How to Make Your Copy More Persuasive

70 Persuasive Words To Use In Your Copy

Words, words, words. 

We write them, read them, speak them, and hear them every day. But words’ ability to persuade us, emotionally move us tends to slip under the radar, unnoticed. There is power in words to persuade.

Persuasive words are the bread and butter of copywriting. We know (at least in theory) the importance of writing the right thing at the right time for the right people.

But what particular words are better than others at moving us? What words inspire action by your ideal customers?

If you’re looking for these powerful and persuasive words, you’re in the right place. Before you whip out the thesaurus to fluff up your copy, consider using these 70 tried-and-true persuasive words that sell. 

The Top 5 Most Persuasive English Words:

1. You

2. Free

3. Because

4. Instantly

5. New

Persuasive Phrases That Encourage Joining In:

These encouraging phrases create a feeling of community. When a reader sees them, they feel a sense of togetherness, like they’re taking part in something larger than themselves.

1. Join now

2. Buy now

3. Enroll now

4. Get instant access

5. Become a member

Phrases To Ease Anxiety:

These persuasive words and phrases create a feeling of safety. The most powerful part of this group is the amazing effect they have on the person reading. They create trust.

1. 100% satisfaction guarantee

2. Best-selling

3. Endorsed by

4. No questions asked

5. Results

6. 30-day money-back

7. Easy

8. Lifetime

9. Moneyback

10. No Obligation

11. No Questions Asked

12. No Risk

13. No Strings Attached

14. Official

15. Privacy

16. Protected

17. Proven

18. Recession-proof

19. Refund

20. Research

21. Secure

22. Tested

Persuasive Words That Prompt Shares And Engagement

Are you looking to get people to comment, like, share, or click on something? These words and phrases make your content more enticing and sharable. Use these words to spark engagement with your reader! 

1. Secret

2. Tell us

3. Inspires

4. Take

5. Help

6. Promote

7. Increase

8. Create

9. Discover

10. Share

Words That Create A Sense Of Urgency:

You might be selling a brand new course, product, or service. Or you’re running a seasonal or limited time offer. Use these words, so your reader feels the urgency and the importance of taking action quickly!

1. Limited offer

2. Only a few spots left.

3. Hurry

4. Get in before anybody else.

5. Exclusive

6. Doors close at midnight.

7. Today only

Phrases That Imply Exclusivity

Exclusivity is like being part of a club with membership restrictions. You want to be a part of it because others are in. There’s an added bit of social pressure when you use exclusivity wording, and it helps drive decisions and actions for the reader.

1. Members only

2. Login required

3. Class full

4. Membership now closed

5. Ask for an invitation

6. Apply to be one of our beta testers

7. Exclusive offers

8. Become an insider

9. Be one of the few

10. Get it before everybody else

11. Be the first to hear about it

12. Submit your application to join

13. Only available to subscribers

Phrases And Words That Pique People’s Interest:

You’ll see variations of these words pop up in sales copy all the time because they effectively ignite interest, establish trust, spark engagement, acknowledge the reader, create a sense of urgency, or prompt action. 

1. Introducing

2. Bonus

3. Immediately

4. Imagine if

5. Learn more

6. Save time

7. Special

8. Magic

A quick word of warning: 

I can’t stress this enough. You need to understand why these words are persuasive, and you need to use them in contexts that make sense for your audience and your brand. 

If you start slapping them on every piece of content you create without a purpose, you’ll quickly see just how unpersuasive they can be.

As a writer, I read a lot. From emails and blogs to websites and books, I’m reading, studying, and learning. Let’s call it continuing education!

What I’ve found is that you can tell when a writer is trying too hard to sell, stand out, or they’re mirroring someone else’s voice.

But…

• …just because someone who’s achieved huge success and mixes in profanities in their messages doesn’t mean you should.

• …just because someone with a huge following addresses their reader as “hey girly” doesn’t mean you should.

• …just because a successful motivational speaker or coach uses the phrase “GET AFTER IT!” doesn’t mean you should.

Do you see what I’m getting at? 

When you’re writing, write how you speak. You don’t need to force or fake your writing style. You don’t need a huge vocabulary or perfect grammar.

It’s your brand and business, and it should reflect you. By writing the way you speak, you make it easy for your readers to follow along. All you need to do is tap into your own voice and set a clear goal for your copy. 

So don’t get discouraged if you feel like sometimes you’re using the same basic words and phrases everyone else uses. Because most of the time, many of these phrases make frequent appearances because they work. 

The persuasive words above are used to communicate clearly and hold attention. Often, the most effective and persuasive words are also the simplest. 

If you walk away from this post with one big “ah-ha!” moment, let it be this:
Clear Writing That Communicates What You Want Your Reader To Know Makes The Greatest Impact.

Remember: copy exists to sell, and clarity is king. If you want people to buy your ideas, services, or products, you need to convey your message. And you need to convey it clearly.

You don’t need an impressive vocabulary or perfect grammar to write effective copy. The best and most persuasive copy feels like having a friendly chat over coffee with your reader.

Comment below and tell me: what words do you most often use in your copy and why? Or what words do you avoid?