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How to make your site more effective, part
3
You know that a high ranking is important to get high quality
targeted traffic to your Web site. However, a high ranking
alone is not enough.
Many webmasters have the problem that their visitors don't
buy something on their site even if the way the visitors reached
the site indicates that they're interested in the products.
For that reason, we're going to tell you in a five-part series
what you can do to improve the effectiveness of your Web site.
PART 3: How to write a good sales copy
Last week, we told you how to keep visitors on your site.
This week, we're telling you how to convince your visitors
with a good sales copy.
As soon as people are on your Web site, you must convince
them with a good sales copy. Always remember: People aren't
necessarily interested in your product or in your company.
You have to fulfill their needs if you want to sell them something.
1. Know your product
Before starting to write sales copy, be sure that you know
your product and that you're passionate about it. You have
to fully believe in your product. If you don't, you shouldn't
sell it. You cannot write convincing sales copy if you don't
stand behind your product. You must be sure that you're
doing your customers a favor by offering them your product.
2. What's in for your customers?
Your customers want benefits. What can your product do
for them? What can it do for them now?
The benefits of your product should be the first words
on your site. Make them bold and make them big. If your
visitors don't know what's in it for them after the first
few seconds, they'll leave your site.
People don't read everything on your page. They scan it
for interesting information. Grab their attention with benefits.
3. Don't mix up features and benefits
You must differentiate between features and benefits. Features
are the attributes of your product, benefits are what your
product promises. For example, if you sell a solar-powered
clock, then the feature is "runs without batteries".
The benefit to the buyer is "you save money because
you don't need to buy batteries anymore".
Don't bore your potential customers with technical details.
Tell them what your product will do for them. How they will
feel when they tried your product. Maybe your product or
service will make them more money, maybe it will save them
time. Tell them and don't be shy.
4. Be nice and trustworthy
Your customers must trust you. They won't buy from you
if they don't. On the World Wide Web, you cannot speak face
to face with your customer so you have to establish credibility
in other ways.
The most common things to establish trustworthiness is
to offer a free trial and a money back guarantee. Use testimonials.
You must literally speak with them in your sales copy. Write
with a natural style. Don't try to be over friendly. Just
write it the way you'd say it to a potential customer face
to face.
Make sure that customers know that a real person is sitting
behind this Web page. Include your full contact information
on your Web site and make it easy to find. If your visitors
don't know from whom they will purchase and how to contact
you, they won't buy anything. Show your privacy policy.
5. Killer headlines will grab your visitors attention
Nobody will read your entire page. Make it easier for your
customers by dividing your page into paragraphs where each
paragraph has a headline. Your headlines should make clear
what to expect in the next sentences and they should grab
your visitors' attention.
Use words like "free, proven, benefit, first, discover,
complete, exclusive" and avoid words like "should,
could" and "but".
Be sure that you use "you" more than "I"
or "we". Remember: Your customers don't really
care about you and your business. They only want to know
what's in for them.
6. This site will be gone tomorrow!
Not really. :-) However, urgency sometimes helps to improve
the performance of your sales copy. Make a special offer
for the first 200 subscribers, add a special bonus if people
purchase this month or until midnight.
7. End your sales copy by telling the reader what to do
At the end of your copy text, you must tell your visitors
what to do next, e.g. "Download a sample chapter"
or "Click here to order now for immediate delivery".
Use the tips above to write as persuasively as you can, but
remember not to deceive your customers in any way. You'd risk
poor word of mouth, legal action, no repeat business and refund
requests.
Next week, we're telling you how to guide people through
your site so that they do the right thing: buy your product.
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