If your ecommerce site is your “store,” your product pages are your “salespeople.”
Every good one worth their commissions and bonuses knows some words have more power than others when it comes to swaying a customer toward a purchase.
Employing the five most persuasive words will help move shoppers to conversion, whether you sell ebooks online, furniture, cosmetics or electronics. Here they are:
You
Every visitor to your eCommerce site has one question in mind: “Will I find what I need at the price I want to pay at this site?” Your goal is to convince them they’ve landed in the right place.
When you craft your copy so it appears to speak directly to the user—using the various forms of the word “you” (you, your and you’re)—the reader internalises what you’re saying and is more likely to be persuaded by your descriptions.
Even better, you’ll really get their attention if you incorporate their actual names. Personalisation is a very powerful tool.
Free
Everybody wants to be free and everybody loves getting something they need for free. In fact, studies have shown customers will buy more if you set a price threshold for a free shipping offer—just to get it sent to them for free.
While people love getting a great deal, when they get something for “nothing” they feel they got away with a steal.
However, you have to be careful with this one. In a lot of cases, free offers will do little to encourage repeat business. In fact, they tend to attract bargain hunters whose only loyalty is to their bank accounts. Smart merchants use free promotions to reward their repeat customers.
Because
If you want people to do something, you’d darn well better be prepared to give them a reason. Why? People have an inherent need to know why.
With that said, the “because” needn’t be anything monumental. Often, just providing a reason, regardless of its significance, is enough to persuade people to take action.
The overriding question we referred to at the beginning of this article really boils down to, “What’s in this for me?” When you give shoppers a reason to take action, you answer that question in their minds.
Instantly
We live in an age of instant gratification. Movies and music on demand, fast food, ready-made clothing and text messaging are all products of this phenomenon.
A shopper will be more readily moved to engage in the behaviour you desire when you can promise something will happen right away.
Any words invoking the image of instant gratification will usually work. These include “immediately,” “fast,” “right away” and “without delay.”
Here’s the thing though, if you set them up to expect it, you have to deliver. Any disappointment can turn them away from doing future business with you.
New
Consider these two phrases: “You’ve just won a car!” and “You’ve just won a new car!” In both cases, the car is new to you. But the second phrase carries a lot more excitement—because people love getting new things.
While consumers tend to trust recognisable brands and sometimes reject new takes on the tried and true, something altogether new ignites curiosity. This is a very powerful motivating factor among sentient beings.
Using these five words in your product descriptions, promotional materials and calls to action will greatly increase the likelihood of readers taking action.
However, whenever you’re employing the five most persuasive words, you have to be certain you can support the claims you use them to make.
