Imagine you’re tasked with writing a short sales page, pitching a home security package.
The package includes security cameras, motion detectors and an app for a phone or tablet. There’s a panic button function too.
But here’s the twist…
Once you’ve done writing, you’re going to read this sales copy to your grandma.
And you’re going to read it while sitting across the kitchen table from her, looking her in the eye.
You can’t deviate from the script or improvise. You can’t make excuses and say, “But hey, this is my grandma.”
I want you to think about how you would write this sales copy with the prior knowledge that you WILL be reading it to your grandma.
If you want to avoid any awkward moments while doing that, here are 5 tips that might help.
Tip #1: Don’t sound like a used salesman.
If you’re selling to your grandmother, while looking her in the eyes, you’re not going to read her sales copy that sounds like a script for a used car salesman, or for a late-night infomercial.
As a trained copywriter or marketer, you may know HOW to write sales copy that is hard-hitting with plenty of punch.
But unless you’re comfortable living with the undying disapproval of your own grandmother, you’re going to dial back on the full-bore, in-your-face sales pitch.
In fact, you’re going to try to sound like yourself.
If you sound any different from your true self, the whole thing is going to feel weird.
Tip #2: Find an approach that allows you to be genuinely enthusiastic.
If you can’t use your bag of full-on sales tricks and techniques, how can you set about making a sale?
After all, you still need some energy in your copy. You can’t just read out a bland description of that home security package.
The trick is to find something you can get genuinely enthusiastic about.
Maybe you could focus on how much you worry about your grandma. You could get enthusiastic about the fact that this product, through its app, will bring everyone peace of mind.
She’ll know she’s always protected. And the family will know she’s OK.
Get excited about that… and you have 90% of your sales pitch done.
Enthusiasm born of genuinely giving a damn will always work better than some out-of-the-can copywriting technique.
Tip #3: Align your own enthusiasm to what’s important to her.
This tip is about listening. It’s about knowing your audience intimately. It’s about doing the research.
Why? Because while you may feel enthusiastic about keeping an eye on your grandma with this security package, she may not feel the same.
She may value her privacy. She may feel that all this high-tech stuff is an invasion of her home.
You need to know that.
Understand her point of view and you can adjust that enthusiastic pitch of yours to make the point that she will always be in total control of the system. She can turn all the cameras off if she wants. Or just use the one at the front door.
There’s a big lesson here. What’s important to you, your business or your client may not be perfectly aligned with what’s important to your prospects.
Figure that out and make the necessary adjustments, before you make the pitch.
Tip #4: Place a premium on your long-term relationship.
This is your grandmother we’re talking about, so it’s a given that you’ll value your long-term relationship above the sale of this one product.
If she clearly doesn’t want it, you’ll back off and talk about the weather, or the next family birthday.
There’s a way to do this with a larger audience too.
Whatever you’re selling, you can give people a way out.
“Hey, if this isn’t the right choice for you right now, that’s OK.”
Push too hard and you can lose a prospect or customer for life. Give them a way out and while you may not make a sale today, they’ll still be a true prospect or customer tomorrow… and you can try again.
Tip #5: Use conversational language.
Again, this is your grandma you’re talking to. So you’ll absolutely want your sales copy to sound conversational.
If it sounds too formal, too structed or too salesy, the whole experience is going to be super-awkward for both of you.
Well, if that’s true when you’re selling to your grandmother… why would it be any less true when you’re selling to any audience you actually care about?
Why wouldn’t you talk to them in the same open, honest, friendly and conversational way?
Wrapping it up…
As I’m sure you’ve figured out, this whole exercise is a pitch for the power of conversational copywriting.
Conversational language is language that disarms. A good conversation feels safe and unthreatening.
Add some genuine enthusiasm to a conversational tone, and you’re most of the way towards making a sale.
In other words, you don’t need to write pushy sales copy to succeed as a copywriter or marketer.
You just need to hold enthusiastic conversations with your audience.
And treat them with the same respect you show your grandmother.
Conversational Copywriting is the future of selling online. You can build your expertise now, or try catching up later. Find out about the course here…
This is a really helpful article Nick. Even for those who’ve never known grandmothers, the picture you paint is clear and easily followed. The points flow smoothly and convincingly. Your 5 tips wrap the package snugly. Love it!