Time and time again I find the same things missing and one of the most important missing elements are “Power Words”.

Power Words are a great way to improve your conversions and to grab the prospects emotions and should be used, judiciously, in all your sales copy.

They are so important that I have a list of the most powerful ones pasted to my wall just next to the computer screen I am writing this on.

The best words make the reader “feel” and “imagine” an object, scene or situation; note imagine can be a great power word!

How they work is they tap into some of the more “primal” emotions and desires and trigger off more intense reactions than other words. Of course, not all words will trigger absolutely everyone but true power words will draw out stronger emotions is almost everyone.

The most common example, and the one some people call “the most powerful word in the English language”, is the word free.

The reason is people love to get something for nothing. This probably goes back to “cave man” days when it could be the difference between surviving and not surviving.

Another, non-marketing example that has power is the proverbial screaming “fire”, it usually trigger a strong emotional (and physical!) response.

With Power Words so critical in a sales letter and so many people are neglecting them I’m going to look at how to use them to really improve your conversions and your profits.

Psychology professors at Yale did a study of the English language and found that some words have significantly more “power”, that is, trigger stronger emotions, than other words. Their top 10 list of the “most powerful words”, and how to use them, is:

1. You: It was the most powerful word in every study reviewed. Try to put it in very important spots in your copy like your headlines, opening paragraphs, benefit lists, etc.
2. Results: This makes people feel more confident and comfortable with the product or service and helps them get beyond their natural skepticism. Put results in several places, after making claims and a reminder near the purchase button.
3. Health: Not a general marketing word but it can be used to good effect when it is applicable
4. Guarantee: A huge part of risk reversal, it helps ease fears of “being taken advantage of” and “making a bad decision”. The stronger the guarantee, from the point of view of the prospect, the better your conversions with be
5. Discover: People like to know this others don’t know and discovering something new adds some additional excitement. This is used when you are initially talking about your product or service as well as several places elsewhere to reinforce the message.
6. Love: Like health not a general marketing word but powerful when it can be used. Love, after all, is something everybody strives for from birth
7. Proven: Like results and guarantee this overcomes fear and skepticism. It is particularly good used after an announcement or claim that may seem astonishing or remarkable and the proof should be more remarkable than the claim.
8. Safety: Not specifically general although it can be used effectively in risk reversal sections.
9. Save: People want to keep more of what they have while getting more of what they want. This can be used to good effect throughout your copy.
10. New: Similar to discovery people most like things new both for the novelty and also for the “I have it and you don’t and that gives me a advantage” factor.

While many, if not most, of those words are on the standard lists of power words but, in truth, copywriters use additional and “stronger” power words, ones that dig deep and bring out visceral feelings; that is, words that affect a person’s inner core and produces almost overwhelming emotions.

A selection of these strong words that are on the list on my wall are: Announcing, Astonishing, Easy, Exclusive, Fast, Hurry, Last Chance, Limited, Phenomenal, Powerful, Revealing, Secret, Startling and Urgent.

They are all picked because of the psychological triggering of emotions they invoke in most people.

In addition to individual words here are some phrases that are powerful “Power Phrases:

• “At last, …”
• “Best of all, …”
• “I’ve got good news for you …”
• “Listen closely, …”
• “Buy one, get one free”
• “Major Breakthrough in …”
• “Do you make these mistakes …”
• “The most powerful …”
• “How to get …”
• “Can you imagine …” and “Just imagine …”

Just remember, the copy (the words on your Web page) should lead the prospect down the path you wish them to go; this is similar to using the carrot to get the horse to go in the direction you want it to.

You do this by invoking a planned series of emotional triggers, one after the other, so that the prospect eventually “decides on their own” that they want what you provide.

And the way you invoke those emotions is through words and Power Words are a key aspect of that.

Comment and let me know some of your favorite Power Words and Phrases.

Talk soon,

The Shameless (Ethical) Marketer
http://www.8-8-8Sale.com
http://www.MusicForInternetMarketers.com
http://www.MadMondaySale.com
http://www.2ForTuesdaySale.com
http://www.SecretsOfGoogleAdwords.com

O.Y. The person who was, and continues to be, the most instrumental person in teaching me copywriting is Dan Kennedy. You can get 2 free months of his Inner Circle newsletter by going to http://www.StreetGuideToCopywriting.com/HighlyRecommends/GKIC

This post from: Street Guide to Copywriting. To read more post like this, head over to Street Guide to Copywriting

Some Words Are Mightier Than the Sword: Powerful Words to Trigger Emotions

Below I have listed each question again along with the correct answer and a reason for that answer, if one was given.

