SEO content goes a long way toward getting customers to your site. Once they arrive, you need to promote your fine points and persuade them to act.

Let’s get into the customer’s head for a minute–say you, the customer, are badly in need of a plumber because your hot water heater is making strange hissing noises.

You “Google” plumber and a local guy comes up. You click. What do you want to know quickly? Credentials, location, specialties and how much it’s going to cost, right?

Are you finding those answers? Do you see a picture of an exploding tank? What kind of vibe are you getting from the site? Blind faith is a scary starting point.

Okay, let’s switch pants for a minute (no crack intended). Let’s put on our big girl content writer pants. Have I answered all these questions honestly in an organized, efficient manner? Have I conveyed confidence and professionalism in the few minutes I have with this desperate person? Is the phone number visible and linked when they decide to act?

Trying to convince people is an intriguing challenge. Marketing geniuses have somehow gotten fans of weird Matthew McConaughey to equate stodgy Cadillacs with chic. They’ve invented fleshy pink little bladder creatures that follow you around reminding you who’s in charge. They even help old people think taking a pill and getting in a hottub can invigorate what used to come naturally (okay, pun intended.)

Persuasion is the art of creating a mutually satisfying situation. It’s putting forth a good deal or idea that makes sense to a particular person at the time.

Here are few ways you can promote and persuade:

Spell it Out

You’ve heard of the three keys to giving a good talk? The same applies to writing promotional sales copy.

• Tell them what you’re going to be talking about.
• Talk about it.
• Sum up what you just talked about.

It’s All in the Reasoning

Whatever you want someone to do (buy, join, like, share…), give them good reason. Everyone wants to reason things out, talk it over, look before they leap. Convincing is a matter of laying out the reasons and letting people decide for themselves.

Get Their Buy-In

When readers can agree upfront, you have their attention. Pick a statement most can’t disagree with. With our plumber, start out saying “Hot water heater explosions cause disastrous home fires.” Then make your case for replacement and maintenance, with plenty of supporting evidence, referring back to the threat of homes burning down, a truth already accepted.

Voice of the People

Website authority thrives on testimonials. People trust other people to rate and review honestly. Maybe it’s the idea that if it was a really bad experience, no one would miss the opportunity to get even. Maybe looking for guidance from others is one of the most natural needs we have.

Commenting about good and bad experiences is the essence of social sharing. Web content providers must incorporate this in site planning. When readers see a company on social sharing sites, they immediately know there is an involvement with the outside world that fosters open opinions, including feedback and criticism. The flipside is, some of the best advertising comes from customer endorsements.

By Comparison

If you’re trying to sell something complicated or just plain boring, you might try comparing it to something easier or more exciting. For example, the persuasive writer might liken replacing an ancient toilet with a new, government-subsidized water efficient one by saying: “You wouldn’t leave your lights on all night, why waste water this way?”

The reader already accepts the former as true, so you’re more able to convince them to see things your way. You could also compare the cost of the old toilet to the new water bill and note the savings. “Now you can afford to buy the really soft toilet paper!”

A Tad Mad

Fanning the flames can be a good thing. Let’s look at our initial problem, a hot water heater about to explode. Seize the opportunity to agitate your audience before slipping in your safety solution. “It’s an emergency, a terrible situation, the very face of fear, run for your life!”

Then explain how you dealt with it masterfully in the past. Reiterate their pain just enough to show that you empathize because your customers have been there. Farmers Insurance does that now with their “We know a thing or two, because we’ve seen a thing or two” campaign. Credibility skyrockets when you seem to feel the prospect’s frustration.

Peace Down the Road

Another persuasion technique involves predicting the future. No crystal balls required. If you can convince people their lives will be better in years to come by doing business with you today, you have a future in marketing.

All you need is credibility. If you don’t really believe it, don’t say it or it’ll come back to burn you like an exploding water tank. If you can prove your claims with eons of evidence, this is the sales secret to use.

Exclusively Yours

Nobody wants to be openly snobbish, paste Harvard stickers all over their bumper or namedrop at every opportunity. That would be considered terribly gauche and boorish. Privately, we all long to be special and belong to a small, elite group of “haves” whether it’s membership to a country club or backstage passes to a Harry Stiles concert.

Offer the most eco-friendly, optimally engineered, greatest name in the history of hot water heaters only available through representatives like yourself and they’ll beat a path to your PVC pipes.

Tales Win

When you incorporate stories into your sales strategy, it allows readers to identify and eventually persuade themselves. Part of what website copywriting services do is translate customer experiences into relatable stories. Every situation is different so it’s never clear what detail is going to make a connection in a buyer’s mind.

Yeah But…

Overcoming objections is the bane of salespeople everywhere, and why they get paid the big bucks. “What’s it gonna take to get you into this hot water heater today?” just doesn’t work in all situations. If you’ve given it your best shot and they still don’t act, listen to their reasoning. Were you too forceful, too vague or too expensive? Some of your best insight will come from the comments section.

When closing the sale comes down to good website copywriting, the examples above should help. If you’d like further direction, please give us a call. We can be very persuasive.