Lyden's Lab for Strategic Copywriters

The Give-to-Get Method of Persuasion

In his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (affiliate link), Robert Cialdini presents these six principles of persuasion:

• Reciprocity
• Commitment and consistency
• Social Proof
• Liking
• Authority
• Scarcity

My next series of posts at Lyden’s Lab will unpack each of these principles and explore how it applies to persuasive writing in marketing, advertising, public relations and sales.

What is reciprocity?

The idea behind this principle is that when someone gives us something of value for free, we feel a sense of obligation to “reciprocate,” to repay the favor in some fashion. It appeals to that psychological need in many of us to balance the scales. That may mean we allow the vendor time to pitch a product or even close the sale.

I call this the “Give-to-Get” method of persuasion.

For example …

A consultant offers a FREE initial consultation.

This reduces risk for the prospect because he or she expects to receive something of value (the consultant’s time) and be able to test whether the consultant is a fit – without the fear of losing money. If the prospect and consultant seem to be a good match, the prospect is more inclined to move forward with that consultant, not only on the merits of the consultant’s expertise but also, more subtly, out of obligation to the consultant’s investment in the relationship.

Other examples …

A software company offers a FREE white paper in exchange for prospects’ contact information, profile and permission to market to them.

A media company offers FREE access to certain articles – to demonstrate value while motivating users to pay for premium content.

A sales rep brings breakfast and coffee to a prospect’s business – and may not be expecting a formal meeting – but the decision-maker often feels obligated to at least “hear what you have to offer.”

A writer offers a prospective agency client a few hours of her time “at no charge” to give the agency a "no-risk" taste of her writing skills; if the agency principals are pleased with her work, the odds are strong that they feel obligated to present the next “paid” opportunity to that writer.

How does reciprocity apply to print and online copywriting?

The key is to develop a compelling FREE offer. Here are two questions to help guide you through the process:

What is something of value that you are willing to offer for free?

What do you ultimately expect to achieve with that giveaway?

• Attract blog or e-newsletter subscribers
• Build database of prospects who give your company permission-to-market to them
• Schedule a demo
• What else?

When is reciprocity most effective in the sales process?

In my post, Where Does Your Copy Fit in the Sales Process?, I describe in detail the various stages of the Law of the Harvest and Trust Continuum. Take a look at this graphic.

While you can leverage reciprocation at any of the four stages, it’s in Stage 1 where reciprocation will make the biggest impact. With new prospects, the trust-level with your company, product or offering is at its lowest point. But the appeal to reciprocation can create an environment where prospects can test your product/ service, which will likely increase their level of trust in you – and make them more inclined to continue down the sales cycle with you.

But wait …isn't reciprocation really a form of manipulation? Where do you draw the line?

I’ll address this issue in my next post.

 

About the Author: Sean M. Lyden is a nationally recognized feature writer and columnist on sales, marketing, automotive and technology topics. As a ghostwriter and copywriter, Sean has served clients such as General Motors, SunTrust Service Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Embedded Linux Consortium and Shaw Industries. He’s also co-author of the book How to Succeed and Make Money on Your First Rental House (Wiley, 2003). Follow Sean on Twitter.

© Sean M. Lyden, 2012, All Rights Reserved

 

Lead-Writing Formula: The I-Feel-Your-Pain Lead

The "I-Feel-Your-Pain" lead (also known as lede) draws your audience into the article by tapping into specific pain points your readers might feel -- and then makes the audience thirsty to read further to discover the remedy they've been longing for.

Here are two examples of leads that "feel your pain" from articles I wrote for Entrepreneur Magazine, with corresponding formulas that you can apply when writing about a wide range of other topics.

