Positive Words: How to give your copy a positive spin
I'm all for positivity!
You know the StrengthsFinder quiz? Yeah - positivity was my number 3.
It's to the point that if I'm following someone on insta who keeps posting negative vibes, putting others or themselves down - I'm gonna unfollow.
It's safe to say having a positive attitude is pretty important to me.
And it should be for you too!
In the article, Bad is Stronger Than Good, they say “bad emotions, bad parents, and bad feedback have more impact than good ones, and bad information is processed more thoroughly than good.”
Think about your last bad day: what happened? So often, one mistake or one negative comment can ruin the entire day. Even if the rest of it was actually pretty good!
They say it takes a minimum of 5 good things to offset the negative effects of 1 bad thing.
5:1 - that's the ratio. 5 positive things to every 1 negative.
What part of that ratio are you contributing to?
Is the copy you're writing, the content you're producing, are the posts you're sharing positive or negative?
Are they uplifting people, products and services? Or are they putting them down?
How can you write copy that oozes positivity?
It's all in how you spin it.
My hubby and I were recently chatting about a possible snow trip.
He sent me these emojis: ❄️😬
I replied with: ☕️🔥🍷☃️
You see, he was thinking about how freezing he would be! Whereas I was thinking about hot chocolates and lounging by the fire, drinking mulled wine and making snow people.
You've probably written a few 'pros and cons' lists in your lifetime, right? Well, that's pretty much what this is!
1. Tapping into the Pros and Cons
If I were to advertise this snow trip, say you're advertising an Airbnb for a house in the mountains, I would start by tapping into those negative emotions. The 'cons'.
"Snow trips. They're all fun and games until someone gets frostbite. It's never a good time when you're stuck in the mountains, freezing your butt off!"
It's a relatable situation to be in (ok - maybe not the frostbite part, but we all exaggerate a little, right?).
But then comes the positivity!
Take the 'pros' list now, and turn your mountain getaway into something that just can't be missed!
"It doesn't have to be a nightmare! After a day of fun in the snow, there's nothing better than curling up by the fire in our warm, cozy home. Make yourself toastie with a glass of mulled wine, or maybe even a hot chocolate. You'll be comfy and snug in no time."
2. Presenting solutions rather than problems
Another tactic is to play up the solutions.
What can you do? How can you solve the problem?
It's better to focus on what you can do, rather than what you can't. Come up with a solution rather present the problem. For example:
Instead of: "I can't do tomorrow morning, I'm fully booked."
Say: "Tomorrow afternoon works better for me. How's 2pm?
Instead of: "I hate it as a copywriter when people don't complete their briefs properly"
Say: "I love it when clients provide me with all the info I need! That way I can do the best job I can for them."
3. Choosing positive language
Negative words: "not", "mistake", "no", "refuse", "failure". These send a negative message. If you can - throw them out the window!
Instead of: "The presentation cannot be completed until 20-30 days from now."
Say: "The presentation will be completed within 20-30 days."
Take a look at emails you're sending out on the reg. How can you change up the way you communicate?
Do not hesitate to contact me.
Don't forget to clear out your leftovers from the fridge.
Don't bring your laptop to the meeting.
4. I'm sorry but... Means you're probably not really sorry.
If you start a statement with "I'm sorry but...", you're probably not sorry. You're just defending yourself.
When you've made a mistake, own up to it and genuinely apologise.
Instead of: "We're sorry your shipment was delayed, but we had lots of other orders this week."
Say: "We're sorry your shipment was delayed! The number of orders we received took us by surprise!"
5. Emphasise the positive
The amount of negative info you give will definitely affect the tone of the text. Be sure your writing has more positive points than negative ones. Remember that 5:1 ratio - for every 1 negative point, include 5 or more positive.
Here are a few things to consider before writing that blog, social media post or sending that email:
Do an empathy check.
Read your content as though you're the audience, not the author. How would you feel reading this? Is there some way you can spruce it up to make it more positive, or focus on the solutions rather than the problems?
Sit on it.
Have you ever sent off an email or made a post in the heat of the moment? Yeah -it's not a great feeling. Cool off a little before you hit send. Chances are, you'll be able to rewrite it in a more positive tone later on, once you've had more time to process what's happened.
It's not always appropriate to write in a super upbeat, positive, happy-go-lucky tone. Like, if you're giving someone the bad news that they're fired, or if you're writing about a national tragedy. But maintaining a positive tone can make bad news or criticism less devastating in the right context.
