How to Convince People to Buy Using Persuasive Content
“Wake up every morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day! Buy your SleepGreat mattress today and join the 3 million people enjoying a better night’s rest.” This blurb for a fictional mattress company is a great example of persuasive content. But what makes it effective? It introduces a vision of what life could be like while leveraging the power of social proof.
Figuring out how to convince people to buy your products or services starts by understanding how people think. You must tap into their emotions, appeal to their logic, or demonstrate your credibility. Brands have used persuasive techniques and behavioral science principles in marketing for years. And there’s a valid reason why… It works!
In this article, you’ll discover how to take a more persuasive approach to producing content—from website copy to social media videos.
What Is Persuasive Content?
In terms of marketing, persuasive content is any type of content that compels an audience to believe something or take action. Writing this type of content requires a little more thought and effort, as it must be purpose-driven. You need to communicate your message so that it resonates with your audience on a deeper level.
As you know, convincing people to buy can be a challenge. And there are many reasons for that.
- They like solutions—not products or services.
- People are naturally skeptical at first.
- They’re constantly bombarded by ads and messages.
- They have tons of options available to them.
- People want to feel understood.
But that’s where persuasive content comes in. By framing content correctly, you can help potential customers see the value you offer and encourage them to take the next step.
What Are Some Basic Elements of Persuasive Content?
Want to know how to convince people to buy your product or service? Marketing experts suggest using a product-led approach to marketing. You either solve a problem or appeal to the customer’s emotions using the product as a focal point. In either scenario, they have to make a decision.
In 2019, Havas Media Group published a report citing that 58% of content from brands is not meaningful to consumers. That’s a missed opportunity for brands who want to convince people to buy their product because they are not making the right connections to persuade and boost business returns.
Here are some basic elements of persuasive content…
Storytelling
One of the tried-and-true ways of writing persuasively is tapping into the power of storytelling. People love stories, and they enjoy being part of them. Using storytelling is a great way to get them to relate to your message and inspire them to act.
Storytelling makes your brand stand out and be memorable. A research study by Edelman also states that 81% of consumers buy from brands they trust. By inviting them into an engaging story, you can establish a connection with your audience that builds trust.
Airbnb is one example of a company that uses storytelling in content extremely well. They tap into the stories of hosts and travelers to build a connection with their audience rather than focusing on themselves. Their content strategy focuses on people, homes, countries, and experiences. And that’s what makes them highly effective.
Using storytelling is effective not just for B2C companies but also for B2B marketing, according to Search Engine Watch.
You may not think you have a story to share, but you do. Just focus on how your product or service benefits your ideal customer. Make it easy for them to imagine what life could be like.
Consistent Messaging
Aiming for consistency in your messaging is a great way to increase brand awareness, build trust, and convince people to buy. It takes several interactions with a business before someone is willing to take action. However, you can persuade them more effectively by being consistent across various channels. The more they see your messaging, the more likely they will buy eventually.
Social Currency
Humans are naturally inclined to care about how they look to others. They want to project an image of being cool, smart, unique, and special. You can tap into this desire when developing content for marketing purposes, especially on social media.
The objective is to identify the qualities of your brand that make your followers or consumers feel proud to share it. Leverage your content to make it not only meaningful but also viral.
Emotion
Emotion is a powerful tool when creating persuasive content. Appealing to your audience’s emotional side compels them to act.
A person’s emotions affect their attitude toward things or a situation. Use your products or services to trigger these emotions. Make sure to focus on strong emotions, such as happiness, excitement, or fear.
Coca-Cola is a master of persuasion in the use of emotions for its advertising content. The advertising concept “Open Happiness” is simple yet effectively conveys the brand's emotional connection with its audience.
People decide based on emotional reasons—even really smart people, even in B2B. – Nancy Harhut, Using Behavioral Science in Marketing
Triggers
Using triggers to create persuasive messaging is different from using emotion. It is based on the principle that what people see, hear, or smell triggers certain thoughts or ideas. Brands can use these triggers to compel the target audience to take certain actions in response.
Here are some examples of psychological triggers you can use when writing persuasive content:
- Reciprocity – Offer something of value so that your customers will support your product.
- Personalization – This powerful psychological trigger makes people feel in control, valued, and unique.
- Authority – Using a perceived expert to support your thoughts or ideas makes them more credible in the eyes of consumers.
- Anchoring – This psychological trigger explains the power of first impressions. It is based on the fact that the first thought or idea that comes into a person’s mind often has a lasting impression. Therefore, as a brand, you want to be on top of your customer’s mind.
- Specificity – Be as specific as possible when writing content about your products or services. You don’t want people to end up with questions about what you do or offer.
Practical Value
Why should your consumers care about your product or service? Offering practical value by highlighting a product’s or service’s practical and relevant information is key to creating persuasive content.
Using a straightforward and concise approach in writing content gets more results. It provides the information your customers need about the product and how it can solve their problem. Plus, it can often address potential objections right off the bat.
(Note: Robert B. Cialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion outlines 7 principles of persuasion.)
9 Tips to Make Your Content More Persuasive
When writing to persuade—whether through ad copy, landing pages, social media posts, or even blogs—you can apply various tactics to attain your goals.
Here are 9 tips to make your content more persuasive…
- Keep Your Content Simple – The easier it is for your audience to understand, the easier it is for them to digest the information.
- Pose Questions – Asking questions is a great way to pique your audience’s interest and get them to pay attention. Aim for questions that will result in “yes” answers.
- Express Empathy – Creating persuasive content happens when you empathize with the audience’s problem and show a genuine desire to help them overcome it.
- Leverage Social Proof – Don’t tell your audience that your product or service is effective; show them the results. You can use testimonials to prove the effectiveness of your offering. On social media, user-generated content can help with providing your audience with adequate social proof as well.
- Use Data to Add Credibility to Your Content – Support your content with relevant data from trusted sources and research studies. If your offering has helped other customers save money, share how much!
- Call Out Potential Customers Specifically – If your offering appeals to those who are professionally driven or eco-conscious, say that in your content. Doing so will affect their behavior by showing that your product or service is aligned with their values.
- Format Your Prices Effectively – Highlight the value that your product or services have to offer by formatting your prices to make savings bigger and perceived costs smaller.
- Use Attention-Grabbing Wording – If your copy is catchy, it will stick in your audience’s minds. Try using words that rhyme or applying homophones, which are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
- Adopt the Rule of Three – Using three examples or thoughts in writing has been shown to be more memorable as it has a certain rhythm to it while keeping the content concise.
Takeaway
The secret to creating content that gets people to buy is to make your offering irresistible to your target audience. And it all starts with understanding their needs, desires, and behaviors. Applying these insights will result in more engaging, attention-grabbing, and persuasive content.
Do you need more help developing content that will persuade people to buy? Book a free consultation with Viral Solutions to discuss your current challenges and goals.
At Viral Solutions we are committed to seeing YOU succeed. It is our goal to grow your business with proven digital marketing strategies that will help your business for the long haul.
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