How To Write Seductive Sales Copy Like Apple

How does Apple do it?

Apple seduces with great design. It creates a big buzz for each product launch.
And it has evangelists and raving fans.
But its sales copy plays a key role, too.
Apple copywriters know exactly how to sell with words. They know the copywriting
tricks, techniques, and formulas that sell products. And they understand which
words to choose to help you justify your iPhone 5 purchase. Even if you possess
a still-fully-functional iPhone 4S.
How does Apples sales copy captivate your attention? How does Apple fascinate, en
gage, and persuade you to buy a new iPhone?
By studying the iPhone 5 copy, you can learn how to write persuasive sales copy.
And master the techniques for turning doubters into buyers. And gain more sales
. Sounds good?
Lets have a look at 11 seductive copywriting techniques.
1. Command attention with one big idea
The iPhone 5 headline grabs attention
The iPhone 5 headline grabs attention.
Your headline is the first thing web visitors will look at on your landing page
even before they look at an image. A good headline focuses on one big idea usual
ly your most important benefit.
Cynics may say that the Apple copywriters couldnt think of one key benefit to sel
l the iPhone 5. And thats why the cynics would say the headline doesnt focus on a
benefit.
The alternative view is that the key objective is to convince existing iPhone ow
ners to upgrade to the iPhone 5. Thats probably why the headline stresses that th
e iPhone 5 is such a big happening: the biggest thing to happen since iPhone.
Copywriting tip:
When youre writing a headline for your web copy, what is the main message you wan
t to communicate? Focus on just one thing. Explain what you do. Or tell how your
readers will benefit from your product or your service.
2. Promote readability with short and broken sentences
Broken sentences?
Your high school teacher did not approve of using broken sentences. But in high
school, you learned a more academic way of writing. Sales copy is different. Sal
es copy needs to be easy to read. Your readers dont want to make an effort to rea
d your content.
Short sentences are much easier to read than long, spiritless sentences. Thats wh
y Apple copywriters dont worry about starting a sentence with And or But. They do
it quite often:
It doesnt seem possible. (). But it is.

Its our thinnest display ever. And its the first of its kind.
And thats just for starters.
Shorter sentences are easier to read and easier to understand. And short sentenc
es also improve the rhythm of copy. Apple even uses one-word sentences:
All-new Lightning connector. Smaller. Smarter. Durable. Reversible.
The staccato rhythm of one-word sentences helps draw attention to each individua
l word. The style you learned in high school is much weaker: All-new Lightning c
onnector: smaller, smarter, durable, and reversible.
The three iPhone 5 web pages have an average sentence length of 10.9, 11.9, and
14.0 words. Thats pretty good. And pretty readable.
Copywriting tip:
Short sentences are easier to read. If you edit long sentences, just cut them in
two. And dont worry about broken sentences. Be brave. Start a sentence with And,
But, or Because.
Try to keep your copy below 12 words per sentence on average.
3. Become memorable with sound bites
Apple copywriters like broken sentences
Apple copywriters like broken sentences. And sound bites.
Sound bites are easy-to-remember, easy-to-quote nuggets of wisdom.
Sound bites are like proverbs. Generations of people have remembered and passed
on proverbs because they communicate one idea in a short and simple way.
Sound bites often feature repetition like this:
Everything you need. Everywhere you go.
Sound bites can present information in a group of three. Its often thought that t
hreesomes are sticky and easy to remember:
The thinnest, lightest, fastest iPhone ever.
Sound bites sometimes use contrast or surprise. Because contrast and surprise at
tract attention. They startle the brain:
So much more than before. And so much less, too.
Copywriting tip:
Learn how to write sound bites.
Grab a book of quotations or try a website. Read quotations for 20 or 30 minutes
. Practice writing a few. Write tightly. Scrap redundant words. And focus on com
municating just one simple idea.
4. Enhance your credibility with technical details
Technical details are a sign of expertise. Technical details enhance trust. And
make you more convincing.

