Confidential
You hear Danny DeVito’s voice, against a backdrop of wholesome images of 1950’s American. . . He’s pulling you in with a voice rich in sordid delight…
“Remember dear readers, you heard it here first. Off the record … on the QT … and very … Hush-Hush.”
LA Confidential. It’s a great film. Corruption, murder, romance. . . Secrets abound. People’s lives, careers, relationships all on the line. Hush Hush indeed. You’re kept guessing ‘til the end.
Police reports, scientific breakthroughs, medical advances, even your own personal data. . . It’s all confidential.
We are protective of our own confidential information, but we love getting a look at the top-secret data of government departments, celebrity police reports or classified medical breakthroughs.
What’s in it for me?
That’s the pulling power of this word.
This information is classified, but I’m getting a sneaky peak.
It feels good.
We love knowing something to our advantage we’re not supposed to.
Curiosity and self-interest are the driving forces here.
If you get secret information, never meant for your eyes. . . what are the chances it will save you time, money or even your health? We humans must be naturally suspicious! We assume something is being kept secret from us to benefit those in the know. They get all the benefit. And leave us wondering why things aren’t working out for us so well.
Getting confidential information feels like we’re getting one over those trying to keep it from us.
There are two psychological desires at play- the desire to know secrets and the desire to be in the “in-group”. Having access to privileged information fulfils both these needs. It’s a great little word to pull your clients in.
But, beware. You’d better have something confidential to share, or your blog will be treated as unreliable and your sales letters as junk mail.
Learn more about what my content and copywriting services include, and how I can stop your business being tossed away in the bin.