Lyden's Lab for Strategic Copywriters: Sales

Sales

04/01/2012

Is Persuasion through Reciprocation Really Manipulation?

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

This 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.

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In a previous post, we talked in-depth about persuasion through reciprocation – that is, when a vendor or sales rep gives us something of value, we often feel a need to give back (or reciprocate) by responding favorably to the offer.

But this begs the question: If our intention is to give in order “to get,” isn’t that really manipulation? In the extreme, isn’t that really bribery? Couldn’t you say that it’s the “quid pro quo” (or reciprocation) in backroom deals among politicians and lobbyists that often drives corruption in politics? Can it not also lead to unethical marketing and sales tactics, as well?

On the surface, there’s just something that seems unseemly and manipulative about using reciprocity as a tool of persuasion, right?

Perhaps.

Yet, I am reminded by an oft-quoted saying from sales guru Zig Ziglar:

"You can get anything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want in life."

From that perspective, reciprocity can be a powerful and compelling force for mutual good.

Keeping Persuasion in the Proper Perspective

How do you apply this principle of persuasion-through-reciprocation in copywriting -- in a way that both the audience and marketer come out as winners? Ask yourself these three questions to keep your persuasion strategy in the proper perspective:

1. What does your audience want/need, relative to what your product/ service offers?

2. What can you give away that your audience wants/needs – and will make them hungry enough to pay for more?

3. What do you want in return for your give-away? A demo appointment? Contact information? Permission to market? Determine your goal upfront – and be transparent about your motives. If you’re offering something of genuine value – and it’s in the best interest of the audience – then you don’t have to be shy about your intentions.

Where I see the appeal to reciprocation sliding into manipulation is when the marketer is more focused on his or her company’s best interest – at the expense of the prospect/ audience.

The Bottom Line

So here’s my take on the reciprocation-versus-manipulation debate: What’s your focus -- mutual benefit (win-win) or your own benefit at the expense of others (win-lose)? Transparency or alterior motives?

If we think “win-win” when applying persuasion-through-reciprocation, I believe we’re on the right track.

What’s your take?

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Related Posts

The Give-to-Get Method of Persuasion

Avoid Pain or Gain Pleasure – Which is the Stronger Motivator?

Pricing Psychology

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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.

Posted at 01:15 PM in Advertising, Book Study Notes, Consumer Psychology, Persuasion, Sales | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: cialdini, Influence, Persuasion, reciprocity, Robert Cialdini, rule of reciprocity

03/28/2012

Want Your Copy to Sell More? Remove These 7 Barriers to Buying

Not generating the response you expect (and need) from your sales copy? If so, something is still holding your audience back. Our job as copywriters is to identify that obstacle and clear it out of the way for readers so they'll be open to our message -- and, thus, more amenable to buy.

What are common obstacles for buyers?

1. I don't "get it."

2. I don't see how this matters to me.

3. I don't need it.

4. I can't afford it.

5. I don't want to make a mistake.

6. I don't trust you/ company/ product.

7. I'm not sold that your company can deliver.

Which barriers hold your audience back?

Write copy that addresses those concerns, removes the barriers, and motivates your audience to buy.

Posted at 05:00 AM in Advertising, Copywriting, Sales | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: barriers to buying, copywriting, freelance writing, overcoming objections, sales

11/26/2011

Do You BELIEVE in What You're Selling?

If not, your sales copy will most likely fail to connect with your reader. Your power to persuade in writing begins with a wholehearted belief in your product or service that spills over with infectious passion and enthusiasm.

Napoleon Hill says it best in this quote:

"I do not believe that I can afford to try to deceive anyone, about anything, but I know that I cannot afford to try to deceive myself. To do so would destroy the power of my pen and render my words ineffective. It is only when I write with the fire of enthusiasm burning in my heart that my writing impresses others favorably; and it is only when I speak from a heart that is bursting with belief in my message, that I can move my audience to accept that message."

Before you write, tap into this power of belief. Imagine yourself experiencing the benefits your (or your client's) offering brings to the customer. From that state of mind, allow the words to flow.

Posted at 05:15 AM in Copywriting, Motivation, Sales | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: copywriting, persuasive writing, sales

03/25/2011

One Question that Motivates a Response to Your Sales Proposal

You’ve spent several hours writing a sales proposal, making sure you’ve articulated the most compelling benefits of your product or service, and sent it off to the prospect.

One day goes by. No response. Two days. Same thing. Three days. Crickets.

You follow up a week later. But still, no response. No feedback.

Was our price too high? Did the scope not match requirements? Where do we stand?

It’s impossible to get answers to these questions when the prospect goes silent. And such answers would be invaluable to help you adjust and refine your proposals to improve your sales conversion ratios in the future.

