Prodo - Total Marketing Solutions

So how do you ensure that your products or services sell online? If you think your product or service isn’t in demand and that the internet isn’t going to make you any money, then maybe you should stand back and look at why?

One of the things that is often overlooked is the copy, many site owners make the mistake of assuming that visitors just skim the copy and therefore it is not that important to the purchasing decision, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

Many people, it is true to say do skim sites, but one thing that is true is that those who are in a classic buying cycle will read voraciously all copy about the product or service that they are interested in.

Even though the internet has seen a phenomenal growth in users, people are still careful about when and how they spend, particularly if you are an unfamiliar brand to them. Users will spend a considerable amount of time reading and researching a product before actually making the sale. So the more informative and helpful, the more likely that you can motivate the user to buy.

So what helps sell?

Don’t make them wait. A classic mistake is to waffle and not get to the point, visitors don’t like to have to wade through mountains of text before they discover key information. Use the headings, subheadings and first few sentences.

Keep it short & simple

Keep your sentences short and to the point, but they don’t have to be impersonal, just remember the primary objective is not to overwhelm your prospect. The web isn’t like paper-based communications, you would traditionally use half the word count.

Cut the jargon

If your visitors have to read a glossary of terms in order to understand what you are saying - you’ve lost them.

Use bullet points

If you can get the key benefits or features into individual bullet points this really helps. A whole paragraph could be condensed into 5 bullet points making it far more digestible.

Boldly go

Keywords should be highlighted, further strengthening the main messages.

Don’t go crazy!!!

Whilst emphasis is important too much use of the !!!!!! can reduce credibility, so by all means use descriptive, sales language but try to avoid overkill.

Written by Pippa Adams [Managing Director] Prodo Ltd