Does your app’s sales page make you cringe a little?
It’s probably not just you. There are few things that make a savvy consumer cringe more than tactic laced sales copy. And if your sales messages are solely in place to “sell sell sell” then you’re probably guilty of exactly the kind of messaging I’m talking about…
Buy it now or never!
Once in a lifetime deal!
If you don’t get this before the countdown goes to zero it will take an act of God to get this offer again…
Or maybe you’re using the worn out and overused decision shaming tactic…
These types of buttons showing up anywhere on your site?
Now, maybe your buttons aren’t quite as harsh, but you get the point, right?
So, now let me ask you…Are you guilty of putting out this type of messaging? If you are, it’s not totally your fault. There are a lot of copy experts who herald the benefits of using these types of tactics. The reality is, they aren’t wrong in saying these things work. They do, sometimes. But, while throwing sales tactics at the wall to see how much money sticks might work in the short term, what is the actual cost? Use them in the wrong way and the cost could be: your brand’s reputation, trustworthiness, and ability to endear customers to you…ouch!
But it’s not all tactics, you say! We take a user centered approach to our copy! We talk all about our customers problems, and then offer them a solution to their problems!
But do you really understand their problems (and demonstrate that understanding) in your sales message, or are you just grabbing sound bites, twisting the knife and using their problems against them, and then scaring them into purchasing with a cutthroat sales pitch?
Strategy from a template won’t work forever
You may not even realize you’re doing it, and I certainly don’t think most companies try to trick people into purchases. However, if your copy strategy consists of finding formulas online that promise to convert like crazy, and then shoving in some “high converting headlines” and using at least 2.5 of Cialdini’s persuasion tactics, without really understanding the why behind them, well you’re missing a huge opportunity.
In reality, those formulas, templates, and guides can only give you the basics when it comes to writing copy that converts, and yes, they can give you better conversions when used properly. I’m not here to say they can’t. But, if you really want to not only get money right now, but also turn new customers into product evangelists who then sell your product for you, you’re going to need to do better than filling out a Mad Libs version of a sales page and calling it a day.
So, what is this secret to feeling good about your copy?
Good news! If you send me $299.99 in the next 20 minutes I’ll reveal that secret plus throw in…ugh, you see how bad that is right?
Here it is:
Have empathy for your customer
Empathy you say? Yes – empathy. It’s not just a fancy buzz word, but is in fact a key piece of the puzzle when trying to attract the right people to your brand.
The thing is, sales copy (or any kind of copy) that lacks empathy feels sleazy. Yep, I said it.
UX writers (and designers) put having empathy for customers at the forefront of all decisions they make when designing a product, writing copy, and making revisions. It’s important to understand what people need, how they feel, and how they would interact with a product, in order to design something that solves their problems and meets their needs. This also goes for the copy that sells the product. I think it’s high time we took a UX approach to all aspects of a product – including the sales copy.
How do you do this? Engage with users. You can do this with interviews and surveys, not only for the purpose of grabbing some great language to use to sell your product, but also as a means to help create the right experience for the user from the first encounter they have to becoming a loyal subscriber. Ask the right questions to not only sell, but to really, truly make their lives better.
Does this take more time than filling out a template online? Yes.
Is it worth it in the long run? It sure is!
In a future article I’m going to discuss more details about how to create content and copy that empathizes with your user, but for now, how does the idea of having empathy for your customers make you feel? (I have empathy for you too!)
I’d love to hear your thoughts and any questions you have around this topic!
Want some help creating empathy driven content? Get in touch!