How to sell something foundational, that you know people should buy, but you can’t promise direct benefits?

Hello, I’m Laura from Worditude, and I have an intentionally comfy business that makes the money I need while squishing in around my other life priorities, responsibilities, challenges and adventures.

This is the Ask Laura podcast. where, in 10 minutes or less, I answer your questions, using my 15 + years of experience in copywriting, marketing, and making money online.

Today’s question was sent in by Christina, and she asks:

“I know all the selling copy theory but it just doesn’t sound like me and makes me really uncomfortable, particularly making claims around benefits. I know my programme is good but because it’s about foundations and planning I can’t say it will triple your revenue or whatever. Do you have any suggestions for very short or simple structures I could use to make social posts about my stuff that encourage people to buy it without me feeling like a pushy car sales person?”

‘

Part One: Feeling uncomfortable about being salesy

That is extremely common.

I have a free resource called the Humble Mumble Cure that helps you feel better about marketing and selling and feeling more positive that you’re content is actually delivering something that people want rather than just adding to the noise and making people feel uncomfortable.

And I have a course called Persuasion Power Ups, which is my favorite thing I’ve ever created. I took all my copywriting experience and knowledge and multiple courses that I’d studied and I identified seven ways seven ways that you can make your sales copy (sales page, lead magnet opt-in page, email, social media post) more persuasive.

Part Two: Selling something foundational

Friends Kitchen Extension

I’m gonna start answering this with a story about my friend’s kitchen extension.

When the builder came to discuss a start date, he pointed out that they couldn’t get going without the architect’s drawings.

My friend had designed her new kitchen, but she hadn’t done the boring bit of getting the drawings sorted and finding out the building regulations requirements.

Adverts for kitchen doors are attractive.

Adverts for architect drawings are not.

But….

If she would’ve paid attention to content that said ‘Want to extend the size of your kitchen? 5 key decisions to make BEFORE building work starts’

And then that piece of content could introduce the idea that you’ll need an architect’s drawings… and then a link to find out more about buying those.

Connect what you’re selling to what they already want

Don’t try to convince people they should want the thing you’re selling.

Show them that what you’re selling will help them get what they already want.

Free content task one: gets people to self-select
Is this you – I have something you might want (and it’s a free something)

Free content task two: Get them to buy into the idea that the foundational step is essential
Don’t do fear-mongering.
But if they don’t do it, what are the risks or possible unwanted outcomes
And if they do the foundational work, how will they benefit?

You may need to break that into steps
Step 1 – Email, Facebook Ad, social post – Self-select and they click on a link or register for a webinar
Step 2 – Bigger value-add content

Or sometimes you might be able to combine both steps into one piece of content.

Ideas for getting people’s attention

Don’t [thing they want to do] until you’ve for these 5 things in place

Doing [thing they want to do] in 2025 – read this

Better results from [thing they want to do] with these 5 preparation steps

Other things that might help

• Scan your existing testimonials for clues
• Ask people why they bought
• If you find selling uncomfortable, watch The Humble Mumble Cure.

And that’s a wrap.

You’ve been listening to Ask Laura.

You can ask me a question by going to worditude.co.uk/ask-laura

Thanks for listening, Goodbye