Copywriting & surprise:

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Research tells us a genuinely surprised reader has your full attention, 100% of it.

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This complete state of absorption is the product of an involuntary mental sequence our brains go through when we’re surprised by something, anything — like a headline.

“It’s a strong neuro alert that tells us something is important about this moment and we have to pay attention,” explains Tania Luna, who co-authored a book about how our brains process surprise. “Our cognitive resources are basically hijacked and pulled into the moment.”

In other words, surprising your audience will momentarily stun them with intrigue or curiosity or glee, giving you an opportunity to move them into the next sentence.

For example, check out this “surprising” headline from a 1974 newspaper ad:

“HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR CREDIT CARDS”

The headline was written by famed copywriter Gary Halbert. It belonged to an ad selling a book called How to Turn Plastic Into Gold.

To set up the offer, Halbert jolted the reader with a paradox, a contradiction designed to surprise every credit card holder who read it.

Credit cards are how you spend money...

Not how you make money… 

Right?

It made most people read the next sentence — and that’s the whole point.

Right?

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Eddie Shleyner
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