“Our prices have been reduced 25 per cent”
“Our net profit is 3 per cent”
“The final result of testing and comparing 130 formulas”
The 3 claims above are all drawn from chapter 7 of “Scientific Advertising”, called “Being Specific”.
The point that Claude Hopkins makes throughout the chapter is that when you make a specific claim in your copywriting, it is evidence that you have conducted research and tests. As a result, people are much more inclined to believe your claims.
“Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck. They leave no impression whatever. To say, ‘Best in the world’, ‘Lowest prices in existence’ etc are at best simply claiming the expected. But superlatives of that sort are usually damaging. They suggest looseness of expression, a tendency to exaggerate, a carelessness of truth. They lead readers to discount all the statements that you make.”
This last point is critical, especially in situations where you’re already dealing with a high degree of scepticism or resistance from the reader. If you’re in a highly competitive market, you cannot afford to have the reader instantly dismiss your claims and move on.