The Copywriter’s Box of Magic Words
Wednesday, December 17th, 2008
- Use broken lists – everyone likes lists. If you promise 3 things it is human nature to read all 3. Why not split your list over two paragraphs to keep them reading? They’ll be compelled to read the second paragraph.
- Teasers – add things like ‘But that’s not all…’ or ‘And here’s why…’ or even ‘So why subscribe?’
- End pages mid-sentence – humans have a great need for completion. If your sales letter goes over the page, by ensuring your page ends mid-sentence will render your reader helpless and they’ll just have to turn over to continue reading.
- The promise of more to come – this is great for long copy. For example ‘In a moment, I will reveal to you the five most important conversion techniques to increase your sales. But first…’ It is just like dangling a carrot in front of them.
Are you getting the idea? Just so long as you deliver what you promise your reader will become putty in your hands, hanging on every word. Satisfy their curiosity and you will have them hooked.
OK, you’ve waited long enough. Below are the six magic words that will help you cast your spell over your reader:
- Easy – we are all inherently lazy. Give your readers an easy option and they’ll love you for it.
- Quick – not only are your readers lazy but they are impatient too. Enough said.
- Free – this is very powerful so long as you don’t murder it by adding ‘absolutely!’
- Now – it can be used to show something is new when used in a headline, it is highly effective in the CTA, or it can be seen as turning a problem into a solution in the body text.
- Please – didn’t your mum always ask you what the magic word was when you were after a biscuit?
- Guarantee – immediately allays fears and uncertainty.
Follow these simple tips and you will be able to weave your very own brand of magic through all your sales writing. Go on, try it out and hook yourself some readers.
Sally Ormond is a professional website copywriter, SEO copywriter and advertising copywriter with extensive experience in B2B and B2C copywriting markets. She can be contacted at +44(0)1449 779605 or sally@briarcopywriting.com for any copywriting project you may have or for a complimentary webcopy analysis.
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