Writing copy that really resonates with your Reader is no easy feat. If it were, we’d never have to deal with bad sales copy or crude marketing messages again.

Wouldn’t that be nice!

But, while it’s not easy, there are a few tricks of the trade that make it a lot simpler.

The first lesson any copywriter must learn is that humans don’t always respond to logic the way we think they will.

The most startling truth is we don’t even think our way to logical solutions. We feel our way to reason (Source: Fast Company).

This is thanks to our emotions—they often cause us to throw logic out of the window and react impulsively.

While this isn’t great if you’re the one watching an ad for rehoming stray puppies while a gallon of ice-cream sits in your freezer, it’s pretty useful if you’re the one sat in the copywriting chair.

By appealing to your audience’s emotional motivations, your marketing messages can push the right buttons and be truly effective.

There are a number of ways of writing copy that resonates on an emotional level. I’ve outlined my top 5 ways below:

1. Write to ‘YOU’

Always address the reader as an individual. Using ‘you’ allows you to connect with them on a personal level.

Think about it, if you receive an email that says something like ‘Here’s an amazing offer for all of you’ are you compelled to read much further? Or check out the offer?

Probably not, because it indicates that the email was written for the masses, and that the sender hasn’t taken the time to reach out to you individually. Nobody likes being bucketed together like that.

Address the reader by name (if possible), and then write the rest of the copy as though they are the only person you have in mind. It will make you seem more personable, and make your reader feel acknowledged and understood.

2. Explain the obvious

Showing the reader that you understand the issue they’re facing is one of the most effective ways to appeal to their emotions. Don’t avoid explaining the obvious because you think it’s…well…too obvious!

Explain the situation simply and succinctly to demonstrate your understanding and encourage the reader to trust and believe in the solution you offer.

3. Be empathetic

As I’ve just explained, people are far more likely to buy from someone they think understands them. This is why it’s incredibly important that you understand not only what your prospects are looking for, but also the motivation BEHIND their search.

A motivation which they usually don’t divulge.

To uncover it, you need to do a little digging; talk to your existing clients, take a look at their social media activity and really try to figure out the true reasons behind their wants/needs.

In order to really get to the root cause, the pain point, you need to keep asking why… Why do they want to attract more customers? Why do they want business growth? Why do they want a more successful business?

They might seem like silly questions, but you can’t provide what your ideal client needs, craves, until you have uncovered the deep rooted feelings behind their surface level issues.

4. Write how you speak

Long, convoluted sentences and fancy words won’t impress anyone. In fact, it will have the opposite effect—it will confuse your reader and make them lose interest.

The best way to engage with your reader is to write as simply as you speak. Depending on the tone of voice of your brand, you might have to reign in your sense of humor a little, or how chatty you normally are, but you can still write in a way that is as easy to follow as a conversation.

Best practices include: avoiding long words and weird line breaks, keeping sentences and paragraphs short and making sure there’s a natural flow.

5. Make the ‘next step’ crystal clear

If you don’t ask your reader to take a specific action at the end of your copy (if you don’t tell them what you want them to do next) you might as well not bother writing it.

ALWAYS have a clear and direct Call To Action that instructs the reader what to do once they have finished reading.

It encourages further interaction—maintaining a connection with someone who could potentially become a future client.

By implementing these 5 tips into your writing, your marketing messages will trigger responses that will amplify the facts, figures, benefits and reasons, allowing you to appeal both to the logical brain, and the emotional one. 

If, however, you’re worried that you don’t have anyone in your team with the skills to craft engaging marketing messages or they simply don’t have the time and resources to get up to scratch, get in touch.

Here at JTN we have an in-house team of experts who specialize in writing copy that will make your clients sit back and think, ‘Yes, this is just what I’m looking for’.

We can help you transform your written content so that it creates eager enquiries, getting you more regular milage out of it and ultimately driving your firm towards growth.