Picture this scenario…
You come to a website that is selling something you are interested in but you don't buy it. Why? It's probably because you have unanswered questions or you aren't sure the product will do what you need it to do; in a nutshell you're just not convinced. You not only don't buy – you move on to another site.
This is typical for most websites. They get traffic but few sales because their visitors either don't get the information they need or they're just not feeling confident enough to buy.
Your website is your storefront, the biggest difference between a brick and mortar store and your site is the merchant can ask questions of a real sales person and get immediate answers. That means your site has to compensate by anticipating what your viewers want to know. But you also have to have the power of persuasion, you must convince your visitor that what you are offering is just what they need.
Whether you have your own products or you are an affiliate marketer, you know your products right? Or at least you should, so put yourself in your buyer’s shoes. Anticipate the things your users want to know. What does the product do? Are there things the user might think the product won’t be able to do? What are the benefits?
When you created your product or first used the product, what kinds of questions popped into your head? Make a note of those things and put them in your sales pitch or sales letter.
Now think about what might make your visitors skeptical? Why might they object to buying your product? Might they think it's some cheap imitation? If that's a possibility, address it.
Will they have questions about how effective it is? What questions might they have on how well it works? Is there a technical aspect of the product that a user might wonder about? Give examples of how the product works that they can understand.
If the price is on the high side or if it's been reduced, justify it. I like to highlight a money back guarantee; it adds a risk free element that makes buyers comfortable when purchasing.
Always be clear about pricing. I’ve seen merchants leave out pricing information until you are on the order page. Don’t frustrate the user, tell them what it is up front. I also recommend mentioning how a product is delivered and if there is a delivery fee. If the product is electronic, specify how it is delivered and what software, if any, is needed.
Writing sales copy and promotional copy isn't always as easy as it looks. There are several elements that work together in order to achieve the desired end results, a sale. So if you're scratching your head and wondering why you're not making sales, it's more than likely your sales copy is not up to par.
For a fool proof, guaranteed way to sell your products or services without actually writing the copy yourself or hiring someone to do it for you, here's a sure fire way to get your visitors to buy, giving you a surge of new profits and customers.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice Post!
The Internet provides great opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses, but doing business online presents unique challenges and requires new skills. Per my experience search engine optimization would be the best practice to improve your online business.
I agree, SEO is important but too many people focus on it entirely too much. High focus on Search engine optimization may gain you high ranking in the search engines but if your site doesn’t provide what readers are looking for or can’t persuade them to buy, your SEO efforts will be worthless. I’ve learned to work harder at appealing to my readers more the search engines. If you can give readers what they want, offer quality and interesting content, the search engines will come around on their own. That’s especially true with Google.
Liz, I agree. Online sales is all about building a trusting relationship through caring and answering your prospect’s questions. You need to show that you understand their problem and have the solution.
I feel that it’s very important to look at everything from the prospect’s perspective – from their point of view. This is a real change in my thinking. Excellent article.
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