So, what can you do to motivate a response?

Here’s an approach that has worked very well for me. I developed and refined it as a nationally ranked corporate fleet sales rep for a General Motors dealer – and now use it to grow my freelance writing business and help clients convert more of their sales proposals into new revenue.

The “Let’s confirm” close

At the end of an email that includes the sales proposal (either as an attachment or, if appropriate, in the body of the email), I close with this question:

Let’s confirm: Do the scope and terms match what you're looking to accomplish? Or do we need to make adjustments?

Why this question works

It does not put the prospect on the spot to make a buying decision right then and there. In a sense, you’re taking the pressure off the prospect by “confirming the order” before you proceed to the next step in the sales process. As a result, the prospect is less defensive about your offer, and more likely to respond to your request and continue the sale.

If the scope indeed matches your prospect’s expectations (and the price and terms are agreeable), the prospect will likely reply, “Looks great. When can we start?”

If, for any reason, the price exceeds the prospect’s budget, she may say, “I like the scope but our budget is only $500. We just can’t do $800.” Now, at least you have a dialogue to keep the sales process going. You can respond with something along the lines of, “Understand completely. How about I look for areas where we can adjust scope and scale our services to still provide you with substantial value, but to fit within your budget. Would you be open to that?”

You accomplish two objectives with this response:

Instead of simply cutting your price to meet a budget number, you’ve preserved the value of your service.

You’ve positioned yourself (and your company), not as a transaction-seeking sales person, but as a trusted partner looking to create a win-win agreement.

What happens if the prospect does not respond to my initial email?

If, for any reason, you don't receive a response within a reasonable amount of time, send a follow up email along the lines of, “Hi ____, Just a quick email to check in and make sure you’re taken care of … Do you still need [whatever service you’re offering] or have you found someone to take care of this for you?” This approach almost always gives you some form of feedback from the prospect. He may still have a need and wants to continue dialogue with you but has been extremely busy. Or, he may be spooked by the price and say, “I’m not sure we have the budget to do this right now.” Or, “We decided to go with so-and-so.” At any rate, you’re getting valuable feedback on where you stand.

What about you?

How do you close your sales proposals? What works for you in motivating response? Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!

Posted at 11:59 AM in Copywriting, Sales, The Business of Writing | Permalink | Comments (1)

Technorati Tags: closing sales, copywriting, email proposals, sales, sales closes, sales copy, sales proposals

03/22/2011

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?

Posted at 06:22 AM in Advertising, Blogging, Copywriting, Sales | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: audience profile, copywriting, sales copy, target marketing

08/13/2010

7 Must-Read Posts on How to Craft a Compelling Elevator Pitch

When you’re at a networking event and someone asks you, “What do you do?”, does your answer generate enthusiastic interest and curiosity? If not, I’ve put together a list of seven must-read links to guide you through the process. Whether you’re a start-up entrepreneur looking to hone your elevator pitch to attract investors or a professional copywriter hired to craft the killer pitch for your company or client, there’s something here for you.

1. Explain what your company does in 30 Seconds -- Inc Magazine
2. Elevator Pitch 101: Intro to Writing a 30-Second Elevator Pitch -- The Closet Entrepreneur
3. Is Your Elevator Pitch a Home Run? -- Freelance Folder
4. How to Write Your Elevator Pitch -- Bridge Group Inc.
5. Elevator Pitch Essentials: How to Create an Effective Elevator Pitch (free E-book) -- Chris O’Leary
6. Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch -- American Management Association
7. 3-Part Formula for a Successful Elevator Pitch (includes 2-min video with copywriter Bob Bly) -- Jeff Hendrickson Design

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 (published by John Wiley & Sons). Follow Sean on Twitter.

© Sean M. Lyden, 2010, All Rights Reserved

Posted at 06:04 AM in Elevator Pitch, Sales | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: angel investment, copywriter, elevator pitch, entrepreneurship, killer pitch, networking, sales, start-ups, venture capital

05/11/2010

Copywriting that Builds Trust, the Bridge to More Sales

In a recent post on CopyBlogger, The #1 Conversion Killer in Your Copy (and How to Beat It), author Sonia Simone uses the illustration of a troll that hides under a bridge, ready to spring out and scare your prospect from acting on your offer. This is an excellent metaphor for one of the most common obstacles to copywriting success -- lack of trust.

Prospects will respond to or buy from those they trust. And it's trust that bridges your offer to your prospect's readiness and willingness to buy. Does your copy remove the obstacles (the trolls) to earning your audience's trust? Read Sonia's post to learn more.

