Somewhere in the world, a copywriter is agonizing at their desk as their deadline approaches. IT’S URGENT, and they need copy for a series of A/B tests. That shouldn’t be too difficult, right? All they need is near-perfection with an explanation when they present everything. The best part is that their boss wants multiple options.
Why does content marketing feel like a race?
Whether it’s advertising or organic, most industries have become saturated with competition and content. It’s becoming more difficult to stand out, and then your next challenge is to get the customer across the finish line.
For our writer on a deadline, the pressure is getting to them, and they’re starting to think they might need to refresh their resume. Time hasn’t run out yet, though, so what can they do to pick up some momentum?
Well, I think they should start at the beginning. Even before taking notes, they should ask themselves why anyone would decide to read what they wrote.
Envy and Admiration
As marketers, we often like to discuss the positive, highlight our success, and why our brands are AMAZING.
The reality is, though, that positive feelings aren’t the only influence on our behavior.
It might not be a hate click, but negative feelings can certainly cause someone to click. In particular, envy and admiration can be powerful motivators.
Headlines that announce someone’s surprising net worth are the perfect example of this, and you don’t need to go any further than the checkout aisle to see the success of this type of headline.
While that works excellent for fake news or gossip blogs, it might not work for specific brands. Unfortunately for our writer, this won’t be the right fit, so lets think about another factor that could work.
Scarcity
Remember the toilet-paper crisis at the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic?
I’m not sure where the misinformation started, but there seemed to be a fear that manufacturers were failing, the economy was grinding to a halt, and society was about to collapse.
The more people thought we were running low on toilet paper, the more they panicked, and if you’re able to incorporate this concept into your marketing, it can be another great motivator.
I may have used a slightly dramatic example, but for a business, maybe it’s a limited-time offer or a minimum in stock. There are lots of different options.
This concept can also be incorporated into the copy by highlighting some of these limitations or even poking fun at the idea itself.
Familiarity
I admit that some of my evidence for these factors is anecdotal.
Familiarity is a term I’d heard before, but the idea came into full perspective when I reflected on my buying habits.
When I shop, I have to say that I typically go for what I know and recognize. I think many other people are the same.
People seek the familiar because they want to be comfortable. While this is great if your product is already preferred by someone. It can also make breaking into someone’s routine much more challenging.
This makes marketing more difficult, but I think there are still ways to bring familiarity to your message.
Even if you are a newer brand, you can still appear how your audience anticipates. This means understanding what your audience expects and using those expectations to craft your message.
For example, our writer might consider using vocabulary commonly found amongst their competitors. Of course, I’m not talking about stealing taglines, just using words often seen associated with a particular product.
Unfortunately, though, our writer has heard something different about consumer behavior. So, that’s not the path they decide to take.
Novelty
While it may seem that these are two contradictory ideas, I think there are ways to balance them.
The truth is that people are complex, and there is not one single technique that will be 100% effective. That’s just ridiculous because there are tons of factors, including random ones, that influence people’s decisions.
We know, however, that novelty creates a buzz of Serotonin in people’s brains. Unfortunately, originality doesn’t come easy for everyone, but I believe there is a formula for creativity. So, if you’re looking for ways to get creative, you can read my article about my favorite techniques for generating creative ideas.
I’m sure you can understand the thrill of trying something new as well as the interest that can wane over time. However, novelty scares a lot of businesses. Typically, they don’t want to isolate their audience or become too out of the box. That’s reasonable, but it’s something that you as a brand should understand the inherent risks of avoiding.
Risk Avoidance
Perceived risk plays a huge role in influencing the decisions that consumers make. This factor is at the core of what makes things like scarcity and loss aversion so effective.
When a consumer makes a decision, they’re conducting a split-second or sometimes hour-long decision-making process. In one particular study they found that negative word of mouth can have a higher impact on someone’s perceived risk of a product.
To get the customer to follow through, you need to factor this into their journey and assure their confidence by sending signals that you can be trusted.
Reciprocity
I know this might be a bold statement, but people are good. Most of us are simply trying to do our best.
This technique assumes that this is true and that people want to repay their debts. So, if you offer something of value, they might feel inclined to pay back the favor.
For some businesses, this can influence their decisions, and as a copywriter it might be something worth highlighting.
Reciprocity can be powerful if used on the right audience and can make lifetime fans of a brand.
Price
Ultimately factors like the commodity’s price will influence a buyers’ decisions. This isn’t always about having the lowest price, though. Price can be an influencing factor in both directions.
Both high and low prices might influence someone to make a purchase decision because higher prices can often signify quality. While most people want the lowest price, some will pay extra money for a quality product.
Therefore, it’s essential to understand the value add that your product or brand offers along with the competitive market.
If you can undercut your competition in price or offer a special price, then absolutely highlight that. Speak to this offer in your copy and allow people to take advantage of the deal.
Recommendations
Recommendations from friends, family, celebrities, or strangers can make a huge difference in bridging the trust gap when someone is unfamiliar with a brand. This is precisely why reputation is so important.
As a marketer, this is another technique it pays to be aware of, and it’s one that you can use in your writing.
Testimonials, endorsements, and spreading the word can all help. Even directing people to your reviews on social media can build confidence in a brand.
This idea plays a huge role in consumer decision-making, and although, as content writers, we might not think about this as often, it’s important to remember.
