Writing persuasive copy is the goal of every professional copywriter. Persuading readers to agree with you can help convert them into paying customers. While it can prove challenging at times, persuasive copywriting can be learned and perfected by following some basic techniques.
Here are 17 persuasive writing techniques that are a combination of psychological methods and proven strategies to gain your readers’ trust and get them to agree with you.
1. Focus On Your Best Audience
Writers tend to cast a wide net, hoping to influence everyone. However, focusing on the people who are most likely to benefit from the content and writing for them will bring better results.
2. Tell Them Why
Readers are constantly bombarded with messages on a daily basis. If you want their attention, justify it with a good reason up front, preferably something that will benefit them.
3. Rely on a Proven Copywriting Formula
Copywriting formulas exist solely to help copywriters persuade readers. There are several excellent copywriting formulas that are both effective and easy to remember, and it’s well worth your time to learn a handful of them.
4. Use the Right Tone of Voice
What you say is important, but how you say it is vital. Tone influences how your reader perceives your message, so decide which one will be most effective then use it consistently.
5. Be Authoritative
Establish yourself as an authority up front and be consistent in backing up that authority with proof, statistics and examples. Be honest and transparent, don’t waver, and pretty soon your audience will believe you.
6. Take The Reader’s Point of View
If you were the reader, what would grab your attention? When you are writing persuasive copy, you have to become the reader to understand what appeals to them.
7. Show That You Understand
Before you can persuade your reader, you must establish that you are just like them in some way. Perhaps you share the same problem or have similar desires. Find a mutual connection and state it early on.
8. Tell a Story
From the time we are old enough to understand language, humans are suckers for a good story that makes us feel. Anecdotes, especially when backed by facts, are a great way to connect with your readers on an emotional level.
9. Tell Both Sides of the Story
There is always another side of the story. Unlike addressing objections, telling the other side of the story allows you to paint a compelling picture of what life would be like without your product or service. It would be awful. Tell them.
10. Use Influential Words
To write persuasive copy, use persuasive “action” words like miracle, discovery, discount, and bargain. Use uplifting words like vitality, grace, wisdom, and confidence. Finally, make sure your copy has ‘Free’, ’How’, ’New’ and ‘You’ in abundance.
11. Simplify & Amplify
Simplify your core ideas into hard-hitting individual thoughts, then amplify them with the help of things that are important to the reader. Use words that help empower your readers. Get! Learn! Results! Now!
12. Be Specific
Place a laser focus on specific facts and benefits. For example:
- 90% of customers see results in 2 weeks or less!
- Results can be seen in 2 weeks.
The first line is more specific, making it more persuasive.
13. Be Repetitive
If you’ve said it once, you can say it again. Repetition is a time-honored tactic for remembering anything. Use it to your advantage.
14. Address Objections
Even the most agreeable readers will likely have objections, and you are much better off addressing them up front than waiting for your potential customer to voice them. This is another means of establishing authority, and also tells your reader that you have thought the matter through.
15. Show Proof
As previously mentioned, showing proof helps establish you as an authority on the subject, and shows your reader that you respect them.
16. Focus on Headline Psychology
Headlines matter. If the headline is not catchy enough for a click, the rest of the content will fall flat. Make sure that the headline is psychologically stimulating and interesting to your readers. However, don’t sacrifice clarity for the sake of flash. Your headlines should be catchy but concise.
17. Be Consistent
State your position up front, then proceed to be unfailingly consistent in backing it up with facts, stats and proof. Essentially, you want your readers to trust you. A reader who trusts you will tend to agree with you, and nothing builds trust more effectively than being consistent.
None of these techniques alone will win over your readers, but combined strategically and used wisely, they can help you write persuasive copy that will turn readers into customers.