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.

Use the right tone

A typical tone of voice for a luxury brand is sophisticated, contemporary and slightly mysterious. This means using words and phrases that leave the audience 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.

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Featured photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash