How to Use Envy (Ethically) in Your Sales Copy

Using envy is a powerful copywriting technique to help your customer find the motivation to accept your offer. But some marketers have overused and abused this approach (pictures of ridiculous speedboats, anyone?) Don’t be put off, not only should can you use envy to make your copy more persuasive, you owe it to your customer to do so …

This week’s Dear Amy letter comes from a conflicted business owner who wants to know whether it is ethical to use envy to encourage a customer to make a purchase, and if so, how it should be done.

Envy is a powerful emotion. When we see something we want (that we don’t yet have) envy highlights this discomfort, this gap between what we want and where we are right now.

However, if you simply dangle the prize in front of your customer and show them what they could achieve with your product or service, that’s not enough to make them take action. To use envy effectively in your content you need to take a few more steps to turn that discomfort into positive motivation.

That’s what we’re going to look at today.

Tune in to find out …

  • How envy is different than the more destructive emotion of jealousy
  • The excuses prospects use to diffuse their envy and avoid taking action
  • 3 steps to using envy authentically and with integrity in your content

The Show Notes