Copywriting is the art and science of getting your readers to take action. It can be used to make connections, challenge ideas, and persuade your readers to take a next step
Over the next few weeks I’m going to touch on three writing strategies you can use to make your copywriting more persuasive.
Persuasion is a natural part of the human experience.
Every person has used it to convince ourselves or others to share a similar point of view or agree to a common idea. It happens all the time.
When you convince a friend to go out, bribe persuade your kids to eat their veggies, or negotiate a raise with your boss, you are using the power of persuasion to get what you want.
Sometimes we even persuade ourselves. Like when we convince ourselves to eat healthy and pretend that kale chips are chips. Kale are not chips and cauliflower is not a steak, but we use persuasive tactics to convince ourselves that it is because we’re trying to get ourselves to make better choices.
Let’s Align on This One Thing
Before we dive in, there’s one thing I want to address.
I’m all for pure persuasive writing.
Authentic persuasive writing works to convince your reader while maintaining honesty, transparency, and respect for your audience. It’s about building trust and providing genuine value, which leads to a long-term relationship with your community.
Slimy persuasion, on the other hand, gives off major ick vibes and uses manipulation, deceit, or pressure tactics to coerce the reader to take action. It damages trust and credibility in the long run. I’m not here for that, and that’s not what we’re talking about here.
Ok, now that the *dads, Brads, and Chads* have left the room let’s dive in. (T. Swift really is a genius.)
Rule #1 Remind Them What’s at Stake
Technically this is known as the principle of loss aversion. This technique dips into the psychological concept that suggests people really don’t like losing things they already have, even more than they like getting new things.
Instead of trying to motivate your audience with all the things they can get from your product and services it’s more impactful to remind them of what they have to lose by not using your products or services. Studies show it’s actually two times as powerful.
How to incorporate this into your writing: Ask yourself, what’s at stake for them?
- Identify the Pain Points: Understand what your audience values and fears losing. This could be time, money, or opportunities.
- Use Emotionally Driven Language: Words like “miss out,” “lose,” “risk,” and “never get back” can trigger a stronger emotional response.
- Balance with Positive Outcomes: While emphasizing potential losses, also mention the benefits of taking action. This will make your message even more powerful.
Here are Some Examples:
Health and Fitness:
- Before: “Join our fitness program to get in shape.”
- What’s at stake: Their health, feelings of fatigue and unhealthiness
- After: “Don’t let another month go by feeling worn out and weak – join our fitness program now and start feeling energized.”
Financial Services:
- Before: “Invest in our fund for long-term gains.”
- What’s at stake: Their wealth, feelings of messing up their financial future
- After: “Don’t risk your financial future – invest in our fund today and secure your wealth.”
Interior Design:
- Before: “Book a consultation for a beautifully styled entry table.”
- What’s at stake: A bad first impression, feelings of clutter and chaos
- After: “Don’t let a cluttered entryway make a bad first impression – book a consultation now and create a welcoming home.”
By using this technique, you’ll write in a way that nudges your audience to take action—not by being pushy, but by showing them what they’re missing if they don’t.
It taps into a psychological trigger that’s been proven to boost engagement and conversions.
Next up: how to use the power of community to make your message even more magnetic.
