One of the most common things I notice when reading pitches, emails, and product pages is how often they start with "we." We are a company that does X. We have been building Y since Z. We believe in...
Nobody is reading past that. The person who opened your email or landed on your page did so because something piqued their curiosity. In the first few seconds, they need to feel this is about them, not about you.
I read Influence by Robert Cialdini and it's genuinely one of the best marketing books I've come across. Still relevant to almost every situation. The specific words below come from that research tradition and what direct response copywriters have tested across millions of campaigns.
A way of presenting what you've built so the person reading actually feels why it matters to them.
1. You
Replace "we" with "you" wherever possible. When someone reads the word "you" they automatically picture themselves. Most pitches and emails are written from the sender's perspective. Flipping to the reader's perspective changes everything about how it lands.
"You'll get the report in your inbox before your Monday morning meeting." rather than "We send weekly reports every Monday.""You can set this up in under ten minutes." rather than "We designed it to be easy to install."
2. Free
One of the most attractive words in any language. For a premium brand, use it with a clear boundary rather than as a blanket offer. Applied well, it removes the biggest obstacle: the risk of committing to something that might not work—a threshold rather than a discount.
"Try it free for 7 days. No payment required upfront. Decide after the trial ends.""Free sample with your first order. Try it before you commit to the full size."
3. New
People pay attention to new things. New signals are opportunities and something worth noticing. Use it when something has genuinely changed or when you're reaching someone for the first time. Overuse it, and it loses its power immediately.
"New feature live today: you can now automate the part that was taking you three hours every week.""New in. Only available this season."
4. Premium
People want to feel special regardless of price point. "Premium" signals that someone has thought carefully about this, that it's considered rather than generic. Use it to describe the experience, not just the product. And use it when you mean it.
"A premium onboarding experience. You get a real person walking you through setup on day one, not a chatbot.""Premium materials built to last. Not the version that looks great in photos and falls apart in three months."
5. Because
Cialdini's research showed that giving a reason dramatically increases compliance. In one study, people were more likely to let someone skip a queue when the request included "because" followed by a reason, even when the reason was weak. "Because" signals explanation rather than assertion. People trust explanations far more.
"I'm reaching out because your team is at the stage where this becomes genuinely useful.""It works because the algorithm learns your preferences after thirty uses."
6. Instantly
People are impatient and afraid of missing something. "Instantly" removes the waiting and signals that the reward is immediate. If your product delivers something fast, say so explicitly rather than leaving it vague.
"Set up instantly. No IT team required. You're live within the hour.""Order before 12 am and it ships today."
7. Guaranteed
People are scared of commitment. "Guaranteed" removes the fear of making the wrong decision. It tells the reader that the risk sits with you, not them. The more specific the guarantee, the more credible it is.
"Guaranteed refund for 14 days. No payment required upfront. Decide after the trial ends.""If it doesn't work for you, we refund in full."
These words work because they close the gap between what you know about your product and what a stranger reading it for the first time can feel. That gap is where most pitches fail.
Getting familiar with someone before asking them to buy is still the most important step. These words help with what comes next: once they know you exist, making sure they understand why they should care.