Presenting exact details like names and data shows you know what youre talking ab
out. You may think details arent interesting. And you might be inclined to leave
them out. But details sell. Let me show you why.
When Claude C. Hopkins, who was one of the most distinguished copywriters, worke
d for beer brand Schlitz, he toured its factory to learn about brewing beer. He
wanted to understand all of the finer details. And in the sales copy, he describ
ed the exact process of filtering water. That helped the Schlitz brand move up f
rom fifth to a-tie-for-first position in the American beer market. Other brands
just talked about pure water. Schlitz was specific about why the water was pure
even though in reality there was no difference in the water filtering process of
different brands. But talking about the details helped to sell the product.
Here is an example of a technical detail of the iPhone 5:
The back of iPhone 5 is made of anodized 6000 series aluminum the same material
used in Apple notebooks ()
Most readers wont know what anodized 6000 series aluminum is. Do you? But this de
tail impresses. And builds confidence. Because Apple shares exactly what the mat
erial is.
Lets have a look at a portion of the description of the iPhone manufacturing proc
ess:
Take the glass inlays on the back of iPhone 5, for instance. During manufacturin
g, each iPhone 5 aluminum housing is photographed by two high-powered 29MP camer
as. A machine then examines the images and compares them against 725 unique inla
ys to find the most precise match for every single iPhone.
The details of the process of assembling the glass inlay into the aluminum housi
ng include:
two cameras are used;
each camera is 29MP; and
the cameras compare the housing with 725 inlays to find a match.
These definite numbers enhance the description. The copy explains exactly how a
match is found for each housing to showcase the quality of the production proces
s.
Copywriting tip:
What details can you use to showcase your manufacturing process and the quality
of your product? Include figures. And be as specific as possible.
5. Fascinate your audience with stories
Stories are a powerful copywriting tool. Stories fascinate. And stories are memo
rable.
Heres a story Apple tells about the development of the earphones for the iPhone 5
:
Apple engineers asked more than 600 people to test over 100 iterations of the Ap
ple EarPods. Testers ran on treadmills in extreme heat and extreme cold. They pe
rformed various cardio workouts. They were even asked to shake their heads side
to side, up and down. The result: Apple EarPods provide stronger protection from
sweat and water, and theyre remarkably stable in the ear. Which means they stay
in, even when youre on the go.
This EarPod story helps you imagine the tests. You can visualize the testers in

the gym sweating and shaking their heads. You can picture how the final prototyp
es are stable in peoples ears despite the running and shaking and nodding. You mi
ght have almost shaken your head while reading that. And that makes the story me
morable. Because it makes you picture something. It makes you feel something.
Copywriting tip:
What stories can you tell about your product? Can you explain where the idea for
your product came from? Can you tell stories about the challenges you had to ov
ercome when developing the product? And do you have stories about your testing p
rocedures?
Stories are fascinating. Make sure you use them to your advantage.
6. Persuade with problems
Features and specifications are cold, hard facts. And they can be a little borin
g. Dull. Drab.
Your readers will pay more attention if you can present features as solutions to
their problems. Because problems catch the eye. In the example above, there was
the problem of earphones falling out of your ears. Heres another problem:
Another brilliant feature of Lightning: Its reversible. Which means theres no wron
g way to plug in the cable.
It might not be a big problem, but its an issue nonetheless: Messing about with p
lugs because you always seem to have them the wrong way around. So whats the solu
tion? The new Lightning plug is reversible.
Heres another problem:
New noise-canceling technology reduces background noise. So when you hold iPhone
up to your ear in a loud room, you hear what matters most: the voice on the oth
er end.
This is a problem most people have experienced. Youre taking a call and you cant h
ear what the caller says because youre in a noisy room. Apples solution: The new n
oise-canceling technology reduces background noise.
Copywriting tip:
When youre writing sales copy, make sure you list all of your products features be
as complete as you can be. And then consider what problem each feature solves.
7. Use analogies to describe product quality
Analogies are useful when describing abstract concepts like quality
Analogies are useful when describing abstract concepts like quality.
Abstract concepts such as product quality are difficult to describe. Analogies c
an help because they link a characteristic of something new to a similar charact
eristic of something known. For instance:
iPhone 5 is made with a level of precision youd expect from a finely crafted watc
h not a smartphone.
The overall audio quality of Apple EarPods is so impressive, they rival high-end
headphones that cost hundreds of dollars more.
The quality of FaceTime video calls is so surprising, its as if youre in the same

room with whoevers on the other end.

