As copywriters, our ultimate goal is to help you sell your products, services and ideas. But when the average person is bombarded with 5,000 ads per day, breaking through the noise is no easy task.
The best copywriters in Hong Kong – and around the world – employ powerful psychological techniques to break through our “anti-marketing” defense mechanisms and speak directly to our unconscious minds.
Read on for a few insiders’ tips, and the reasons WHY we use them…
Make your first and last words count
This is the basis of the Serial Position Effect. Countless research has shown that we subconsciously prioritise the first and last pieces of information – be it bullet points or lengthy paragraphs – often at the expense of anything in between. Decide what information is critical for your readers, and make your first and last sentences count.
Dixons cleverly use this technique in their advertising, so that the reader’s lasting impression is to just go to Dixons and buy it. Simple, yet effective.
Effective copy has a call to action
The “call to action” is your kicker in copywriting – tell your readers what you want them to do! As Stanley Millgram’s controversial experiments proved, people are conditioned to obey when asked to do something – even if they might not want to.
The more value and relevance you use on your “Call to Action” copy, the more dramatic effect you it will have on conversations, your click through rate and potential sales. After setting up your pitch with persuasive information, what’s the next step? What do you want your readers to do? Tell them!
State the benefits. Make it simple. Make it compelling.
Repetition builds trust
The more we read and hear copy, the more inclined we are to trust in it, despite the fact that it may only be repeated by a single channel. This is known as the Illusory Truth Effect: the subconscious belief that repetition is correlated with accuracy.
Standard Chartered Bank has created a marketing concept that surrounds the statement “Here for good.” A promise to its loyal customers - but they don’t stop there. Throughout their advertising the bank cleverly employs repetition in their website copy, coupled with videos tied to the same theme.
Here for Ambition, Here for achievers, Here for generations and Here for innovators all reinforce the message that Standard Chartered is here for you. The more we read the words, the more inclined we are to believe them.
Avoid lackadaisical word choices
Research has shown that if you incorporate unusual words into normal sentences, information retention will be higher. This phenomenon has been coined the Bizarreness Effect. A study in 1995 concluded that noticeably different words or phrases - coupled with a more “normal” straightforward sentence - achieve the greatest results.
When used well, this is one of our favourite tools. We even cooked up an excuse to use it on the Wordsmith website. Nestled in between serious prose about drafting annual reports, websites and speeches for the world’s leading corporations, you’ll find this line:
“We’ve even written a thank-you letter for a box of peaches.”
(to Sir Li Ka-shing from the CEO of Standard Chartered Bank)
Of all the amazingly well-crafted copy on our site, this is the one line people always seem to remember… and always bring up in conversation. Hooray for science!
Copy so crisp it crunches!
As copywriters, we spend hours fussing over just the right word for that gripping headline or spellbinding piece of copy.
Studies have shown that different words – even if they have similar meanings – activate the brain in very different ways. The fundamentals of Neuromarketing encourage writers to use sensory phrases that tap into readers’ senses and emotions, enhancing recognition and recall.
As any Openrice fan will tell you, foodies have an innate understanding of the importance of sensory words. Check out this description of Anday Paratha served by Hong Kong private caterers Pomegranate:
“Anday paratha : creamy scrambled eggs in a rich onion, tomato & chili relish garnished with a big burst of fresh herbs and served on a warm buttered griddle Paratha.”
Creamy… rich… bursting… fresh… warm… buttered…. griddled… Is your mouth starting to water? It’s so sensual it borders on obscene.
So there you have it - some deeper insight into the psychology behind great copy. Skillful copywriting encourages recall and recognition; it inspires readers to act; it builds trust in audiences; and it taps into your senses.
Arm yourself with these useful tips from the psychology playbook and make your copy shine!