Successful Persuasion Tactics

The 5 Best Tried, Tested & Proven Selling Strategies That Could Boost Your Sales By More Than 500%

    

Selling Strategy #1 – Problem Recognition

When you fully understand WHY customers purchase specific products, you will know how to sell more of the same, and not just to them, but to many more new customers.

Many people buy products because the product solves a problem they might have. However, many marketers don’t fully appreciate the customer’s perspective on this or simply their point of view.

Here’s how I best explain this. In general, when there is a void between where the customer is right now and where they really want to be, a market exists for the product. That doesn’t mean that the customer will then automatically buy the product. It only means you have recognised a need for the product.

You have to then recognise the actual problem and how your product will address the problem in a way that satisfies the customer.

It will need the power of persuasion to convince the customer to buy your product and the way a copywriter, like myself, would do this, is to exaggerate the problem.

When you can make the problem appear to be much worse than it actually is, you are priming the customer to go ahead and buy without further hesitation.

Identifying a problem and then aggravating it to the point where the customer feels as though they must have your product is a specific skill that is unique to the Direct Response copywriter.

This is where the copywriter will play with words that are known to trigger emotional reactions and visualisations in the customer’s mind. It’s a formula that breaks down objective barriers by using a logical and friendly manner of persuasion.

It’s a pre-emptive strike, which is closely followed by creating a visualisation comparable with experiencing the benefits of using the product.

Many marketers know this formula as simply the Problem – Solution strategy.  

Selling Strategy #2 – Plausible Explanation

Credibility and believability are all-important factors, which must be considered carefully when promoting any type of product or service.

The customer will be mentally forearmed with a list of questions that need to be satisfactorily answered in your sales copy and your marketing brochures and ads. The customer is always naturally suspicious so the wilder the claims, the more proof and evidence you will need to back up your claims.

It’s another job for the persuasive or Direct Response copywriter to tackle.

We call this “Reason Why” copy and it’s based on providing detailed information about the product and why the customer should buy it.

If the product is a high price ticket item then more justification is needed to convince the customer of the value of the product.

The copy must focus on the quality of the product or the service and state why it is so much better compared to other “lower quality” products or services on the market.

You should, whenever possible, use comparisons to point out the superior quality of the product and its long-lasting value.

This can include facts and figures, charts and stats to back up any claims and to outline the features of the product.

Above all, you must hammer home the benefits of owning and using the product, stating how much easier your customer’s life will be when they buy it.

You must leave your customer with no doubt in their mind about buying the product, and make them realise that they will be making a wise buying decision when they do so.

Once you have justified the price always offer a full money-back guarantee or some other kind of warranty.

By creating a “safety net” you will sell many more products. Tests have shown the longer the guarantee, the more sales can be expected.

Selling Strategy #3 – Scarcity Factor

“The less there are the more desirable they become.”

This principle has been proven many times with the launch of every new mobile phone such as the iPhone. First, the launch date is widely announced, which primes customers into readiness. Then, on that date, tens of thousands of people will scramble to be the first to own one.

It’s no surprise that soon afterwards and due to overwhelming demand, stock levels run low, which increases the human desire still further, to the point where some people will pay double the retail price just to have one.

We have seen many similar examples in the past with Cabbage Patch dolls, Harry Potter books, Michael Jackson’s Thriller Album and Sony’s PlayStation, amongst many others.

Scarcity or perceived scarcity can help you sell more… much more and faster than you ever thought possible.

Scarcity can help make products appear more valuable. Sales can increase at a faster rate because scarcity instils a feeling of urgency. Potential buyers react faster when they think they might miss out.

Copywriters, like myself, can help their clients sell more by creating a sense of urgency. We can do this by announcing that a limited supply of products are available at a discount price and for a very limited time.

Or we can simply tell our readers that a very limited number are available due to an international shortage of raw materials. It doesn’t matter what the product is… the illusion of scarcity can be created and manipulated by the copywriter.

Scarcity can also work for certain valuable services offered. For example, some companies work with Groupon to offer discounts on their services for a time-limited period.

Some companies might offer a free product for the first 50 customers during a limited promotion period. This offer works well for car service and car hire companies, hair stylists and leisure companies.

Scarcity generates sales.

Selling Strategy #4 – Undeniable Proof

There’s absolutely no point in stating your product is better than your competitors’ unless you can prove it.

Potential customers are understandably sceptical and the more experienced they are as consumers the more sceptical they are likely to be.

Marketers need to look at ways they can provide proof that their product works as they say it does but care should be taken to ensure the truth is not “Fake Proof”

Fake proof is when people write product reviews that are not true. They will generally do this because they are promoting the product as an affiliate and therefore making a commission on any sales.

There has been a dramatic rise in product review websites over recent times and this is the number one reason why.

So, it might be useful to remember the famous words of US President, Abraham Lincoln, who once said, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Proof is a very powerful selling tool but it must be undeniable or undisputed proof to have any value. Then best sources of proof include:

● Testimonials that can be verified

● Actual news stories, government reports and independent reports.

● Case studies

● Endorsements from respected celebrities

● Recognised trust organisations such as Trust Pilot

Other means of providing proof include videos of the product actually being used. However “the proof is in the pudding.”

Offering free samples or a free to try option provides undeniable proof. As a copywriter, I’m always looking to find ways, in which to provide proof beyond any reasonable doubt.

Proof makes my job so much easier.

Selling Strategy #5 – Opinion Leaders

One of the most powerful selling strategies is to align your products with that of an expert in their field and to get their full recommendation.

So, a professional athlete, for example, might endorse a particular type of trainer shoe but an authority on a particular subject can provide an overwhelming scientific reason for buying the product.

Opinion leaders provide advice to the general public and their expertise is often respected. A prime example might be a film critic who will write a review for a movie and that review will be published.

People are often swayed by such critics because they are seen as experts in their field. Other good examples might be an independent review from a highly respected publication such as “Which” or “MoneySavingExpert”

However, marketers should not underestimate the power of the email list or ezine list owner. These guys have spent many years building an online reputation and could have many thousands of followers or subscribers.

They are much-respected due to their regular newsletter information updates and recommendations for products and services based on their own experiences or their profession.

There can be a major drawback however, for anyone who may be considering an association with one of these experts. If your product doesn’t live up to the hype and expectations then the negative feedback could kill it stone dead.

That doesn’t mean this avenue should be ignored. If you have faith in your product and it is as good as you believe it to be then this avenue could lead to many instant sales and a guaranteed market for future products.

I’m always looking for opinion leaders who command a large attentive audience for this very purpose.    

Direct Response Copywriter for hire…

Bill Knight is a professional Direct Response Copywriter specialising in creating informative, compelling and engaging content to help promote a broad range of products and services all over the Internet, to a wide range of audiences.

Services offered include:

● Landing pages

● Sales letters

● Sales funnels

● Web page content

● Email campaigns

● Press Releases

● Video scripts

● Articles

● Newsletters and blogs

● Product descriptions

● Brochure copy

● Advertorials

● Consultancy

Copywriter for hire: Call Bill on 01275 837 577 to discuss your project. All B2B and B2C clients welcome.

topcopywriter.co.uk