Authority
It’s one of the main motivations behind hitting those deadlines.
While that might be true, it’s not the authority I necessarily mean. Instead, I’m referring to a business’s expertise in a field. Although this can’t be applied to every business, people typically pay attention to people they trust.
Part of building trust means establishing your credentials. You can see this sort of advertising all the time. It’s something that plenty of businesses like to share, “we’ve been in business since XXXX.” Somehow the longer you’ve been in business, the better your product is?
Whether you’re choosing this tactic or using another idea to promote your authority in a space, this technique can potentially leave people impressed with your brand.
Information Gap
People are naturally curious, and if they think they are missing something, they can often be spurred to learn more.
You’ll see these techniques used in headlines all the time.
- What you didn’t know about XX
- How XX Completely Surprised Her Best Friend
- He Was Completely Shocked on His Wedding Day
You get the idea, and this concept is easy for most people to use. That’s probably because the formula for this type of copy is simple. Take what you know and subtract something.
Of course, this might not work in all situations. After all, if you’re creating copy for an about us page, you’re probably not going to want to leave too much out, but it’s effective in getting clicks.
That’s why you see it used widely in ads and headlines.
Personalization
How does personalization help consumers make business decisions?
Personalization allows people to find a unique connection with a brand. It also shows customers that they’re cared for, and people tend to choose brands that support them.
Thinking back on ads that have caught my attention. I’ve always responded well to messages that seem to speak specifically to me. Who doesn’t want to feel special?
This technique is unfortunately hard to scale, but it’s sometimes worth putting in the extra effort. In particular, emails and direct mail are great opportunities to personalize a message.
Cultural Values
Cultural values stem from a person’s inherent beliefs, so no wonder they strongly influence people’s behavior.
The best way to understand the values of your audience is to simply ask them. If that’s not possible, there are ways to explore an audience using tools like SparkToro or finding your ideal customer and cyber stalking them. Really the best way is to sit with real people, though, and ask them direct questions.
Of course, this is another example of looking at your buyer persona. So, it requires taking the time to analyze and comprehend your ideal customer profile.
It’s also important to remember this requires sensitivity and authenticity because if someone’s speaking about people’s values, they need to be in touch with them. So, whether you relate on a personal level or not, you should always get another perspective. Have someone from that community look over your final product and allow them the space to give their honest opinion.
Confirmation Bias
Social Media is not the only culprit behind the echo chambers we all love to complain about. The reality is they are there by design.
Why do we love to confirm we’re right? Well, it’s because it assures our worldview. People are only willing to believe what they want.
So, while the ethics behind algorithms is up for debate, this is a concept that copywriters can take advantage of guilt-free, but to do so, you need to return to the buyer persona.
Understand what your audience thinks and show them exactly why they’re right.
Group Homogeneity
If you’re really trying to simplify things, there are in-groups and out-groups, and if you are out, you are OUT. The fashion industry is notorious for being exclusive, and maybe that’s how extravagant designers have found their fame.
Most people have a strong desire to be accepted by the group and make decisions based on what the group thinks.
This is also where the popular advertising concept of bandwagon came from. Something that copywriters can use as well.
This is another reason why selecting who delivers your message is essential.
Utility
When customers assess their options, one factor likely to come to mind is utility. How useful is the product?
Consumers typically go through a cost-benefit analysis and try to decide, even without personal experience, whether the quality of the product matches their needs.
You probably are very familiar with late-night advertising that sells this promise in the form of all-in-one cleaning and chopping devices.
But I guarantee your product has a lot of purposes and more than that it offers something or provides value in people’s lives. By tapping into that value and explaining what it is, you can influence people’s behavior or, at the very least, get a clear message across about your product’s utility.
Heuristics
Heuristics or habits are shortcuts that our minds use to process information efficiently. You have to understand that people are making up to 35,000 decisions a day! If you can understand these habits, you can improve the conversion of your copy.
For example, people are more likely to rely on the first piece of information they hear. Now you don’t always know where a consumer is on their journey, but if you do you might be able to play off this idea.
This might seem to speak to brand positioning more, but it can also help with copy. Call out the habit or incorporate the activity into your messaging.
Copywriters can also encourage using the product in unique ways. Try demonstrating how a product could fit into someone’s life or share a message about the product’s ease of use.
The Promise of Pleasure/ Positive Associations
Like many things, pleasure and positive associations can impact our behavior. Think about all those adrenaline junkies or the success of marijuana and alcohol sales. This doesn’t just apply to drugs, though. Copywriters can use this sort of information for any brand and its messaging.
For example, you can craft your message around the positive feelings the customer will experience using a product. Aim for a positive tone with your prose and stimulate the reader’s imagination. Try surprising them with delight.
You can even consider pointing out the positive aspects of the experience more directly. Again this might seem completely obvious, but it’s still something good to be aware of.
Divine Intervention
The final element on our list that influences consumer behavior is, of course, random. Ultimately, everything we do has a chance of success and failure. You’ll never get it 100% right, so I recommend testing it out. Experiment with different ideas and see how incorporating them into the copy works out.
For the writer on a deadline, they ended up using a combination of tactics, and it will be up to divine intervention to hope that one of them sticks.
They’ll have to go with their gut and at the end of the day choose the words that feel best.