Persuasive Copywriting Examples | With Why They Work!


When Leo Burnett said, “ Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read,” he succinctly described the principles of persuasive copywriting. But this combination is hard to achieve. Fortunately, with the help of examples, you can learn to write persuasively.

Excellent examples of persuasive copywriting include those from Hunter Fan, Stitch Fix, Rolls Royce, L’Occitane, Markerthire, and Crazy Egg. These brands use elements like storytelling, social proof, clarity, simplicity, removing objections, and prioritizing benefits to write persuasive copy.

This is the post for you if you want to compile a collection of proven-to-work examples. You will soon see why each copywriting example is effective and gather some lessons from each one.

What Makes Copy Persuasive?

Although persuasive copywriting is simply positioning your argument in a way that compels the reader to take action, it is hard to achieve.

Compelling copy leverages the audience’s emotions to get them to take a specific action (such as subscribing or downloading a resource).

For copy to be deemed persuasive, it must possess the following qualities:

  • Concise: Extremely long pieces of copy or those full of clutter confuse the reader and fail to communicate the key message. Compelling copy is succinct, packs a punch, and hits the nail on the head.
  • Well-written: Any writing with errors hinders credibility and is a huge turn-off to readers. Persuasive copy is clearly and professionally written with no errors. It is also scannable and easy to read.
  • Relevant: Meeting an audience’s needs does not take a one-size-fits-all approach because what resonates with one may not work for another. As such, compelling copy must resonate with a specific target audience.
  • Prioritizes benefits over features: Readers don’t care how fancy your product is. They are interested in how the product will make their lives better. Compelling copy enumerates the benefits first and features later.
  • Tells a story: Your readers are human. They relate faster to stories than any other type of written word. Persuasive copywriting utilizes believable narratives while avoiding the use of vague ideas and abstract concepts.

Compelling Copywriting Examples That Use The Art Of Persuasion

Whether you are involved in copywriting, marketing, or running your business, it is important to learn what makes copy persuasive.

With the proper insight, you can model your copy to be more persuasive and boost conversions. Below are some excellent copywriting examples to help get you started.

1. Hunter Fan and Trello (Use Of Clarity, Brevity, And Simplicity)

Simple language in copywriting makes the copy engaging and easy to understand. Hunter Fan’s copy is an excellent example of simple and conversational copywriting. Look at this copy from their landing page.

Hunter Fan and Trello

Why It Works

  • The copy gets straight to the point. First, they identify the audience’s problem (starting a project by themselves) and then proceed to offer a solution.
  • It is conversational and resonates with the audience’s language. Note the use of ‘you’ and ‘your” to connect the copy to the reader.
  • As you scroll down the page, you will notice that they use simple yet powerful words to bestow confidence in the reader. Examples include free, hassle-free, and lifetime.

Another excellent example of simple copywriting is from Trello.

Why It Works 1

Their copy makes it easy for new users to understand what Trello is all about in a few concise sentences. As a project management software, it wouldn’t be uncommon to use jargon in their copy.

But there are no complex words in their copy.

Takeaway

Keep your writing simple and free of pompous words. You can also create fluff-free copy by using short sentences, shorter paragraphs, and avoiding filler words.

2. Stitch Fix and Innocent (Overcoming The Reader’s Objections)

A persuasive copywriter bypasses any objections the reader may have that would deter them from making a purchase. These objections may be in the form of unanswered questions or doubts.

Stitch Fix is a clothing brand that expertly deals with common objections.

Stitch Fix and Innocent

The landing page starts with a three-step description of how Stitch Fix works.

The landing page

After reading through the process above, a potential customer may wonder if there are flexible budgets, returns, or hidden fees.

Stitch Fix tackles these objections head-on by stating that experts pick the clothes, shipping is free, and there is no commitment.

After dealing with objections, Stitch strategically presents a call to action that keeps the reader engaged. In Stitch’s case, they encourage readers to take their style quiz to get started.

Why It Works

  • It presents the answers to objections right away. This helps keep the reader interested until they convert.

Another excellent example of dealing with objections is this copy from Innocent.

Why It Works 2

Innocent makes drinks out of fruit, vegetables, and other natural ingredients. Yet, they know people will wonder if their drinks are 100% natural without additives.

Their “things we make” page clarifies that they do not add unnatural substances like sugar and concentrate.

Takeaway

Ensure your copy is clear and detailed, so you don’t create doubt in your readers’ minds. You can do that by identifying why your audience may hesitate to take action.

Then, use your copy to explain how the product will address those fears. In addition, addressing objections proves to your audience that you share the same values and care about them.

Your prospects will find it easy to trust and buy from you.

3. Rolls Royce (Specificity And Attention To Details)

Specificity is among the most powerful tools you can leverage as a copywriter. Being specific and detailed in your copy helps the reader form a mental picture based on your description.

This helps build credibility and demonstrates your attention to detail. David Ogilvy wrote the Rolls Royce advert back in the 1950s. But the advert is as powerful and relevant today as it was decades ago.

Rolls Royce

Why It Works

The advert has an attention-grabbing headline that draws the reader in and makes them interested in reading the rest of the copy.

Ogilvy could have simply stated that the Rolls Royce was the quietest car in the world, but he didn’t.

Instead, he paid attention even to the smallest details. He makes his copy powerful by using sensory words that readers could relate to.

When this ad was first published, the country was just coming out of war. As a result, the audience was eager to read about something that offered them peace and quiet.

Takeaway

Specificity can help you grab the attention of your readers. Direct messages are better than vague ones because there’s less room for doubt. Proper word choice also goes a long way!

