Running an online business requires many skills. One of the most important skills to master is communicating with our target market, something online business owners do through words.
Whether it’s a sales page, social media posts, or sales emails, new entrepreneurs spend very little time crafting their words compared to experienced business owners.
Let’s do a simple test.
The last time you wrote a sales page, how much time did it take?
The last time you wrote a sales email, how long did you spend crafting it?
The last time you wrote a social media post, how long did you ponder the exact wording?
Writing is so important to online business owners that most experienced entrepreneurs will spend more than 40 hours on a single sales page—40 hours!
Mastering writing is essential because it allows you to effectively share your amazing work with the world and sell your services and products to more customers. Often, writing is overlooked as the critical skill it is.
I personally have spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to get my voice and brand translated into words on a page. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a list of exactly what words to include in your web copy, emails, and marketing materials that had been proven to sell your products and services?
Words That Sell
Thom Norman and Yale University researched this topic and created a list of 29 words that sell. Why do you want words that sell in your copy? The definition of selling is the exchange of money for a product or service; words that sell make you money and allow you to connect with your customer.
Here are the 29 words that sell:
1. Your customer’s name
2. Understand
3. Proven
4. Health
5. Easy
6. Guarantee
7. Discovery
8. Love
9. New
10. Save
11. Safety
12. Money
13. Right
14. Results
15. Truth
16. Comfort
17. Proud
18. Profit
19. Deserve
20. Happy
21. Trust
22. Value
23. Fun
24. Value
25. You
26. Security
27. Advantage
28. Positive
29. Benefits
Words That Deter Customers
If you want to improve your copy so that it attracts customers and makes you money, inserting words that sell is only the first step. After you replace normal words with words that sell, you can look for and remove words that hinder the selling process.
Here are the words that deter customers:
1. Deal
2. Cost
3. Pay
4. Contract
5. Sign
6. Try
7. Worry
8. Loss
9. Lose
10. Hurt
11. Buy
12. Death
13. Bad
14. Sell
15. Sold
16. Price
17. Decision
18. Hard
19. Difficult
20. Obligation
21. Liable
22. Fail
23. Liability
24. Failure
How to Use the 29 Words
There’s more to effective sales copywriting that just using a few key words. In addition to using words that sell, you also want to make sure you include specific sales copywriting strategies.
Understand Your Reader
Although most people understand the importance of identifying your target audience, many business owners do not put enough focus here. The more you know about your intended audience, the better your copy will sell.
There are questions you can ask about your target audience to better understand them. The more specific and detailed your answers are, the more effective your communication will be.
Consider these questions (and answers) when you write your copy:
What is your target audience’s pain point? In other words, what issue are they paying you to solve?
What is your target audience’s desired outcome? In other words, what do they hope to accomplish as a result of paying you for your services? This is the area of your customers’ lives that will change as a result of your product or service.
When you know the answers to these questions (in the exact language your target audience uses), you are far more likely to write copy that sells.
Know Why the Reader Should Take Action
You must tell the reader why giving you their time and money will benefit them. This is sometimes obvious and sometimes not.
To get clear, examine your answer to the question above about what will be different for your customer as a result of your services. This is where you should talk about what is possible and how you can improve your customers’ circumstances. It’s why you do what you do. That why is important to communicate in your copy.
In your writing, encourage your readers to dream big and imagine what’s possible for them as a result of working with you or buying your product.
State What Do You Want the Reader to Do
Most people think the point of a communication is for the reader to make a purchase, but that’s not always true. For example, if you offer free sessions or consults, then perhaps the goal of the communication is to schedule a free session. Other times, the call to action is sometimes simply clicking on a link to learn more about a product or service.
All of these steps may ultimately lead to the desired action of eventually making a purchase. However, if you’re unclear about each individual step and the call to action for each piece of copy, then you are likely confusing your audience and pushing them away from the sale rather than toward it.
Think about the “About” page on your website. Statistics show it is the most frequently visited page on websites. However, customers can rarely make an actual purchase from the “About” page. Instead, you must have a clear call to action telling them to visit another page to learn more or schedule a consult.
