Words are sacred … If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
– Tom Stoppard, Famed Author, Playwright, and Screenwriter
You want to nudge the world, right? You’re in marketing to do just that.
In fact, you probably want to do more than just nudge the world.
You want to tantalize.
You want to motivate.
You want to accelerate.
Fantastic!
But for now you probably would just be thrilled if an extra person opens your email or clicks a call to action button.
Action words can help you do just that.
How You Write Matters
You need impact. These days your writing needs stopping power.
We are assaulted almost every second we’re on our phone or in front of a computer – emails, text messages, search results, ads, Facebook posts, Tweets, blog posts, and more.
Then throw in all the other content we are constantly exposed to – 24/7 TV news, syndicated radio shows, billboards, newspapers, magazines, junk mail, and more ads.
It’s understandable that people have learned to shut out the noise. In fact, we’ve really learned to filter out obvious marketing messages.
Action words can help punch through the noise filters.
But you’re not done yet.
Your writing needs to bring out an emotion that triggers action.
Feelings happen fast. Unconsciously. Powerfully.
We just act.
Action words trigger our emotions.
One word or phrase can excite your readers. Or make them curious, scared, furious, and even aroused.
Then they act.
They read on. They click. They buy.
The right action word instantly punches up any marketing copy.
Headlines, subject lines, article titles, taglines, product names, call to action statements, proof points, mission statements, blog posts, resumes.
Any writing you do.
Four Quick Tips on Using Action Words
So you know why you need to use action words in your writing.
But how you do it is also critical to your success.
The English language has a bazillion words.
Should you just open up your thesaurus and find the fanciest word?
Nope.
That’s why I created this list. It gives you a shortcut to words that really work.
But before we dive into the list, here are some quick tips:
Tip #1: Nail the Verb First
The list contains mostly verbs. And there’s a reason.
Verbs are the most critical part in marketing writing. They are the action-driver.
Find the right verb first.
There are thousands of fantastic adjectives and adverbs too. But that can be a trap.
You have to use adjectives and adverbs correctly. They are accents. Accents that can help tremendously.
Unfortunately, I see too many writers rely on them too much.
Used incorrectly, adjectives and adverbs can make the writer look like they are trying to prove they’re smart… which has nothing to do with the audience. We’re marketers, not novelists.
If the phrase is not affecting the reader, what’s it doing there? Make it do its job or cut it without mercy or remorse.
– Isaac Asimov
Tip #2: Keep It Simple
“Go” is my favorite verb.
Pure action. Two letters. Nothing fancy.
Keep your action words simple.
Mark Twain said it best.
We can all click in Microsoft Word to open up the thesaurus. It can be helpful when we’re stuck.
But don’t abuse the thesaurus by using it to find the most elegant word.
Simple words work best for your readers. That’s how you make an impact and drive action.
I once used the word OBSOLETE in a headline, only to discover that 43 per cent of housewives had no idea what it meant. In another headline, I used the word INEFFABLE, only to discover that I didn’t know what it meant myself.
– David Ogilvy
Tip #3: Consonants Pick Up the Pace
Readers are drawn toward words with strong consonants.
A word that starts hard or ends hard is like a staccato note to our brains.
Consonants boost the cadence of your writing.
That cadence and hard sound of consonants helps you cut through your reader’s noise filter.
I’m not dismissing our friend the vowel though. Words that start with vowels or that end softly can still deliver.
But why chance being a little mushy when a good consonant word will do?
Tip #4: Alliteration is a Perfect Power-Packed Technique
Alliteration is the writing tactic that pairs up words with the same beginning sound.
Why is that important for action words?
Alliteration makes your writing even more interesting and easier to remember.
The result is you attract more customers and convert more sales.
That’s why you have big brands use alliteration in their names, like Bed Bath & Beyond, Krispy Kreme, and PayPal.
So use alliteration to boost your best action words.
277 Action Words
Let’s go!
YOUR ACTION: Download this list. Print it out and keep it on your desk.
Don’t see your favorite action words on the list. Please share. Leave a comment below.
High Energy Words
This set of action words is full of positive verbs. Verbs that give your reader energy, enthusiasm, and inspiration.
