cues and shortcuts (rather than critical thinking). Our brains developed this ability because, basically, thinking sucks. Thinking deeply is hard — and sometimes it’s literally painful. So we evolved to avoid it whenever possible.

Enter: 

The Length-Implies-Strength Heuristic, or LISH (a favorite of master copywriter, Gary Halbert).

In advertising and marketing, LISH is based on the assumption that longer copy — with more benefits, more testimonials and stories, more writing, more words — is more likely to impress, earn credibility, and persuade.

“Look at all this proof!” your brain screams at you. “There must be something to it!”

So loading your ad (e.g., a landing page, an email) with endless testimonials is one very old, very proven way to trigger your prospect’s LISH, compelling action. 

Nice fucking reviews, indeed.

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Hey there, thanks for reading. :)

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Enjoy!

Eddie Shleyner 
VeryGoodCopy, founder

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