Taking Advantage Of Our Selfish Human Nature
Human nature is to be selfish.
There really are no if ands or buts about it.
In virtually all cases, every single thing we do is selfish in nature. And yes, even things that you’d be considered to be so unselfish that you’d praise the person doing it!
But I’m not here to give you a philosophy lesson so let me explain how to take advantage of our selfish human nature and ring out more sales because of it.
Always Think About The Customers Motives
One HUGE mistake copywriters make is talking about the company or product they’re promoting. For example you might say “we did this or this, we hung out with this so-and-so, or we can do this one thing the best.
Well guess what, your prospects DON’T care about your company, you, or what you’re selling. All they care about is how it’s going to benefit them.
In other words…
What’s In It For Me
What’s in it for me is a basic copywriting phrase we all need to keep in the back of our minds. As you’re writing copy, continually say to yourself “if I were my prospect, what would be in it for me”?
Apply this to every sentence, paragraph and section in your copy.
Here’s an example from a very famous “fisherman’s ad” from the swipe file book you get in the AWAI 6-Figure Copywriting Course:
Our Fly-Tiers Bench reveals how to tie the “perfect fly” you’ve dreamed of. Our Casting About column leads you to pristine lakes and crystal streams. Our New Products section reports the latest in fly fishing gear and clothing and our equipment features help you in selecting that ideal fly rod, reel, lines, and other things you’ll need to improve your fishing”
Ok so now we get to the question, what’s in it for me?
Well, the perfect fly means the prospect will be able to catch bigger fish easier. Fishing in pristine lakes and crystal streams (this is PERFECT wording for this market by the way), is a dream of all fisherman. It makes it feel almost exclusive. And everything he says in the New Products section gives the prospect an easier chance of catching fish because with fishing, having the right equipment is very important and it’s great when they say “use this combination and do this with it”.
That section actually allows the copywriter to lay out what the company does while also appealing to the selfish human nature by giving them benefits.
Because when it all boils down to it, getting in touch with the selfishness of human nature is simply just telling them the benefits they’ll receive when they use your product or service.
Why Beginning Copywriters Make The Mistake Of NOT Appealing To Our Selfish Human Nature
The funny part about this phenomenon is that the main reason beginning copywriters have a hard time appealing to the selfishness of the prospect is because the copywriter is being selfish themselves!
This kind of goes back into my 2 article series on mindset training (opens in a new window) post about how you need to really understand your prospect and get into their own mind if you’re going to write persuasive copy.
Because if you can’t get out of your own selfish head and get into the head of your selfish head of your prospect, your copy is going to be lousy.
A Few Examples To Concrete This Concept Into Your Mind
The next time you’re writing copy, just keep saying to yourself…”What’s in it for my prospect”?
Don’t say: “we have the fastest mechanics within a 50 mile radius”…
Say: “Our mechanics work faster than any other mechanics within a 50 mile radius, which means you’re able to go on with your day instead of losing the entire day for a simple car repair”.
Don’t say: “our fishing rods are made of “X” material”…
Say: “our fishing rods consist of “X” material, which means you’ll feel every little nibble and vibration – resulting in more catches and less missed fish!”
Don’t say: “Our new software automates the process”
Say: “Our new software automates the process which means you can spend your time doing (fill in the blank)”
Remember, the more you can dig into your prospects selfish human nature and take advantage of it, the more sales you make.
I hope that helps!
