by Michele Pariza Wacek, author of “Love-Based Copywriting: How to Write Copy that Attracts, Inspires and Invites Your Ideal Prospects to Become Ideal Clients“
It’s love, not money, that makes the world go ‘round.
Pain is a part of life but suffering is optional. Traditional copywriting is fear-based; it agitates pain and turns it into suffering. Love-based copywriting, on the other hand, identifies the pain and then immediately presents the solution.
Pain is a part of life. It is the body’s way of saying, ‘Hey, something is wrong.’ It is meant to prompt us to make a change. Suffering, on the other hand, is a real turn off. Even if it works for you it doesn’t feel good using it. Love-based copywriting gains trust and inspires personal respect from the very first word, and enhances the perceived value of what is offered in ways that enhance and develop effective relationships with people.
Here are some of the many ways I recommend to market and sell products and services with love, not fear:
Love-Based Tip #1: Don’t Exaggerate.
Although exaggerations can come in all shapes and sizes, headlines seem to be more of an “exaggeration magnet.” This is usually because you only have a few words to not only get a lot of points across, but to also get people to sit up and take notice. But you fail if you use phrases that raise people’s BS antennas.
Instead use strong verbs and nouns that paint a picture without going overboard into exaggeration. If you’re not sure if you’re exaggerating or not, then you probably are. You’ll feel it in your gut if you’ve gone too far, so just listen to it.
Love-Based Tips #2: Write a Powerful Beginning.
Much like headlines, exaggeration is a problem in the beginning of your copy too. Painting a picture that’s too dark is a good way to tip the overall feeling of your copy right into the realm of fear-based arm-twisting.
Instead, be honest and be objective. Don’t make people feel any worse than they already feel. Anticipate the reactions to the words. Aim at creating a new sense of comfort and relief. Connect with people without agitating their pain. Use the words people actually use and they will recognize you are talking directly to them. Don’t “dress it up”.
Love-Based Tip #3: Don’t Be Afraid To Be Vulnerable.
It may feel really scary to show your vulnerable side, but the truth is, many times your vulnerability is what will seal the deal — not your credibility. People need to believe you’re an expert in your field, but if you’re too much of an expert, people will feel like you can’t relate to what they’re going through. And if you can’t relate, you can’t help them.
Your vulnerability is what makes you relatable. It makes you human. People can see themselves in you. And that’s what helps them believe that, if you’re just like them and can do it, then they will conclude they can do it too.
Love-Based Tip #4: Stick With What Works.
As you work on coming up with your big picture overview, you’ll find yourself wanting to use some sort of new vocabulary to sum up what your ideal client is going through. Resist this temptation. Don’t feel the need to distill everyone’s experiences into some cute, clever, marketing speak elevator pitch/slogan you can spit out at networking meetings. If you succumb to this, don’t be surprised when people suddenly go away to go refill their drinks.
Part of being love-based is being simple — just say what you mean and mean what you say. Don’t dress it up or make it cute and clever (and whatever you do, don’t twist it and use it as a weapon against your ideal clients). Be clear, concise, open, and respectful… and everyone wins.
Love-Based Tip #5: Amplify Emotions, Not Pain.
Amplifying the emotion in your message can be extremely powerful, but amplifying the pain can push your copy into fear-based marketing. To avoid going overboard, be gentle and be kind. Don’t use shame, guilt or blame. Use both techniques – amplify and resolve – in the same breadth. Gently amplify the pain, and then immediately resolve it before the end of the sentence, so the overall feeling you leave your ideal prospects with is that of moving toward pleasure.
Love-Based Tip #6: Make Peace with Money.
Don’t grapple with money. Own the value of whatever you are charging. Be comfortable with whatever price you are charging for whatever product or service you’re selling. If you’re uncomfortable with the price you are asking — people will immediately sense it. And they won’t buy. Know the value. Set your price to reflect the value. Once you know that value, then you just need to make sure you are good with it.
Love-Based Tip #7: Give People a Safe Space to Make a Decision.
You can write love-based copy around objections by creating a safe space for people to feel their objections. This is a place where they can figure out if they are truly ready for change. Once they do, they can then make a comfortable decision – either yes or no. Don’t believe that what matters is getting the sale above all else. Don’t push them or twist their arm.
Instead, give people the time, space and the information they need to make up their own mind about what they truly want and what’s best for them. Create a compelling buying environment that brings people to that crucial pause where they see what they need and that you can meet their needs.
Love-Based Tip #8: Watch the Hype in Your Testimonials.
Stay away from exaggeration and hype, especially in your testimonials. If you slip in too much hype, folks will have trouble either believing the testimonial at all, or believing they can get the same results. Stay with simple clear, provable statements from people that relate to your prospective clients.
If you’re an entrepreneur, small-business owner, or soloprenuer, love-based copywriting can actually make marketing fun rather than something to dread.
Michele Pariza Wacek is a marketing strategist. She began writing professionally in 1992 and in 1998 started her business as a freelance copywriter. In 2006 she opened her own company Michele PW/Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC. She is author of “Love-Based Copywriting: How to Write Copy that Attracts, Inspires and Invites Your Ideal Prospects to Become Ideal Clients” and “Love-Based Copywriting System: A Step-by-Step Process to Master Writing Copy That Attracts, Inspires and Invites“.
