To Wake People Up and Put Them in a Mood to Buy, Use Words Like the Most Masterful of Copywriters
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Marcia Yudkin
Apr 22, 2013, 11:00:06 PM4/22/13
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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Marcia Yudkin
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Article Title: To Wake People Up and Put Them in a Mood to Buy, Use Words Like the Most Masterful of Copywriters
Author: Marcia Yudkin
Word Count: 521
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=615413&ca=Marketing
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=615413
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=615413
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
With just 26 letters in the English alphabet, it sometimes seems impossible that language can meet all the selling challenges we set for it. The magic of persuasion lies in the art of choosing and arranging words. Subtle nuances of words can spell the difference between a reader losing interest or feeling an overwhelming desire to go on.
Here are five expert tips on using words to win attention, build credibility, trigger interest and eliminate doubts so people buy or register as a possible customer. Many of these points I learned at the feet of top editors at New York publishing houses, major magazines and public radio. Although they were teaching me how to shape words for the utmost clarity of factual information, the suspensefulness of a narrative line or the impact of commentary, the techniques apply just as well to using words to sell.
1. The word �but� deserves caution because it signals an obstacle or hitch and may subtly signal disparagement. Compare, for example, the increased power when we change �It's first come, first served, but we'll try to help you meet your deadline� to �It's first come, first served, and we'll do our best to help you meet your deadline.�
2. Avoid the word �no,� which functions like a stop sign, when trying to elicit action. See how that little two-letter word throws the message out of whack in this line on a billboard: �We'll call you back. No, really.� When we simply remove the �no,� the impact of the message strengthens. Likewise, there�s an overall lift in impact when you change �No other local bank offers 24 hour answers about your loan� to �Unlike other local banks, you get 24 hour answers about your loan from us.�
3. The present tense for verbs conveys more power and confidence than past or future tense. You can hear and feel the improvement from the usual �After our ten-point tuneup, your car will run like a dream� to �After our ten-point tuneup, your car runs like a dream.�
4. Adverbs weaken statements, even though they�re added as strengtheners. Avoid intensifiers like "really," "very" or "extremely." Get rid of �literally� any time your sentence doesn�t pass the test of literalness: "We literally exploded in laughter." Did you explode, according to the dictionary definition of that word? No. Then out it should go.
5. Don�t use violent metaphors like �killer web sites� unless you�re targeting an audience that thrives on machismo. It�s common to use violent, aggressive imagery as an all-purpose intensifier, but this makes for sloppy writing that makes many audiences pull back instead of smile. For instance, a sales coach promises "Deadly Efficient Selling." The word "deadly" suggests a process similar to a sniper picking off a victim with one shot and no wasted effort. Well, who is the victim, in that case? The customer? Surely most businesses do not want dead buyers.
Give every word choice a ruthless lookover during the editing process so you create the most persuasive argument with your arrangement of your 26 basic components!
About The Author: Marcia Yudkin is the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity and Meatier Marketing Copy, from which this article is adapted. Learn about her Marketing Insight Guides series on finer points of copywriting, persuasion and marketing: http://www.yudkin.com/guides/index.htm
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=615413
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
Message delivered directly to members of the group:
publish-the...@googlegroups.com
*****************************************************************
Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Marcia Yudkin
*****************************
IMPORTANT - Publication/Reprint Terms
- You have permission to publish this article electronically in free-only publications such as a website or an ezine as long as the bylines are included.
- You are not allowed to use this article for commercial purposes. The article should only be reprinted in a publicly accessible website and not in a members-only commercial site.
- You are not allowed to post/reprint this article in any sites/publications that contains or supports hate, violence, porn and warez or any indecent and illegal sites/publications.
- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) or SPAM. This article MUST be distributed in an opt-in email list only.
- If you distribute this article in an ezine or newsletter, we ask that you send a copy of the newsletter or ezine that contains the article to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=615413
- If you post this article in a website/forum/blog, ALL links MUST be set to hyperlinks and we ask that you send a copy of the URL where the article is posted to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=615413
- We request that you ask permission from the author if you want to publish this article in print.
The role of iSnare.com is only to distribute this article as part of its Article Distribution feature ( http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php ). iSnare.com does NOT own this article, please respect the author's copyright and this publication/reprint terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms, please do not reprint or publish this article.
*****************************
Article Title: To Wake People Up and Put Them in a Mood to Buy, Use Words Like the Most Masterful of Copywriters
Author: Marcia Yudkin
Word Count: 521
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=615413&ca=Marketing
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=615413
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=615413
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
With just 26 letters in the English alphabet, it sometimes seems impossible that language can meet all the selling challenges we set for it. The magic of persuasion lies in the art of choosing and arranging words. Subtle nuances of words can spell the difference between a reader losing interest or feeling an overwhelming desire to go on.
Here are five expert tips on using words to win attention, build credibility, trigger interest and eliminate doubts so people buy or register as a possible customer. Many of these points I learned at the feet of top editors at New York publishing houses, major magazines and public radio. Although they were teaching me how to shape words for the utmost clarity of factual information, the suspensefulness of a narrative line or the impact of commentary, the techniques apply just as well to using words to sell.
1. The word �but� deserves caution because it signals an obstacle or hitch and may subtly signal disparagement. Compare, for example, the increased power when we change �It's first come, first served, but we'll try to help you meet your deadline� to �It's first come, first served, and we'll do our best to help you meet your deadline.�
2. Avoid the word �no,� which functions like a stop sign, when trying to elicit action. See how that little two-letter word throws the message out of whack in this line on a billboard: �We'll call you back. No, really.� When we simply remove the �no,� the impact of the message strengthens. Likewise, there�s an overall lift in impact when you change �No other local bank offers 24 hour answers about your loan� to �Unlike other local banks, you get 24 hour answers about your loan from us.�
3. The present tense for verbs conveys more power and confidence than past or future tense. You can hear and feel the improvement from the usual �After our ten-point tuneup, your car will run like a dream� to �After our ten-point tuneup, your car runs like a dream.�
4. Adverbs weaken statements, even though they�re added as strengtheners. Avoid intensifiers like "really," "very" or "extremely." Get rid of �literally� any time your sentence doesn�t pass the test of literalness: "We literally exploded in laughter." Did you explode, according to the dictionary definition of that word? No. Then out it should go.
5. Don�t use violent metaphors like �killer web sites� unless you�re targeting an audience that thrives on machismo. It�s common to use violent, aggressive imagery as an all-purpose intensifier, but this makes for sloppy writing that makes many audiences pull back instead of smile. For instance, a sales coach promises "Deadly Efficient Selling." The word "deadly" suggests a process similar to a sniper picking off a victim with one shot and no wasted effort. Well, who is the victim, in that case? The customer? Surely most businesses do not want dead buyers.
Give every word choice a ruthless lookover during the editing process so you create the most persuasive argument with your arrangement of your 26 basic components!
About The Author: Marcia Yudkin is the author of more than a dozen books, including 6 Steps to Free Publicity and Meatier Marketing Copy, from which this article is adapted. Learn about her Marketing Insight Guides series on finer points of copywriting, persuasion and marketing: http://www.yudkin.com/guides/index.htm
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=615413
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
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