Its difficult to explain manufacturing quality, audio quality, and video call qua
lity. Thats why analogies are used to explain each of them. The manufacturing qua
lity is compared with the craftsmanship of fine watches; the audio quality of ea
rphones is compared to that of headphones that cost hundreds of dollars more; an
d the video quality is as if youre in the same room with whoevers on the other end
.
Copywriting tip:
Quality is an abstract concept. Use analogies to explain your product quality. L
ink the quality of your product to something your audience knows already.
8. Overcome objections one by one
You want to be persuasive. Because you want people to buy your products.
Its not enough to tell your audience how good your product is. You have to antici
pate their objections. And overcome them one by one. You need to re-assure poten
tial buyers:
Because even though the display is bigger, iPhone 5 is the same width as iPhone
4S. So its just as easy to use with one hand.
The potential objection is that the iPhone 5 is bigger than the iPhone 4S so it
may be more difficult to use with one hand. Apple re-assures you by saying: Dont
worry. The width is the same as the iPhone 4S, so you can still easily use it wi
th one hand.
Heres another example:
Although the surface of the iSight camera is as clear as glass, its not made of g
lass. Its actually sapphire crystal, whose hardness is second only to diamond on
the scale of transparent materials. That means the surface of the lens is far le
ss likely to scratch.
The potential objection is that the iSight camera lens may scratch. Apple re-ass
ures you by writing: Its made of sapphire crystal which is far less likely to scr
atch than glass.
Copywriting tip:
Brainstorm and write down all potential buyer objections. If youre not sure, ask
your customers and prospects. And make sure your sales copy addresses each objec
tion.
9. Encourage trading up with product comparisons
Of course.
Apple has a loyal following of fans who will queue up to buy the next iPhone as
soon as its out.
But other people will wonder: do I really need to replace my iPhone 4S with an i
Phone 5? Lets have a look at how Apple copywriters use product comparisons to per
suade you to upgrade:
And the new A6 chip is up to 2x faster than the A5 chip but 22 percent smaller.
Even with so much inside, iPhone 5 is 20 percent lighter and 18 percent thinner
than iPhone 4S.

And as stunning as the Retina display is on the iPhone 4S, this one gives you 18
percent more pixels for an impressive 1136-by-640 resolution. Colors get a boos
t, too, with color saturation thats 44 percent greater than before.
The 8MP iSight camera has even more features like panorama and dynamic low-light
mode yet its 25 percent smaller.
Do you know what makes these comparisons so powerful? Each comparison includes a
number: 18% more pixels, 44% greater, and 25% smaller. The figures enhance cred
ibility and give you the impression that the iPhone 5 is quite different from th
e 4S.
Copywriting tip:
How can you compare a new product with an old model? Include all the reasons why
your new model is better. Try using exact figures to underline the differences.
10. Captivate your audience with power words
Your sales copy is about your product. Just like the iPhone 5 copy is about *er*
the iPhone 5.
Right?
Not quite. Your copy should always focus more on the potential buyer than on you
r product. The iPhone 5 sales copy manages to do this. Just about.
The sales copy uses the word iPhone 81 times. And the name Apple is used an addi
tional 26 times. But the words you and your are used even more often: 110 times.
That means that one in 23 words of the sales copy is you or your. Here are a fe
w examples:
So you can browse, download, and stream content at remarkable speeds, wherever y
ou happen to be.
With one less layer between you and what you see on iPhone 5, you experience mor
e clarity than ever before.
So with iPhone 5, the games you play, the words you read, the images you see, an
d the apps you love look and feel incredibly vivid and lifelike.
The text is written so that you start picturing yourself with the iPhone 5. Word
s like vivid and lifelike help you imagine how it would be to use the iPhone 5.
An even more powerful way to do this is by using the word imagine:
Imagine sidesplitting, adventure-filled, must-see flicks produced by you and sho
t on iPhone 5.
By using the word imagine, the reader starts experiencing the new product. The r
eader is almost hypnotized into a state of using the iPhone 5. Dont you get excit
ed about the possibility of creating a sidesplitting and adventure-filled movie?
These vivid words again add to the experience.
But theres another power word one thats especially useful when you need to convinc
e customers to upgrade their old model. That word is new. New is used 23 times t
hat means one in 150 words in the iPhone 5 copy is the word new, newer or newest
.
entirely new
Apple copywriters use the phrase entirely new to stress how new the iPhone 5 is.

