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Persuading Your Audience Involves More Than Talking About Benefits

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"Talk about the benefits your customer will have by choosing your product or service."
 
While the above statement is sound advice, it is missing one important component: addressing a concern.
 
We've all heard that we need to focus on the benefits, not the features (at least for non-technical audiences). But a lot of us are neglecting to tap into why readers should care about those benefits.
 
How do we get our readers to care?
 
Your product or service needs a benefit that makes your company stand apart from your competition. And you need to go beyond stating what that benefit is by putting your reader in the right mindset to feel the difference between the benefit he would receive from you and that which he would receive from your competition.
 
So, it isn't enough to talk about benefits; we need to talk about why our readers should care.
 
Addressing a perceived concern, one that you suggest for your readers, is an effective strategy to persuade your readers to take your desired action. A perceived concern will be something that will likely become a concern when brought to your readers' attention.
 
A scientifically proven persuasion technique is to tap into the reader's desire to do what others do. It works because, when you mention that other people are doing what you want your reader to do, that reader feels a sense of obligation to follow along. He doesn't want to stray from the pack or have his reputation ruined because he didn't perform a popular action.
 
Examples of this strategy:
  • "Thousands of subscribers are forwarding this weekly newsletter to a friend."
  • "Smart shoppers do this before stepping foot in a store."
 
The idea here is to question your readers. If others are doing something, why aren't you?
 
So, how do you get your readers to care about your product or service?
 
About the Author: Jody Calkins is a copywriter who helps her clients communicate effectively to their customers and prospects through articles, case studies, newsletters, and reports. For more information, please visit https://jodycalkins.com.
 
Need help writing your marketing materials? Contact Jody for a quote.
Jody Calkins
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