There are a handful of simple changes you can make to improve your sales – and one of those changes is the way you present your written content. Believe it or not, there is a formula that copywriters use to convince people to buy products and you can use that same formula on your own website.
The first step you want to do with any sales copy is make sure that you present the problem. Without a problem, people have no need to buy or take any kind of action at all. Presenting people with a problems is the same as letting them know they need to (and can with your help) take the necessary action to resolve whatever the problem is.
So first, you tell them what’s wrong – but you do it from the, “Hey – I’ve been there too” point of view. Never talk down to potential customers (you’re in debt? While I would never let myself get into debt, here’s how you can get out of it).
You have to show them that you understand, that you’ve walked the same road and can feel their pain. Establishing a common bond builds trust. Next, you want to show them how they can have a solution for their problem and you present that solution.
One of the biggest mistakes most people make when presenting sales copy or any other type of content is they fail to break it down into bite sized chunks. When words are written together in long paragraph form without breaks, readers tend to skim rather than read the content if they read it at all.
To get your point across, write your copy in a style that flows easily. Start with clean, crisp headlines followed by your storyline and then begin to break it up into sub-headlines.
Use bullet points in your copy. Bullet points serve an important purpose – they take long paragraphs and put them in an easier to read format. They immediately draw the focus of the reader and you can point out important details within bullet points.
You also want to write your call to action in a way that moves people to act. Sometimes using the same old phrases (Buy now! or Order here!) can backfire. People tend to turn a blind eye to words they’ve seen a thousand times.
Remember the customer’s problem? Here’s where understanding what the problem is can work as a call to action. For example, if you were selling products that successfully treated acne, instead of having a Buy Now call to action, you could use, “Yes! I want to fight my acne starting today!”
You want to think about your call to action and put yourself into the customer’s shoes. How is the problem hurting their life? What emotions are they battling because of it? Embarrassment? Social anxiety?
Don’t forget to use a PS and PPS in your copy. Why? Some people skip the sales copy and head straight to the price point and postscripts to see what the page is summed up about. You can also use these to show what the customer might risk if he doesn’t take advantage of your offer.
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