Everyone loves a good story. For most of human history, all we had were verbal stories (oral histories) to pass information about past events (close-call survival adventures among them) from one generation to the next. Storytelling has never lost its allure. A well-told story entraps and holds spellbound its audience until it gets resolved. Stand […]
The ‘Storytelling’ Trigger Read More »
You’ve seen the Satisfaction Conviction prompt lots of times. “We’re so sure you’ll love/enjoy/use (whatever it is) that we’ll return every dime, including postage plus ten percent, if you don’t feel the same way.” If–when you read something like this–your first thought is, “Wow, they’re going to get ripped off for making a claim like
‘Satisfaction Conviction’ Prompt Read More »
People like to think they buy based primarily on logic and reason, but they almost never do. Are you shocked? Read on… In fact, perhaps the very few things that we do buy for rational reasons are the things we wish we didn’t have to buy at all: health insurance, life insurance, car insurance, homeowners
How would Mr. Spock sell you a car? Or could he? Of course he could. Using logic to seal a deal happens more often when considering the necessities of life, since it’s pretty hard to become emotionally involved with insurance, toilet tissue, and water (unless you don’t have toilet tissue or water!), but logic is
‘Logic’ Sales Trigger Read More »
Publishers Clearing House and other direct sales companies figured out this trigger decades ago. So has St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and scores of other non-profit (and political) organizations. They know, too, that “givers gain.” Publisher’s Clearing House gets people involved by having recipients of their mailings physically manipulate objects: “Place the gold medal seal over
‘Involvement and Ownership’ Trigger Read More »
How much do you know (and care) about your target audience? Do you know their pain points so you know how your product or service alleviates or eliminates them? Do you know what keeps them up at night? Who are they angry at? What books do they read? Do you know who else they’re “seeing”
‘Prospect Nature’ Trigger Read More »
Because nobody and nothing is ever perfect, you probably have to acknowledge at least an objection or two about your product or service if you want to get anybody to believe you aren’t just blowing smoke. This is where objection raising and objection resolution come in. Raise the Objection Early What is it about your
‘Objection Raising’ and ‘Objection Resolution’ Triggers Read More »
Whether you know it or not, people can spot integrity almost instantly–and its opposite. Integrity means “walking the walk”–not just talking the talk. Under-promise and over-deliver Don’t make a promise you can’t keep; don’t say anything you can’t back up. If you find you have to renege on a promise or commitment for any reason,
The ‘Integrity’ Trigger Read More »
The ‘Consistency’ Trigger Explained People tend to be consistent when they’ve taken a stand on something, even in the face of conflicting information. So as a copywriter, business owner, or entrepreneur who wants or needs to “up sell”, your ace-in-the-hole is to offer something else that is consistent with a decision your client/customer has already
‘Consistency’ and ‘Product Nature’ Triggers Examined Read More »
According to various advertising and marketing specialists, there are thirty tried-and-true triggers that influence buyers to engage. How many of them can you come up with (without help)? Go ahead. I’ll wait. There are the obvious ones, of course: Appealing to your target audience’s curiosity, desire to belong or collect, emotion, greed, guilt, hope, or
First Things First: Why are You Doing What You’re Doing to Make a Living?? Read More »