 

LEAD EXAMPLE #1

Perfect Balance

Steps to help you achieve balance between work, family and play when you're launching your start-up

Author: Sean M. Lyden

Entrepreneur.com

 

Even if you're well-versed in time-management and goal-setting techniques, achieving balance is especially difficult for start-up entrepreneurs. You're putting in horribly long hours. You're the CEO, marketing director, receptionist, tech-support person and janitor all rolled into one. And the hours you're away from your business, you're worrying about it, which can leave you feeling fatigued and irritable-with little patience or energy for anything or anyone else.

But if you don't strike a balance between work, family and play-even when you're launching a new company-you put a lot at risk:

• You risk burning out and sabotaging all that you have sacrificed for.
• You risk damaging relationships that are important to you and your business
• You risk missing out on new money-making opportunities and ideas because you have tunnel vision.

Balance, on the other hand, means committing to having your life revolve around more than just your venture. It means family and personal relationships are im-portant and fulfilling to you. It means you work hard and play hard, and you feel energetic and pumped up about life. So how can you realistically achieve balance while launching your company? Here are six strategies:

LEAD FORMULA #1

The formula for the example above looks like this:

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1. Statement of challenge. Use "you." The main idea is to tap into the audience's pain.

Sentence 2. Pain point #1

Sentence 3. Pain point #2

Sentence 4. Pain point #3

Paragraph 2

Sentence 1. But, if you don't correct this situation, here's what you're putting at risk: <insert bullet points>.

Paragraph 3:

Sentence 1. [The solution], on the other hand, means ... [define what the solution is, looks like, etc.]

Paragraph 4: The Nutgraph (A term that means: What the article is about in a "nutshell.")

Sentence 1. So how can you realistically achieve [the solution]? Here are x tips.

 

LEAD EXAMPLE #2

Blind Faith

Don't Worry! We'll tell you how to overcome your feelings of intimidation and reach your goals

Author: Sean M. Lyden

Entrepreneur.com

You feel mixed emotions as you consider leaving your day job to work for yourself. One moment, you're so pumped, you can't think about anything else. But the next, you're stricken with fear, intimidated by the uncertainty that lies ahead. (What if I fail? What do I even know about starting a business, anyway?)

"[Intimidation] is a feeling that somehow you aren't good enough," explains David Verchere, 33, CEO of Corporate Gear LLC, a New York City exchange and application service provider for the promotional products industry that recently closed a $1.5 million financing round. "We all classify ourselves in relation to others. When we apply that to our ambitions, we don't always see our potential, but rather our limitations."

Richard Kaufman, 31, agrees. "When you're intimidated, you feel doubt and uncertainty about whether you're up to the challenges that life throws your way," says Kaufman, president and CEO of Sweepsclub.com, a Deerfield Beach, Florida, direct Internet marketing company. "You wonder if your ideas will be accepted by your family and business associates. And then there is a fear of failure...especially when you have successful competitors."

Every aspiring entrepreneur gets intimidated to some degree. That's a given. Here's how they overcome those feelings of intimidation and accomplish their goals:

LEAD FORMULA #2

Here's what the formula looks like for the example above:

Paragraph 1

Sentence 1. You feel x.

Sentence 2. On one hand (one moment), you're ....

Sentence 3. But on the other hand (next moment), you're <insert pain point> ... [The objective here is to create tension in the mind of the reader.]

Paragraph 2

Sentence 1-2. Heighten tension with quote or support research.

Paragraph 3

Sentence 1-3. Cite another example that increases tension.

Paragraph 4: The Nutgraph

Sentence 1. Every [whoever the audience is] experiences [x] to some degree.

Sentence 2. That's a given.

Sentence 3. Here's how they overcome [pain point] to experience [pleasure point.]

 

What About You?

Do you have examples of "I-feel-your-pain" lead formulas that have worked well for you? 

 

About the Author: Sean M. Lyden is a nationally recognized feature writer and columnist on sales, marketing, automotive and technology topics. As a ghostwriter and copywriter, Sean has served clients such as General Motors, SunTrust Service Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Embedded Linux Consortium and Shaw Industries. He’s also co-author of the book How to Succeed and Make Money on Your First Rental House (Wiley, 2003). Follow Sean on Twitter.

