Effective sales copy drives engagement. But knowing how to write the kind of copy that does just that is another story. It’s not exactly rocket science, however. With just a little time, some elbow grease, and a willingness to keep these tips in mind, you’ll be on your way towards writing content that actually converts and drives customer sales.
Understand Your Target Audience
You can’t write sales copy that converts if you’re not offering something that appeals to your customers. Consider what your target audience wants and needs out of life and how your product can help them. Developing customer personas beforehand can be helpful if you’re struggling to determine what kinds of customers you’re trying to sell to.
Focus On The Benefits
While you should keep solutions in mind when writing your content, you’ll generally see better results by focussing on the benefits that your product offers. The types of benefits you list, however, should all tie in to a particular solution that you envision your product solves.
For instance, if you’re a company that sells Bluetooth speakers you may want to write copy that emphasises the convenience of your product, its sound specs, and what the product looks like, etc. Focussing on the benefits enables customers to project their own needs upon your product.
Customer Testimonials
If possible, include customer testimonials. When potential customers are able to see that real people used and enjoyed your products, that’s the best possible promotion you can ask for. Inserting a few quotes throughout your copy are recommended.
You may also want to include Amazon reviews or other consumer reviews if at all possible. Granted, if you’re very new to the market, you may not have customer testimonials handy. Be sure to ask new customers if they’re willing to leave a review after they purchase your product.
Simplicity Sells
Your copy should be accessible for readers from a variety of backgrounds. Use simple, direct language. Aim for a fourth- or fifth-grade reading level. Don’t make customers scramble for a dictionary. Remember, your customers will come from different age brackets, educational levels, and even linguistic backgrounds.
Short paragraphs, like what you’re seeing here, are ideal. Leaving lots of white space on a page makes it easier for customers to read their content. Remember, your customers likely have limited time available to read your content. If they feel like they have to analyse a scholarly essay, they won’t be interested.
Provide A Call to Action
Whether you provide an ‘add to cart’ button or you ask customers to share your content, all sales copy should have a call to action. Make your customer feel involved and funnel them towards conversion.
Be Willing To Experiment
Finding copy that converts can take time. Be willing to play around with your copy. Edit certain phrases or change your title. Certain audiences respond better to certain tactics than others. You’ll need to play around with your content in order to find what works best for your site. Be willing to watch your analytics and conversion rates so you understand how it’s all affected by your experimentation.
With that being said, you should be all set for writing content that converts. Keep these tips and in mind and you’ll start to see those conversion rates skyrocket.
[This post by Jon Westenberg first appeared on Medium and has been reproduced with permission.]
