3 Tactics Marketers and Copywriters Use To Create Retention

13 ways marketers & copywriters use words to influence our buying behavior.

Consumers rarely transact solely based on rationale. This is why the choice of words on your marketing site & product plays a crucial part in pushing decisions towards a certain direction.

Here are some common messaging tactics I've seen to push customers down the marketing funnel or create retention:

APPEAL TO LOGIC

1. Time Savings

Show how your product can reclaim time for the customer.

Ex: Webflow - save time building a professional website with a simple editor.

2. Cost Savings

Contrast your product with costly alternatives.

Ex: Later calls itself the user-friendly & wallet-friendly alternative to Hootsuite.

3. Earnings

Showcase how you help them earn money with ease.

Ex: "Drive with Uber. Earn on your schedule."

4. Effort Reduction

Highlight how you save them the effort of something that's otherwise unwieldy.

Ex: HelloSign simplifies getting signed contracts: "Effortless eSignatures trusted by millions."

5. Cerebral Burnout

Give so many facts, figures & reasons that it gives a sense of overwhelming evidence.

Ex: OnePlus' landing page is inundated with information & statistics on how great it is.

APPEAL TO EMOTION

6. Authority Establishment

Establish yourself a leader of a space & command attention.

Ex: Tesla positions itself as the pioneer for electric & autonomous cars.

7. Social Responsibility

Refer to a cause that reminds them of their duty as a global citizen.

Ex: Red Cross "Make the World a Better Place"

8. Unwind

Offer a space to take a break from their exhausting life & kick back.

Ex: Disney Plus: "More stories than before"

9. Pedestal

Describe how society will view them with your product in hand.

Ex: Cartier watches: "The art of being unique"

PRESSURE

10. Scarcity for Urgency

Create FOMO for value that can run out due to timeframes.

Ex: Booking.com's constant reminder on how a few rentals are left on the dates you're booking for.

11. Scarcity due to Exclusivity

Create FOMO for value that is limited in stock to begin with.

Ex: Supreme releases Limited Edition apparel to create demand surges.

12. Status Statement

Promote the perception of "having one is a status symbol". Leverage peer pressure.

Ex: Apple products particularly have this effect on people.

13. Escalating Commitment

Build pressure for action because with progress and time, the stakes get higher.

Ex: Duolingo constantly reminds you not to break a potential personal-best streak.