Marketing

 by: Nancy E. Wigal

As a copywriter, it'd be so easy if all I ever had to do was list the features and benefits of your product or service. But while these are important and even necessary, there's something else that's equally as important that you may not think about.

Emotion.

Now that's a loaded word. Some people read it and immediately think of loud, exclamation-point-laden phrases. Some people think of excessive capitalization and way, way too much bolded and/or yellow-highlighted copy.

That's emotional alright - too much of it will cause headaches, seared eyeballs, and most importantly...the potential customer quickly clicking on the "Back" button on her browswer!

However, exclamation points, bold, and highlighted text can be effective if used properly. But the kind of emotions I'm talking about are the real ones that you get directly from the client who uses your service or product.

And what's the best way to capture those real emotions? Simple - through interviews. I ask questions that bring out all the emotions that compel your customer to buy from you. After reviewing your product and services, I'll develop a comprehensive set of questions to discover every emotion, even ones you may not have thought of.

During the interview I let the customer talk. I don't interrupt her, and I don't change the subject until she's done.

Even more important is to avoid rushing in to fill a conversation silence. I'll let it go on. Often, your customer will come out with the most valuable gems if you just wait and listen. We have two ears and one mouth for a good reason - use them in that proportion!

Why are we going through this effort anyways? Because it's well known we all buy with emotion, then we justify it with logic. Tap into your customer's most prevalent emotions, write them up in real words, and let her know you have the solutions to heal those particular emotions.

Conducting the interview, listening hard, and capturing all the emotions are just a few of the many tasks your copywriter does for you to produce significant marketing results. When hiring a copywriter, be sure to ask how he/she will find those emotions that match the benefits of your product or service.

If this crucial step is skipped, all you'll have is flat copy that lists what you offer. It'll either put the potential customer to sleep, or send her off to a competitor.