Rule 1
Make sure your product or service has a strong selling point…
Rule 2
…But don’t wax lyrical about how great it is/you are. People aren’t interested in people who are interested in themselves. That’s arrogance. They want to know what’s in it for them. That’s common sense.
Rule 3
Keep the visitor in mind. Your website should clearly spell out what your product or service has that the competition doesn’t. Focus on benefits. Tip: write about your ideal customer’s needs or problems. Then show people how and why your product or service specifically helps them.
Rule 3
Content is king. But only if it’s useful, relevant and interesting. Boring, long copy will only serve to help people doze off. Aim for simplicity. Use short words. Short sentences. Short paragraphs. Break up text with benefit-driven bold headlines and bulleted lists. Keep the reader involved by asking, and answering, questions.
Rule 4
Stay fresh. Old news is good news. And web pages that are not updated regularly are like cobwebs in the attic. Give people a reason to come back to your site by creating a desire to return. Add new articles, links and other content.
Rule 5
Have a comprehensive FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page. Think of every possible objection someone might have to investing in your product or service. Next, provide all the information they need to overcome any obstacles to closing the sale.
Rule 6
Have a properly designed site. As well as being great to look at, it should be well organised, with a clear and logical sense of order. That way, visitors can quickly and painlessly navigate their way around your pages.
Rule 7
Give prospects a choice of easy ways to reach you – via email, phone, website contact form, etc. But don’t stop there. Turn some of your key benefits into hyperlinks that go to your order page or contact form.
Rule 8
Even if they aren’t interested in buying at this stage, urge them to do something. In copywriting speak, this is referred to as a “call to action”: Act Today! - Email Us Now! - Don’t let this opportunity slip by! - Take Action Before It's Too Late! A website without a call to action is one that should never go live.
Rule 9
The gold is in the follow-up. FOLLOW up on leads, enquiries, sales, every communication from a client — new, past or recurring.
Rule 10
Proofread, proofread, and proofread again. Errors can easily be missed — particularly on screen (print out and read if in doubt).
This article is the copyrighted property of Tracey Dooley, © 2004. All rights reserved. Reprint permission is granted as long as the article is printed in its entirety, including the resource box, with this notice intact, and providing no changes are made. Please let me know (worddoc[at]mediaminister.co.uk) of any usage, preferably with a link. Not to be sold.
About the Author
Tracey "Word Doctor” Dooley of MediaMinister (www.mediaminister.co.uk) is an experienced copywriter, editor and marketer. She has spent more than 12 years crafting compelling copy that successfully sells, informs or entertains. Why not get in touch now for your no-obligation quote? > mailto:quote[at]mediaminister.co.uk.