Persuasive writing is material designed to persuade or convince people to do things.
Persuasive writing speaks to readers. It tells them why your product or service makes them happier, richer, or more productive.
Before you start typing, answer this simple question first:
What is the purpose of this piece of content?
1. Answer the “So What?” Question
The So What? Trick helps you focus on what you can do for your readers. For example:
- Our cars have cruise control. So what? You don’t have to watch your speed all the time. So what? You can feel safe.
- We monitor your servers. So what? Your servers won’t go down. So what? Your staff can continue working, uninterrupted.
- I design high-converting websites. So what? You can convert more web visitors into leads and business.
2. Be Honest so You Can Build Trust with Readers.
When writing persuasive copy, you should be honest. Don’t exaggerate the benefits of your idea, product, service, or solution. Exaggerated claims can discourage potential customers and lower their confidence in your brand.
Instead, make the benefits of your product or service clear
3. Use the Correct Language and Tone for Your Audience.
It’s important that you use the correct language and tone for your audience. You will want to write in a way that is accessible to as many people within your target audience as possible, as this will help keep them engaged.
- Think about who you want to reach and who will read your material.
- Think about the tone that will be appropriate for the audience and subject.
4. Consider the Length of the Copy.
If you are using persuasive writing to be read quickly (e.g., a call to action or a service description on the homepage of a website), then short, punchy words, paragraphs, and sentences will appeal most. This is important as most readers will be skim reading or casually browsing.
For more detailed product descriptions, blog posts, or articles, you can go into more detail using longer sentences and paragraphs.
Think about how and where your copy will be used. Do you just need to hook people’s attention or make them click on a link? If so, go short and snappy. Or are you looking at a more serious decision, such as an expensive purchase? In that case, you might want to spend more time setting out the benefits.
5. Think About the Needs of Your Audience – Pain Points
Instead of purely outlining features and statistics, try to think about your audience’s desires and how your service, product, or solution will benefit them. Ask yourself the following questions about what you are trying to sell:
- How will the service or product benefit my target audience? What problems do they face? And how will this solve them?
- What makes our service or product different from its competitors?
- If I were to use this service, solution or product, what would I find particularly useful, helpful or enjoyable about it?
6. Appeal to your Readers’ Emotions.
This can be as simple as emphasizing the positive experience your product or service will offer, using words such as ‘enjoy’, ‘love’, ‘relax’, ‘thankful’, and ‘excited’, or appealing to images that resonate with positive feelings, such as family or spending time with friends. Think about how you want potential customers to feel upon reading your copy and look for ways to evoke those feelings.
But it can also involve playing on negative emotions, such as the fear of missing out. If a deal or discount is only available for a limited time, for example, you’ll want to emphasize that sense of urgency in your copy.
7. Final Persuasive Writing Tips
- Write tight.
- Use attention-grabbing headlines.
- Focus on benefits not just features.
- Don’t forget the hook.
- Check your grammar rules and punctuation.
- No jargon. No adverbs, no fluff!
For more real estate marketing insights and downloads, click here and subscribe to The Moody Insider.