4. Ramsey (Benefit-Based Marketing)

Product features and benefits are both important to include in your copy. However, problems arise when marketers overemphasize features over benefits.

Features portray the factual attributes of a product, such as dimensions, colors, and sizes. On the other hand, benefits appeal to the needs of the readers.

Persuasive copywriting describes more benefits than features. For instance, you can state three benefits arising from a single feature. Let’s look at Ramsey’s example below.

Ramsey

Why It Works

Dave’s copy shows the audience how they will benefit if they follow the Baby Steps money management plan.

It states that clients will learn to manage their money, get encouragement throughout their journey, and gain confidence to make better financial decisions.

All these benefits are specific solutions for a given pain point.

For instance, getting the confidence to make financial decisions resonates with someone who keeps making financial mistakes due to poor decisions. Here is another example showing benefits vs. features:

Why It Works 3

The feature in the image is 1GB of storage, while the benefit is having 1,000 songs in your pocket. Users don’t care much about 1GB, but they would be interested to know how it would improve their lives.

Therefore, the second image is more likely to elicit excitement in a prospect.

Takeaway

Prioritize benefits over features in your copy to appeal to your audience’s emotions. While showing off the product features may be tempting, remember that they should come second.

The best way to use features in your product descriptions is by accompanying them with the benefits.

5. L’Occitane and Thorntons (The Use Of Storytelling)

Persuasive copywriting engages the audience and keeps them interested. Storytelling is one of the most effective ways to form an emotional connection with your audience.

It also makes your copy more relatable. L’occitane is a French skincare brand that sources its raw materials from Burkina Faso.

L’Occitane and Thorntons

Why It Works

The brand knows its target audience values shea butter as an ingredient in its skincare products. They do not hesitate to show that their brand values are in alignment with those of their audience.

Despite being a French brand, they are proud to associate with one of the poorest countries. Their mission is to empower women and help them fight poverty.

They use their story of emancipation to highlight their mission in an emotional way. The story dates back to the 1980s when their journey began with a few women.

It wraps up in the present, where thousands of women are now enjoying 100% fair trade. The women, in turn, are able to improve their living standards.

This story helps the reader form an emotional connection with the brand. Storytelling is more than just a relation of events.

You can use clear descriptions to paint vivid imagery in your readers’ minds, like in the example below.

Why It Works 5

This example is from Thorntons, a British chocolate brand.

It’s a classic example of a fascinating product description. It takes the reader through the sensory experience of eating chocolate.

For Thorntons, the taste of their product plays a vital role. So they use vivid, taste-related descriptions to get the reader salivating at the mere thought of eating their chocolate.

Takeaway

While telling stories may engage your readers, adding an element of emotion helps your readers connect more strongly with your brand. If your story can trigger a sensory response, that’s even better!

It’s easier to tell compelling stories if you can appeal to your audience’s emotions, paint vivid imagery, use some metaphors, and encourage your audience to respond to your story.

6. Marketerhire (Establishing Trust)

In addition to offering a great product, there are other reasons why people may choose to buy from you and not from your competitor. One such reason is that they trust you.

People tend to trust other people, not brands. Social proof is a vital element of persuasive copy. Most companies prefer displaying user testimonials on their landing pages for prospects to see.

Let’s take a look at how Makerterhire does theirs below.

Marketerhire

Why It Works

Going through the testimonials above, it is clear that the clients had various pain points, such as difficulty hiring a new service provider.

Their testimonials prove that the service works and that their expectations were met. Subsequently, new users can confidently try the service because they know they can trust it.

These testimonials also feature the name and image of the testimonial provider. This makes the reviews more credible because readers can tell that they come from real people.

Takeaway

Use testimonials, statistics & numbers (as well as other forms of social proof) to make your copy trustworthy and persuasive. Getting external reviewers to back you up is an effective way to build trust.

7. Crazy Egg (Guiding the Reader to Take Action)

Persuasive copy guides readers through the journey and tells them which steps to take next.

Although they may know what to do next, you would be surprised at how often they abandon shopping carts and fail to sign up for mailing lists. Therefore, you don’t want to take any chances.

Take Crazy Egg, for instance. Their headline “Make your website better. Instantly” convinces their readers that they have valuable advice.

But they do not take chances; they allow the reader to discover what is wrong with their website and then help them fix it.

Crazy Egg

Why It Works

  • Crazy Egg’s call to action hits the bar of excellence by a large margin. First, they establish trust by stating that over 300,000 websites are already using Crazy Egg to improve their websites.
  • The actual call to action, “Show me my Heatmap,” is personalized and uses the reader’s language, thus making it irresistible.
  • It deals with objections head-on. Phrases like 30-day free trial and cancel anytime let the reader know that there are no risks if they choose to opt-in.

Takeaway

Show your audience what you need them to do by using action words in brightly colored call-to-action buttons.

If your services are not one-size-fits-all, offer your audience a variety of options to choose from.

Key Takeaways

Like any other skill, learning to write persuasively takes time and practice. If you have a list of examples of persuasive copywriting, you’ll be able to learn from the experts and accelerate your learning process.

Try emulating the principles that have made others successful. In addition to practicing, you should strive to develop a unique writing style of your own.

Take inspiration from examples, but don’t copy anyone directly! Instead, use the principles of persuasive copywriting to ensure your copy is compelling.

Some things to try in your own work include using stories, focusing on benefits over features, and showing specificity & attention to detail.

Shailen Vandeyar

A proud Indian origin Kiwi who loves to do BJJ and play with his pet bunny when not taking a plunge into the vast ocean of funnel design, email marketing, copywriting, conversions, and customer retention.

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