© Sean M. Lyden, 2011, All Rights Reserved

How Do You Ensure Your Copy Connects with Your Audience?

Copy fails to persuade, inspire, or sell when it doesn’t connect with the intended audience. How do you make that connection – and write copy that grabs your audience’s attention, keeps it, and generates the results that clients have hired you to produce?

The starting point is to voraciously study your target audience, understand their concerns, and empathically feel in your gut what they experience when they encounter pleasure and pain points specific to their responsibilities. Then craft a Target Audience Profile that will serve as your guide as you write copy that captivates your readers.

Crafting a Target Audience Profile

Suppose you’re writing a corporate blog for a technology consulting firm. Here’s what your audience profile might look like.

Primary audience: CIO, IT Director.

• Responsibility: To manage the implementation and integration of technology and software systems that enhance information accessibility across multiple business units of an enterprise
• Pleasure Point: This person wants to be recognized for making smart decisions with technology investments – to build credibility and influence within the organization and be positioned for career advancement.
• Pain Point: What keeps this person awake at night is the fear of authorizing the purchase of $100k to several million dollars in new software systems that:
  • Lead to costly delays and budget overruns
  • Present difficulties for employees to learn and use the new system
  • Fail to achieve overall business objectives.

Copy Guidelines: Write useful articles that equip this audience with the specific technology tips, ideas and trends they need to navigate around these issues and ensure success of their IT initiatives.

This is an example of an approach that works very well for me to keep my copy on track. But what about you? What process do you follow to ensure your copy connects with your audience?

About the Author: Sean M. Lyden is a nationally recognized feature writer and columnist on sales, marketing, automotive and technology topics. As a ghostwriter and copywriter, Sean has served clients such as General Motors, SunTrust Service Corporation, Morgan Stanley, Embedded Linux Consortium and Shaw Industries. He’s also co-author of the book How to Succeed and Make Money on Your First Rental House (Wiley, 2003). Follow Sean on Twitter.

 

© Sean M. Lyden, 2011, All Rights Reserved

 

 

Is Ghost-Blogging Inherently Evil?

Mark Schaefer's article, It's Just Ridiculous to Argue about Ghost-Blogging, posted on Ragan.com today, has sparked a lively debate. Definitely check out the article. It's worth the read. Below is my position and contribution to the discussion. 

I'm with Mark (the author) on this one. Who is defining the rules on blogging, as if they were divinely inscribed on stone tablets? Do readers of a blog really just want authenticity, at the expense of readability? Or are they really searching for useful information or fresh ideas that they can easily read, understand and apply - regardless of how it was packaged? 

A good ghostwriter is uniquely adept at getting into the mind of the CEO, capturing his/her "voice" and then packaging that person's ideas or expertise in a way that inspires, persuades or sells no matter what the format- whether it's a speech, article or blog. According to what intrinsic standard, therefore, is it wrong (or unethical) to provide readers with high quality, well-written content, full of useful and actionable ideas from the CEO, regardless of how it was packaged or produced?

We as blog readers may say we want 100% authenticity as an ideal. But if we're honest with ourselves, how many of us are willing to continue to spend valuable time reading poorly written blogs because "at least they're authentic"? The bottom line: we want great content.

What is your position on this issue? If you're against ghost-blogging, what am I missing in my reasoning that, if I understood, would persuade me to join your side?

About the Author: Sean M. Lyden is a nationally recognized feature writer and columnist on sales, marketing, automotive and technology topics. Lyden is hired by companies in the high-tech, industrial and automotive markets to write persuasive sales copy that makes complex, highly technical products more compelling to customers. He’s also co-author of the book How to Succeed and Make Money on Your First Rental House (published by John Wiley & Sons). Follow Sean on Twitter.

 

© Sean M. Lyden, 2010, All Rights Reserved