Placing just one or two carefully selected images within
your salesletter can be worth thousands of dollars in sales.
In fact, just one image that brings your eBook, software,
audio product, or free bonus items to life can have a real
impact on your bottom line!
For consumers, there's no doubt that buying products online
is a whole different ball game compared to buying from a
"bricks and mortar" store. There's no face-to-face
interaction, and they can't touch and examine the product
they are thinking of purchasing.
So anything that you can do to make consumers more
comfortable buying a product online is well worth the
effort. And adding a few images to humanize your web site
and show off your products including digital products
is one way you can do this.
Of course, any images in your sales copy should complement
the copy itself and add to your overall sales message.
Remember, they're not decoration.
In other words... no "stock" images of a man with a
briefcase to illustrate a business product, or of two people
shaking hands to promote a suite of training products!
Remember: Your sales page is valuable real estate, and every
pixel on that screen contributes to the overall impression
visitors will get of you and your products or services so
you have to be careful how you use that real estate.
THREE IMAGES YOU MUST HAVE WITHIN YOUR NEWSLETTER
There are three areas in your salesletter where using the
right image can make a HUGE difference to your sales:
1. RIGHT UP FRONT: A picture of you! You might think that
placing a picture of yourself in your copy is a bit
big-headed. Not at all... not only does this establish that
there IS a real person behind your web site, but it also
makes your whole salesletter that much more personal.
Of course, you shouldn't go overboard and scatter your
holiday snaps throughout the copy that will just distract
from your sales message. A friendly portrait shot near the
top will do the trick. Obviously, try to choose a good
picture, not just a grainy web cam shot. ;-)
2. WITHIN TESTIMONIALS: Images of satisfied customers. The key
thing with testimonials is to make them credible. Using
pictures of your satisfied customers alongside their
testimonials puts a face to the words, and makes it clear
that these are real, and not faked, testimonials.
So when you receive a good testimonial from a customer,
always ask for a picture. If they have one of themselves
using your product or service... all the better! Don't worry
too much about quality the most important thing is that
they are genuine.
3. IN YOUR PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: The product shot! This is the
MOST IMPORTANT of all the three images, and it can make all
the difference when it comes to closing a sale.
The thing is, people shopping online can't touch the
product... so they need to see as much detail as possible
during the sales process so they're comfortable with what
they're buying.
If you sell a tangible product like jewelry or cameras,
then you should place a well-taken shot prominently within
your product copy, as well as next to the "call to action"
when the customer is finally deciding whether to buy.
And if you mention any cool features like a special lens
for a camera, for example provide an image of this too.
If you sell a software program or training course, you can
also include screenshots and samples.
The key is to make your product look as DESIRABLE as
possible.
At The Internet Marketing Center, we've tested the impact of
images, product shots, and screen captures on sales... and they
really DO make a huge difference.
But what if you sell a digital product like an eBook or
downloadable software? Well, you can still create a
desirable image quickly and cheaply...
TIPS FOR CREATING HIGH-IMPACT EBOOK "COVERS" AND DIGITAL
PRODUCT "BOXES" THAT GENERATE MORE SALES
Of course, a digital eBook doesn't have a physical cover,
and software that customers can download doesn't come in a
box!
But a product image even a digitally created one that's
placed within the product salescopy and next to the "call to
action" makes people feel like they're buying a "real"
product... and this gives it a lot more value in the eyes of
consumers.
The bottom line is that a good "cover" WILL help you
maximize sales. And a professional-looking "box" image for
other digital products does the same.
So what makes a great eBook cover or digital product box?
- It must look professional. A quick trip through web sites
selling digital products will reveal tons of different
designs, and you'll quickly see which ones work and which
don't.
- It must be eye-catching. Make it something people would
pick up in an offline store. This helps if you want to use
the image to promote your product on other web sites.
- The cover or box must be suitable for the product's
contents. For example, if your product is an eBook on
gardening tips, use a gardening image. Check out the covers
of books on your topic, or the boxes of software, sold in
offline stores to get some ideas.
- Keep the writing on the cover or box to a minimum. Ideally,
you'll want to include just the product's name or title,
sub-title if applicable, and author if applicable (and
only if they are well known in their field). And remember
that the final image will be small, so only include written
content that's absolutely essential.
- Don't go overboard with the colors. No bright green and
pink DON'T go together! Try this handy free tool for seeing
which web colors go well together: http://www.colormatch.dk
- Stick to clear, legible fonts. Use fonts like Arial or
Verdana. Avoid "script" or unusual fonts that are hard to
read. And only use one font!
- Give it a 3D appearance with the title repeated on the
spine, and a shadow. This makes it more tangible in the
eyes of the customer.
If you have some design experience, you can take a shot at
creating your cover or package yourself using imaging software
like Photoshop or PhotoImpact.
A word of caution, though... if your design skills are not good,
go to a professional or use custom software. Bad design and
poor-quality images are worse than no images at all, and you
could actually end up losing sales!
Try finding a designer through Elance, or use one of the many
eBook cover design services or software providers available
on the Internet.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Images in your sales copy really can make a difference to
your sales, but only if you use them sparingly and
strategically.
Well-positioned pictures of yourself and of your
satisfied customers make the customer feel like they are
buying from a real person with real customers not just
some anonymous web site.
And eye-catching product shots do a great job of supporting
your salescopy. Your customers won't judge your eBook or
other products on their "covers" or "packaging" alone, but
product images can provide credibility and make your
products more desirable and tangible in the eyes of your
customers.
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About the Author
Corey Rudl is the owner of four highly successful online businesses that attract more than 1.8 million visitors per month and generate over $6.6 million each year. He is also the author of the #1 best-selling Internet Marketing course online.