Writing can be a creative outlet and art form that allows people to tap into their imagination. It can also be a great hobby and even a stress reliever. But writing doesn’t come naturally to all. Unfortunately, for many, excellent literary skills are also needed in the workplace.
Sales is one field that quickly comes to mind. Even though it may not be emphasized in school, strong literary skills are crucial in sales, and being able to write persuasive sales pitches can literally make or break a deal.
If you’re struggling to improve your persuasive writing skills for sales pitches and you don’t know where to start, we’ve got some helpful advice. Below, we’ll explore how various literary devices can help drive conversions and close more sales.
Writing Always Needs an Emotional Element
No matter the sales pitch you’re crafting, one thing remains true. All writing needs to tap into the reader’s emotions. The type of emotions the piece should convey depends on the product or service you are pitching and your company’s brand identity. For example, if you’re talking about a serious product or service that fills an important need, humor probably isn’t the right approach to evoking emotions.
Creating an emotional response in your sales pitch may be the toughest challenge, so this particular tip will take a lot of practice. If you have a sales team, it’s wise to bounce ideas and content off each other to help finesse the final pitch.
Repetition Can Be Your Best Tool
The next literary tool to embrace is repetition. When done correctly and naturally, repetition can hammer home the point you’re trying to make during your sales pitch. Just be careful to change up the language and phrasing. You don’t want to repeat yourself word for word, as your customer or target audience will simply tune out.
Ideally, you want to sneak in repetition throughout the entire sales pitch. Think of these elements as breadcrumbs you’re expertly scattering throughout. For instance, you can tell your audience that your product saves time, then emphasize the advantage again later in the pitch before closing with a reminder that your product is a proven timesaver.
Help Your Audience Visualize What They Would Be Getting
Visualization is another powerful literary device. A sales pitch needs to tell a story. You assert that your target audience has a specific need and then deliver the solution. Including images and videos is helpful in sales pitches, but they can’t be the only visualization techniques you rely on.
Painting a picture with words is equally important. You don’t have to use overly flowery language, but you should be specific in your descriptions.
Don’t Be Afraid to Pose Rhetorical Questions
Much like their open-ended counterparts, rhetorical questions are sometimes used in the sales industry to spark thought. When a question is posed, the reader or audience can’t help but perk up. You can then step in to fill that gap, painting your product or service as the answer to their problem.
Here are a few examples of rhetorical questions:
- Who doesn’t want to go on a holiday?
- Who loves a good game of football?
- When was the last time you got to relax?
- What’s holding you back from realizing your goals?
Rhetorical questions tend to work best when you anticipate the answer. In that sense, they can help you guide the target audience to a logical conclusion. Ultimately, the conclusion is that your product or service is the solution they’ve been seeking.
Include Statistics and Data in a User-Friendly Manner
This particular literary device may not apply to all sales pitches. But if you do plan on quoting statistics and data, you must do it in the right way. Data can be very dry and even confusing, so find a way to convey the information in a clear and simple manner that strongly supports the point you’re trying to make.
Every Sales Pitch Needs a Strong Call to Action
Finally, you want to make sure that no matter what you’re discussing in your sales pitch, you always end with a clear call to action. After using various literary devices and persuasive techniques, think of the call to action as your perfect closer. It’s all about making it easy for your audience or customer to take the next step so that you can close the sale.
A call to action is a prompt you give to the reader. You want them to take the suggested action, such as “Read more here,” “Buy now,” or “Click to purchase.” This is often the best way to clinch an immediate sale. This technique is particularly useful on websites that encourage customers to complete a purchase.
One industry that executes calls to action flawlessly is online casinos. After outlining the advantages for the users to play on that particular site, such as bonuses and promotions, there is always a call to action. It can be simple, such as “Click here to play” or “Click for more details.” The point is that the visitor isn’t left hanging: The call to action guides them smoothly through the next steps.
Brushing Up on Your Literary Devices Will Improve Sales Pitches
By brushing up on your literary devices, you’ll produce more effective and better-rounded sales pitches. The key is to employ all of these tips naturally so they don’t feel jarring or overtly salesy to your target audience. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, so expect a few bumps as you work on your sales pitch writing skills.