03/10/2010

5 Must-Read Posts on Writing Headlines that Sell

"Writing headlines is a specialty - there are outstanding writers who will tell you they couldn't write a headline to save their lives."—Bill Walsh, National Copy Desk Chief, Washington Post

Looking for inspiration to write that killer headline? Here are five posts I’ve found to be extremely helpful.

· How to Write Headlines that Work by Brian Clark

· David Ogilvy on How to Write Headlines by Brad Shore

· How to Write an Effective Headline: Basic Principles by Ralph F. Wilson

· How to Write Headlines that Scream "Read Me!"by Mark Ragan

· The Sexy Art of Writing Headlines that Kill by Leo Babauta

Have you come across other great posts and articles on headline writing that have helped you? If so, please share them!

Posted at 09:46 AM in Advertising, Copywriting, Sales | Permalink | Comments (2)

Technorati Tags: advertising, copywriting, headline writing, headlines, sales

03/08/2010

It Doesn't Always Have to Be Sexy to Sell

As copywriters, we often fall into the trap of trying to be creative at the expense of clarity. We approach a dry, technical subject and ask ourselves, “How can I make this thing sizzle? How can I dress it up to make it a little more sexy?”

I wrestle with these questions all the time because the vast majority of subjects I write about are technical and non-sexy by nature – whether in the high tech, automotive or alternative fuel industries.

CLARITY VS. CREATIVITY

But I’ve come to this conclusion: When in doubt, make clarity your number one priority, even if your copy doesn’t seem very “creative.” Here’s why I think this.

An article I wrote for Work Truck Magazine was recently named the #1 “Most Viewed” for the magazine for 2009. (Here is a link to the Top 10 articles.) The article is on What Fleet Managers Should Know About Diesel Particulate Filters. The subject matter is anything but sexy, but the #1 ranking reflects an ability to write about dry concepts in a way that resonates with a target audience. (# 4 on the list, Gas vs. Diesel, is another article I wrote.)

This is not to toot my own horn (although that’s exactly what I’m doing, I guess), but to show a concrete example that your writing doesn’t always have to be sexy to sell. Instead, our content must FIRST be relevant, useful and CLEAR to our intended audiences – then we can look at ways to package it more creatively. But, if we make creativity our highest priority, we risk losing the audience . . . and the sale.

What are your thoughts?

Posted at 09:10 AM in Advertising, Copywriting, Productivity, Project Management, Sales | Permalink | Comments (2)

Technorati Tags: clarity , Copywriting, creativity, productivity, sales

01/20/2010

How to Write a Cold Call Script that Leads to Warm Receptions

There's an active discussion at the SalesBlogcast.com group on LinkedIn on the topic: "What is the Best Way to Turn a Cold Call into a Warm Reception?" I thought you'd find value in my response, as it relates to copywriting along the Trust Continuum. In it, I share a cold call script I wrote and tested for several years as a corporate fleet rep. It's an approach that helped me (who hates to make cold calls) generate a steady stream of qualified leads. I also have used this script in an email format to "cold call" a prospect, with the subject heading "Inquiry."

As you read the response below, try to identify copywriting principles that would explain why this script works AND look for ways you could improve or adapt it to better fit your personality. I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas....

A Low-Key Approach to Get Your Foot in the Door

Here is an approach that has worked very well for me.

1. Give the prospect the opportunity to identify him/herself as the right person to speak with.

"I'm hoping you can help point me in the right direction.
My name is [insert name] with [insert company name].
We do[offer/provide/etc... then give one sentence description of your product/service].
Who would I speak with about offering a competitive proposal on your [accounting software systems, HR benefits package, corporate insurance policies, etc.], would that be you?

2. The contact may respond, "No, actually that would be John Smith." At least now you know you're not wasting anyone's time speaking with the wrong person. Then you approach John Smith:

"Joe Wilson pointed me your direction" . . .
My name is [insert name] with [insert company name].
We do[offer/provide/etc... then give one sentence description of your product/service].
To confirm . . . Are you the person I would speak with about offering a competitive proposal on your [accounting software systems, HR benefits package, corporate insurance policies, etc.]?

3. If person identifies him/herself as the contact, then you can proceed to your proposition and call to action, appropriate to this early stage in the sales cycle. This may be to:

Schedule an appointment to demo/ present your product or service
Get permission to place on your email list
Get permission to send more information.

When you take the approach that you're NOT trying to make the sale on the first contact, you relieve pressure off both you and the prospect. This gives the prospect time to warm up to you and be more inclined to listen to your ideas.

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 (published by John Wiley & Sons). Follow Sean on Twitter.

Posted at 11:07 AM in Copywriting, Prospecting, Sales | Permalink | Comments (0)

Technorati Tags: cold calls, copywriting, sales

Lyden's Lab for Strategic Copywriters

Uncovering the Principles, Processes and Psychology to Writing Persuasive Copy