Next to designing the perfect website, one of the biggest challenges people have with their website is writing great sales copy. When a visitor comes to your site they usually have a problem and are looking for someone to help them solve it. That problem can be networking their office or finding the perfect party planner. Either way, they need you but they just don’t know it yet. That’s where your sales copy comes in.
Your eye-catching design has their attention but now comes the hard part – retaining the short attention span of the average web surfer while making the sale.
Here are a few tips to help you write effective sales copy for your website.
Connect With Your Audience: Your website copy should sound like it was written by you and shouldn’t come across as the written equivalent of stock photography. The sales copy on your website is a conversation between you and your visitor so be your authentic self. A little polish goes a long way but don’t blind them.
Address Their Needs: Visitors come to your site because they have a problem. Here’s your chance to show them that you’ve seen their problem before and to demonstrate you have the knowledge, skill and experience to help them. Your website copy should focus on the the value of your service and how it benefits the potential client. It’s all about them.
Short Attention Span Theater: Your website copy should be half the length of your printed sales copy because the attention span of a web surfer is notoriously short. When was the last time you read an entire page of copy from beginning to end? Use descriptive headlines, bold important information, (though don’t go overboard), and keep it brief. This allows visitors to quickly skim the copy for important information and gives you more to talk about when they contact you.
Avoid Talking About Yourself: Potential clients are interested in you / your company because the service you provide makes their life easier. Your sales copy should always directly address the needs of the client. Keep the “you” factor contained to the “About Us” or “Firm Profile” page and off the home page. If you must get some ego on the home page, keep it brief. It should be supplemental, not required reading.
Seal the Deal: Your visitors have read your copy and now find themselves at the bottom of the page. Keep them engaged. Offer a relevant statistic followed by a call to action, for example: “85% of all website traffic comes from search engines. Call us today and learn how we can improve your search engine ranking.” Giving them a call to action such as requesting a quote or calling you for more information is crucial to beginning the sales process.
Writing effective website sales copy is an art. You have a lot to accomplish within a quick scan of a web page. It’s a proven fact people buy based on emotion so always keep the focus on the visitor, their needs, and clearly communicate why you are the one to help them. And keep in mind you are writing for the web, and not 5,000 printed brochures. If you don’t like what you’ve written you can always go back and tweak it for freshness and clarity. Your website sales copy will always be a work in progress.
I design websites, blogs, and develop social media campaigns for creative professionals who want increase their online visibility, promote their latest projects, and attract new creative opportunities.
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