Author: Carlos Sequeira

Last modified: March 18, 2022

In this guide we will explore persuasive copywriting techniques to boost your sales.

Persuasive copywriting is used to guide the prospect into taking the intended action.

Persuasion should not be seen as a negative but as a way to demonstrate to the prospect that your product or service is what they are looking for.

When persuasion copywriting is used correctly it can have a positive impact on your bottom line.

The 7 persuasive copywriting techniques you should know to boost your sales

1. First and foremost, you must attract readers’ attention

This is a fundamental rule for all copywriters.

Copy without a catchy headline does not serve its purpose.

According to an article in the constant contact blog 80% followers or readers never make it past your post headlines.

That is an eye opening statistic.

The remaining 20% of prospects that read the copy must be convinced that they made the right choice by continuing to read.

2. Focus on the customer and find out what their pain points are

For example, what are the prospects, fears, concerns and ambitions?

How do they feel towards a product or service?

As a freelance copywriter, I tap into those pain points, understand their point of view and provide a solution for their problem.

3. In persuasive copywriting you must stress the benefits of the product or service

What issues can your product or service help them solve?

Ask yourself when writing copy, will customers’ lives be better by purchasing the product or service?

4. What differentiates your product or service from the competition

What are the unique features that your company brings to the table?

Does your customer service stand out?

Is your delivery of the product prompt and swift.

Characteristics and attributes also help differentiate your product.

For instance, what are the size and dimensions of your product?

For additional reading about business, I recommend this article: 10 Ways to Improve your B2B Marketing Efforts

5. Information has to be credible in order for clients to believe

Copy must be backed up with statistics or information so that you can prove your point.

Additionally, statistics and information back up your statements.

Credibility is important because it builds trust.

If consumers do not have trust they simply will not buy.

Consumers are smart and can sense when something is not right.

One of the best ways to build credibility is with testimonials.

Testimonials show that your product or service delivered on your promise in solving the customers issue.

6. Is what you’re buying worth more than what you paid for it

Everyone wants to get their money’s worth.

The product or services you sell must have high value.

High value items are usually made with the best materials so that they can last longer.

Besides using quality materials how do you increase the value of your product?

Just add a premium or free gift and the customer becomes more likely to make a purchase.

We all like free things.

Premiums or free gifts make it easier to make a purchasing decision.

7. Persuasive copy closes with a call to action

Prospects need to be invited or encouraged to make the purchase or take the intended action.

By inviting the prospect to take action they will likely be more open to take the intended action.

Let’s explore the techniques in more detail to help improve your persuasive copywriting.

Copywriters must create emotional copy that resonates with prospects

Copy must include emotion because most people buy based on emotion.

In an article by psychology today, professor Antonio Damasio states that emotion is a necessary ingredient to almost all decisions.

Emotions are used to make preferences toward the things that we enjoy.

For instance, we buy shoes or perfume based on the athletes or celebrities that endorse those products.

Persuasive copywriting is all about writing copy in a way that gently stirs the prospect’s emotion and gets them leaning toward a certain direction.

Be subtle in your copy.

No one likes to feel as if they’re being manipulated.

Use these emotions in your copy to resonate with your prospects.

• Love
• Anger
• Fear
• Curiosity
• Exclusivity
• Flattery
• Guilt
• Trust

Want to learn more about copywriting? I suggest this article: How to Sell your Freelance Copywriting Services

Know your audience

Copywriters must know their audience in order to create copy that will resonate with their prospects.

The more you understand about your prospects the better.

Develop the attributes of your customers with a knowledge base.

Know what they like and what they don’t like.

Additionally, study the market in which the product or service is being sold.

For instance, is your product or service being marketed towards men or women, what is their age group and what do they think about the product?

To enhance your reading. Check out this guide: What is a Freelance Copywriter?

Display Authority

Having authority is all about trust.

In persuasive copywriting there are different ways to gain the prospects trust.

For instance, to build trust you must show what your product or service does to help its customers.

Additionally, you can build trust by using the right tone in your copy.

Be friendly and open in your tone as if you’re speaking to a friend.

Keep the text simple and easy to understand.

When creating blogs or email marketing make sure your brand’s voice stands out.

Creating marketing materials such as brochures, case studies and white papers help you gain trust and become an authority in your field.

If the person reading the documents gets valuable information from your marketing materials you have earned their trust.

The more trust a prospect has in your brand the more likely they will become your customers.

Display Credibility

Prospects must believe in your brand in order to buy from you.

It is your company’s job to build credibility with your potential clients.

A good way to demonstrate credibility is by showing your values or commitment to the customer in your advertising or marketing.

Case studies or white papers can be used for credibility because you can find examples of business challenges and what solutions were used to solve the issue.

Answer customers questions before they arise

As you’re developing your copy try to answer the questions that might arise in the prospects mind.

Everyone has questions before he or she makes a purchase.

Answering questions before the prospect thinks of them gives you a heads up in the prospect’s mind.

They will find an emotional connection to the copy and gain trust in what they are reading.

Put yourself in the prospect’s shoes and answer the questions that might interest the consumer the most.

For example, common questions are how does this product differentiate from the competition, what is the price of this product or service and what is the warranty on this product.

By being honest and open about your product or service customers will feel they are marking the right decision.

Incentives or Premiums

Incentives or premiums are commonly used to lure prospects into taking favorable action.

Always have two types of offers: a hard and soft offer.

What is a hard offer, a hard offer is for customers that have an immediate need.

Clients that are in hurry for your product or service.

Keep in mind only a small percentage of your clients will have an immediate need for your products or services.

The soft offer is for customers that might have a need for your product or service in the future.

Most prospects will fall into this category.

To make sure customers remember you when they need your services.

Provide them with a free brochure or reply method that they can use to contact you when they need your service.

Moreover, create an incentive for a customer to respond to your offer.

Premiums are used to boost conversion rates.

Offers free premiums such as booklets, guides, articles, items that provide value to the prospects lives.

Premiums can even be software or physical products such as pens or t-shirts.

Premiums add tremendous value to your copy or marketing strategy.

Summary

We explored the seven persuasive copywriting steps you should know to boost sales.

Keep in mind it all starts with a headline.

If the prospect does not engage with the headline the rest of the copy will not do its job.

Know your audience before starting your copy.

For instance, who is your product or service intended for?

What are their likes and dislikes?

What price point are they willing to pay for your product?

Tap into the prospect’s emotion to get them engaged in the copy.

Understand their frustrations and fears.

Sympathize with their concerns then show them how your product or service is the solution to their problems.

Authority is all about trust.

If a prospect believes in your product or service you have gained authority above your competitors.

Communicate constantly with clients to earn their trust.

Be friendly and open in your tone as if speaking to a family member or friend.

Credibility is all about belief.

Show your core values and beliefs in your advertising and marketing campaigns.

Case studies and white papers can also be used for building credibility.

Testimonials demonstrate to the consumer that your product or service delivered on your promise.

We all have questions before we make our purchases.

Answer the prospects’ questions before they arise.

When you answer the prospects questions before they arise, the prospect will be less hesitant and will not have any doubts when making the purchase.

Use incentives or premiums to close the sale.

Have a hard offer and a soft offer ready for the prospect.

Remember most of your customers will fall into the soft offer category.

Include premiums that will bring value to your product or service.

The more value that prospects can find in incentives or premiums, the more likely they are to make a purchase.

Contact me for your next copywriting project. There is no commitment of course.