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CATEGORY: Sales Page

Sales Copy Tips

1st August, 2011

Learn the ABC’s of a Moneymaking Sales Page

(Part Three)

Sales copy tips designed to increase your conversion rates are not hard to come by now that you have a wealth of information at your fingertips. Depending on the term you type into your trusty search engine, you’ll probably be presented with countless results claiming to offer smoking hot templates and formulas for sales pages that covert like crazy.

It’s best to tread wisely if you choose to use an “instant” template that promises you the ability to whip up a sales page in five minutes. You should still be well aware of each component’s purpose, so you can use it to maximum effect. We’ve already covered seven of these components. We’ll look at another five in this third installment.

A Visually Appealing Design

Purpose: A simple, balanced design attracts the right kind of attention and allows for easy reading, or scanning. The layout of your sales page can contribute to your storytelling, show off the benefits, and help sell the offering.

Tip: The overall look of your copy is not an element you should ignore. When the various components are merely slapped together, it looks sloppy and unprofessional. The value of a “first impression ” should never be underestimated, since web users make a judgment within a third of a second according to a study conducted in Canada. Take the time to ensure your design does not form a bad impression.

Your sales page should be easy on the eye and reader friendly. Use appropriate fonts, font sizes, and colors, but not to the point where it becomes overbearing. The focus should be on the offer, not the layout. Also, make use of white space judiciously to avoid a cluttered look.

The Unbeatable Offer

Purpose: The offer breaks down the details, benefits and expected outcomes of your service, or product. Flesh out the specifics to show prospects the solutions they’re looking for and explain why you have something unique to offer them. This is your opportunity to let people know why your solution is better than any of those your competitors offer.

Tip: Use every chance you get to create value. Offer bonuses, discounts, or a limited time deal. Your prospects should feel as if they’re getting a bargain by the time they finish reading your copy. If you write about a feature, then make sure you also write about the benefit of the feature.

The Risk-reducing Guarantee

Purpose: Fear often rules the buying decision, which is why it should be eliminated wherever possible within your copy. A strong guarantee can help you achieve that by reducing the risk. Instill trust right from the beginning of your sales copy and reinforce it with an ironclad guarantee. It’ll make your prospects feel a lot safer when handing over their hard-earned cash.

Tip: The terms and conditions of your guarantee should be clear. Returns and refunds should be hassle free, so prospects don’t feel pressure before or after they make a purchase. While you should be fair to your customers, also make certain you protect yourself by stipulating a certain time period for refunds or returns.

The Strong Call to Action

Purpose: The call to action is the response you want your readers to make. It tells them exactly what you want them to do and how you want them to do it. Whether you want them to buy, download, or subscribe to something, you should have a powerful call to action that motivates them to respond.

Tip: This is a good time to remind your prospects of their problem, reinforce the fact you can offer the results they need, and ask them to buy. Be direct to ensure there is no chance they will misinterpret your expectations of a positive response.

An Effective P.S.

Purpose: The P.S. gives you one last chance to motivate your prospect to take action. You can use it to highlight the most important benefit, introduce a bonus or discount, and let consumers know your offer has a limited time period. It’s also a great way to reinforce any guarantees, tell people the final thing you want them to know, and remind them about important details.

Tip: A powerful P.S. has the potential to increase your sales drastically. In some cases, your P.S. might be the last push your prospect needs to take action. Make sure your P.S. is concise, direct, effective and clear. If you want people to take action, then motivate them and give them direction.

Ultimately, if you want winning sales copy, you need to search for sales copy tips that teach you how to weave these components together seamlessly and practice them. Don’t forget to test the effectiveness of your sales page. Generating a decent conversion rate is often a matter of trial and error. However, as long as you understand the purpose of each component and the way it influences the success of your copy, you’re already on the road to crafting impressive copy.

Check out the first part in this series Sales Page.

Check out the second part in this series Sales Copy.

Sales Copy

Shawn Manaher

31st July, 2011

Content Assessment

Learn the ABC’s of a Moneymaking Sales Page

(Part Two)

In part one, we looked at the purpose of four essential components of high impact sales copy. While mastering those four is certainly a step in the right direction, there are several other elements that contribute to building solid rapport, credibility, and trust. As we continue down the list of components, it’s important to keep in mind that they must work together to bring a consistent message to your public.

A Back-Story That Sells

Purpose: An interesting back-story allows you to tell potential buyers why your offer exists. When readers can relate to you in some way, they are likely to become emotionally invested on a more profound level. Building rapport through your story is a vital part of developing the trust you need to close the sale.

Divulging the details of your journey to success is also an excellent way to strengthen your authority. If people believe you know what you’re talking about, they are more inclined to listen to what you have to say. Wield your words wisely, for they have the power to show and prove you are worthy of the time it takes to get to the “BUY” button. With a captivating story, you’ll keep your prospects hooked from beginning to end.

Tip: Never write a story that’s untrue. You’re treading on dangerous ground when you mislead your readers, and the last thing you want is to tarnish your reputation. Make sure you have the facts if you’re writing copy based on the back-story of someone else, instead of your own experiences.

