A writer’s career is more than sipping tea and typing. It also entails running a savvy business where all the job roles become your responsibility; administrations, planning, marketing, graphic designing, etc.

Today were going to look at persuasive writing and how it benefits entrepreneurs in any line of business.

Perhaps you’re asking; what is this and how does it apply to me? Well…

Persuasive writing is writing where you try to convince the reader to take a particular issue on a point of voice. Persuasive writing may be designed to convince the reader to take your position on that issue or may be designed to convince the reader to take a certain action.

Whether you’re an indie author or traditional author, persuasive writing will become paramount in your marketing. This will include writing about your brand, when creating blog posts, reviews and even through your online presence.

The aim is to coax your audience into engaging with you and your brand, so that they choose to invest in your product, your book or newsletter. We’re all aware that the hard-sell pushes your potential audience away. Whereas, persuasive techniques will entice your reader towards you desired outcome.

Here are my top tips to help you craft the perfect piece of persuasion.

Know your target audience: This is the most crucial step; once you’ve identified this, you can tailor your advertisements to encourage that particular demographic.

State your reasons why: Nobody likes being told what to do, so give a reason before asking for a call to action. Show what can you do for them. Your audience wants to know – What’s in it for them? What will they benefit from buying this product?

Be consistent: This helps build integrity.

Use repetition: Spice it up a little and get creative to keep your audience interested. On average, your product will have to be seen by the client seven times before they take notice, from there on your building trust to encourage a purchase.

Use social proof: This is where testimonials, reviews and outside referrals become invaluable assets. Psychologically people tend to take comfort in the tried and tested.

Comparisons: Metaphors, similes and analogies are a persuasive writer’s friend. Relating your product in a way  that the reader already accepts as true. Then you’re well on your way to convincing the reader to see things your way. Comparing your novels to similar authors has the instant advantage of drawing in your target audience who already enjoy that genre and style of writing.

Agitate and Solve: A useful persuasion theme is to identify a problem that resonates with your audience. Agitate the issue  before offering your solution which will solve the issue. Remember empathy is powerful here; you want to help the audience because you’ve experienced the problem and now have a solution.

Prognosticate:  This is a persuasion theme that provides your reader with a glimpse at the future. It’s a strategy built on credibility, if you can back up your claims with experience, credentials or a clear grasp of the subject, then this persuasive technique is a sure winner.

Unify your audience: This technique offers group inclusion. The power of knowing your target audience allows you to offer things that will appeal to them, making them feel selectively included, part of a group and offers real value. A newsletter is a perfect example of how authors can embrace their readers.

Be aware of objections: Being capable of presenting all of the pros and confidently navigating away any  potential objections that may arise. Then you’re actively solving problems and intelligently persuading your readers to invest.

Perhaps your character is trying to persuade the reader to agree with his point of view, as done in the Netflix series You. We know Joe’s behaviour is wrong, but through his constant  management of our objections and by justifying his point of view, Joe manages to keep the watcher on side. That is the power of persuasion.

Storytelling: This lies at the heart of persuasion. Passionate writing that allows the reader to independently persuade themselves.  By using all of the strategies available, tell a beautiful and engaging story. Colourful prose and strong verbs are essential when crafting each piece. Thankfully, we’re writers and have an advantage – use it.

Practice makes perfect:  Much like novel writing, all writing form’s need revision and editing to make them shine. Don’t slack on the essentials.

---

Thanks for stopping by.

I love hearing from you, please comment and let me know if you have any tips on persuasive writing? Have you used it in your stories or marketing techniques?

And more importantly, have you watched You yet? ;0

Until next time, Much Love.

Pinterest    Instagram    Twitter    Facebook

© Author Lorraine Ambers and http://www.lorraineambers.com, 2018.