I got the power…words! That’s right – today, we are talking about power words.
This article is a keeper AND it comes with an awesome free download with a list to get you inspired when you’re writing.
So without further ado, let’s get into it.
What are power words?
Martin Luther King Jr. said that if you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.
We know words have power. On the power of words, wars have been fought and hearts have been stolen.
However, some words have more power than others. Power words refer to words that evoke an emotion or response.
Get Your Audience Moving
When you’re writing for your business, you’re trying to get your audience to do something. Psychologists tell us that our actions come through our thoughts and feelings, so if you are trying to get someone to act, you have to start with the heart.
Thoughts lead to feelings, which ultimately leads to action.
That’s true for selling (obviously – the action is “buy my thing!”) but it’s true for EVERY TIME that you write.
We don’t write for writing’s sake. We write to move our business forward. So, we want to compel our audience to do something.
Sometimes, the action is “buy my thing” but sometimes, the action is “join my newsletter”, “tag a friend”, “tell me what you think”.
Be Heard Through the Noise
Also, part of the struggle of content marketing is cutting through the noise. We read A LOT online without even realizing it.
For example, if you looked at 200 web pages per day (which is not that hard when you consider emails, social media, etc.), you’re looking at 490,000 words. (By comparison, War & Peace is 460,000 words. So congratulations – you’re a super reader!)
We are constantly bombarded by information. So is your audience.
So how can we cut through the noise and be heard? Use words that get a reaction.
When you sign up for our freebie below, you’ll see we’ve divided them by emotion. Feel free to use them to invoke that emotion in your readers.
However, you can also consider who your audience is and how close they are to you.
Power Words for Your Audience
Now the fun part…let’s look at your audience types and the kind of power words that you would use for them.
Cold Audience
Warm Audience
Your warm audience is someone that is connected to you, they’re just not sure if they’re going to buy from you yet.
For this audience, focus on the benefits of your solution.
For example, hone in on words that suggest simplicity (i.e. 10 Easy Ways to Write Better Content) or will get results (i.e. 10 Foolproof Ways to Write Better Content).
Hot Audience
Finally, we have our hot audience. They know you, they love you, they just haven’t clicked “buy” yet…
The words you use here should focus on urgency (i.e. 10 Reasons You Need a Blog Right Away) or scarcity (i.e. Why Now is the Time to Start a Blog).
A Warning
Power words are best used in moderation.
It’s like salt – used sparingly, it enhances the flavour of your food. If you dumped an entire container of salt on your meal, it’s unpalatable and disgusting.
Power words are the same. Too many and it’s clickbaity and cringy. However, just enough gives your writing flavour.
So fill out the form below and get your FREE cheat sheet of power words!
