“Super Adjectives” Boost the Power of Your Copy

By Karon Thackston

Pretty or elegant? Good or scrumptious? Nice or delightful? There is power in the adjectives you choose. Just like Clark Kent and Superman or Bruce Wayne and Batman, some adjectives are plain, ordinary, everyday words. Others are alter-ego Super Adjectives that leap into your customers’ minds in a single bound. Adjectives are boring, but Super Adjectives impress, inspire, and convince your customers more effectively

Look at these examples to see what I mean

Before

Great Top for Hot Summer Day

When it’s hot outside, this top will help keep you cool. Made of cool nylon, you’ll love how it sheds moisture. Available in four pastel colors.

After

Perfect Tank Top for Hot Summer Days

When the temperatures are steamy outside, this tank will help keep you remarkably cool. Made of breathable 100% nylon, you’ll love how it sheds moisture. Available in four spring-fresh colors.

See the difference? The latter paints a more vivid picture of the tank top than the former.

Try this…

Before

The Prestige Collection is a unique selection of ceiling fans available at Hastings Home Center. The Prestige Collection offers all the quality craftsmanship, and dependable performance, you expect from Hastings along with styles so pretty they take ceiling fans to the next level – and dress your home for any occasion.

After

The Prestige Collection is a distinctive selection of elegantly designed ceiling fans available exclusively at Hastings Home Center. The Prestige Collection offers all the expert craftsmanship, and whisper-quiet performance, you expect from Hastings. In addition, you get styles so stunning they take ceiling fans to the next level – and exceptionally dress your home for any occasion.

What’s the difference? Why are the “afters” so much more powerful than the “befores”? Because compelling adjectives were used. Adjectives let the reader know more about the product and develop a connection with it. But boring ordinary adjectives aren’t the answer. You need Super Adjectives to entice your readers. For example, instead of just “cool nylon,” we say “breathable nylon.” The colors aren’t just “pastel colors,” they are “spring-fresh” colors. When you read that, you begin to envision what the colors look like. They aren’t deep, dark colors. They are delicate shades found during the springtime.

Instead of saying “a unique selection,” we said “a distinctive selection.” Rather than “quality craftsmanship,” it’s “expert craftsmanship.” Not just “dependable performance,” but “whisper-quiet performance.”

Where do you find these Super Adjectives? They are all over the place! Here’s a short list. You can also visit free sites like http://www.thesaurus.com for more.

Adjectives vs. Super Adjectives

• Appealing – attractive, alluring, fascinating
• Best – excellent, unsurpassed, paramount
• Cool – trendy, fashionable, hip
• Different – unusual, exclusive, special
• Easy – effortless, trouble-free, user-friendly
• Fabulous – tremendous, magnificent, remarkable
• Handy – functional, ideal, well-suited
• Improved – enhanced, superior, refined
• Leading – first-rate, top-notch, supreme
• Mouthwatering – tasty, savory, succulent
• New – innovative, fresh, inventive
• Powerful – forceful, persuasive, compelling
• Reliable – dependable, steadfast, trustworthy
• Safe – secure, fully guarded, guaranteed
• Unique – distinctive, rare, matchless
• Vivid – vibrant, brilliant, stunning
• Wonderful – magnificent, amazing, astonishing

Take some time to go beyond the ordinary. Find a few Super Adjectives to use in your copy in order to boost excitement and interest in the products/services you write about. That added attention Super Adjectives bring can easily correlate to additional sales.

By Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.learn-copywriting.com