3 Easy Copy Tweaks That Melt Skepticism

One of the biggest difficulties you face when writing a sales message is making it believable.

This is especially true on the Internet where hyped-up sales letters have multiplied like weeds in an untended garden.

So the question becomes, how do you break through your prospect’s natural skepticism with copywriting? How you do you write in a such a way that he believes everything you say?

With that in mind, here are three “believability enhancers” you may want to add to your copy pronto.

Copywriting Tip #1: Replace Exclamation Points with Periods (or Full Stops)

It’s natural to be enthusiastic about whatever product or service you’re selling. And it’s natural to want to put exclamation points at the end of your sentences.

But here’s the thing: Your natural enthusiasm — conveyed through the use of exclamation points — is going to do two things to your prospect.

First, it’s going to make your prospect feel like you’re yelling at him. And secondly, it’s going to make him view your claims as hype. In other words, he’s not going to believe you.

And you can’t blame him. After all, some of the most important messages in the world were not shouted from the roof tops, but rather whispered in a confidant’s ear.

Always remember: A whisper can speak louder than a shout.

So as you edit your sales message, look for exclamation points and replace them with periods. (If you live in the U.K., replace exclamation points with full stops.)

This will naturally soften the tone of your copy and make it more believable.

Do you have to get rid of all exclamation points? No. But do use them sparingly.

Copywriting Tip #2: Write in a Consistent Voice

If you are writing in the voice of a man, say things that a man would say. If you are writing as a woman, say things that a woman would say.

This may seem like commons sense, but I’ve personally seen this “rule” violated a few times, usually when a person is trying to write in the voice of the opposite sex (for instance, a man trying to write in a woman’s voice).

But voice extends beyond gender. The voice you use in your copy has to fit in with the persona you’ve adopted in your letter.

Example: If you are positioning yourself as a work-at-home professional, you need to talk like one.

Would you swear in your copy? Probably not. Would you talk like a surfer from SoCal? Again, probably not (unless it was an integral part of your personality). But would you use jargon from within the work-at-home industry? Yes!

A few weeks ago, a potential client asked me if I’d be interested in writing a new letter to beat the one he was using. I said maybe, but that I wanted to see the copy first.

When I reviewed his letter I was shocked because of how fake everything felt. The female who had supposedly created the product was not a real woman, just an actress. And it was obvious a man had written the copy — not the female actor.

This kind of incongruence between the person who is speaking… and the voice he or she is using… can kill your sales. Consumers are often fairly savvy, and they can smell inauthenticity a mile away.

So as you review your sales message, ask yourself: “Is this something that fits with the persona I’m using? Does this fit in with who I am — or the part of me I’m presenting to my potential customers?

Copywriting Tip #3: Admit a Weakness About Your Product or Service

A third key for melting skepticism and making your copy more believable is to admit a product weakness. Some advertisers and copywriters have called this persuasion technique “the damaging admission.”

Many business owners find it difficult to admit a flaw or weakness about their product or service because they believe so wholeheartedly that what they offer is “the best.”

And yet confessing a weakness is disarming (because so few advertisers do it), and it naturally builds trust.

So how do you do this?

Take a good look at your product. Is there something about it that might be perceived as a weakness, but yet doesn’t overtly damage your overall sales message?

Here’s an example to get you thinking…

If you’re selling a DVD, maybe the cover art isn’t that great. You could admit this flaw. Your prospect would then be more inclined to believe everything else you say.

Of course, people don’t normally buy DVDs for the cover art, so admitting this flaw wouldn’t overtly damage your ability to generate a sale.

Another example:

If you’re selling a product that helps people make money, you could very easily make a subtle statement like, “While it won’t solve all your money problems, it will help you [fill in the blank].”

While this damaging admission is not as strong (because it lacks specificity), it is still effective and works to make your case more believable.

Melt Skepticism, Build Trust

With hype permeating so many sales messages — both online and off-line — it just makes sense to do whatever you can to build trust and believability into every marketing message you create.

And by using exclamation points judiciously, writing in a consistent voice, and admitting a product weakness, you can do just that.

– Ryan

P.S. To learn more about the art of writing sales copy that sells, check out Copywriting Code.