Overview: Sales copy is all about creating an emotional connection with the reader. The goal is to get the reader to feel something – whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, or desire. The best sales copy is written from the heart. It’s personal and relatable, and it speaks to the reader’s emotions. As per IPA research, ads with emotional content perform twice as well compared to those with only rational content.
It’s important to remember that people buy based on emotion and then justify their purchase with logic. So, if you can tap into the emotions of your reader, you’ll be more likely to make a sale.
There are many ways to evoke emotions in your copy, some of the most common include playing on people’s fears, desires, and needs. For example, marketers can focus on people’s desires and needs by highlighting how their product can help them achieve something they want, such as losing weight or making more money.
If you are unsure which emotions to use in your copy, here are ideas to consider.
Greed
Marketers know that people are greedy by nature and will often try to tap into that emotion to get them to buy something. Greed is a powerful emotion that can override reason and logic. It can make people do things that they wouldn't normally do, such as spending money they don't have or buying something they don't need. Marketers know this and will often use it to their advantage in sales copy.
Anger
When it comes to emotions, marketers have long understood the power of anger. After all, what other emotion has the ability to so quickly and effectively motivate someone to take action? As per a study, content that elicits anger has a 38% chance of going viral.
That’s why you’ll often see anger used in sales copy, whether it’s about a current unfortunate situation or a rallying cry against injustice. But while anger can be a powerful motivator, it’s also a very delicate emotion to evoke. Get it wrong, and you risk turning potential customers off completely.
Fear
When used correctly, fear can be a highly effective way to get people to take action. After all, it's a basic human emotion that we all experience daily. Fear of missing out, fear of not being good enough, fear of failure – whatever it is, if you can tap into your reader's fears, you'll be more likely to get them to act.
When used correctly, fear can be a powerful motivator. It can cause people to take action that they otherwise would not have taken. Fear can also be used to influence people's decisions and get them to buy products or services that they may not need. However, the key is to use fear in a way that doesn't come across as manipulative or unethical.
Hope
When it comes to sales copy, marketers know that one of the key emotions they need to evoke to get people to buy what they’re selling is hope. Hope is a powerful emotion that can motivate people to act, and it’s something that everyone can relate to. You can evoke hope by being clear about what you’re offering and what it can do for the reader. People need to see that there is a solution to their problem and that your product or service can provide it.
Sadness
Some marketers may think that sadness is an emotion to avoid evoking in sales copy. However, there are ways to effectively use sadness to increase conversions. Sadness can be used to create a sense of urgency or scarcity. For example, if a customer is considering a purchase but is on the fence, reminding them that the item is running out of stock or that the sale ends soon can prompt them to take action.
Similarly, sadness can also be used to tug at heartstrings and elicit sympathy, such as by sharing a personal story or highlighting how the product has helped others in similar situations. When customers feel empathy for the seller or those featured in the copy, they're more likely to make a purchase.
Of course, sadness must be used carefully. Too much sadness can push people away, while too little will fail to generate the desired response. But when it strikes the right balance, sadness can be a very effective tool for marketers.
Conclusion
Understanding how to trigger emotion in your sales copy can be the key to success. By using the right words, you can create a sense of urgency, tap into fears or desires, and create a connection with your reader. However, keep in mind who your audience is and what they may be looking for when crafting your copy. A well-written sales pitch can be the difference between a successful campaign and a flop.