One of the fundamental characteristics of a human being is a tendency towards procrastination.

And when it comes to reaching for our wallets and buying something, that tendency to ?think about it? is incredibly strong, even when we actually want to make the purchase.

That?s why creating an authentic sense of urgency is a crucial component of compelling copy.

In less skilled (and less scrupulous) hands, that sense of urgency is manufactured. It?s a fake or illogical high pressure sales tactic that turns most people off and blows the sale.

Don?t you love those online sales letters where the ?offer expires? date just happens to be?shock?today! Come back tomorrow and the javascript has magically updated the offer automatically.

Lovely.

Michel Fortin tells a great story of how a furniture salesman managed to offend him with his real-world equivalent of the Internet javascript exploit. It?s apparent that a lack of respect for the prospective customer is at the heart of snake-oil selling, online and off.

Here?s the smart way to communicate natural urgency that Michel so keenly recognizes:

Never pressure people to PUSH them into purchasing. Instead, use pressure to PREVENT them from procrastinating.

There is a fundamental difference between the two.

What Michel means is to be of service to the prospect, rather than your own self-interest. If what you offer is quality, odds are you?ve got an interested buyer who is only procrastinating.

Don?t run them off by being stupid? help them to make the move they likely already want to take.

The way to do that goes back to the magic word because.

Give people a logical reason why they should buy now, and more people will.

And you can?t just make up the reason.

Effective marketers, however, will find one.