I received a nasty DM on LinkedIn this week.
The message was so bad LinkedIn flagged it as “potentially harmful.”
The exchanges with this person didn’t start out this way but escalated quickly.
Here’s the situation…
It began when this business “coach” (in quotes because I can’t imagine a legit coach having this response) sent me a number of not-so-subtle direct messages pitching about their services.
I get these on occasion and usually ignore them.
Out of curiosity, I checked out their website.
As someone in a mass-market type of business like coaching, they didn’t have anything on their website that set it apart from the hundreds of other coaches.
No value proposition. Nothing to make someone say, “This is a new approach that could work for me!”
“Live the life of your dreams!” and other clichés popped up throughout the homepage.
And it was all about ME, ME, ME…. with little about the benefits or transformation of the clients.
So… I figured hey, they pitched me, so maybe I’ll turn the tables.
(Yup, I can be snarky like that.)
I sent a short video with a few suggestions on how they can set their services and benefits apart from the competition.
This included headline suggestions, calls to action and other ways to help conversions.
They were legit pieces of advice.
And yes, it was unsolicited. But so were their pitches to me.
Well… that went over like a lead balloon. You can read the whole story on my LinkedIn post HERE.
In short, they blasted and blocked me.
My point is this: The anger this person felt motivated them to take action — although not the kind of action I expected or wanted.
I obviously hit a nerve.
Clearly, this isn’t the emotion you want to trigger in your readers (not intentionally, anyway).
Emotions are powerful. Your copy needs to affect your reader on some emotional level if they’re going to buy from you — or work with you.
So today, I’m presenting another series of “emotional power words.” Words that evoke emotion.
Words to sprinkle throughout your copy that trigger something – like the anger in my LI friend, only hopefully a more positive one.
They will not only add emotion but will add color and personality to your copy.
Fear
Feeling safe and away from danger can be a huge motivator.
- Agony
- Alarm
- Anxiety
- Beware
- Caution
- Damage
- Fear
- Threat
- Toxic
- Trapped
- Worry
Greed
Finding a bargain or otherwise feeling as if you’re getting more than you “deserve” can help sales.
- Save
- Budget
- Extra
- Slashed
- Sale
- Get more
- Marked down
- Deal
- Profit
- Bonus
- Free
Lust
Creating desire (a word used in several copywriting formulas) attracts people to your offer or campaign.
- Charismatic
- Desire
- Urge
- Thrilling
- Wild
- Compelling
- Crave
- Captivate
- Longing
- Yearning
- Thirst
Joy
Who couldn’t use a little more joy and happiness? These words inspire people to take positive actions.
- Cheerful
- Cozy
- Inspiring
- Dazzling
- Bright
- Sunny
- Ecstatic
- Elated
- Upbeat
- Desirable
- Cheery
Anger-provoking
While you don’t want to provoke anger at YOU, provoking anger by reminding your reader of why they sought you out can help with a few of these choice words.
- Abuse
- Annoy
- Agitate
- Bully
- Hate
- Lying
- Payback
- Ruthless
- Irate
- Bitter
- Resentful
Trust-inspiring
Clearly, we do business with people we trust. We feel safe from making a bad decision with someone we consider trustworthy. Here are words that bring home this message.
- Assured
- Guarantee
- Moneyback
- Cancel anytime
- Refund
- Verify
- Try before you buy
- Confidence
- Faith
- Hope
- Expectation
Vanity
We buy things we believe will make us better in some way. Transform us. Maybe it’s the way we expect to look from a physical appearance. Or how we’ll be perceived by others.
- Ambitious
- Courageous
- Daring
- Powerful
- Success
- Triumph
- Victory
- Pride
- Best
- Above the rest
- Boost
Try weaving a few of these emotional power words into your emails and copy this week. See if any strike a chord with your readers.
Other posts you may enjoy:
How to Capture Voice of Customer… and why you need to STAT
Pain or Pleasure in Copy: What Works Best?
A Bundle of Email Ideas For Any Occasion
P.S. Did you know a few simple changes to your website page can ignite leads? 