Act
Adapt
Advance
Alter
Amplify
Backbone
Boost
Bravery
Build
Cause
Challenge
Cheer
Compete
Connect
Convert
Craft
Crazy
Delight
Deliver
Demonstrate
Describe
Design
Detect
Directed
Engineer
Excite
Execute
Exhibit
Explain
Explore
Focus
Generate
Get
Go
Grab
Guide
Guts
Happy
Heroic
Impact
Inspire
Intense
Invent
Join
Joy
Launch
Lift
Link
Love
Map
Motivate
Navigate
Operate
Organize
Overhaul
Plan
Present
Produce
Propose
Respond
Results
Revamp
Shape
Show
Simulate
Spectacular
Spirit
Start
Stimulate
Stunning
Surge
Surprising
Taught
Track
Train
Trigger
United
Work
Speed Words
Speed words are action on hyperdrive.
Your readers want things now. They have the need for speed.
Accelerate
Sprint
Eliminate
Expedite
Express
Frenzy
Hack
Hyper
Instant
Now
Reduce
Speedy
Streamline
Fear Words
Your audience doesn’t want to lose anything they value.
They worry. They’re fearful.
Loss aversion is a powerful motivator. Unconsciously it’s probably more influential than something positive or rewarding.
Abandon
Agonize
Alert
Alone
Beware
Blinded
Caution
Cheat
Chilling
Collapse
Crisis
Criticize
Deadly
Decrease
Detach
Devastating
Disastrous
Disrupt
Fail
Fake
Fool
Haunt
Invasion
Loser
Mistake
Negate
Pain
Panic
Peril
Poison
Prevent
Punish
Quit
Raid
Risk
Ruin
Scare
Shock
Spook
Struggle
Trap
Trick
Trouble
Victim
Warning
Weak
Anger Words
Fear most often relates someone doing something bad to you. Someone is on the receiving end.
Anger is acting out… with extra aggression.
This set of angry action words brings out a strong emotion.
Abuse
Assault
Attack
Backlash
Beat
Blast
Bomb
Break
Conflict
Crush
Curse
Destroy
Disgusting
Envy
Evil
Fired
Force
Hate
Hijack
Jerk
Kill
Punch
Revenge
Revolting
Scream
Shatter
Strangle
Strike
Stupid
Toxic
Violate
Curiosity Words
Our curiosity compels us to act. Why?
We’re intrigued by what we don’t know. Even more fascinating, we want what we can’t have.
We can’t help by find out what we’re missing.
Astonish
Banned
Blacklist
Blocked
Bootleg
Censored
Confessions
Controversial
Covert
Defy
Forbidden
Forgotten
Freakish
Gambling
Hidden
Hint
Illegal
Insider
Lost
Magic
Mystery
Odd
Outlaw
Private
Rare
Reveal
Rogue
Secrets
Shenanigans
Staggering
Suggest
Taboo
Warp
Wonder
Money, Power, Respect
I had to steal from the title of a classic late ‘90s hip hop song by The Lox (featuring Lil’ Kim and DMX) for this section.
Money and power attract attention. Call it greed if you want.
But this set of action words delivers results.
Bargain
Best
Big
Binge
Bold
Cash
Claim
Collect
Discount
Exclusive
Expand
Explicit
Free
Freedom
Gain
Gift
Gigantic
Greatest
Insist
Lead
Massive
Master
Offer
Prize
Profit
Promote
Rich
Skyrocket
Steal
Terrific
Treasure
Triple
Triumph
Ultimate
Unstoppable
Update
Upgrade
Urgent
Verify
Victory
Win
Sex Words
Fear is not the only deep-seated emotion that triggers our core emotions.
Sex and attraction are also powerful drivers in our unconscious mind.
You can imply sex without being explicit.
Of course, be careful with this. Everything is not a beer commercial.
Crave
Dirty
Expose
Hottest
Irresistible
Lust
Naked
Sex
Sin
Tantalize
Thrilling
Safe Words
A little reassurance can go a long way with your readers. People like to know they are safe.
Safe words don’t have the visceral stopping power of fear or sex words.
But when used at the right place and at the right time, these words make us confident to act.
Authorize
Coach
Cool
Faith
Fearless
Grasp
Guarantee
Hold
Lifetime
Official
Precious
Protect
Proven
Refund
Safe
Save
Savvy
Secure
Smart
Tested
Tested
Validate
Zen
Is your favorite action word missing from this list?
Please share. Leave a comment below.
Image Credits:
- _DSC0439 by GaborfromHungary
- Fun Fair by Etienne Gerard
- Ludicrous Speed by Dan DeChiaro
- FEAR: THE DEADLY SUBURBS…tonight at 11 by myradphotos
- Curious Old Man by Petras Gagilas
- Ring for Sex by Kevin Shine
- Safe Hands by Zlatko Vickovic
