So, you aren’t selling as much as you’d like. If you are, great. Get out of here and go bathe in your swimming pool full of Benjamins.
If you’re not, welcome to the club. The great news? You can fix the problem by using a simple skill. Write better copy.
You’re probably really good at describing what you offer in person. But, there’s room to improve in how you describe your products on paper and on screen.
Nobody — and I mean nobody — learns this skill in grade school. Your English teacher Ms. Newton (bless her heart) taught you how to diagram sentences, identify propositions and not write run-on sentences.
But your critical English teacher also cursed you. Ms. Newton never wanted your writing to sound the way you actually speak. And now her voice is in your head judging whatever you put on paper.
Stop writing to impress Ms. Newton. It’s boring your prospects to tears. Instead, write something that’ll convince your customers to buy.
Use your words
The words you use matter.
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What?
Yeah, that’s how your website visitors feel when they read product descriptions full of jargon and buzzwords. It makes them want to either vomit or run. Not buy. As you can see, copy can literally make or break your sales.
For more persuasive copy, remember to:
- Use empathy.
- Build trust.
- Write about benefits.
Use empathy
The more empathetic your copy is, the better it’ll sell products.
Empathy is using the words your customer would use.
Empathy is talking about her problems, her pain, her reality before yourself.
Empathy is not talking about how great you are or even how great your product is . It’s about spelling out the benefits of your product for your customer.
Talk about your customer. Not yourself.
Try this. In your copy, count how many times you say “you.” Then, add up how many times you’ve written any of these:
- “Our”
- “We”
- Your company name
- Your product name
For more empathetic, persuasive copy, the word “you” should outnumber any references to your product or company.
That’s because in copy, “you” is the magic word. By simply using “you” more, you’ll be more persuasive.
Build trust
Nobody enjoys being sold to. You have to overcome that resistance by being likable (not boring) and trustworthy (not icky).
You need to build trust. Show that you understand your customers’ lives and aren’t just trying to make a fast buck. (Note: if you are just trying to make a fast buck, this advice isn’t for you, buddy.)
Build trust by writing clearly. Jargon and buzzwords make messages unclear and less persuasive. Use simple, common words. Short sentences work best. Clear, simple copy will help you build trust and sell more products.
Write about benefits
A quick primer on product features and customer benefits:
- Features are just what the product does.
- Benefits are what the customer can do with the product.
Customer benefits are more compelling than product features.
Write more about what customers can do with your product rather than what your product does.
I look at these three questions every single day I write. They are:
- What’s in it for me?
- Why should I care?
- So what?
Ask yourself these three questions when you edit. By asking what your customers care about, you’ll get to the heart of what they want. Talk about your customers’ needs, pains and problems. And then tell them what your product will do for them. This makes it easier for them to say “yes” to your product.
That simple shift in mindset and word choice will help you increase sales — without even changing the product itself!
If you get stuck, check out our case studies. Clear, empathetic copy sells better than formal, product-focused writing — the results speak for themselves.
We’re pros at helping businesses reach their goals, and we’d love to help you achieve yours. If you want help, we’re only an email away.