When you need to persuade existing owners to upgrade to a new model, stressing i
ts newness is an important copywriting technique:
Creating an entirely new design meant inventing entirely new technology.
The all-new Apple-designed A6 chip in iPhone 5 is powerful but not power hungry.
And all-new headphones designed to sound great and fit comfortably.
And so it goes on: theres so much new about the new iPhone. The design. The techn
ology. The A6 chip. The earphones. The connector. And new features. Apple copywr
iters further stress the newness of the iPhone 5 by using all-new and entirely n
ew. And the earphones are completely re-imagined from the sound up.
Copywriting tip:
Learn how to use power words to engage your reader:
Focus your copy on the reader. Use the word you more often than your brand and p
roduct names.
Help your reader imagine what it will be like to use your new product. Use vivid
words.
When youre selling an upgrade, make sure you list everything thats new about it. S
tress its newness. Use expressions like all-new, entirely new, or completely new
.
Ready for the last copywriting technique?
11. Create a persuasive call to action
Clear links and small arrows encourage you to learn more
Clear links and small arrows encourage you to learn more.
A good call to
y not be ready
e 5 with small
reader may not

action is specific, stands out, and respects that the customer ma

to buy. Apple encourages readers to find out more about the iPhon
arrows and by having clear links in a color that stands out. The
be ready to buy, so Apple suggests the reader read more instead.

Nearly at the bottom of the page are the other calls to action: Compare iPhone m
odels; Shop online; Visit a store; and Call Apple. These calls-to-action dont sta
nd out, but the accompanying text sells each of the options:
Order online: shipment is free; your iPhone is delivered to your door ready-to-u
se.
Visit an Apple store: Apple will activate your iPhone and set it up just the way
you want.
Call Apple: talk to a knowledgeable Specialist.
Copywriting tip:
Encourage your readers to follow your call-to-action. Explain how theyll benefit.
And make your call-to-action stand out.
Bonus: How to design for readability
Youve attracted attention with your headline.
And youve written engaging and persuasive copy. But do you know your web design c
an destroy the effectiveness of your precious words?
The Apple website shows you how to design for readability:

Be generous with white space. It enhances and complements your content.

Increase your font size. Tiny fonts are a crime against readability.
Reduce your line length. This is especially important for your first few sentenc
es. Because it encourages web visitors to start reading your text.
Write for skimmers. Communicate your key messages in your headlines and sub head
lines.
Include photos, graphs, or videos. You know our brains love images, dont you?
How to boost your sales with seductive sales copy
Your product might not be as sexy as the iPhone 5.
But your sales copy can be as seductive. You just have to learn how to apply cop
ywriting tricks.
Focus on your reader. Show your readers you care about them. And explain what yo
ur product can do for them. Let your readers imagine what its like to use your pr
oduct. And overcome their objections. One by one.
And when you write, write with passion. And with energy.
Write your first version fast. You have to write while youre enthusiastic. Becaus
e your enthusiasm is contagious.
Youll gain more sales. And your business will grow.
About the author: Henneke Duistermaat is a UK based content marketing expert. To
receive her ultra-short, entertaining copywriting and content marketing tips, s
ign up now at Enchanting Marketing.
Optimize Every Web Interaction
Create triggered popups, nudges, and lightboxes to boost conversions.
Start 14-Day Trial
Ralph Oct 23, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Thank you Henneke for a most informative, spot-on post. Im a marketing strategist
and copywriter for a digital media company. My clients and colleagues always dr
ool over Apples design. Yeah, their site looks good. But theres more going on with A
pples site than the look and feel. Words matter, even on good-looking sites. Word
s will always matter. Always.
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 23, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Yep, indeed. Words matter.
Thank you for your comment, Ralph. :)
Reply
Mark Farrelly Oct 23, 2012 at 1:33 pm
As a pro writer myself, I congratulate you. You nailed it. Perfectly. Brilliantl
y. Concisely.
So much to say. Said with so few words.
:)
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 23, 2012 at 1:52 pm
Thank you, Mark :)

