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How to Make Your Site Sell
By Andrew LaPointe
Remember, your website can only communicate to your readers in two ways. The first is the colors you use, while the second is your copy (your writing). Even if you use audio/video on your site, you still need to write the copy. So letÂ’s add some punch to your site and skyrocket your sales!
In Sales 101, we learned that people buy benefits, not features. If youÂ’re a little rusty on the difference between feature and benefits, here is a quick refresher course.
A feature describes a product. LikeÂ…
An internet marketing and promotion book
This gives you an idea of what the product is, but remember, people donÂ’t buy features. People only buy benefits.
A benefit tells what the product does. LikeÂ…
An internet promotion and marketing book. Learn how to increase your traffic and profits.
That is our first example of combining the features and benefits of the product. The next step is to really make your copy sizzle, and make your sales zoom through the roof. But before we do that, you should adhere to a main rule - never oversell your product. What I mean is never make a statement that says your product will do something, when it doesnÂ’t do it. For example, if your site sells computers with only enough capacity to run childrenÂ’s game, donÂ’t say your computers can run NASA. People are just starting to purchase merchandise in mass numbers via the internet. You and I, people who derive an income from the internet, shouldnÂ’t destroy this trust.
LetÂ’s make your copy sizzle. The best way to do this is to tie a feature and benefit to a need. Abraham MaslowÂ’s Hierarchy of Needs is a great place to start. Mr. Maslow stated the everyone has five needs. In order, from bottom to top of his hierarchy, these needs are Physiological (survival), Safety and Security, Social, Esteem and Status, and Self-Actualization.
Here is a brief list of words and phases for each category. Use this information as your guide when designing needs-based copy:
Physiological (survival): breath easier, sleep well at night, live easy
Safety and Security: avoid risk, worry-free, secure
Social: popular, love, friendship
Esteem and Status: respect, your own boss
Self-Actualization: live your dreams, wisdom
In addition to using MaslowÂ’s hierarchy, you should include descriptive and action-orientated words. Here is a brief list for you to use:
explode
step-by-step
skyrocket
sizzle
zoom
action
instant
guarantee
soar
LetÂ’s utilize all we have learned in this report and combine a feature, a benefit, a need, and action words to sell our product via the internet. In the new and improved version, I have added the following words:
explode (action word)
profits (security and safety)
automatically (action word)
step-by-step (safety and security)
teach you the secrets (action phrase)
by the best internet marketers (esteem and status/self-actualization)
income (security and safety)
money-back guarantee (action phrase/safety and security)
order today (action phrase)
free (action word) bonus
Here is the new and improved version:
Learn how to explode your traffic and profits automatically. This step-by-step internet marketing and promotion book will teach you the secrets used by the best internet marketers. IÂ’m so confident your traffic and income will increase, I offer a full one-year, money-back guarantee, if you are not happy for any reason. Order today and receive a free bonus.
See the difference between the plain, feature-only sales script and the updated version? Which one would make you click the “Order Now” button on your computer? (I hope you said the new and improved version.)
Now, take a look at your site and sales pages. Sit down with a pencil and a piece of paper and carefully review each page. Write down actions words, and use MaslowÂ’s Hierarchy of Needs, and rewrite your site incorporating what you learned today. If you follow the strategies laid out here, your sales will increase without the need for any increase in traffic. Guaranteed!
Andrew T. LaPointe is President and CEO of www.youronlinebusiness.com. He is also the author of the Internet book Your Online Business.com - A step-by-step Guide to Building an Online Fortune. His site http://www.youronlinebusiness.com is dedicated in assisting web entrepreneurs generate an income from the Internet.
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