After the Inbound 2017 Marketing Conference, several DMA team members returned to the office equipped with skills and new insights that will continue to amplify our marketing efforts. In one particular session, we learned about the power of words and discovered secrets to persuading an audience with content. We know many fresh produce marketers struggle with creating new and valuable content for both their trade and consumer audiences, so we wanted to share three key takeaways from this session that we’re implementing to create more persuasive copy in 2018 and beyond.

Give your reader a reason to take action

Human beings naturally respond to authority and trust recommendations from those we perceive to be in powerful or respectable positions. Keep this in mind when creating content: your reader will take action if they are told to do so by someone they trust. When writing copy, use phrases like “See what the experts are saying” to influence your reader. If you’re managing a consumer blog, consider hosting guest posts from bloggers and influencers that your audience already respects and trusts. You’ll find that these influencers are powerful activists for your brand.

We also learned that as marketers, people are more likely to do what we ask if we give them a reason – a good reason – to do it. If you’re writing copy for CTA, landing page, or trade ad, use the word “because” and explain why you’re asking the reader to take action. Think about why the reader should care about what you’re offering so that they feel you’re considering their needs. When you provide a reason for your request, the reader will often assume it’s a good reason, and they’ll trust that you have their best interest in mind.

Make the reader feel like a VIP

Try creating the impression that you are providing exclusive information to the reader to persuade them to engage deeper. We learned that if there’s a gap between what you know and what you want to know, you will take action. Use words like who, what, where, when, why, and how in the subject lines of your consumer emails to suggest to the reader that you’ll provide the answer in the email. You’ll be rewarded with higher open rates, and if you truly deliver on your promise of providing information, your click rate will benefit as well.

Have you ever heard the term “FOMO”? This acronym refers to the fear of missing out, the feeling we’ve all experienced when we want to be included in something. You can use this fear as a driver to further persuade your audience and encourage them to take action. In our Inbound session, we learned that people are twice as motivated to avoid the pain of loss than to achieve the pleasure of gain. Make your reader react by using phrases like “Don’t miss…” or “Only three days left…” in your subject lines and on your CTAs. These phrases let your audience know you have exclusive content they’ll want to take part in, leading them to take action quickly.

Remember to keep it simple

As a content marketer, I’ve spent hours writing, rewriting, and re-rewriting copy to make sure I’ve chosen just the right words and used just the right sentence structure to deliver my message effectively. But effective copy doesn’t require a thesaurus and hours of editing. Just keep it simple, and allow your audience to quickly and easily understand what you’re trying to say. Avoid jargon in your blog and email copy. If people don’t follow what you’re saying, they are going to move on. We learned in our session that people prefer easy to understand copy and judge it as more truthful. Keep this in mind when creating buttons on your CTAs – be clear and concise, and you’ll see results.

By using these simple strategies, you’ll find your content to be more effective in generating brand awareness, consumer contacts, and even sales. Stay tuned to The Core to hear more of our favorite lessons from Inbound 2017, and if you’d like to learn more about creating successful and engaging content, download our free eBook!