Reply
Tammy McNabb Oct 23, 2012 at 2:11 pm
tee hee : )
Reply
Demian Farnworth Oct 23, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Superb post, Henneke. SUPERB.
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 23, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Thanks, Demian. THANKS. :)
Reply
Tammy McNabb Oct 23, 2012 at 2:09 pm
loved it, thank you. Ive been doing a lot of writting for our company recently an
d this gives me many new ideas!
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 23, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Glad to hear, Tammy.
Reply
akram Oct 23, 2012 at 11:33 pm
seductive copy about seductive copy writing, brilliant, compact, precise ideas a
bout how to cut into the clutter of your target audience.
You see i am starting to learn your ways Henneke
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 24, 2012 at 12:26 am
Glad to hear, Akram. :)
Reply
Eli E. Cohen Oct 24, 2012 at 12:53 am
Simply: Great! You know your stuff and communicate it with the 3 most important
attributes for success in anything you do: Passion..Energy. Enthusiasm!
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 24, 2012 at 7:48 am
Yep, it was fun to write :)
Thanks, Eli.
Reply
Hasan Gundogdu Oct 24, 2012 at 6:29 am
11 great copywriting tips just subscribed to Enchanting Marketing thank you Henn
eke.
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 24, 2012 at 7:48 am
Thats great!
Thanks, Hasan.
Reply
Anthony Shore Oct 24, 2012 at 11:23 am
A fantastic and actionable how-to. I have already shared this with several of my
clients. Great work. Thank you!
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 24, 2012 at 12:18 pm

Youre welcome, Anthony :)

Thanks for sharing.
Reply
Sameer Panjwani Oct 25, 2012 at 2:53 am
Youve deconstructed Apples sales copy superbly well. I just opened their sales pag
e for the Ipad Mini here: apple.com/ipad-mini/overview/ and I could immediately
identify with all the points you mentioned. There is definitely a trend and cons
istency in their copywriting style.
Some examples:
iPad mini Every inch an iPad thats their headline: its short, concise and I guess co
nveys their main idea of it still being as good as the original iPad
The full iPad Experience. Theres less of it, but no less to it. as youve pointed out
: sound-bite worthy and memorable
Ultrafast wireless. Fast connections. The world over. broken sentences to get more
impact.
So Henneke, Id say youve nailed it! ;)
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 25, 2012 at 9:57 am
Thanks for adding a few more good examples, Sameer :-)
Reply
Casey Gollan Oct 25, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Fantastic post, Henneke! Perhaps the most important thing to point out is that A
pples copy is always clear and relevant while still being creative.
Its easy for less experienced copywriters to get creative at the expensive of cla
rity. Ive been to a lot of sites with creative but ambiguous headlines, tag lines
and copy.
Ultimately, I would rather see dry and clear copy than creative but ambiguous co
py. At least with dry and clear copy the value proposition is put out there.
Reply
Henneke | Enchanting Marketing Oct 26, 2012 at 2:02 am
Oh yes, Casey. Thats an excellent point.
Simplicity beats cleverness.
Reply
Ophelie Oct 30, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Thank you for validating my use of short, broken sentences! Ill point the rest of
my team to this post when they claim that I should be using proper grammar and lo
nger sentences. Im writing sales copy, not university essays.
Reply
krishna Oct 31, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Just like your own way to using simple analogy to explain each aspect of copywri
ting.
Reply
torq Nov 01, 2012 at 8:33 am
Choppy sentences and repetition in sales copy can work, but when you apply that
same style to a blog post, it comes off as pretentious. Example:

