Persuasive Copywriting Techniques 4:
Prove It with Facts

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

Among the methods you can use to make a case to your reader is Persuasive Copywriting Techniques 4: prove it to her.

Give her the facts.

Let’s say you’ve presented the problem to your reader and painted a picture with a compelling story or anecdote about your product or cause. 

By this point, your reader’s heart is engaged. She is nodding along with you, thinking I cannot bear it that these girls are left on the streets of India to prostitute themselves for food. Yes, I want to do something about it, but …

It’s that “but” in her mind that you must address. If you don’t, then she won’t be persuaded.

Readers look for excuses to not take action. It is how human beings are wired.

Good persuasive writing addresses your reader’s internal protests.

 One of the best ways to do that is by giving proof.

Two Kinds of Proof

Good persuasive writing draws upon two kinds of proof: factual proof and social proof. Both have their strengths.

Factual proof gives your reader actual evidence to back up your claims. Types of factual proof include:

• Statistics
• Scientific or documented studies
• Data
• Graphs and charts
• Process information: how the product, idea or service works
• Quotes from credentialed sources

(Here are 10 kinds of facts that persuade.)

Social proof provides opinions and statements from people to back up your claims. Types of social proof include:

• Testimonials
• Media mentions
• Prestigious publications referencing the product, idea, or service
• Real or implied expert endorsements
• Real or implied celebrity endorsements
• Quotes from credentialed sources

In this post, we will refer to Factual Proof as Persuasive Copywriting Technique 4.

Why Do You Need to Give Factual Proof?

When you present the facts, you eliminate questions and protests in the reader’s mind. Facts are hard to ignore, particularly if your emotions have been stirred up with a compelling need and a powerful story. Story has engaged her emotions. Proof appeals to her logic. Hard facts give your reader’s mind the ammunition it needs to offset her heart and justify a purchase or gift.

Scant, missing, false, or unconvincing factual proof is a turn off to readers. But credible factual proof oozes authority and builds trust.  

Persuasive Copywriting Techniques 4: Some Tips

Q. What am I trying to prove?

A. Two things: documentation about the problem your cause documentation that your solution fixes it.

Q. Where do I find factual proof?

A. Understand that you are collecting two sets of factual proof: externally documented facts that document your problem and internally-generated data that demonstrates how you provide a solution.

Find external proof through research. Look for statistics, data, evidence, and studies from reputable experts that verify your issue.

Track internal proof by keeping track of your work. Maintain accurate records of outcomes. 

Q. How do I use factual proof to make a point?

A. Connect the dots – clearly – for your reader. Show how external facts, statistics, and data (first set of proof) demonstrate the problem and how your internal data (second set of proof) points to the solution.

Then connect the dots between the facts and the story: “Patel is just one of the 34% of all girls in her remote Indian state who must prostitute themselves for food to simply stay alive."

The Bottom Line

When it comes to Persuasive Copywriting Techniques 4, the bottom line is this:

Facts give proof that your story is authentic. When you provide specific, concrete reliable data with a compelling story, your reader is more apt to be persuaded.

After all, you’re giving her the facts.

More Tips on Persuasive Writing

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Persuasive Writing Techniques 3: tell a good story ...

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