Why Did Claude Hopkins Say Specific Claims Beat Vague Ones?

David Senra, reading Claude Hopkins, says specific claims beat vague ones. Platitudes and generalities roll off with no impression. Best in the world and lowest prices only claim what a shopper already expects. A definitive statement is usually accepted. Actual figures are not generally discounted. Specific facts carry their full weight, and the weight of an argument may often be multiplied by making it specific.

Clothing ads showed the gap. A claim of the lowest prices in America was not an effective appeal. One seller said his net profit is 3%, and that line proved very impressive. A shopper hears a store barely scraping by and concludes nobody else is cheaper.

Razors showed the same thing. Many makers had long advertised quick shaves. One maker advertised a 78-second shave. Hopkins says that was the definitive statement, it indicated actual test results, and that maker made a sensational advance in sales.