Date: Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Writing to sell on the web

A recent Government survey suggests 7 out of 10 businesses in the UK now have a website and with so many companies trying to sell a product or service, there’s a lot of competition in the online marketplace. To truly compete in this crowded marketplace, you need to ensure that your product or service is seen as a cut above the competition and one of the best ways to do this is by using convincing sales copy. With any style of writing, it's essential to appeal to your target audience. However, if you’re writing sales copy, you'll probably find that you have to try even harder to compete with your rivals and appeal to potential customers.

Good Sales Copy is Important

The power of effective sales copy should not be underestimated; words are arguably the most important thing on the web. A number of copywriters have noted that in most cases, a text-only site on a plain white background will sell a product or service much more effectively than a site boasting an innovative design, eye-catching graphics and very little copy. This is because, as Maria Veloso points out, "the web is text driven, nothing happens until someone writes the words to get someone to click. "

The Science of Persuasive Copy

Mark Joyner of Internet marketing company, Aesop.com, hired a team of mathematicians, statisticians and researchers to test and analyse every element of sales copy produced within his company including email subject lines, format and even guarantees. While this vigorous approach may be a little extreme, it's still important to develop a feel for the things that will – and the things that won't – appeal to the right kind of customer.

Creating Effective Sales Copy

There are many different ways to create eye-catching sales copy but the best place to start is with the headline. A punchy headline is essential to initially engage your reader and it should directly appeal to potential customers. Copy should be concise with simple, persuasive vocabulary and no corporate 'babble', which can confuse – and bore – the reader. In terms of length, you should aim for longer copy over short as it allows you to better inform the customer about your product or service and ultimately, to close the sale. This is important because many customers like to know as much as possible about a product before they pay for it.

Remain Compelling yet Truthful

One of the most important points to consider when writing sales copy is that while it must be compelling, it must also remain truthful. In his article Writing to Sell, John Philip stresses the importance of convincing customers rather than conning them. He believes that making false claims about your product or service may be useful in the short term but in the long term the customer, "generally ends up with a loss of confidence and trust." Andy Brocklehurst also stresses the importance of providing factual information in his article, Twelve steps to Writing Words that SELL. "Be sure that you have all the facts straight," he stresses, "never twist the truth in the hope of an easy sale."

A Unique Style of Writing

Ultimately, the art of writing to sell is very different to many other styles of writing but it takes no less skill. It has conventions like any other genre and if you follow them wisely, chances are that you – and your product or service – will benefit.