I have also given my answer and my analysis of the answer.

Answers

Here are the answers and the winners…

1. A) Push Button shave cream
B) Moisturized Shave Cream

Answer: A.
Reason: It converted better than 2 to 1 because it focused on instant gratification.

My answer: A.
My analysis: It is almost always better to focus on quick benefits than more ambiguous ones that many won’t really care about. Who doesn’t want a quick solution but “moisturizing” means different things to different and some won’t even want it at all so it is weaker.

Answer: A.
Reason: It gave a specific promise of benefit.

My answer: A.
My analysis: Always go for the emotional response in the prospect not the intellectual one.

Answer: B.
Reason: The word that attracted people is “you”.

My answer: B.
My analysis: I was just stupid looking for the “it’s okay many people suffer like you do” but that doesn’t usually trump “solution for YOU”; should have read and thought better.

Answer: A.
Reason: Specificity and clarity attract better than not; this shows the exact price and, by default, savings.

My answer: A.
My analysis: Notice that being specific is used where advantageous and isn’t where it is not. I wouldn’t be surprised if this converted better than saying “Would you buy a $29.99 shirt on sale for $14,99″ – although testing it would be in order. In fact, I’d be interested in seeing how either of those did against a less specific amount that was actually a better deal.

Answer: A.
Reason: None given.

My answer: A.
My analysis: There is implied scarcity as well as the suggestion of it being a designer jacket, even if you don’t know Manana. Being “handmade” implies quality to some but too many, particularly those interested in designer labels it is a negative. Also, in the U.S. the “made in Mexico” is, rightly or wrongly, thought of as being of cheap or poor quality.

Answer: B.
Reason: It converted 20% better because it spoke to a specific audience.

My answer: B.
My analysis: Whenever you can throw in a phrase that is more specific to a targeted person it will, somewhat subconsciously, attract them. Think of how many times you’ve found that a new thing you learned or liked seemed to be all around you AFTER it became important to you. That isn’t coincidence, it was probably there all the time but was filtered out by your brain because it wasn’t important enough to you.

Answer: B.
Reason: It caused a 27% increase in requests because of added promise of benefit

My answer: B.
My analysis: Always go for a solution, never forget the importance of the emotional connection.

Answer: A.
Reason: None given but this pulled 3 times better.

My answer: A.
My analysis: Potential scarcity and social proof win out over the “leather” and the specific price. Even though the second one added the “sold out in 48 hours”, it wasn’t greater than the implied faster sell out by using the word “cancel”

A) If the headline is above the picture?
B) If the headline is below the picture?

Answer: B.
Reason: Pictures are usually better eye-catchers than words

My answer: B.
My analysis: There is a good possibility of losing the headline if it is above a dominant picture. This wouldn’t be true with a small picture, like of yourself.

Answer: B.
Reason: None given

My answer: B.
My analysis: The second one again hit deep into the emotional subconscious by invoking thoughts of a big, fancy, expensive hotel in Paris, further utilizing additional triggers; it wouldn’t have done so well if it has said “We first saw these in the Carillon Hotel on the Place de la Concorde in Cleveland.”

Answer: B.
Reason: It has both curiosity (“would you”) and benefit (big savings”in one headline.

My answer: B.
My analysis: The words “below wholesale” has some positive impact but it loses completely to the specific savings by having the exact prices, since the price difference is great (it would have had the impact of “Would you buy a woman’s $25 sweater for $19.99″, there the “below wholesale” probably would have won). Also, having a question in a headline makes people stop and read and, if only subconsciously, answer the question.

Answer: B.
Reason: None given

My answer: B.
My analysis: B seems Boring (with a capital B). But don’t lose sight of the little triggers like implied lots of sales and invoking questions like “how many did you sell?” and “who is Milton Gordon?” A has few triggers, the best they can hope for is the implication that they go all out for their customers.

Answer: A.
Reason: This converted 2 times better, because message B has been repeated so often the audience was bored and few read it.

My answer: B.
My analysis: This one just fooled me completely. If it wasn’t from someone like Gary Halbert I’d doubt it and even then I’d like to test it (hmm, maybe I still need to work on my humble

Answer: B.
Reason: The reason the headline made sense because it tied with the fact that most volvos are driven for 11 years in Sweden and by then it’s paid for.

