What differentiates the luxury industry from the mass market? Exclusivity.
It’s like entry into an elite club. An experience that only money can buy – with money being the key factor.
Everyone knows that high-end products are expensive, yet people happily pay a premium for a piece of luxury, whether it’s a designer handbag or a sports car.
Even inflation and economic uncertainty can’t dampen the demand for luxury, with the global market set to reach €1.3 trillion in 2023, an increase of 8-10% from 2022.
So what’s the secret to this growth and the industry’s enduring appeal? To put it simply, buying a luxury product makes people feel special.
And this is exactly what we have to tap into when writing for a luxury brand.
Words have power
Products or experiences with a high price tag usually grant the consumer a desired social status or access to a particular lifestyle. Or sometimes, both.
This means your copy has to appeal to the target audience, which is mostly made up of those already living a luxury lifestyle or aspiring to be a part of it.
Forget phrases like “best-selling” or “get it now”. In the luxury market, popularity or scarcity aren’t explicitly mentioned. Instead, they are hinted at with words like “heritage design”, “limited edition” or “exclusive”.
To spell out why someone should buy something now is tacky (in the luxury world, anyway). But showing why a brand is the right choice is a classy move.
So think sophisticated, contemporary and slightly mysterious when it comes to tone of voice. Then use words and phrases that leave them wanting more.
For example, with CTAs, use experiential words like “Discover”, “Explore” or “Add to cart”, rather than the standard “Learn more” or “Shop now”.
If writing a product description, don’t tell the reader it’s a luxury product. Let them figure it out for themselves with phrases like “a staple of the [INSERT BRAND] aesthetic” or “hand-crafted in our signature style”.
Basically, writing for luxury involves getting inside the mind of a luxury shopper. Ask yourself: How do they want to feel? Why is the lifestyle important to them? What does the brand represent to the buyer?
If you start to think like a connoisseur of luxurious things, the right words will elegantly follow.
P.S.
If you noticed Just Write hasn’t graced your inbox for a while it’s because I was busy getting married and travelling in southern Spain.
Regular service will now resume with Just Write going out on the last Friday of every month.
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Around the web
🌐 Any admirers of the work by Reed Words here? If so, check out this Dieline interview with co-founder and executive creative director, Mike Reed.
🌐 Should we always listen to career advice? Cindy Gallop highlights seven pieces of advice women should ignore in this Harvard Business Review article.
🌐 The hotly anticipated 2023 John Lewis Christmas advert is out. I’m not sure what to make of it, although I do like the slogan, “Let your traditions grow”.
One last thing …
“Maybe the best idea is the one you’re going to come up with this evening.”
- Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being