Improve Your Sales Copy in Four Easy Steps

It's no secret that you only have a few seconds to grab the
interest of potential customers and try to persuade them to
stay on your site. Nor is it a secret that bells and whistles
are not the answer.

So how do you gain and keep the attention of your visitors?
With killer copy!

Words are the most powerful tool you have to do business on the
Internet. Without the right words, you could be losing thousands
of dollars in profits.

The best way to write effective sales copy is to put yourself
in the place of the person who is reading it. Ask yourself all
the questions your potential customer is likely to want to ask,
and then answer them for him.

Here are four easy steps to help you reassure your customers by
answering those unasked questions:
Step 1. "What's in it for me?"

Paint a picture
Your customers don't care much about your background, how long
you've been in business or how special you think you are. So
the first thing you must do is promote the major benefits, for
them, of using your product. But don't just list the benefits -
paint a picture so your readers can visualise themselves
enjoying these benefits.
Don't write: "Save time and money with Acme widgets," but "Free!
Four hours a week to read a book, walk along the beach and
follow your dream when you use Acme widgets - the quickest
Widget on the market today."

Step 2. "How can you give me this?"

Explain why
You must offer credible, logical reasons to support your claims
or people are going to suspect your motives. "Acme widgets
achieve faster results because we incorporate not one, but
two gizmos. In controlled tests conducted by XYZ, our widgets
consistently out-performed the competition in speed, accuracy
and endurance."

Step 3. "Why should I believe you?"

Give reassurance
This is the time to give some details about you and your company.
Provide information about your credentials,qualificationsand
experience in the field. Now you can also include brief
testimonials from satisfied customers (provide as much
information to identify the customers as they're willing to
allow (anonymous testimonials are almost worthless).

Step 4. " What if I don't like it?"
Eliminate the risk
The final stumbling block for customers is usually the fear of
losing their money if they don't like the product or find it's
not what they expected - so offer your customers an iron-clad
guarantee.

It can be a full refund, a 'double riple money back' or
whatever you feel you can afford. Always include a time
factor - the longer the better - people like to know you'll
be around for the long-haul.
Incorporate these answers in your sales copy to instantly turn
your readers into buyers.