Three simple yet effective words for better online writing

Imagine discovering three simple yet effective words that will enable you to write highly convincing web copy that makes everybody who reads your blog subscribe to it and share it widely within their networks.

Picture a situation where everybody buys that eBook, mini e-course or product you are selling because you use the right words that get them hooked to your works.

Now, visualize how much you would make per month from your sales by using words that everybody else takes for granted. You would be really rich, wouldn’t you?

Interestingly, I have already used these three words in my three first paragraphs and I can only imagine how deeply they have got you thinking. Now, I know you are eagerly waiting to know these three words. Most probably you just mulled over the three power words without a care of their effectiveness.

1. ‘Imagine’

The word ‘imagine’ creates an illusional horizon where the mind takes a trip to a fantasy world. When we were young, we were entertained by our grandparents who narrated mythical stories, legends, and riddles to us. This oral literature was completely works of imagination but it got us so thrilled and entertained that we formed a strong liking for them.  Growing up, though, we realized that ogre stories were false, legends were fictional characters and mythical stories are just ways to explain nature.  We, therefore, would never hear of them. We wore a veneer of realism that is hard to penetrate. However, the word ‘imagine’ temporarily peels away this mask bringing out the inner child in us.

Have a look at this web copy:

“Buy a luxurious bungalow along the sea. Savor the oceanic cuisine made up of coconut milk and honey. Enjoy the sun beating your back on the sea shores…’

Now compare it with this:

“Imagine living in a luxurious bungalow along the sea where the sound of the resilient gushes of ocean water wakes you up every day. Now, picture, savoring a finger-licking oceanic cuisine of fish with coconut oil. Visualize yourself sunbathing your back along the sea shores…”

While the former real estate sales copy is precise and direct, the latter creates beautiful and enticing pictures in the mind. The words ‘picture’, ‘imagine’ and ‘visualize’ are powerful as they put the critical mind into sleep as the subconscious mind travels and gets excited by the sceneries created by the description.

How you can use the word ‘Imagine’

Personally, after I read how powerful the word ‘imagine’ is, I changed my web copy call to actions.  Now rather than write ‘hire me for awesome web copy’, I write ‘Imagine getting hooking web copy that gets lots of leads and conversions written for you. Picture yourself having a website that attracts thousands and thousands of readers who bookmark and share the site with their networks…’

Since you might not be in the article writing niche, do the following:

1. Create luring visual pictures that will get the attention of your readers. Use these pictures to convince your readers how wonderful their experience will be when they use your services.
2. Interview your past customers and ask them how they are using your products. Use these experiences to create visual pictures in the minds of prospective clients.

2. ‘Because’

Other than providing reasons why something needs to be done, the word ‘because’ subliminally, is effective. Picture this—a young child might cry for cookies and have this conversation with their mother.

Child: Mum, I need cookies

Mum: No, you cannot have anymore.

Child: Why?

Mum: Because mommy said so.

Now that they have been given a reason (no matter how mundane) why they will not have any more cookies, the child might end up giving up the delicacy. One might think that ‘because’ works for children alone. However, a study done by Ellen Langer, a sociology professor at the Havard University shows that adults too can be influenced by the word ‘because’.

Ellen Langer went up to the library and saw this line of people waiting to use the photocopier. She said to them, “Hello, excuse me. May I use the Xerox machine to get five copies because I am in a hurry?”

90% of the people gave way.

As a control experiment, she went to a similar queue and said, “Hello, excuse me. May I use the Xerox machine to get five copies?”

Only 60% of the people gave way.

How you can use ‘because’

1. Find valid reasons why prospective customers need to use your products and write it down in your call to actions
2. Ask experts and authoritative people to give reasons why your products should be used. Sensodyne has done this very well. Their sales copy goes this way: Use Sensodyne because it is recommended by dentists.

3. ‘You’

Online readers are looking for solutions to their problems. Writing your copy using the first or third person pronoun sounds impersonal. The reader will feel as though you are not writing for them and they might not be willing to do what it recommends.

How to use ‘you’ in your website

1. Rather than write personal narratives about how you used a certain product, advise your readers how they can benefit from the product.
2. If you are using an email marketing tool such as Aweber, draft personal emails to your subscribers that mention their name at least once in the email body. With Aweber and Mailchimp, it is very easy to do this since you will use the <First Name> tag provided. Once you send the email, the recipient will see,

“Hello, John….” Rather than “Hello  Subscriber…”

‘Imagine’, ‘because’ and ‘you’ are simple yet powerful words. When we leverage on them, we can make better online marketing. Use the three words in your web copy and see the results. Thank me later.