What's your alibi?

Or: how to give customers better excuses  Quick reminder: I'm Joel. I share copywriting tips and teardowns, write about neuromarketing and persuasion, talk about business building, and offer up ideas you can use right away. Let's get into it: Have you ever stopped to think about how your customers defend their purchase? You've probably heard that we 'buy emotionally and justify after the fact.' Ask anyone why they bought the last thing they did, and there's always a good-sounding reason. For example, some of my recent rationalizations: + "Since I'm not spending thousands on season's tickets this year, paying for the sports channel is a bargain." + "I'll run more often if I have noise-cancelling earbuds. And these ones are sweat-proof, so I wont' wreck 'em. It's really an investment in my health." + "Hiring a bookkeeper means I won't spend hours doing busywork instead of growing the business. And since it's a family friend, I know I can trust her." + "Well, this mic seems to be more trusted... so if it doesn't work for the interviewee, I'll at least be able to explain why I chose it." Here's an idea: what if we used the 'justify-after-the-fact' concept to ask... "What story do I want to help my customers tell after they've already made a purchase?" Your customers want an alibi. They need a feel-good story that combats buyer's remorse and helps them avoid looking foolish (or get fired) when they explain themselves to others. Or themselves. Here's how to put this to work: 1. Learn what stories customers are telling themselves. Within a short time of the purchase/decision, ask them questions like... + What got you off of the fence when considering X? + What is X going to make possible for you? + What made X the smart/safe decision for you? Allow a little time for them to go through the inevitable 'buyer's remorse' stage that comes with a purchase so the story is fresh in their minds. You can also eavesdrop on conversations in the wild (e.g. reddit, forums): + Watch how people explain their choices + Analyze how people recommend products to others + Listen for repeating narratives 2. Use those stories to feed customers an alibi. Sportsnet could highlight the HUGE difference in prices between season tickets and a subscription ('Since you can't be there in person...') Bookkeepers could dial into the 'lead without busywork' storyline. And Jabra could show that with the right earbuds, you'll go more often and enjoy the experience more. What stories do YOUR buyers want to tell themselves? Make it easier for 'em to internalize before they buy. Enjoy your week. Be kind. Joel "that yacht is an investment in my family's JOY, dang it!" Klettke Conversion Copywriter & Bald Human joel@businesscasualcopywriting.com Business Casual Copywriting Ltd., 303 Edenwold Drive N.W., Calgary, AB T3A4A4, Canada Hate my guts? [Unsubscribe](