They Gotta Believe

When writing copy for email messages, landing pages and a host of product descriptions, marketers need to be more than clear and concise; they must also persuade readers to click through and take action. To help you achieve this goal of engaging—and gently goading—readers, Brian Clark of Copyblogger offers tips like these:

Say it again and again. If people are going to agree with you, they need to be clear on your position. According to Clark, successful repetition requires finesse. "To stay on the good side," he says, "make your point in several different ways, such as directly, using an example, in a story, via a quote ... and once more in your summary."

Feel their pain. "You want the reader to know unequivocally that you understand his problem because you've dealt with it and/or are experienced at eliminating it," explains Clark. Set the stage with a challenge that would create stress for your prospects—then put their minds at ease by proposing a solid solution.

Gaze into the future. Prognostication can be a dangerous game if you don't know what you're talking about. "But if you can back up your claims with your credentials or your obvious grasp of the subject matter," Clark says, "this is an extremely persuasive technique."

The Po!nt: Do what it takes to draw them in. A technically flawless marketing message will only succeed if it also makes a convincing, believable case for your product or service.

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