Your job is to know exactly what action you are “selling” to the reader before you create each piece of copy.
Make It Clear How You Want Your Reader to Take Action
This is the easiest part of copywriting, but it can be overlooked if you’re not careful. After you identify what you want your reader to do as a result of reading your communication, the next step is to make sure you tell the reader exactly what you want them to do and how it benefits them to do so.
As you write these words, check them against the KISS filter: keep it super simple. This makes sure your communication is clear and straightforward and means your reader is more likely to take action.
Sales Copy Quick-Start Guide
Now you have the basics of good sales writing, but I know it can be overwhelming to apply and implement. Here’s a quick-start guide to get you going.
Step 1. Pick one piece of copy to work on first. Consider editing the sales copy for your product or service or your about page.
Step 2. Start with a simple find and replace strategy using the words that sell. Review what you’ve written and find opportunities to replace your words with the words that have been proven to sell.
Step 3. Repeat the above exercise with the words that deter customers. Review your existing copy and find the words that push customers away. Replace them with more effective words.
Step 4. Work through the copy and make sure you’re using the language your audience uses (from the “Understand Your Reader” section above). Edit where needed.
Step 5. Make sure your call to action is very clear, so the reader knows exactly what you want them to do and how to do it..
The next time you write copy, whether an email, blog post, social media post, or sales page, consider using tips, questions, and words listed above. It’s hard work, it takes time, and it will pay you tenfold to practice and master sales copywriting.
Have Questions?
How effective do you think your sales copywriting is?
What part of the writing process do you find most challenging?
What action do you plan to take this week to improve the writing in your business?
Leave your thoughts and questions in the comments below. I’d love to help you sort through your challenges to find solutions!
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*****
Kendrick Shope is a Sales Coach and the Creator of Authentic Selling, a process designed to take the ick out of selling so that you can do more of what you love, make money, and make a difference. In her previous life, Kendrick worked for three Fortune 500 companies and was a top performing sales representative. You can learn more about Authentic Selling at kendrickshope.com, K TV, or on NBC Chicago, where Kendrick is a regular contributor.
Kendrick on JennyShih.com…Jenny Shih on KendrickShope.com….system overload! 🙂 Love how you ladies are mixing it up these days. A little cross pollination looks good on ya!
As always, K hits the nail on the head. I’m going to save these words to my desktop so I can easily refer back and use the words that convert when writing copy. One thing that I think is interesting to note is that the words “lose” and “loss” are on the list of words to avoid. However, I know that I have read that the fear of loss is typically stronger than the feeling of desire. I personally have had great conversion with headlines that tout potential loss or loss avoidance. Wonder if Kendrick or Jenny have any insights as to why those would be good to avoid on a sales page but highly effective in a headline?
Thanks for such a useful, easy to implement strategy.
Love to you both! xo
Steph,
I know! It’s a wacky week in the Jenny/Kendrick universe! Great question, so you are correct that stats show fear of loss is a bigger motivator usually than the feeling of desire or want.
My hunch is that the real truth is “implied” loss rather than in your face loss is the best motivator.
For example, “Don’t lose your dream while you’re working your day job” might be a headline that would work for you. However, a better way to say that might be “Is your dream fading away while you sit at your day job?”
See how implied loss seems more powerful in that example? Thoughts?
I’ve also read that fear of loss is stronger than the desire for gain. How we use that in business depends a lot on our brand and how we communicate with our audience. For me, I tend to focus more on the positive, so I keep the use of fear or threats to a minimum. Sure, I use them because they’re great to get people engaged and mix things up occasionally. At the same time, overuse of it would be out of alignment with my brand and personality.
Case in point, today’s post title. I added in “or destroy” as a light touch on the threat of loss but didn’t make it something as extreme as “Words That Will Kill Your Sales Forever.” In fact, I laugh as I type that 🙂
Jenny, I think you’re completely right about going with what feels good in your brand. That’s always the truth!
Hm yes, I see what you did there. Good thought. Sometimes overt is the best strategy sometimes implied gets the job done. Thanks for your thoughts on the matter!
