This week, we’re bringing you part 3 of our “Brand Love Language” series. If you’ve missed any part of the series, we invite you to catch up on Part 1 and Part 2. Each series includes a download you don’t want to miss!

In today’s installment, we’re expanding our word list and focusing on the touchy, feely words that help us imagine the texture, touch and consistency of products. Whether you’re talking about glazed jewelry or honeyed breakfast rolls, the use of descriptive, rich language brings products to life. It helps paint a tactile and visual picture in our minds of what we can expect from the products.

Choosing the right descriptive words can persuade your audience and make a difference in your bottom line. Research by Dr. Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, found that descriptive menu labels, including vivid adjectives that describe texture and touch, increased sales by as much as 27 percent. Consider the following examples describing a caramel latte. Which would you rather sink your teeth into?

Starbucks >> “ … creamy vanilla-flavored syrup, freshly steamed milk with a topping of velvety-rich foam, an intense hit of our Espresso Roast, a finishing of buttery caramel drizzle …” or

Caribou Coffee >> “Freshly steamed milk with espresso and caramel topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.”

Try breathing life into lack-luster copy by applying targeted words that add meaning, depth and emotion. Avoid overused words like beautiful, natural or young that lack real value with consumers today. Instead, describe the beauty, ingredients or youthful appearance, painting a vivid picture for your buyers.

To help you grow your touchy, feel-y vocabulary, check out the download in today’s series. The list is packed with descriptive words that you can sprinkle into your product descriptions when touch + texture is a feature, or use as a go-to when you need a little inspiration.

Bonus! To grow your word toolbox even further, bookmark Color Smart by Behr, a wonderful online resource for discovering words used to describe the variety of paint colors offered by this manufacturer. Place your cursor over each color swatch to see the names.

Part 3: Silly Putty + Cotton Tails

CLICK HERE to download the word lists from Part 3: Silly Putty + Cotton Tails

I’ll be back next week to share the next installment for your toolbox! If you have a favorite word that describes texture, won’t you share it in the comments, too?