Empathy copy can be a powerful tool for your business.
We all know by now (at least if you are into persuasion) that people make decisions based on emotion than justify those decisions with logic. Emotional response to ads increases intent to buy 2-to-1 for print, and 3-to-1 for television ads.
So if we use empathy will we make "big time" sales?
Not necessarily...
When not used correctly, empathy will kill your message, kill your sales, and could kill your business.
Faking empathy or not understanding the needs of your market leads to tone-deaf messaging. Without a deeper understanding of what's going on in your markets mind, "faking" your audience's feelings will fail.
I think we have all seen some of these issues lately. (how many Covid-19 emails can I get anyway?)
So how do we use empathy in copy?
First, you need to understand the pains of your market. As always, understanding your markets takes a lot of research.
Second, pretend you are writing your sales message to a loved one.
Once you are 100% sure you understand your market's pains and how it makes them feel, use the PAS system.
P=problem
A=agitation
S=Solution
In this week's Email Breakdown Matthew Hussey does a beautiful job of using the PAS system. Mr. Hussey is a women's dating expert and life coach. He has a deep understanding of his market pains and is an expert at emotional copy.
The subject directly calls out a pain point in dating and relationships.
Directly calling out "screwing up in a relationship" immediately brings emotions bubbling to the surface in anyone who has failed in a relationship (so everyone).
Matthew can use this direct "call out" approach because of his relationship with his readers. Woman signed up on his list to hear about these kinds of issues.
Keep in mind that asking a question can fail if it doesn't apply to your list. The reader will say "no," and not open the email.
In the first few paragraphs, Matthew introduces the problem in vivid emotional detail. Then Matthew agitates like a champ.
"It's a dreadful, sickening feeling…"
Then he hits you with the empathy, "I know because I've felt it. It leads to regret, anxiety, self-loathing, …not to mention lack of appetite and insomnia…."
Damn, twist that knife, Matthew!
We are bonded now in the pain of messing up relationships.
Before you swipe this and sink your business, I want you to know this won't work for every market.
Not every market wants to hear how you screwed up what you are trying to teach them/sell them.
Know your market.
Matthew finishes the gut-wrenching and then gives us the answer. Click on the link and watch his video.
Then we start to talk about a solution.
The first CTA is for anyone who is suffering from this issue right now.
Matthew then goes on to offer even more hope of relief for those still reading.
Each of these CTAs gives the reader hope that all pain can go away if they watch the video.
The "please also share" is brilliant. Most women know other women who have suffered through this problem. They are likely to share a helpful video like this with their friends.
Well, that's the end of this email breakdown.
Here are some takeaways.
- Sell to people's emotions.
- Commensurate when your market is receptive
- Twist the knife then show them how to get relief from their pain.
- Give people hope to sell the click.
- Use the PAS system as a simple structure for your emails and sales pages.