Whether you’re updating your website’s content or designing new brochures, the sales copy you write needs to be effective. And the best way to make it effective is to understand some basic principles of sales psychology.
While you can’t completely discount that humans are individuals with different needs and desires, you can use what people have in common to appeal to more buyers on a deeper level. Here’s what you need to know to sell more.
1. Consumers are emotionally driven.
Most of us are shopping to fulfill a basic want or need — like the need to feel safe or happy. To capitalize on this, you must determine what emotional triggers are associated with your products. When you remind buyers how your product satisfies those needs or desires, you have a better chance of completing a sale. For instance, let’s say you sell generators. Your goal should be emphasizing how your line of products can keep families safe during emergencies or natural disasters.
2. Shoppers like facts to rationalize their purchases.
This particularly applies to high-end purchases. People will spend more money for your brand if they can rationalize why doing so is a smarter choice. The way to do that is to use facts in your sales copy. Consider how a customer might be persuaded to buy a $20 hammer over an $8 hammer if they know that the more expensive tool comes with a guarantee and is made out of superior materials.
3. Most customers are skeptical shoppers.
Making outrageous claims about a product is more likely to turn away customers than bring them in. That’s because consumers don’t want to be duped into shelling out their hard earned money for junk. To overcome skepticism, you need to back up your claims with evidence and minimize the customer’s risk. This can be accomplished with evidence from scientific studies, customer testimonials, and endorsements from individuals you know your target customers respect. (Think Bob Harper endorsing a home gym system.)
4. People want to test your product for themselves.
Any time you let a customer examine a sample, it shows that you believe in your product and you’re confident that it will hold up to scrutiny. If you are able to offer samples to new customers, brag about it! When people are satisfied that your product is everything you say it is, they’re more likely to become loyal customers.
5. People can’t be forced into buying.
That’s why it’s so important that you strive to be enticing but never pushy. Very few people in this world will respond positively to a hard sell. This brings us back full circle to the first tip: remind your audience how your product fulfills their most basic wants and needs. That’s what’s going to get their attention in a good way.
These tips are really just the beginning of how an understanding of sales psychology can help you build your business. Still, these basic tips will help you sell more and ultimately generate more revenue. Remember it’s not about you, and it’s not about your product. It’s always all about the customer.