Technical details are a sign of expertise. Technical details enhance trust. And m
ake you more convincing.
This isnt ad ad for an iPhone, its an article on how to do something. Informative
articles need to explain things clearly, not sound cool.
Reply
Basith Abdul Nov 02, 2012 at 5:35 am
Awesome!Sometimes excellent copy writing can be beautiful as a poem
Reply
James Rayers Nov 04, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Hi Henneke,
You deconstruct Apple copy very well. I suspect broken sentences is one of the o
nly techniques that people may not have yet tried out, but it is always a good r
eminder to get stories, benefits and power words into a copywriting article you
can never overlook these fundamentals.
As a response to the first point, I dont know whether it was deliberately overloo
ked, but the clear goal of the iPhone 5 headline is to portray the screen size a
s the hero. Even cynics would struggle to deem that not a leading benefit.
Reply
jessica Dec 19, 2012 at 11:52 am
This looks like an exceptionally useful resource. Might take a while to work thr
ough it, but well worth the time I should think. Thank you.
Reply
todd rizzardi Dec 28, 2012 at 11:58 am
I was going to write a big long review of this article but I decided to just bre
ak it down in 2 words Nice Work! :P
Reply
Matt Dec 30, 2012 at 9:00 am
Hey Henneke !
I must say that copywriters of Apple have made a trend. Well I really liked the
whole article, specially the copywriting tips after each step are really useful.
Thanks.
Matt
Reply
Stan Jan 01, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Just a quick note to say what a great post this is. So much so that I just rewro
te an entire product copy using the guidelines exposed here. The result is much
better than the original. Thanks a million
Reply
Amy Jan 22, 2013 at 9:51 am
Thank you so much for such a great article!!! EXACTLY what I needed today as I s
it down to write some copy! Much appreciated!
Reply
Owen.B Mar 01, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Great article.
I have an iPhone app that im trying to redo the copy for to help increase downloa
ds as lots of people are seeing it in the app store (its called Listen 2 Win) bu
t not many people are actually downloading it, even though it is free. I will tr

y some of the tips above and see how it goes.

Thanks again ;)
Reply
Tony Aug 23, 2014 at 4:56 pm
Ha, you actually think copy sells Apples products. No sir. this is simply a great
product that people rush to grab out of the hand of Apple, period. No content mark
eting either.
Reply
Anthony Garces Jan 08, 2015 at 7:19 am
Im learning a lot from this! Thank you so much for such a great article!
Reply
PBscott May 12, 2015 at 7:04 pm
This was exactly the type of copy information I was looking for. The article is
concise and well written.
Reply
Roz Bahrami Jul 08, 2015 at 8:26 am
I think Apple has a lot of great things going for it. Not just with design but h
ow their brand is so interconnected with the product and the lifestyle they are
trying to sell. Think of apple users vs android users. This is a product of grea
t design, product, and marketing. I also think Apple does a great job of bringin
g out some user emotions, users think they have to get the new iPhone even thoug
h they already have the older model. Really great article.
Reply
Karen Chambers Sep 18, 2015 at 10:24 am
This is an excellent article about simple, yet informative writing.
Reply
Mauricio Delgado B. Dec 16, 2015 at 8:57 pm
This is the best article about writing good web copy that I have read in many, m
any years. Thank you!!!!!
Reply
92 comments
Name *
Email *
Website
Comment
Please use your real name and a corresponding social media profile when commenti
ng. Otherwise, your comment may be deleted.

Previous ArticleNext Article

0
inShare
FREE EMAIL UPDATES
Get the latest content first.

Follow Us
Article Categories
Academy Advertising Analytics Blogging Branding Conversion Copywriting Desig
n E-Commerce Facebook Infographics Launch Strategies Marketing Release Notes
SEO Social Media Testing Twitter
What is Kissmetrics?
We re more than just a blog! Our online software helps marketers turn analytics
into insights that guide decision-making and growth. Kissmetrics is different be
cause it ties every visit on your website to a person even if they re using mult
iple devices.
Start your free 14-day trial
No credit card required.
2016 Kissmetrics, San Francisco
Kissmetrics Guest Post Submission Careers Terms of Use Privacy Policy