What you write and the way you write it can influence your prospect’s opinion of you. Don’t write anything that could later put a major dent in your credibility.

Proof That Removes Doubt

Purpose: Although there are several types of proof, one basic, common purpose is to remove doubt from your prospect’s mind. When you provide concrete evidence that your product or service produces the results people desire, you reduce feelings of fear and anxiety – the feelings that stop your prospect from buying.

Providing proof also helps to solidify your authority. It gives you the opportunity to show people you’re the expert, which is exactly how they will perceive you. You’ve been there, done that, and now you can wear the t-shirt of success proudly.

Tip: Without a doubt, you have to establish the validity of your claim in any sales copy you craft. Expect objections, because you’re going to get them by the truck load. You can support your offering with multiple pieces of evidence including customer success stories, case studies, testimonials, data, demonstrations, statistics, test results, pictures, videos, and credentials. It’s crucial to anticipate possible objections and tackle them within your sales copy by providing evidence that puts your customer’s mind at ease.

Show your customers the possibilities. Better yet, show them what the drawbacks are if they decide to forgo your offer. Help them make the only logical conclusion there is; you have the solution to their problem. By the time your prospects get to the end of your pitch, they should be ready to buy with absolute certainty.

A Video That Strengthens Rapport

Purpose: In essence, videos are an excellent medium for strengthening your connection with potential buyers. Besides speaking to people on a level that’s a little more direct, you have the opportunity to put a face to your message. This encourages a feeling of trust and confidence in you and your offering.

Tip: Put some personality into your video to keep people engaged. If you’re going to use this medium to communicate, then make certain your video is professional, and enhances your written copy.

Although these three components develop rapport, there are several more that help you make a powerful close in your sales copy. In part three, we’ll discuss these components and look at how they affect the outcome of your conversion rates.

Check out the first part in this series Sales Page.

Sales Page

Shawn Manaher

28th July, 2011

Content Assessment

Learn the ABC’s of a Moneymaking Sales Page

(Part One)

Creating an effective sales page requires a perfect blend of components that communicate the right message and persuade the right audience. Not only should you have a deep understanding of your product and prospect, you should also have a thorough understanding of the essential components and their purpose. Consider how each of these elements affects the success of your copy before you put on your writing cap.

An Irresistible Headline

Purpose: The headline grabs attention, cultivates interest, pre-qualifies your prospect and makes a promise. That’s a lot of pressure for one sales page component, which is why it’s the most important. Honestly, you can’t afford to make a hash of your headline if you want to compel your prospect to read further.

Tip: The perfect headline speaks to the needs, and desires of readers, while promising a result that will meet their objectives. Conduct exhaustive research on your target market and identify the ultimate hook. Practice writing powerful headlines that sell to your target.

An Opening That Tempts

Purpose: Opening paragraphs are designed to entice readers to keep on reading. This is your opportunity to establish a relationship through emotional affinity and trust. Connect with your readers by empathizing with their problem and elaborating on your headline’s promise. Explain that you have the solution; the answer they simply must have.

Tip: Keep your opening paragraphs juicy and intriguing enough, so your prospects want to learn more about your offer. If you make your entire marketing spiel within the first few paragraphs, the chances are you won’t get them to the “buy” button all the way at the bottom of your page.

Captivating and Compelling Sub-headlines

Purpose: Sub-headlines act as bait for scrollers, and they persuade your prospect to continue reading the copy. They are perfect for highlighting key points, breaking up your text, and grabbing attention. Most importantly, they tell your reader about the following portion of copy. A skilled copywriter can write sub-headlines that convey the right message even if a prospect merely skims the page.

Tip: Concentrate on writing sub-headlines that keep your reader hooked. Study successful sales copy and consider how the sub-headlines keep you reading. Determine what makes them work and then apply the same principles when writing your own.

Pictures That Speak A Thousand Words

Purpose: Images provide visual proof and help establish credibility, besides breaking up the monotony of the text. Visual representations help strengthen your copy and give you an advantage by proving the business, service, product, or claim exists. If you have images that convey the benefits, or even the quality, you up the stakes further. The reality is consumers are more likely to purchase something they can see. They want to know what the product looks like, so they have an idea of what to expect.

sales page and satisfaction go hand and hand

Importance of Consumer Satisfaction

In addition, adding a professional photograph of yourself allows your prospect to make a connection with you. This goes a long way in establishing credibility and trust. You want your prospect to feel as comfortable as possible about making a purchase, so consider attaching a picture to your name.

Tip: Whether you’re using images of your product, screen shots, or a photograph of yourself, make certain it looks professional and complements the layout of your sales page. Also, make sure the images add value to your copy. Don’t add them simply to fill space; they must communicate something about your offer visually.

While these four components barely touch the tip of the iceberg, they have a huge impact on the success of your sales page. In the next installment, we’ll discuss components that add value to your offer, allow you to strengthen the emotional connection between you and your prospect, and much more. Stay tuned for part two!

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