Here at the Kantner Foundation, we know that if you’re probably bright, motivated, and ambitious. You’re a young entrepreneur with a successful future ahead and a knack for making positive impacts on the world. This is why we know you don’t turn in your English assignments with sentences like, “I read this book. It was good. Here’s why it was good.”
You know better. We know you know better!
When it comes to grabbing and holding someone’s attention, words matter. A young entrepreneur running an organic lemonade company needs potential customers to buy their product.
Instead of this:
My lemonade is 100% organically grown and homemade
they might try something like this:
Organic. Wholesome. Delicious.
Try our homemade lemonade today, and treat your tastebuds to the best.
In marketing, “impact” or “power” words help you by making customers feel:
- Like they can trust you
- Ready to act
- Special and important
The right words in your marketing campaign can make the difference between customers who scroll past your ads versus customers who get excited to visit your website and purchase your product.
1. TRUST
Have you ever been browsing online and come across a website that seems totally sketchy? Or seen a clickbait ad that you just know is going to infect your computer with viruses for days?
Right. That’s because you instinctively know when ad copy doesn’t feel right. Sometimes it’s obvious, like, “Click here now to win a million dollars!” Other times it’s more subtle, like, “We found a problem with your recently downloaded purchase. Click here to log into your account.”
This is not you. You are not a scammer and your marketing is not clickbait. Young entrepreneurs earn the trust of their customers by proving their reliability.
Your goal here is to make customers feel comfortable doing business with you. You’re not just in this for the money, you’re here to make their lives better. You want them to get to know you and your product because you’re both worth getting to know.
Some impact words and phrases that show your customers you are trustworthy and reliable:
- Anonymous
- Authentic
- Cancel anytime
- Certified
- Confidential
- First month free
- Guaranteed or your money back
- Licensed
- Lifetime
- No hidden fees
- No obligation
- No purchase necessary
- Organic
- Private
- Proven
- Research-backed
- Secure
- Wholesome
As a startup young entrepreneur, building trust in your customers might be one of the most important things you do. Unlike well-established brand names, you are starting from scratch. Give customers a chance to get to know you, make them aware of your brand, and give them zero doubt you know what you’re doing.
2. ACTION
In fiction, the “call to action” is when the main character is finally moved to leave their home and start their journey. For marketing purposes, the call to action is when your customer finally feels motivated to click, follow, like, or subscribe so that they can purchase your product or hire your service.
Your call to action should create a sense of urgency in your customers. Not only do they want to buy your product, but they can and should buy it now. The best way to do this is to focus on how your product will make their lives better. Generally speaking, people don’t want to wait to be happier, richer, more at peace, or healthier.
Call to action impact words you can include in your marketing language:
- Act now
- Are you ready
- Become __ with ___ today
- Clearance
- Deadline
- Exclusive
- Final offer
- Limited time
- New
- Now
- Only
- Sign up today
- Take advantage of this special offer
- Today
- Try now
- While supplies last
Whether they realize it or not, you are setting a timer for your customers. You’re saying to them, “Buy this now, or you’ll miss out!” Don’t underestimate the power of FOMO!
3. SPECIAL
You’ve gotten their attention. You’ve earned their trust. And you’ve excited them to act. What’s next in the world of impact words?
Now you need to make your customers feel special. People love to feel special. Make your customers feel like VIPs. Give them the sense that they are part of an exclusive group. Customers who feel like an “insider” are much more likely to show loyalty through purchasing your product or hiring your service.
Give them that “secret handshake” with some of these insider impact words:
- Chosen
- Daring
- Discover
- Elite
- Epic
- Exceptional
- Exclusive
- Inspired
- Members-only
- Premium
- Rare
- Reveal
- Secret
- Sneak peek
- Unusual
- We get it
- We got you
- You deserve
With this set of impact words, customers should think, “Yes, I do deserve this product,” or “I want to be part of this before anyone else!”
When using words that convey exclusivity, your goal should be to make customers feel like not only will your product or service solve their problems but will do so in the best way possible. No more failures. No more boring. No more lowering their standards. They want the best – and you can give that to them.
Looking at the lemonade example from earlier, let’s break down the three ways we entice and engage potential customers.
Building trust: Organic. Wholesome. Delicious.
Right away we’re letting customers know that our product is organic, not chemically treated with anything that might harm them. We’re promising that our product is safe. By including the word “delicious,” we’re also promising them a product they will enjoy.
Call to action: Try our homemade lemonade today
Not only is our lemonade safe and delicious, but it’s ready for you to taste for yourself – right now! No waiting. Delicious lemonade is ready when you are.
Feeling special: treat your tastebuds to the best.
Sure, your customers can go to the supermarket and buy generic brand lemonade, but why should they when you offer something better? Not just better, but the best? Your product is so good that it’s a treat, a break from the same old lemonade they’ve tried in the past.
Using impact words in your marketing copy – including social media posts, websites, and business cards – will take your business from ok to powerhouse!
The Kantner Foundation is proud to offer college scholarships to Florida’s high school entrepreneurs. To learn more about our program, and to start your application, click here.