Search for the most powerful words used in marketing and the most cited word is the four-letter F-word, Free. The word Free gets customer attention but is it really effective in making sales?
The F-word is so overused these days, that we almost automatically tune it out. We know nothing is really free, there’s always a catch. Free will get attention, but it’s never taken seriously.
It’s important for a business to remember that your customers are not looking for Free. Rather, they’re looking for good value for their money.
When a business has to discount its products, especially to the point of giving something away for free, that’s evidence of failure. Discounting and giveaways are the penalties a business has to pay for failing to set itself apart from its competition. If you compete on price, there’s nowhere to go but down.
Choose Your Words
One key to copywriting is to use the right words for your customers and your brand. You need to speak the language of your customers not that of your marketing department.
For example, Apple products are all about style. Apple uses words such as: great-looking, beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, ultimate, amazing, sleek, smaller, lighter, thinner. These words are more commonly used to sell fashion rather than electronic devices. It uses stylish not technical words, to sell stylish products.
Word choice should be positive, reaffirming terms that trigger the emotional response you want to generate. This response can help create the value that customers are looking for.
If you sell business photography, use business words:
Depend on us for your business portrait and you can be confident you made the right decision.
and not
Buy one portrait, get the second FREE!
If you sell wedding photography, use wedding words:
Your perfect love story. Our timeless photography is the luxury your dream day can afford.
and not
Book now and get an 8″x10″ engagement photo FREE!
Fine-tuning your marketing message is always a work in progress. This message is not so much about trying to get attention like yelling Free. It’s about trying to help your customers find the value they want.