What I love about this {apart from the lists and the amazing helpfulness of it} is the steps for actions to take to apply the concepts. I sometimes glaze over when I read about what I need to do, but to have it broken down into steps suddenly makes it seem really simple! For me the challenge comes in creating copy for sales pages etc that doesn’t sound ‘selly’ or have that trying too hard energy to it. I’m going to go through my pages in light of these lists and see what I can change now! Thank you so much for this post Jenny and Kendrick.
Thank you Tara for taking the time to share. I’m like you and tend to glaze over quickly so I need things broken down into small bite size steps. It allows me to make sure the common things are done uncommonly well.
It can be challenging to create copy for sales pages that does not sound to “salesy” but keep brining it back to the benefits and why it matters. How your people are going to be better off as a result of paying you for your services. That will help you stay in the mindset of the customers and not seem like you are talking like an icky saleswoman!
I hear you on the sales bit. Kendrick’s tip’s great: focus on the benefits of your product. Keep bringing it back to your customer and why it matters to them. You’ll be on the right track if that’s your primary focus.
Thank you so much for the super practical tips and steps! I am going to put them into action right away!!
Thank you Cecile, for taking the time to comment. Please let me know how it goes as you put these tips into action!
Yes, yes and yes…love your list!
I am one of those people who really has to clear huge chunks of time to write in order to make it say what I want it to say…and I’m never really sure if I’ve used the “right” words.
I too am saving the list for immediate use!
Thank you, Kendrick:)
Thanks Susan, The list is one simple thing we can all begin to incorporate into our copy to make it more powerful. Let me know how it goes!
Thanks for posting!
Your customer’s words are the right words. 🙂 I usually ask my clients (like a broken record), “Would your target client use those exact words?” I ask it over and over with every line and slowly, they find themselves using the right words. Add Kendrick’s list on top of that and you’ll be well on your way!
I often ask my customers think when you have the flu and you go to the doctor. You say things like, I have a fever, my throat hurts, or a runny nose. Those are the symptoms that you present the doctor with. He/She then diagnoses you with the flu.
An easy trick to get into your client’s/customer’s words is to think about the symptoms they present with when struggling with the problem you help them solve? Does this make sense Susan? How would they describe how not having this problem solved makes them feel?
Thanks Kendrick,
Yes this makes sense.
Kind of going at it from the back door:)
Thanks Jenny,
Yes using the customer’s words makes it much more of a no-brainer:)!
Thank you so much… this is just what I needed!
What a beautiful comment, Molly! It makes me happy to hear the words “this is just what I needed!” I am glad it’s useful and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Jenny and Kendrick, Thank you for this timely article. I know using the right words to tell my story and reach my ideal customer is sooo important. This will be great when I sit down to re look at my copy. Now that I have absolute clarity that the client I serve is the chronically tired woman, I can’t wait to sit down and speak to her using some of these words.
Pramilda,
You are on fire and I love watching it!
Fabulous post! So clear and useful! Thank you!
Thank you Rebecca for taking the time to comment! Let me know how it works
Thanks gals! I’m booking marking this for future use…
Caryn,
Great! Please let me know how it works when it’s time for you to try it out!
Thank you both for this great post. I was driving home from a meeting wondering how to get started on today’s project and your email popped into my mind (I’d seen it in my inbox this a.m.) I thought, “I’ll just open Jenny’s newsletter – I bet it’ll get me started.”
And that’s exactly what happened. Thank you!
Off to get writing!
I love when great inspiration comes like that. Thanks for sharing and so glad Kendrick’s genius gave you the prompt you needed to get going!
Serena,
I LOVE what you shared. I hope the process continues to be useful on future projects. Let me know how it goes!
Love this list! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Anna! I LOVE list too. It makes things so easy!
Love this! It’s so nice to see really clear cut advice. A lot of people have been doing the mindset thing lately. There’s nothing wrong with a little mindset shift, but oh it’s so nice to have a day where I can relax about my mindset and just have someone tell me what words work. Yay for ease!
Love it, Laura!! We need it all, but I agree, sometimes we need a break from one and switch into the other. Glad Kendrick and I could offer that switch to you this week!