Sales copywriting is an essential skill for any entrepreneur who sells or generates leads online. Not only so you can do it yourself, but so you can tell if any copywriter you hire is doing great work. Understanding the components of compelling copy will serve you well writing anything at all. Being able to grab attention and keep someone captivated down a page is no mean feat. Get good at it now.
Bhavik Sarkhedi is a storyteller, marketer, and founder of Write Right, who has published over 2,000 articles online, on topics including AI, the future of content and small business strategy, for outlets including HuffPost and Elite Daily. Sarkhedi has published eight books on content creation, including The Unproposed Guy and The Weak Point Dealer, is a Google Knowledge Panel verified writer, and helps aspiring authors publish their first book. He works with SMEs to improve their content strategy and creative writing processes.
Sarkhedi experiments with using ChatGPT to improve written works, and has crafted 10 prompts to improve your sales copy. Start at the top with your draft description, then follow each prompt to transform the work’s power.
Write awesome product descriptions with ChatGPT that compel people to buy
Create your product description
Start with the basics. Find a simple description of your product or service, or write it from scratch. Include every important piece of information, but don’t think too much about the format of the words. Give all the information to ChatGPT and have it created the starting description from which you will build. Here’s the prompt to kick this off.
“Here is a simple description of [product or service name]. Create a paragraph of no longer than five sentences to describe this [product/service] in a compelling way, in the style and tone of [describe your tone of voice] to appeal to an audience of [describe your target customer] whose challenges are [explain your target audience’s challenges] and desires are [explain their desires]. More details include [Insert product or service information].”
Use visual imagery with descriptive language
“Evocative language is a tool that transports customers into a realm of possibilities,” said Sarkhedi, who uses visual imagery in his work. Not only does a visual description help you “paint a picture with words,” it also allows the audience “to experience the benefits before making a purchase.” For compelling copy, appeal to more senses. Get visual learners along for the ride by adding this prompt to your current chat.
“Now, let’s paint a vivid picture. Add a few sentences to the existing product description that use descriptive language to help my customers visualize the experience of using my product or service.”
Highlight unexpected benefits
People learn best when they are surprised by something. For your product’s description to be memorable, there should be elements of unexpectedness woven throughout. “Showcasing unexpected benefits sets you apart from competitors and gives readers new reasons to be interested in what you’re offering,” explained Sarkhedi. Use this prompt to add a welcome addition to your existing words.
“Now let’s surprise my audience. Create 3 bullet points that mention unexpected benefits or features of my product or service. These should be points that my target customer might not immediately consider.”
Speak to emotions
“Emotional connections resonate deeply with readers, creating a bond that goes beyond mere product features that can lead to stronger customer loyalty,” said Sarkhedi, who has applied this technique in his writing to enhance client relationships. Ask ChatGPT to edit your words with emotion in mind, building rapport that goes beyond the page for your potential customer.
“It’s time to connect emotionally. Create a few sentences that speak to the emotional needs or desires that my product or service fulfills. Think of emotions like relief, happiness, or security.”
Harness the power of scarcity
People don’t want to miss out. They panic when stock is diminishing and they rush to buy when the doors are about to close. “Creating a sense of urgency plays on the fear of missing out and often triggers quick action, driving more immediate sales,” said Sarkhedi. Here’s how to prompt ChatGPT to include this powerful tactic.
“Moving on, let’s create urgency. Create a single sentence that goes with my existing description that highlights stock limitations, a limited time offer, or other scarcity factors. Be specific about how this offer is limited by quantity, time, or availability. Specific to my product, this could be [describe any scarcity factors involved].”
Present a clear call to action
Don’t leave your reader confused on what to do next. Make absolutely sure they know where to click and what they need to do. “A clear and strong call to action (CTA) guides the reader towards the desired step, eliminating confusion and enhancing the conversion rate,” explained Sarkhedi. Add an effective CTA with this prompt.
“Let the reader know what they should do next. Add a short and clear call to action that guides my customer on the next steps to engage with my product or service, which is [explain what you want them to do next].”
Build trust with social proof
No one wants to make mistakes. Proof that other people have purchased this item and seen the benefit will do wonders for your conversion rates. “Social proof adds credibility and taps into the influential power of peer recommendations, often greatly impacting buying decisions,” explained Sarkhedi. Craft compelling testimonials to add more weight to your words.
“Let’s add credibility. My customers have said the following things about my company: [include some testimonials or reviews here]. Provide some testimonials, ratings, and endorsements to validate the claims I’ve made so far.”
Highlight the guarantee
Not only do potential purchasers want to know they’re not alone, they want to protect their downside. If they find they’ve made the wrong choice, how can they back out? “Guarantees reduce purchase anxiety by offering a safety net, increasing the perceived trustworthiness of the brand,” explained Sarkhedi. Add a guarantee with this simple prompt.
“Finally, let’s eliminate any last-minute hesitations. Add a single sentence that describes the guarantees, warranties, or risk-reducing policies I offer, which could be [explain any in place within your company]. Emphasize how these reduce risk for the customer, encouraging them to make the purchase.”
Engage with rhetorical questions
“Rhetorical questions invite the readers into a dialogue,” said Sarkhedi. They should be questions they know how to answer, that echo their challenges or desires, “steering the narrative in a direction that reinforces the sales message, making it more engaging and thought-provoking.” Add some impactful questions with this penultimate prompt.
“Finally, it’s time to add depth by incorporating rhetorical questions within my sales copy. Add three queries that echo readers’ challenges or desires, steering them towards conclusions that reinforce the sales message. These rhetorical questions should spark active thinking and customers should be fully convinced to buy.”
Open with a hook
Your sales copy for this product or service is nearly there. Now, with all of the information, we go back to the start to create the most compelling opening line. Sarkhedi recommends your opening hook opens a loop in the mind of your target customer, to “tap into natural curiosity, draw them in and keep them engaged until they find the answer within your product or service.” Set the stage for a narrative that promises and delivers value.
“Now engage my readers’ curiosity right from the start. Add an opening statement that hints at the transformation or solution on offer, leaving the audience intrigued to learn more and find the answers as they delve deeper into the narrative. This is the final prompt, so please provide me with the final version of the sales copy with every component created so far in this chat. (Hook, description, visual imagery, bullet point benefits, testimonials, emotional language, scarcity, call to action, guarantee, rhetorical questions.]”
After this prompt you’ll have the entirety of your copy. Add further prompts in ChatGPT to edit the tone, voice or specific wording. Chop and change and make amendments until it’s ready to share.
Create compelling product descriptions with ChatGPT
Use this series of prompts to transform your product descriptions from lackluster to incredible. Create the description from basic information and add visual cues to bring it to life.Highlight unexpected benefits, speak to the emotions of your target audience and incorporate scarcity so they rush to take action. Make it clear what they do next, build trust with social proof, add a guarantee and engage in a dialogue they want to continue. Finally, grab attention from the opening line to ensure they read all the words you’ve carefully crafted.
Incorporate these key elements of compelling copy with these 10 prompts in order, and watch your conversion rate improve in an instant.