Sales Triggers

Copywriting Persuasive Ads, what's the secret?

Have general knowledge: be creative, experience the world.

Know specific knowledge about the product or service, be an expert.

Practice writing, write a lot, every moment you can, letters, etc.

Copywriting is a mental process, the successful execution of of which reflects the sum total of all your experiences, your specific knowledge and your ability to mentally process that information and eventually transfer this to a piece of paper all for the purpose of communicating an idea.

The purpose is to reach out in your pocket and buy the product.

The format
First line: lead-sentence, a few words, second sentence getting you to read the rest.

Use the next aspects as a checklist for your copy:

What's the best environment to sell the product?

Harmonize with the prospect / reader (rapport, get the prospect to say yes, make compliments, harmonize with the environment and product

Selling books; based on curiosity, suggestion, a secret in the book

Slippery slide in the copy of an ad (over the edge, pitch and tempo)

Seeds of curiosity (later I'll tell you something I never told anyone else, but there's more, wait till you read what I just discovered, getting interest)

Sell with emotion, use logic to justify the purchase (sell the concept with emotion, example: challenging the buyer)

Technical explanation; it shows and proves you're an expert

Service; raise and solve the issue if you're product needs service

Trial period; courteous refund?

Price comparison; good value

Ask for the order, close the deal

Summary

Product explanation

Sexual orientation; be careful not to be too sexist

Raising objections and resolve it

New feature; highlight them

Ease of ordering

Clear copy; write for yourself (bigger for upscale audience

Rhythm in an add (short and long sentences)

Paragraph headings / subheadings (makes the copy look less intimidating; in direct mail: making statements, attention getting)

Type face; legible language, clear Seriff style type

Physical Facts, mention all facts, size, weight, price

Name the price

Testimonials

Avoid saying too much

Conversational tone: First person: I want to..., me, we, our ... to a person individual

Tell a story in the copy

How to structure the content

Inquiry generator: first call then sales or direct sales: test!

Contest in the add: challenge the reader

Branding start up: informative

Copy should be long enough to cause the reader to take the action you request.

Every communication should be a personal one from the writer to the recipient regardless of the medium used

The ideas presented in your copy should flow in a logical fashion as if you were face to face with your prospect anticipating and raising every question and answering them as if these questions were indeed asked

In the editing process you reduce the copy to express exactly to what you want to express with the least amounts of words

Selling the cure is a lot easier than selling a preventative, unless the preventative is perceived as a cure or the cure would have aspects of the preventative or is emphasized.

Telling a story can effectively sell your product, create the environment or get your reader well into your copy as you create an emotional bonding with your prospect.

Use the slippery slide; your reader should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it.

Keep the copy interesting and keep the reader interested by the power of curiosity

The incubation process is the power of your subconscious mind to use all of your knowledge and experiences to solve a specific problem the efficiency of which is dedicated or dictated by time orientation, environment and ego. (take a break)

Never sell a product or service, always sell a concept.

The mindstretch-effect; the more the mind must work to reach a conclusion, which it eventually successfully reaches, the more positive, enjoyable and stimulating the experience.

Psychological Triggers

The feeling of involvement and ownership (also visualizing using the product)

Honesty (truthful statements, tell all the good and bad things about the product)

Integrity (trustworthy

Credibility (if price is too low or high)

Prove of value for comparison purposes

Justify the purpose (compare to similar product, for business tax deductible)

Greed

Establish authority

Satisfaction conviction; I'm so convinced that you're going to like this product that I'm offering you... the consumer feels the public is going to rip you off (refund the money not used, not used in two years etc.)

Nature of the product (perceive the need of the product: burglar alarm, insurance)

Current Fads (in the beginning, at peak or slightly past nothing lasts forever) Timing

Desire to belong (to special group who own a ..., the smartest people own ...)

The desire to collect (scarcity, several models

Curiosity (most powerful element in campaign) in retail: immediate gratification go

Sense of urgency; limited supplies (needs prove) (also: example extra offer if the response is within few hours)

Instant gratification

Exclusivity, rarity or uniqueness

Simplicity; is the key to sell any product; test out your ads (dotted line around the coupon)

Human relationships (relate to the human using it, good looking people)

Reciprocity; if you do a favor, they will want to do a favor back (guilt)

This overview is based on Joe Sugarman’s E-book Psychological Triggers

[Reposted from MetaMagazine 2002]