Copywriting Q&A: How to Change Minds

Persuasion is key to effective copywriting. But influencing people is easier said than done. …Or is it? Today’ we’re going to talk about the secret to turning heads and changing minds. Read on…

Today’s question comes from Armin R. who asks, “Do you have any tips for making my copy more powerful? I mean, I know I need to focus on the benefit, but is there any way to make that more compelling?”

The purpose of any piece of copy is to get people to take action. That action might be to buy a product, or it might be to sign up for an email list, or to send a letter to their congressperson, or even to think more favorably of a certain company. Obviously, some actions are more active than others, but they’re all actions and you’re trying to persuade people to take them.

The most important building block for great copy is utilizing the benefit to consumer. That is, when you ask people to take this action what do they get out of it? You need to tell people how they benefit from that product if you want them to buy it. A company just wanting people to buy a product isn’t how a product gets sold. A product gets sold when you explain to people why they should buy it by explaining how it will improve their lives.

For example, a company might want people to buy coffee infused with vitamins. That’s great. But why should people buy it instead of other coffee? The benefit to consumer might be that it’s delicious coffee that’s also healthy for you. Or it’s delicious coffee that also builds bones and supports your immune system. Or it’s delicious coffee that gives you energy without setting you up for a crash.

But is there a way to make that even more compelling? There sure is. What we’re talking about today is the “deep benefit”—the life-changing element of whatever you’re selling. The satisfaction of your target audience’s overwhelming desire.

To get at the deep benefit, you need to really put yourself in your target audience’s shoes and try to understand their greatest frustrations and the greatest elements of pain in their lives. For example, let’s say that your target audience for your coffee is ambitious executives.

Well, ambitious executives care a great deal about getting ahead at their jobs—achieving a position in which they get paid well, they’re admired by their peers, and respected by their boss. Their overwhelming desire is to succeed. And great frustrations or causes of pain might be losing opportunities to coworkers, not being able to keep up, and not being able to give their all.

So, how can you tap into that overwhelming desire and those pain points? Instead of just saying that the coffee will keep you healthy, you could talk about coffee that helps them bust through mental blocks, while helping to protect them from sick days and down time they can’t afford.  Or you could talk about how your coffee energizes them and, when everyone around them is crashing, they’re still going strong and taking charge.

Now, obviously, this is just an example, but if you can match up a target audience’s overwhelming desire with what you (and your company) are trying to get them to do, you have an even greater chance of getting that audience to take action.

Your turn! Have you seen an ad that talked to this “deep benefit,” an overwhelming desire? What made it compelling for you? Let us know in the comments below!