The Secret Power of Words in Advertising

Words have a powerful influence on the way we think and behave. In advertising, the use of certain words and phrases can be used to evoke emotions, create associations, and persuade people to take a specific action. Here are a few examples of how words can be used effectively in advertising:

1. Emotional appeal: Advertisers often use words that appeal to our emotions to create a more compelling message. For example, words like “love,” “happiness,” and “family” can be used to create a warm, positive feeling about a product.
2. Association: Advertisers can use words to create associations with certain ideas or values. For example, using the word “luxury” can create an association with high-end products or services.
3. Persuasion: Advertisers can use words to persuade people to take a specific action. For example, using the word “now” can create a sense of urgency, while using the word “free” can make a product or service seem more appealing.

If the best way of communicating with prospects and existing customers was through sign language, we’d all have to learn to sign. Or if the best method of communication proved to be some mutually understandable code, we’d all have to learn that code in order to say anything. Thankfully, our communication process is much more simple…or is it?

A salesperson has the benefit of meeting his prospect face to face and will be able to gauge his pitch according to visible response signs displayed by his prospect. An experienced salesman will instinctively know from the facial expressions and body language of his prospect, whether he’s hitting the right buttons. This is usually indicated by the prospect’s nodding up and down combined with a beaming smile and wide-eyed appreciation.

A telesales person has much less to go on. They can only judge responses to their sales pitch through the prospect’s answers to questions and the actual tone of their voice. Most telesales people find their job easier when they try to imagine the look on their prospect’s faces while they’re talking to them. But, the deciding factor will almost always come down to the tone of voice deployed by both parties.

The Internet and Direct Mail Marketer have no such advantages over their prospects. They can’t see them and they can’t hear them. Their only weapon in their armory of sales pitches is their written word.

How we communicate through our written words holds the absolute key to successful selling online and offline. Whether it’s a sales letter, an email, or an ad, the written words must convincingly convey the sales message directly into the prospect’s mind. But first, you have to get your prospects to actually read your message, and usually, this very first hurdle will claim many, many casualties.

Getting someone to read your sales pitch will almost certainly depend on your headline. Your headline is your introduction. Your ‘hello’, your ‘hey you’ and your ‘listen up’. If your headline doesn’t grab the attention of your prospect within two seconds, it’s goodbye and farewell.

Other important aspects of a ‘killer’ sales message are sub-headings. Subheadings are generally used to maintain interest throughout the copy. But they’re also included for the benefit of prospects that first scan your message before deciding to read it in full. To some degree, they’re almost as important as the headline itself.

Then there’s the body copy. It’s here that your copywriting talents and skills should really shine through. Here you have the opportunity to use any words in the English language to describe and explain in fine detail, the benefits and features of your product or service on offer. And the English language is positively rich in adjectives, so there can be no excuse.

But the secret to creating captivating copy is to use ‘sense’ words. That are words that arouse the senses. Touch, see, smell, taste and listen are what we instinctively do every day. They represent our human survival mechanisms and for the most part, we trust them. Other mammals rely on them totally.

When you use sense words in conjunction with emotionally fuelled trigger words,   you can elicit all kinds of responses, which can be carefully channeled into the heart of your message for maximum impact. Harnessing words for profit in this way is a skill, and it’s a skill that every online and offline marketer needs to fully comprehend.

Learning to write outstanding and emotionally charged sales copy is not an essential requirement for business success, but recognizing the effectiveness is.

Overall, the use of words in advertising is an important tool for creating effective marketing messages. By carefully selecting the right words and phrases, advertisers can effectively communicate the benefits of their products or services and persuade potential customers to take action.

Never underestimate the secret power of words.