5 Handy Techniques to Tell a Captivating Story
Storytelling is an essential part of copywriting services. Well, it is the locus of copywriting. When you are trying to sell something to your readers, you need to convince them that your item is worth their time, money, and experience. They won’t believe you when you say that it’s “worth it” upfront though. You have to captivate them with a tale that attracts their attention, connects and engages with their interest, and makes them believe that everything you are saying is true, urgent, and fundamental to their existence.
But how do you tell a captivating story? People who provide copywriting services have their own way of telling tales that persuade their audiences, and here are some of their techniques that you may find useful:
- An insight to their ideal future.
One of the best ways to tell a captivating story in your sales copy is by making your audience take a sneak peek at their future. People want to break free from reality, and they often think about how their lives would be like in the days, weeks, months, or years to come.
You can use this as a premise, and make them feel the misery of their present. Afterwards, you can paint a picture of a future that they aspire for, a future so bright and so far from their current situation. Indeed, there’s a gap between these two situations, and this is where you can throw in your sales pitch, which serves as the bridge for them to cross in order to get to the future that they want to be in.
- Tell a tale to just one person.
When we listen to other people’s stories, we are more drawn to those who narrate their tales in such a way that these are being told to us, and us only. It’s because the story sounds not only credible, but more importantly, sincere.
Hence, when you are writing a sales copy, try to draft it in such a way that you are telling it only to one person. Try to awaken this person’s senses, shake his emotions, and appeal to his logic. Being sincere with your words helps a lot because it boosts your reader’s level of trust, and the more likely they will submit to your wishes.
- A story of reasons.
When you are selling something to someone, the most common question you’ll get is “why should I buy from you.” In this regard, you tell a story of reasons. Present your story in such a way that they are provoked to question your efforts and intentions, and you can then answer them with facts, testimonials, and urgent situations.
Audiences only ask three “whys.” Why should they believe in you? Why are you trusted in your industry? And why should they buy from you now?
- Information overload.
There are copywriters who make use of this strategy because when you feed someone with more and more information, their senses eventually find it difficult to digest all of what you are saying and end up deciding on impulse.
You can then write your story by presenting your product’s stellar features on the lead, followed by the perks it provides, including facts and figures, expert opinions, and testimonials, as well as many other reasons it should be purchased ASAP. Then you can conclude your story with a call to action, which tells your reader exactly what to do to own your product.
- Use an image of authority.
Lastly, if you want to use the power of persuasion, then you can package yourself as a person of authority. This kind of story directly reaches out to your reader, and then introduces you as a person of authority in the industry.
In this method, you are telling a story that aims to help your reader overcome a certain insecurity. You address his need, you offer a solution, you establish credibility as a person of authority, and you tell him exactly what to do to get a hold of this solution to overcome whatever it is that he is insecure of.