My answer: B.
My analysis: My thought was that people looking for a Volvo are concerned with quality and, particularly, safety so they added the words “we didn’t forget you’d be sitting in it for 11 years”. I would have tested “we didn’t forget who’d be sitting in it for 11 years” also because they are very popular with families and the “protect my child” impulse is usually stronger than the “protect myself” one.

Answer: A.
Reason: A converted twice as well.

My answer: A.
My analysis: This one is simple. A has benefits, B has features. Always go for benefits the more to the customers emotional core the better.

Answer: A.
Reason: This converted 50% better because of the offer of free information.

My answer: B.
My analysis: This one surprised me completely. I would have thought the benefits of relieving pain would have beat the question and the implied free info.

Answer: A.
Reason: None given

My answer: A.
My analysis: Answer A is really a fear question with the implication of removing that fear while B is just and intellectual question. Fear pretty much smashes curiosity every time.

Answer: B.
Reason: This headline was the result of asking buyers of the product WHY they bought the product, and they replied, “it feels good when my eyes are tired.”

My answer: B.
My analysis: How-to’s are always good, plus there is a “quick” solution to a problem.

1. How to talk to a horse
2. Free way to start horsing around
3. How to adopt a horse
4. Free gift if you love horses
5. Free lessons in horse training

Answer: 5-4-3-2-1.
Reason: Research revealed the word “free” used its customary magic as well as the words “how to”

My answer: 4-5-3-1-2.
My analysis: Expected to free to be better than how-to. Thought 4 was better than 5 but that was because I didn’t completely read the question and look at who the target audience is. Still don’t understand why #2 wasn’t the worst one though

Answer: Sort of a trick question since the both converted the same, at least you couldn’t get it wrong!
Reason: None given

My answer: B.
My analysis: I am surprised, I would have thought the pull of being “like a champions” would have helped.

How Did You Score?

In summary, the answers were: 1 – A; 2 – A; 3 – B; 4 – A; 5 – A; 6 – B; 7 – B; 8 – A; 9 – B; 10 – B; 11 – B; 12 – B; 13 – A; 14 – B; 15 – A; 16 – A; 17 – A; 18 – B; 19 – 5,4,3,2,1; 20 – Both

I, not Gary Halbert, have come up with a rating system so you can see how well you did; note this is slightly playful tongue-in-cheek.

20 Correct, A+. You are a Copywriting god and should quick your day job and start charging $50,000 to write a sales letter.

18-19 Correct, A. You definitely know what you are doing and should “turn pro” if you aren’t already.

16-17 Correct, B. Not bad at all, you have some talent, keep it up and who knows some day you might make it out of the minor league s and make it to the “Show”

14-15 Correct, C. Some skill and knowledge, keep working on it but consider hiring out your copywriting work!

12-13 Correct, D. Don’t give up your day job.

10-11 Correct, F. Definitely don’t give up your day job.

Under 10 Correct, what is below F. Give it up (or buy all my copywriting products

Seriously though, remember that no matter how experienced or good you are you can always learn more and you should always remember, no feel, the emotions of your target audience and then test, Test and TEST again.

So Who Won?

Unfortunately, and disappointingly, only two people took the quiz.

I thank you for that and will be giving you both gifts.

I decided to take the best score from each person, here is the scoring:

Gladys Choo – Gut: 13/20, Copywriter: 14/20
WY – Gut: 10/20, Copywriter: 14/20

So here are the winners:

Gladys and WY tied. If I would have thought about it I would have had a tiebreaker using the second score but, since I didn’t, I declare you both winners.

Congratulations.

Now the Prizes

You will each get a 1 free year membership to my new membership site coming soon (I can’t divulge the value of that but I think you’ll be happy, I can say you’re saving more than $100).

You will also each get a coupon for a free copy of the Copywriting e-book I will releasing soon (this way you’ll get all the bonuses also).

Finally, you each will get a coupon for the free 8-8-8 Sale product of your choice.

I hope you found this as fun and instructive as I did!

Talk soon,

David

O.Y. If you want to really increase your conversions and sales, and want to learn more about being a great copywriter then check out the soon to be released book, Be a Copywriting Pro.

O.O.Y. By the way, I got this quiz from Jason Fladien’s blog, it has some good copywriting info also.

This post from: Street Guide to Copywriting. To read more post like this, head over to Street Guide to Copywriting

Grades are in, did you pass?