The Most Important Thing That Sells Your Product or Service
As a copywriter, it'd be so easy if all I ever had to do was
list the features and benefits of your product or service. But
while these are important and even necessary, there's something
else that's equally as important that you may not think about.
Emotion.
Now that's a loaded word. Some people read it and immediately
think of loud, exclamation-point-laden phrases. Some people
think of excessive capitalization and way, way too much bolded
and/or yellow-highlighted copy.
That's emotional alright - too much of it will cause headaches,
seared eyeballs, and most importantly...the potential customer
quickly clicking on the "Back" button on her browswer!
However, exclamation points, bold, and highlighted text can be
effective if used properly. But the kind of emotions I'm talking
about are the real ones that you get directly from the client
who uses your service or product.
And what's the best way to capture those real emotions? Simple -
through interviews. I ask questions that bring out all the
emotions that compel your customer to buy from you. After
reviewing your product and services, I'll develop a
comprehensive set of questions to discover every emotion, even
ones you may not have thought of.
During the interview I let the customer talk. I don't interrupt
her, and I don't change the subject until she's done.
Even more important is to avoid rushing in to fill a
conversation silence. I'll let it go on. Often, your customer
will come out with the most valuable gems if you just wait and
listen. We have two ears and one mouth for a good reason - use
them in that proportion!
Why are we going through this effort anyways? Because it's well
known we all buy with emotion, then we justify it with logic.
Tap into your customer's most prevalent emotions, write them up
in real words, and let her know you have the solutions to heal
those particular emotions.
Conducting the interview, listening hard, and capturing all the
emotions are just a few of the many tasks your copywriter does
for you to produce significant marketing results. When hiring a
copywriter, be sure to ask how he/she will find those emotions
that match the benefits of your product or service.
If this crucial step is skipped, all you'll have is flat copy
that lists what you offer. It'll either put the potential
customer to sleep, or send her off to a competitor.